you and shoto have been friends for years. because of this, you've had to deal with a lot of confessions. oh, but not to you! to him.
others would approach whenever you were alone, nervously wringing their hands and avoiding eye contact as they asked you if you thought todoroki would fancy them. for a while you did entertain it, especially the ones that were sweet and really did appear genuinely infatuated with him. over time, come to find out that he was rejecting each and every one, there wasn't any use in getting someone's hopes up.
and also you've come to terms with being in love with him. that was definitely a considerable factor in your role as shoto's matchmaker.
so yeah, you stopped that nonsense shortly after.
but for all of the yearning you did in private, you never did directly ask him why he always turned everyone down. you're wondering this now, peering curiously at your best friend while window shopping at the mall with him.
he turns to you, bi-colored eyes attentive. you reflexively chuckle and have to busy yourself with the spring collection of a random store display.
"you know how everyone wants to be with you and stuff?"
"yeah, like," you huff, grabbing at empty air. god, this is embarrassing, you should just change topics before it gets weird. "i mean, wants to date you."
"they do?" he puzzles, and you glance at him to catch the confused tilt of his head.
"yes," you laugh. "just— nevermind."
he falls into step with you as you move on, navigating through the spotted crowd. it's a sunday, but there's few patrons out due to the good weather april has brought out. this weekend is the spring festival, you're reminded as a sign on a passing storefront reads with decorative cherry blossoms bordering the chalkboard.
"i guess i have noticed," his voice, quiet and thoughtful, pulls your attention. "but i've never felt the same."
"oh." you figured as much. "what, about dating?"
would it be too obvious if you asked him to elaborate? you aren't going to, duh. don't be weird.
when he doesn't answer you right away, you immediately assume the worst. but when you chance a look from the corner of your eye, his gaze is elsewhere, unfocused, doing that pouty thing with his bottom lip that means he's thinking.
"i couldn't be romantically involved with a stranger."
"yeah, i get that." your smile is purely selfish.
the topic doesn't get brought up again until a few days later.
"do you think i should date?"
you startle from a comfortable silence, trying to school your horror before picking your head up from the book you were reading.
"why?" you drawl, looking at him carefully. "did you find a cute stranger that fast?" the joke falls flat.
"no." you have to prompt him for more. "it sounds important. dating, that is."
"impor... who have you been talking to? is mina prying into your love life again?"
"denki, then? i told that airhead not to—"
"no. i thought you—" he sighs, brows furrowing. "if you were to go on a date, where would you want it to be?"
you knew at some point this time would come. really, you should have been more prepared for the day he finally found someone who caught his eye. you're not sad about it; you've already spent a few decent years accepting the inevitable fact. you're basically in the acceptance stage of grief about it. but that doesn't prevent the sinking feeling in your gut from the prospect.
maybe you just got too comfortable watching shoto reject every guy and girl in musutafu.
"you could take them this weekend," you find yourself answering before you can linger on it. "cherry blossoms blooming and everything. it's romantic."
his silence is deafening. he's definitely imagining his crush under the sakura trees, stray petals in their hair that he'd pluck out, grazing their hand with his fingers to suggest hand-holding. would he kiss them then, or is a first date too soon for him? all of these images, of course, you have no right to consider.
"i thought we were going together, though. do you want me to make other plans?"
you'd rather die than third-wheel him, of all people. at least the festival is big and crowded every year, so you can easily get lost without making it a big deal.
shoto brings no one else with you. you'd been dreading the days leading up to today, so you're rightfully curious when he doesn't make you wait for a third person—but you wouldn't dare ruin this for yourself.
the stone path stretching out before you is smoothed over from decades of foot traffic. it's a cool and cloudless day, making for a nice walk under the shade of the trees. the breeze carries something sweet on it, and when it ruffles shoto's bangs you have to suppress the urge to reach out and fix it.
you meander through the crowd together, avoiding children dashing to chase one another and the occasional duck that mistakenly pecks at fallen petals. eventually the path forks and you mutually agree on the less crowded one, able to take an easier pace without rushing through it. you pull him over to a spot to take pictures, first of yourself, then him. he's so photogenic it kind of pisses you off. even as he stands there with the most awkward pose and smile against the elegant sakura trees in the background, he makes it look cute and natural.
you lower your phone and step into his space to pluck a soft blossom off of his hair. you press it into your palm as you scroll through the photos—keep, keep, delete that, keep...—thumb rubbing the silky petal.
your laugh is purely surprise. he made it sound like a question. "yeah. you don't think so?"
"i do." his gaze slides over the pink foliage. "but do you?"
"yeah, of course." your smile lessens, watching his attempt to envision romance. "hey, shoto?"
"you gonna tell me who the lucky person is, or are you gonna keep me guessing?"
you were doing good ignoring it, but it's been eating you up. might as well rip the band-aid off now so it's less of a shock later, right? but when he doesn't respond, you find him tilting his head, studying you.
"i suppose you mean you."
"the lucky person is you."
"is this not romantic enough?"
"what—? i'm sorry, i'm lost."
he gets closer, enveloping your hand, the one clutching the petal, in both of his. "i thought you would like this, since you suggested it."
"i– well, that was for– i mean, i do."
"nothing! nothing. but you said you..." you trail off, finally registering the scene. "...is this a date?"
"i would like it to be. is that okay?"
you only just now noticed his blush. your own face is hot.