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It's Shoto's first Valentine's with you, and he's determined to get you the 'correct' gift.
.⚠°Ęâɰ.ââ.⚠°Ęâɰ.ââ.⚠°Ęâɰ.ââ.⚠°Ęâɰ.â
Glitter đ 𦯠: Happy Valentines !!!
Warnings :Female!Reader, reader is a GF, established relationship, slight suggestiveness, big texting section, honestly just really fluffy
W/C : ~3.2k
.⚠°Ęâɰ.ââ.⚠°Ęâɰ.ââ.⚠°Ęâɰ.ââ.⚠°Ęâɰ.ââ
Sometimes, Shoto can be a little socially inept.Â
He knows this. He knows it stems from his isolated upbringing, his complicated family dynamicâthough he hates how often he has to attribute parts of himself to that. But being at UA helped, being surrounded by more ânormalâ people (if you could say that?) was helping. Heâs learning, slowly but surely, and he finds himself enjoying all these new experiences, even if heâs a little late to them.
Enter you.Â
Youâve only been dating him for a few weeks, barely enough time for him to grasp the basics of being someoneâs boyfriend. But he wants to get it right, especially with Valentineâs Day just three days away.
He never thought much of it before. It was just another date on the calendar, something he associated more with pink-themed store displays than anything meaningful. But now, it feels important. A chance to prove himself to you, to show that this relationship is worth your time. That he doesnât need you to guide him through everything.
Now itâs a day where heâs supposed to do something special for you.
For the first time in a long time, Shoto Todoroki feels out of his depth.Â
He has no idea where to start.
Unfortunately, none of his friends seem like theyâd have good advice. The only one who crossed his mind for a second was Denki, but that idea was immediately discarded. He could already imagine the kind of advice heâd get, some overly complicated plan involving sunglasses and, for some reason, an unnecessary explosion.
Which brings him to now, Tuesday morning, staring at Natsuoâs contact.
Heâs pretty sure Natsuo has a girlfriend, or at least some experience in romantic endeavors. In their limited interactions, Shoto has picked up on a few subtle signs. There were the late-night phone calls heâd catch Natsuo having in the garden, the way his older brotherâs face would turn bright red when he thought no one was watching. Then there was the time he overheard Natsuo asking Fujumi for advice on gifts around Christmasâspecifically romantic gifts. And, of course, there was that one unfortunate day when Shoto happened to notice a collection of what he could only describe as⌠love marks on Natsuoâs neck, which left him quietly questioning his brother's life choices for the rest of the week.
So, with all this information he has gathered, Shoto decides Natsuo is the best course of action. He did briefly consider asking Fujumi for advice, but something told him sheâd get far too excited and blow everything out of proportion. Sheâd probably give him a long lecture too. He doesnât want that. He just needs a little guidance.Â
The phone rings once, and then twice, and then heâs sent to voicemail. Shoto pouts down at the screen. Before he can go to google as his second choice for help, a text comes through first.Â
[9:03 AM] Natsuo: Sorry, man, Iâm in class right now. Whatâs up?
This feels strange, asking for relationship advice. Heâs not used to talking about this kind of thing, especially with his brother. After a few seconds, he types:
[9:04 AM] Shoto: I need help with Valentines day.
The reply comes quickly:
[9:06 AM] Natsuo: Valentineâs Day?
[9:08 AM] Natsuo: Wait... are you dating someone? Since when??
Oh, he forgot that he hadnât told his family yet. He wasnât planning on telling anyone until things felt a little more serious. But I guess asking these sort of questions made it somewhat inevitable.Â
[9:10 AM] Shoto: Yeah. I have a girlfriend. We have only been dating for 3 weeks.Â
[9:11 AM] Shoto: Please donât tell anyone yet.
[9:13 AM] Natsuo: Alright, alright, I wonât say anything. I get it.Â
For some reason, in this moment, Shoto feels his heart warm a little. Heâs never really had the true brotherly relationship. But this feels normal for them, domestic.
[9:15 AM] Shoto: Thanks.
[9:17 AM] Natsuo: Haha! So serious! Dont sweat it lil bro!
Nevermind, Shoto scowls, he hates his big brother.Â
[9:19 AM] Shoto: Can you give me advice now.Â
[9:21 AM] Natsuo: Ah, right, the actual reason you texted me.
