Chapter 2.
Izuku still sat in the corner, watching Mei finishing up some of her leftover projects for today.
He was transfixed by the way she held such passion for her craft, and how lost in her own world she was. It made him feel a little creepy though, just watching her the whole time, and periodically glanced down at his phone, not exactly looking at much, just scrolling through some news feeds of city activity, but always returned his eyes to her.
Mei noticed what he was doing a couple times, causing her to blush a bit from time to time, but always turned her back to him to make sure that he didn't know that she noticed, Midoriya was the first boy who ever really opened up to her, and the fact that he genuinely wanted to stay and watch her in her element, and not for any other reason than he wanted to spend some time with her, warmed her heart to a degree that she never thought possible, unless it was revolved around praise for her work.
'He really is so adorable, why didn't I ever see that before. Either way, I'm glad that I have some company here,' Hastume thought as she couldn't completely contain her excitement at the thought of tomorrow coming so soon, "Hey Midoriya, come over here and hold this down for me please."
"Oh," Midoriya was caught in the middle of looking at the girl, and became slightly embarrassed, "Y-you got it!"
Hatsume's cheeks burned up after catching him mid-stare, but quickly regained composure as he reached the table.
She was working on a multi-tool arm guard, it had several key functions, all of them involving everyday needs and weaponry that could help someone with hero work and training, it was honestly one of her favorite "little" inventions, it was adorable compared to her other works, but the metal strap kept popping off as she added more functions to make it easier to use.
"Alright Izuku, just hold down the strap, while I tighten this bolt," Deku nodded and did as he was told, focusing on the part while the finishing touch was added, being this close to her made him feel at ease, their talk earlier really did help him, it was his joy in life to help other people no matter the cost, it made him feel good again in a way he couldn't exactly put a finger on, but knew he could describe it visually, every time he glanced over at the pink haired girl.
'Wow, she just looks so calm and focused, every time I came here before, I just did it to improve aspects of my costume,' Midoriya thought while shifting his eyes to Mei, 'I feel bad that I never just sat down and talked to her, all this time, she was just like me, being outcasted from everyone for so many years, but I'm here now and that's what matters, tomorrow I have to make up for so much lost time, and…and... man she's so pretty, smart, kind, and wait, am I crushing on her!?'
Izuku was so lost in trying to figure out his feelings, that he didn't notice that she was done with the finishing touch.
Mei gave out a sigh of relief, all of the days work is done, and she finally gets to go home, she took off her googles placing them on the table, then wiping the sweat off her forehead, "Alright Midoriya, I'm finally done with all my wor-"
Hatusme was caught off guard by Deku's look of embarrassment, his face was as red as an apple, and he couldn't stop trembling while still looking down at the metal strap.
"Hey, Midoriya are you alright?"
"I-I-I-I-I'm fine Hatsume, n-n-n-n-n-nothing t-to worry about," Midoriya couldn't help himself, he was so flustered at the thought of having feelings for another girl so fast, the right girl for him was right under his nose for so long, and tomorrow he had a sort of date with her.
A real girl who wanted, ACTUALLY WANTED, to spend time with him for a day, just the two of them.
Alone...
For a day...
With a girl he liked...
"Well you don't look fine, you're shaking all over, and your face is red and-..."
'Oh god, oh god she figured me out, oh god oh god oh god oh god I blew it, I blew it again I had the perfect chance and-" his eyes we're about to leak tears, until.
"You, inhaled to much of the oil fumes from the earlier experiment," Mei yelled in concern.
"Y-y-y-y-y-y-y-yes exactly that's it, just the oil hahahahahahahaha!" Midoriya covered it up best as he could, 'Oh thank god, I think she bought it!'
Hatsume didn't buy it at all, she threw that in to cover up for her own embarrassment, she knew it was because they finally had a kind of sorta date with someone, a first for both of them.
"Let's get you out of here, for some fresh air, I'll grab your soles and meet you outside the door, now hurry before you puke," Mei shouted while quickly scooting him out the door, her blush was about to intensify, and she couldn't let him know any real clue about her feelings.
Once he was out the door she shut it, leaning against it, and giving another sigh of relief.
"Oh wow, that was too close, but I do feel kind of rude for making up that lie, I hope he doesn't think less of me."
Outside the door.
'Oh wow, that was too close, I nearly ruined my chances for good,' Midoriya was shaking more and more about what could've happened, but relieved himself knowing that he still has tomorrow, beginning to lean against the wall beside the door and sliding to the ground, which was interrupted after three or so minutes by-
SLAM!
The workshop door flung open, smashing his head against the wall.
"I'm ready to go now Midoriya," Mei shouted, but was met with silence.
She scanned up and down the hallway, looking for the young man, "Hey where are you, oh man, he didn't ditch me did he? God I'm such an idi-"
"Owwwwwwwwwww."
Mei looked behind the door slowly, to see the boy now holding his nose in pain.
"Oh my god, Midoriya I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were beside the door," she frantically apologized over and over, praying that she didn't hurt him enough to make him call it all off tomorrow.
Thankfully, she was met with a tender hand being placed on her shoulder.
"It's ok Hatsume, it didn't hurt at all," Midoriya consoled, but did sound nasally while doing so, causing a lite giggle from her, making him smile and forget the pain almost entirely.
"If you say so, let's get out of here."
"You got it!"
'Hehe, he sounds like a Muppet,' Mei internally laughed
They exited the building, and it was around 6:30 p.m. curfew wasn't close, but wasn't far either, so they took their time walking back, and about midway there, the inventor asked a question.
"Hey Midoriya, do you mind if I just call you by your first name?"
"S-sure, why?"
"Well it just rolls off the tongue better, at least to me."
"Can I call you Mei?"
"Yeah it's fine."
