dumbshow | the critically acclaimed open post

I'll meet you there.

[Where? It's to be decided. But better to avoid being seen going out by anyone, because they won't ever stop teasing him about it if they know. And the lock is getting there, it's just that he keeps getting distracted by someone . . .]

[What kind of date(???) is this, Aizawa... Toshinori will actually be quiet now, not on purpose, but conveniently just long enough for someone to finish with the lock before he speaks up again,]

I've been waiting for you to tell me where this whole time.

[It takes a fair bit of time, but in the end, it's just a matter of logic and deduction. The mechanism falters under the weight of it, and soon the glass door swings open.

Mm. Satisfying, honestly, and he rises once more.]

You could have decided yourself. But . . . there's a cafe a few blocks away.

[It may be a cat cafe.]

[He turns at the sound of the lock clicking open, reaching more or less over Aizawa to pluck the incriminating photograph off its display corkboard. Mission accomplished! That goes in his jacket pocket, and then he raises an eyebrow down at Aizawa.]

You seemed to know where you wanted to go. Sunday at the cafe it is!

[Aizawa is incredibly lucky Toshinori is not the type to roast him alive for wanting to go to a cat cafe. Very, very lucky.]

[Whatever! If the date sucks at least he gets to pet a bunch of cats! It's fine!]

Three o'clock.

[A beat. He hesitates, uncertain if he should say something else, some flirtatious send-off or something like that, but anything he can think to say sounds disingenuous. In the end, he takes a few steps backwards, nodding in dismissal. B. . . .ye?]

[That's... so awkward, but Toshinori saves them both by beaming at him and closing the door of the display case, so busy with looking at it to lock it again that he just can't stare at Aizawa. Oh no. He might make his daring escape. Oh no.

He's in high spirits until Sunday, anyway, and they don't go down even as he seeks out the cafe in question (early, of course he's early) and finds out that Aizawa has conned him into petting cats for an afternoon. That's not what he would have picked, but alright! Sure!

He tried to dress down, but that was when he expected an ordinary street cafe, so now he's definitely overdressed for petting cats in a pressed shirt and dress pants that will be covered in cat hair very soon. He'll live with it; he's standing with his hands in his pockets, peering into the window of the cafe while he waits for Aizawa to show up.

Whenever his sulky date feels like joining him, he is ready.]

[SHOULDA PICKED A PLACE YOURSELF THEN YAGI

But while Aizawa is dressed more appropriately, it's not as if he'd done it on purpose. This is how he very nearly always dresses when he isn't at school: jeans and a black shirt, clean and neat but not really all that special. In deference to the day, the shirt is a bit more well-fitting than it might otherwise be, and his hair even tied back, which makes him look a great deal more pleasant than he otherwise might.

And he looks positively delighted as he comes up the sidewalk and sees a cat sitting in the window, which may make it worth it in the long run.

It's a brief expression, a combination of surprise and pleasure flickering over his expression and resulting in a grin. Then he catches sight of Toshinori, and oh, hello, there's that horrible mixture of delight and awkward nervousness that fills his stomach each time he looks at him.]

You're overdressed.

[HEY, BABE, HOW ARE YOU. It isn't a critique, but he seems to realize how rude that sounds, because he hastily adds:]

It looks good, though.

[#nailedit]

You didn't mention the type of cafe!

[This is his only defense... Should he have known it was this cafe from the scant information he was given? He could have figured it out. Either way: one of them is dressed to ruin his nice pants with cat hair, and the other one looks very good in a ponytail and fitted shirt.

He stares a moment when Aizawa shows up, that is; the look on Aizawa's face plus the ponytail plus the outfit-- Toshinori never had a chance. He'll have to take actual care to look at any cats instead of simply watching Aizawa for the entirety of this... outing.

He does not offer his arm- he thinks about it, don't get him wrong, but it's a cat cafe- but he does hold the door open for Aizawa. Come, cat boy.]

You're a cat person?

Yeah.

[He isn't polite, but he can at least sometimes appreciate it in others. The cafe is fairly busy today, but there's a few sofa available. He leads them to his favorite, a quiet one in the corner that most people avoid because none of the cats seem to like it.

It's certainly empty as Aizawa sits. But he doesn't seem all that bothered, and half-turns to face Toshinori.

It'd be a lie to say he picked this cafe solely because he wants to sit side-by-side, but it's certainly an enjoyable benefit.]

. . . do you?