[9:21 AM] Natsuo: Hmm. Try not to overdo it, since itâs still early.Â
[9:21 AM] Natsuo: Maybe try something lowkey but personal?Â
[9:22 AM] Natsuo: Donât overthink it, dude. Iâm sure at this early stage the fact you are even trying to do anything will be appreciated!Â
[9:23 AM] Shoto: Can you give me an example? Just so Iâm sure Iâm on the same page.
[9:25 AM] Natsuo: Hm⌠okay. Like a handwritten card? Or a picture of you both? Sum like that.Â
Shotoâs mind goes blank for a second.
[9:26 AM] Shoto: That seems too simple.Â
[9:26 AM] Shoto: Have you ever been in a relationship?Â
[9:28 AM] Natsuo: Going to pretend that wasnât rude! đ
Shotoâs brow furrows.
[9:28 AM] Natsuo: But yeah, Iâve been in a few. Trust me, the simple stuff always hits.
[9:30 AM] Shoto: Iâll try it. Thanks.
[9:31 AM] Natsuo: Anytime bro! One more think tho.
[9:32 AM] Natsuo: Since you're dating now... uh, just donât forget to be... responsible, okay?
Shoto frowns at the screen. [9:37 AM] Shoto: Responsible?
[9:39 AM] Natsuo: You know what i mean! HahaÂ
[9:41 AM] Shoto: No I do not.Â
Natsuoâs reply comes quickly, almost too quickly.
[9:43 AM] Natsuo: Look, Iâm just saying. Protection and all that. Haha
Shotoâs eyes widen, the full realization dawning on him. His face flushes red instantly.
[9:43 AM] Shoto: I do not need this advice. Thank you.Â
Natsuo doesnât stop there.
[9:45 AM] Natsuo: Hey, Iâm just trying to help. Youâre my little brother!!!
Shoto stares at the screen, blinking rapidly, his face still flushed.
[9:47 AM] Shoto: I appreciate it. But Iâm fine.
[9:47 AM] Shoto: Maybe speak to your sexual endeavours about this.Â
[9:50 AM] Natsuo: what???!??
[9:47 AM] Shoto: To stop biting you.
[9:52 AM] Natsuo: You know what, Iâm just gonna pretend you didnât say that.
Shoto quickly types, trying to change the subject before it gets any worse.
[9:54 AM] Shoto: Anyway, thanks for the other advice. Iâll try what you suggested.
So, something personal huh?Â
~Â
Which brings Shoto to Thursday afternoon, the day before Valentineâs Day.
So far, he thinks heâs managed to keep his plans for you under wraps. Maybe a little too wellâbecause just yesterday, during one of your usual study dates, you had paused mid-note-taking, tapped your pen against your lip, and tilted your head at him.
"Youâve been too quiet lately."
He had blinked at you, unsure how to respond. Iâm always quiet wouldnât exactly work when you already knew him well enough to see through him.
It was... cute, in a way. How easily you picked up on his shifts in mood, even when he thought he was being subtle. He didnât really know what to do with that kind of attention. But he liked it.
He just hoped you didnât suspect anything yet.
Anyway, today for mission valentine, he is in the mall.
He ended up taking Natsuos advice somewhat, taking the time to write a detailed and heartfelt card with his feelings to you, but something was still missing. He knew to get flowers, ordering a custom bunch on Tuesday night to be delivered in time (Thank you Endeavour name drop), but despite Natsuos advice to keep it âlowkeyâ he was on the lookout for a little more.
Heâd been wandering around the mall for the last twenty minutes now, his frown growing more pronounced with time. How do I put this feeling into words? How do I show her how important she is to me? How long Iâve waited for thisâŚ
He stops in front of a tourist stand. Surely, a trip is too muchâŚ
âShoto???â
His head snaps up at the familiar voice, crinkling the leaflet in his hand as he turns. But the flash of green quickly eases his heart.
Midoriya.
Shoto exhales, releasing tension as his friend approaches, eyes bright with curiosity.
âI thought that was you!â Midoriya says, stopping beside him. His gaze drops to the crumpled leaflet in Shotoâs hand, curiosity flickering across his face. âUh⌠are you planning a trip?â
Shoto follows Midoriyaâs gaze down to the brochure in his gripâsome kind of couples' getaway package, complete with scenic resorts and heart-shaped chocolates. His expression remains neutral, but internally, heâs horrified.
âNo.â He drops it back onto the stand like it burned him.
Midoriya blinks before smiling. âOh! Are you here for Valentineâs Day shopping?â
Shoto doesnât answer immediately, which is answer enough.
