The moon hung in the sky like a ceramic plate, visible through the windows in the lobby. The movie had ended and the two toothy teens were chatting animatedly. It was a good date. There was a lot to discuss in regards to the movie, There were no leftover snacks save for the soda they shared there was still some left of that.
"I can't believe the shark had a quirk the whole time!"
"Right? It kind of reminds me of our principal, only more snarky and less...um?
"I was going to ask, but I don't want to be rude. What...is Principal Nedzu"
"I honestly don't know." Kirishima shrugged. He could be a rat, a mouse, a bear, a mix of two or Even all three. Perhaps he was a bizarre mutated kinkajou that looked nothing like a regular kinkajou and had somehow found its way to Japan. Kirishima continued. "He's just our principal."
"Well he's cute."
"Hey, don't make me jealous like that. We're on a date. Besides, he's too old for you." Kirishima teased, flashing a toothy grin. Tatami shoved him and giggled, feeling particularly bubbly.
"Shut up. Not like that!,
"Like what then?"
The two spoke like this as they exited the theater and spilled out into the cool night air. They chatted about how the shark had a gun and how the protagonist managed to persevere. That twist ending where they teamed up with the shark in a cliffhanger really got them.
The whole time, they held each other's attention and, perhaps more noticeably, they were holding hands. Kirishima and Tatami had shown affection before, and yet, even though they weren't officially a couple, it felt like they might as well have been. Neither party had been able to cross over and make that statement, but they were close.
It had gone so well. Aside from earlier uncomfortable encounters, neither Kirishima nor Tatami had encountered any problems. No villains or scenes. Just a good time between two young heroes-in-training who had been bonding over time.
Naturally things had to get awkward and awful after. All when they had parted ways at the train station.
"I had fun."
"Yeah me too. Talk to you later."
"Ok. I love you. Bye."
"Wait….what?"
"What?"
"I should go."
X
"Come oooooon. Pick up! You've been ducking me all day" a voice groaned.
Tatami laid on her bed. She wanted to just throw a pillow over her head and scream but she realized she could just use her quirk for that. The teenager pulled her head into her body, leaving a large, puckered hole.
This was the last thing she needed. She was dating a good guy. She thought he was at least. But even good guys could be boneheads. And out of the blue, he had just stopped talking to her. Was it her breath? Was he leading her on? No, he would never. He was too sweet.
But he wasn't answering his phone and that was weird. She didn't think she was being clingy, at least not after her five minute spat of worrying if she was overbearing or not. But ever since the date, he had been ghosting her. She figured he was just busy, but that never stopped him from sending a quick text before. It was confusing and a bit frustrating. Just a bit though.
The Ketsubutsu student wasn't sure they were dating and right now they both seemed to be dealing with stuff. Did they rush forward? Was he using her? No. Eijirou was a good guy. But even good people good be capable of harm, even if it was unintended.
There seemed to be unresolved issues between him and Bakugou and she had no idea what the deal was. What's more, she had a feeling not even her spiky haired friend was sure either. But those were his issues, not hers. It was harsh of her to think that. She really liked the boy, and would be there to help if she needed to. However it was not her problem to resolve
And then she had to contend with Shindou. She knew he could be a good friend, if not tricky and rough around the edges. But he was acting like a jerk and she wasn't having it. Did he have feelings for her? Before, the concept would have made her blush and curl up. There were two people who liked her. Granted several people liked her. She tried to be easygoing, if not a bit of a do as and a fangirl.
But This was different. Romantic different. And now, she just wanted stupid Shindou to confess his stupid feelings so she could let him down and work out their friendship. Then she needed to get her stupid not-boyfriend to stop being so stubborn and just let go of his issues so he could relax and be the sweet guy she knew he was.
And then, before all that, she needed to get herself figured out because she was crushing so damn hard on this boy and wanted to know if what they had was serious. And the fact that she was even worried about any if this right now was making her head spin.
Tatami loved turtles. They were her favorite group of animals since childhood, and her quirk made her feel like one. She just wished she could be more turtle-like and slow down.
Love.
It all came flooding back and had hit her like a freight train. She had repressed it as best she could but she remembered those words she uttered. And then she curled up deeper inside herself.
She had messed up. She wasn't even thinking and had messed it all up. But what they had was nice. It was better than nice. It was the best. And she wanted to see where it went. But Tatami had ended up saying those words too early. If there was a chance to apologize and make things right, she would take it.
