Chapter Text
~ 7:30 pm Kaminari Denki’s dorm room ~
This really cannot go well. I refuse to let Kirishima make me tell Todoroki the truth.
“I’ll do a dare,” Hanta responds in what he hopes is a confident voice.
“Hm, okay, to be honest, I have no ideas.” Kirishima shrugs his shoulders and looks around the room for ideas from the others. Mina leans over to Kaminari and whispers something that makes him laugh. Kaminari turns to Kirishima and whispers something that Hanta assumes was what Mina had said.
Todoroki chuckles to the left of Hanta, “I think they’re plotting something against you.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right.” Hanta looks at Todoroki, who has a small, amused smile on his face.
“Okay, I know what I’ll dare you to do now,” Kirishima announces, grabbing the group’s attention.
“Oh god, here we go.” Hanta pulls his knees to his chest.
“I dare you to go into Denki’s closet with the person to the left of you for seven minutes,” Kirishima says a little guiltily.
So, you should feel guilty, Hanta thought. Hanta mentally puts his hands in front of him making L shapes with both hands to figure out which side is his left and then it hits him. Hang on Roki is sitting to the left of me. Oh, those assholes.
“Ah, I guess that’s me,” Todoroki stands up and puts his hand out for a blushing Hanta. Hanta takes Todoroki’s hand with his slightly shaky one and stands up.
“Are you sure you’re comfortable with this Roki?” Hanta squeezes Todoroki’s hand.
Todoroki squeezes his hand back, “Yes, I’m okay with this, it’s not like we don’t spend time together alone.”
“Right, of course,” Hanta smiles at Todoroki sweetly. Then Hanta turns his attention back to the group and mouths, “I hate you all,” exasperatedly, as Todoroki lets go of his hand to open Kaminari’s closet. “How long do we have to be in there again?” Hanta asks.
“Seven minutes,” Kaminari says triumphantly, with a wink to Mina. Hanta makes sure Todoroki can’t see as he flips Mina and Kaminari off.
“Right okay, Bakugou I’m gonna pass my turn to you,” then Hanta whispers, “make Denki suffer,” then back in his normal voice, “so you guys can keep playing.” Hanta’s hands are really starting to shake now. “Well here goes nothing.”
Hanta walks into the walk-in closet first, followed by Todoroki who closes the door behind him. As soon as the door latches into place the others burst into laughter that Hanta thinks may make Kaminari pee himself with how hard he is laughing. Dickhead.
Hanta wasn’t sure if he wanted to kill Denki or hug him. He was the one that got him into this situation after all. Hanta was currently in a closet with THE Todoroki Shouto, Hanta was going to have a panic attack, his hands were shaking like crazy, and he was struggling to breathe evenly.
The closet was quite small and dark, with two levels of hanging racks on the back wall, which Hanta’s back was against. From what Hanta could tell with his spatial awareness skills Todoroki had his back against the door. The space was so small their feet were toe to toe touching. Hanta was starting to feel like this space was too small.
“Sero?” Todoroki whispers for such a small space.
“Y-yes?” Hanta answers, he must sound distracted because Todoroki leans in as if he’s trying to see Hanta better.
“Are you okay?” Todoroki asks as Hanta starts to hyperventilate.
“I-I,” Hanta tries to take a deep breath as he feels the panic set in, “I- I don’t like,” he tries to huff another breath, “sm-small spaces.” God this is really attractive well done Hanta.
“Oh okay, how about we stop this then,” Todoroki goes to open the door, but Hanta stops him by grabbing the hand that was on the doorknob.
“Th-they don’t know,” Hanta squeezes Todoroki’s hand.
“Don’t know what?” Todoroki sounds confused but he seems to understand Hanta needs the contact, so he squeezes Hanta’s hand back.
“They don’t kn-know I have cl-c- *heaving breath* claustrophobia.” Hanta knows staying in the closet is stupid, but he will never live it down if he wimps out. “H-have you,” Hanta puts his free hand on the low hanging rack behind himself, trying to get steady, “ever had a *sharp breath* a panic attack?” Hanta feels Todoroki’s hand tense.
“Yes,” Todoroki leans back a little, to look at Hanta, “is that what’s happening right now?”
“Y-yes.” Hanta starts to feel like he might throw up, he is hyperventilating so hard.
“Okay,” Todoroki stays quiet for a second, “are you a person who needs a distraction, a hug, everyone to go away, or something different?”
Hanta softens a little, “m-my mum used to,” he tries again to take a deep breath, “hug and *sharp breath* hum songs.” was all he can say as his hyperventilating gets bad again.
“Okay.” Suddenly Todoroki is pulling Hanta in for a hug. Todoroki puts Hanta’s arms around his middle and then puts his own arms around Hanta’s shoulders. “Is this, okay?” Todoroki asks.
Hanta nods, trying to catch his breath. Then he remembers when he used to match his mum’s breathing. Hanta tries to focus on the movement of Todoroki’s chest and tries to match it, but it’s hard. Todoroki must notice because he starts to hum.
At first, Hanta doesn’t recognise the tune, but then, “Howl?”
