Straight up fluff. Enjoy.
When Kotomi finally burst in the front door of Mina's home, she found the rosy girl lounging on the couch as she snacked on carrot sticks in front of the tv. A brow shot up as result of her intrusion. "Why're you so out of breath?"
"I RAN," she replied quickly, making a beeline to the fridge for a water bottle. As she gulped it down, Mina laughed and turned back to the screen. "Soooo, what happened? Obviously something either really good or really bad if you're stress yelling... and if you ran by choice."
"I have a date tomorrow," Kotomi squeaked, frazzled. She guzzled the rest of the water and wiped her chin. "I don't know what to wear! I don't even know what we're going to do!" Bzzt, bzzt.
"Oh, guess he's excited, too, if he's already texting you! Don't stress so hard, you guys will have fun! I'm happy for you! Honestly, it's about time you guys went out already." She turned with a smile to look at the visibly bothered blonde. "Just wear something cute and comfy! Unless you're trying to seduce him on the first date, which is valid and I support that. We don't slutshame in this house. In that case, though, you may wanna go more sexy. First date or no?" Mina inquired, her grin mischievous.
"No! It's valid, but no!" Kotomi flopped onto the couch next to her best friend and kicked her shoes off.
New text message from Eijiro. "Sorry I kinda froze up on you... not very manly. You're pretty and it can be intimidating sometimes lmao. Tomorrow's gonna be fun! Bring your appetite!"
"... so I'm thinking maybe like a crop top with those jeans. That would be so cute! Show off the curves!" Mina had been talking the whole time, hands waving fervently, and Kotomi didn't realize until it was too late. She snapped her fingers next to her head. "Earth to lover girl! I'm giving you invaluable fashion tips here! Makeup if you want, a thin headband, sandals or sneaks, a black crop top, and your favorite jeans. That's a very you look!"
"Y-yeah! Thanks, Mina!" Kotomi cried out, eyes glued to her phone. "I don't know what I'd do without you..."
"Suffer an unfashionable death all alone probably," she mused, giggling at her own joke. "It's nice to see you happy, Tomi. If going on a date will make you happy, I'm totally here for it. We're not skipping training though, so be ready at five AM sharp!" Kotomi laughed, too, and nodded. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, boss." Reading the text from her crush again, she decided to reply before diving into working on her newest article.
"You're sweet. :) I'll be sure to. Have a good night!"
Kotomi dragged as she returned to Mina's. The Ridley Hero had left their training session to get to work around eight in the morning, but Kotomi decided to hit the gym without her to try her hand at lifting weights. It didn't go so well. She had a little trouble just lifting the forty-five pound bar by itself without any plates added to it. It was glaringly obvious that she had a lot of work to do, but she was trying not to let it get her down. With practice comes progress, right? After showering off, she met up with Hana at a cafe that they used to frequent, and they caught each other up on the happenings in life... outside of the potential hero stuff, of course. Kotomi had never told the young girl that she had a quirk, and that was a conversation she didn't want to get into yet. Hana would have a whole list of questions in an instant's notice. Instead, they made a list of upcoming projects to work on together and added things to the post queue and enjoyed a light lunch before parting ways.
Now that it was time to start getting ready for the afternoon, Kotomi couldn't help but gaze at herself in the mirror. She looked as tired as she felt. She was a creature of sleep - skimping out on even the smallest amount of a normal duration of it threw her whole equilibrium of out whack. She sighed and turned to the clothes she'd reluctantly put into Mina's spare drawer. She felt like a burden for taking up any of her space at all, and as time went on, it seemed to Kotomi that she was encroaching on more and more of it. She'd pay her friend back eventually, but she wasn't sure how to tackle doing so. She grabbed each of the articles of clothing that the Queen had listed the night prior and started changing into them. She wasn't a big fan of wearing cropped shirts because she didn't like her belly pudge much, but she decided to ignore her feelings for the day since it was unnaturally warm out. "Love seventy-degree autumn days," she thought, "our environment isn't dying or anything." She checked her appearance in Mina's bathroom mirror and set her jaw. She was going on a date for the first time in a while, which in itself was intimidating. He said to come hungry though, so that likely meant free food. A great perk. Kotomi checked her phone and found a new message from Eiji detailing his address. She typed a quick reply, "thanks! I'm on my way now!"
The relatively short journey to her date's home felt as though it spanned the history of time. Her palms were already clammy, and though she was hungry, she felt a twinge of nausea. Despite that, she was excited knowing that Red shared her feelings lessened her anxiety. As the young woman followed her GPS, she steeled her nerves and decided that she wouldn't let her worries keep her from showing how she felt. As she approached the door to Eijiro's flat, she took a deep, even breath and knocked three times. Quick footfalls sounded before the door was pulled open. There stood Eijiro Kirishima, bright eyed and beaming with his signature sharp-toothed smile. His hair was styled as usual, and he was dressed casually. Kotomi couldn't help but notice the cologne wafting from his skin - she wanted to melt into it.
"Hey, Tomi, thanks for coming!" Eijiro said, waving her in. She walked in with light feet and slipped her shoes off nearby while he closed the door behind her. Kotomi grinned at him. "I couldn't say no to a date with my favorite hero, silly. Thanks for having me!" The word "date" sent a slight chill up his spine. He rubbed the back of his neck and laughed shyly. "Well... I'm glad. My place isn't that great or very big, but make yourself at home." She glanced around at the decor. It was definitely a guy's flat. It was modern, but there were pieces of Crimson Riot merchandise, gaming systems, a punching bag, and other various knickknacks here and there. She paced over to the sleek black futon not too far away which was situated across from a flat screen tv.
"I think it's nice in here!" She said, attempting to reassure him. "Is it okay if I sit?" He nodded fervently. "Of course! You can watch something on tv if you want, I've gotta stick something in the oven." Really? She hadn't expected him to cook - she figured they'd just be eating delivery. As he disappeared into the kitchen, the blonde sat down and sank into the cushions. Eijiro reappeared and sat next to her, watching as she fiddled with the remote and found something interesting. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he choked up. She glanced at him curiously. "Are you nervous?"
He swallowed and shifted his gaze to the screen. "Uh... yeah. Sorry." She laughed and set the remote on the table in front of them. "It's okay, I am, too. I just wanted to know if I was the only one."
"No, I've been stressing all day honestly..." He said, sounding tired. He had hid it well previously, but she could see it in that moment.
"Me too, but don't worry because we're off to a good start already. You look really handsome, Eiji!" Kotomi cheered, her cheeks tinted a blush. She eyed him shyly as color drew to his cheeks as well.
"Th-thanks, Tomi," he said as he shifted in his seat. "You look beautiful. I like your shirt. It's cute on you." His words were stiff and unfamiliar, but Kotomi couldn't tell if they were more foreign to her or him considering how he looked surprised at his own comment. With a snicker, she thanked him.
"Do you need help with the food or anything? I have to say, I'm kinda surprised you're cooking dinner yourself. I fully expected take-out," she said. Eijiro crossed his arms confidently and smiled. "Nope! I appreciate the offer, but I'm treating you today. It'll be done soon though. Do you like baked tonkatsu?"
"Mhm! That sounds great. Thanks for treating me!" She exclaimed, clasping her hands together in excitement. Eijiro nodded, "It's the manly thing to do! I just hope you like it." A shrill beeping sounded from the kitchen and the redheaded hero jogged to plate the food. Kotomi watched after him and giggled when only his head popped back into view for a moment. "I'm sorry I don't have a proper dinner table... I don't usually have people over!"
"Oh, that's okay. I'm not against grubbing on the couch if you aren't," she casually responded. A few moments later, Eijiro brought a bowl for each of them and grabbed two water bottles. In each bowl was a small bed of rice, a cluster of salad, and tender slices of breaded pork on top - a meal fully fitting for the front page of a cooking magazine.
"I've got soy sauce if you want some! And beer if that's your thing." Eijiro's voice shook ever so slightly.
"I might take you up on a beer after dinner," she said. He handed her a pair of chopsticks and they both dug in. The flavors were phenomenal. Though not a big meat eater, Kotomi was over the moon. Eijiro tried to hide the anticipation locked down tight in his chest, but she had grown to be able to read him fairly well. She swallowed the bite she'd taken and looked to him with wide, amazed eyes. "Wow, Eiji, this is amazing. You're a great cook!" He sighed a bit and smiled in relief.
