The next few days on set go smoothly as Izuku spends all his free time with Ochako and Tenya, getting the inside scoop with Jirou and Mina, or admiring Yagi from afar. He avidly avoids running into Shouto outside of actual shooting, which helps him keep his head focused and devoid of dreamy fog.

He's gathering his belongings after a shoot when Ochako jumps up behind him with a bright smile, her following words overly cheerful, "Heya Izuku."

Izuku jumps slightly and turns around as he slings his backpack over his shoulder. "Hey?"

"Since the premiere of the pilot is coming out tomorrow, the crew wanted to get drinks, so I'm kidnapping you." Her brown eyes are mischievous, and it makes Izuku nervous about accepting.

"I think I'm good. I don't really drink, and you look like you're planning something." Izuku smiles nervously as he starts to back up toward the exit.

But as he does so, Mina comes up behind him, catching one of his arms, and Ochako grabs his other. "I would never."

The two girls giggle, and the small male sinks into himself, knowing there's no escaping now. He hopes he can avoid the majority of whatever they have in mind.

Tenya is waiting for them in a blue Rolls Royce that looks freshly polished in the parking lot, watching with an amusement he would never admit to. The girls shove Izuku into the back seat, and he squeaks.

"You're helping them with this?" Izuku asks, almost offended.

"You know Ochako; she's very persuasive." Tenya shugs with an easy grin before he starts driving to the bar once everyone's settled.

The aspiring actor leans against the door looking out the window, watching as lights from buildings fly by until they pull into a parking lot. He looks up and reads 'Plus Ultra' from a neon yellow sign at the top of the establishment.

Izuku leaves his bag in the car but grabs his wallet as he waits to follow his friends inside. Mina and Ochako are standing close, clearly gossiping, and Tenya is next to them, trying to act as if he isn't listening in. Izuku follows behind them slowly, still nervous.

He's not sure how many of the cast and crew are here, so he looks around apprehensively. Because if he sees red and white mismatched hair, he'll have to feign sickness and call an Uber to take him home. He doesn't need to make a fool of himself in front of the first crush he's had in a while and not to mention one of the most unprofessional.

The short male stands on his tiptoes and surveys the crowd finding no such head of hair, and feels some tension release from his muscles, slight disappointment slipping in instead. He shakes off the feeling and walks up to the bar deciding he could spare having one drink if he sips it all night.

Next to him is a muscled guy with bright red spiked-up hair and an excited voice. Izuku recognizes him as another actor, Eijirou Kirishima, who works alongside the villain as his right-hand man. They haven't had any actual scenes together yet, but they're scheduled to have some next week, so the shorter man decides to make conversation.

"Hi," Izuku greets after ordering a Cape Cod.

Eijirou looks at him mid-sip, and the green-haired male notices the scar on the other's eyelid is real and not just special effects makeup.

"Hi!" His eyes widen. "Uh, it's Izuku, right? I'm Eijirou."

The aspiring actor chuckles softly as his drink is placed in front of him with a nod. "Yeah, I know I saw you in that movie last year with Sero Hanta. They covered up your scar, though."

Izuku touches his eyelid where the scar would be if he had a matching one before taking a sip of his drink. It's well made, and he makes an approving hum, taking a mental note to come back here.

"Oh yeah, they didn't think it matched my character in that movie, but in this show, it kinda works." Eijirou's teeth are noticeably pointed when he smiles wide and Izuku wonders if they're natural. "Yeah, they are. Been like that since I was a kid."

Izuku blushes darkly at realizing he said that out loud and waves his hands in front of his face frantically. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that! I have a bad habit of muttering! I didn't mean to offend you!"

Eijirou doubles over howling in laughter, "No, no, you're okay, I promise."

After a few more minutes, he accomplishes getting the smaller man to calm down, and they continue to share polite conversation over a few drinks. They even exchange numbers, and Izuku vows to hang out with Eijirou outside of work and work outings after his fourth Cape Cod.