Midoriyaâs eyes widen. âWait⌠you are?! Does that meanâdo you have a girlfriend?â
Shoto feels a strange mix of emotionsâmild regret for being spotted, slight panic at the idea of the entire class finding out before heâs ready, and, underneath it all, a small, hesitant sense of pride. Because yes. Yes, he does.
ââŚYes,â he admits at last.
Midoriya gasps, practically vibrating in place. âShoto! Thatâs amazing! Who is it? How did I not realize?! I mean, I thought you were smiling at your phone more, butââ
Shoto feels his face heat up as Midoriya rattles off every small detail he had apparently noticed. The way he texted more. The way he seemed lighter. The way heâ
ââjust kind of smile at nothing sometimes?â Midoriya gestures vaguely.
Shoto presses his lips together. Was it really that obvious?
Midoriya suddenly gasps again, eyes practically glowing. âWait, does that mean this is your first Valentineâs Day with her?! Thatâs so special, Shoto!â
Shoto exhales, rubbing the back of his neck. âYes. Thatâs why Iâm here.â
Midoriyaâs enthusiasm doesnât waver. âOkay, okay, no pressure! But whatâs your plan? Do you need help picking something?â
Shoto hesitates. He doesnât mind Midoriya knowingâheâs probably the safest person to tell, outside of Natsuo. But still, something about sharing this part of his life makes his throat feel tight.
ââŚI have a card,â he says slowly. âAnd flowers. But I wanted something more personal.â
Midoriya hums in thought. âSomething personal⌠Oh! What about an experience? Like a day out or somethingâmaybe not a whole trip though...â
Shoto pauses. His mind flickers back to a few weeks agoâhow your eyes had lit up when you talked about that one artist. The way you always played their music during study dates, humming absentmindedly, completely lost in the moment. He remembers the song playing in the background as you gently traced your fingers along his face, both of you hesitating, then leaning in for a soft, tentative first kiss. The way you had giggled afterward, your smile so warm it made his chest ache.
ââŚI know what to get,â he says, turning on his heel.
Midoriya blinks. âOh! Okay! Do you want me to come withââ
âNo.â
Midoriya chuckles. âAlright, alright! Good luck, Shoto! And, um, if you ever wanna talk aboutââ He gestures vaguely, expression warm. âYou know. Relationships. Iâm happy to listen.â
Shoto gives him a nodâone that, after a moment, carries a little more meaning than just goodbye.Â
~
Friday morning, Valentine's day. He had woken up to a good morning text from you, and motivation messages from both Natsuo and Midorya. And suddenly he was nervous in a whole different way.Â
It wasnât like him to be uncertain. But there was something about today, about this. Every time you looked his way, his chest tightened. His fingers would flex in his lap, as if he could do something with that energy.
The problem was, he couldnât seem to get a moment alone with you. The entire class was buzzing, and as the day went on, his nerves grew. How was he supposed to give you the gift without feeling awkward? He hadnât really thought about how it would feel to give a present to someone he cared about. What if it wasnât enough? What if it wasnât right?
But then, at lunch, the bell rang, and that was it. The moment heâd been waiting for. The class broke apart, but his eyes found you instantly.
He took a breath, gathered his thoughts, and stood. You hadnât noticed yet, so he took the opportunity to walk over to where you were standing.
âHey,â he said quietly, and when you turned to him, there was that familiar warmth in your gaze that made his heart beat a little faster.
âHey,â you replied, the smile tugging at your lips.
âIâŚâ He hesitated, feeling a sudden tightness in his chest. It felt strange to be so out of his element. âI have something for you.â
âReally?â, your eyes widened for just a moment, the surprise softening into something warmer.
He looked at the ground for a second, clearing his throat. âI... I wanted to give it to you, but... maybe... somewhere quieter?â
You tilted your head, sensing his nervousness, and nodded with a soft smile. "Of course, Shoto."
A few moments later, Shoto and you were perched under a bright tree, the sun out as he watched his classmates flutter around. You were looking at him expectantly, but not with judgement, a slight blush across your face. Now or never, huh?
His hand shook ever so slightly as he reached into his bag and handed you the envelope. He avoided your gaze, feeling the heat rise in his face despite himself.
You carefully opened it, scanning the card. He could feel your attention on him, the way you were taking in the words he had carefully written. His throat felt tight, but he waited, watching the way your expression softened.
âThis is⌠really thoughtful, Shoto,â you said, your voice gentle.
