I don't care how long ago @ojiroweek was. I'm doing all the prompts and you can't stop me (and yeah, I missed his birthday by almost a week. I still feel terrible about it orz).
Pairing: Ojiro/Shinsou
Summary: There's not much need or desire for an elaborate birthday ruse orchestrated by his friend, but Ojiro can roll with it. If it makes Hagakure happy, then it makes Ojiro happy, too.
AO3 Link: HERE
"Okay, okay! Just take my hand and follow my lead. And don't you dare peek!"
Ojiro chuckles as soft fingers interlace with his, "Hagakure, you put two blindfolds on me. There's no way I can see out of these."
"Yeah, that's a precaution," Hagakure replies and tugs at Ojiro's arm, her steps impatient. "This is supposed to be a surprise. I don't want it spoiled!"
Ojiro laughs again but complies with Hagakure's demands, "You got it, ma'am. I'll even keep my eyes closed."
"Good!" Hagakure exclaims and continues to lead him down the hall. She stops when they presumably reach the elevator, and Ojiro can hear her bouncing up and down against the carpeted floor, her clothes shuffling. A soft, excited hum soon escapes her as the elevator climbs up the dorm complex, and Ojiro smiles at her unbounded enthusiasm. He suspects she might even trump his joy with this whole surprise birthday party. And he's the actual birthday boy.
His birthday landed on a Monday this year, so he spent most of the day in class and training. Not like it was a bad thing: Kaminari offered to buy him lunch and Hagakure made cookies for their whole table to share. They were his favorite, too: cinnamon chip snickerdoodles. And he'd spent the weekend with his parents back home. They had gifted him with a few new outfits and a bright red running watch that could monitor his heart rate and the intensity of his workout regimes. For Ojiro, his birthday was already great. There's not much need or desire for an elaborate birthday ruse orchestrated by his friend, but Ojiro can roll with it. If it makes Hagakure happy, then it makes Ojiro happy, too.
Besides, there's something about this whole escapade - walking into the elevator blindfolded, Hagakure's hand wound tight around his - that warms his shoulders and elicits a soft flurry of butterflies to swish through his stomach. He's reminded of a similar scenario last year with Iida. Their whole class had prepared a birthday celebration in honor of their class president. It had been at Uraraka's request, but almost everyone was on board, given how much work Iida put in as their dutiful representative. That had been special because Iida's special. It had brought their whole class together. Even Bakugou, with all his foul-mouthed charm, took part in the festivity.
Ojiro knows his class cares about him. They're his friends, his partners.
But this is beyond morning greetings and cordial conversation. This is special.
Ojiro feels special.
When the elevator opens, Ojiro can hear hushed whispers to his left and several pairs of feet move closer together. Hagakure pulls away from Ojiro and settles behind him, her fingers fiddling with the double knot on the back of his head. She giggles, her breath tickling the base of his neck, "Okay... you ready, Ojiro?"
He smiles and curls his fingers into eager fists, relishing the anticipation. This is special, this is exciting. This is something Ojiro thought unlikely for a boy like himself. He really must thank Hagakure the next time they're out shopping. Maybe buy her a gourmet lunch at one of those bunny cafes she adores.
"Definitely," Ojiro nods, waiting for Hagakure to untie the blindfolds. He keeps his eyes closed, keeping a hold of the jittery expectation floating across his skin. This kind of unified joy, focused solely on him - he has to savor it, bottle it up for future bouts of doubt or insecurity.
"All right..." Hagakure trails as she finishes unfastening the knot, her hands on either side of Ojiro's head. "Blindfold comes off in three... two... one!"
The blindfold's soft fabric lazily hits his shoulder, and Ojiro opens his eyes to the sight of his classmates popping confetti bombs beneath an assortment of white and yellow streamers. Their faces are bright, smiles wide and laughter hearty.
"Happy birthday!" they (mostly) shout in unison, crowding around the birthday boy as he approaches. It's a little warm and Ojiro's cheeks flush, but he doesn't mind. Midoriya and Iida pat him on the back and offer their congratulations while Kaminari and Ashido present him with trinkets to decorate his "absurdly plain" dorm room. Ojiro begrudgingly returns their well-meaning grins and thanks them for their gifts. Admittedly, the Hawks' figurine will be a nice addition to his tidy desk, and the squirrel plush can sit atop his bed near his pillows.
"We got you something, too," Jirou says to his right, gesturing towards Yaoyorozu. Their fellow classmate holds out a hardcover book, titled: The Indomitable Spirit of the Martial Arts Hero. "We thought you could read it for inspiration."
Yaoyorozu bows her head. "You're a wonderful classmate and friend, Ojiro. Please accept this gift as a token of our appreciation."
"No need to be so formal, Yaoyorozu," Ojiro chuckles and takes the gift from her hands, his fingers skimming over the glossy silver letters. "This is a really nice birthday gift and I'll be sure to read it. Thank you!"
"It was our pleasure," Yaoyorozu attempts to bow again, but Jirou swipes at her shoulder and frowns.
"He just told you not to be so formal!" Jirou chides, though her words lack any real bite. Must be a girlfriend thing.
