"Ok. Tell me why I'm here again." Shai said. She was watching her friend walk back and forth from one end of her room to the other. Frankly she looked a mess. Her hair was still misshapen from sleep and her oversized clothing was rumpled. Airi puffed her cheeks out and ran her hands through her hair.

"I already told you." She whined. She sunk to the floor in despair curling up into a ball before rolling over, arms and legs splayed out.

"I still don't see what the problem is."

Airi glared at her friend and then adopted the most pitiful expression that Shai had ever seen.

"I'm catching feelings girl."

Suddenly Shai knew why they were having this emergency meeting on a Saturday morning. It was ridiculous, but it made sense.

"Aren't y'all dating though? You're supposed to have feelings."

"But this is different." She said staring at the ceiling. "I caught them bad." She bit her lip and turned back to Shai with wide eyes. "I'm scared."

This wasn't news to Shai. She had known from the day that they had gone to the party that this one was going to be different. She knew about Airi's typical disinterest in having boys as anything more than friends. She had tried many of times to hook her up with people but it never worked out. Shai said it was because she didn't try, but she knew what it really was. She was terrified of getting her heart broken. That's why she kept every boy that looked her way an arms length away. It was a difficult task with her affectionate personality, but it had worked so far. But somehow this genius kid with a tooth gap and a flying robot slipped right through her defenses undetected. And by the time she realized what she was doing it was too late.

"I thought-." She started. "I thought that I could just...mess around I guess. He was cute and it seemed like he liked me. He's in college so if it got awkward I'd never have to see him again."

She rolled over and sat up pushing herself on her knees.

"It seemed like a good idea, but now I really like him. He's sweet and funny and cute and so smart."

She took a deep breath and looked at Shai expectantly. She was completely lost and Shai could see it in her eyes.

"So what I'm hearing," Shai said sitting on the floor next to her. "Is that you're scared that he doesn't like you as much as you like him."

"Yeah."

"Well I can't promise you anything, all I know is that he's the one who came after you, kissed you first, and you're hot as shit."

Airi laughed and pushed Shai playfully.

"Don't flatter me."

"Someone has to. Look, just see how it goes ok. You're both each other's first so neither of you know what you're doing. Don't fight it."

"Ok."

Airi grabbed Shai's hand and squeezed it tight. Shai suddenly felt a wave of protectiveness wash over her. She didn't like seeing her friend look so vulnerable.

"You're gonna be ok mami. I promise."

"Thanks Shai."

"And if you're not I'll cut his dick off."

"Shai!"

Just then Airi's phone buzzed. She stood up and made her way over to her dresser. She unlocked the phone and smiled softly.

"It's him. He's inviting me to hangout with his friends tonight."

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard but there was still a smile on her lips.

"Fine, but you have to deal with me until then."

Airi grinned finally typing in an answer. She bounded over to Shai and jumped on her giggling.

"Wouldn't want it any other way."

Shai and Airi spent the day catching up and running around the city. They returned to Airi's house with painted nails and a couple of bags still buzzing from the multiple coffees they had to stay warm. Once they got inside they raided her closet in search of a outfit. They settled on a flannel and a crop top with high waisted jeans and combat boots. Cute but not trying too hard.

"Are you sure that you don't want to come?"

"Naw. I have to go to a family dinner. My tia is getting married. Again."

"Ok. I'll miss you though."

"Yeah ok. Try and remember me while boy wonder has his tongue down your throat...on second thought don't. That would be weird."

Shai left a half hour before Hiro showed up. Thankfully Airi's dad was still at work. He drove Tadashi's moped and Airi squealed the whole way to Fred's house. He might have also taken the long way but she didn't have to know that.

"Fred lives here?" She said in awe.

"Yeah I was shocked too."

"I feel underdressed."

"Please. This is Fred were talking about. I don't think he owns a pair of dress shoes."

Hiro pulled the helmet off of her head and kissed her nose while her eyes were still scrunched up. Her eyes opened and she giggled before pressing a kiss firmly to his lips.

"C'mon then." She said tugging his arm. Hiro followed walking up and knocking on the door. Heathecliffe opened the door and bowed.

"Mr. Hamada."

"Hey Heathecliffe." Hiro said smiling. "This is Airi. She's uh my girlfriend."

He blushed as he said it and Airi's grip tightened on his hand.

"Nice to meet you Miss. The others are waiting for you in the library."

They headed inside stopping several times for Airi to look at the paintings and admire the decoration. She pointed out things that Hiro himself had never really paid attention to all the times that he had walked through the house. She traced the banister all the way up the stairs up to the big door at the top where music was bursting through the cracks of the door. The entered and saw the gang all sitting in the room. GoGo and Fred were playing a video game while Honey Lemon and Wasabi were talking animatedly on the adjoining couch. Their heads all turned when the door shut behind them and Honey Lemon squealed when she saw their hands connected.

"Aww you two are so cute!"

Airi shuffled awkwardly at the compliment bowing her head down. Hiro smiled shyly with only a faint blush to his cheeks. The couple walked over to the long couch and sat down.

"Stop it Honey. You're embarrassing her." GoGo said turning back to the game. "Hey kid. What's up?"

"Uh same old same old. Got here on a scooter. That was cool."

"Ha. That old moped. You need to take a ride on my bike sometime. Now that's cool."

"And terrifying." Wasabi interjected.

"Sounds like my kind of ride." She said. GoGo popped her gum and looked at Airi and then Hiro.

"I like her."

Airi grinned and looked at Hiro who jokingly rolled his eyes. After GoGo and Fred finished their game, Fred invited Airi to play against him and he promised to go easy on her. Hiro saw her expression twist before she smiled and thanked him. She destroyed him, and Hiro stared at her in awe as her maniacal laughter was drowned out by Fred's shouts of disbelief. When the game over sign flashed across the screen she dropped the controller and smirked.

"Thanks for going easy on me."

"I take it back." GoGo said to Hiro. "I love her."

The rest of the night was fun. They talked, watched movies and Fred kept Airi entertained while the others "talked science" as he said. Hiro caught himself watching her more than once. When she got Wasabi talking about the tragedy of double dipping, the creases in her brow when she was discussing the max amount of denim allowed in one outfit with Honey, the excitement in her eyes when GoGo was talking about her racing. The best was when she was battling Fred for the title of DDR master. Hiro had been the first to lose so he watched as she beat all of his friends one by one until only the reining champ was left. Fred had an almost perfect score but when it got to the freestyle section she went off. She had been holding back the whole time. Her ending standing back tuck made Fred bow at her feet. She laughed but there was a sense of satisfaction behind her smile. She knew how to do this. This was her thing.

"You've got to teach me how to do that." Fred begged.

"I can try." She offered.

"Dude." Fred said grabbing Hiro by his shirt. "Your girlfriend is a freaking ninja."

"Really? She never told me."

"Well you know what they say." She said plopping down next to him.

"If I told you..." She began, stroking his cheek. "...I'd have to kill you."

Though her mouth was suppressing a smile, her eyes were filled with humor and Hiro stared back with just as much amusement. Her lip twitched and the next second they were both laughing out loud. When they finally collected themselves they realized that the others were staring at them with fond expressions on their faces.

"What?" Airi asked looking from them to Hiro. Was there something she was missing?

"We're just really happy you're here." Honey Lemon said.

"Oh. Well I'm happy to be here." She said still slightly confused. Fred grabbed her and Hiro's hands pulling them up.

"Group hug!"

They were all smushed together with Airi and Hiro in the middle. Their bodies were pressed close with only a small space between their faces. Hiro rested his forehead against Airi's and smiled.

"I think they like you." He whispered.

"We do." Honey whispered back squeezing tighter.

Airi laughed and they all let go.

"Well I think we should go. It's getting late." Hiro said.

"Yeah." Airi agreed. "I need to be home before my dad."

After goodbye hugs and number exchanges, Airi and Hiro headed out. Even with her flannel, Airi was still pretty cold. Hiro saw her shiver when he handed her the extra helmet and frowned.

"Are you cold?" He asked already unzipping his jacket.

"A little, but it's ok."

He shrugged his jacket off his shoulders and held it out to her. Goosebumps started to form on his newly exposed arms and Airi opened her mouth to protest.

"Just take it." He said before she could say no. She closed her mouth and smiled grabbing it. When she finished putting it on and looked up, Hiro was staring at something behind her with a hard intensity. She furrowed her brow and turned to the side.

"What are you-?"

"Go back inside."

"What? Why?"

"Please?" He tore his eyes away for a second to stare at her with pleading eyes. The desperate look in his eyes made her run into the mansion pulling the solid door open.

"Guys!" She yelled running into Heathecliffe. The gang had been half down the stairs and widens as the butler caught her flailing body.

"I think something's wrong." She said worriedly. "Hiro-." Before she could finish her sentence they were all out the door and it was shut behind them. Airi and Heathecliffe stood alone in the empty hall that was suddenly very quiet.

"You should come with me." He said turning and walking down the hall."

"No. They...what if they need help? We should call the cops or something!"

"Please miss. I must insist you follow me."

Airi took one last look at the door before following him. On the way he knocked over a vase that fell on the floor and smashed.

"Oh. My bad. I'll go get something to clean that up."

He quickly disappeared leaving Airi alone with a smashed vase and a stand that had a...big red button on it. She pushed it and the portrait on the opposite wall opened up showing a variety of superhero equipment. Her eyes widened and she sighed rubbing her temples.

"I can't believe I'm gonna do this."

XOXOXOXO