Notes: We've finally reached the end! I would have updated this sooner but I've been in hospital, sorry you guys! But I'm back now with the final installment, and I sincerely hope you enjoy it! Thanks for all of the response you guys have given and I hope this chapter is worth the wait!

Nothing really changes following Shouto's realisation.

Mainly because he's certain nothing goodwill come from it. Midoriya had offered him friendship, and Shouto doesn't want to ruin his offer by asking for any more than he deserves.

So, their routine doesn't change, they meet up for lunch – Shouto inviting Midoriya over for dinner some weeks, and Shouto visiting the doctor's apartment for food other weeks. He suffers through more of Yaoyorozu's teasing during work hours, tries to level the warmth that rises from his cheeks every time Midoriya springs to mind.

There are moments where Shouto thinks the other man might be interested, but they never last long, and he convinces himself that he's just imagining things rather than raise his hopes over the slightest possibility of… of what?

Of his feelings being replicated? Or, of a relationship somehow springing into existence.

Shouto bites his lip, forces himself to focus on work instead of barely formed thoughts centered around Midoriya. He glances at paperwork on recent villain attacks in Shibuya, heads out on a patrol around Akihabara with Kaminari, and generally… tries to put it all out of his head.

"Ah, Todoroki, lets treat ourselves to sushi for once, alright?" Midoriya says when he returns from the patrol, effectively ruining any attempts to forget just by showing his face. Kaminari elbows him and grins, and Shouto agrees to sushi, glares at his colleague before spending the next twenty-five minutes trying to convince himself he's not completely smitten.

It's an impossible task, and like all the other times, Shouto fails.

"Wait," Shouto says at lunch, as they start walking down the road, towards the nearest sushi bar. "What's the occasion?"

Sushi isn't necessarily expensive, but the bill does rack up quickly enough that Shouto's only had it on various special occasions. And seeing as Midoriya's claimed already he comes from a poorer background, it's only more proof that this must be based on a celebration of some sort.

Maybe. Shouto isn't exactly certain of his thoughts regarding the doctor.

"We never celebrated your new agency," Midoriya says, and his cheeks are flushed red, something he tries to hide behind the sleeves of his jacket. It's red, and Shouto notices that it matches the colour of the doctor's face. "And I couldn't just not celebrate with you, you know?"

"Thanks," Shouto mutters, and they fade into silence for a few seconds until he adds, "you don't have to you know."

"I want to share celebrations with you," Midoriya says, and he scratches at his neck, lets out an awkward laugh as the rest his skin deepens to a crimson tinge. "If you want to, I mean."

Shouto finds his own face burning with colour. And he tells himself that this means nothing, friends celebrate things with other friends, stop overthinking it.

"I'd like that," Shouto says, and the two of them move in silence the rest of the walk to the sushi bar.

"You know, it's manly to admit your feelings right," Kirishima says when Shouto comes into work the following week, carrying a small bento box that Midoriya had passed him – "I made too much, do you want some leftovers?" – on their walk to work.

Shouto's glare isn't very powerful because it only leads to the redhead to grin in response. He'll need more practise, and he gets it when minutes later Tsuyu mentions the bento he's holding, something he places in his bottom drawer.

"It's not funny anymore," Shouto says, settling down at his desk, readying for the work day to begin. They're going to have to patrol around Shinjuku today, if the news on his phone is indicative of the day that's going to pass. "All of you should cut it out."

His colleagues look at one another, almost nervous with their expressions, the previous playfulness abandoned from the conversation. Shouto feels almost guilty about shutting them down, knows they're only teasing, but his emotions for Midoriya…

Well, it's still a little new. And as such, the ache in his chest is raw because he's pretty sure that Midoriya…

"We weren't joking," Kaminari mutters, and Shouto only just hears it. He pretends he doesn't, because then he doesn't need to react – and maybe he slams his drawer shut a bit too loudly, but the others don't make any reference to it.

"It's alright you guys," Yaoyorozu says after a moment, and she's typing away on her keyboard, refuses to look at Shouto when she adds, "he just hasn't realised it for himself yet."

