Everybody Talks
Synopsis : CELEB GOSSIP EXCLUSIVE - SPOTTED!!! : Japan's hottest hero duo, Shoto Todoroki and Y/N L/N, were seen sharing a surprisingly intimate moment after patrol in Yokohama tonight! All fans are already asking the same question: are they finally more than patrol partners?
Wc: 2.5k (Pro-hero!ShotoXPro-hero!reader)
The streets of Yokohama were growing dim, the winter sun surrendering to the horizon far earlier than the pair would have liked.
Every storefront glowed against the cold—ramen shops with fogged-up windows, bakeries displaying rows of fresh pastries, streets lit by warm dim lamps that spilled onto the icy pavement.
The city was alive despite the cold.
People hurried home with shopping bags swinging at their sides, couples shared scarves, and children laughed as they threw handfuls of snow at one another. Winter was beautiful.
Not more than the man beside you.
Shoto walked beside you in his usual unhurried stride, hands tucked into his suit pockets.
The patrol was quiet today.
You were busy watching the reflections of vibrant neon signs ripple crimson across the icy pavement instead of...well...the icy pavement itself.
Which turned out to be a mistake.
Your boot landed on a thin patch of black ice.
"...Oh—"
The world tilted.
"I got it—"
But the gravity disagreed.
Arms pinwheeling dramatically, heart in your throat.
Abort!
"I don't got it—"
Before gravity decided it was your time today—
A warm hand caught yours.
"Careful."
Shoto's voice was calm as ever, but his grip was steady enough to pull you upright without effort.
For a brief second, you stood closer than either of you had intended.
You laughed quietly, straightening up, pink dusting your cheeks- from the cold, of course.
"I didn't even see it."
"You weren't looking."
"No shit. I almost died." You did not.
He cocked his head slightly to the left, in that deadpan-inquisitive way, an endearing habit of his you had somehow grown to anticipate in moments like these. "You almost sat down."
"On ice."
"Yes."
"...That's basically dying."
"I don't think that's how that works."
You narrowed your eyes, about to land a playful jab about how it definitely was life threatening.
His hand remained around yours and almost absently, his brows drew together.
"...You're freezing."
You blinked.
"Hm?"
Instead of answering immediately, Shoto shifted his grip until your fingers rested against his warm palm.
Cold.
Far colder than they should have been.
A faint crease appeared between his brows.
"You could have told me to wrap up patrol early today."
His tone wasn't scolding.
If anything, it carried the quiet concern he rarely voiced aloud.
Despite the warmth climbing your insides like ivy, you shrugged "I figured I'd survive."
"Barely." he blinked.
"Oh, so now you ARE agreeing I almost died." A victorious grin threatens to spill.
"I said barely."
"Ha!"
Without asking permission—or perhaps because he simply assumed he didn't need to because his mind was on a mission—he guided your joined hand toward the pocket of his overcoat.
The thick wool was surprisingly warm.
Then, rather than simply tucking your hand inside, he intertwined your fingers.
Like he'd done it a hundred times.
Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Like it was completely normal for two 'co-workers' to stand this close, holding hands.
You looked down. Then at him. Before finally finding your voice back.
"What are you doing?"
He looked genuinely baffled by the question.
"Warming your hand." He answered as if it was obvious.
"By...holding it?"
"Yes."
"...That's a very specific heating method."
"I have two quirks."
"I'm aware."
"One produces ice." "Duh."
"The other produces heat." "Obviously."
"This is the heat one."
You stared at him for a long second. Then laughed under your breath. The cold was the last thing on your mind right now.
"You really don't hear yourself sometimes."
"So I've been told."
"That was the worst excuse in history, by the way."
The corners of Shoto's mouth twitched. Barely.
A smile so small that most people would've missed it entirely. You didn't.
As they continued walking, your hand remained tucked safely inside his pocket, snow crunching beneath combat boots.
It was completely normal, there's nothing wrong in him looking after you, after all, you're just good colleagues, right?
...Right?
(Loud Incorrect buzzer!)
Yet neither of you made any effort to move away.
A young university student walking in the opposite direction slowed dramatically.
"...Wait."
Her eyes widened.
"Is that..."
Her friend looked up from her phone.
"No way."
She followed his gaze.
There, beneath the glowing lights of a pharmacy sign, walked two of Japan's most recognizable pro heroes.
Shoto Todoroki.
And Y/N L/N.
Holding hands.
"...No."
"...YES."
The first student nearly dropped her shopping bag fumbling for her phone.
The two immediately ducked behind the vending machine with all the subtlety of two startled pigeons.
One carefully peeked around the corner, eyes wide as saucers.
"Oh my gosh, he's holding her hand!"
"Take a picture!"
"I'M TRYING!"
"You forgot to turn your flash off!"
"I DID NOT—"
CLICK!
You looked over.
The girls froze. One slowly lowered her phone.
"...If we don't move..."
"...maybe they won't notice us."
Shoto blinked once.
"They noticed us."
"...Yeah." The girls bowed so fast they nearly folded in half.
"S-SORRY, TODOROKI-SAN! Y/N- SAN!"
