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1.
“SHOOOOOOOOUTAAAAAAAA!”
The loud cry prompts nearly everyone in the library to glare and shush. Aizawa’s head drops into his hands with a long sigh before turning to acknowledge the loud blonde. He scowls deeply and runs his hand down his face.
“Hizashi, you can’t barge into the library screaming like a goddamn banshee. You’ll get us both kicked out.”
“Oops,” Hizashi stage whispers. He scoots his chair (loudly) closer to Shouta’s and (loudly) unzips his bag. He practically slams his heavy textbook on the desk and scribbles the date loudly into his notebook. “So I really don’t understand the quadratic formula. Like, at all. Think you could help me out, Shouchan?”
“One, don’t call me that. It’s dumb. Two, I'll only help you if you can keep it down. We’re in the library, god.”
He pulls out his own notebook, setting it on the desk in a far more civilized manner. He takes out a highlighter and pulls Hizashi’s textbook closer to him. It only takes a minute or two for him to get into it, pointing out each little mistake and correcting it as he goes. Hizashi leans deep into his space, his breath warm against Shouta’s cheek. The realization must make him stutter, causing Hizashi to pull away with a concerned look on his face.
“You all right Shouta? You look like a tomato!”
“I’m fine. Pay attention.”
Hizashi resumes the close proximity. It’s bordering on invasive, but Shouta can’t bring himself to mind. He tries his best to focus on the work, but Hizashi is just so close. Shouta finds his own leg subconsciously migrating closer to Hizashi. By the time their knees bump, the two teens are practically draped over each other. Shouta catches Hizashi stifling one too many yawns, sees his eyelids start to droop and his head falls forward.
“If you’re that tired, we should just continue in your room. That way I won't have to carry you back to yours.”
Hizashi yawns and stretches, somehow managing to create extra noise with an exaggerated huff and the cracking of his bones. “Trying to get me into the bedroom, now are we?” He wags his eyebrows and gives Shouta an incredulous look.
He promptly shoves Hizashi’s head into the desk in response, eliciting an unnecessarily loud cry. Hizashi looks on with a pouty face as Shouta packs up both of their things and zips up their bags.
Honestly, he doesn’t know why he puts up with this. He’s never been tolerant of loud or annoying people because of good company. There was something different about Hizashi, though.
It wasn’t like he never had moments of frustration. Hizashi was a gratingly loud person, whether it be from his quirk or just his personality. His loudness was just a different brand. It wasn’t all-encompassing and inescapable like the rest of his peers were.
Hizashi understood when it was okay to push Shouta’s buttons and when it was actually time to sit down and shut up. He never got pissy when Shouta wasn’t in the mood to joke around. Even if he didn’t completely understand why Shota was so sullen all the time, he was more than willing to give him space when he needed it.
Even when he was loud and borderline annoying, it was a different brand of loud. It wasn’t off the walls insane energy, just over excitement that leaks out through Hizashi’s vocal cords. It’s kind of funny to watch him get really worked up about something (up until he accidentally activates his quirk).
“Yooooo, Shouta. You good?” Hizashi had already slung his bag across one shoulder. His nails click against the varnished wood of the desk as he drums his fingers against it.
“Yeah, I’m good. Let’s go.” He intertwines his hand with Hizashi and basks in the glowing smile he receives in return.
They don’t get much studying in. As soon as Hizashi hits his bed with a sigh and Shouta follows suit, their eyes begin to droop and they fall asleep entangled in gangly limbs.
2.
“Shou! You look so good! Wow, you really do clean up nice!”
“Shut up,” Shouta mumbles as he attempts to hide his blush. “I wasn’t going to come to graduation in sweats and a t-shirt.”
“I wouldn't put it past you, honestly.”
Shouta smacks him on the arm and sinks further into his seat. He groans and leans his head on the back of the chair. Sure, he was proud of his grades and was glad to be at the top of his graduating class. He still wished it were someone else who had to give the speech. Hizashi was much better suited to public speaking.
The beginning of the ceremony was bland. Shouta struggled to keep his eyes open during principal Nezu’s long disquisition about the ‘brilliance of the students’ and how they were the ‘shining stars of the next generation.’