Shouto grits his teeth, refuses to admit that he has very much so realised, now shut up. And he avoids looking any of his ex-classmates in the eye for at least an hour, purely because he doesn't want them to realise just how true their words are.

Midoriya races into the agency the next day, almost breathless and levels Uraraka with a glare – Shouto watches with a faint smile as the doctor points at her, despite the action being rude – and crosses his arms.

"Your appointment," he says, only the slightest bit agitated, "was this morning, and you didn't show."

Uraraka pales and lets out a sound that might be 'oh-shit' but Shouto can't hear properly seeing as she's muttering. The doctor frowns, shakes his head, as he mumbles something of his own about the importance of health.

Shouto, who has received this very lecture by the doctor before, lets his smile slip into a smirk.

"Okay then," Midoriya says, and he pinches the rim of his nose, heaves out a sigh, "I've got a half an hour before my next scheduled appointment, you can come down now."

Uraraka lets out a short groan, and she logs off of her computer, pushing out from her desk. As she stands, Midoriya turns to him, and Yaoyorozu, says, "I hope you don't mind if I borrow your hero for fifteen minutes."

Yaoyorozu waves her hand as if to say 'go ahead'. Shouto shrugs his shoulders, "don't give her a doctor's note."

"Ha," Midoriya says, and he narrows his eyes slightly, although there's a grin on his face too, "Uraraka's not you. I'll give her back when the appointments finished."

With that, Midoriya offers a small wave, waltzes out of the agency with Uraraka in tow. When Shouto meets Yaoyorozu's eye, there is a raised eyebrow. Like the countless other times, he ignores it.

"Sorry," Midoriya says later on the train, and his cheeks are flushed, "I don't normally walk into hero agencies and demand to see my patients. It's just because I saw Uraraka return from her patrol…"

It's a rare day where they've managed to procure seats for the ride home, and Shouto turns to the doctor with a loose smile, his arm stinging following an encounter with a villain – he's not too injured, just a scrape but as soon as Midoriya had heard he'd sent Shouto a concerned text message.

"It's fine," Shouto responds, "don't worry about it. Uraraka's at fault, not you. It's not like she had to go out of her way to get to the clinic."

Midoriya hums, leans back. "I'm still sorry. Next time I'll just have the clinic send out one of our passive aggressive text messages."

The doctor raises his hands, spreads them outward as if he's waving the words into existence, says "The Midoriya clinic prides itself on offering the upmost care to all its patients, if you cannot make an appointment, please call in advance so other patients can use the allotted time."

Shouto lets out a short laugh, "please tell me you don't send that out."

"Of course not," Midoriya says, "I almost wish we did though, it's frustrating when people don't turn up. Although, it does mean I can leave the office if any attacks do injure my patients during battles."

Shouto glances up, falls into a comfortable silence as he looks around the carriage. There's the usual banners at the top of the train, advertisements and his eyes widen – only marginally – when he realises that since it's summer, there's an upcoming festival.

"Oh," Shouto says, more to himself than to Midoriya, "the festival is coming up."

Midoriya grins, turns to him with a collected excitement swimming in his eyes. Shouto drinks in the expression for all of five seconds, before he forces his gaze back to the banner. He says, "oh yeah, it's July isn't it. I can't wait to see this year's display of fireworks."

Shouto doesn't respond.

"Last years were really good, don't you think?" Midoriya continues, and Shouto feels his cheeks colour with something akin to mortification as he realises he's never once attended a festival that wasn't part of UA's curriculum.

"I didn't see them," Shouto says, after a moment. He remembers staying up until past midnight filling out paperwork, not quite registering the flashes of fireworks against his vision, but that's about it. "I didn't go."

"Work?" Midoriya says, and receives a nod. He pouts. "But it's the Sumidagawa firework festival Todoroki, couldn't you have let yourself have one day off?"

"…I've not been before," Shouto says, and he receives a wince, as if it visibly pains Midoriya to hear such a declaration, "so I didn't really see a point to going."

