Category: Mild Romantic Fluff

Characters: Mirio Togata, Nejire Hado

Hey, everyone! I'm super happy to participate in the first MiriNeji Week! Here's my story for Day 1, for the prompt "Confession"! Enjoy!

Mirio inhaled sharply through his nose as he straightened his bowtie for the millionth time in the floor-length mirror spanning the back door of his closet. He flashed his winning smile to his reflection, but it crinkled at the edges, betraying his anxiety. Come on, Mirio. You're just going to tell Nejire that you love her. It's not that big of a deal! he told himself in a pitiful attempt to psych himself up. It didn't really work; his smile remained limp and strained, and his stomach continued to bubble with unease, spreading the bitter acid of apprehension over his tongue. It's not that big of a deal… he repeated like a mantra, running his arms over the fabric of his dress shirt. It was crinkled, because he couldn't decide if he wanted to let the sleeves hang loose or button them around his elbows. In a last-minute decision, he clasped them at the elbows to display the bulge of his muscular arms and exited the room before he changed his mind again.

Mirio had possessed feelings for the beautiful periwinkle-haired girl for some time now, but he'd always kept them to himself; life at U.A. was stressful, after all, and he hadn't wanted to add to the chaos with a relationship. Graduation was looming near, however, and Mirio had decided it was high time to lay all his cards on the table and get an answer from Nejire. With some calculated smooth-talking, he'd convinced Nejire to go out with him on a "platonic friend date." It'd taken every ounce of his charisma to persuade her against inviting Tamaki. He loved going out as a threesome, but having the boy along as a third wheel didn't quite align with his plans for the evening.

Mirio took the dorm steps two at a time, briskly descending the steps to the common room. A few male students jeeringly wolf-whistled at him as he strolled to the glass doors and adjusted his suspender straps. Mirio clicked his tongue and tossed them a sardonic grin, playfully snapping the fabric bands against his broad chest.

"Mock me all you want, gentlemen, but who's the one going out on a date here?" he taunted haughtily.

"Yeah, but if we were going out, at least the girl would know she was going on a date!" one of them shot back pompously. A pink haze blossomed on Mirio's cheeks as he was effectively had. Another round of raucous laughter echoed in the common room, making his face take on a deeper hue.

"All right, all right, laugh it up," he snapped irritatedly. One of his friends draped themselves over the back of the couch and winked at him.

"All right, we rest our case. Seriously, Mirio, good luck. We hope it goes well." Mirio's small amount of ire immediately dissipated, and he grinned broadly. Before he could thank them for their well wishes, he heard wedges clunking against the wood stairs. He whirled around just in time to see the swish of Nejire's white and blue floral-patterned dress as she descended the steps. His mouth fell open in a shameless gawk at the way her bright blue hair whirled around her shapely hips, and the way her eyes sparkled brightly above her happy smile. Mirio recounted Tamaki's description of her after the school showcase, calling her a "fairy." In that moment, Mirio thought the moniker fell dreadfully short, because Nejire was nothing short of a radiant goddess.

"Ready?" she chirped as she skipped happily over to him. Mirio's eyes fluttered a bit as he struggled to find his words, but after a second, he managed to return to his senses and utter a quick "yep!" With a cheeky grin, he offered Nejire his arm, and she cooed delightedly.

"Oooh, Mirio, you're really playing up the whole date thing, aren'tcha? Well, don't mind if I do!" she giggled and hooked her slim arm around the thick muscle of his forearm. Mirio flashed the other guys a glare over his shoulder as they whispered and snickered under their breaths, then hurriedly pushed the glass door of the exit open before they could ruin his carefully crafted plan. Nejire pressed close to him as they walked out of the dormitory, a smile on her lips all the while.

It was about six in the evening; the height of the day had long since passed, and so the air was pleasantly cool with just enough of the fading warmth of the sun to keep the temperature comfortable. The sun bubbled just above the horizon, eclipsed by the residential houses across the street from the massive school campus. With their off-campus passes tucked into the back pocket of his slacks just in case a patrolling teacher harried them, the two third-years proceeded towards the towering walls of the front gate. It was then that Nejire decided to speak up.

"Soooo, Mirio, where are we going?" The blond flashed her a brazen grin.

"Well, now, I'd hate to ruin the surprise," he explained mysteriously. His will almost wavered when she poked her lips out in a displeased pout, but he remained steadfast. With a good-natured chuckle, he threw his head back a little and beamed proudly. "But I'll give you a hint! I don't skimp on dates, so I'm treating you to some first-class cuisine tonight!" Nejire trilled delightedly.

"Wow, I feel so special!" she sighed dreamily as she laid her free hand against her light pink cheek. She fluttered her eyelashes and smiled jubilantly. "Keep it up, and I might be fooled that I really am your girlfriend, Mirio~" She was teasing, but Mirio couldn't help but grin triumphantly to himself. He already had a foot in the door.

Little do you know, that's exactly what I want, Nejire! With her pleasant attitude and positive responses, Mirio found his anxieties melting away. So far, so good!

The young couple walked the short distance to the downtown area, which was lined with a multitude of shops and restaurants. When Mirio stopped at a street corner where a building was ringed in iron-wrought fencing and laughter drifted out of a gazeboed outdoor eating area, Nejire exclaimed in awe. "Wow, Mirio, is this place what I think it is?" Mirio grinned proudly at the periwinkle-haired girl.

"That's right! It's the highest-rated restaurant in the area. It's been a while since someone treated you to a good time, so I thought, why not splurge a little?" he winked while nudging her in the ribs with his elbow. Nejire giggled, and though her demeanor was usually bubbly, Mirio could tell that she was really excited by the elated twinkle in her eyes. She tugged excitedly on his arm as she scampered through the gate, pleading, "Let's go! Let's go!" Mirio laughed joyfully at her excitement and trotted after her.

Classical music floated on the air as Mirio and Nejire walked through the elegant glass doors. Mirio gave his name to the usher, who promptly delivered them to a table in the center of the spacious restaurant. Mirio graciously pulled back Nejire's seat for her, making her smile pleasantly and throw him a demure flutter of her eyelashes. Mirio placed an order for two glasses of water after seating himself across from her, and then folded his hands on the table to smile broadly. "So? Living up to your expectations so far?"

"Hmm, I would've expected a live band," she shrugged teasingly. Mirio chuckled at her joke, and Nejire then smiled sweetly at him. "Thanks, Mirio. I really appreciate it. I'm enjoying myself already!"

"Yeah, well, you'll enjoy yourself immensely once we get some food on the table, if the rumors are true," Mirio joked and picked up the menu to peruse the contents. This venue was one of the ritziest in town, and that was reflected by the impressive price tags attached to the various meals. Not that Mirio cared; his full intentions were to spoil Nejire, so he really wouldn't care if he came out of this with his wallet much emptier. You only live once, though, right?

"Wow, that is an impressive salad," Nejire praised with wide eyes when the waiter set a very aesthetically-pleasing bowl of mixed vegetables, grilled chicken, and tangy vinaigrette in front of her. Mirio had contented himself with some soup, and he smiled at Nejire as he gestured playfully at her with his spoon.

"Told ya," he chuckled. Nejire wiggled her shoulders as she sampled some of the crunchy leaves, throwing him a wink.

"You sure know how to treat a lady, Mirio. How come you haven't landed yourself a gal yet?" A sudden sweat bloomed over Mirio's body, and he laughed as he tugged at the collar of his shirt, finding it already damp with perspiration. Hehe, well, hopefully, I'll have one by the end of the night, he thought.

"Eh, y'know. Priorities," Mirio answered vaguely and busied himself with his soup to save himself from further interrogation. Nejire eyed him suspiciously, but thankfully decided to deviate from her normal tendencies and drop the conversation. Mirio and Nejire were never one for awkward conversation, so they resumed the pleasantries soon enough, chattering all through dinner and dessert with bright smiles.

After they stepped out of the restaurant with full bellies (and a flatter wallet, in Mirio's case) into the twilight, Nejire propped her chin on his shoulder with a pout.

"I don't wanna go home yet! Let's do something else, Mirio." He brightened visibly at her suggestion. The dinner hadn't really given him a good opportunity to profess his feelings, so her desire to continue out into the town afforded him another chance. The restaurant shared a border with a community flower garden. He gestured with his chin at the garden.

"How about there?"

"Sure!" she cried. Mirio yelped when she yanked on his arm and forced him into a brisk walk. The iron-wrought gate creaked as Nejire pushed it open. The scent of damp earth and aromatic flowers immediately greeted them, making Nejire sigh in exultation. "They're so pretty!" she cooed in delight. She released his hand to scuttle over to a rose bush, drawing her long, thick hair over her shoulder to lean down and deeply inhale the rich aroma of the bright red bloom. "Mmmm…" Mirio watched her with a sweet, endeared expression. Nejire tossed a smile over her shoulder, sapphire eyes gleaming.

"Nejire…" Her name fell from his lips without him realizing it. The girl blinked and straightened up, running her hands over her beautiful light blue hair.

"Yes?" Mirio gulped and shuffled his feet shyly, suddenly finding it difficult to speak. Nejire cocked her head to the side and strode over to stand in front of him. "Mirio? What is it?" He rubbed his sweating palms against his slacks compulsively, then abruptly grabbed both of hers.

"Nejire… Tonight… It wasn't just a platonic thing. Not for me," Mirio admitted quickly. He couldn't bring himself to look at Nejire's face, so he stared at her hands, watching his thumbs slowly caress the tops of her dainty hands. He felt them grow rigid beneath his fingers. A sinking feeling rose in his belly when she tugged one of them away, but shock replaced it when she cupped his cheek. It slowly trailed down to his chin, forcing him to meet her gaze. He found it kind, welcoming- loving.

"That's good. It wasn't for me either."

"Really?" His jaw nearly hit the cobblestone path at her startling confession. Nejire laughed airily at his reaction.

"I knew something was up when you were so insistent against Tama joining." Mirio scowled, ashamed at his obliviousness. Of course she would've known… Nejire smiled kindly and began stroking his jawline gently with the flat of her hand. "Don't feel bad. I said yes, didn't I? I really did have a great time and would love to go out with you again- as a couple." Mirio's heart thumped against his ribcage with a great big leap, and his face turned as pink as the carnations behind him.

"Ya mean it?"

"Mhmm." Mirio was still holding her other hand, so he grinned cheekily and brought it to his mouth to press a light kiss against her skin. Nejire's eyes lidded as she watched him perform the intimate gesture.

"I'll be looking forward to it. How about next Friday?"