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It’s the time when people rush to chocolateries to grab a box or try and make one themselves. It’s the time when flowers are sold in a hefty amount, whether it be in the form of bouquets or just a singular flower, and also where all the things you see are impossibly pink. Incredibly pink.
Yeah, it’s Valentine’s day.
Even after living for 18 years, Shouto still has trouble defining what actually is the meaning of this so-called special occasion. He had Mina or Uraraka help him find out, but in the end, all he could conclude is the day when a person gives gifts and love to their partner. It makes sense, yet at the same time, it doesn’t. Why do people need to wait until Valentine’s Day so they could give their lovers affection? Why not give it to them all year long instead of waiting for a single day?
Shouto doesn’t understand.
He doesn’t understand a lot of things, now that you think about it.
Though the world still goes on, despite him not having enough social competence. Or, whatever it is that Kaminari tends to say about him. He trusts that the blond is correct in his judgment.
And so, Valentine’s Day arrived.
Just like all of the years he’d spent in UA, nearly all of the students in his class had their tables filled to the brim with various gifts and presents sent by who knows who. Honestly, it’s genuinely pretty impressive how these secret admirers manage to place their things without anyone knowing.
That’s how he’d come back to the dorms with hands full of sweets that he most likely will never finish even if he reaches the age of retirement.
He took out all the letters and placed the snacks on a box they'd prepared in the common room. A communal Valentine box, the girls had named. It's admittedly useful, at least this year Shouto wouldn't be sending all of it to his house anymore.
And oh. He wouldn't be making Katsuki jealous over gifts this year. That's convenient.
That marks his 18th Valentine's Day.
(It doesn't end that easily.)
Class 3-A has hardly met anything that would surprise them these days.
Maybe it was because of their unfateful encounter with the shitshow that is the League of Villains back then, or maybe it’s because they’ve trained to a point where they wouldn’t be afraid, all so it’ll be easier to assure civilians that everything is fine. Either way, they find themselves being sure that life wouldn’t throw another set of insanity right on their faces.
Except, life does throw another set of insanity.
“I win!” Kaminari’s voice booms throughout the rooming, his grin stretched so impossibly wide in an almost manic glee as he slams down a black +4 on the table and having his hands free of cards.
Tokoyami sighs, muttering something about the woes of losing. He was the last one who had a small number of cards next to Kaminari— because Jirou got herself blasted in the face with a whopping total of a +16— and they really thought someone could finally win against him. That’s not happening any time soon, though. God, this is why they don’t play uno on a weekly basis.
It's impressive how the blond is able to be the uncrowned king of uno despite being so bad at other games.
Anyway, yes, it is a game night for class 3-A, which had started because Uraraka and the others wanted to do a small celebration for Valentine’s Day. (It’s a supposedly fun and chill game time, but no one knows why it ended up being competitive uno.)
“Todoroki.” A familiar voice filters in through all the chaos, causing everyone to jump at the sudden call. There was Aizawa standing at the doorway, face exhausted as ever. The man spoke, “You have a visitor. He’s waiting in front of the dorms.”
The ruckus died down a little, and Todoroki, who was sitting on the couch while watching the class’ infamous game night, perked up at the mention of his name.
They all saw him leave to follow Aizawa. Then for a moment, everything was back to normal. Kaminari was shuffling the deck to play a new round, Uraraka praying to god or whoever’s up there to give her a blessing, Midoriya cheering them on, Yaoyorozu watching with an amused expression. Normal.
Well, that is, until—
“What the fuck ?” Sero’s half-shriek entered their ears, followed by a similar one from Ashido. They’d been talking near the windows, and looking by their bewildered expressions and the fingers pointed outside, something weird had happened.
A few of them sprung into action, wondering if a villain somehow had bullshitted their way into UA without anyone knowing. But as they’d crowded where Sero and Ashido are, oh. Oh fuck, they’re so very wrong .
There weren't any villains, not even Aizawa was there in front of the dorms.
Instead, there stood Todoroki and—
Wait, isn’t that—
That’s number 5 on the fucking leaderboards, pro-hero Dynamight.
What the fuck, indeed.
Now, it wasn’t a secret that Todoroki has a boyfriend out of UA. Nearly everyone knows about it. If you ask how, let’s just say that Todoroki tends to talk about his partner in that incredibly fond voice. (Class 3-A is still ridiculously happy over how their classmate has a person he could care about and vice versa. Maybe a little too happy. Kaminari still has to tone down his PowerPoint presentation filled with date ideas that Todoroki and his partner could use.)