"Never?" The doctor echoes, and there's dismay in his tone, something that only just falls short of despair. "Well, we need to change that then! Let's go to the festival together, alright?"

Shouto nods.

"And oh-" Midoriya cannot tame his own grin, "since it's your first, let's go all out with it, okay?"

The grin makes Shouto slightly nervous, but there's also a part of him that's sort of… excited.

"Okay, so three of us are required to work security at the festival," Yaoyorozu says, when they hit the final Tuesday of July, readying for the fireworks festival on the Saturday. "We just need to figure out who's going to be working it."

Usually, Shouto would take this moment to volunteer, but he remains quiet with everyone else.

"I'll take one of the positions," Yaoyorozu sighs, after no one volunteers. She sends the group a helpless look when no one speaks up, before glancing at Shouto.

"Listen," Shouto says, "either someone volunteers, or we just pull out the card of being your employers and force two of you to do it."

Uraraka groans at the idea.

"Fine," Kaminari says, "I'll do it, I mean – I'll still get to see the fireworks either way so it's not too big of a deal…"

Shouto nods his head, glances at Yaoyorozu for a second before crossing his arms. He says, "that makes two."

He receives a look from everyone that's akin to shock that he's not taking the third position. It fades into disbelief as Shouto raises an eyebrow.

Tsuyu raises her hand, let's out the heaviest sigh Shouto has ever heard, and says, "I'll do it."

Shouto offers a half smile. He says, "there's our three then. Nice."

He goes back to work before anyone else can talk, finds himself smiling as Kaminari says he and Tsuyu will have to make the best out of their terrible situation of work. He types words into his keyboard, tries to ignore the feeling of Yaoyorozu's eyes on his form.

"Hey," she hisses after a moment, not so much angry but tired of trying to grab his attention through stares alone, "you're not going to patrol?"

Shouto presses enter on his keyboard, sends a document to the printer. He shakes his head, "I've got plans."

He doesn't explain who he's got plans with, but he's pretty sure she reads into that by herself. Part of him really hopes he doesn't pass her at the festival.

Saturday arrives with an increase in villain attacks. There always seems to be an influx in attacks during the summer months – mainly because everyone's more hot and bothered than usual – but luckily Shouto doesn't receive any injuries that leave him out of commission.

So, when the clock passes five o'clock, he collects his jacket, waves goodbye to the poor, unfortunate three that are left behind, making his way back to his apartment to drop off his work bag and change.

By half six, Shouto is walking across the roads, searching for Midoriya amongst the crowd on Sakura bridge. Amongst the crowds however, Shouto can hardly see anyone. Eventually, he glimpses green curls on the other side of the bridge, across the gap between the two ends.

He thinks that he should yell, but with the size of the crowd, the other man isn't going to hear him. Instead, Shouto keeps his eyes locked on the other man, pushing past people on his side of the bridge, following Midoriya's footsteps as they make their way nearer to the middle of the bridge, where two walkways meet into one.

When they're nearer, Shouto calls out the doctor's name, stumbling through the crowd attempting to find him. Eventually, a hand wraps around his wrist, pulls him forwards until Shouto is stood near the edge of the bridge, Midoriya stood opposite him.

He's wearing a yukata.

Shouto is too – Midoriya had practically forced him to buy one, had said his first festival had to be something to remember – but he doesn't seem to wear it as well as the other man does.

It's blue, with curved, white lines spreading down the right side of the fabric. Along with the obi tied around his waist… Shouto tries not to let the other man see that his cheeks are tinged with red.

"Midoriya," Shouto says, "I found you."

Midoriya offers him a grin, looks his yukata – his is black, plain in comparison – up and down before pulling him back along the bridge, the way they came, moving alongside the flow of other people making their way to Sumida park.

"I'm glad you got a yukata," Midoriya says after a moment, "I thought you'd flake out on me. It suits you, you know."

Shouto feels his cheeks grow even warmer. Being this – cute? Kind? – shouldn't be allowed, he's pretty sure Midoriya is affecting his health more than anything else could have, his heart is aching in his chest.