"Oh, I apologi-"
"Momo!"
Ojiro laughs at the pair's antics, reminding him of the harmless scuffles in his own relationship. Though, that thought stirs another: did Shinsou help plan this party? He hasn't heard from him since last night, after Ojiro made it back to the dorms.
"Yo, birthday boy! Turn around and take a look at this cake," Kaminari's voice rings from across the kitchen. Ojiro tries to turn around, but two pink hands clasp onto his shoulders and prevent him from doing so.
"Wait, Ojiro! Close your eyes. It'll be better that way," Ashido chirps at his back, her fingernails strumming against his collarbone.
Her grip doesn't loosen until Ojiro complies and scratches at his temples, a little embarrassed. All this attention - it's overwhelming. He's not used to his classmates doting on him, catering to his happiness alone.
However, despite his abashment, his heart sings and laughter seems to spill endlessly passed his throat. He closes his eyes and hopes the cake was prepared by Satou, like Iida's. Then he'll feel on par with the rest of his classmates, like he's worth all this celebration. "All right, they're closed, Ashido. You can turn me around now."
Ashido wastes no time and twirls Ojiro around, unable to contain her frivolity, "Great! Now I'll count down like Hagakure. Get ready to open those big ol' eyes of yours in three... two... one... go!"
And when Ojiro snaps his eyes open, his mouth drops and his breath hitches, the image before him both unexpected and captivating.
Shinsou stands four feet in front of him, a large three-tier cake iced with a thick layer of maple frosting sitting above his hands. His smile is small and lopsided, and his eyes shimmer, the seventeen candles lit beneath him highlighting their soft violet hues. He's even dressed well - a pair of black slacks, accompanied by a navy blue button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled to his elbows.
Ojiro decides then: this evening has surpassed special. It's one of those nights your mind carves into your subconscious, to push you through when tears sting your eyes and your body aches with grief.
Before Ojiro can voice his delight, Shinsou cocks his head and his smile widens, devolving into an impish simper, "I know I look good, but please try to concentrate on the burning cake in my hands. Or else I might have to steal your little birthday wish."
"Ack, Shinsou, play nice!" Hagakure jumps to Ojiro's side, an invisible hand clutching his bicep. "Let Ojiro make a wish when he's ready."
"Yes, Ojiro should be provided ample time to come up with a wish worthy of his character and ambition," Iida says to his left, hovering close to Shinsou and pointing a finger to the ceiling. "Stealing a birthday wish from not only a friend but a romantic partner seems both thoughtless and obviously rude."
"Iida, I think it was just a joke," Uraraka tugs at her friend's sleeve, her smile nervous. "Right, Shinsou?"
"Yeah, calm down, you dolts," Shinsou shrugs, keeping his gaze locked onto Ojiro. "See what I have to put with? You're lucky Satou's a decent guy, or this cake would have been a pile of mush."
It's then that Ojiro notices Satou a few feet behind Shinsou, his large hands fixed onto his hips. He shakes his head and beams at the cake, wax dripping past the candles' stems and coating the frosting's top. "Don't sell yourself short, Shinsou! I hardly touched the thing. You should have seen him, Ojiro - looked like a total pro in the kitchen."
Warm adoration blossoms over Ojiro's chest, and his fingers tingle, aching to cup Shinsou's chin and kiss his exhausted eyes. He opts to take a cautious step forward instead, inspecting the cake Shinsou made from scratch. "You... made this? For my birthday?"
Shinsou looks away, his grip on the porcelain plate tightening. "Satou's being modest. I just followed his instructions."
"But you made it, right?" Ojiro presses onward, feeling the weight of his classmates' stares. They've seen little of their fledgling relationship, most likely curious about their daily interactions and affectionate gestures. "This... it was all your idea, wasn't it? With Hagakure?"
"Can you please ask questions later and blow out these damn candles?" Shinsou retorts, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. "This cake's gonna turn into nothing but hot wax soon."
Ojiro chuckles, closing in until his hand brushes against the other boy's forearm. He forgets Shinsou can be... cute. It's still odd to think about, given where their relationship started. "Okay, okay. I'll make a wish, but... thank you. This means a lot."
Shinsou neglects to smile as Ojiro's classmates gather around, encouraging him to make a fun, exciting wish. Ojiro shuts his eyes and reflects for a moment, trying to come up with something. But with his friends around him, with Shinsou glancing down at the cake, processing Ojiro's gratitude and gentle touch...
There's not much else to wish for.
Still, Ojiro blows out the candles and his friends clap and cheer, setting off another round of confetti bombs. He makes a wish and approximately ninety-seconds later, it comes true.
He bites into the snickerdoodle cake, rolling the cinnamon chips and maple frosting across his tongue. While everyone else squabbles over the largest piece, Ojiro briefly kisses Shinsou's jawline, his words faint and giddy against his neck, "This tastes amazing."
Shinsou turns his head and stares at Ojiro before whispering back, his voice soft and earnest, "You deserve it, Mashirao. Happy birthday."
And once Ojiro's heart flutters, once Shinsou kisses his temple and Ashido spots them, shrieking in response - he knows. This evening has indeed moved beyond special.
