Ditched (Sero x Reader)
pairing: hanta sero x reader
summary: movie nights are a must in your friendgroup, but one night, you can't get ahold of any of your friends. .
word count: around 3.2 k
note: you know the drill, not fully edited lol.
You walk out of your room and down the hallway toward Sero’s, trying to keep your arms from shaking under the weight of all the snacks you bought the last time you managed to get off campus. You probably went overboard, but movie nights with your friends always turned into snack-devouring chaos, and you like being prepared. The hallway is quiet except for the soft hum of overhead lights, and the faint smell of fabric softener drifting from the laundry room. Everything feels strangely calm for a Friday night.
By the time you reach Sero’s door, your arms are begging for a break. You shift your weight and use your foot to tap lightly on the door. It feels like you are balancing an entire grocery store in your arms, and you hope he opens the door fast. Luckily, it only takes a few seconds before the knob turns and Sero appears, his hair slightly messy like he had been flopping around on his bed just moments before.
He smiles, steps aside, and immediately starts relieving you of half the snacks. His fingers brush yours for a brief second, and the tiny contact sends a warm flutter up your arm that you pretend not to notice.
“Have you heard from Mina or Kiri? I texted them earlier but they stopped responding.” Sero asks as he sets the snacks on his dresser beside the TV. He grabs the rest from you without hesitation, like it is the most natural thing in the world to help you get settled.
You pull your phone out of your back pocket, screen lighting your face as you check your messages. “No. Last thing I got from Mina was like an hour and a half ago. Kinda weird that everyone went silent.”
“Yeah.” He sits on the bed, leaning back against the wall like he has done this exact routine a thousand times. You join him on the other side, tucking your legs under you. The bed dips slightly with your weight, pulling you subtly closer to him. He starts calling Bakugo, then Kirishima, but both go straight to voicemail. His eyebrows lift in mild disbelief as he lowers his phone.
You text Mina and Denki, tapping quickly, switching between apps just in case someone read your messages but forgot to reply. “Nothing. And Mina is literally the one who planned all of this.” You groan and drop your phone beside you.
Sero gives you a small smile, almost sympathetic, and you cannot help returning it. His smiles always feel a little contagious.
“Want to just start the movie? They are already pretty late.” He shrugs lightly.
You gasp dramatically and put a hand to your chest. “Wow. You really want me out of here. Just say the word and I can find somewhere else to be.”
His mouth falls open like you have accused him of something horrific. For a moment he genuinely seems to be searching for a defense, which makes a soft laugh burst out of you.
“I am kidding.” You say quickly. “Let’s just start it. If they show up later, we can spoil every important moment for them.”
He laughs, relieved, and grabs the remote. The room dims slightly when the movie starts, the soft glow of the TV washing over the bed. He stands again, rummages in his hammock, and pulls out a blanket. It is warm from being in the pile of blankets he always keeps there, and he hands it to you without thinking twice.
You spread it across your lap and try not to read too much into the fact that he remembered your favorite cookie when he hands it to you a moment later. His attention shifts back to the screen, but the closeness between you shifts too. When he sits down again, he is noticeably closer. Maybe a few inches. Maybe more. Enough for your shoulders to pick up on the warmth radiating from his.
You pretend to focus on the movie. You really try. But the longer you sit there, the more aware you become of him. His fingers tapping quietly on the blanket. His breath slowing as he gets comfortable. The faint scent of his shampoo, something clean and warm that makes your pulse jump in a way you absolutely do not want to acknowledge out loud.
Halfway through the movie, you realize you have no idea what has been happening on screen. Instead you are painfully aware that you have slowly drifted closer too. You keep telling yourself it is just because the bed is soft and slopes inward. Or because you are sharing a blanket. Or because friends sit near each other all the time.
Except your heart is beating too quickly for this to feel normal.
Mina picked this movie. Normally you and she would be clutching each other and squealing dramatically the second the leads confessed their feelings in the rain. You can practically hear her voice in your head telling you to pay attention, that this is the best part.
