What's this? A fic with NO smut? Yes. Yes, it is! I decided that I've alluded to it in my Shades of EraserMic series but here it is! The festival and confession! I guess it can be thought of as a novella type thing attached to the series! It was inspired by my series the same way it sort of inspired Our Awkward First times! I just don't have them in the series because they were inspired off of them, if that makes sense. But here it is! Three chapters of the sweetest, tooth-rotting fluff I could come up with! I hope that you all enjoy these three short chapters! Until we meet again ❤️

"What exactly am I staring at?"

Hizashi fought the urge to flinch at the flat tone of Shouta's as dark eyes scanned over the paper he held out before him. He could see faint spots of pink forming on the black-haired teen's face as he began to slide his binders and notebook into his backpack. Shaking it lightly to get the items inside to settle properly. He cleared his throat then he placed the paper down on the desk on top of a binder to keep it from being grabbed at. "It's a summer festival! It has everything! A Ferris wheel, games, and food!"

"I know what it has, Hizashi. I mean why are you practically shoving this paper into my face?" Shouta then pushed at his hand with the paper causing it to slip off that binder to which the black-haired teen scooped up to stuff into his backpack. There were a few idle conversations behind had around them over the screeching chair legs over linoleum. Zippers jingling quietly with bags being heaved up. His own bag rested against his hip when black brows raised at him prompting him to clear his throat again.

"Because I wanted to ask you if you would be interested in going! I already had Oboro and Nem coming!" Dark eyes narrowed at him with that suspicious look to them that had his heart fluttering in his chest. His stomach filling with that sickening butterfly effect to the sharp look as he fought the urge to drop his gaze. Heat gathered in the back of his neck, stinging in the tips of his ears, when he took a slow breath before leaning forward on his hands. "C'mon! You can't honestly be so much of a grump you don't want to go!"

"I wouldn't say that, but I don't understand why you want me to go when you have Shirakumo and Kayama going with you." There was a tired, biting note to Shouta's voice as he grabbed at the zippers of his back to begin working it over the swell of his textbooks and binders. Fingers shaking as they tugged the sides of the bag together. He shifted on his feet watching the black-haired teen tugged at the zipper again with a quiet huff leaving him only to have that dark gaze on him again. "Give me one good reason why I should go. One."

"Because I'll be there! And Nem! And Oboro! All your friends in one place, how much fun would that be?" He leaned forward on the desk that held a glossy sheen to it. Pencil and marker smudges on the surface kept it from being pristine when he smiled at the black-haired teen brightly. "C'mon! I know you're a sour grump, but can you really say that you don't want to come and hang out with us! Live a little! It's not gonna kill you to go to a festival, is it?"

Full lips pursed then with spots of pink deepening on Shouta's cheeks. It was a beautiful color on that pale skin; the sight of loose curls waving down to frame that pinkening face. Dark eyes looking to him before darting away when Shouta's head ducked down to jerk his zipper down into place. Swinging his back into place, the black-haired teen shoved his chair into place before weaving uncertainly on his feet when eyes flicked back to him. "You're so annoying, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know, but you like that I'm annoying! C'mon, don't you like me?" He smiled pleadingly at the black-haired teen who narrowed his eyes at him. An unimpressed expression pinched at Shouta's face when he leaned forward on the desk causing it to groan lightly beneath his hands when he bounced up onto his toes. His stomach fluttered at that scathing look when he tilted his head at the black-haired teen. "I just want to spend time with you outside of school! Is that so bad?"

Dark eyes darted away from him then with a scoff leaving the teen before him. Fussing with straps curled over shoulders with the small GanRiki Neko bobble head swaying lightly with a light clatter of the metal hoop on the zipper. Hands came up to curl over the straps when Shouta shifted from foot to foot before sighing out. Another of those scathing looks being aimed his way as he admired the pink hue to that pale face. Lovely. "Fine. Fine! I'll see what I can do to come to the festival but don't hold your breath."

"I won't! But you gotta at least try to come! I know that Nem would love to see you outside of school and you're practically attached to Oboro's hip half the time." Ah. Ah, he didn't mean for that to come out so bitter, but it had black brows raising at him with a look of surprise sparkling on Shouta's face before the teen was moving. Gesturing with his head for him to follow as he began walking down the aisle to which he happily followed after him. "Can you just promise that you'll really try to come to it?"

"I can't promise anything. You know that I need to be home after school for my sister." He pursed his own lips with a hum when Shouta sighed as he stepped over the threshold of the classroom before turning to face him. A tired expression pinched at Shouta's face when the black-haired teen hesitated. "It's not that I don't want to hang out with you, it's that I don't have time some days. And a loud festival? It's not the pinnacle of fun for me, you know that by now, don't you?"

He did. He'd known Shouta for closing in on half a year now and he knew how the black-haired teen liked to keep to himself. That he valued his privacy and his personal boundaries more than anything. A festival with music, lots of people, and possibly children wasn't his scene. But how would Shouta know if he didn't try going? It had him sucking air through his teeth before sighing out. "I know it's not but I just- I wanna hang out more! I like spending time with you, Shouta, and I like to hang out with you!"

Black lashes fluttered when Shouta stumbled back in a step as dark eyes widened slightly as they flicked over his face. And that heat gathering in the back of his neck rushed towards his face in a tingling wave that had it burning hotly at his own phrasing. Playing back on his ears when he watched that pink blush on Shouta's cheeks deepened into what he could only assume to be an identical red. The teen cursed before ducking his head away with hair swaying into his face. "God, Yamada, you're annoying."

"Aww! Don't go back to using my last name again! Not when you've been doing so good!" He tried for a playful tone, but his voice bounced with his nerves when his brows squeezed together as he fought the urge to hide his face as well. He rocked on his feet from his toes to his heels when he bit at his lip to keep from babbling. His face felt hot at his bouncing voice when he then cleared his throat when Shouta turned to begin walking to which he fell into step with him quickly. "I, uh, didn't mean for it to sound that though."

"Like what?" Oh, please don't tell him Shouta would make him say it. He pinched his lips together when the black-haired teen hummed then with the tap of their shoes on the linoleum being the loudest sound between them save for a shrieking girl behind them. The babble of conversations behind them as groups headed down the stairwell. His face was uncomfortably hot when Shouta sighed. "You should really be careful how you say things, Hizashi. Slip ups like that make for misunderstandings. For you, me, and God forbid any eavesdroppers."

"Yeah, it didn't really click before I said it, you know?" A nervous laugh burst out of him when they began to walk down the steps together with the tap of their shoes ringing out. He wanted to stop talking. To not embarrass himself further as his face burned hotly when the black-haired man merely clicked his tongue. He shoved the bunched-up paper into his pocket in favor of grabbing onto the railing. "But I mean it, you know. I'd love it if you would come hang out with us at the festival. It's tomorrow night."

A grunt left Shouta who then lifted his head up and he found himself struggling to keep from stumbling over his feet when he met those dark eyes. His heart flew up to his throat where it beat wildly when he squeezed the railing at the tight smile curling over full lips. "Wow, short notice much? I suppose I can figure something out with my mother and stepfather. Have them wait for Suki to come home or something so I can go out. I'm not promising a damn thing but-"

"You'll try?" He pinched his lips together at the look shot to him from Shouta who glanced down with that blush smothering itself over his cheeks when he ducked his head down. Hair falling in his face to hide the red blush when he felt a fresh wave of warmth hit his cheeks when he found himself rushing down the final steps before stopping before Shouta. Forcing him to stop steps above with dark eyes peering at him from under his fringe of hair. Below lashes. "I'll try if you try too, Sho, okay?"

Full lips parted ever so slightly with that silent tremble to them with dark eyes darting down. Fingers clutched at the railing when he felt his heart skip when black lashes fluttered in a blink before Shouta was peering up from beneath them. So beautiful. His dark eyes were always so beautiful it left him drowning in that ebony color. Fascinated by the highlights of gray he often caught in them. And now was no different; he was riveted as he waited for Shouta to say- "Fine. I'll try to go tomorrow night, okay? Now let's go before I miss my bus."

"Awesome!" His voice rose to a shout that was amplified by the stairwell. A slight activation of his quirk had him clapping a hand over his mouth when Shouta winced at his voice bouncing off the walls in a deafening burst of volume. He got a scowl before the black-haired teen rushed down the final steps then skirted around him precariously to get to the second flight of stairs. He pressed his fingers to his lips, his stomach fluttering when he found himself smiling as he dashed after Shouta again.

"Sooooo, did you ask him, Zashi? Did you ask him to come?"

"I did! He said that he was going to try but he didn't promise anything." Folding up the bag of chips with a crinkle, he caught a quiet hum from Nemuri on his phone when he glanced over. The dark-haired girl had an unimpressed look on her face with lips pinching together slightly when he clicked his tongue at her. "I don't know what more you want from me but I can't force him to promise to be there if he doesn't want to promise that, Nem."

Dark lashes fluttered as sky blue eyes rolled before Nemuri gave a point look at the camera with a subtle pout jutting on her lower lip. An unimpressed look that had him rolling his eyes back at the dark-haired teen who then shifted closer to the phone with a playful, wicked smile curling over pink painted lips with brows wiggling at him awkwardly. "Out of me and Oboro, I think you're the only one who can get Aizawa to go! I mean, if he had the slightest inkling of what you want to say there-"

"Nem, I love you but if you make me think about a damn thing I'm going to puke all over my floor and I'd rather not do that!" He groaned out with giggles ringing with that mischief ringing out over the speaker of his phone. He let a pout form on his lips when sky-blue eyes sparkled at him when he stretched out over his bed with a groan. "Nemuri, what am I going to do? What do I even say to him? How am I going to do this without ruining what we already have? What if he doesn't want to be friends after? What if he doesn't feel the same?"

"Well, that's what makes confessing a crush so hard, you know? You don't know how Aizawa feels and Aizawa doesn't know how you feel so this makes it a blind area. I know it's nerve wracking but the sooner you tell him the sooner you'll stop being so weird around him!" Nemuri shifted with her head coming to rest on her folded arms when she frowned slightly. "You can't keep going on the way that you are, Zashi. You loving him. Him not knowing. Worrying about him finding someone different. You gotta do something about it!"

"And what if taking my shot ruins everything? I don't- It's dramatic, but I don't want to live my life not having him with me, you know? Even if it's strictly platonic. Even if he judges me for it." He plucked at his comforter than when he sighed out when Nemuri made a quiet, sympathetic sound when he raised his gaze to meet Nemuri's again. "I wasn't even this bad with that mini-crush on Oboro, remember? I just don't want to fuck this up, you know? I don't want Shouta to hate me or something!"

"I'm going to tell you think and I don't want you mentioning it to him, okay?" B Nodding at the dark-haired girl, she leaned forward towards the camera with dark locks swaying over her shoulders lightly with the ends just barely brushing against her shoulders when she grinned. "Of all the emotions that Shouta Aizawa feels for you, I don't think hate will ever be one of them. I have eyes and while you two want to be bumbling idiots, that boy is down bad for you, Zashi. You need to just admit it!"

"What do you mean he's down bad? Did he say something to you? Do you know something?" Pink lips merely tilted into a wide smile when he kicked his feet with the quiet puff of his pillows ringing out. He frowned at the dark-haired girl wh merely smiled pleasantly when he pressed his cheek to his forearm with a low groan. "That's not fair! You know it's not fair, Nem! Why would you say that? Now there's unknown factors to this! God, I don't think I can do this tomorrow, I need more time!"

"Hizashi Yamada, I love you, but if I have to live another two weeks of you lamenting over how pretty Shouta is or how badly you wnat him I will shove you down a flight of stairs to knock sense into you!" Nemuri t Nemuri then sighed out with that wrinkle between her brows forming when she jutted her chin out towards him. "If you don't tell him, Zashi, I swear to God I'll tell him FOR you! So you need to fucking tell him about it! Just be bold and confident! Build up to it if you need too!"

Groaning, he rolled his head from off his arm to press into the bed when he lifted his left foot then brought it down sharply onto the pillow. Puffing up around his socked foot, he found heat gathering in the back of his neck when he peeked up at the unimpressed Nemuri again with a pout on his lips. "I mean, I don't want you too. I want too but I'm just- I'm scared, Nem. I mean, I'm going into this with the intent of ruinining a friendship and asking him to be my boyfriend because I like him. It's gonna change everything."

"Of course it is! Zashi, you're confessing that you like him! Of course it's going to change everything about your relationship and friendship with him! But he needs to know how you feel now rather than find out later because you're bitter he fell for someone else!" Nemuri shifted then with her phone wobbling when she looked at her wrist watch to which she cursed before sky-blue eyes lifted again. "Look, I love you, Zashi, but I gotta go! How about later tonight we call again to practice your confession?"

"You mean it?" When Nemuri nodded, he let out a slow breath before lifting his head from it's laying position on his forearm with a soft smile curling over his lips as his glasses slipped down slightly. "Thanks, Nem. I'd really appreciate the practice but you can't judge me, you hear me? You can't judge what I say and what I want to say! But go, I'm hanging up so enjoy your eye doctor appointment! I'll talk to you later, babes!"

"Later, babe!"

Tapping on the red button on his screen, the quiet sound of the Face Time call dropping was loud in his bedroom when he dropped his phone to the bed. Sighing out when looked up at the ceiling above him when he shifted slightly with his feet pressing into the pillow. He wished he could say he knew when it got so complicated. He wished he could say that he knew when they started. The feelings he held for Shouta seemed to have built up without him noticing. Had been quietly weaving into him until they were undeniable.

Steadily bubbling until that damn moment in the arena of their one-on-one fight during the sports festival. When he'd been bound tightly in that rope, Shouta had stood over him with that victorious smirk on his lips and a glitter to his dark eyes that had been intriguing. A smug delight that he had stripped him of his quirk and gotten him so defenseless. He'd had his first wet dream over his friend that. His best friend. He still remembered how mortified he'd been when he woke with a moan dying off in his throat with his hips rutting up.

How mortified he'd been further when he realized it had been over Shouta of all people. He swore he couldn't look the other teen in the eyes for days. Weeks. He'd been far too embarrassed over it, but it was more than wet dreams. More than the odd jealousy that pricked its ugly head in his chest when Shouta was scrunched close to Oboro. When those dark eyes were trained on the blue-haired teen with a look of awe. Of admiration. He hated it. He hated feeling angry when Shouta was clearly riveted by whatever it was that Oboro said.

The same way he'd suspected jealousy with how touchy feely Nemuri was with him and how huffy Shouta had been getting lately. But was it jealousy like Nemuri playfully accused him of it being? Or was it just his friends reserved nature coming to the surface again? It was so easy to forget that Shouta was a much more closed off person before they'd begun hanging out together. How "frigid" he appeared to others. The black-haired teen had hardly spoken a word when he'd been trying in the beginning to chip away at him.

Had seemed to cringe away from other contact with people. He knew how people like Shouta worked; he knew it was better to be blunt rather than to sugar coat things. But he also knew he needed to be mindful of how he said it to the black-haired teen or else he'd scare him away. He'd spook him and he'd never hear the end of it. Never hear the end of his confession if this went badly. And he was terrified of it going badly but how long did he sit on these feelings of his? Nemuri was right, after all, and he knew it.

If he didn't confess then he'd eventually become bitter. He would be resentful. Shouta would find someone else to love and live happily while he became bitter about the one who got away. And that's exactly what Shouta would become if he didn't say something right now. It might be bad to say it at a festival with loud sounds, lots of people, bright lights and music. It might be the wrong move but he knew he could sneak away to get a quiet moment with Shouta. He could work it in but just what did he say to him?

Did he just blur that he liked him? Did he subtly bring it up throughout the day? Or did he merely spit it out? He knew there needed to be tact about this. There needed to be thought behind it. He needed to make this perfect, make this concise and he needed to be honest. But how did he do that when he's been trying for weeks to find the chance to bring it up only to spook himself out of it? He'd been wanting to confess for weeks but he'd been standing in his own way. He was the one thing that stopped him from confessing.

He had stolen moments with Shouta that could be it always flittered away with his awkwardness. With the pressure he put on himself to make everything about it right. Even Nemuri seemed to be getting frustrated with him. What did he do? He didn't think he'd ever develop feelings for Shouta. He didn't believe in love at first sight nor any of that soulmate shit he read in books, but he was down bad for Shouta. Horribly. Terribly. He wanted him so very badly; he liked him so damn much it hurt his chest.

It left him awake at night pining away for the teen for at least six months now. He was dying with each passing day that gave him another chance to say it that he didn't take. He wasn't the smartest with romance, but he knew that a grand gesture wouldn't be the way to go with Shouta. At least, he didn't think that a grand gesture would be it. But confessing at a festival? Would that be considered a grand thing? He groaned to himself as he lifted his hands up to rub at his face when the jingle of dog tags rang out.

It was then followed by muted thuds of paws on the carpeted floor of his. And then his bed was dipping with Moonie jumping up onto it where he flopped down next to him. He turned to the chocolate lab before wrapping his arm around him where he buried his face into his fur as his tail hit off of his shins. When did he fall? How did he fall so hard? When did he get so wrapped up in his own emotions? When did he lose himself to the feelings he felt for Shouta? When did they start? He wished he had the answers.

He wished he knew when, how, or why he did but he knew that their one-on-one fight during the Sports Festival had been the catalyst. Had been the very thing that showed him exactly how much he liked Shouta physically at least. He didn't know why he felt only that he did. Day in and day out, Shouta was on his mind. Wondering if he was looking at the sky. If he was admiring the stars or watching the sun break as he waited for the bus. If there was any chance that the black-haired teen felt the same way for him.

If the feelings went both way the way that Nemuri had been playfully hinting at for months now. He buried his face into Moonie's fur as he clutched onto the dog who seemed to delight in the physical affection given to him by squirming onto his back to offer up his stomach. Sighing out, he slid his hand down to begin rubbing the dogs bellow as his tail hit off of his shin. He wished he could confidently tell Shouta the time, date, and reason for his feelings. Knowing the black-haired teen, he'd want to know the specifics.

For him to show that it was authentic and not just feelings that had popped up in the past two weeks. So, when? Was it before the Sports Festival? Was it when he first saw Shouta in the sunlight? When that sweet smile curled over his lips as the light played on his black hair? Sparkled in those dark eyes of his? Or was it that rainy day they spent under cover at the bus stop when the gray highlights in his eyes truly made themselves known? Was it when he was standing over him with that victorious smirk on his lips.

When his eyes glowed that brilliant yellow hue that awed him and his hair that floated upwards? Was it afterwards when he was angry to have lost anyhow? Was it before that wet dream? Or was it in the months after when he admired the shape of his friend's face? The way his black locks grew longer it seemed? How sweet he was with the kitten they'd found? Was it when those dark eyes sparkled when he held said kitten out to him? When they'd studied together with Tensei sitting with them and his knee had touched his?

When did Shouta go from being his best friend, his day-to-day confidant, to the person he was crushing on so hard he felt sick? When did it all flip for him? He'd had wet dreams about friends in the past; for some reason, he never understood it, but it never changed anything. It was like those random dreams where his friends made their guest appearances. How did Shouta go from being another face he saw throughout the day to the face he looked forward to seeing the most? The one he waited at the bus stop just to see first thing in the morning?

To walk to school peeking at? He groaned as he slid his hand from Moonie's stomach to hug him again with the dog snuffling at his hair. He wanted answers but God knows he was only giving himself more questions than he knew what to do with. More questions that he knew Shouta will ask of him when he confesses tomorrow. He has to do it tomorrow. Has too. He can't take any more of this awkwardness between them on his end of things. He couldn't keep up the way he was and expected their friendship to remain normal.

To expect it to not end up off kilter somehow with his heavy emotions. He needed to get it off his chest at least a little bit but how did he do that? Did he go off on a tangent on how beautiful he found Shouta to be? Or did he merely give him honest compliments? Or did he jump right into confessing his feelings? He'd never had anyone confess to him nor did he ever confess to someone so what did he do? Manga and animes were unreliable but here he was, curled up with his dog feeling more clueless than ever.

Just like those protagonists in Shonen animes where they agonized over the confession. He didn't know where to start but he just wanted to have a general idea before he went to Shouta with his confession. How did he tell Shouta, his best friend, that he dreamed of what it was like to spend the night with him? What would it be like to reach out and take his hands that always looked much bigger than his already? That he dreamed of sliding his hands along his waist and admiring the curvaceous form of his?

How did he tell his best friend he dreamed of what it was like to have those full lips on his? How did he tell him that he stared at them for hours in the day just imagining what it'd be like with such intensity it left his lips tingling? Buzzing? How did he explain he found it cute when he found him sleeping and he stared at how tranquil his face was? It would all come across as weird. Creepy even, he knew it would, but it was all true. He ached with such longing to know what it was like to be Shouta's boyfriend.

What it would be like to have his lips on his. He wants to know what it would be like to proudly call the quiet black-haired teen his boyfriend. He'd joked countless times that it would be "Eraserhead and Present Mic 'til the end, baby!" all the time with him but he wanted it to be true. He wants to be with Shouta with such a longing it had him breathless at nights. He wants to know what it'd be like to hold that hand in his and kiss his full lips until he was pink cheeked. He wants to whisper those cliché, sickening sweet nothings into Shouta's ear.

To hold him close in his arms with those cliché phrasing and cheek kisses until the teen was snickering and hitting at him. He wanted to sweep him up into his arms and shower that scruffy face with kisses until he was sick of him. He wants to know what it would be like to slow dance with the black-haired teen at a school dance. He wants to know what it'd feel like to hold him close in his bed. To have that deep voice whispering to him. He wants to smell his sickening cologne and soap combination until he was loopy.

He wants nothing more than to have one second to hold his hand and kiss him. To nuzzle that pink cheek of his until the teen was squirming in his arms. He wants Shouta Aizawa so badly he felt ready to scream. He wants him so fucking bad. He whimpered under his breath when Moonie suddenly jerked away from him to jump off the bed where the door was nudged open, and the dog took off down the hallway. Was someone home? He had not a clue. He didn't care enough to move from his place.

Huffing out, he rolled over then buried his face in his comforter. He can't believe he's found himself in a situation where he was pining so badly. He'd never liked someone like this until Shouta came along. He had thought at first that something was possible with Oboro, but the blue-haired teen seemed to only have e yes for Nemuri who was seeming to enjoy his attempts. He felt like the textbook definition of a lovesick fool. An idiot who didn't have the strength to say something to the black-haired teen after all this time.

And with their work studies coming up, when would there be a better time to mention it? It would give them something to talk about. To give them time apart for Shouta to reflect on his confession if he had too. He rolled over with a groan as he buried his face into his blanket. He wished life wasn't so damn complicated. He wished that he could just be and didn't overthink it all the time. And yet here he was, laying out on his bed with his face in the blankets and pining. Mooning over the idea of how he was going to confess to his best friend.

It was a scary notion; knowing that his friendship with Shouta would either make it or break it with his confession. It was a nauseating idea to think he'd live his life without Shouta in it. To think that there might be a reason that he'd lose this friendship that was so precious to him. How did he do this? He didn't understand love and yet he was head over heels for Shouta. He was down so fucking bad Nemuri was constantly giving him shit for it. He wanted to say something to Shouta just to end the teasing.

But he didn't know how to bring it up to Shouta. He never thought he'd see the day that he was agonizing over telling a boy he liked him. He knew that what with his bisexuality, it was bound to happen at some point. After all, he swore he had a mini crush on Nemuri for quite a bit for a while there, but could anyone blame him? However, Shouta was different. It wasn't that he was a boy or anything of the sort but rather that Shouta was just different from the people he'd had crushes on in the past. Very different.

It felt like there was more to lose this time round than there was with anyone else. Was he overthinking it? Possibly. Was he going to back out? Hell no. He couldn't. He may not get this, and he may be going blind for the first time in his life, but he was determined to get it. Pushing himself up from his slumped position, he swung his legs over the edge of his bed and popped up onto his feet. He just needed to figure out a timeline of events! He just needed to not overthink it but not underthink it! He needed to find the balance for it!

He nodded to himself before spinning on his feet to scoop up his phone which he stuffed into his pocket. Then he turned towards his open bedroom door which he yanked open with dog tags jingling their way up the stairs. Throwing himself into the hallway, he thudded down it quickly as he made his way to the stairs where Moonie was standing on the landing and charging towards him. Barking at him joyfully when he reached down to scratch playfully at his muzzle before making his way to the small landing of the stairs.

Rushing down them in a flurry of steps, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He didn't bother taking it out of his pocket when he listened to his thudding feet on the carpeted floor. He launched himself off the last step where he rushed past the living room to find his brother sitting on the couch with the Switch controller in hand. He got a brief nod which he returned to the younger boy before making his way through the living room towards the connecting kitchen. Sliding over the tiled floor on his sock covered feet.

Moonie came running down the stairs after him with a clatter before trotting up to him in the kitchen. Walking over to the cabinets, he tugged open the door to grab the box of goldfish. He opened the box up where he dipped his hand in to grab a fistful that he knocked back. Crunching on the goldfish, he shuffled over to the fridge where he tugged open the door then reached inside for the six pack of mini apple juice bottles. He shut the door with his hip before shuffling to the counter where he swallowed his mouthful of goldfish painfully.

He placed the box down; he tore two apple juice bottles out of the pack to stuff one in his pocket while he cracked the cap of the other. Lifting it up to gulp at the liquid then lowering it to rub at his lips. He dipped his hand into the box to grab another fistful of goldfish before opening the cabinet to grab a bowl. He poured himself a decent bowl of goldish before putting the box back into the snack cabinet. Spinning on his feet, he shuffled over to the sliding door leading to the backyard that Moonie was whining at.

Shuffling over, he unlocked it then tugged it open allowing the dog to run out with a bark. There was a tremble to the floor that had him glancing over to find his younger brother shuffling into the room. Crunching around his mouthful of goldish, he gestured to the backyard with his head with the dark-haired boy sighing out when he began to make his way through the kitchen to the living room again. Their home was an odd set up; the front hallway led to the staircase upstairs with the house branching off two ways.

There was a den to the left and the living room to the right which led back to the kitchen along with the hallway. There was a sunroom attached to the den on the left; it was small but his younger sister, Hana, used it to practice with her quirk-based quirk. He shuffled through the living room with a glance at the paused game on the TV before making his way into the front hallway. Running up the stairs again with a flurry of thuds as he swallowed his mouthful of goldfish. It ached going down but it freed his mouth up.

He hopped up onto the landing before making his way down the hallway with a sigh. He was truly overthinking this, wasn't he? He hummed quietly to himself when his phone buzzed against his thigh in his uniform pocket. He made his way quickly down the hallway back to his bedroom where he placed his bowl of crackers down on the bed with his juice being placed onto the bedside table and he dug out the other apple juice. Placing it on the bedside table when he turned on his feet to shuffle across his bedroom.

Shutting the door again with a sigh. He knew that he needed to plan this out. He needed to make sure that he knew what he was going to do. It left him feeling flustered as he climbed onto his bed with his hand digging his phone out of his pocket. He knew he needed to get a head start on his homework, but his mind wouldn't stop turning over to how he was going to do this tomorrow. How the hell was he going to look Shouta in the face and tell him that he liked him. That he'd been pinning over this boy for close to six months now.

How much longer is he expected to go on? How long did he let himself be stupid with this? He didn't want to be a blundering fool for the rest of his life. It was better to get those feelings out in the open, wasn't it? To tell Shouta where he was at and let the black-haired teen make the choice on what he wanted? Or was that putting too much pressure on him? Did Shouta have any idea what he wanted to do? Was there something that had slipped in what he'd said today? God, it had him flinching at his slip up in the hallway.

Is that how he's been for months? He'd had to apologize during his confession for his weird behavior. God, he had love on the brain today, didn't he? It had him thinking of the other times he was "in love" with a few strangers. A few innocent grade school crushes where he'd had a "boyfriend" for one week and a "girlfriend" for two. Nothing felt as intense, nor did it feel as good as his love for Shouta did. It was like the love he'd had, the crushes, had all accumulated for one thunderhead of a silly little crush.

One that he'd been drowning under for months now. It had him wincing when he lifted his juice up to twist the cap off to gulp at it. He then laid out with his hand reaching for the bowl to stuff a mouthful into his mouth again with his crunching being the loudest thing in his bedroom. He could be overthinking this, but he couldn't allow himself to underthink it. To let himself assume this would be easier than he thought and grow cocky with it. He didn't want to wave off the seriousness of the situation weighing him down.

He didn't want to downplay his own feelings. This was something that was meant to "romantic" as his sisters put it. God, what did he know about romance? He didn't know anything, but he certainly wasn't well versed in romance. Should he ask his sisters? Did he ask his mothers about this? But then that would require him telling them how long he'd been attempting to confess to Shouta. The last thing he wanted was his mothers to baby him or for his sisters to pity him. For Haru to laugh at him being an idiot.

He didn't want to be pitied and yet he didn't know where he was going with this romance angle. Was there romance in confessing at a festival? Possibly? Ugh, it had him chewing quickly at his mouthful then swallowing when he stood to grab the remote for his TV. To give himself some background noise while he did his homework. He wished that Nemuri could have talked longer. To at least tell him if his idea of confessing at the festival was going to be a good idea or a bad one. He wanted to know if this was the safer option.

Or, if possible, that this was the worse option he could go with. It was eating him up with the uncertainty. He didn't think that bringing Shouta out on a romantic date was going to be it, but he couldn't help but worry on if this was the right move. To confess right before a firework or after it. What did he say? What did he do? He wanted to confess. He wanted to get the feelings out of him for the black-haired teen to do with what he pleased. If he was going to tell him no, then he wanted to hear him say no.

He wanted his heart to be broken faster if that was going to be his outcome rather than sit here wondering if that's how it would play out. It was the worst. He wished he'd never developed these feelings but by the time he'd noticed it was too late to nip them in the ass. He groaned before flopping back down on his bed after leaning forward for the TV remote. His bag sat at the edge of his bed just out of sight as he pressed the power button. The TV powered to life as he mashed on the volume button to reduce it to a murmur.

Grabbing at another fistful of goldfish that he popped into his mouth with that chewing ringing out deafeningly. God, what was he doing? He felt like some lovesick heroine in some manga or old romance book. Eating his anxieties away. Trying to figure out the feelings went the same way for he swore there'd been moments. Flickers. Or was he reading into it? He'd sworn he'd seen something when his quirk had slipped up that afternoon and was horribly upset. When Shouta had gotten red faced when inviting him to a cat café.

Something that had been done to help him forget about his slip up. Or the one time they were on the roof eating lunch when a leaf had supposedly gotten caught in his hair. When fingers brushed over his ear sending tingles down his back when the leaf was tugged from his hair. Or when they were walking close together to school in the mornings and his hand barely brushed his. A light tap that had them jumping apart and Shouta shoving his hand into his pocket with that red blush smothering itself over his cheeks.

Ducking his head down to hide it before he sped up to get to the school faster. Even this afternoon in the hallway when he'd said that; asking if Shouta liked him. That red faced, unimpressed look he'd gotten had left his heart fluttering to recall. Small moments that could be played up with his hindsight. But could there be something there? Shouta hadn't been afraid of eye contact and now he was receiving it more often than not. Sometimes with that bemused, soft little smile half the time that was so warm.

A sight that wreaked absolute havoc on his nervous system and left him damn near swooning when alone. Could something be there? Or was he merely imagining it? Was he looking back on little things that meant nothing? Or were they little things that meant something? He groaned quietly as he swallowed his mouthful of goldfish then reached out for the remainder of his first bottle of juice. He gulped down quickly then capped before throwing towards his trash bin with a deafening clatter as it hit off the sides.

He wanted to talk to at least someone about what he was planning to do. Nemuri was at the optometrist so that was a no go. He couldn't talk to Shouta because it was about Shouta. Would Oboro be a safe bet? He didn't know. He and Shouta were so close he worried that the blue-haired teen would blurt it out without thinking. And that was the last thing that he wanted to happen before he was ready. Even if it was a two second conversation to calm him down for tomorrow, he'd love to have it. Shouta was-

Well, he wouldn't say that the black-haired teen was delicate but rather the situation was a delicate one. He felt ready to puke up the fistfuls of crackers he'd devoured when he thought of it. God, if he could hardly stand the thought of confessing now then how was he going to do it tomorrow? How was he going to look Shouta in the face and confess all these little emotions of his? All of these base desires that he wanted nothing more than to act upon? How did he tell him he wanted to hold his hand or tuck his hair behind his ear?

To kiss his cheeks and admire the darkness of those eyes of his? How did he tell another person he likes them without puking all over his damn feet? He blinked when he caught the muted thuds through his door of someone running up the stairs. Was someone else home? He didn't want to talk to his mothers about it. Not that they wouldn't give him helpful advice but rather that they tended to get carried away when talking about romance. His mother, Kimiko, in particular which was a surprise with how business oriented she was.

Almost like Shouta in terms of that she wasn't very vocal with her emotions. More neutral than anything. However, he wanted to talk to someone and the only person he could think of talking with was Aimi. His sister was a few years younger than him at fourteen but surely, she could know, couldn't she? He swallowed before slipping off the edge of his bed to walk across his room with the TV murmuring at him quietly as he made his way to his door. He'd just take up five minutes of her time, he swore it.

It's not like it needed to be a drawn-out conversation. He just wanted to talk to someone and make sure that his plans were an alright one for God knows how long it would take for Nemuri to get back to him. And besides, most fourteen-year-olds had crushes at this point, right? They were getting those little love notes around this age, weren't they? It wouldn't hurt to ask for an outside opinion, would it? If he asked someone that wasn't Nemuri? He hoped that Aimi could at least reassure him that it was the right moves.

He pinched his lips together briefly before tugging his door open to poke his head out into the hallway where he found Aimi's door halfway open. He tugged his own door open wider before stepping out into the hallway then tugging his door shut behind him. Just to avoid the dog getting into his room and possibly devouring the goldish that he had sitting on his bed. It'd happened before and God knows he didn't want to hear Hana scream about the dog eating human food. To have her nitpick it for hours on end.

After making sure his door was securely shut, he then shuffled across the hallway with a deep breath to the half open door of his sister's bedroom door. He reached up to knock sharply on the half-open door which swung open slightly allowing him to peak halfway into the room with its deep blue and white accents. The sight of his sister shrugging off the blazer of her school uniform when she turned. "Um, Aimi? Can I talk to you? I have something I just need an outside perspective on."

"Why don't you come in then? Pop a squat and talk, I got time before I head out to Hina's house for the study group." He pushed the door open then when Aimi draped her blazer along the back of her computer chair before popping down into it causing it to buckle and squeak beneath her weight. He shuffled into the blue-themed room and sat down on the edge of her bed as he watched his sister work her freshly died periwinkle blue hair down with fingers combing through it. "So, what's up?"

Why did his throat suddenly feel so tight? It's not like his family hadn't joked about his close relationship with Shouta in the past; always in good humor but it had him shifting slightly in his place on the edge of the bed. He twisted his fingers together in his lap before clearing his throat then licking his lips. It was easy. It's not like his family wouldn't see it coming but it still had him strangely nervous to say it out loud to someone who wasn't Nemuri. "What, uh, do you know about confessions?"

"Like, love confessions?" He nodded when Aimi's gray eyes flicked over him then curiously when she spun lazily in her seat with her arm draped across the back with a thoughtful hum leaving his younger sister. "Hmmm, well I know what I know from the romance novels I've read! And I know what I've seen in shows, anime's, and manga's so it never seemed like it was something overly complicated. Just send them a letter and confess! Why? What's up with that? Did someone confess to you?"

"Um, no." He fought the urge to fidget in his place with his fingers twisting together when his nails began to attack the skin of his cuticles. Looking away from the way his sister perked up as she leaned forward in her seat. Eager almost at the idea he'd been the one confessed too. Heat gathered in the back of his neck when he licked his lips again before finding his gaze riveted to his knees that jiggled weakly. "I'm confessing to Shouta and I just- I realize I have no idea what to do for romance and I don't-"

"Want to go to Mom and Ma? Yeah, I can't blame you, they tend to make everything a big deal." Aimi spun lazily with her feet lightly aiding in her aimless spins when she then blew out a breath with her socked feet dragging over the floor lightly when her gaze came back to him. "Romance, huh? Do you know what you want to say? Do you know what you want to do when you see him? I mean, confessing isn't overly complicated, but you also have to have some tact with it, you know? What do you have planned?"

"I was going to confess tomorrow night when we go to that festival thing? I was gonna take him on the Ferris wheel, find a good spot for the fireworks, and maybe win him a toy if I can wing it? Treat him for food and then confess?" He paused to take a deep breath when he dug his fingers into his thumb's cuticle nervously before changing a glance up at his sister. "I mean, I don't know what I'm going to say but do you think all of that would be okay? What would you want for a confession?"

Aimi hummed again while she spun herself lazily with a thoughtful expression pinching at her face when she then began to use the corner of her desk to push her around. "Well, I've never personally had someone confess to me so I wouldn't know. But I've seen some stuff online and I'm still a beginner with this whole romance thing. I mean, I haven't had anyone confess to me yet. But I mean that all sounds pretty romantic to me, Zashi! Very romantic to be confessed too before a fireworks show too so that's, like, double points!"

"You think?" Aimi nodded at him when she came to a stop in her lazy spinning when he fought the urge to bring his thumb up to nibble and rip at the cuticle. He felt that heat burning in the back of his neck rush to his face to burn in his cheeks when he looked away when he fidgeted in his spot. "I just- I want to do it right, you know? He's...sensitive. And I want to go about this not overly flashy, but I don't want it to be lackluster, you know? It sets the precedent of a relationship with how you confess, doesn't it?"

"Yes and no. It sets standards; it shows what efforts you'd go through for your partner, I think. I know we've both heard the amazing story of Mom and Ma's romance plenty of times, yeah?" He nodded with a slight groan at the reminder of their mothers' romance story that was often brought up in a reminiscing manner any time someone dared to breathe the word romance. Or speak of confessions. "I'd say you bringing Shouta out, helping cover for food, and confessing before fireworks? It's bound to light a fire in him!"

"I hope it does, like, really." He dragged his index finger nails over the backs of his thumbs nervously when he then sighed out. He was perhaps overthinking and underthinking this when he met his sister's patient gaze only to fidget as he dropped his gaze down. Heat burning unpleasantly in his cheeks, stinging in the tips of his ears, when his glasses slipped down his nose slightly. "I just want this to be good, you know? I've never actually confessed to anyone, and I want it to be something as close to perfect as possible."

"Take it from me, there's only your version of perfect and his version of it. All that matters is you don't mess it up and you'll both make it perfect in your own ways. Don't overthink it!" His sister then gave a spin her seat that had deep blue locks flying about her shoulders and face when she then came to a stop. A sparkle to gray eyes with a smile curling over her lips when she pointed at him. "You have your game plan in place! Now you just gotta practice what you're gonna say! Wanna practice with me?"

Blinking at his sister, he found himself letting out a bark of laughter that had her smile widening with that playful sparkle in her gaze when he stood up on oddly shaky legs. "I love you, Aims, but I'd rather not talk to my sister about how down bad for a guy I am. How I feel and I'd rather not have you blabbing to Mom and Ma about me having a crush on Shouta. At least not until I tell them depending on how the confession works out! So, can you please keep this to yourself? You can tell them tomorrow after I leave if need be!"

"My lips are sealed, my dearest brother! You just do you and keep all the juicy details of how much you loooooove Shouta!" He narrowed his eyes when she crooned the word at him before smirking up at him with that wicked playfulness to her as she leaned back in her seat then gave a lazy spin when he made his way past. "Awwww, you know you wanna practice! You don't wanna tell your sister how much you loooove Shouta? That you want to be with him so bad? I promise I won't tell anyone!"

"And just like that, I'm gone! You better keep your mouth shut, Aimi, I'm being serious! If you tell Mom and Ma before tomorrow night then I will get you, I swear I will, and it'll look like an accident, so I won't do a bit of jail time!" He watched gray eyes roll at him when he grabbed the doorknob which he twisted then tugged the door open before stepping over the threshold. Hesitating before glancing over his shoulder. "Thank you, though. For your advice, it is much appreciated and nice to know it sounds good to an outside perspective."

"An outside perspective shouldn't matter. This is a confession between you and Shouta, Zashi! It's up to you how you do it successfully or ultimately fuck it up. I'll be here to help you regardless of how it ends up being tomorrow!" She then brought her fingers to her mouth to give him a kiss before pointing at his door. "Now shut that tightly behind you! I'm serious, none of you ever shut it properly and I swear I'm gonna lose my shit if you don't shut it properly!"

"Love you too, Aims!" He replied before stepping into the hallway while tugging the door behind him. Tugging it tightly to ensure it was properly shut before sighing out as he made his way back down the hall towards his bedroom where he shuffled into it for the third time before snapping the door shut behind him. And he let out a slow, trembling breath before moving his feet.

So, did that mean his idea was good? Or was his sister lying? He'd go over it with Nemuri when she called tonight, and he'd put together a rehearsed script for him to talk from the heart. He walked across the hall with that odd shakiness in his legs as he caught the jingle of dog tags which had him putting a pep to his step. He pushed his door open then snapped it shut; he certainly wasn't in the mood to fight Moonie over his goldish. He sighed out as he leaned against the door before pushing off of it. Would it be this easy?

Can a confession really be that easy? Or would it ruin their friendship in the worst way possible? He didn't know how this was going to go and it was killing him. He didn't understand how the hell he was going to spit the words out to the black-haired teen, but he needed to. He couldn't live with this overwhelming, sickening love for the rest of his life. And Nemuri made a fair point to him; what if Shouta did fall in love with someone else? What if he found someone else to be with? What if he ended up with Oboro?

Or Tensei? It was a terrifying thought for these were his friends, but that jealousy flared awfully at the thought of it. Was that the venomous look he'd seen on Shouta's face when Nemuri had squished him to her breast? The look he caught in the flash before Shouta was looking away with a tight jaw? Was it possible that Shouta felt the same for him? But if so, why not say something sooner? Why didn't Shouta give him more hints? It had him absolutely dizzy at the thought that his love could be returned.

That the crush went both ways. He stumbled over to his bed where he sat down with the bowl bouncing lightly with his drop onto it causing goldfish to slide and jump out of the bowl onto his blanket. He reached over to scoop up the few crackers that landed on it which he popped into his mouth before sighing out. He needed to not overthink this. Aimi had said as much, hadn't she? But he couldn't underthink it. He was sure when he talked to Nemuri tonight that he'd find his easy balance when it came to it all.

He'd find something perfect to say and how to pace it all. He took a deep breath then let it out slowly as he chewed on his crackers before swallowing. He could do this. He knew he could do this. He was going to be the great Present Mic! A confident up and coming Pro-Hero who wouldn't be afraid to be loud! Be bold! He just had to keep channeling his "social butterfly" and his "loudmouth" confidence of his that Shouta had commented on countless times. Eraserhead and Present Mic. Two best friends, huh?

He let himself drop back with a groan as his TV murmured to fill the silence of his bedroom with his feet sliding over the carpet. It sounded nice. Eraserhead and Present Mic. Shouta and Hizashi. It might just be that childish mooning of his crush, but they sounded utterly nice. God knows it made his heart flutter with his stomach when Shouta used his nickname. When that flat, deep voice was calling out "Zashi" to him to get his attention. It had him throwing his arms up above his head with his heart skipping quickly against his chest.

Had his stomach filling with those metaphorical butterflies. It had him squirming slightly when he then tapped his feet on the floor. His idea so far was making sense and seemed to be agreeable to the women in his life. He knew Shouta was going to fight him tooth and nail on paying for his own food, but it wouldn't deter him. If anything, he was determined to spoil Shouta. To give him nothing but good memories of tomorrow night. If it ended badly for them then he'd have those fond memories to look on before it all potentially sours.

Or it could work out for the better. It could possibly work for the best. It was killing him the uncertainty in his choices; that this could either be a painful memory or a memory he'd look down the road ten years from now with Shouta. It was a pivotal turning point for their friendship. For them together. What would Shouta pick? Would he say yes? Or would he reject him? Would he tell him that all these little "signs" of his were made up? Or would Shouta admit to feeling the same way? Was that a possibility?

It was an uncertainty that had his stomach squirming with that nauseating anxiety threatening to prick its ugly head. What would tomorrow give him? Would it be a future with Shouta? Or would their friendship be permanently damaged? God, how did people confess knowing that it all was dangling precariously? It was like he was walking a knives edge. A wrong stir of the wind would send him toppling over one side of the knife into the reality of the black-haired teen's choice. Weaving uncertainly in this gray area.

But could he be expected to swallow down his emotions for the rest of his life? How long did he let himself pine? Six months more? Six years? It sounded insufferable to be in love that long. To keep it to himself for that long. He couldn't possibly think of doing that when he'd been doing it since their Sports Festival. God, it felt like an eternity, but he knew that he needed to say something. And if their work studies did anything to help keep them away from one another while they thought about it then so be it.

He let out a slow breath before pushing himself upwards into a sitting position with his hands sliding over his comforter when his foot nudged his back bag causing the zippers to jingle lightly. Might as well get to work on his homework before his mothers came home and chewed him out for watching TV when he should be getting it done. It would do nothing but drive him up the wall to lay here lamenting about how badly he wants Shouta. He did it every damn hour of the day and God knows he needed to not think.

To not think about the black-haired teen for a bit. Just a little bit. Reaching down for his bag he tugged it up onto the bed with fingers feeling out for the zipper to tug it open with a quiet sigh. It would be better to give himself a few hours not to think of tomorrow. To give himself a breather before talking to Nemuri about it tonight. It would be better to get his mind off of Shouta Aizawa. Just for a little bit. Later, he'd worry about how he would confess, and he'd go over everything in detail with Nemuri.

He just hopes Shouta says yes. He hopes he accepts his confession. Tomorrow indeed was going to be pivotal for all of them as a friend group. A change that had his heart fluttering in his chest when he tugged his binder out. Tomorrow everything will change for the better or worse. Tomorrow Shouta would see him in a new light. A new light that he hoped would work in his favor. He fucking hopes that this works out for the best. He doesn't know what he'd do without Shouta. What he'd do without him.

Tomorrow it'd be changing. For better or worse. And all he could do was prepare himself for either option.