The common room buzzed with noise and laughter, the kind that only came at the end of a brutal term. Tests were over, training had finally slowed, and for the first time in weeks, Class 1-A was relaxing.

Mina sprawled across the couch, waving her phone. “Okay, okay, we’re ordering from that new donburi place! Everyone agree?” A chorus of “yeahs” and “sounds good!” echoed around the room.

“Add extra karaage for me!” Denki called. “I’d like soba, please,” Iida said, already making a color-coded list as if this were a high-stakes operation. Midoriya was muttering something about balance and protein while Uraraka giggled beside him, and somehow, in all that noise, no one turned to you.

You were sitting there, tucked quietly into the end of the couch, half-listening, smiling when they laughed. You waited for someone to ask what you wanted. The question never came.

Sero was lounging upside-down on an armchair, scrolling through his phone and throwing the occasional piece of popcorn at Kaminari. He was part of the noise, teasing and laughing, trying to keep the energy up. He didn’t notice you right away, too busy dodging Denki’s aim and making sure Bakugou didn’t blow up the remote again.

By the time you realized what had happened, the orders were already sent. “Done! Food’s on the way!” Mina cheered, and the whole room erupted into chatter, relief, and that giddy end-of-term energy.

Fifteen minutes later, the food arrived. The smell of fried chicken, soy, and sesame filled the room, and chaos broke loose instantly. Mina handed out containers, Kirishima was halfway through his, and Kaminari was loudly declaring himself the “sauce king.”

No one noticed you hadn’t moved.

You stayed where you were, scrolling your phone, the smile on your face just a little too still. Maybe it was an honest mistake. They didn’t mean to forget. But that didn’t stop the quiet ache settling in your chest.

And that’s when Sero noticed.

He was halfway through teasing Kaminari about dropping food on his shirt when his eyes flicked toward you. You weren’t eating. You weren’t talking. You were just… still.

He frowned slightly, sitting up properly for the first time all evening.

“Hey,” he started, but stopped himself. The noise around him swallowed his voice anyway. No one else noticed.

So he stood up.

He wandered over to the counter, humming casually so it didn’t look like he was doing anything special. The takeout bags were nearly empty now, just one unopened container and a few leftovers. He grabbed those, opened his own bowl, and split his food without a second thought.

Then he walked over and set the container down beside you.

You blinked, startled, looking from the food to him.

He grinned, that easy, lopsided smile he always wore. “You didn’t get one, right? Figured I could share. Don’t tell Kaminari, though, he’ll try to steal half of it.”

He said it lightly, almost joking, but his tone was soft enough that you knew he meant it.

“You gotta eat,” he added, tapping the lid gently. “End of term rule. No one’s allowed to be left out.”

Then he gave a little shrug and backed off, sliding back into the couch like nothing happened. Within seconds, Kaminari had dragged him back into some ridiculous argument about sauces, and the noise resumed like normal.

No one else noticed.

But you did.

You ate quietly, the warmth of the food spreading through you, softening the weight that had settled in your chest. And when you looked up a moment later, Sero caught your eye from beside you.

He smiled again, small, genuine, and just for you, before Kaminari accidentally elbowed him and he burst out laughing.