[ 7 ] - Proud ~ Mishima Kazumi x Reader (Platonic)

                                    

                                          

     It's only been a few days in school yet I felt so miserable. The uniform didn't feel like it belonged to me, my name wasn't my own, and the perspective people had on me was wrong. I know who I am yet why wasn't I saying anything about it..?
     The day seemed slow yet my heartbeat felt so rapid. Every movement I made was standing on a thin wire. My heart could never take it. As much as I wanted to reach for the rope in front of me, I could never. In fear of what? Rejection. Isolation. Hatred. Eyes would be on me..and I didn't want that. I just want to be me.
                          
     I was on my lonesome, sitting at the empty table. I was currently doodling random things in one of my spare notebooks. With my droopy eyes, I looked down at the small person I drew. It was me..or what I perceived myself to be. And I was content with that. I lopsidedly smiled at the drawing I have created. 
     "What you drawing there, [Y/N]?" Nao announced happily. Startled, I shook the table as I was sent backwards.
     "Nao! When did you get here..?!Also..don't say that too loud.." Nao, the only person to know the real me. And the only person I trust.
     It wasn't that I was ashamed of my name. Quite honestly, I loved when Nao said it proudly. It was just..I didn't want people to stumble in the classroom and here that. I didn't want others to question that or read too much into it. 
     "But..that's your preferred name, right? You should wear it high and proud!" Her smile wide and shining. I forget how amazing she truly is.
     I smile back at her before looking down at my drawing. Her eyes follow mine. She brings up her right hand and swoops the notebook from my table. I immediately train my eyes on her.
     "Is this supposed to be you?! You look amazing! Ooh ooh! Can I cut your hair like this..?!" She swung it around, out of my grasp.
     "Hey! Give it back, Nao!" I giggled at her childish antics. 
     We weren't that different in height but she did play hard to get. She continues to compliment and ask to cut my hair. If anything, I'd definitely say yes.
     "[Y/N]! You're going to look so amazing! Everyone is going to stop and stare! They'll wonder...'who are they..? A boy? A girl? Neither?'!" She jokes around, still prancing around the classroom. 
     Even with little compliments and jokes she makes, they somehow light a flame in my heart. They remind me who I am and why I should be proud. Why I should be proud....
     "[Y/N]! The proud non-binary..!!" That's when my heart stopped. All the blood flow dropped out of my body. Not to be seen again.
     Losing air bit by bit, I saw Professor Mishima..standing by the doorway. Eyeing us both as we danced in his classroom. It wasn't that he was mean or anything. It's the fact that he heard her. He heard Nao. 
     'Just..how long have you been standing there..?' My mind screamed for Nao to stop.
     Her mouth kept blabbering on and on about me and the drawing. I wanted to stop her but my limbs couldn't move. I didn't want to be outed. Not until I was comfortable. But this? To a teacher? I felt the world crumble around me.
     "Miss Nao? Miss/Mister [D/N]?" It stung. It hurt like a damn gunshot. 
     My legs were growing weak yet I felt like I wanted to run. Away from here. Away from them. Nao turned around to face Professor Mishima. Despite her understanding my situation, she was completely ignorant to my growing tension right now. 
     She seemed frozen as well. She noticed her mess up so her throat clogged up. As she was about to say something, Professor Mishima spoke up.
     "Is something the matter, you two?" His voice tense and concerned. I didn't want to find out if he heard or not.
     "W-We were just...uhm...[Y]—!" I couldn't take it. I grabbed onto my belongings and stormed out of there.
     "[Y/N]!!" Nao shouted for me. I couldn't respond nor look back. I wanted to go home...
                          
