"I think we should spend some time away from one another."

Katsuki and Shoto's heads turned so fast towards Izuku the boy was afraid they were going to get whiplash. "What?"

Immediately Izuku realized the mistake in his wording. He flushed, waving his hands in front of himself in an attempt to dispel their worries. "No, no, no! Not like that! I mean in front of the others." The other two boys visibly relaxed and Izuku lowered his hands, giving them a shy smile. "We'll still spend time together in private, I just think we are playing it up a bit too much, you know?"

Shoto hummed. "I guess I can see that." He glanced at the blond. "Katsuki?"

"Yeah, sure." He shrugged, crossing his arms loosely. "It will also confuse the extras more if we go from being all over each other to being distant."

"Now who sounds like Izu?" Shoto smirked, remembering Katsuki's remark from a few days prior. The blond rolled his eyes at the heterochromatic teen but the small smile on his face betrayed him. "How long are we going to act distant?"

Izuku put a hand under his chin in his usual thinking pose, mulling it over in his mind. "I'm not sure. Kacchan?"

"Week or two, maybe. Just enough time to get the extras talking and sort of get used to our distance then we go back to our normal in public." Katsuki decided, looking at the other two for approval.

Shoto and Izuku grinned, the latter snickering a little. "And you two call me an evil genius."

"'Cause you are." Katsuki and Shoto deadpanned at the same time.

Izuku stuck his tongue out at the taller boys as he stood up from his spot on Shoto's bed, stretching his arms over his head. "As much as I'd love to sleep over again, I should probably sleep in my own room tonight." He paused on his way out, turning around to snatch Katsuki's hoodie and a pair of Shoto's sweat pants off the end of the bed. "I'm stealing these." The other two boys chuckled at his actions, getting a smile from the boy in return. "Okay, now I'm leaving."

"Night, Izu."

"See you tomorrow, Deku."

Izuku waved, closing the door as he exited Shoto's room to go sleep in his own.

Shoto turned to Katsuki, who was still sitting next to him on his bed. "Are you going back to your room too? I'm not kicking you out, you're welcome to stay the night again. I'm just curious."

The blond shrugged, leaning into Shoto's side. "I probably should go to my room like Izuku did." He sighed, moving closer to the taller boy. "But I'm feeling lazy for once."

Shoto was going to make a comment about how Katsuki's reputation would probably be ruined if the rest of the class saw his soft side like he and Izuku got to but decided against it, knowing the blond would definitely leave his room if he did and Shoto didn't want that. He was in the mood for cuddles and it would appear so was Katsuki if the way he was practically clinging to him was any indication.

"That is perfectly fine with me." Shoto gave Katsuki a soft smile, pulling him down so they were both laying down on his bed, grabbing the blanket and tossing it haphazardly over their bodies. "Mind getting the light?"

Katsuki grunted but didn't protest, rolling slightly to turn off the bedside lamp before returning to his previous position against Shoto's body. He rested his head half on Shoto's shoulder and half on his chest, releasing a breath. "Good night, IcyHot."

"Good night, Katsuki."

The two boys fell asleep soon after, resting peacefully in each other's arms.

-

The rising sun woke the two boys up the next morning, Katsuki grumbling before snuggling closer to Shoto.

Shoto chuckled, the rumble it caused in his chest waking Katsuki up even more. The blond huffed, pushing his face further into the taller boy's chest. "Stop laughing, you're ruining my sleep."

"Kat, we've gotta get up. We have school." Shoto murmured into Katsuki's hair, running a hand up and down his arm.

A shiver went down Katsuki's spine and he was unsure whether it was from Shoto's slightly rough morning voice or the light touch of his hand on his arm.

"School can fuck off. I'm comfortable." Katsuki mumbled, once more moving closer to Shoto.

"As much as I'd love to stay cuddled in bed with you all day, we have that exercise that All Might is overseeing today." Shoto hummed, continuing to rub Katsuki's arm. "Besides, Izuku would be sad if we didn't go to class."

Katsuki groaned as he rolled away from Shoto, squinting at the other boy. "I hate it when you're right."

"I know." Shoto smiled, sitting and pulling the blankets off the two of them. He had to climb over Katsuki to get off the bed, standing up with a few stretches before turning around to face the still laying down blond. "Are you going to borrow one of my uniforms again?"

"No, I need to grab some stuff from my room so I'll wear one of mine." Katsuki finally got out of Shoto's bed, copying the other's earlier stretches before looking around the room and letting out a muffled curse. Shoto gave him a quizzical look. "I forgot Deku stole my hoodie."

Shoto chuckled. "Yeah, we're never getting those back."

"Damned nerd." Katsuki muttered fondly as he made his way to the door. "I'll see you downstairs, Sho."

The taller boy nodded, watching the blond leave his room and close the door behind him before he started to get ready for the day.

A minute or two passed since Katsuki left his room and Shoto was already in uniform and making his bed when someone knocked on his door. He found that odd seeing as the only two that came to his room were Izuku and Katsuki and they would usually just stroll in without knocking. Well, Katsuki would. Izuku would knock once and then enter.

Shrugging it off as someone else was in the hallway and the other boys not wanting to be suspicious by barging in, Shoto opened the door. "Kat, did you forget - " Shoto paused when he saw Hanta standing there, a shocked look on his face. He cleared his throat, looking away for a moment. "Sero, what are you doing here?"

Hanta schooled his features to a relaxed expression, an easy smile on his face. "Hey, Todoroki. Thought I heard Bakugou's voice coming from in here." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. "Looks like I just missed him though."

Shoto nodded slowly. "Looks like it. Can I help with anything?"