"Thanks! I'm glad you like it. There's leftovers if you want seconds, don't be shy!" The two ate their dinner and decided on a relatively new scary movie to watch in the background. They were both avid horror fans as it turned out, something they were both happy for. After finishing their food, Eijiro grabbed a beer for each of them and cracked them open. When he sat down, Kotomi couldn't help but notice he'd mindlessly placed himself considerably closer to her than he had before. This, she realized, was calculated in a way. He'd been very certain in where and how he'd positioned himself until that point, but as he ogled the screen waiting for the next twist in the story, she could tell that he was a lot more comfortable and less nervous. Kotomi scooted closer, pressing her leg onto Eijiro's, and downed near half her drink in one sip. His body went rigid again, but after a few minutes, he pulled the yawn-and-stretch method so he could "inconspicuously" pull her in closer. That was all the encouragement she needed to relax into him after she downed the rest of her beer. She leaned her head onto his chest, and he propped his chin on her forehead.
Kotomi could hear Eijiro's heart thumping under his skin like a steady drum. It was fast and strong. The two of them stayed that way for the rest of the movie, still a tad too wound up to make eye contact. As the credits began to roll, Eijiro grabbed the remote and scrolled to find another half-appealing movie before abruptly stopping. He pulled his head back to look at her and she did the same. The intensity of their gazes locking was a little overwhelming. Kotomi blushed when she realized he'd noticed her eyes fall to his lips. They looked so soft and inviting, especially when he smiled at her like that.
"Hey..." He said. Her orbs fluttered to meet his again as he continued, "Could I take you for a walk on the beach?" She nodded happily and wordlessly and sat back. The hero gathered their dishes and beer bottles and tidied up the kitchen before grabbing his keys. As they were slipping their shoes on, she nudged his side to grab his attention. He craned his neck to look at her. She smiled and brushed some of her hair out of her face. "I could swear you were going to kiss me a few minutes ago."
He was done. She'd never seen Eijiro's cheeks flush so red, but instead of waiting for a reply, she gave him a wink, opened the door, and wiggled her fingers at him. He couldn't find an apt response. This was so unlike him. He wasn't one to run out of words to say, but he'd been effectively stumped. Wordlessly, he let her lace her fingers in his and locked the door as they headed out. He couldn't figure out why exactly he felt so uptight.
It wasn't uncommon for his brain to tap out around people he found attractive, but this was frustrating him in more ways than one. She'd brought so many emotions up in him. When he felt down on himself, she was always there to pull him back onto his feet. If he had a good day, she made it better just by being happy for him and his accomplishments. When she complimented him, she made him feel like the best man in the country. There was so much that went into how Eijiro was growing to feel about Kotomi, and he felt like he couldn't put it into words without the very prominent risk of sounding like a fool. But walking down the sidewalk, feeling her hand tangled in his, it was like he was king of the world.
As they neared the ocean, the evening was warm until the light breeze blowing in from the sea skirted inland. The sun was on its daily descent, and a handful of vibrant stars poked from behind the clouds overhead. Kotomi lightly swung their hands as they walked. Her eyes were closed as she breathed in the smell of the nearby ocean.
"So, how's training been? What've you been working on?" Eijiro asked, swiveling his head to look down at her.
"Well, not much in the grand scheme of things. Just a lot of cardio, endurance, and weight training. We haven't even touched on the topic of combat," she explained. He noticed as she spoke that her fingers tightened around his own. She seemed worried, but he didn't blame her. She was switching a lot of things up in life just to begin considering a change that would more or less flip her world upside down, and he wasn't sure that she realized how much she was going to have to put into it to find a good starting point. The pair took their shoes off as they tiptoed down the stairs to the public beach. The sand had begun to grow cold as the sun fell.
"You can always spar me if you want." She shot him an incredulous stare. "That's hardly fair!"
"What? It'd just be for practice! I won't use my quirk or anything, I don't want you to get hurt!" He squared up with her and bumped his fists together with a pop.
"You can use yours, but I won't use mine." She watched him apprehensively as he gave her an encouraging grin. He held his hands up at the ready. "C'mon, you gotta get used to it eventually, right? Why not do it with me to start?" Kotomi wasn't convinced. She'd gotten into a few fistfights as a teenager, but using a quirk against the quirkless only led to ultimately unfair squabbles. Reading minds was a perk, but without technical self defense skills, luck was the main thing she knew to rely on to get by. He pressed her silently but eagerly. Finally, she rolled her eyes and faced him with a small smile, fists raised. She observed him carefully and let the barrier between their minds dissipate. She could hear him wondering what her first move would be.
Kotomi took a few quick steps toward him with her fist pulled back, and he noticed, preparing to knock it away. But instead, she advanced on him, hooking her heel into the back of his knee, causing him to falter only the slightest. She threw her other fist toward him, but he caught it in his hand and redirected it downward. Regaining her footing in the loose and unforgiving sand, she watched the hero with analytical eyes. He was doing his best to combat her quirk and keep his thoughts minimal and quiet. Suddenly, she propelled herself forward toward him and twisted her body, throwing a kick toward at his side. He grabbed her foot as she made impact and held it there, causing the blonde to nearly lose her balance. She was getting frustrated and couldn't manage to stand up straight because of how high he'd gripped her ankle. Eijiro chuckled. "If I find out you're ticklish, you're so done right now."
Her eyes widened as she felt a sense of panic swell in her chest. Shit, she had to do something. If she couldn't get her foot free from his hold, she'd improvise, and she'd improvise before he tried prodding her for a weak spot. She let herself fall backward onto her hands quickly and brought her other foot up, using his grip on her other extremity as leverage. She knew his height would be a disadvantage, but she thought, perhaps, that the move would force him to let her go. A fleeting thought of his burst out: Eiji's voice rang "oh, shit!" as he watched her bare foot rushing toward his chin. Pop.
"Son of a... biscuit! Fuck!" He reflexively released her and she plopped onto the sand. A wave of regret was swiftly beginning to overtake him. He really just dropped her like that? Kotomi grabbed the foot she'd used to kick him the second time and gripped it hard. The top of it was red and already beginning to bruise.
"T-Tomi, I'm so sorry!" He sputtered, sinking to his knees at her side. He held his hands out, unsure of what to do. "You surprised me, and I accidentally used my quirk! I promise I didn't mean to!" There was a single tear visible in one of her eyes as she chewed on her bottom lip to distract her from the intensity of the pain. She pelted the sand next to her with a clenched fist a few times before looking over to him with a pained smile. "It's... it's okay, but wow, that was almost the worst stubbed toe of my life. Jesus, Red, you're no joke!"
The broken, discombobulated laugh that escaped him was nearly comical. He rubbed her back and could discern a purple splotch on her foot just below the base of her sandy toes.
"Are you okay? Can you walk?" He asked worriedly, "I can carry you if you want!" She sighed and laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah, I'll be fine... Don't worry. Maybe instead of sparring, you could teach me the basics?" He nodded enthusiastically and carefully helped her to her feet. Her injury was sore but nothing incapacitating.
She could feel how drastically his demeanor had changed. The barrier she normally upheld to combat her quirk was still lowered, and what she could hear brought on a saddened smile.
"God, I'm a total jackass... things were going so good. She probably hates my guts now... she probably wants to go home."
Kotomi reached up to place her hands on Eijiro's cheeks lovingly. She smiled, noticing his expression shift from shame to one of embarrassment. "I'm not ready to go home yet." Her tone was soft and warm. When she stepped back, she got into a fighting stance. "So, give me some direction here. Do I even have a decent posture for this?" He was stunned. He hadn't considered she'd be listening to what he was thinking still. Flustered, he scanned her body before correcting her back foot and lowering her left arm. "You're close, but this is, uh, what you wanna shoot for. You want to be able to protect your chest and plant yourself on the ground but stay light on your feet. Honestly... I'm kinda surprised you say you don't have much experience. You came at me with a lot of intensity."
Kotomi threw a few punches to the air. "Yeah, I don't... really know how to explain it. Everything just went on autopilot all at once."
"Maybe that's a sign you're on the right track," he thought out loud. "Remind me to never threaten to tickle you again!" The journalist laughed at his comment louder than she meant to.
Eijiro worked with Kotomi and showed her some tips and tricks of the trade of close combat. Her quirk was mostly defensive, so she took mental notes on his advice. She'd need them if she were to be effective in a battle. They'd decided that if they found free time in the future, they would meet up and build on her skills. By the time the moon hung high and bright in the sky, they'd found a spot next to each other not far from the rushing waves that stretched toward them up the shore. It was peaceful. Being so used to hearing the chaos of the city, listening to the roar of the sea was a welcome change in scenery.
"Hey, Eiji? I know this is random... but uh, do you think someone like me could even make it as a hero?" Kotomi asked quietly.
"What do you mean by 'someone like you'?"
"Well," she started, letting her view shift toward the sky, "someone that didn't really start out wanting to do it. I promised myself years ago that I would never go down that road. Thinking about it made me feel like my worth relied on my quirk... so I don't have the heartwarming story of starting hero work because I love humanity and want to save it. Sometimes, I don't even think they exactly deserve it. Does that make me a bad person?" Eijiro looked to the spot above them that she was fixated on as he considered his response.
"I don't think it makes you bad. Everyone has their own reasons in doing things in life. It's okay to not have everything planned out from the start. Sometimes you've just gotta make things up as you go and hope for the best, y'know?"
"Yeah... I guess you're right," she replied quietly.
"I'm not saying it's easy to change course," Eijiro said as he dug his feet into the sand, "but sometimes reinventing yourself turns out to be a good idea. For you, not anyone else. Your opinion is what matters most."
Kotomi nodded thoughtfully. "Y'know, I think you're the second person that's ever said that to me."
"Oh? Who was the first?"
"Our favorite, Mina, of course." He laughed, clearly unsurprised. Mina was very much a person that stressed the importance of personal well-being and maintaining a healthy mentality.
"Thank you. Ever since I met you, my life has started to become happier." Hearing this gave him butterflies because he really did his best to make each day enjoyable for her, even if that only meant a few uplifting texts throughout strings of busy days. Eijiro laughed sheepishly as he drew random shapes in the sand between his legs. "I'm glad, Tomi... I try to give you at least one reason to smile each day." He suddenly realized that her eyes were lazily tracing his form, soaking in how the moonlight kissed his skin, and he wasn't sure what he felt most - intimidated by the her intense scrutiny or hot and bothered by the fact that she'd rolled onto her knees and leaned into his personal space. Her eyes were bright despite the night, and her hair had been tousled by the wind. As she closed the space between them, he gulped and reached his hand up to place it gently on the side of her neck and encourage her on. It was quick but didn't feel like it. The kiss was so sweet and soft that his body almost begged for more.
Kotomi pulled away, her normally fair skin a deep hue. She watched him with silent, inquiring eyes. As a goofy smile spread across his features, she laughed warmly and did her best to internalize that moment. Behind his manly, rough, and heroic persona, he was a total teddybear with a mushy heart of gold. He was wholesome. Kotomi grabbed his hand and guided it back to where he'd placed it on her neck and leaned forward again, pushing her lips to his once more. The rushing endorphins steeled her nerves as she pushed him onto his back, not letting their lips part. Her hair brushed his cheeks and tickled his face and it made him smile, and when he felt one of her hands slide across his stomach to rest on his chest, he groaned at the feeling. This caught her off guard and she considered prodding more delicious noises from him but she relented and savored the moment. When she finally retreated, she kissed his cheek before sitting back on her knees. Eijiro laid there motionless, starting straight up to the sky. He looked stunned. She opened her mouth a few moments later to ask if he was okay, but before she could speak, he'd hurried to his feet and ran toward the ocean water and jumped while throwing his arms into the wind. His heart was still racing, and he loved it. "I'm the luckiest man this world has ever seen! You hear that, world?!" He yelled into the darkness. Kotomi covered her mouth, stifling a giggle. What a dreamboat.
Note: I will always hc Kirishima being a blushy sub until his s/o makes the first move but then he can't help but tell everyone how great his s/o is. How...precious...