Next day....
     Why am I sitting here? What am I even waiting for? Potential punishment? Ratted me out to my homophobic parents? Expulsion from this damned school? 
     Just as I saw him, I immediately turned the other way. My eyes, baggy and swollen. After the long 7 hour mental breakdown, of course I couldn't cover them up the morning. 
     He walked slowly towards me, pulled up a empty chair and sat in front of me. His breathing was slow and paced. He seemed quite relaxed surprisingly. Actually, Professor Mishima is quite nice but I still didn't trust him. Not after what he heard yesterday.
     "I am quite sorry for what I heard yesterday...it was not my place to barge into a private conversation like that..." He apologizes with a genuine sorrowful expression. 
     I say nothing. Understandably. He breathes in slowly and breathes out. Not a second wasted, he picks himself up from the seat and walks towards some cabinets.
     "Would you like some tea? I do keep some spare teabags here. It helps cool the nerves..mwhaha..." He chuckles quietly. I muttered out a simple, 'sure'. He hums in response.
     'Why does he just keep a tea kettle here..?' Forgetting the situation at hand, I snap myself back into place.
     With the soothing bubbling of the water, he brings out a two empty glasses from the same cabinet. I wouldn't be surprised if this eccentric man kept a whole kitchen worth of supplies in there. After a few minutes passed by, he walked back towards me with two cups in hand.
     "Do be careful. It is quite hot after all..." He passes me my cup. Nodding, signaling my thanks, I held the cup in my hand.
     Blowing silently into the cup, I watch my reflection shift in the tainted water. I hated it. I furrow my brow in frustration. It seemed that Mishima caught that. Observant as always.
     "You don't have to tell me if you don't wish to. Just know, I am 100% supportive of you." Flicking my head upwards towards him, my eyes shake with amazement. 
     'Did he say support..?' I ponder on his words a bit more. Tripping at each word he spoke.
     I take a second to process what he said and it clicked in me. I didn't know whether to ball up in tears or thank him for everything.
     "B-But..yesterday you looked-!" Fumbling, I couldn't grasp anything at this point. He grinned happily the second he heard my voice.
     "Oh that? I was more worried with what you two were doing in there. Quite loud you two were..." He admits bluntly. I couldn't help but laugh as the memory recalls back to me.
     "Hoho! You're smiling now! I'm glad to see that familiar expression..!" He fixes his glasses towards me.
     I nod happily towards him but I suddenly feel my heart grow heavy once again. My smile grows shorter and shorter the second I cave into my darkness. Mishima seemed to notice it too.
     "Is something the matter..?" He asks, worriedly. I could feel the small tears rush down my cheek. 
     "Professor...I don't want to be a [G/H]. I don't want to be a [O/G/H] either..yet..that's how the world sees me as..." I recall Professor Mishima calling me by my dead name. The stinging sensation felt the same as yesterday. 
     Mishima's face grows sadder by the second but a sudden spark lit into him. He stood up suddenly with fast motion. He placed his empty cup down as he stormed towards the exit.
     "You stay here for just a moment, okay?" He says with a determined expression. My cheeks still wet from my tears but I nodded with hesitation.
     Looks like I'll have to wait awhile...
                          
     After a few minutes of solitude, Professor Mishima comes back in with some documents. Puzzled by this, I murmured, 'What's this..?'.
     He goes over to his teacher desk and retrieves a pen. Oddly enough, he wasn't saying anything. When he settled down, he sat in front of me once more as he popped the cap open. He flipped through some pages until he landed on my school profile.
     "What's your name..?" He says in a serious tone. 
     Gulping, the pit in my stomach didn't go away. I answered, '[D/N]'. 
     "No, you're preferred name. I didn't quite catch it last time.." With his ever so friendly smile, it calmed me down. 
     "U-Uhm...[Y]-[Y/N].." I state shyly. He nods as he scribbles it down on my document.
     "Oh, my manners..Quite sorry about yesterday. About barging in and calling you by that name. I didn't have ill intentions." He continues to fix and correct some stuff as he continued to apologize. 
     "It's fine. It did hurt..a lot but..I know you didn't mean it." He didn't understand my situation and I know he isn't that kind of man.
     Finalizing up the final parts and he finished. He made sure to go through every page to make sure things were orderly. We talked a few things out, even to go as far as my "coming out" story. He listened in intently and grasped my every word.
     "It must've been hard, hm? Living your life as a lie and darkness..?" He points out. To be honest, he was right on the nose. I nodded at his comment. 
     "If you would like, I'd like to share my view of things..." I motioned my hand towards him, letting him continue.
     "Well...I find that not living my truth is..difficult. It feels like I'm living a double life. Separate from my own. So...be proud. Live in the moment. Be who you want to be, Mx [Y/N]." Like that, I finally found a reason to be proud. 
                          
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Word Count: 1691 Words 
Author's Note:
                          
I just thought it would be a cute idea if Mishima had a LGBTQA  Student!! He would be so accepting and loving! Bro will make corrections in school, make sure everyone accepts who you are, and if they don't...OUT OF HIS CLASS!!
                          
But— I hope I'm writing him accurately...I'm just writing a bunch of Mishima oneshots since...i wuv him gimme kith 😳💞
                          
🌿 Anyways! I hope you do enjoy these spam of oneshots and enjoy your day!! 🌿
                          
- Leaf 🪴