But still, they didn’t know it was fucking Dynamight .
Midoriya lets out a strangled noise eerily similar to the squawk a bird lets out when it hits a window.
“ Kacchan ?!”
Approximately a dozen pairs of eyes stared at the green-haired male.
Midoriya flailed his arms uselessly in the air. “Uh— Kacchan is— Kacchan used to be a neighbor of mine and we played with each other a lot! But it’s been a while since I last saw him and I wasn’t expecting him to be —” He choked out, the last sentence faster than the speed of light.
“Okay so.” Sero pinched the bridge of his nose, gaze alternating back to the couple as if he wanted to convince himself that all of this was real. “You’re telling me that Todoroki’s boyfriend is actually Dynamight and none of us knew despite being heroes-in-training ?”
Some reluctantly nodded.
“...Oh my god, we suck.”
Everyone nodded.
“Your friends are watchin’,” Katsuki said as soon as they’d broken off their hug. There’s amusement glinting in red eyes. “Damn, they aren’t subtle at all, huh?”
“I don’t mind,” Shouto answers, watching as his boyfriend begins rummaging through his pockets. Shouto knows that look plastered on the other, it’s something he’d grown to know. A ghost of a smile rested on his face, as if he was trying his best to stifle the smile but it never did work. It’s the look of Katsuki being enthusiastic about something. Something. Who knows what.
“‘Course ya don’t.” The blond bites back. “Sorry I came unannounced like this, though. If it weren’t for the damn villain I had to deal with earlier, I would’ve come way quicker. And not, in the fucking evening in front of the damn dorms because I couldn’t get you out of it since curfew is near.”
Shouto shook his head. “It’s fine. You didn’t have to visit either if work was hectic.”
“What? Fuck no, I’m meeting you whether you like it or not.” There’s a box in the other’s hands, decently sized and dressed in red wrappings. “Here, take it,” Katsuki says, handing over the item.
When Shouto opened it, he was greeted with two items placed side-by-side. One was a watch, and the other a keychain. The watch, its surface splashed with glimmering metal like stars in the night sky, looked better than anything Shouto has ever seen. It wasn’t overwhelming, despite its glittering surface.
The keychain next to it was smaller in size, simpler, yet precious nonetheless. It was an acrylic keychain of a character he’s been liking since a few months ago— a panda who tends to sleep a lot. Katsuki had told him multiple times how the panda reminded the blond so much of him, which Shouto couldn’t disagree on.
Speaking of his boyfriend, when Shouto had looked up from the gifts, he was instantly greeted with red eyes staring back at him earnestly. And oh, is he blushing? Cute.
“Quit starin’ and say something, won’t ya?” Katsuki says, an awful attempt at trying to hide the red creeping on his face. “I gave you two things ‘cause you once said you didn’t want expensive things so yeah… Fuck that was not a good explanation at all.”
Shouto chuckles at the sight of Katsuki grumbling. It’s incredible really, how a top-hero renowned for being absolutely ruthless— including holding an infamous record of destroying at least 3 cameras that belonged to poor interviewers— ended up fumbling over his words because he’s not good at this emotional thing. It’s okay though, Shouto relates.
Neither of them is great at it, but they’re willing to learn it. Hey, at least they’re now better compared to the times when they’d just begun dating.
“No, it makes sense.” Shouto clutches the box close to his chest. “You gave me these, how could I say no to them? Not to mention, they’re incredible. Thank you, Katsuki.”
The other breaks into a grin, a wave of vivid relief flooded his face. The blond pulls him into a hug, head resting on his shoulder as he had to bend down a bit. The tiniest bit. Katsuki still won’t admit that Shouto is going to be taller than him sooner or later.
His boyfriend says, softly, “Yeah, yeah whatever.”
Shouto smiles, sinking into the comfort of the pair of strong arms holding him firmly. Katsuki wasn’t in his hero outfit. He wore a sweater and jeans— though his gloves were still on as if he’d been in a hurry. Judging by the disheveled state of his hair, maybe he was. (And it’s weird how Shouto had gotten to understand whether Katsuki’s hair is messy or not, since the other always has it puffed out. Oh well, that’s another perk from dating.)
“Thank you, really,” Shouto repeats again, voice muffled.
It took Katsuki a beat to answer. The arms around his waist tightened slightly.
“You’re welcome, Shou.” And oh. He can almost see the mirth lacing his boyfriend’s voice. “Happy Valentine's day.”
Shouto hums.
“Happy Valentine’s too.”
Maybe he’s beginning to understand what this special day means.