#ttops strays

So I had a stupid thought, right? We all know from the post that I was thinking about what if Denki sought out someone to help him forget about Hitoshi for a while, but it backfires and he breaks down in front of Shouto after his services. They introduce themselves and that’s where it ends, really.

But what if it doesn’t?

Okay, I’m not implying anything here, but as acquaintances, what if Denki came back to the strip club again and this time Shouto recognises him and takes a quick break from work to ask him if he’s okay, and Denki just gives him a gift bag containing two takeaway boxes - one of a main course meal he regularly made at Katsuki’s restaurant (one of his best original recipes), and another one of sweet pastry treats he made in his own time.

[holds the gift bag carefully, a little surprised at the kind act] “So you made food?”

“Yeah, I- yeah. [rubs the back of his neck nervously, looking away and blushing] Sorry, I wanted to say more about them, but it’s um- it still feels weird giving these to you while you’re standing there shirtless..?”

[looks down at his torso] “Ah, right, I left my shirt out there again...”

[snaps out of it and makes flailing hand gestures] “A-Anyways, d-don’t worry! I’m totally not flirting with you or anything. Got enough on your plate as it is, I’ll bet, um- customers probably flirt with you and make you uncomfortable sometimes. I don’t want to make you feel like that, so- yeah. If you don’t like the food though, just give it to someone else! I definitely don’t mind! Just... just wanted to do something nice, in return for you helping me out that night. [awkwardly] Uh- in more ways than one.”

[snorts, then says teasingly] “So the price of my- hmm... services- is equivalent to this?”

[panics] “A-Ah! Not at all! You mean more as a person than that! But um... if it helps... they’re pretty expensive at the restaurant I work at.”

“Hm, you're a chef?”

“Shit, did I say too much?”

“That’s okay. I just... think it’s interesting.”

“Oh... well, okay then.” [calms down]

[a pause, hesitating as he fiddles with the gift bag handles] “I... I have two roommates.”

[looks up, confused] “Huh?”

[quietly] “You told me something about yourself, so... I thought I’d say something too.”

“You don’t... have to, you know? I really did pry too much when I asked for your name last time.”

[eyes softening] “It’s okay. And in any case, I brought them up because... well, one of them really likes sweet things, and the other just needs to eat more, so I’ll definitely be sharing these with them. So, thank you, Kaminari.” [doesn’t realise he’s smiling as he thinks about Momo and Kyouka as he holds the boxes closely to his chest]

[spots the tiny smile, heart melting with warmth and relief] “You’re welcome, Todoroki.”

~

^^^ gonna start using that symbol to switch from the story to the author’s note on tumblr lol

So yeah! Like, honestly, every single fibre of being in me is screaming todokami, todokami, todokami, but I have to stay faithful to the decisions I’ve already made for Strays so :p I’ll take the L for being stupid

In another universe, it’s probably a kirikamitodobakudeku, to be honest. If I wasn’t so invested in shinkami already, I’d straight up toss Denki in with the rest of the boys bc he deserves all the love he can get! This is totally my bad, though. I fleshed out most of the main characters and Denki, and didn’t pay much attention to Hitoshi because he wasn’t as involved in the story as the others and hngggh honestly I wouldn’t even know where to start with him!

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed Shouto and Denki being dorks and opening up to each other a little more. Denki doesn’t want to seem clingy, and he and Hitoshi make up again (somehow, don’t ask - fuck the plot lol? Unless... todoshinkami? NO TTOPS, STOP IT SDFJAHLSHDF), so his visits to Shouto are few and far in between, and always just friendly.

I could go on about this for 20 years but it would just complicate things, like what if Hitoshi spotted him going to the strip club with another gift bag? How would Denki react when he finds out Shouto’s disappeared from the strip club and everyone’s covering up where he’s gone, because they don’t know about their friendship? How would he feel about his... well... acquaintance? Friend?... mysteriously disappearing? Would he seek out the sweet-loving roommate and the one who needs to eat more to get answers because he’s worried? What happens when he comes back home with the gift bag and Hitoshi standing in the doorway looking betrayed? I have no answers for any of these, so... idk what’s gonna happen in this respect. This wasn’t a part of the story I planned ^^;

Imma take the L again, thanks :p