NeonHorizon: I wanted to do a quick shout out to someone who made some incredibly adorable fan art of Shirayuki! Please check out KiyomuMitsue on DeviantArt! The fan art of Shirayuki is amazing and she has lots of other great pieces posted as well :)
"What? You want to go shopping for a swimsuit?"
Shirayuki was sitting alone in her room, quietly talking on the phone with Ashido. She was too nervous to ask Nejire and she wanted to pick out her own clothes for the beach so she decided to not ask her grandmother for help. Even though she was alone, her face started to turn red and she slouched. "…y-yeah…if it's okay…if you're not busy, um, c-could you go with me…?"
"Of course! I wanted to get some new clothes for the summer training camp so I was going to ask if you wanted to go shopping. Are you busy today?"
She looked toward her closed bedroom door, listening to her grandmother talking in the sitting room. "…n-no…I'm not busy…"
"Alright. I'll meet you at the shopping center, okay? See you soon!"
"…ah….r-right, I'll…see you soon…" The girl tucked her phone into her pocket and frowned as she picked up her mask. It was a couple of days after she met with the third year students and a day after Aizawa had announced that everyone would be going to the summer training camp. Between that trip and her upcoming trip with the third years, she could feel her nervousness increasing.
The only time I've ever stayed somewhere overnight, it was when I slept over at Ashido-chan's. Will I be okay? What if I can't sleep? The training camp…is really important. She secured the pale blue mask over her nose and mouth, grabbed a small backpack purse, and left her room.
In the sitting room, her grandmother was watching daytime television with Sayuri's daughter. The little girl looked over as soon as Shirayuki stepped into the doorway and her eyes lit up. "Ume…?"
"Oh! Ume, are you going out?" The old woman stood and ambled into the kitchen to grab something. "If you're going out, do you think you could pick something up for me?"
"…of course…" Shirayuki crouched down to the little girl's eye level when the child approached her and she hesitantly opened her arms to offer a hug. This is…what Sayuri-chan would do, right? She said she's going to be gone for another week. And her boyfriend hasn't come back yet. Where did they go?
The child hugged her and the girl's grandmother returned with a smile. "Emi, do you remember what we say when someone goes out?"
Stepping back, her large red eyes glittered up at Shirayuki's. "Have a…good day, Ume!"
"Good job, Emi! That was perfect." The old woman handed over a short grocery list to Shirayuki. "I'm making something special for dinner tonight. Don't spoil your appetite with snacks. You know, Umetarou stocked up on snacks before he left for the training camp. He ate all of it on the bus ride there!" she explained, laughing and shaking her head.
Shirayuki fidgeted with the hairband on her wrist as she walked to the station. Her stomach felt like it was squirming, the closer she got. The last time she rode the train alone, it was around when Shinsou started his extra-curricular activities. That had been short-lived, too. Her heart was palpitating as she boarded the train and found a seat.
The girl kept her head down and messed with her phone to try to distract her from the crowded train car. Sweating behind her mask, her stomach doing flips each time someone bumped her. I can do this, she tried to tell herself. If I want to be a hero, I need to be able to at least do this much. I can…I can do this! My father would have been able to ride a train alone so I can, too!
The seat next to her had been empty, by some miracle, but now someone settled onto it. "It's more crowded than usual. Can I sit here?" a male voice asked.
She nodded without looking up. Her grip tightened on her phone and she lowered her head more. Violet hair fell around her face, hiding how the color had drained from it, and she bit her lip behind her mask. I'm okay. I'll be okay. It won't take long. I'll be there soon, she told herself.
When she reached her station, Shirayuki was glad to get off the train and away from the crowd. She kept her head lowered and slipped her mask down a little to take a deep breath of fresh air, trying to calm down. When a hand rested on her shoulder, she tensed quickly and put her mask up again.
"Do you get motion sick? You don't look well." This was the same voice as the one she heard earlier. The male voice from the person who sat next to her.
It was now that Shirayuki recognized the voice. She lifted her head, her face turning pink from embarrassment as she glanced at her classmate. "…I-I'm fine…Todoroki-kun…um…th-thank you…"
He looked slightly confused, but drew his hand back and nodded. "Okay. Well, I need to go. I'm meeting with some of our classmates to get supplies for the training camp. Do you need to get anything?"
"…I'm…meeting with Ashido-chan…but thank you…" She watched him go and frowned to herself behind her mask. His left eye. It's…the same color as Sayuri-chan's boyfriend's eyes.
"Yuki!" Ashido's voice called to her through the busy shopping center and the pink-haired girl grinned, waving at her when she looked over.
Shirayuki started toward her, giving a shy wave back, but felt her heart skip when she saw Ashido's entourage. I thought…it was just going to be the two of us. Sweat beaded up along her hairline as she looked at the boys that were standing around Ashido. Kaminari, Sero, Kirishima, and Bakugou. Her pace slowed and she lowered her head as she continued forward.
"Are you okay, Shirayuki? You look kind of pale," Sero commented.
"I'm so sorry! I tried to tell them it was a girls-only trip," Ashido explained.
"Where's the fun in that? Besides, we all need to get stuff, right? It's more fun to go shopping with everyone." Kaminari flashed a grin.
"…it's…it's okay…" Shirayuki was fidgeting with her hairband, her head lowered and eyes shifted to the side. "…um…Todoroki-kun…and some of the others are here, too…so…" She felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced up briefly before looking away again, turning pink.
Kirishima was wearing a concerned frown as he leaned down toward her. "Are you sure you're okay? Sero's right. You don't look like you feel well."
She swallowed her nervousness and lifted her bright crimson eyes to meet his, putting on a small smile behind her mask. Shirayuki nodded once. "I'm…fine," she pushed herself to say. However, she could feel a glare directed at her from behind Kirishima.
"Okay, so we're going to split up for a little bit," Ashido spoke up before Bakugou could say anything. She linked her arm with Shirayuki's and beamed. "We'll meet at the fountain in half an hour. Does that work for everyone?"
"Wait. Why are we splitting up? Shouldn't we all stick together?" Kirishima glanced from Ashido to Shirayuki and back.
The pink-haired girl put her free hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow. "You want to go clothes shopping with us?"
His face went pink and he rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry! No, you're right! I'll just…see you later then, Yuki."
"Whatever. Just don't be late, got it?!" Bakugou rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets, starting off on his own. He paused to shout over his shoulder, "Are you idiots coming or not?! Don't make me wait for you or I'll leave you behind!"
He's mad at me. She knew it without him even saying it. Shirayuki had been avoiding him. Not answering his calls, not replying to his messages. Not because she was upset with him, but because she was nervous. Just thinking about it now was making her shake a little. I should apologize, but I'm scared. I shouldn't have ignored him, but-
"You don't really seem like you'd want a bikini," Ashido commented, breaking through her thoughts. She pushed aside a few swimsuits on the rack, frowning. "Some of these are really cute, though! You know, you could just try a few to see how they look. Maybe a two-piece with a halter style top?"
"…I've…only had school swimsuits…" she confessed, blushing as she looked at the selection. Most of them seemed like they would show much more skin than she was comfortable with, but some of them were pretty cute.
"What? Why? You didn't wear a school swimsuit to the public pool, right?"
"…I never went to the public pool…I never…really went swimming with friends before…s-so I'm not really sure…what I'm supposed to do…"
Ashido raised both eyebrows and grabbed Shirayuki's shoulders. "Okay! You know what? After the training camp, we're going to a public pool. I know a good one with water slides! You have to experience it at least once!"
"…water slides…?" Shirayuki tilted her head a little, her heart beating a bit faster. She had seen them on commercials, but she had never been on one. Watching Ashido pick out a few swimsuits for her to try on, she bit her lip behind her mask.
Pools usually look crowded, but a water slide seems like something my father would have liked. If I want to be a hero like him, I need to push myself! I need to…be able to go to a pool, at least. The beach will be like training. She was trying on the last swimsuit in the pile when she heard her friend's voice on the other side of the door to the changing room.
"You're going with that upperclassman from Fat Gum's agency, right? The one that's doing his work study there?"
"…y-yes…well…I'm going with him and his friends…um…well, they're my friends, too, but…" Shirayuki finished and looked at her reflection. Blushing faintly as she turned and took in her appearance. This one…is really cute. It makes me look okay, even with my mask.
"Yuki, it's okay! You're allowed to have other friends!" Ashido laughed quietly on the other side of the door. "You've come a pretty long way from the first day of school, huh?"
"…what…um…n-not really…I'm still...kind of…" She finished changing into her own clothes and opened the door, frowning behind her mask when she saw Ashido lean in to look at the way she had sorted the options.
"Are you kidding?! Yuki, you've really come out of your shell! Maybe you just haven't noticed? Remember the first day of school? You didn't talk to anyone and you were too nervous to introduce yourself. You wouldn't even look anyone in the eye. Now look at you! You're buying a cute swimsuit and hanging out with friends!"
"You made us all split up so you could look at swimsuits?!" Kirishima covered his mouth as a pinkish tint spread across his face.
Ashido's pebble dark eyes narrowed on him and she crossed her arms. Her anger was only momentary before she grinned and held up a couple of swimsuits. "As long as you're here, you should help us out. Which one do you think Yuki should get? This super cute halter bikini with ruffles or this striped one-piece?"
His face turned an even brighter shade of pink. "I-I don't know. Look, I only followed you guys because I saw that Yuki wasn't feeling well. I wanted to make sure she was okay so I'll just-"
"Awww! Come on, Kirishima! Which one do you think would look better?" she teased, stepping closer and holding them up more.
He glanced to Shirayuki, who was turning an equally bright shade of pink. Kirishima finally lowered his gaze and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Th-the one on the left," he mumbled.
"Alright. Yuki, what do you-?" Ashido turned toward her friend and saw that Shirayuki was leaning against the side of the doorway for support. "Oh no! Your face is super red. I'm sorry, Yuki! I didn't mean to embarrass you; I was just trying to tease him!"
"Here. Yuki, let's go get some water." Kirishima approached her, holding out a hand. His eyebrows were furrowed in concern despite the blush on his face. The boy's free hand dug in his pocket and he held out a few yen notes to Ashido without looking at her. "Just take this and pay for Yuki's, okay?"
Ashido grinned as Shirayuki hesitantly took his hand. "You're so chivalrous~"
Shirayuki walked with her head down and was relieved when Kirishima brought her to the vending machines near the outside of the shopping center. There were less people here so she felt much calmer. She thanked him when he handed her a bottle of water and took small sips; feeling self-conscious about how red her face was with her mask pulled down. "…I-I'm sorry…Kirishima, that was…"
"It's okay! I should be the one apologizing for following you guys, but I was really worried. I know you don't like crowds. I should've offered to meet you at your house and come here with you." He reached over for the bottle and took a sip, but flushed pink soon after. The boy handed it back to her, embarrassed. "Sorry; I wasn't thinking and-"
"…it's…alright…" Shirayuki toyed with the hairband on her wrist and took a deep breath. "…Kirishima…do you…think I can ever be brave…?"
"What?! Yuki, you keep pushing yourself to be braver all the time, but you're already making a lot of progress! You shouldn't push yourself too much; I don't want you to get stressed out over it, okay-?"
"Tch. She's still too damn quiet," Bakugou interrupted as he joined them. He grabbed the water bottle and gulped from it; unaware that Kirishima had just sipped from the bottle. Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, he smirked down at Shirayuki's blushing face. "What're you staring at, Ume? Come on! Aren't you going to say anything?"
"…an…indirect kiss…" she mumbled, glancing at Kirishima.