But the idea of squealing next to Sero feels impossible. Not when his arm is so close that your fingers twitch with the urge to shift even closer. Not when every quiet moment is filled with the warmth between you instead of the movie.
Not when your feelings are already doing enough squealing inside you to drown out the entire soundtrack.
The movie continues to play, but it has become nothing more than background noise. The glow from the screen paints soft shapes across the walls, and the warmth from the blanket and Sero’s shoulder makes the air feel almost too cozy. You keep telling yourself to focus on the movie, but your attention drifts to the way Sero shifts beside you or how his knee brushes against yours every so often.
Then his phone buzzes loudly against his thigh, vibrating hard enough to jolt both of you.
He picks it up with a relieved sigh. “It is Mina. Finally.”
He taps the screen and sets the phone between you so you can both hear. The speaker crackles as the call connects.
“Mina, where are you guys? You were supposed to be here forever ago.” He sounds mildly annoyed, but mostly just confused.
There is no normal greeting. Instead, Mina practically shouts, her voice exploding out of the speaker.
“Have you two kissed yet?”
You make a sound that is half gasp and half dying bird noise. Your entire body goes stiff as heat rushes up your neck. You stare at the phone like it personally attacked you.
Sero freezes. His shoulders pull taut, and his hand clenches around the blanket. For a heartbeat, neither of you breathes.
You open your mouth to say literally anything, but what comes out is a helpless, “Mina, what are you talking about?”
Mina ignores the question completely. “Do not play dumb. You two are alone in his room with snacks and a movie and a blanket. Do not tell me nothing is happening.”
Something thuds on her end, like someone trying to steal the phone. Then Denki's voice yells in the distance "I am serious, have you guys made out yet? Everyone is waiting."
Before either of you can form a real sentence, Sero blurts out the first thing that escapes his brain.
“Not yet.”
The second the words are out, his whole body goes rigid. His eyes widen. His mouth stays slightly open like he hopes he can pull the words back in.
You blink at him, stunned. “Not yet?”
He looks like a deer caught in a spotlight.
Mina and Denki, unfortunately, hear everything and gasp as if they just witnessed the greatest plot twist of their lives. “I knew it. I knew something was happening. Finally. I swear, if you two do not confess soon, I am coming over there to drag you together”
Sero panics and hangs up. Silence slams into the room. Heavy. Warm. Completely overwhelming.
The phone screen goes dark in his hand. He stares at it like it betrayed him on a spiritual level. His shoulders sag a little as he slowly lowers the phone into his lap.
Then he turns toward you. His face is red. His expression is the most painfully embarrassed you have ever seen him.
“I did not mean to say that.” His voice is soft, rough around the edges. “I mean. I did not mean to say it out loud.”
You swallow, your heartbeat thudding against your ribs. “So you meant it in your head?”
His eyes flick away, then back to you, like he cannot decide where to look. “I was just trying to shut them up. I was not trying to make things weird. I swear. I was not thinking.”
You can feel your stomach flip, but you try to keep your voice steady. “It is not weird. I just… was surprised.”
He meets your eyes again, and there is something vulnerable there. Something open.
“I guess it is out there now.” His voice drops. “I dion't want to make you uncomfortable.”
You take a slow breath, the blanket warm around you. Your fingers twitch near his, close enough to touch.
“You did not make me uncomfortable,” you say. “Just very aware.”
His eyebrows lift slightly. “Aware?”
“Yeah,” you admit quietly. “Aware of how close we are. Aware of the fact that those two dumbasses might not be completely wrong.”
He lets out a small breath, almost a laugh, but it is nervous and soft and hopeful all at once.
“Then I am kind of glad I said it,” he admits. “Even if it was the most embarrassing moment of my life.”
You smile, feeling your chest warm. “It was pretty embarrassing.”
He groans and hides his face in his hands. “Please do not remind me.”
You nudge his shoulder gently. “I liked the part where you said yet.”
He freezes again.
