Chapter Text
Prior to current day…
“The way you retain knowledge about quirks and talk so enthusiastically about them is so cool and I love how much you love it,” Shinso says randomly in the middle of training.
Okay, maybe not so randomly. Izuku had just been rambling about a civilian’s quirk that would be perfect for hero work.
There’s no question embedded in Shinso’s comment, so he’s probably just trying to throw him off. Still, Izuku finds himself flushing with a mix of embarrassment and elation. “Thanks? I know I’m a nerd, so you can tell me if I’m annoying you.”
He doesn’t think that his answer warrants the incredulous look that Shinso gives him in response.
“That wasn’t sarcasm.”
“I…didn’t think it was?” he replies uncertainly, though glad for the clarification.
Shinso snorts. “Sure you didn’t.
~
Prior to current date…
Hitoshi tries again at the next training session. “How is it that you can make any outfit work for you?”
Midoriya looks confused and glances down at himself. “It’s just my gym uniform, though?”
“And you look great in it,” Hitoshi tries to salvage the compliment.
“Shinso, no one looks great in gym uniforms,” Midoriya informs him in a puzzled tone.
He gives up. For today.
~
Prior to current day…
“Your confidence is infectious,” Shinso tells him at lunch.
Izuku blinks at him. “Like the flu?”
Shinso laughs. “Yes, like the flu.”
Okay then?
~
Prior to current date…
“Is that a new perfume? It smells great,” Hitoshi compliments the green haired boy when they randomly run into each other outside of the school building.
Said boy promptly sniffs his pits. “I stink?”
“How did you get ‘you stink’ out of me telling you that you smell good?” Hitoshi genuinely wants to know. How dense is this boy? Or does he just suck at flirting?
~
Prior to current date…
“Your hair looks stunning,” Shinso tells him with a twinkle in his eyes.
Izuku feels himself flush like a boiled lobster in mortification. It’s just his luck to run into his crush while his hair looks like this. “My brush broke this morning. I almost resorted to a haircut to get it loose and I didn’t have time to do anything but finger comb it.”
Shinso smirks a little. “I guess the wild look just suits you, then.”
Is…Is Shinso flirting with him?
~
Prior to current date…
“You’ve been glowing lately,” Hitoshi says, tone wincingly lifeless because he was deprived of his morning lifeblood, something about ‘too much caffeine is bad for growing bodies and you downed five Red Bulls last night to get caught up on your extra classwork, blah blah, don’t want to be responsible for you having a heart attack at age 15’.
“I’m sweaty?” Midoriya asks.
Is he serious? They haven’t even gotten to the gym to start training yet.
He tries again later, during training. “There’s just something about you that shines.”
“Yeah, you’re sweaty too,” Midoriya replies promptly.
Okay, maybe he asked for that one. Hitoshi facepalms and mutters, “Why are you like this?”
“Did you say something?”
“Nope. Nothing,” he assures his clueless crush.
~
Prior to current date…
“Colors seem brighter when you’re around,” Shinso comments casually as they sit down for lunch.
Izuku frowns in immediate concern. “Are you telling me that I give you migraines? Do I really?”
Shinso lets out a weirdly longsuffering sigh. “No. No you don’t.
Well, that’s good.
~
Prior to current date…
Izuku falls flat on his face. Of course, it just happens to be when Shinso is there to see him exit the building with clumsy drama. He groans and gets up.
“You’ve got all the right moves,” Shinso pokes fun at him.
“You can quit making fun of me,” he complains.
Shinso smirks. “Where’s the fun in that?”
~
Prior to current date…
“You are one of a kind,” Hitoshi tells Midoriya while standing in the lunch line. Surely this is straightforward enough that even he can’t miss it?
“Are you making fun of me again?” Midoriya demands?
What? Aargh! “Yes, yes I am,” he says in frustration with his denseness.
~
Prior to current date…
“I bet you can make even the crankiest baby smile.” Hitoshi smiles at his crush.
“Are you comparing yourself to a cranky baby?” Midoriya asks, amused.
Their teacher snorts.
“No, I’m comparing Aiz-”
Aizawa sensei clears his throat pointedly and Hitoshi is reminded that suicide runs exist and he can be assigned them.
“I’m just saying that you’re probably good with children,” he amends in self-preservation.
He pointedly ignores Aizawa sensei’s half hidden smirk.
“Oh, thanks.” Midoriya looks puzzled.
~
Prior to current date…
“Your friends are lucky to have you in their lives,” Shinso comments at lunch, like ‘friends’ doesn’t apply to them.
“You’re my friend too!” he blurts. Stupidly, he wishes that Shinso was more than a friend.
“I know,” Shinso says smugly. “Aren’t I lucky?”
Is that flirting? Or is he reading into simple teasing? Confused, he just sputters incoherently.