The new friends are busy laughing at a Tik Tok video on the redhead's phone when collective cheers rise from the people surrounding them. Izuku looks around until his eyes fall upon the two leads of the show, Shouto Todoroki, and Katsuki Bakugou.

Oh no, he needs to get out of here, but he doesn't want to be rude and ditch Eijirou. Hopefully, they can steer clear of each other on opposite ends of the bar and not have to interact until the next shoot.

"Baku-Bro!" Eijirou calls with a smile, and Izuku pales. "Over here."

Katsuki sneers presumably at the nickname but walks over to the pair and takes a seat next to the redhead, Shouto following quietly as well. The bi-colored man sits down next to Izuku, and the shorter man looks down into his drink, trying to come up with any excuse to leave.

As Eijirou tries striking up a conversation with the blonde next to him, Izuku downs the last of his drink and pulls out his phone to open the group chat he has with his friends.

[Izuku Midoriya 10:23 PM] I think I'm gonna head out

[Izuku Midoriya 10:23 PM] I'll text you guys tomorrow

The replies he gets are almost instantaneous; he hasn't even moved from his stool yet.

[Ochako Uraraka 10:24 PM] YOU ARW NTO LEAVING!!

[Tenya Iida 10:24 PM] I agree with Ochako. You should stay.

<strong>[Mina Ashido 10:24 PM]</strong> yeahndont be a party pooper Izu!!

Okay, so, Ochako and Mina are already drunk if their typos are anything to go by, and Tenya just doesn't want to be left alone with them. Izuku chuckles softly to himself as a small smile pulls at the corners of his lips; he really loves the new friends he's made.

"What are you looking at that's making you laugh?" Izuku nearly falls off his stool and drops his phone when Shouto poses a question directed at him.

Izuku blinks owlishly at the man next to him and clutches his phone close to his chest, and powers it off.

"I was just, uh, telling my friends I was gonna head out, and they're throwing tantrums," Izuku swallows as his mouth starts to dry out.

Shouto hums with a slight nod and looks at the other man, eyes trailing over his form slowly. Izuku feels like he's being surveyed by a wolf in the forest, and he's nothing more than a measly bunny waiting to be slaughtered.

"I can give you a ride home if you want." Shouto blinks, and Izuku swallows thickly. "I haven't had anything to drink, and I don't really want to stay."

Izuku slips off his seat and pockets his phone as he puts a few bills on the counter to cover his tab. He waves his hands frantically as he starts taking a few steps back toward the door.

He's about to turn the taller man down when Eijirou asks, "Where you going, Izu-Bro?"

Then before Izuku can answer, Shouto is standing beside him, holding up his keys.

"I'm taking him home," the actor hums as he starts walking out the door, and Izuku is inclined to follow.

Maybe if he hangs back, he can lose Shouto in the parking lot and get an Uber back to his place, but that would be rather rude. Shouto is being friendly and offering him a free ride instead of paying 20 bucks for one.

"Are you going to get in?" Shouto's voice draws him out of his thoughts, and he realizes he's standing in front of a sleek black Range Rover with dark tinted windows.

Shouto is halfway into the driver's side, and Izuku quickly scrambles in following suit. There really is no escaping now; he's in the other actor's car.

"So, where am I taking you?" Shouto asks as he turns on the car, the engine purring effortlessly, vibrations relaxing Izuku somewhat.

"Oh, I actually live in the Cedar Oak apartment complex by where we shoot." Izuku fiddles with his fingers and quickly realizes he doesn't have his bag with his keys. "But my friends have my bag, which has my keys..."

At this point, they're already on the road driving away from the bar, and Shouto clicks his tongue in response. "I have a guest bedroom you can use tonight. Momo's complaining that I need to get along with the other cast members more anyway."

The other man doesn't elaborate further, and for once in Izuku's life, his brain shuts down because, oh God, he's going back to Shouto Todoroki's house.