The blonde took a deep breath and stared at her phone. She looked at her contacts and found the name she was looking for. Eiji. It was accompanied by a photo of the two of them smiling brightly in front of a fiberglass shark at the aquarium.
She had put on some makeup her mom bought her and the pair if seahorses earrings she bought a year prior. He was in a leather jacket with a Yakuza 0 t-shirt and a chain necklace that read "Riot". He had her frustrated right now, but the UA student's smile made her pulse speed up.
She valued what they had. She wanted it to continue. She wanted it to be stronger. The turtle girl knew what had to be done. She called him up.
Voicemail.
"Why are boys so hard? Why can't they just be turtles." Tatami thought.
Then she realized that turtles and tortoises required a good level if upkeep and that she was being unfair. She was just stressed out more than she wanted to be and just wanted to settle things, but once more, the blonde girl took a deep breath and tried again.
X
Kirishima stared at his ceiling, hair down in its natural form sans the red dye. He heard his phone go off, but he was so preoccupied that he barely acknowledged it. He thought back. His mind went on a trip through time.
He remembered the self doubt he had about his quirk. He remembered being to scared to move when a villain came to town. He remembered dying his hair and saying how he would say goodbye to his old pathetic self, only for his classmate Mina to tell him to come to her when he lets go of his hang ups. Flash forward to Bakugou and Midoriya and UA. Kirishima remembered learning about the past between his two classmates.
He remembered doing nothing. He remembered risking it all to save Bakugou and how over time he fell for the boy. He remembered finding out about how Bakugou would beat Izuku and tell him to kill himself and how Kirishima had claimed to care little for bullies. Was this what he became unbreakable for? A guy who embodied the things he claimed to be against?
And now Kirishima thought about how he was obsessing over this when even Izuku told him not to worry about it and that he was a good friend, a good hero, and a good friend. The redhead had told Mina he had a way to go before he was where he wanted to be. Here it was a year later and he still had to make up for all that.
And now he was risking something good because he was obsessed with being angry at himself and at someone he risked life and limb for, all over something that could be easily settled.
Kirishima looked back at his phone: Three missed calls from Tatami
"Tam is going to kill me."
Kirishima sighed. He thought back to Mina. In retrospect, he felt he might have harbored a crush on her but put it aside. Then there was Bakugou, on whom he had been grumpily meditating and sulking for the past half hour or so. He thought of his bro, Tetsutetsu, and their short fling. Their friendship continued but Kirishima still felt guilt. Did he break Tetsutetsu's heart? He knew the steel boy was dating Honenuki now but the initial reason for breaking up seemed so silly and unfair.
And now his mind drifted to Tatami. He never expected to end up as fond of her as he did. He liked ahh his friends. Nothing was manlier than friends. But ever since their talk at that student mixer when they actually got to converse, he had taken a shine to her. Their first date ended up with them fighting villains but that just cemented things.
And now here they were, dating for a while and he and things had already escalated. He was freaked out a little. He had been trying to get over frustrations with himself and other people and such a good evening was marred a little by that awkward bombshell. It just came out. Kirishima was sure it was a mistake, kind if like when a waiter tells you to enjoy your meal and you say "Thanks. You too."
They needed to talk. They really needed to settle this. It was so silly but so weird. The truth was, he wasn't sure he was ready to say those words. Not yet. However the redhead knew that he would like to be able to say them some day. He wanted to give her a chance and to see where things went. All other problems and insecurities seemed less important now.
Kirishima picked up his phone. He knew he would have to get it out of his system. He knew he would have to talk to Bakugou and put this drama behind them. He knew he would have to let go of his worries about not being good enough and embrace who he was as his own man.
But now, first and foremost, he had to talk to Tatami. She must have been getting anxious. He couldn't blame her. Even if they didn't go back to how they were before, their could still be that closure. Kirishima could move on out of fairness to his friends and to himself.
"Man I have been such a go on. Sorry, Tam"
The sturdy hero sat up. He had to call a certain girl. He had to apologize for flaking on her. They had to clear the air of all this weirdness right now, and after a shower and some beef jerky, Kirishima would have to tell Tatami how he felt. He had started to fall for her and was ready to ask those seven words: "Do you want to play Yakuza zero?"
And then he would ask her a serious question. He would ask her to go steady.
He might not have been ready for those three words yet, neither hearing nor saying them, but he was open to the possibility.