~
Prior to current date…
“You give the best hugs.” Hitoshi actually has hope for this one after Midoriya’s reaction to his last attempt.
Midoriya flusters beautifully. “I haven’t hugged you!”
“I know. It’s a shame,” he says suggestively.
His crush devolves into a high-pitched whine and covers his face with his hands.
Hitoshi resists the urge to coo at the cuteness and laugh at his embarrassment.
~
Present day…
“I love how creative your mind is.”
Izuku blushes. “Thanks?”
“You’re irresistible when you blush,” Shinso persists.
Surely this is flirting?
He blushes harder.
“Are you flirting with me or just teasing me?” he asks, following his therapist’s advice.
Shinso’s face lights up. “You noticed? I’ve been flirting with you for literal months now!”
“Oh, um, if you’re serious, I like you too,” he manages to say.
“Cool, cool. Will you be my boyfriend?” Shinso asks.
“Yes, please,” he answers shyly.
Aizawa sensei clears his throat. “If you two are quite done?”
“Yes, sensei!” Izuku squeaks as he remembers their audience.
“We’re done,” Shinso agrees, then adds smugly, “For now.”
~
Lords of the Realm teacher’s chat
Sleeplord: Weekly update on all bets.
Blocklord: I have nothing to update.
Glarelord: Shinso and Midoriya started dating yesterday. @all: Pay up.
RoyalHealer: Do tell.
Sleeplord: You didn’t tell me sooner!? Spill!
Voicelord: No kidding? That’s awesome!
Glarelord: Knowing today is soon enough.
Glarelord: Midoriya finally caught onto the flirting and Shinso asked if they could be boyfriends.
Westernlord: Aww doggonit, I broke even. I thought Midoriya would catch on and then confess. Good on them, though.
Ghostlord: At least you didn’t lose on both accounts, Snipe.
Glarelord: Shinso probably thought that if he didn’t ask right then, Midoriya would go back to mistaking his flirting for everything else.
Onelord: I thought for sure young Midoriya would ask, given the way he talks about that boy.
Glarelord: Lol. As if Shinso would ever give him the amount of time needed for him to think it through enough to take the initiative.
Onelord: Midoriya isn’t that indecisive.
Glarelord: No.
Voicelord: What Shouta is saying is that Midoriya prefers to be sure of his premise before he goes over the pros and cons thoroughly.
Ghostlord: It also might be a little too forward for Midoriya to do right off the bat. He is a polite boy.
Overlord: Midoriya’s quirk requires thought before action. Shinso’s requires provocation and taking his opponent off guard. The result was forgone.
RoyalCook: And this is why Nedzu isn’t allowed to bet.
Overlord: True! I would’ve been wrong on the day, week and time, however.
Diglord: Pretty impressive that the boys can be unpredictable for even you, Nedzu.
Overlord: Indeed! The probability of being wrong is what makes speculating fun.
Sleeplord: Any other bet updates?
Spacelord: No, sadly.
Ghostlord: Not yet.
Voicelord: No.
Overlord: Not to my knowledge.
RoyalCook: Tomas Ito is dating both Akiko Domen and Tsubame Eguchi. While Domen is aware of this and apparently okay with it, Eguchi is still in the dark.
RoyalCook: That’s all I have.
Diglord: Hatsume only blew up the lab twice this week. I’m worried that she might be sick or something.
Bloodlord: Monoma managed to avoid being punched by someone from 1A again, but some girl from 2C dumped a glass of punch over his head because he accidentally insulted her.
Onelord: I have nothing. Monoma sure is fractious.
Sleeplord: That’s one word for it.
Overlord: Anan, Kayama and Aizawa, you were correct on the week.
Overlord: Aizawa and Yamada, you were correct on the time of day and location.
Overlord: Aizawa was correct on the day as well.
Overlord: Shuzenji, Yagi, Aizawa, Kayama, Lunch Rush, Cementoss, Snipe and Anan were correct that Midoriya would eventually notice the flirting.
Overlord: Aizawa, Kayama, Ectoplasm and Higari were correct that Shinso would ask Midoriya out.
Overlord: Shuzenji, Yagi, Kayama, Anan, Kan, Yamada, Snipe and Aizawa were right about Midoriya immediately accepting if Shinso should be the one who asked.
Overlord: No one won the bet on Hatsume’s number of explosions for the week. All monies to be added to end of year bonuses.
Overlord: Kayama and Aizawa were correct that Ito was dating more than one person.
Overlord: Kayama was correct that only one of them knew he was dating the other.
Overlord: Aizawa was correct that Monoma wouldn’t get punched by someone from 1A, but would face retribution from an outside party.
Overlord: Ectoplasm was also correct that Monoma wouldn’t get punched. There are no other winners.
Overlord: Pay up your losses and I’ll distribute the winnings at tomorrow’s staff meeting.