“And now, please welcome the valedictorians from classes 3-A, 3-B, 3-C, 3-D…”
Shouta runs a hand down his face and makes his way to the stage. He feels a tug at his sleeve and looks down to see Hizashi beaming at him.
“You’ll give the world’s greatest speech, ‘kay? Definitely better than principal Nexus boring drone.”
The corners of Shouta’s lips turn up into a small smile. “Okay.” He lets Hizashi squeeze his hand one last time before making his way to the stage.
The overhead lights are far too bright for his sensitive eyes. Shuta rubs at them, blinking a couple times to clear his vision. Thankfully, the lights are just bright enough to conceal about half of the audience.
“And now, a few words from our 3-A valedictorian, Aizawa Shouta!”
Shouta wipes his sweaty palms on his pants and clears his throat, stepping up nervously to the microphone. His heart flutters wildly in his chest. Seriously, this was not his forte. He wrapped his hands around the microphone and pulled it from the stand.
“Good evening. On behalf of the senior class, I’d like to give a big thank you to everyone who makes UA the school that it is. The support of everyone from principal Nezu to the janitorial and management staff has pushed us to become the heroes that we will become in a few short moments.” He pauses for a brief moment, allowing the small smattering of applause to die down. He clears his throat once more and takes a calming breath.
“I didn’t enter UA with the intention of rising to the top of my class. I didn’t even enter with the intent to graduate out of the hero course. I came to UA simply because it was the closest school in my vicinity. Sure, I studied hard to get in and do well, but I never aimed to be standing here, in front of you all, giving the commencement speech for my year.
“This school has taught - and will continue to teach - me so much. I learned that physical or quirk related strength isn’t what makes a hero. I learned to take myself seriously, to work hard, and to not stop working until I got what I wanted. I learned that the path of a hero is not one for the fainthearted. I learned about losing someone important. I learned about closing myself off, pushing my limits until I broke. I learned that it was okay to accept help, and that having people by my side made things a hell of a lot easier.
“Those lessons are only a small fraction of all the ones I’ve learned here. This school has been the breeding ground for thousands of exemplary heroes and will continue to foster them in the future. My hope is to look back to UA when I’m old and weary and see once more the birth of true heroes take place here. Thank you.”
Shouta doesn’t expect the wild cheering or the roar of applause that followed his final words. He tucks his head as he gingerly places the microphone back on the stand. He scratches at the back of his neck, uncomfortable with all the attention.
“WHOOOOOOO! YEAH, SHOUTAAAAAAA! THAT’S MY BOYFRIEND!!!”
His blush intensifies tenfold as Hizashi screams his praises, his quirk amplified voice carrying even through the roar of the other students. The blonde flies forward as soon as Shouta steps off the stage, wrapping him in a bone-crushing hug and spinning him around before Shouta can voice his complaint.
3.
Shouta checks his phone again, confirming that this is , in fact, the right address. The cafe doesn’t look run down as much as it does… unattended. He huffs a sigh and scratches at his beard and pushes open the creaky door.
He can’t help but draw in an involuntary gasp at the interior of the shady looking cafe. It looks nothing like the outside - everything is clean, but not sterile enough to diminish from the coziness of the place. The smell of rich, good coffee floods his senses, mingling with the scent of freshly baked pastries. And, most importantly, the room is nearly brimming with cats.
One flounces up to Shouta immediately, well-fed belly flopping beneath it as it jogs over. Shouta coos and bends down to scratch at its chin, immediately prompting said cat to start purring.
“Gonna say hi to the cat before your boyfriend, Shouta? I guess I’m chopped liver.”
Shouta scoffs and scoops the tabby into his arms. “At least chopped liver would attract more cats.” He moves to the couch that Hizashi’s pouting on and consoles him with a chaste kiss on the lips.
“I already ordered you a black coffee, no sugar. Since, you know, you have no taste buds.”
“Oh, fuck off. You’re always cracked out from whatever sugar-filled nonsense you love to chug.”
Hizashi swats at him before leaning in and resting his head on Shouta’s shoulder. A few moments later, an old woman serves them one black coffee and one absolute monstrosity. Shouta sips at his while Hizashi struggles to maneuver his mouth around the mountain of whipped cream atop his “coffee.”