Then slowly, he lowers his hands and looks at you with wide, warm eyes that make your pulse jump. “Yeah,” he says quietly. “I did say that.” The room stays quiet after Sero lowers his hands. His face is still flushed, his breathing uneven, and the way he looks at you makes your stomach twist in the best way. The movie flickers across his features, painting shifting shadows along his jaw.
You shift closer without thinking, the blanket rustling between you. His eyes follow the movement, then flick down to your mouth for barely a second before he catches himself. He swallows hard, his throat bobbing.
Your hand moves first. You let your fingers rest lightly on his arm, feeling the warmth of his skin through the fabric. He goes still, not pulling away, not speaking, just watching you with a mixture of hope and disbelief.
When you lean in a little, his breath catches and you ignore how fast your heart is beating.
Sero moves slowly, like the moment is fragile enough to break if he rushes. His hand lifts until his fingertips brush your cheek, hesitant at first, then firmer when you tilt into his touch. His thumb drags softly along your skin, and the warmth of it sends a quiet shiver through you.
He closes the space between you inch by inch. His forehead touches yours, and for a second neither of you breathes. You can feel the soft tremble in his hands, the nervous rise and fall of his chest.
Then his lips meet yours.
The kiss is gentle, warm, almost cautious, like he is memorizing the shape of you with slow, careful pressure. His fingers slide from your cheek to your jaw, anchoring you to him as you lean closer.
You exhale into the kiss, and he responds with a small, soft sound that vibrates against your lips. His other hand finds your waist, fingertips brushing your side as if he is not sure he is allowed to hold you yet. When you press closer, he finally lets his hand settle there, pulling you in with a subtle, tentative tug.
The kiss deepens just a little before he pulls back, breath warm against your face. He stays close, noses brushing, his eyelashes fluttering as he tries to steady himself.
You do not give him time. You lean in again, kissing him softly, slower this time, coaxing, savoring. His hand slides up your back, his thumb tracing a small circle that makes your breath hitch.
When you part, you stay pressed against him, your forehead resting against his cheek. His chest rises and falls against yours, warm and steady.
The silence between you feels full now. Comfortable. Charged. Certain.
Sero lets out a quiet exhale and presses a small kiss to your temple, his lips lingering there longer than he probably means to. His fingers curl gently at your side as if he is afraid to let go.
You stay like that—close, warm, tangled in each other—as the forgotten movie keeps playing in the background. You fix the blanket, now covering both of you and you laugh.
"I cannot believe that Mina and Kaminari were our wingmen from over the phone. " You look towards him with a large smile.
"Well," He admits "It worked wonders."
The last half of the movie was forgotten as well as the two of you instead find yourselves asleep. The DVD menu plays over and over until the tv turns off on its own.
Morning light slips through the blinds, soft and warm. You’re half awake, pressed comfortably against Sero’s chest, the blanket tangled around both of you. His arm rests securely around your waist, like he settled there overnight without even thinking.
The door swings open.
Mina’s voice explodes into the room. “GOOD MOR- oh. Oh my god!”
Kirishima nearly trips trying to peek over her shoulder. Denki crashes into both of them because, of course, he does.
All three of them go completely still before breaking into matching, ridiculous grins.
Sero shoots upright, hair a mess, blanket slipping off one shoulder. His arm instinctively pulls you closer for a second before he realizes what he’s doing. You sit up too, heart pounding, trying to untangle your legs without looking like you’re trying.
Mina throws her hands in the air. “It worked. They’re cuddling. They’re actually cuddling.”
Denki pumps both fists. “Operation Ditch Them Until They Sort Out Their Mutual Pining is officially complete.”
Kirishima nods, very seriously. “Honestly, it went better than expected.”
You stare at them. “You ditched us. On purpose.”
Mina beams like she deserves a medal. “Obviously. You two have been tiptoeing around each other for months. We were helping.”
Sero groans into his hands. “You scheduled movie night just to not show up.”
Denki shrugs. “Strategic scheduling.”
Kirishima gestures at you and Sero on the bed, still close enough your knees brush. “Look. It clearly paid off.”
Your face burns. “This is… ridiculous.”
