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[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?

[Still. But fine, fine, he's past it. It's done. As for this new thing, after he takes a moment to think about it--]

Well, no. I am very attracted to you. [Especially when he does literally anything to his hair, goddamn!!] So?

[So? This is left up to interpretation, for some reason.]

So . . . I'm glad you accepted either way.

[Another question presses itself to the forefront of his mind. Aizawa squeezes his hand, trying to think of a way to ask that doesn't come across as self-pitying or insecure, because that's not how he means it.

Why are you attracted to me? he wants to ask. You barely know me, and I'm not all that attractive. Not self-pitying, not a desperate grab for assurance, but an honest question. What on earth is Toshinori bothering to go out with a boy four years younger than him that he barely knows?

But perhaps he'll ask that later. For now, he shifts, moving slightly closer, content to do nothing but pet cats and bask in the way they're holding hands. Which is why, as they finish their drinks and Toshinori pays, he feels a slight sense of trepidation. It's silly to panic, but there's a certain sense of expectation at the end of a date, and for all he's determined to be bold, he doesn't know if he's actually up to reaching for a kiss.]

[Because he feels like it, because he doesn't have to tiptoe around saying the wrong thing with Aizawa, because Aizawa doesn't dislike All Might but won't put up with Toshinori's posturing, either-- plenty of reasons he could share if only he were asked.

What Aizawa does say is cute, anyway, and Toshinori is content with how the date is going. Aizawa can make idle comments about the cats for as long as he wants and Toshinori won't get bored of listening to him, sitting close and holding his hand. He learns several more facts about how to approach cats before they finish their food, and when it's time to go he looks down at how much cat hair is all over his pants now.

It's a fucking ton. These pants are probably beyond help.

Anyway, it's time to get out of here, and Toshinori neither lets go of Aizawa's hand nor swoops in to kiss him. He leads him back out to the sidewalk, nodding at a few cats on the way, and once they're safely outside he lets go of Aizawa's hand to put his arm around his shoulders and pull him close. Hello, he'll do you one better, leaning down some of the way to be secretive, his weakness-]

Take me upstairs to your room.

[Really, he just wants to see the dorms and maybe cuddle...]

[Oh, there go his traitorous cheeks again, bright red and overheated. That's surely not what Toshinori means, and yet what else is he supposed to think when he says such a thing? Take me to your room, his voice low and his body firm against his, and the amount of fantasies he can and will conjure from the past minute alone are really too many to be counted.

But no. No, it's nothing like that. Toshinori just wants to extend their date a bit more, talking and perhaps learning a bit more about Aizawa in the process. And that's fine, that's great, he loves the thought of that; it's just difficult to let go of his first impression.

Not impossible, though.]

All right.

[Walking like this isn't easy at first, but soon they've got their footsteps in sync, and Aizawa sighs beneath the touch. Toshinori's arm is a comfortable weight, comfortable without being confining.

It's easy to make their way upstairs. It's likely not entirely in keeping with the rules to bring an alumni up into your bedroom, but he's almost certain it's not actually against the rules, so. It's probably fine.

Still: there's something delightfully furtive about the way they head up the stairs and down the hall. They stick close together, bodies still pressed up against one another, and his heart skips a beat as they enter his room and he locks the door behind him.

Aizawa's room is sparse and spartan, of course. He has what furniture came with the room and little else. A schedule is pinned to the wall, as well as a recommended training session. A few books are stacked here and there, but beyond that, nothing. No posters, no television, no music . . . it's a functional room.

There's only the bed and chair to sit on, and after a moment of hesitation, Aizawa leads them to the former.]

[One of these days their encounters on campus won't be so... subtle, sneaking around to bedrooms and picking locks in abandoned hallways. One of these days, for sure. Toshinori isn't complaining about it, either way, keeping Aizawa held snugly against his side as they head upstairs. This isn't the first time he's been ushered in secret off to someone's room, but it's still a thrill when Aizawa takes him inside and locks the door.