He didnât know what to say to that. It was strange to hear someone speak to him like thatâlike he had actually done something right. âI wasnât sure ifâŚâ He stopped, unsure of how to finish. âI wanted to make sure it was right.â
You smiled at him again, this time the warmth more tangible. âItâs perfect,â you said, and there was something in the way you said it that made his heart calm, just a little.
Without thinking too much about it, Shoto pulled out the second part of the giftâthe tickets. âThereâs⌠one more thing.â
You looked at the tickets, then back at him, confusion flickering across your face for a split second before it was replaced by recognition.
âThese are for the concert?â you asked, shock creeping onto your face.
Shoto nodded, his expression as neutral as he could make it, though he could feel the tension in his shoulders. âI remembered you mentioned wanting to go,â he said. âI thought⌠if you still wanted to, we could go together.â
You blinked, clearly surprised. For a moment, Shoto was afraid you might not like itâbut then your smile grew wider, and it felt like the weight had finally lifted from his chest.
âShoto, this ⌠this is too much! You didnât need to do all of this for me..â
âI did,â he said simply, looking at the tickets. âI wanted you to be able to go.â And, selfishly he thought, he wanted more alone time with you. As much as he could manage.
You stepped closer, your hand lightly brushing against his. âThank you,âÂ
He nodded, a faint flush creeping up his neck, it had all been worth it. âIâm glad you like it.â
âI love it, ShoâŚâ You looked away for a moment, cheeks flushing slightly, before murmuring, âBut this totally overshadows mineâŚâ
Shoto blinked, âWhat...?â he asked, a little surprised.
âI didnât know we were doing big gifts, okay?â you raised your hands up, like trying to defend yourself. âSo I just made you something, itâs just little andââ
His heart softened, for some reason he didnât even consider you would also get him a gift. He stepped a little closer, catching your gaze. âIâm sure whatever you made is perfect.â His voice was gentle, reassuring.Â
You hesitated for a moment before reaching into your bag and pulling out a small, neatly wrapped box. "I⌠hope you like it," you said, a little uncertain.
"Iâm sure I will." He took the box from you carefully, his fingers brushing yours for a second as he did, looking up from the box to your gaze, making sure to keep this memory burned into his mind.
He gently opened the box, not wanting to disturb your work, before moving the tissue paper out of the way. He paused.
It was a scrapbook.
It was small, about the size of a small notebook, with the first picture of you both plastered on the front page, surrounded by little stickers. His hands trembled slightly as he held it, the weight of it making his chest feel heavier than usual.
His thumb traced over the cover, heart thudding in his chest.
âItâs not finished yet!â you sputtered, nerves bubbling up. âIâve only filled in the first few pages, but I was thinking we could fill it in together andââ As you spoke, his fingers flicked through the first pages. There it wasâyour first date, the receipt from the boba store, the cinema tickets. As he flipped through, a soft, warm feeling began to bloom in his chest. It was clear now what Natsuo meant. Personal gifts, something with real meaning, were truly unbeatable.
Shoto could barely speak, eyes tracing over each little detail youâd added.Â
âIâŚâ He swallowed, a lump forming in his throat as he searched for the right words. âThis... this means a lot.â
He met your gaze, his chest tightening with something more than gratitude. Everything he had felt in the last few (amazing, complicated) weeks surged to the surface. Youâre mine. He had someone who took the time to do this for him, someone who cared enough to leave pages in a scrapbook just for him to fill.Â
Thank you doesnât mean enough, so he lets his body talk for itself. Even though everything was still newâstill uncertain, still so fragileâhe couldnât deny how much he wanted to be close to you. Itâs only been a few weeks, and nothing has been exchanged except a brief kiss or two and some light hand holding. But despite the lack of his experience burning in the back of his mind, he canât help but lean in.Â
He reached out, hand gently brushing through your hair, pulling you closer. Even as the thought nagged at the back of his mindâwe're in public, no one knows yetâhe couldn't bring himself to care. The happiness swelling in his chest was overpowering.
His lips meet yours, and you must feel it too, in the way this kiss is more powerful than the rest. It was still new, still uncertain in some ways, but there was an undeniable tenderness that made Shoto feel like everything had led to this moment.
He could do this forever. He wanted to. And maybeâjust maybeâheâd get to.
.⚠°Ęâɰ.ââ.⚠°Ęâɰ.ââ.⚠°Ęâɰ.ââ.⚠°Ęâɰ.ââ
i've been writing so much angst lately this was kinda hard. But enjoy loves! and happy day of love! Îľ(´・â˘áâ˘`)㣠đ