"You know, I never did thank you for trying to cheer me up, and letting me stay in the workshop."
"It's no big deal, you seemed so sad, and I just wanted help you out. Plus, I really enjoy the company."
"Thanks, I really enjoy being in your company," Izuku flustered quickly after the words left his mouth, 'Did I just say that!?'
He covered his mouth out of frustration, he wore his feelings on his sleeve, but he didn't want to seem like he was moving so fast and forward with anything romantic.
"…Thank you for that, and everything you said earlier to," Mei smiled at him, being flustered as well.
"You're welcome," Midoriya smiled back at her, "Oh, I forgot to ask you something, that I have been meaning to for a while now!"
"What is it," she stopped walking to look at him in confusion.
He then rummaged through his yellow back pack, he pulled out a familiar black composition book.
"What are the details of your quirk," he asked opening the book, with a pen in hand.
"Oh, it's called Zoom, it allows my eyes to zoom in on something from a distance, but it only goes as far as five kilometers," Hatsume explained as he wrote, "It's kind of lame compared to others, but it serves me pretty well while i'm working."
"Lame, what's lame about it that's awesome, you can do so much with that," Izuku shouted, geeking about quirks again.
"Aw, that's really sweet Izuku, nobody has really complemented it before."
"I can't see why, but I'm glad to be the first."
They continued for a little bit, talking about their common interests, and how much they've been up to recently, after about 30 minutes they arrived at the gates of the dorm section.
"I guess, this is where we part ways," Izuku sighed.
"You sound so disappointed, aren't you tired," Mei asked.
"It's not that, it's just…well…I really like talking to you," Mei perked up after hearing that, "You're so smart, funny, kind... not only that you are really prett-"
Midoriya caught himself this time, pausing, then immediately reverting to his nervous state, rubbing his hand on the back of his head, his face becoming brighter than the sun, his eyes wide enough that you could almost not see his eye lids, and sweating enough to form a flash flood.
"What we're you about to say just now, Izuku," Mei asked looking at him with wide eyes and a quivering lip, knowing full well what he was about to say, and really wanting to hear it.
"I uh…what I was about to say was."
"Uh huh," she was moving closer to him, now nearly inches apart, becoming extremely excited to hear the end of his sentence.
"I...w-w-w-w-was about to say that you are *gulp* I was about to say that...you..are," Midoriya looked at her, the sun had set during their walk, and the moon began to rise, and its light hit her, eyes reflected the moon making them glisten while highlighting her well rounded and cute face.
Izuku's heart skipped a beat, her beauty was now more prominent than ever, causing him to get lost in all the glory, all he could get out at that moment, was the word Hatsume wanted to hear for so long from someone else, except to an even greater degree.
"Beautiful," The boy said calmly, but blushed afterword.
Hatsume's heart fluttered, butterflies were in her stomach, she was just called her smart, funny, kind, and beautiful by a boy for the first time.
A boy she could have a conversation with, a boy who she could spend a lot of time with, a boy that she could maybe…fall for.
"I'm sorry if that seems so forward, it's just I've been thinking about you since we talked today and I just feel so bad that someone so cool has been staring me in the face this entire time, and it took me losing my chances at another girl that made me even realize it and that alone makes me feel a little bad since it shouldn't have taken this long and it doesn't seem right that I just-"
Izuku's thoughts were quickly cut off, as Mei pushed her finger on his lips to silence his rambling.
"It's hilarious coming from me but, you talk too much."
Then, without a second thought, Mei kissed him on the cheek.
The two teens then stared at each other, smiling nervously the entire time, eventually breaking eye contact by looking at the ground, a little too embarrassed to say anything.
"W-wow," Midoriya finally muttered out, returning his gaze to her.
"It just felt right, sorry to overwhelm you like that," she returned her eyes to his, becoming a little bashful in the process, "Honestly, I've been wanting to do that since your speech at the workshop, you've really got a way of making a girl feel light off her feet, Izuku."
"Y-you, think so," The green haired boy asked.
"I know so, and I hope I get to feel that more often tomorrow to," Mei scratched her cheek still embarrassed.
"I-I-I-I-I'll do my best M-M-Mei," Midoriya trembled while giving her a thumbs up.
"Same old nervous Midoriya," Mei replied playfully, "Anyways we should probably go, before we get yelled at for curfew."
"Oh-oh yeah, that's right crap Aizawa could chew me out again, I got to go quick," he dashed out of there, making pretty good distance, as he was almost out of sight in the blink of an eye, "I'll see you tomorrow Mei!"
"I'll text you later Izuku," she yelled while waving at him.
"Oh man, I forgot something," The green blur shouted, then quickly turned around.
"What did you forget," Mei asked puzzled, 'Oh yeah he forgot to get his soles, better get in my back pack and grab it for him!"
She reached into her back pack pulling out his iron soles, and held them out to him.
"This," Midoriya then kissed her on the cheek, causing Mei's face turn completely pink.
She blinked once, and he was back where he was when he turned around to go kiss her, giving her a salute before vanishing behind the dorm building, soles in hand, leaving streaks of green lightening behind.
Mei was left in awe, and rubbed the spot where he kissed her, smiling warmly and only saying one thing.
"Izuku Midoriya," The pink haired girl turned and began her walk to the dorms, which then became a sprint realizing how cutting it close she was.
Author's note: I am very sorry if this feels a little rushed to you, I was honestly just going to make two chapters and that be it but after writing this one I've decided to make it into three chapters long, forgive me because I am relatively new to writing stories and I am grateful for anyone who genuinely thinks this story is good. I welcome the support and reviews of this story and I will take any valid criticism with grace since I believe that it well help me provide a better story for all of you and express how much writing means to me as a person, I hope you all have a wonderful day and see you in the (possibly) concluding chapter.