[Hmm. Maybe should have asked that before coming here.]

[Toshinori follows, grinning at a cat or two as they pass by, and he's just gotten seated and settled when Aizawa turns to him. It's a smaller sofa in the corner and Toshinori is a lot of person; their legs bump, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.]

I don't mind cats, but I'm more of a people person. [...but not weird, like that sounds in the context of a cafe made for petting cats.] Besides, this is thanks for helping me the other day! My treat!

[Winning smile!!]

I-- thank you.

[He's intimately aware of where their legs are touching. It's nothing scandalous, but in some ways that makes it better: it's intimate and innocent, a comfortable touch that doesn't demand a response. He can just sit here and enjoy it for as long as he wants.

A Scottish Fold, fat and round, languidly crosses the floor, ambling in their general direction. Aizawa ignores it.]

They don't like direct attention.

[He explains, having the foresight to realize Toshinori will probably try to exuberantly greet the poor animal.]

You have to let them come to you.

[God he wants to greet that cat so bad. He keeps looking at Aizawa pointedly, so he doesn't look at the cat, and he furrows his brow so he doesn't say something that maybe, kind of directly compares Aizawa to a cat. He isn't thinking it at all.

But what does he talk about, besides cooing over this precious creature and/or Aizawa--? Containing himself is the biggest challenge he's ever faced.]

How was the rest of your week?

Well . . . there was a bit of an uproar because someone stole Yagi-san's photo from out of the cabinet on the second floor hallway.

[He says it with a straight face, because his humor is very deadpan.]

And Present Mic got thrown into a building thanks to the rescue simulator, so I've got the corner of the dormitory to myself.

[It's true, but as he says all that he wonders if it's not a bit dull. He's not one given to talking much anyway, but he's trying to make an effort, and it turns out when he makes an effort he just sounds . . . dull. Dormitories and training exercises? Good grief. Mic had told him to just talk about whatever came to mind, because clearly that's what he does, but it's different. Aizawa doesn't have the charisma or energy to add all the flair Mic does.

At least the cat senses his growing awkwardness. She's more than used to Aizawa, and so it takes little time at all for her to leap up and settle in his lap. Give her scritches, small boy.]

Anyway. This is . . . [A beat, and he sighs.] Cat Benetar.

[He did not name her. He sort of hates her name, honestly, but what can you do?]

[To be honest, Toshinori off duty is just as dull. He'd be happy to regale Aizawa with the training routine he does in the morning, and he will take note of the empty dormitory thing-- but there's a cat here and he loves it!! Cat Benetar-- for Toshinori, who loves American stuff, this is the best cat in the entire cafe. Look at it, so fat and grumpy and called Cat Benetar.

Holy shit. He is... starry eyed.]

She's cute! [Can he pet this cat?? He's waiting for instructions.] And that uproar... you're my partner in crime, so you ought to know Gran Torino gave me such a lecture for it. I thought he would tear my ear clean off.

[Please tell him how to pet a cat properly before he twiddles his thumbs hard enough to take flight.]

For protecting your identity or stealing in order to do so?

[Still, he sounds amused. It's odd to imagine All Might being scolded; less so Toshinori, who seems much more fluid in his emotions. He's still bubbly and happy, of course, but it doesn't feel like a front.

He likes it.

He likes it too much, maybe.

The way his hands twitch catch Aizawa's eye. And-- well, there are two ways this relationship can go, as far as he's concerned. One, he could give into his nervousness. He could let Toshinori approach him, initiating everything and leading the way. He's older and likely more experienced; it would be less clumsy if he did it. Aizawa could do nothing but react, and that sounds . . . lazy, really. Indulgent in a slothful way.

The other route is that Aizawa screws his courage to the sticking place and ignores his own terror. In that way lies the potential for any number of humiliating mistakes, but it also means he has both agency and independence-- and, even better, gets what he wants when he wants it.

He knows which one he prefers.

At least his nervousness doesn't show on his expression. That's one small blessing, Aizawa thinks, and reaches for Toshinori's hand, taking it firmly. He's warm, his fingers calloused and large, and Aizawa tries not to think too hard about just how big he is.]

Like this.

[He puts his hand against Cat Benetar's spine, adding gentle pressure.]

She wouldn't sit in my lap if she didn't want attention. Just don't overwhelm her-- do slow strokes.

Edited 2018-06-19 23:24 (UTC)

Both? Gran Torino isn't very patient with me. [Is that another fun surprise for Aizawa to learn? There it is. And he's looking at the cat when Aizawa takes hold of his hand, making it very difficult to split his attention between the cat and Aizawa's hand, warm and smaller than his, but certain—

It's just petting cats. But it's Aizawa surprising him by stepping outside the boundary he puts up around himself, again, and Toshinori's gaze flicks up to his face for a second. Before he pets this cat, which is a normal thing that does not require the amount of thought he's putting into it.

But it's nice. He pets the cat one more time before he switches hands, shifting the one Aizawa's holding to tangle their fingers together. They can do this without the cat excuse.]

I can't believe you don't like her name.

[Oh, and though it takes him a moment, soon his fingers curl, gripping Toshinori's hand tightly. He is warm, overly so, and his hand is so much bigger, and there's something electric about his touch, something that makes his breath catch.]

It's stupid.

[He mutters it down to the cat, whose eyes have gone half-closed and who seems content to be pet by this enormous man.]

It's not a name, it's just a joke.

[Cat Benetar is a beautiful name and Toshinori loves it. But he's enjoying Aizawa's hand in his just as much, if not more. He notices the way Aizawa reacts to him and tries not to delight in it too obviously, looking down at the cat again to mask the way he's still a little starry-eyed, but this time over this boy.

He doesn't get to hold hands very much, alright. Very thrilling. He smooths his thumb over Aizawa's hand, idly.]

What do you call her?

Cat Benatar. I'm not going to change her name just because I don't like it.

[He might if he adopted her, but given that isn't a possibility, he'll simply have to accept that his favorite cat is ridiculous.]

They're all named something like that. It'd be stupid to get too worked up over it.

[That feels nice. It's kind of nice how they're both staring down at the cat in order to stop themselves from acting like idiots, beaming about something so simple as holding hands.

But it feels good, and he desperately doesn't want it to stop. And it doesn't, not even when the waitress comes to take their order; Toshinori keeps a tight grip on his hand, refusing to let go as he charms the waitress effortlessly. Soon she's giggling as she turns and heads off, fetching some tea and some kind of snack.]

. . . have you ever done this?

[It's somewhat of a self-conscious question, but not as much of one as one might think.]

[Babe, you're ruining his fun cat-naming date game. He's honestly about to propose this- 'What if you could call her anything you wanted??' he's about to say it, but then the waitress shows up and he's distracted. Turning on the charm is easy enough, and yet he makes no effort to let go of Aizawa or even make sure she can't see their hands - she'll simper and giggle either way.

She leaves and Toshinori turns his attention back to Aizawa, eyebrows raising. Hm?]

Pet cats? [ha... no, okay] I've been on a few dates!

[No reason to lie about it... he's never been to a cat cafe with a cute boy who knows his number one secret; that part is new.]

I'm surprised you're allowed to.

[Not that he knows much about Gran Torino, never mind Nana Shimura, but surely a man who needs to keep his identity a secret shouldn't be trying to form a relationship.]

Or was that before . . .

[He gestures vaguely, not wanting to outright say All Might.]

Haha! I'm not under lock and key! [He doesn't have keepers, just a series of very disapproving mentors and hangers-on and so on. It's fine.] I am busier than I used to be...

[And he can go on pretending not to catch the underlying implication about his hero work, but that's not fair to either of them. Truth be told, he probably shouldn't be out here this afternoon, holding hands and petting cats and thinking about how good Aizawa looks with his hair pulled back like that. Not that there's a rule about it.

And that's the thing about what he's trying to do as All Might; no one has ever done it before. Toshinori gets to call his own shots! That's fun!]

You didn't think about this before demanding I take you out?

I think I'm the only one who knows the double life you lead, and so that puts me in a different class than anyone else you might have approached, because you don't have to lie around me.

[Not necessarily the best, but at least unique. He's content with that answer for a few seconds, and then, slightly indignantly:]

I didn't demand you take me out.

[Please don't say things like "double life" out loud! In public! Babe! Toshinori gives him a look to stop that, but softens it by squeezing his hand.]

Very astute. And you are more forceful than you look, you know.

[Aizawa did come at him with that fabric thing... He's allowed to combine these two events, shh.]

[He gives him a flat look in return. He didn't shout out his hero name, nor indeed did he give any indication that this double life had anything to do with heroics. For all anyone listening knows, they're just sneaking around beneath his parent's noses or something.]

Would the answer have changed if I'd just asked?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject