Chapter Text
This time, when I wake up, Keigo is practically latched onto me, and my arms are tightly wrapped around him, almost protectively. For once, he’s acting as the little spoon. It makes a smile spread across my face and fills my heart with warmth and comfort. His facial expression looks peaceful and blissful, though he’s still in a deep slumber. I don’t know what woke me up, but I didn’t have any dreams. Carefully, I ever so slightly pull him closer, and, in his sleep, he nuzzles into my chest, making my heart flutter and filling me with butterflies.
‘God, I wish I could just buck up and tell you how I feel, Kei,’ I curse myself silently, wishing so desperately that I could run my fingers through his hair and feel his lips against mine.
‘If only I didn’t pull away when we were on the hill under the stars…or if I hadn’t turned around the other night… Was I just imagining it? Would you have really leaned in? Would you regret it? Maybe…maybe I’m just being hopeful…you deserve someone better than me…what if I just hurt you? I feel like I always end up hurting everyone…’
Suddenly, the first beats of “Take On Me” begin playing from Kei’s alarm, and he stirs awake in my arms. I immediately relax my grip as he blinks groggily, looking up at me with a bashful grin.
“Morning,” He yawns, slipping out of my grasp and sitting up to stretch his arms and wings.
“Morning,” I stammer, smiling weakly as I feel myself blushing as well.
“Sorry if I got a little too close,” Keigo says sheepishly as he moves toward the ladder.
“No, it’s fine. I don’t mind,” I stutter, trying not to let him know just how much closer I wish we could be.
“You ready to go up against Iguchi?” I grunt as I follow him down the ladder, grabbing my shower caddy.
“I guess. Like I told you last night. I can’t afford to mess up. I’ll be giving it my all today. Kana’s pretty tough, though,” Keigo sighs as he preens his wings in the mirror.
“You’re tougher, Birdbrain. I’ll be cheering you on right from the sidelines,” I smirk, and a dull pink spreads across his cheeks. On that note, I quickly slink out of the room and head to the boys’ community bathroom.
…
I let the chilling water dance across my skin, leaning my face back to let it wash over me as I rinse off the soap.
Creak.
“Alright, boys, are we placing bets today?” Miyuki’s grating, shrill voice calls out obnoxiously as I hear his group of friends entering the bathroom.
“My money’s on Iguchi. Kana said she’s been practicing her hand-to-hand recently,” Amari Ashido replies nonchalantly.
“No way, man. After that sword he pulled on Todoroki yesterday? Takami’s got this in the bag ,” Itsuka Tsuburaba pipes up.
“I don’t know. Kana’s got a thick shell. I doubt that bird could pierce her at all,” Hikari Monoma adds, and something within me stirs at Kei being referred to as “that bird”.
“I don’t know. I still think Keigo might have the upper hand. Kana’s specialty is with her Support weapons, and those aren’t allowed for these sparring sets,” Miyuki yawns, and I turn off the water. The boys’ chatter suddenly silences, and I quickly dry myself off with my towel in the stall before pulling on my uniform. When I come out, they’re all staring at me. I put my head down and prepare to make a break for the exit.
“What do you think, Fire Hazard? Who’s gonna win?” Miyuki sneers as I put my hand on the door, and my eyes narrow as I stop in my tracks. Without turning my head, I snap:
“Keigo’s gonna kick her ass.”
I walk out the door without another word.
…
I’ve never seen Kana Iguchi fight before. Truth be told, I don’t know how I never noticed her. She’s literally the equivalent of a blue Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Her Quirk is Terrapin; apparently, her entire family is full of these reptilian mutant Quirks. She has a half-shaved, bright violet hairstyle and piercing magenta eyes. She seems to be meditating with her eyes closed, sitting cross-legged in her corner of the arena.
I sit in the back of the bleachers alone; I was one of the first people to get there besides Kei and Kana, and, naturally, people chose to sit farther away from me. Even though I’m in the back, I still have a full view of the entire arena…which is the other excuse I made for sitting here.
I’m completely zoned out, staring at Keigo as he stretches on one side of the arena.
“Hey.”
I look up to see Ryuko staring down at me, and a very disgruntled Usagiyama is angrily tapping her foot behind her.
“Do you mind if we sit with you?” Ryuko asks with a smile.
“ I mind,” Rumi grumbles under her breath, but I ignore her, shaking my head as I clear my throat. Ryuko shuffles next to me, and the rabbit girl sits on the other side of her. Within a few minutes, everyone files in, including Miss Kaminari and the Wild, Wild, Pussycats.
“Alright, students! This is the final bracket for Class 2119’s Second Semester of First Year! Keigo Takami and Kana Iguchi!” Miss Kaminari announces with her megaphone. Keigo flares his wings up, and I unconsciously grab the edge of my seat.
“BEGIN!” Ragdoll trills, and, instantly, Keigo sends a swarm of feathers toward her. Kana retracts herself completely into her shell, sending a gasp through the crowd. Keigo starts sprinting toward her, and I chew my bottom lip.
‘Please don’t get hurt. Please don’t get hurt.’
SSSSZZZISH!!!
Kana’s shell starts spinning, sending the feathers ricocheting right off of the carapace and sending winds whipping through the air. Keigo’s feathers switch trajectory immediately, returning to his shrunken wings, and he bats them once, darting into the air right as he reaches Kana, who lunges forward out of her shell. Keigo just barely avoids her attack, her jaws just barely closing a few inches away from his ankles as she snaps.
I grit my teeth, my eyes trained intently on the match. I know how much stress Keigo’s under…he has to win…he has to…
“Are you just going to stay floating in the air like a coward or are you gonna come down and fight me?” Kana scoffs, promptly standing up in a fighting stance, arms braced out and clawed fingers pulled together in a fist. Keigo’s expression darkens in the air, but he never flinches. He seems to shrug before slowly hovering down to the ground, landing on the balls of his feet, arms up.
SHIIK! SHIIK!
Keigo pulls two long feather swords from his wings.
“If I’m gonna fight you, I wanna fight you at your best. No offense,” Keigo chuckles before gracefully tossing one of them to Kana; she catches it midair effortlessly with one clawed hand.
“None taken. This makes it an even matchup for the both of us,” She nods appreciatively.
Keigo’s all lean and muscled, but Kana’s got about a hundred pounds on him complete with overly thick and scaly skin and an impenetrable shell. It’s unreasonable for him to even attempt melee combat with her, just like it’s unreasonable for Kana to match up to Keigo's Quirk without weapons, considering his Quirk gives him an unlimited supply of them.
“Hey! He can’t do that!” Miyuki snaps, standing up in the bleachers and pointing at Kei.
“He absolutely can,” Miss Kaminari declares, smiling beneath her cat-eyed glasses as she watches the match intently. “Sit down, Sero.”
Miyuki hesitantly obliges, and I hear the guys disputing over who’s going to owe who now.
Kana and Keigo circle one another, eyes trained on the slightest change in movement as they keep their swords angled.
Technically, Keigo could end the battle at any time now by turning Kana’s sword on her, but it seems like he wants to give her a chance to showcase her own prowess. It’s admirable really; Keigo actually wants to help his classmates rather than simply worrying about being the best for his ego.
‘Another way he’s better than me…I guess…but I’ve gotten better about it lately.’
In an instant, arms start swinging, calculated and choreographed; Kana and Keigo come to blows, expertly blocking one another’s movements. To be honest, their motions are so fast that it’s impossible to tell what’s going on. Wind whips through the air, blowing hair in my face and making me cringe as I try to keep it out of my eyes. I can hear the feather blades colliding, hardened and poised for striking unlike the soft feathers of Keigo’s I’m used to touching my face…I wonder if he makes sure those are extra soft?
‘Damnit, Toya, concentrate on the fight,’ I curse myself silently as I squint through the wind, barely able to catch the deep blue and bloody crimson blurs that collide and dance around the arena. They’re impossible to catch clearly; I didn’t realize how fucking fast Kana was…especially for a turtle…terrapin? Her sword-fighting skills are unmatched, but it appears Kei is giving her a run for her money.
The overwhelming speed of their fight makes me dizzy, but it only lasts a few minutes before the dust clears. Keigo’s made it without a scratch, and he managed to get his hand on Kana’s sword; Kana’s on her back on the ground, and Keigo has both swords pointed at her neck.
“I…I yield,” Kana mutters begrudgingly, clearly upset. Keigo lowers his weapons with a heavy sigh.
“Keigo wins!” Ragdoll shouts, and an uproar spreads through the class, groans and cheers peppering through the audience as bets are lost and won. No one’s cheering as loud as I am though…at least, I can’t hear them over the sound of my own voice. I’m on my feet, jumping and cheering in the stands with Ryuko and Rumi; we’re practically his hype squad. Rumi scrambles down the bleachers, beelining straight for Keigo, leaping over the bands of the arena and barreling straight into him.
I wait and watch from the stands, my heart skipping when Keigo looks up and makes eye contact with me. His tired smile speaks volumes.
…
“So…is this like, gonna be a thing the whole semester? We’re gonna be sitting with Fire Hazard?” Rumi Usagiyama snorts, making my lip curl at that goddamn nickname.
“You act like that’s something new Rumi,” Keigo retorts as he chomps down on the yakitori skewer. Miss Kaminari ordered special takeout to celebrate the end of the sparring matches, and it was nice to put something in my body that wasn’t overcooked or burned in some way.
The tables in the cafeteria are pretty spread out, and Keigo dragged me, Rumi, and Ryuko to one table. Kei’s sitting next to me, with Rumi directly across from him and Ryuko directly across from me. I look around and take in the scene. Shinji Nishiya and Amari Ashido are in some heated conversation at one end of a table while Yu Takeyama and her clique, consisting of the blue-skinned girl who tried to stop Miku from fighting (Kaoruko Awata) and a blue-haired girl with a super-hearing Quirk sit at the other end. Miku’s there too, but she doesn’t seem to be indulging in whatever bullshit Yu is spitting. She’s staring at another table with Yurei Yanagi and the girl with engines in her fucking legs (I think her name is Asuga Ida?). Akui Kyofu, the creepy bastard, sits alone, staring at the wall close to where the teachers eat. The final two tables are divided into two manic groups. Ishi Tetsutetsu, Kioshi Amajiki, and Kana Iguchi are arguing over some magazine at one table while Miyuki Sero, Itsuka Tsuburaba, and Hikari Monoma are cackling laughing about something . Probably me to be honest.
I feel something nudge my shoulder, and I zone back into the world.
“Toya?”
“Huh?”
“Did you hear what I said?” Keigo blinks, a warm grin spreading across his face, flashing all of his teeth in that smile that should be borderline fucking illegal.
“Sorry,” I shrug, feeling like an idiot as I see Rumi roll her eyes.
“Are you excited for Quirk Reinforcement training next week?” Keigo asks, and I blink. I still never paid any attention to that damn schedule.
“Sounds like shit I’ve been doing my whole life, to be honest,” I scoff, sounding way more pretentious than I intend.
“Some of us don’t have daddies that are in the top three,” Rumi sneers under her breath, and I go stiff.
“Why don’t you say it to my face , bitch?!” I snap, slamming my fist down on the table between Rumi and me. Her ears pin back to her head, and her scarlet eyes bore into me.
“Rumi, hold on!” Keigo blurts, standing up, but it’s too late.
“You did NOT ,” She roars, reaching over the table to immediately grab me by the shirt.
‘Oh fuck.’
“Just call me that word. In that tone,” Rumi seethes, twisting my shirt as she drags me halfway across the table, standing up to tower over me as my Converse barely hang off my seat. “If I was just as unhinged as you, I would beat the fuck out of you in front of everyone right now. Do you understand?” Rumi’s voice is full of vindication.
My Quirk boils in my veins, and I do my best to swallow my anger. Rumi’s just a bully basing her insults off of gossip. She hasn’t done anything to anyone…if Keigo’s friends with her, she can’t be a total cunt. She doesn’t deserve to get charbroiled…as much as I would love to wipe that smugness off her face.
“Hey.”
Ryuko’s voice at normal volume was the last thing I expected as she stands up and grabs Usagiyama’s shoulder.
“Let him go. You started it,” Ryuko says matter-of-factly, “Everyone knows you don’t bring Todoroki’s family into anything. You set him off on purpose.”
I blink, surprised at how much she’s taking up for me. Without another word, Rumi promptly shoves me back to my side of the table, and I almost fall off my seat as I brush my shirt off.
Keigo carefully sits down beside me, eyes flitting between the two of us.
‘Does…does he feel like he has to choose between us? Fuck, I don’t want to put him in that position.’
Anxiety stirs in my gut, and, suddenly, the food on my plate is overwhelmingly nauseating. I don’t want to get so angry that my Quirk activates…this is such a shitty situation. I feel like all of my classmates are staring at me.
I get up and walk out of the cafeteria and back toward our room.
…
‘Am I really about to ask my sister for dating advice?’ The thought scrambles through my brain as I stare blankly at the messages between Fuyumi and me. I don’t know who else to turn to, embarrassingly enough. My little sister is only fourteen years old and she’s already had five boyfriends. She’s always romanticized the idea of getting married and falling in love…it’s fucking disgusting. Fuyumi’s one of the strongest people I know…she shouldn’t be so hellbent on something as trivial as love…but…if that’s what I’m feeling…maybe…maybe it isn’t so wishy-washy after all. God…gross…what the fuck is wrong with me?
My fingers shake, my heart practically beating out of my chest as I take a deep breath and start to type as I sit on the top bunk.
You awake?
I release the breath I was holding as I press send.
‘There. This way, if she doesn’t answer…I don’t even have to talk about it. I can just tell her to forget it-’
My train of thought is interrupted when I see her start to type a response.
‘Shit.’
Fuyumi: Did you get in trouble again?
I roll my eyes.
Worse. I think I like someone.
More typing.
Fuyumi: You made a friend?
‘I think I’ve made several but that’s not what I’m talking about…’
I LIKE-like someone.
My sister texts me so fast I barely have time to read.
Fuyumi: WHAT?!?!
Fuyumi: WHO IS SHE??
Fuyumi: SPILL!
Fuyumi: Wait…do you actually like her or do you just think she’s hot.
The word “she” glares at me from the phone screen, making my gut churn. I’m not ready to come out yet…even to Fuyumi. I’m still getting a grasp on these new feelings. I chew my bottom lip as I type.
Both? I think?
Fuyumi: You better not just hook up with her. She better be the type to treat you right if you do anything.
I definitely don’t just wanna hook up with Keigo. I…I genuinely enjoy his company now. I mean, sure…I’ve had a few racy dreams…but…Keigo is so much more than just a pretty face. He’s everything I want to be. The kind of person that’s at the top because he earned it. The kind of person who wants to put more good into the world. The kind of person that people don’t think twice about when he tries to help them. Keigo doesn’t get the same stares that I do…not in the same way at least. People look at Keigo like he’s the king of a castle…people look at me like I’ve got a gun in my backpack.
Fuyumi: Does she like you back?
I don’t know…
The typing starts and stops, and I feel a weight in my chest.
‘Will Fuyumi care that I like a boy? She doesn’t seem like the kind of person that would…Natsuo might not understand…Shoto’s too young to even understand hetero relationships…my parents…fuck. ’
Fuyumi: I thought you told me relationships were stupid.
I sigh dramatically, raking a hand through my hair.
This is new, ok? I don’t know wtf is happening.
Fuyumi: Don’t swear.
I roll my eyes so far back into my head that I might as well have passed out as I kick my feet in the air.
‘I’m not getting anywhere with this…this was stupid.’
Fuyumi: Do you need help? Is that why you told me?
YES
Fuyumi: Idk…buy flowers?? Be nice??? Smile??? Don’t be a creep
“Helpful,” I snort, groaning as I let myself fall back into the mattress, sinking in and feeling like my chest is full of concrete.
Fuyumi: Be romantic…if you can.
I don’t even know the first thing about romance…intimacy…any of this shit. I don’t even know if Keigo likes me…my brain could be reading too much into things…but…fuck…this is complicated.
Not that kind of help…best friend hates me.
Fuyumi: Stop being mean to ppl then
“Goddamnit, Yumi, it’s not that simple,” I whisper to myself, rubbing my temples as I set my phone down.
Knock knock.
I shoot straight up in bed, almost hitting my head on the low ceiling as the door slowly creaks open.
It’s Keigo.
He stands in the doorway, looking up at me with a confused expression.
“Hey…are you okay?” He asks, eyes full of concern.
“Yeah, why?” I stumble over my words, my mouth feeling dry.
“I dunno. You kinda rushed off at dinner. I was worried something was wrong…especially after what happened with Rue,” Keigo explains, wringing his hands. His wings hang stiffly behind him.
“I’m fine. You should still be celebrating,” I say bluntly.
“It felt wrong without you there.”
Those words carve into my heart. Keigo wants me there…fuck, I can’t remember the last time I felt wanted .
“Just needed to talk to my sister somewhere more private,” I confess, jumping down from the top bunk and landing a little less than ceremoniously.
“Fuyumi?” Keigo asks, and, to be honest, I’m surprised he remembered her name. I maybe mentioned it once.
“Yeah,” I nod, “Everything’s good.”
“Okay, let’s go!” Kei grins, feathers fluttering at the edges of his wings as he spins and darts out the door.
…
The rest of the night went without incident. Rumi managed to go through with her promise of not committing assault and battery on my face, and I kept my mouth shut…at least when it came to insults creeping on the tip of my tongue. I finished dinner without it crawling back up my throat, which I considered the first win of the day, and, now, Keigo and I are headed back to the makeshift dorm.
“Y’know…we get a break tomorrow…we should go to the river,” Keigo beams, breaking the silence as we walk side by side, approaching the looming enormous cabin in the distance. “Go on a walk…see what the full camp has to offer…I mean, we’re in the middle of the woods, right?” He laughs light-heartedly.
“Sure,” I shrug, secretly swooning at the prospect of spending more time with Keigo. If I’m going to process these feelings fully, I might as well flesh them out… I wonder what Rumi would think if she found out we were sleeping in the same shitty twin bed? From an outsider’s perspective…there’s nothing platonic about that. I mean…with the context of my nightmares… maybe there’s wiggle room?
My thoughts race as we walk inside, and I feel like the floorboards might splinter beneath my feet with the weight of the anxiety in my chest. Keigo and I slip into our temporary dorm room, and the space is, once again, exploding with silent tension.
‘If he liked me, he would’ve said so by now…right? Besides…there’s no reason for him to like you.’ I grit my teeth, trying not to grimace at my own train of thought. King of self-sabotage…that’s what Fuyumi used to call me. Damn her and her psychology fascination.
Nothing adds up and nothing makes sense. I’m probably reading too much into Keigo’s glances and movements. That’s gotta be it. I’m letting myself get too hopeful as per usual. It’s going to come crashing down and splinter inside me…right?
I blink…and I’m in bed. Keigo slinks in beside me. I face away from him, staring at the wall. His wing falls in front of my face, feathers mere inches away from my skin. This is weird…right? I mean…I’ve never had any friends over. I’m not sure what sleepovers look like. Do people sleep in the same bed? Is that a thing? Platonically? Probably not a tiny ass twin bed where one move means you’re touching.
My eyebrows furrow. It would be easier if I could be upfront and ask him…but…we’d already established it “wasn’t weird”... before the accidental kiss at least. Things felt…different now. My heart isn’t thumping with paranoia and fear as much…it’s filled with…disgusting longing. I shouldn’t be yearning for my roommate like some old-school romance novel that Fuyumi would have on her bookshelf.
And yet…my final thoughts of the night are consumed with Keigo Takami.