"We weren't stalking you!" "It only looked like stalking!"
"It was admiration stalking!"
"...I don't think that's helping."
"RIGHT, SORRY!"
Before either hero could respond, the two girls bolted down the street, screaming into each other's shoulders.
"Oh my GOD!" they squealed together.
"I GOT THE PHOTO! I told you there was something going on!"
"POST IT RIGHT NOW! I KNEW IT!."
You watched them disappear, an amused smile dancing on your lips. The incident wasn't anything new.
"...Admiration stalking?"
"I've heard worse."
"You've heard worse?"
"I'm Endeavor's son."
A loud laugh bubbled out of you, wisps of airy smoke curling in the cool air from your warm, joyous huffs. And given the way those heterochromatic eyes softened, he really wasn't thinking about the photo now.
While he looked away, you stole another glance at him.
Which, admittedly, was becoming something of a bad habit.
Snow drifted lazily through the evening air, settling in soft flakes against his dark coat before melting into the strands of his half-white, half-crimson hair. The city lights painted shifting colors across his face—warm gold from the taiyaki stalls, cool blues from the storefronts—making his mismatched eyes seem even brighter than usual.
It was...
Annoying.
Profoundly annoying.
Because no one had any business looking that effortlessly 'beautiful' .
He wasn't even trying.
He never tried.
He simply existed.
Like some impossibly handsome winter spirit who'd wandered into Yokohama and accidentally become a pro hero instead.
Honestly, this has to violate at least three laws of nature.
Who looked that good in falling snow?
Who looked that good under fluorescent convenience store lights?
Who looked that good while discussing privacy breech with the seriousness of a security textbook?
Shoto Todoroki, apparently.
Life was unfair.
You watched another snowflake land in his hair.
He didn't notice. Of course he didn't.
He probably hadn't looked in a mirror all day, busy with patrol and saving people.
He'd just rolled out of bed looking like ...that.
Ridiculous.
You'd seen magazines use professional lighting, expensive cameras, and an entire team of stylists to make models look half as ethereal.
Meanwhile, Shoto had somehow achieved the same effect by...
Existing in winter.
How inconsiderate.
Your gaze lingered a second too long. It always did.
By the time they reached the agency building, the internet had already descended into complete chaos.
@HeroWatchDaily
BREAKING: Did anyone else just see Shoto Todoroki holding hands with Y/N L/N in Yokohama???
@Dynamight'sleftsock
Gurl bffr rn- That's not "coworker behavior" at all.
@SHOTOY/NSIMP
HE LOOKED AT HER LIKE SHE HUNG THE MOON. Bro finally said 'soft launch'.
@MommyMomo'schick
NAHHH I'M GNAWING AT THE BARS OF MY ENCLOSURE. #NEEDTHAT #ATTHESAMEDAMNTIME
@Redriotssidehoe
OML- Excuse me?? Since -uh- when???
Meanwhile, completely unaware that he had accidentally caused a nationwide rumor storm—one that had half of Japan collectively losing their minds—
Shoto simply opened the agency door for you.
His hand rested lightly at your waist for a brief moment, guiding you inside as you stepped past the entrance.
Because, obviously.
That was just basic courtesy.
Nothing romantic about it.
Nothing at all.
You stared at him.
At the same man who had spent the entire evening making sure she was warm, remembering your favorite dessert from months ago, holding your hand without a second thought, and now casually guiding you inside like this was the most natural thing in the world.
Meanwhile, Shoto remained completely unaware that he was behaving like the lead character in every shoujo ever written.
"You should take off your coat," he murmured, voice soft, already reaching for the collar.
Your brain immediately stopped functioning.
No.
Absolutely not.
We are not adding "helping me out of my coat" to the list.
Unfortunately, your body had already betrayed yourself by standing there and allowing him to carefully take the overcoat from your shoulders.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, plucking away any remaining snowflakes from your hair with gentle hands.
You blinked, dazed. "...What?"
"I was thinking of making soba."
Of course.
Of course he was.
Because after accidentally making an entire country believe they were 'dating', Shoto Todoroki's next move was apparently to come back and make you dinner.
Completely innocent.
Completely normal.
Completely devastating.
You watched him walk toward the agency kitchen, completely unaware of the chaos he had created.
Unaware of the rumors spreading online.
Unaware that thousands of people were currently analyzing a blurry photo of them holding hands.
Unaware of the effect every small, thoughtful thing he did had on you.
And most importantly—
Unaware that somewhere along the way, maybe you had stopped wanting to be just his patrol partner.
Just his coworker.
Just the person standing beside him on missions.
Because the terrifying truth was...
He made you want more.
You wanted this.
The quiet evenings.
The small gestures.
The way he remembered everything just because it was you.
The way he looked at you with that soft tilt of his head and warmth lighting up his eyes, like you mattered.
You sighed, watching him prepare dinner like he hadn't just completely ruined your ability to think normally- or that you'd have to deal with your very pissed off PR Manager soon- or the realisation that somewhere inside, you didn't really mind the rumors all that much.
You're doomed.
