Chapter Text
ROMANCE BLOOMS FOR PROS
A Surprising Engagement for Our Number Three Pro!
By Yoshikawa Hana | February 12, 2XX5
In an unexpected turn of events, the last villain attack left Pro Hero Deku recovering at the nearest hospital. Despite the various by-laws and protections in place for heroes in recovery, a member of the hospital staff recorded a private conversation between Deku and a man later revealed to be the notorious underground Pro Hero, Siren, and posted said video online.
Tokyo General Hospital has not commented on this severe disregard of both the law and Deku’s privacy. Deku and Siren’s agency (Dreamweaver Agency) have released an online statement, which can be read on their website, as well as information for an upcoming press conference.
Nonetheless, although the video has been removed on all social media sites, the aftershocks remain.
Support for the Pro’s relationship have exceeded expectations, both in person and online. A dedicated fan club, lovingly calling themselves the . . . [READ MORE]
TRENDING
- #dekuandsiren
- #herohusbands
- #siren
- #dreamweaver
- #hospitalgate
Pro Hero Deku @OfficialDeku • 6h
although the circumstances were less than ideal, i do want to confirm that i am in a relationship with pro hero #siren! thank you for your support!
17M Retweets 20M Likes
kittens are love, ochako is life, who let me adult, and 16 others liked:
elephants rule the world @ELPHABAA • 5h
listen. listen i love #dekuandsiren as much as the next person but can yall get some brain cells PLEASE. they were literally OUTED bc some asshole violated their privacy WHILE DEKU WAS HOSPITALIZED HELLO #hospitalgate
16K Retweets 58k Likes
Hero Spotter @HeroSpotter • 3h
Our favorite couple, #dekuandsiren, were spotted at a local cat café on their lunch break [eye emoji]. They’re quite the couple!
[Attached Image: A still of Pro Heroes Deku and Siren standing in front of a hostess; she’s greeting them with menus and a bright smile. Both heroes are dressed in casual clothing, blending in seamlessly with the lunch crowd despite their notoriety. Other patrons are a blur, and there is a focus on their linked hands.]
51k Retweets 60k Likes
ready to fight @chickeeen
Replying to @HeroSpotter
full offense but i don’t think deku and siren need y’all stalking them after everything that’s going on so like. chill.
let uravity curse! @URABEAN
Replying to @HeroSpotter, @chickeeen
deku and siren protection squad, rise.
There are times in Midoriya’s life where he wished he chose another career. He could’ve been a quirk analyst. A doctor. An accountant. Case in point: Midoriya woke to find various missed calls and messages from his parents, and he winced at the rising thought of having to face them. Last night with just a small portion of his friends were more than enough.
Although they hadn’t touched upon Midoriya’s (fake) relationship with Shinsou, as they rightfully sensed that it wasn’t a topic either of them wished to talk about, there had been various mutters and hints about retribution toward the one who had outed the both of them in the first place. And there was still a meeting with the agency lawyer Midoriya and Shinsou had to attend.
Back to the present, though.
After Midoriya showered and ate something that resembled breakfast, he made himself comfortable on his couch and called his parents. His mom picked up after the first ring and, thankfully, didn’t sound as upset as Midoriya thought she would’ve. His dad, on the other hand—
“Izuku,” wailed one Midoriya Hisashi, for what felt like the hundredth time. “I didn’t know you and Hitoshi-kun got engaged!”
Midoriya wanted to correct their belief, but in order for his plan to work, well—it depended on exactly two people being aware of the truth, and no one else. He rubbed his temples, sensing a rising headache that probably won’t go away, and said, “I’m sorry we didn’t keep you updated—and we were going to tell everyone, we just . . ..”
Despite their previous (understandable) parental outrage at learning of their son’s engagement through a news channel, his mom laughed and said, ever the warm figure of comfort and safety, “We understand, Izuku. Hisashi is just pulling your leg,”—his dads’ squawk made Midoriya smile— “You and Hitoshi should come over for lunch this weekend.”
“Of course,” Midoriya agreed. “We’ve both been given a few days off because of . . ..” He trailed off, and both of his parents made similar noises of understanding. “A-Anyway, I’ll, um, let Hitoshi know.”
“Wonderful,” his mom chirped. “Well, I’m sure you’re busy right now, so we’ll call you later, okay?”
“Okay!”
Once the standard goodbyes and I-love-you’s were complete, Midoriya slumped back against his couch and sighed. His phone slipped from his hands, dejectedly falling to the ground with a muted clatter, and Midoriya made no move to rescue it from its’ fate of carpeted doom. He had a few blissful minutes of quiet before his phone chimed in rapid succession.
The couch muffled his groan. Kageyama texted him. People had posted photos of his and Shinsou’s grocery visit. Someone from an online magazine had already written an article about it, with quotes from the workers who explained that “Deku and Siren have been shopping here for years.”
Midoriya doesn’t know how long he stayed on the couch, but it was long enough that Shinsou returned from his apartment, with two bags full of his things. “Pretty sure some of the press saw me come in here,” Shinsou commented as he shut the front door behind him. “Expect some questions or pictures about that.”
While they discussed the risk of someone leaking Shinsou’s address, instead of Shinsou immediately moving in (or, rather, back in) to Midoriya’s apartment, he’d spend every few nights with Midoriya and vice versa. Originally, they thought of switching it every couple of days, but came to conclusion that Midoriya’s presence at Shinsou’s apartment complex would bring too much attention. The goal was for the public to not know where Shinsou lived, so Midoriya being there all of a sudden would compromise that.
At the knowledge of the photo, Midoriya’s response was another groan.
Shinsou laughed, and its’ lovely sound grew slightly muffled as he shuffled deeper into Midoriya’s apartment. Midoriya opened an eye to see that Shinsou had made his way for the bedroom, and his heart seized in his throat when he remembered that he only had one bed.
Oh no, he thought to himself. Oh, fuck.
“My life is fanfiction,” said Midoriya, to no one in particular. After a moment of listening to Shinsou putter around Midoriya’s bedroom like it was his own, Midoriya rolled off the couch and decided to face the music.
When he entered his bedroom, Shinsou finished packing the last of his folded clothes in the dresser. Midoriya had cleared a row out that morning as well as some space in his closet. Present Meow napped on Midoriya’s pillow, and Button brushed past his ankle and disappeared down the hall to explore.
“You still sleep on the left side, right?” Shinsou closed the dresser drawer with a hip-check. “I don’t care either way.”
Midoriya nodded, dumbly. “Are you . . . okay with sharing?”
“I don’t have a problem with it,” Shinsou replied and then, after a pause, raised an eyebrow, eyes gauging Midoriya’s expressions. “Do you have a problem with it?”
Midoriya didn’t trust his voice not to crack and give away his feelings, so he shook his head. Shinsou smiled, and Midoriya tried not to stare too long at how it brightened his features. I’m so gone, he thought to himself, but he wasn’t all that upset, really.
“Good.” Shinsou’s phone buzzed with an incoming message, and Shinsou grabbed it before it buzzed off Midoriya’s dresser. “By the way, the ‘rents want to have dinner sometime soon—unless you want one of them knocking your door down.”
Midoriya snorted at the image of one of Shinsou’s parents barreling through the front door, and then remembered what his parents requested. “Mom invited us to brunch this Saturday.”
“I’ll put it on the calendar,” Shinsou said with a non-committal hum, fingers tapping away on his phone. “As for dinner . . . how about tomorrow?”
Midoriya rolled the idea around in his head. The only thing on his—well, their, really—schedule was a meeting with Dreamweaver’s lawyers, a follow-up with Kageyama on the current atmosphere of the press, and a brief meeting with his two sidekicks. All of those would be ending by three, so . . . “I’m okay with that,” Midoriya confirmed. “All my meetings end at three.”
“I know,” Shinsou said, a little dry, considering he was the one who helped make Midoriya’s schedule (it was a fact as well as a running joke within the agency that if you wanted Midoriya for something, you had to tell Shinsou, too, because Midoriya would forget at some point). He rolled his eyes, though not unkindly, at Midoriya’s sheepish smile. “I’m hungry. What do you have to eat here?”
“Not much,” Midoriya said as he tried to remember how much he had in his fridge and pantry. “I think I have enough for katsudon, though.”
Shinsou snorted. “I’m not surprised.”
Midoriya stuck out his tongue. “There’s nothing wrong with katsudon, Sh—Hitoshi.”
“Whatever you say, Izu,” Shinsou replied with a hint of laughter in his mouth. Midoriya’s mind short-circuited at the old nickname, warmth curling up his sides. “But I think katsudon is a bit too heavy for lunch, you know?”
“ . . . I guess,” Midoriya pouted, briefly, and then suggested, “How about we order takeout?”
Shinsou arched an eyebrow. “And have the delivery person leak your address the minute they leave the building?”
Midoriya gave a weakening defense. “They wouldn’t do that.”
“Uh huh.”
Midoriya placed his hands on his hips and said, “Well, O’ Great One, what do you suggest we have for lunch?”
Shinsou gave him a blank stare. From his pillow, Present Meow yawned. Midoriya then realized just where Shinsou wanted to eat and sighed.
“We went to a cat café yesterday,” he protested, but knew very well how he folded when Shinsou came into the equation. Thankfully, no one else has noticed it—probably. Hopefully. Everyone probably does see it, aside from the one in question, and feigned ignorance for the sake of Midoriya’s pride.
“A new one opened a few streets away,” Shinsou said, instead, and pulled up a picture of the flyer on his phone, showing it to Midoriya. “I want to try their strawberry cake.”
“I’m going to protest,” Midoriya said blankly, and smiled at Shinsou’s snickering. “Let me change out of my pajamas, first.”
“I mean, you could go just like that.”
“Kageyama would murder me.” There were at least two holes in his pants from time—and don’t get Midoriya started on all the sweater stains. “Literally.”
“Don’t worry.” Shinsou patted his head. “I’d stop him.”
So Many Cats @OfficialDeku • 15m
petition to ban hitoshi from cat cafes or else he’ll keep dragging me to them all the time
17.3k Retweets 21k Likes
So Many Cats @Official Deku
Replying to @OfficialDeku
hitoshi wants me to tell y’all that my petition has been denied :(uravity for number four @Uravity
Replying to @OfficialDeku
LMAO
“Present Mic and Earphone Jack want to interview you both,” was Kageyama’s greeting as he strolled inside the meeting room. “I think it’s a good idea—good press and all that, plus it’s less stressful than a press conference because they know you personally. Thoughts?”
Midoriya shared a glance with Shinsou. They had a quiet conversation with one glance before Midoriya said, “We’ll split it between us—I’ll interview with Present Mic, and Hitoshi can interview with Earphone Jack.”
Kageyama raised an eyebrow but didn’t object to the decision. “Can I ask . . . why?”
“While she’s rising in popularity, Earphone Jack’s radio show isn’t as well-known as Present Mic’s,” Shinsou took over the explanation. “There’s less risk involved if I interview with her than with Present Mic.”
“I’ve been a regular on Mic’s show for years,” Midoriya offered next. “Even before I started high school, I was a regular caller—so the audience is more familiar with me, and there’d be increased, ah, traffic.” Then, to Shinsou, he murmured, “Did I say that right?”
The corner of Shinsou’s lips twitched with amusement, but he gave a short approving nod. Midoriya turned his attention back to Kageyama, pleased.
“Well . . .,” Kageyama hummed in thought. “I don’t see a problem with that plan. Yukimura, could you send an email to the Pros in question with what we’ve planned. Deku-san, your interview will be next Tuesday at 5; Siren-san, you’ll be on Earphone Jack’s show that same day, but in the morning. Her manager suggested 11.”
Shinsou jotted that down on his phone. “Got it.”
Kageyama then narrowed his eyes at Midoriya, who tried to look unbothered by the stare. “You. Don’t forget this.”
“He won’t,” said Shinsou, in a tone that suggested danger if Midoriya did, in fact, forget.
Midoriya cleared his throat. “I won’t.”
Kageyama looked unimpressed. “Other than that,” he said after a few more moments. “You’ve both gathered an impressive amount of good press. Of course, there are small handfuls of people who aren’t supportive and the like, but they are easily drowned out by the majority. Your increased appearances together have also been noticed, but, thankfully, no one has accused you of doing it for publicity.”
At that, one of Kageyama’s assistants snorted and muttered, “They look too domestic for that.”
Midoriya wished he could crawl beneath the floor to die.
“Right,” said Kageyama. “Do you two have anything planned?” Date-wise besides your Friday date nights?"
“We’re going to the aquarium in Musutafu,” Midoriya said, a bit quick, if only for everyone to attach to something else besides how clearly lovesick and gone he was on Shinsou. “There’s a, uh, exhibit that’s opening that Hitoshi’s wanted to see, so—.”
“I got it,” Kageyama interrupted Midoriya’s spiraling ramble with a raised palm. “That’s . . . good.”
“Very romantic,” agreed another assistant.
From the corner of Midoriya’s eye, he saw Shinsou’s expression twist briefly. His stomach churned uncomfortably at the sight. Of course, Shinsou would have a problem with people calling their actions and outings romantic, even if they were in a fake engagement. They weren’t together. They weren’t partners anymore. That train had left the station a few weeks after their twenty-first year and hasn’t returned since.
“Well. That’s all I have for the two of you,” Kageyama said as he closed his tablets’ case. “I believe you have a meeting with our lawyers, correct?”
“We do,” Shinsou said, rising from his seat. “Thank you for having us, Kageyama-san.”
“It’s my job.” Kageyama waved a dismissive hand. “Literally.”
The lawyers and attorneys for Dreamweaver Agency were on the fourth floor of the building. Midoriya didn’t interact with them that much. He never had much of a reason to, except for when he signed his contract with Dreamweaver when he was nineteen as a fresh-faced sidekick. Unlike some of his fellow colleagues, Midoriya had the least amount of civilian and building casualties with his quirk—a fact that made everyone surprised, considering how devastating Midoriya’s attacks could be.
Shinsou, likewise, rarely interacted with the fourth floor.
When they reached the elevator, Midoriya realized he’d subconsciously linked their hands together. Shinsou hadn’t said a word about the action, and even squeezed Midoriya’s fingers when he started muttering about all the ways their upcoming meeting could go disastrously wrong.
“A villain is not going to crash through the window, Izuku,” Shinsou said as the doors opened to the fourth floor. “We’re going to be fine.”
“I – yeah,” Midoriya blew a raspberry. “I’m just . . . nervous.”
“I noticed,” Shinsou deadpanned.
Heat scrawled over the bridge of Midoriya’s nose. “S-So are you.”
Shinsou hummed and pulled Midoriya out of the elevator. For someone who spent as much time as Midoriya on the fourth floor, he seemed to know his way around all the cubicles. No one stared at them as they passed, more focused on their cases than on the two pro heroes. Shinsou paused in front of another meeting room, eyes scanning the plaque stating the room number, and entered after a brief knock.
“Deku and Siren, here, for our meeting,” Shinsou announced to the room at large as he crossed the threshold. Midoriya shuffled behind and knew he somewhat looked ridiculous considering their height difference. Nearing the end of high school, Midoriya experienced quite the growth spurt, exceeding his previous 5’4 height to nearly 6 feet. By the time he reached twenty, he was a decent 6’1, a height that mirrored his fathers.
Shinsou, on the other hand, only grew a few inches and stubbornly remained at 5’10. His parents joked that all the coffee and time spent napping had stunted his growth, considering both of his parents were over six feet.
“Please take a seat,” one of the lawyers said with a considerate smile. “I’m Sakamata Rio, and this is my partner, Mizaki Yuuko. We’ll be working with you throughout the entire case. It is a pleasure to meet you, Deku-san, Siren-san.”
Mizaki echoed the sentiment from where she sat.
“Likewise,” Shinsou said and took a seat across from them. Midoriya sat beside him and gave the two lawyers a shaky smile in lieu of a verbal greeting. “So. What are our options?”
Sakamata smiled, and a shiver trailed down Midoriya’s spine.
From the phone records of Shinsou Hitoshi.