Todoroki nods in response as Hanta puts his chin on Todoroki’s shoulder leaning into the feeling of Howl’s Moving Castle’s theme. Hanta feels Todoroki start to rub his hand between his shoulder blades. “Hanta, breathe, it is okay, you’re safe.” Hanta feels his breathing start even out.
Hanta thinks it’s been about a minute of his breathing finally settling as he says, “Thank you Roki.”
“It’s no problem,” Todoroki replies, and he goes back to humming Hanta’s comfort movie theme.
“How did you remember I-I love Howl’s Moving Castle?” Hanta pulls back a little, so they are facing each other.
“You’ve got that Calcifer figurine on your desk. Your voice is still a little shaky. Are you okay?” Todoroki lowers his hands to Hanta’s upper arms.
“Yeah, I’m feeling better, thank you, this space is just stressing me out.” Hanta was starting to get cohesive thoughts back and realised he’d just been hugging Todoroki for an unspecified amount of time while he had his first panic attack in a while. “Sorry, you had to witness that.”
“That’s okay, I’m just wondering why your friends didn’t realise how tense you were about coming in here.” Todoroki squeezes where he is holding Hanta’s arms.
“Oh, they realised, they just thought it was for a different reason.” Hanta tries to defend his friends half-heartedly.
“Ah, what was the other reason?” Hanta tenses. Shit. What did I just do?!?!
“Oh no reason aha, hey, I just realised you called me Hanta.” This time Todoroki tenses.
“I’m sorry, I just thought it would be more comforting to hear your given name, rather than the name you hear all the time.” Todoroki starts to lean further away but Hanta catches both his hands.
“No, it’s okay, it was nice to hear you say it,” Hanta pauses for a second, “y’know you can call me Hanta, anytime.” Hanta smiles and continues, “you’re important to me Roki, of course, you can call me Hanta.”
“I’m important to you?” Todoroki tightens his, what was loose, grip on Hanta’s hands.
“Of course, you are, I care about you so much,” Hanta pulls Todoroki in for another hug, this time Hanta has his arms over Todoroki’s shoulders.
“Hanta?” Todoroki mumbles into Hanta’s shoulder hesitantly.
“Yeah?” Hanta waits for an answer, but it doesn’t come, “Roki? You there?”
“Yes. Sorry, I’m trying to figure out how to phrase this.” Todoroki huffs.
“Aha, you’re making me nervous Roki.” Hanta squeezes Todoroki.
“Do you like me?” Todoroki rushes.
“Huh? Sorry, I didn’t get that.”
Todoroki sighs and pulls away, so they face each other again this time no part of their bodies touching, “Do you like me?”
“Of course I do? I thought I made that pretty clear.” Hanta laughs quietly and rubs the back of his neck.
“No, I am aware you like me as a friend, I mean romantically,” Todoroki says cautiously.
“Oh.” Shit, what the fuck do I say?!?! “Uh, can I ask why you would like to know?”
“Um well, I like you romantically, so I wanted to know if you felt the same.” Todoroki looks down at their still touching feet.
“You like me?” Hanta whispers in disbelief.
“Yes,” Todoroki answers, still looking down.
“Why?” Hanta is convinced this is some sick joke, “You’re not joking right?”
Todoroki whips his head up, “Nono I would not do that to you Hanta.” Todoroki sighs, “You have treated me with such kindness and patience, you always notice when I need a minute away from the noise of the class and you truly have excellent taste in manga. Hanta, I adore the moments we spend together and the way you can make me laugh.” He shakes his head, “but I understand if you do not feel the same way.”
“I- you- I-,” Hanta doesn’t know what to say, so he takes both of Todoroki’s hands and pulls him, so their foreheads lean against each other. “This is real?”
“Yes, Hanta.”
~ Meanwhile outside the closet ~
“Kaminari, how is the timer going?” Kirishima asks from the floor with Bakugou leaning on his shoulder.
“What timer?” Kaminari looks up from his phone.
“Were you not timing Dunce Face?!?!” Bakugou roars.
“SHHHHHH, we wanted to see how long they would stay in there without us getting them out.” Mina chuckles.
“Guys, that’s not manly lying to them like that.” Kirishima scolds Mina and Kaminari.
“C’mon, it’s funny though,” Mina suggests as Kaminari laughs.
“I’m giving them two more minutes and then I’m letting them out,” Kirishima states to the group.
“Party pooper.” Mina pouts.
~ Back inside the closet ~
“This is real Roki?”
“Yes, Hanta,” Todoroki says as he looks up into Hanta’s eyes, “and you can call me Shouto.” He smiles at Hanta.
“Shouto,” tests the name on his tongue, “hmm, Sho, yeah I like Sho.”
They both smile.
“Hey Sho?” Hanta reaches up to put his hand on the back of Todoroki’s neck.
“Yes, Hanta?” Todoroki puts his hands on Hanta’s waist.
“Can I kiss you?” Hanta asks.
“Please,” Todoroki replies as he pulls Hanta closer.
“Okay,” Hanta says with a smile in his voice as he reaches his other hand up to Todoroki’s face.
They meet in the middle for the best kiss either of them has ever known.
“Knock knock!” Kirishima’s voice rings out and the door opens immediately.
Safe to say the Bakusquad were proud of their Bestie.