Chapter Text
Shoji’s quiet. He always seems to be the one that hangs back. He doesn't particularly fit in with any of the friend groups that seem to have formed around the classroom. He just remains…unrecognized. It's not that he minds, really. He doesn't resent this fact. It's not like he’s the most social, anyway. So, the fact that he doesn't really have friends doesn't matter much to him, he thinks.
In fact, there's one huge advantage to being unnoticed. Shoji sees everything. He knows things about his classmates that even their closest friends probably don't know.
Kaminari is constantly tapping his feet under his desk. Mina subconsciously rubs her horns when she’s thinking. Kouda has snuck his rabbit into class for the third time this week. There's no way Aizawa doesn't see this, right? He’s constantly looking at his open backpack and smiling.
It’s no wonder he’s the one that sees when they're struggling, too.
It's a cold Sunday morning. Shoji’s walking to the dorms, through the open part of the campus. It’s early in the morning. He’d gone on a walk, and felt exhausted. On a bench, he sees Tsu. She looks as exhausted as him, if not more. He takes a second, before stopping in front of her. “Could I sit with you?”
She looks up, eyes scanning his towering form, before moving to one side of the bench, making room for him. “Yeah, sure, kero.”
“Thank you.” He sits, a mouth emerging from one of his Dupli-arms, so his voice isn't muffled. “How was your Saturday?”
“It was…” She seems to think it over, looking down at her lap. “Tiring.” She takes a breath. “I love my siblings, but they can be…so much. And it seems like it gets worse whenever I'm home. They’re so excited to see me every time…I should be honored really. But I didn't have any time to myself the whole day, kero…”
“Is that so?” His gaze is soft beneath his mask.
Tsu starts a sentence, but she's cut off by her stomach rumbling with hunger. “Sorry, Kero…I didn't have time to get breakfast this morning. I was too busy trying to get back to campus.”
“There's a café not too far from campus. Would you like to go with me? I haven't eaten yet either.” This is a lie. He made himself toast this morning, and had some fruit. But she didn't need to know that.
“Are you sure? You don't have to take me, Kero…”
“It’d be nice to have a friend there.” Was Tsu a friend? Shoji really didn't know…but the term justified his wanting to hang out with her enough, so he didn't think about it too hard.
“Then…Alright. I’ll go with you.” She smiles, bright. Shoji’s exhausted, but the smile makes it all worth it. He walks with her to the café, making idle chatter along the way. He learns a few things. Tsu has two younger siblings, a boy and a girl, Samidare and Satsuki. He learns that they had a hard time adjusting when Tsu moved into the dorms. He learns that she visits them every weekend to make up for it, and they never leave her alone. He learned that even though she loves them, it gets tiring. Shoji would say he gets it, but he's an only child, so really he doesn't. He resigns to just listening, nodding along as she speaks.
They arrive at the café, and scan the menu. Shoji didn't go here very often, but he was all too familiar with the prices. That didn't matter now, though. What mattered was making sure his classmate had a good day, despite her exhaustion.
“I’ll pay. What would you like?” He says a few minutes into them being there, after she’d had some time to look at the menu. His tone blunt, he glances at her.
“Kero- are you sure?”
He just nods. It was just money. Money he could earn back sometime, somewhere, doing some odd job. He didn't mind. She points to something on the menu…these frog shaped mochi donuts. He struggles to hold back a laugh. ‘Incredibly fitting,’ he thinks.
“...and a small matcha latte, if that's okay, kero.”
“It is.” His tone is blunt once more, but this time, he smiles. He hopes his eyes show that enough, or maybe that she can see the outline of his grin through his mask. He stands, walking up to the counter to order. Frog shaped mochi donuts, small matcha latte. He orders himself the same donuts, but instead opting for a plain coffee, two creams, one sugar. He pays, and walks back to the table, hoping Tsu doesn't notice him whispering something to the barista with one of his arms. But of course, she does.
“What were you whispering to her about, kero?”
‘Shit, cover blown,’ he thinks. “Nothing.” He hopes his tone doesn't come off too serious…when he sees Tsu smile once again, he knows it didn't.
“Really? Did you think she was cute? Is that what it was?”
That made his cheeks flush red, which didn't help his case at all. But his next sentence did…in maybe the worst way.
“No…I like someone else.” It felt childish, really. Like talking to your best friend at a sleepover about your crush. Best friend…hm? His blush made it worse.
“Really, kero? Who is it?” She questions. Jeez…this is like a slumber party.
“I'm not going to tell y-,” he starts, before being interrupted.
“I've got two drinks and some mochi donuts for…Shuji?” He let out a small laugh. They never got his name right! It’s not like it was that rare. And it was spelled exactly how it sounded. But somehow, they always managed to get it wrong. ‘Oh well, saved by the cute barista.’ He got up, grabbed their drinks, and walked carefully back to the table, doing his best to not mess up Tsu’s surprise.
He really couldn't deny that the barista was cute. But…not his type. She had a round face, and a shortly cropped jet-black bob. Pretty…plain looking. And plain looking really wasn't his type…which got him thinking about his type…and now he’s blushing again. Jeez, this barista isn't making it easy for him.
As he brings the order to the table, Tsu smirks at him. “You're sure she isn't cute, kero?”
He lets her win, of course. “Okay, she is cute. But not my type.” He sets the food and drinks down, sliding Tsu’s latte over, and watching her face light up at the sight of it.
Latte art of a frog. It was undeniably derpy…but all the same, cute. Good. It turned out perfectly. And the look on Tsuyu’s face made all the teasing worth it.
“So this is what you were whispering to that barista about?”
He nods. Finally, she might stop pestering him about his crush. But…
Nope.
“So, what is your type then?”
Ugh. He's…playfully annoyed. The pestering was again, childlike. It made Shoji long for all of those sleepovers he never had, huddled up, playing truth or dare, talking about crushes and giggling all night.
“Are you really gonna make me tell you?”
“If you at least give me a hint, I’ll tell you who I like.”
It seemed like a deal. One some sugar-high twelve-year-olds would make at 10pm, before promptly going to bed.
“...it's a guy.” There. Out with it. Done.
“Oh, alright, kero. If it makes you feel any better, I like Uraraka.” She seems hesitant to sip the matcha latte and ruin the cute frog design, instead tearing apart the donut. Shoji didn't see how one was different from the other, as he took a sip of his coffee.
“Makes sense. You do hang out with her a lot.”
“Is that a second hint? Do you hang out around the guy you like a lot?” She croaks out.
“It wasn't a hint.”
“Can I at least guess, then, kero?”
“You can. But that doesn't mean I'll confirm or deny anything.”
So she goes on guessing, until she says the names of every guy in class 1-A, and 1-B. Shoji sticks to his word, never confirming or denying anything. But he hopes Tsu doesn't notice the heat that floods his face when she names who he does like. Eventually, Tsu drinks her latte, settling for taking a picture of the drink first.
They're there for barely an hour, and right as they get ready to leave, it starts raining. Tsuyu likes rain. That much is obvious, from all the time he's seen her run around during storms. Shoji isn't the biggest fan of rain, though. Suddenly, he gets an idea.
“Get on my back. Like at the sports festival.” His words are again, blunt.
“But I like the rain, kero!”
“Exactly. Trust me.” He crouches down, and she climbs on his back, just like at the sports festival. Instead of closing his arms around her, though, he lets them fan out on his sides, running through the crashing rain. She enjoys the rain from her perch, hands reaching up to the sky, and tongue hanging happily from her mouth. Water rushes through the webbed grooves between his arms. While he isn't a big fan of rain…he is a big fan of making people smile. So it's fine for now.
When they finally make it back to UA, they're soaked. Happy, but soaked.
“I sorta just wanna go to my room, kero…I want some rest after this weekend.”
And so, with her still perched on his back, he gets another idea. The arms close around her. It looks a bit suspicious, sure, but it's all in fun. He acts as her personal bodyguard, keeping away anyone who might try to rope her into conversation. She lets out a surprised croak, but allows him to guide her to her room, peeking out from the gap in front.
And when they're at her dorm room, he lets her down.
“Thank you for today, Kero.” She looks grateful. It makes him smile. Which makes her smile. And it reminds him of why he put in so much effort today, and why he let himself get soaked by rain.
“Of course. You deserved it, after the week you've had. I hope you have a good rest, Tsu.” He smiles, and walks off before she can thank him again.