They sip for a while in comfortable silence. Shouta leisurely strokes whatever cat comes his way while Hizashi plays with an overexcited kitten. Shouta can’t hold back a faint smile looking at his boyfriend, his big green eyes glimmering and nose scrunching up as he laughs at the kitten.
Hizashi must feel his stare as he turns up to meet Shouta’s eyes. He smiles back before scooching away slightly and clearing his throat.
“I actually brought you here because I wanted to ask you something. I figured you wouldn't want it to be a big event, you know?” His hands wrap around Shouta’s and his smile dissipates slightly. Shouta’s heart beats a little faster. Is this a bad news thing? The semi-serious look on Hizashi’s typically dopey face is starting to make him think so.
“We’ve been together for, what, eight years now? Honestly, I don’t think those eight years would’ve been even close to what they were if I didn’t have you by my side. I love you more than my dumb ass could try to put into words, and I know you hate droning on, so I’ll just get to the point.” Hizashi releases one hand to reach into his pocket to retrieve a-
Oh. Oh god. Hizashi pulls a velvet box from his pocket and Shouta’s breath stops.
“Shouta, will you marry me?”
Shouta’s normally stoic demeanor cracks, his eyes filling up with tears and his hands beginning to shake. He nods his head and lets Hizashi put on the ring.
“SHOUTAAAAAA!” he says entirely too loudly. “DON’T CRY! BECAUSE THEN I’LL CRY!”
Shouta shakes his head and buries himself into the crook of Hizashi’s neck. “You cry at everything, you damned idiot,” he says wetly.
The shaking of the shoulders beneath him only solidifies his statement.
1
Shouta straightens his tie one last time and checks hair in the mirror. The dislike of formal wear almost outweighed his nerves in terms of concern.
“Stop messing with it. Shou. It looks fine.”
He turns around to glare at Nemuri, sprawled halfway across his changing room couch in a manner well unfit for a wedding guest. She gives him a once over and wolf whistles at him. Shouta groans at her antics.
“Man, I always knew you and Hizashi were going to be, like, soulmates. It was too good to be true. I can’t believe you started dating over you breaking his nose.”
It’s true, embarrassingly. After Aizawa had poorly flipped him over his shoulder, resulting in Hizashi landing flat on his face, the blonde had immediately declared him ‘beefy beyond belief’ and promised Kayama he’d win Shouta over. Luckily for Hizashi, his enthusiastic persistence outweighed Shouta’s reluctance to make friends. Now, here they were.
Getting married.
As if on cue, Kayama nudged him with a heel. “Come on, time for you to get under the arch.”
They walk together to the altar until Nemuri abandons him, sliding into her own seat. It’s a small little affair, just a few friends and some of Hizashi’s family. Shouta had fallen out of touch with his somewhere along the road, their disapproval of Shouta’s hero career trumping their need to connect with him.
The organ began to play in the back of the church and Shouta felt his entire body tense. Oh shit. This was it . He was marrying Hizashi, finally. He held his breath and turned his eyes to the back of the room, waiting for Hizashi to emerge. When he did, Shouta could literally feel his heart stutter.
His loose hair is interwoven with small white flowers that complement the light cream of his suit. And, because he just has to maintain his image, a crisp yellow tie sat at the center of the ensemble. The best feature of the outfit was, by far, Hizashi’s brilliant smile - his rosy cheeks lifter high and his eyes crinkling up with emotion.
He walked painstakingly close to where Shouta stood, the latter immediately taking Hizashi’s hands in his own.
“You look incredible.”
“You don’t clean up too bad yourself, couch potato.”
Their vows are short and simple. There’s no need for a long spiel about romance when all of those talks are better had spooning at 2am. Hizashi starts crying when Shouta slips on his wedding band, and Shouta finds his own eyes becoming watery.
“You may now kiss the groom.”
The kiss is soft and sweet and far too short for the emotion bursting in fireworks through Shouta’s body. Hizashi pulls back first, hands still hanging around Shouta’s neck. His lips turn up in a watery smile.
“Shouta,” he whispers. “We’re married.”