A/N: It's been awhile since I've written some of these, but motivation suddenly slapped me, so here I am. Hope you enjoy, and I apologize for the long wait...
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16. Uncomfortable Coriander and Sesame Seeds
Traditions
It wasn't every day someone approached the Demon of Brooklyn with the inquiry, "You used to be really intimidating, right?"
Liz turned, eyes narrowing in a hostile glare at whoever had spoken, trying to push across the point that she was still intimidating. However, when her gaze fell on the trembling, wide eyed Hiro, she realized he still believed it to be true, so why phrase the question like that at all?
With a sigh, she pulled her long bangs out of her face, replying, "Yeah, back in Brooklyn I was a real nuisance. Why?"
Hiro nodded briefly, replying nervously, "Well, I… uh… was wondering if you'd mind… showing me how to be more intimidating?"
Liz looked over the scrawny student, from his scuffed up shoes to his messy blonde hair. With a raised eyebrow and a snort, she turned on her heel and strode purposefully down the hallway to her first class. Behind her came an almost desperate cry, followed by the slapping of shoes on the floor as Hiro scrambled after her.
"I was hoping if maybe I struck fear into some people here, I wouldn't be everyone's errand boy," he quickly explained. "And I know you and your sister make quite the impression on the students here, so I was thinking you could give me a hand."
"Why not ask Patty?" Liz inquired skeptically, turning a corner and spotting the open doorway of Class Crescent Moon just as the last bell rang. "She may not look it all the time, but she's evil."
"I thought you'd be able to give me better tips on how to make my appearance more frightening," Hiro replied.
Liz wasn't sure whether or not she should be offended, so as she stepped into the class room, she stopped in the doorway and turned to Hiro as he halted beside her. "Okay, listen," she began in an almost exhausted voice. "What I can tell you right now is that you're on the right track when it comes to your clothes. They have kind of the whole 'I don't care' attitude. That's good, but maybe throw in a leather jacket."
Hiro nodded vigorously, mouth set in a deep, thoughtful frown.
"Next would be to stand up to your opponents. Look fearless, maybe a little arrogant. That'll throw your them off." Liz crossed her arms, continuing, "When you're put in a situation you don't like, act cool and collected. That way, whoever you're up against doesn't know you're bothered by anything. Don't freak out, otherwise you'll lose your edge."
"Right, got it." Hiro said with a steady nod and a determined grin. Liz almost expected him to salute.
"One last thing," the older girl continued. "Even if you do—"
An almost inaudible giggle stopped her, and she remembered where she was. The entire class was staring at the two from where they stood in the doorway, and even Stein was smirking as he watched the lesson on how to be intimidating. A few of the students were making dramatic 'Ooooh' noises, while on one of the top rows, Black Star was grinning from ear to ear, while Maka and Tsubaki had their mouths covered and Patty was in hysterics. Even Kid looked slightly alarmed, and that's when Liz noticed his eyes kept traveling to the place above her head.
Hiro caught on first, looking up and his eyes turned to saucers. When Liz looked up, she inhaled sharply at the green plant dangling a few inches from her head. Whoever had the wise idea of putting mistletoe above the door was going to pay with their soul.
Almost immediately, all of Liz's advice came back to her on the train of irony. When you're put in a situation you don't like, act cool and collected. Don't freak out, otherwise you'll lose your edge.
Well, so much for that…
Liz reeled back in alarm, yelling, "What? Who's idea was this?" Turning to the cluster of students, she pinpointed Black Star and jabbed a finger in his direction. "Ooh, it was you wasn't it? You're dead, Black Star! Dead!"
"Um…" Hiro piped up nervously, raising a shaking finger to the mistletoe. "It is tradition, right?"
Liz turned on the boy, getting right in his face and hissed, "And what if it was tradition to hang from your underwear on the middle spike of the school? Would you do that to?"
"Oh, hey, hey!" Black Star cried excitedly from where he was sitting. "We should make that a thing! Professor Stein, can you tell Lord Death that hanging from the school by your underwear is a new tradition?"
Stein glanced at the assassin, muttering, "In that case, how about we add that on every Christmas Eve, I get to pick names out of a Santa hat and dissect those unfortunate souls? It'll be the ultimate Christmas experience. Ah!" He slammed a closed fist into his outstretched hand, adding excitedly, "That'd be perfect! I could give lungs and liver for Christmas gifts!"
The entire class went silent, staring at their professor wide eyed as he began laughing quietly, glasses glinting demonically. Turning to Liz and Hiro, they saw the two were still in the doorway, Hiro looking uncharacteristically subdued and Liz gritting her teeth in irritation. With a low growl, she turned like she was about to head out the door, but grabbed Hiro at the last minute and angrily pressed her mouth against his, regardless of the staring eyes, gasps, and continued 'Oooh!'s. For a few seconds they stayed like that until Hiro drew back, barely getting enough time to take in a gasp of air before Liz grabbed him by the back of his collar and pushed him back out into the hallway. At the boy's confused look, she yelled, "Get to class! You're late as it is!"
"But I have class here!" Hiro replied, motioning to the still speechless class.
Liz's face went a few shades deeper than red, and she snapped frantically, "Yeah, well, not today!" and promptly closed the door in his face.
Turning to the rest of the class, the demon pistol sent Black Star a truly evil eye and took her seat between Kid and Patty. Kid didn't say anything, but she could see a hint of a smirk, and Patty giggled as soon as her older sister sat down. "Big Sis wasn't very calm in that situation like she told Hiro to be!"
There came the mix of snort and a cough from the back of her meister's throat, and Liz turned on the Grim Reaper as he covered the grin on his face and avoided her gaze. Above her, Black Star was cackling away, giving Soul a high five, and Liz snarled, "Oh, shut it! Next time I'll make sure it's you two under that damn Christmas plant!"
That stopped the assassin and scythe, mid fist bump, and an awkward, but oddly justified silence followed. Liz smirked, but it immediately left her face as the door to the classroom opened, and Hiro inched his way inside, looking around warily. Taking a seat just a few below Liz, he turned around and whispered quietly, "You never told me the third tip to being intimidating."
Liz's fierce gaze traveled back to Soul and Black Star whose faces went white before she declared, "Even if you do lose your cool in a bad situation and get the worst of it, always, always find a way to get your revenge."
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A/N: Run, Soul and Black Star! Run! It's late, but Merry Christmas to you all! Hope you enjoyed this little Hiro x Liz. ^^ AutumnMobile12 gave me the idea for the very end.