Chapter 6 - For Your Information

                                    

                                          
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Natsuki was one turn from annihilating an eight year old at UNO when her phone vibrated. 
                          
She looked away for a second - a second - to check the text, her heart jumping in her chest when she saw who it was from. When she looked up again, her patient had one card in their hands and a suspicious lump under his sheets. "You are such a little cheat," she gasped, crossing her arms.
                          
"Nuh-uh," he grinned, missing more than a couple of teeth. "The air conditioning blew away all of my cards."
                          
Natsuki raised an eyebrow and drew cards until she finally got something... ten cards later. "Right. The air conditioning," she said, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. 
                          
Her patient shrugged and slapped down his last card. "I win." 
                          
"In an alternate universe where cheating is allowed, maybe," Natsuki said, ripping away the sheets with a flourish to reveal his stash of cards. "What would you call this?" 
                          
"Mmm... strategic stockpiling?" 
                          
Pursing her lips, Natsuki choked on a laugh. "Strategic stockpiling, huh?" He gave her a smile that could make the coldest of hearts give him the clothes off their backs, and she ruffled his hair. "You're lucky you're cute, kid." 
                          
"That's what I hear." 
                          
She stood from his bed and stretched, itching to go read her text in its entirety. "It's my lunchtime buddy, so I'll be seeing you later, okay?" Natsuki helped him clean up his UNO cards and put them back in the box before scooting out of the room. She clocked out for lunch and flew toward the cafeteria, hastily texting Sumiko. 
                          
They met at their favorite spot, a secluded bar-height table near the windows, and shared a plate of loaded nachos. "Spill," Sumiko said, her white hair pulled half-up into the tiniest ponytail Natsuki had ever seen on a grown woman. 
                          
"I haven't read the whole text yet, hold on," Natsuki said, slapping Sumiko's hand away from The Perfect Nacho as she pulled up the text that sent her heart soaring. 
                          
From Kirishima. 
                          
Hi Watanabe. 
The party is next Saturday at Kami's apartment 
9 PM. 
                          
And, uh, thanks. For this week. 
If you ever need anything, Kami and I have got your back. 
Can't speak for Bakugo, though. lol
                          
Natsuki read the texts out loud to Sumiko, who studied her friend's flushed cheeks and easy smile as she spoke. "So?" Natsuki prodded, "What do you think? What should I say?"
                          
Sumiko stole a nacho from Natsuki's side of the plate, piled high with jalapeños and nacho cheese. "I think that you have a crush on this Kirishima guy," she answered, "And you need to tell him you're going to the party." Sumiko cut her friend off as she tried to protest. "No excuses, Natsu. When was the last time you had fun? Let go? Did something for yourself besides go grocery shopping or clean your apartment?"
                          
Shoveling nachos into her mouth to avoid speaking, Natsuki frowned at her water bottle. She couldn't think of a solid example. "What about...?"
                          
"You bailed on me when I asked you to go to the hot springs so you could attend those fostering classes," Sumiko said, "And you got that stomach bug when we had spa plans." She waved her hand, nonchalant, and added, "It's not like I blame you for either, Natsu, but seriously, you need to take better care of yourself." Pointing with a loaded chip, Sumiko buckled down. "As your best friend, I demand you go to this party and take me with you as your wingwoman." 
                          
"Fine," Natsuki groaned, "I'll tell him I'll go." 
                          
"Fucking good. Because I'm going to make sure you look so hot that everyone dies from looking at you. From breathing the same air as your attractiveness." 
                          
"That's... probably too hot, Sumi." 
                          
"That's what you think." 
                          
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Kirishima was working out when he got Natsuki's response, his hands going slick so fast - just at the thought, at the hope, of her texting him - that he dropped his weight on his foot. 
                          
He hissed, a string of curses slipping out from between his clenched teeth, and hopped over to his phone, which blasted his workout playlist from his kitchen counter. 
                          
Knowing Kaminari, it's probably a casual party, yeah? 
Not a cocktail dress/ball gown situation? 
Also, can I bring a friend? 
The only people I'll know are you two... 
and I'm sure you won't want me hanging off of you all night. 
                          
Heartbeat pulsing in his cheeks, Kirishima chuckled. Little did she know, he would love if she hung off of him for the whole party. But her mention of a friend worried him... was it a boyfriend? His fingers hovered over his screen, trying to think of a way to respond or ask questions about this mystery plus-one. 
                          
She texted again, as if reading his mind: And FYI, friend is a girl, coworker. Maybe her and Kaminari can hook up if he's single? IDK lol
                          
Relief washed through Kirishima, head to toe, warm and welcome. He answered: A girl for Kami sounds like a great idea! And I wouldn't mind if you wanted to hang together, his parties sometimes can get a little too crazy even for my tastes. 
                          
He hoisted himself up onto his granite countertop, feeling the cold seep into his skin through his shorts, staring at his screen while he waited for her to text back. 
                          
Natsuki: Perf! And I will find you when the crazy level hits my max. lol
                          
Her abbreviations and short texts made him wonder if she was still at work, but Kirishima didn't think it was his place to ask... plus he didn't know how he would go about doing that. Also, to answer your original question, Kami doesn't do formal wear. Like ever. So dress comfy, he texted, his palms slick even after wiping them off on his red and black basketball shorts. 
                          
Oh good, Natsuki answered, Sweats and sneaks it is. 
                          
Hey, we can't show up in the same outfit, Kirishima laughed out loud as he texted her back. He couldn't help but imagine Natsuki in a pair of his sweats, rolled down low to show off her midriff, a tanktop of his tight across-
                          
Would that be the worst thing? haha Not mad. Her text shook him from his daydream, and Kirishima frowned, chastising himself. Just because it had been a while since he'd had any companionship didn't mean he could just be fantasizing about anyone and everyone. 
                          
He answered, Well I'll try to read your mind from here and not wear the same thing. Don't want people to get us confused. :) 
                          
She never responded, leaving Kirishima with a pit in his stomach, even days later. Did he say something wrong? Maybe she was just busy at work. 
                          
The ambiguity ate at him, slowly driving him crazy. 
                          


                          


                          


                          


                          
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A/N: Sorry about the shortish chapter this week, but next week is ~The Party~ and shit's about to go down