It wasn't exactly the most wondrous date; A movie and dinner, with plenty of laughs along the way in the big city. Being a country boy himself, Mashirao Ojiro was still in awe of some of the sights and sounds of a major city like Mustafaru. He couldn't get over how it was just as busy at 21:00 as it was at midday, it was nothing like the modest village he grew up in… But that was only half of the story. He'd be completely lost if it wasn't for the girl guiding him through the adventure, Tooru Hagakure. The girl who knew practically every shop and stall on each street. The girl who'd been born and raised in Tokyo - a city much like this one. The girl with an infallible charm and a bounce with each step. The girl who he found himself head over heels for.
Now back from the chill of the winter air, the two walk down the corridor of their accommodation, her arms wrapped around and hanging off one of his. When the room comes into view, she unravels her hands from his to fish her keys from her purse. She pulls out a jingling bunch of five or six keys of varying shapes, complete with fripperous purple keyring. She unlocks the door and turns to lean against the painted wood to face him.
"Well… Well, Mashirao, I've thoroughly enjoyed myself tonight," her hands fiddle behind her back.
"Yeah, it's been real fun! Even if you ruined the noodle stand's-"
"Nope!" she interrupts him, clasping both hands over his mouth to silence the embarrassing memory. "You promised not to speak of the noodle incident, Tail-boy!"
His laughter permeates through her fingers and he reaches up to take her hands; her fingers wind around his own. After a second, he slides his hands down her arms and around her waist, pulling her into a much-appreciated hug. They stay in each other's arms for a moment before she breaks the silence.
"I mean it, tonight's been amazing," she nuzzles her face into his chest, trying to take in as much of him as she can. A hug is something she doesn't get to really appreciate for too long; most people flinch away pretty hastily.
"You're really cute, you know that?" With a genuine smile, Mashirao ruffles her hair - a shoulder-length bob, if he had to guess. She tiptoes into the affection, loving every piece of attention she gives him. Then there's a moment of hesitance, as the two come to the end of their night.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Tooru looks up to him. His smile is warm and welcoming, it always has been. Since the first time they met, when she introduced herself to the handsome lad at the back of the classroom, he's looked at her with nothing but warmth. Never once the confusion or occasional derision she receives from the public, he'd accepted her from the moment he laid eyes on her. Or her clothes, to be more accurate, she supposes.
"Sure thing,"
She pulls away a little to look him in the eye. "Well, I know Mr. Aizawa has told us all what the rules are… And how it's really quite frowned upon by the staff… And of course all the dangers and complications it could have as heroes…"
He feels what's coming next, but lets her to finish.
"But ignore all that for a second, I just want to know…" With a slight uncertainty to her voice Tooru presses her ear against his chest again to listen to his heartbeat, as though that would help her whatsoever. "How, uh, do you f-feel about… Y'know, us?"
Hundreds of potential answers fly through Mashirao's mind. In a panic he quickly dismisses them all, with worries of them sounding too cheesy or just stupid. He knows what he wants to say, but all the same he can't bring himself to say them. Does he mean it? Is this love he feels, or just another infatuation? Memories of his first tangle with love flicker in his mind… Is it a warning to himself, or a chance to learn from mistakes? More importantly, does she feel the same way for sure? What if she's not looking for anything serious? What if, what if, what if?
With all these thoughts blasting through his mind as quick as he can think them up, time ticks away in reality. Oh no, what if she thinks I'm hesitating? He has to say something… Or at least do something…
So he does.
He gently brings one hand up from her waist to her jaw , turns her head up slightly, and tenderly kisses her forehead. Although just lasting for half a second, he prays the act spoke more than anything he could have said.
Tooru looks up at him, this time with her own heart pounding like crazy. It takes a few seconds to sink in, but soon enough she forcefully buries her face into Mashirao's t-shirt, needlessly trying to hide the blush that was already invisible to begin with and suppress any of the gleeful giggles coming from her mouth. 'That was so damn cute!', she screams internally.
She'd never once been in a relationship, but this was turning out to be her first love. Charming, funny, chivalrous and with this cute little side to him nobody else will see… It was just like in all her fanfictions. To her, Mashirao was perfect.
"Tooru?" He taps the back of her head - amused, but not quite sure what to make of this unexpected reaction.
"-Hrrm phpuss'd dh bh dh khhrh wuh..!-" She mumbles into his chest. Excitement, relief, and sheer adoration are taking over her mind, making it so she doesn't realise that he has literally no idea what she's trying to say. Confident she's simply overreacting, Ojiro laughs.
Tooru suddenly stops still and it catches his attention; an idea has sprouted into her thoughts. An idea that she may well get into trouble for, that both of them would get into deep trouble for… She wants to kiss him. Properly kiss him. On the lips. The only problem is how, considering her quirk's passive ability would likely blind him.
Unless... A conversation she shared with Mina a few hour back springs to mind. A solution to all the problems her side effect causes. The way forward, if she ever wants a boyfriend... And something tells her Mashirao wouldn't mind. No, not one bit.
"Hey, are you… uhh... Are you busy? Right now-ish, maybe?" Tooru leans in and speaks in a hushed tone. She emphasises the question by sliding her hands through the front of his coat and lightly dragging her fingers down his chest. "You know, there's something I kinda wanted to - uh - test..."