Not much of a room, though that doesn't surprise him, having been on all of one date. He almost says something like, No All Might merchandise?—but he doesn't want Aizawa to combust, so he lets him lead the way and settles himself on the bed, hand skimming down Aizawa's arm to tug his hand so he'll come close.

Sorry about getting cat hair on the bed, but even for someone without a cat of his own, Aizawa is probably used to that... Whatever, Toshinori just wants him close, pressed against him more comfortably than in the hall.]

I'm having fun! Are you?

[Cuddle him, thanks.]

[They end up tangled together, Aizawa curled beneath his arm, both of them leaning back against the wall. Their legs stretch out before them, and Aizawa notes just how long Toshinori's are. It's a tired observation by now-- yes, he's big, he's enormous-- but it's so shocking each time that it bears repeating. Surely no one man should have all that leg, and yet here they are.

He probably has to custom order everything. Beds and clothes and all the rest of it. Then again, he probably doesn't have to, not anymore, not when companies would kill for the chance to say they're the brand All Might trusts.

Anyway. Toshinori, not All Might, and he shifts, pressing in a bit closer.]

Yes.

[A simple answer, but an easy one.

He falls silent for a time after that, enjoying the quiet, the only noises being their joint breathing. It's surprisingly easy to be like this with Toshinori. He would have thought . . . well. He would have made a lot of false assumptions if someone had told him he'd be cuddling with All Might, so he really ought to stop thinking things like I would have thought. Clearly, though All Might is far from disingenuous, there's a difference between the hero and the man.

He wants to get to know the latter better.]

What is it you do when you aren't training?

[It's less talking than Toshinori is used to, All Might's popularity aside-- he likes to talk! To anyone, even comlpete strangers, especially cute ones and their parents, Toshinori can chatter on and on until someone is blue in the face. And Aizawa says yes then lapses into silence.

It's not bad, he finds. Not bad at all. Aizawa is a comfortable warmth against his side and Toshinori keeps his arm around him snug and secure, shifting to lean his cheek against the top of Aizawa's head, which is... okay, it's a little odd, but one more time: he's huge. There are only so many ways he can cuddle without enveloping the boy completely.]

I watch plenty of movies. American ones are my favorite— but you're not much into film, are you?

[You know, because this room is completely empty. He pauses, then,] Would you tolerate my movies on a second date?

[Oh, they're going on a second date? He'd been wondering. It's hard to interpret bring me up to your room as anything but positive, but still, it's nice to have a solid confirmation that yes, this is happening again.]

Yes.

[A beat, and then:]

But nothing too loud. We live through explosions and heroics all day, I don't want to relax by watching them. Though it might be fun to critique them.

[Oh hell yes, they are going to watch the shit out of Toshinori's extensive American Movie collection. He squeezes his arm around Aizawa tighter for just a moment, delighted, and chuckles. This movie preference... okay, okay.]

American hero movies are the best ones! Especially the ones from before quirks were so widespread... [He's going to be a huge nerd about it. Please, just one hero movie. He'll make it count.]

You can critique as long as you keep it respectful.

I'm not going to insult them. But if they save someone stupidly, I'm not going to ignore it.

[His voice is as low and unimpressed as ever, but he has to twist and (daringly) tuck his head into the crook of his neck to hide a smile. It lasts just a few seconds, a brief brush of his nose against his neck, before he's pulling back again.]

Which one do you have in mind?

[Ah-- well, that's cute. Toshinori's smile is permanently affixed to his face at this point, unabashed as he wiggles down a little so they're closer to eye-to-eye. His legs hang over the edge of the bed; it's fine.]

I'll surprise you. But you should know in advance, quirkless people do some pretty reckless things.

[Audience laughs.]

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Aizawa's awkward boner is comment 666 on this post

now to aim for 6969

we missed 420, tragically

it's somewhere on here, probably greed

by now it's morphed to nothing but the word weed in brackets 420 times

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