"Nah, just wanted to talk to Bakugou 'bout something. Thanks anyways." Hanta waved, heading towards the stairs. "See you in class!"

"Yeah...see you." Shoto closed the door to his room, breathing slightly easier. "At least it was only Sero and not someone like Ashido or Hagakure."

Thinking over the interaction that just occurred, Shoto went over to his school bag and rummaged through it until he triumphantly pulled out a carefully written chart, neatly printed in Izuku's writing. He scanned it, looking for Hanta's name and finding it in the one place he was hoping not to.

Folding the paper back up and slipping it into its previous place in his bag, Shoto took a minute before letting out a low groan, dropping into a crouch with his head in his hands.

"Fuck. Of course Sero is a 'BakuDeku'." He sighed, standing up after a moment and grabbing his bag, walking towards his door. "Let the homewrecker allegations begin again."

After Hanta had left Shoto's room and was sure the heterochromatic teen wasn't able to see him anymore he pulled out his phone and opened the group chat Mina had created for those on Team BakuDeku.

#BakuDekuFTW

Sero: you aren't going to believe what i just saw

Ashido: 👀

Kaminari: 👀

Hagakure: 👀

Jiro: don't be shy

Sato: I share my baking, you share your tea.

Aoyama: 💫⭐🍵⭐💫

Sero: okay okay

Sero: so you know how my room is next to todoroki's?

Hagakure: oh boy

Kaminari: let him speak

Sero: well, last night i saw midoriya AND bakugou go in there with todoroki

Jiro: so? they're all friends

Kaminari: let. my dude. SPEAK

Jiro: sorry sorry

Ashido: continue...

Sero: so all three are there until well past bakugou's bedtime and i'm thinking maybe i just didn't notice midoriya and bakugou leave UNTIL i go get a snack and pass midoriya in my hall

Sero: he just smiles at me and keeps walking

Sato: What about Bakugou?

Sero: that's just it, i didn't see or hear him until this morning when i heard him and todoroki talking

Sero: i couldn't make out what they were saying but i know that it was bakugou in there

Hagakure: how are you sure??

Sero: well for starters he's my friend

Sero: and i saw with my own eyes him leaving todoroki's room

Sero: and when i asked todoroki like two minutes ago if bakugou was in there he didn't deny it

Tokoyami: what a mad banquet of darkness

Sato: Maybe...maybe Midoriya is trying to set Bakugou and Todoroki up?

Kaminari: just. WHAT?

Jiro: yeah pls explain

Sato: So Bakugou and Midoriya are childhood...whatevers and Todoroki and Midoriya are clearly friends...and the three of them have been spending a lot of time together for a while...so what if Midoriya is playing wingman to both of them?

Tokoyami: that does make some sense. but it still feels...wrong

Hagakure: what about that kiss tsu and i saw between midoriya and todoroki???

Kaminari: practice kissing!! while bakudeku were on a break

Kaminari: midoriya is a good bro, he was just helping out todoroki

Kaminari: they've clearly moved past it

Aoyama: ashido? you've been quiet, are you alright, mon amie?

Ashido: i have a crazy idea, so just hear me out before you attack me

Sero: oh i have a good feeling about this

Kaminari: same dude

Ashido: what if bakudeku isn't a thing and we've been looking at it wrong?

Jiro: bruh

Kaminari: nvm

Ashido: let me finish, i can see all of you typing and glaring from the couch!

Ashido: and what if midoriya isn't setting up todoroki and bakugou...because they are already dating?

Hagakure: so...todobaku ?

Ashido: exactly!!

Ashido: think about it for a moment before you blow it off

Ashido: both are super closed off except with certain people (midoriya and each other), they spend a lot of time with each other, they have great chemistry, and don't pretend you didn't notice bakugou wearing todoroki's uniform yesterday

Jiro: all true, i guess...but most of the time they hang out, midoriya is with them

Hagakure: yeah...but he has a quirk that allows him to move super fast so he could just pretend to be hanging out with them to keep their cover but actually be somewhere else!!!

Ashido: exactly!! you get it!!

Sero: so you're abandoning #BakuDeku just like that?

Kaminari: what happened to hoes before bros??

Ashido: tbh i have been wavering a little bit, kiri and the others have been making some solid points lately and i just don't feel the spark between them anymore

Kaminari: bc they've entered the domestic stage!

Sero: !!!

Ashido: i'm sorry folks...your ship has lost her captain

Ashido has left the chat

Hagakure: i hate to admit it...

Kaminari: then dont

Hagakure: i'm sorry...

Hagakure: it was fun while it lasted but now i'm #TodoBaku

Hagakure has left the chat

Sero: and then there was six

Sato has left the chat

Jiro: hate to be the bearer of bad news

Kaminari: no...not you jiro

Jiro: oh hell no #BakuDekuFTW

Jiro: we just have to go to class now

Aoyama: how can we be expected to learn when we have experienced such a tragedy? 💔

Kaminari: aizawa should let us have the day off to grieve our fallen

Sero: we could skip?

Tokoyami: i am already in the classroom

Tokoyami: i shall mourn throughout the lessons

Kaminari: as kiri would say

Kaminari: that's so manly

Jiro: well i'll see you in a sec, momo and i are almost there

Aoyama: as am i 💔

Sero: i guess we should go dude

Kaminari: 🥺

Izuku, Katsuki, and Shoto watched the members of the BakuDeku group chat slowly trickle into class with glum expressions. They fought the urge to give each other looks or text one another, not wanting to fan the flames too much so soon.

Little did they know it was a bit too late and that their plan had gone off course, for better or for worse.