"Thanks," Shouto says, and he lets out a small protest as Midoriya speeds up into a small jog, the two of them weaving through the crowd. "I – uh, where are we going?"

Midoriya glances over his shoulder, smiles, "we're going to the stalls to get some snacks before we sit down to watch the fireworks of course!"

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Midoriya continues when they finally reach the park, moving into the crowds of people lining up around food stalls. "There was this one stall last year that had the best takoyaki, it was so amazing."

Shouto watches Midoriya as they traverse the stalls, gaze following each one of the doctor's movements as they search for takoyaki and okonomiyaki stalls with low prices but nice looking food. At some point, Shouto manages to grab them both ramune, opening the drinks as they continue onwards.

"I managed to save us a spot on the riverbank," Midoriya says as they stand in line for takoyaki, the man energetic as he bounces on his feet, "we should have a good view, you know?"

Shouto nods.

By the time they finally sit down on the previously laid blanket Midoriya had laid out, Shouto has been handed several food items, handed dango and yakisoba, atop other confections that Midoriya has spent his money on.

Shouto is not completely sure whether they're going to be able to finish it all, and yet they sit beside each other, looking across the river while picking up different things.

"Here," Midoriya says after a moment, picking up some dango, and placing it nearer to Shouto's mouth. He holds his hand out, as if to pass it to Shouto, and yet Shouto – affected by whatever atmosphere this crowd is creating – simply leans forwards and bites the bottom dango off.

He then flushes, followed shortly by Midoriya blushing, hiding his face in his hands.

"S-sorry," Shouto mutters after a second.

Midoriya stutters, "n-no, it's alright, it's just me being weird…"

They sit in an embarrassed silence until the fireworks begin, although Shouto finds his gaze wandering back towards Midoriya every few minutes, a small, yet steady smile worming its way onto his face.

The fireworks start with a bang.

Colour fills the sky with several explosions, followed one after another with loud echoes that leave Shouto's ears ringing and his eyes widened at the sight. It's not that it's entirely beautiful, because fireworks aren't.

They're loud and they're still in the warm up stage – the firework competition hasn't even begun yet – and yet theirs a warm solidarity to them that he can't help but find breath-taking. A single glance towards Midoriya shows that the other man seems to think the same.

There are two halves to the fireworks, two sides of the river competing to see who can put on the best show, and when the break between the two finally occurs, Shouto turns to Midoriya and says, "thanks for this."

Midoirya doesn't meet his eyes, "it's just a festival, don't be silly."

"Not just for the festival," Shouto says, and he glances out at the river now, trying to find the words without needing to directly confess. "For all of it, for taking care of me even if you don't have to."

"It's…" Midoriya pauses, and he moves his hand then, moves it close enough to Shouto's that the sides of their hands are touching, "I wanted to, so… it's nothing, really."

Shouto glances at their hands – so close and yet – his gaze locked on the two. The other man has a scar on the back of his hand, something Shouto's certain he'll ask about one day, if this entire evening goes well.

Then, he glances up at Midoriya, watches his expression as he moves his hand, so that his fingers are overlapping the other man's. It's almost like he's seeking permission, because the movement is uncertain until the other man completes the movement, their fingers intertangled.

"You too, huh?" Midoriya breathes, a blush rising up his neck.

"Yeah."

The other man glances away for a second, as the next fireworks begin, a flurry of greens and reds and whites. Then, he turns back, offers a lopsided grin.

"Would it be too bold to consider this a date?"

Shouto's face burns. He shakes his head, 'no'.

"That'd be… I'd like that, Midoriya."

Midoriya scoots nearer, moves takoyaki out of the way with his free hand, and leans his head against Shouto's shoulder. Light illuminates his face, fireworks echoing the sound of Shouto's heartbeat, as they both force their focus onto the show and not one another.

"Then it's a date," Midoriya responds.

Shouto lets out a shaky breath, offers the man a smile that's a little too wide to be completely sane.

Midoriya squeezes his hand.

"And please," he says, "call me Izuku."

[END]