Voicelord: Okay, boss!
Westernlord: Yehaww! Though actually, should we talk about banning Aizawa from betting? He’s always at least 25% right and usually more than 50%. This time he got 100% correct! He literally took every single bet except Hatsume’s.
Glarelord: Observation is a skill every hero should keep sharp. Take more than two bets before you try banning me.
Overlord: You also do better when it involves your own students. Should you all be banned from betting on your own students?
(Everyone): No!
Westernlord: Okay, okay, I retract the question, put away the shotguns. But for the record, Midoriya is my student too.
Glarelord: Shinso isn’t. And you haven’t had the dubious pleasure of watching them interact.
Sleeplord: I have! It was great.
Spacelord: We know. Don’t tell us again.
Sleeplord: Fine. Spoilsport.
Glarelord: Your definition of sport is concerning.
Sleeplord: Lol. As if you don’t participate.
Glarelord: It’s my duty as a homeroom teacher to revel in the woes of my students.
Voicelord: And this is why your favorite mug is labeled ‘Student Tears’.
Glarelord: Exactly.
~
“You’re more fun than bubble wrap,” Hitoshi says lazily and delights when Midoriya flails and blushes.
“Hitoshi!” Midoriya protests.
He raises his brows at the familiar address. “Does this mean I can call you Izuku?”
“Oh my god!” Midoriya buries his face in his hands. “Yes.”
Hitoshi grins.
“Can you two do this on your own time?” Aizawa sensei complains. “Seriously, just exchange phone numbers.”
“Thanks for the idea,” Hitoshi says. “Maybe after training when we have our phones on us.”
Aizawa sensei huffs, but Hitoshi can see his tiny smile.
~
Lords of the Realm teacher’s chat
Glarelord: [BoysBeingSilly.MP4]
Glarelord: You’ll be happy to notice that I got this bet wrong, Snipe.
Sleeplord: EEeee!!! So cute!!!
Westernlord: Did anyone get this right?
RoyalHealer: I did.
RoyalCook: Me!
Overlord: Just two!
Onelord: Admittedly, I thought that young Midoriya is too polite to move to personal names so quickly and without the other party suggesting it.
Overlord: Shuzenji and Lunch Rush were right on how quickly the two would move to personal names.
Overlord: Shuzenji, Lunch Rush, Snipe and Anan were right on Midoriya being the one to initiate it.
Overlord: Shuzenji, Lunch Rush, Aizawa, Yamada, Kayama, Snipe and Higari were right on both parties being comfortable with the change.
Westernlord: 2/3rds win! Yeehaw!
Spacelord: Oooh! Not a total loss. Also, those two are cute together.
Sleeplord: Right? I knew they’d be good together.
Blocklord: No one said that they wouldn’t be.
Sleeplord: Just because you’re right doesn’t mean you need to say it. Let me have my moment.
Blocklord: My apologies, then.
Sleeplord: Accepted.
Overlord: Be sure to pay up your losses. Winnings will be distributed after school lets out, so stick around.
Voicelord: Thanks, boss.
Sleeplord: Any other bet updates while we’re at it?
RoyalHealer: None.
Voicelord: No.
Spacelord: I’ve got a lunch date for Saturday. Suck it.
Westernlord: Nope.
Onelord: I do not.
Blocklord: Not currently.
Ghostlord: Spotted Eguchi screaming at Ito, but they went their separate ways before I could get there.
RoyalCook: Eguchi found out that Ito was also dating Domen. She took it badly. I maintain that she’ll get over her annoyance and accept the polycule situation.
Overlord: Noted.
Overlord: Kayama and Yamada were right about Eguchi finding out and reacting badly this week.
Overlord: Aizawa, Shuzenji and Cementoss were also right about Eguchi reacting badly when she found out.
Glarelord: I bet that Eguchi will accept the polycule, but only if she can bring in someone of her own choice as well.
Overlord: Noted. The rest of you submit your bets by tomorrow, end of school day, as per usual.
Bloodlord: Monoma managed to avoid getting punched, but only because he dodged. Kirishima maintains that it was an accident and that he didn’t see Monoma before gesturing.
Glarelord: Kirishima doesn’t have an ounce of malice in him, so you can be sure it wasn’t a lie to save face.
Bloodlord: Yeah, I know. He’s like a nicer TetsuTetsu.
Overlord: Aizawa, Kan and Cementoss have a partial win from their bets that Monoma would avoid being punched but not for lack of trying on 1A’s part.
Overlord: Yamada was correct that Monoma would dodge a punch this week.
Overlord: Anan and Snipe were correct that Monoma didn’t get punched this week.
Overlord: Kayama and Yamada were correct that Anan would get a date for this weekend. What kind of date was not specified.
Overlord: And that’s all for now, to my knowledge.