DM @urabean [IDLE]
urabean
get ready
where are the CATS
why
urabean
bc i said so
where are the CATS
but i wanna nap
urabean
nope
we’re going out
where are the CATS
hell no
urabean has added (all might voice) MIDORIYA SHOUNEN to the chat.
where are the CATS
this is a coup
betrayal
i cant believe you have done this to me, carol.
(all might voice) MIDORIYA SHOUNEN
um
urabean
u n shinsou are coming out for drinks w me todo n Yoarashi
where are the CATS
[Image: A character from an American show, sitting on a bus with the caption: I’m in danger.]
(all might voice) MIDORIYA SHOUNEN
Oh!!!
Sounds fun!!!
We’ll be there :)
urabean
:D
where are the CATS
im starting a revolution
“I’M GOING TO LOSE MY MIND,” said one Yoarashi Inasa. People often thought he was constantly angry and aggressive, but, as Todoroki once said, yelling was his way of showing affection. “I can’t BELIEVE you two were betrayed by the staff like that—IT MAKES ME WANT TO PUNCH THINGS.”
Midoriya winced at the increase in volume, but Todoroki only took a sip of his drink, nonplussed and very used to the way Yoarashi spoke. Shinsou bristled beside him, either at the volume or the eyes on their small corner table. Heads have turned in their direction since they piled into the bar for drinks after their dinner with Shinsou’s parents, and despite the knowledge that they regularly haunted this bar, many people stared at them—specifically, at Midoriya and Shinsou—as if they had never seen them before.
“Shut him up,” Shinsou hissed, and Midoriya was struck by his resemblance to a startled and annoyed kitten. He would’ve cooed, but he wasn’t that drunk yet. Nonetheless, Uraraka gave him a knowing smile over the rim of her cup, most likely at how much he resembled a lovestruck idiot. “Or I will.”
“MY APOLOGIES,” Yoarashi said, wholly oblivious to Shinsou’s glower of death. In the soft lighting of the restaurant, Shinsou looked about as threatening as a sleeping infant. Todoroki took another calm sip of his drink. “I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“You’re just being loud,” Shinsou said if only because Yoarashi began to look like a kicked puppy. “And you’re making people stare at us.”
“People always stare at you,” said Uraraka and Shinsou sent her a betrayed look that stated you are now dead to me. Midoriya hid his laugh into his cup. “I know we didn’t talk much about it before – but, really, you guys were being obvi – obvious.”
“Very,” agreed Yoarashi, thankfully with an inside voice. “And the rumors helped!”
Midoriya shared a glance with Shinsou. Rumors?
“I’m surprised you two weren’t married already,” Todoroki said. “You act so much like a married old couple.”
Midoriya’s eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets. Shinsou partly choked on his drink when the trio discussed the various times they acted like a couple and a few of the more well-known rumors. At one point, Todoroki mentioned an entire reddit community dedicated to them.
“And don’t forget the, ah, Dekuren fan club,” Uraraka added with drunken enthusiasm. It took Midoriya a good minute or so to decode her speech. “And – and the conspiracy theories!”
“I enjoyed those,” Todoroki agreed. Midoriya wanted to scream—or cry. Maybe both. He did find everyone’s enthusiasm and support just a little bit weird and unnerving. No one seemed surprised at the reveal of Midoriya’s relationship to Shinsou. Someone on twitter said “it was about time” when Midoriya did his tweet about the situation.
“What.” Both Shinsou’s tone and expression were flat. “Are you talking about?”
Uraraka burst into alcohol-fueled giggles. “You didn’t know?”
“I DON’T THINK THEY DID,” Yoarashi responded.
“It started as a random conspiracy theory a couple years ago, back in high school,” Todoroki explained, and then tilted his head in thought. “And a rumor. People saw a connection between the two of you, and it went from there. But then – well, it was confirmed when . . ..” He trailed off, but Midoriya knew what he referred to.
The hospital. The video. Midoriya hadn’t seen it yet, but Kageyama sent them a copy of it before it had been taken down.
Shinsou downed the rest of his drink. “I’m too sober for this.”
Uraraka raised her finished cup with a cheer. “That’s the spirit, Shinsou-kun!”
Midoriya wondered if it were too late to make an escape, but Shinsou had an ironclad grip on his wrist and a fierce expression. “If I have to suffer through this,” Shinsou said lowly. “So. Will. You.”
Midoriya tried not to think about the warmth of Shinsou’s fingers. He probably failed, and he’ll definitely blame the influence of alcohol later on for his actions. Once he pulled his wrist out of Shinsou’s grip—not like it was difficult, really—he laced their fingers together, squeezed, and then pecked Shinsou’s cheek before he said, fondness and affection spilling onto the table form his mouth, “I’m not going to leave, don’t worry—do you want your regular drink?”
Midoriya was distantly aware of Uraraka aw’ing at them and Yoarashi saying something, loudly, about their love. He raised an eyebrow, pausing at Shinsou’s silence. Either Midoriya was hallucinating, the light was playing tricks on his tipsy mind, or Shinsou was . . . blushing.
He blinked.
What.
“Regular,” Shinsou said after a heartbeat, and looked unimpressed with everything. Just my imagination, Midoriya thought, a little rueful, a little hopeful. “Can you ask for water, too?”
“Sure!”
Uraraka patted the table. “Oh, oh—get some, some, some of those, um, thingies!”
Midoriya snorted. “You’re gonna have to be more specific.”
She blew a raspberry. “An appetetetizer. I’m going to start eating this table soon, that’s – that’s how hungry I am!”
“Please don’t do that,” said Todoroki. “I’m not dealing with that press storm if you do.”
Uraraka pouted. “Support my dreams, Todo!”
“No.”
Midoriya laughed and rose from their little booth, heading to the bar amid stares from other patrons. Once he ordered Shinsou’s regular, the waters, and an appetizer they always ordered when they piled into the corner booth, Midoriya considered ordering himself another drink.
“I didn’t say it earlier,” Todoroki spoke as he approached, raising his glass a bit to signal a refill from one of the bartenders. “And while the entire – situation isn’t the best, I’m glad you and Shinsou feel comfortable around us to be more open, now.”
“Um.” Midoriya blinked slowly before he gave a quiet smile. “Th-Thanks.”
Todoroki gave a small shrug. “You’re both private people, so no one was surprised that you kept your relationship so hushed.” Then he paused and smiled. “But anyone who knew how to look can see how much you love each other; you know?”
Midoriya’s mouth dried. He didn’t want to drink anymore. If it were that obvious, then . . . did Shinsou—? “I was . . . it was that obvious?”
“Like I said before, only if you knew what to look for,” Todoroki explained, a quiet smile as he stared down his empty glass. “Besides the few of us who figured it out, everyone just thought you two were pining after each other. And your fans had that whole conspiracy theory going on and their own . . . what do they call it? . . . headcanons or whatever about your relationship.”
Midoriya’s voice was soft when he spoke. “Oh.”
“Nothing bad, don’t worry,” Todoroki was quick to assure before he reached over and patted Midoriya’s shoulder. “And I know everyone has said this to you already, but I’m here if you need someone to listen.”
Midoriya smiled. “Thanks, Todoroki-kun. I . . . I appreciate it.”
They returned to their booth with drinks and food a few minutes later. Shinsou looked flushed as Midoriya came into view, cheeks pink under the golden lights when he slid back into his seat. Midoriya knew it was the alcohol and thus ignored it. Shinsou was always a bit more tactile and open with his expressions whenever Uraraka coaxed him to a drink.
After Uraraka swallowed a few bites of the appetizer, she launched into a retell of her latest rescue mission. Yoarashi, who had also been there, added his own perspective every once in a while.
Shinsou’s warmth seeped into his side, all the way down to the white of his bone, as Midoriya cuddled closer. He could do this now because the world believed they were in a relationship. They believed they were going to be married. Despite the truth that weighs heavy in Midoriya’s heart, he could, at the very least, pretend that he was in a relationship with Shinsou, that they were engaged, that Shinsou loved him the way he loved Shinsou.
The alcohol warmed his throat and Midoriya ignored the small voice in his mind that wondered when everything would blow up in his face.