Tardiness, Iida clicks his tongue in annoyance, should have been included in seven deadly sins.
1-A students all agreed to meet at I-Island's central tower entrance and go to the party as a group. However, the time is cutting it close and the only ones present here are only Kaminari, Mineta, Midoriya, Todoroki, and himself.
Not for the first time that evening, Iida huffs and nudges his glasses up his nose. "It's almost time. Where is everyone?"
"Relax, Iida-kun," Deku reassures his friend. "Uraraka-san said they'll be here in a second. I don't know about Kacchan and Kirishima-kun, though."
"You gotta loosen up, Iida," Kaminari adds, nodding his head and flashing a grin. "According to my experience, it's normal for girls to take a while to dress up. Be patient for some time and prepare to behold the view of 1-A pretty flowers!"
Shrugging his shoulders snidely, