Chapter 9 – La Da Dee
Friday afternoon came painfully slow.
Closing her computer, she rubbed her eyes and pulled out her phone seeing a text from Nemuri.
"Hey! I was thinking of going to Sanzaru tonight. Would you like to grab a couple drinks? Maybe some karaoke?"
Aine leaned back in her chair mulling it over. She hadn't left campus since she had moved in and, if she was honest with herself, she was starting to go a little stir-crazy even with her nightly free-running through Ground Beta.
"Sure!" she sent back.
Within minutes of her hitting send, Nemuri was knocking at her door.
"Ready?"
"Let me send an email to Nedzu…"
"Already done, come on" Nemuri tapped her fingers against her elbow impatiently.
Aine laughed, "Okay, okay I'm coming! Do I have time to stop by my apartment at least and drop off my computer?"
The inside of the bar was relatively non-descriptive, music played from the karaoke system where a group of men were drunkenly attempting (and failing) to sing along with a pop song. There were a few small groups of people sat around in booths and tables while a couple of people sat at the main bar on barstools.
"Hizashi has his radio show tonight, but he said he might join us later." Both women decided to sit at the main bar, Nemuri gesturing the bartender over and ordering for the both of them as they spoke.
Aine looked around, "So this is where the UA teachers unwind, huh?"
"For the most part," the bartender returned with their drinks and Nemuri handed Aine one of the glasses, "after All-Might's impromptu retirement party they haven't been too enthusiastic about another full staff party starting over here." she laughed to herself, "You should have seen it. Shouta was so drunk he thought that – " she pointed to a repaired daruma doll, "was All-Might."
"Oh gods above," Aine rolled her eyes and chuckled, "and I'm guessing he still swears he doesn't get drunk."
Nemuri tapped the end of her nose.
They continued chatting and drinking for a few hours, eventually devolving into both women taking over the karaoke system in a drunken concert. By the time Hizashi showed up, Aine had lost her hair ribbon and cardigan with Nemuri dragging her onto the karaoke stage for yet another song.
He wasn't alone.
Shouta sat himself at the far end of the bar, earning a disapproving look from Hizashi. Ordering a beer for himself, he watched as Nemuri pulled a very inebriated Aine onto the stage for karaoke. She was in a red tank top and a pair of khaki colored dress slacks. Her hair was hanging in loose ringlets that brushed her shoulders.
He swore he had seen her wearing a beige cardigan and a ribbon earlier that day, they had probably disappeared somewhere in the bar if he had to guess.
"So are you going to stay over here and be anti-social?" Hizashi slid into the stool next to him.
"Did you two plan this?" he glanced sideways at Hizashi while tossing his head towards Nemuri. Aine had abandoned her and gone back to their drinks on the other side of the bar.
Hizashi shook his head, "No, I didn't tell her I invited you along. Don't be mad, Shouta." He turned so his back was to the two women, "I figured I would need some back up to get them home. Especially with the head start they had on drinking."
Shouta rolled his eyes, "So when do you say we round them up and take them home?"
About then, Nemuri walked over behind the bar – shooing the bartender out of the way - and began mixing something in a glass before handing it to Aine. "Let them have some fun, I'm going to go save Aine from whatever that is." Hizashi walked over to where Aine was downing the glass Nemuri handed her.
He succeeded in stopping her about halfway, only for the girls to gang up on him and make him drink the other half. He coughed and sputtered, muttering something about it being a "crime against humanity".
The three were chatting at the bar when Shouta felt an uneasy air move towards the group. A man was moving across the bar, settling in a stool just a short way from them. His eyes were glued on Aine.
Nemuri grabbed Hizashi and headed towards the karaoke stage. The man took the opportunity to move closer and closer until he was directly behind Aine, setting off sirens in Shouta's head. He laid down the payment for his drinks and quietly headed across the bar.
He caught Hizashi's eyes and jerked his head towards where Aine was sitting. Understanding flashed across his face and he slipped away from where Nemuri was singing. As they moved closer to where Aine sat, the man said something to her. She shook her head, no and waved her hand in a dismissive gesture.
The man grabbed her hand.
Aine's reflexes may have been dulled by the alcohol, but she was still lightning quick. Shouta had barely closed the distance before the reverberating "crack" of knuckles hitting skull rang out and the man reeled backwards but didn't fall.
"And that would be our cue," Shouta swept Aine up pinning her arms to her sides, she struggled and nearly threw an elbow his way until she looked up at his face, "Easy now. That's enough. Let's get you out of here before bricks for brains over there decides to cause trouble."
Carrying her outside, he deposited her in the backseat of his car about the same time as Hizashi and Nemuri exited the bar and started to head over.
As the two settled into the remaining seats, he pulled out his phone to send a quick message.
"Togata, can you watch Eri for a little longer? I should be home later."
Once they got to the dorm, Shouta and Hizashi helped the girls out of the car and into the common room.
"Sit down," Shouta stated firmly as he walked Aine over to the couch, "and wait here. I'll be right back." he pushed down on her shoulders until she sat on the couch.
Turning to Hizashi, he gestured towards a barely conscious Nemuri, "Do you need a hand getting her upstairs?"
"I got her but if you want to switch, I can get Aine to her room."
Shouta shook his head, "I'm good. Get Nem to bed. Do you have their keys?"
Hizashi dug in his pocket and produced the 2 room keys handing Aine's to Shouta before walking towards the elevator.
"Hey 'Zashi? Can you peak in and check on Togata and Eri?"
Hizashi nodded and adjusted his grip on Nemuri and resumed their trek to the elevator.
As they disappeared around the corner, Shouta turned his attention back to Aine who followed his movements with wide eyes. He motioned for her to stay put while he went to the kitchen to grab the first aid kit. As he came back out, she was studying the split knuckles on her right hand.
He set the first aid kit down on the table, her eyes looked at the kit and then at him. Sitting down across from her, he held his hand out for hers.
She placed her hand in his and studied his face as he checked over her knuckles. A couple were cut pretty good but nothing that would need stitches, he started to pull alcohol swabs and a couple of small bandages from the kit.
"Ar-ou real?" she slurred as he cleaned the wounds. Her facial expression was almost child-like and combined with her already delicate features and flush from the alcohol she almost looked cherubic.
"I'm real and you are very drunk." he shook his head. Using small butterfly closures to close the deeper cuts, he started to wrap her knuckles in a soft cloth bandage.
"Shouta…"
He looked up and saw tears pooling in wide hazel eyes as her mouth tried to form words, "I'm s-sorry..."
"You're all bandaged up, let's get you in bed." he put the first aid kit back together and set it to the side.
She nodded and tried standing up, only to fall heavily back onto the couch. "I-I can jus' s'ay 'ere" she patted the couch and sniffled.
Shouta shook his head, "Come on." He lifted her lithe frame in a bridal carry and headed for the elevators. Aine didn't protest but leaned her head against his shoulder. As they came to her door, he set her down on her feet still supporting her with one arm under her shoulders so he could fish the key out of his pocket.
Once inside, he helped her remove her shoes before walking her to her bedroom. He turned on her bedside lamp as he guided her down into a sitting position on her bed. She looked from him to her hand to the bed as though trying to put puzzle pieces together in her head, "Lie down, you need to sleep it off." he was meaning to be direct but even to his ears it sounded slightly harsher than he intended.
She obeyed and he covered her with a small blanket that had been thrown over the foot of the bed. As he reached to turn off the light, Aine's hand shakily reached out and grabbed his wrist.
"S-stay with me." she pleaded; the slur was less pronounced, but it was still there.
"Not in here. I'll be out in the living room until you wake up." he gently pried her fingers off of his wrist and set her hand on her pillow beside her.
"Is it 'cause I left?" her eyes were filled with tears again. "You don't wanna stay with me 'cause I …"
"No, it's because you are drunk, and we are not having this conversation now. Get some sleep, I'll be here in the morning." his voice was gentler but still firm. Aine's alcohol addled brain seemed to accept that response as she closed her eyes.
He turned off the light and went to spend the remainder of the night on her couch. Pulling out his phone he sent another message to Togata.
Change of plans, can you take Eri to Hizashi's? Let him know something has come up.
"Sure thing, Sensei!"
Shouta kissed her lightly on the forehead before he left on patrol, like he did every night, with a whispered promise to come back to her.
As soon as she heard the front door close, she went into action. Dressing quickly in a t-shirt, dark hoodie, and jeans, she gathered a few belongings and threw them into a backpack. Aine scribbled a note on a spare piece of paper and set it on Shouta's pillow.
Careful to not make more noise than necessary, she opened the window easing herself onto the fire escape before closing it behind her.
She maneuvered through the streets towards the closest train station. It would have been easier and possibly quicker to go through the rooftops, but she had to make sure she left a trail. Her face had to be seen going to the train station.
Something for Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-Dum to follow away from her friends.
As she arrived at the train station, she bought the first ticket she could to Tokyo. Somewhere with lots of people but even more importantly, an international airport.
She had planned this out when Yuji had confronted her in the marketplace, she had to leave Japan. As long as she stayed here, they could use her friends against her. By making it look like she abandoned them to save her own skin, she hoped against hope that it would look like the ties had been severed.
How she wished she could have told them more, could have been held by Shouta one more time or sang or goofed around with Hizashi and Nemuri to say a proper goodbye. Deep down, she knew it had to look like she didn't care. That they didn't mean anything to her, and she would just run to save herself.
It wasn't until the plane carrying her to Europe took off from Tokyo hours later that the dam broke and Aine sobbed herself to sleep.
Aine scrubbed the tears from her face as she woke. It took a moment for her to reorientate herself to her surroundings, that she was in her own bed and not on the plane in her memory.
When did I get home? How did I get home?
She was still dressed in her clothes from the night before. Ignoring the queasy feeling in her stomach, she got up tossing the blanket she was covered with back at the foot of her bed. As she stretched, she saw her bandaged hand from the corner of her eye. She inwardly groaned.
Great, first night out on the town and I hurt myself.
After doing a quick inventory of the rest of her body and finding no other obvious injuries, she opened the door to head to the kitchen and get some crackers for her stomach. Yawning, she stepped down the small hallway only to stop short with a yelp.
Shouta was asleep on her couch.
She went straight back to her room and shut the door.
What the hell?! What the hell?! What the hell?!
As she leaned against the door, she racked her brain to clear the mental fog of the night before.
Was he at the bar? Did someone call him to come and get me? Did he bring me home? Well, obviously or he wouldn't be ON MY COUCH!
Aine opened the door and looked down the hallway, this time locking eyes with a very awake and obviously amused Shouta who was now sitting up on the couch.
Face burning, she stepped back into the hallway "Um….good morning…" she rubbed her bandaged hand along the back of her neck.
"Morning." he watched her as she made her way down the hallway.
She stopped, clearing her throat, and gesturing to the kitchen, "Would you like some coffee?"
He shook his head, "I only stayed because you asked me to. I didn't want you to wake up to an empty apartment afterwards."
The memory whispered back out of the haze and Aine felt her cheeks burn. "Oh…I …. I did say that didn't I. Well….um….Thanks? For that and for…uh…this." She held up the bandaged hand.
"I'm going to go. See you on Monday." he stood and headed towards the door, waving as he stepped through.
"Yeah, see you on Monday."