Animals and Insects

Give me a title for this please.

Yūto pov

The fluorescent lights of the supermarket buzzed quietly above Yūto Aizawa's head as he stared at two nearly identical bottles of soy sauce. One was regular. The other had 25% less sodium. He blinked slowly.

I'll probably be asleep before the sodium hits me anyway.

He dropped both bottles into the basket and shuffled down the aisle in his usual half-slouch, hoodie sleeves swallowing his hands. His weekend grocery list was short — ingredients for curry, bug-safe protein snacks, and something sweet for Tsuyu if he saw her. She liked those frog gummies. He wouldn't admit it, but he kinda did too.

As he turned the corner into the insecticide aisle — which he always checked just to make sure nothing new was out that might randomly kill his body mid-transformation — he nearly walked straight into someone crouched near the bottom shelf.

"Whoa—sorry!" the stranger stood up, holding a can of bug spray in one hand and a bag of seaweed chips in the other.

Yūto raised a brow, slowly stepping back. "...You planning to fight off roaches with snacks?"

The boy blinked, then grinned. "Only if they eat seaweed. You never know."

Tall, tan-skinned, and confidently postured, the guy had wild, dark-violet hair that flared back like a shadow in motion. His eyes glinted with something sharp, but friendly.

"I'm Ren. Sakamoto Ren," he said, tossing the bug spray into his basket like it was a soda. "New in town. You?"

"Aizawa Yūto," he muttered. "I live here."

"Cool," Ren said, as if that explained everything. "You look like someone who only eats toast and instant noodles."

"I cook."

"Liar."

Yūto huffed a breath through his nose, vaguely amused. Most people were too weirded out to start a conversation with him. This guy? Didn't even flinch.

Ren glanced into Yūto's basket. "Bug treats, curry roux, gummies—wait, those frog ones? Solid choice. Your girlfriend got good taste."

Yūto stared at him.

Ren raised a brow. "Oh? That's her brand, isn't it?"

A long pause.

"...Yeah."

"Hah! Called it."

They moved down the aisle together, talking in lazy back-and-forth rhythm. Turns out Ren had just transferred to Musutafu a week ago, and was planning to take the U.A. recommendation exam.

"Recommendation, huh?" Yūto asked, picking up a pack of protein powder and squinting at the label.

"Yeah. Some private academy gave me a pass but..." Ren shrugged. "Didn't feel right. I wanna earn it."

"Same," Yūto said. "Though, my dad's a teacher there, so I think the system's already rigged."

Ren laughed. "No way. Who?"

"Aizawa."

"Wait—Eraserhead?"

"Yeah."

"Dude."

Yūto gave a one-shoulder shrug, then tilted his head at Ren. "What's your quirk?"

Ren grinned. "Shadow Fold. I can use shadows like doorways, stash stuff in them, make weapons. It's a whole thing."

Yūto blinked, then slowly nodded. "Cool."

Ren paused, then leaned a little closer with a conspiratorial whisper, "Also helps when you forget your house keys. Just step through the closet."

"Useful," Yūto admitted. "Mine's Insectoid Morph. I eat a bug. I become the bug."

"...You eat it?"

Yūto pulled out a protein bar from his pocket. Cricket-based.

Ren winced, then laughed again. "You're either gonna be my best friend or the reason I sleep with a flashlight on."

"We'll see."

They checked out together. The sky outside was turning amber with sunset. Both paused at the sidewalk, bags in hand.

"Well," Ren said, adjusting the strap of his backpack, "see you at the test, yeah?"

Yūto nodded. "Yeah. Don't get caught in your own shadow."

Ren grinned as he walked off. "Only if you don't turn into a fly and get swatted."