Mina leans against the doorframe, grinning. “Ridiculously effective.”
They eventually file out, leaving behind a chorus of teasing and a final “Breakfast in ten, lovebirds” from Denki with a manic giggle to follow.
The door closes. Quiet settles, warm and slow.
Sero lets out a long breath and falls back onto the pillows, covering his face with one hand. “They’re never gonna let us live this down.”
You lie back beside him, close but not quite touching. “Probably not.”
He turns his head toward you, eyes soft, a blush still lingering across his cheeks. After a moment, he reaches over and lightly brushes his fingers against yours, leaving the choice to you. You curl your fingers around his without thinking. He swallows, voice a little rough. “For what it’s worth… I’m glad it happened.”
Your chest tightens. “Yeah. Me too.”
He laughs under his breath, nervous and sweet. “Truth is… I wanted to kiss you way earlier. Way before last night.” His thumb strokes gently along your knuckle. “I just didn’t want to mess anything up.”
Your breath catches. “You could’ve told me.”
He shakes his head, smiling softly. “I liked being your friend. I liked all of it. I didn’t want to rush something that felt good already. But…” He looks at you again, eyes warm and a little vulnerable. “I’m really glad it finally happened. With you. Like that.”
You shift closer, shoulder brushing his. “I’m glad too.”
His smile grows, slow and real. “Then I guess they were right to ditch us.”
You roll your eyes. “Don’t tell them that.”
He laughs quietly, the sound warm in your chest. “Never.”
He squeezes your hand again, and you squeeze back, both of you lingering in that soft morning quiet long after the squad’s voices fade down the hall.
He squeezes your hand again, thumb brushing lazily over your skin. The room feels quieter now, warm and private, the kind of quiet that makes every small movement feel important.
Sero shifts a little closer, close enough that his knee touches yours again. He keeps his eyes on your hands, like he’s working up the nerve for something, then finally lifts his gaze back to you.
“Can I tell you something else?” His voice is calm but there’s a thread of courage beneath it, steady and intentional.
You nod. “Yeah. Of course.”
He sits up a bit, leaning on his elbow, watching you with a look that feels different. Braver. More certain. “I didn’t just want to kiss you earlier. I wanted… this.” His free hand moves slowly, giving you time to pull away, and settles gently at your waist. “All of it. Being close to you. Waking up with you here.”
Your breath catches, but you don’t move away. In fact, you shift even closer, and his fingers tighten in quiet relief.
He keeps talking, softer now. “I didn’t think I’d ever actually get to have it. So waking up like that…” He smiles, small and sincere. “It felt really good.”
You feel your heart climb into your throat. “It felt good for me too.”
That’s all he needs.
He leans in toward you, slow enough to see every flicker of emotion in his eyes. His forehead brushes yours first, testing, giving you a chance to back out. You don’t.
You tilt your head slightly, nudging closer.
His breath hitches. “Okay. Good.” His lips meet yours in a soft kiss, gentler than last night, lingering like he’s learning the shape of it. His hand at your waist pulls you just a little closer, confidence growing second by second. The kiss deepens, still sweet but firmer now, certain.
When he pulls back, his eyes stay half-lidded, fixed on you. “I’ve been wanting to do that again since the second we fell asleep.”
You laugh under your breath, heat blooming in your cheeks. “You could’ve just said that.”
“I’m saying it now.” His thumb traces a slow line along your hip, teasing warmth spreading through you. “And now that I’m saying things… I want more mornings like this. With you.”
You feel your pulse skip. “Then you’re going to have to hold my hand when we walk into breakfast.”
He grins, brilliant and a little mischievous. “That’s not even close to the bravest thing I plan on doing.”
You raise a brow. “Oh? And what’s braver than that?”
He leans in again, lips ghosting your cheek. “Wait until after breakfast.”
And with that, he stands, stretching, offering his hand down to you.
His smile is soft, sure, and every bit the braver version of him you knew he had in him.
“Come on,” he says. “Let’s go face the chaos together.”
You take his hand. And he doesn’t let go.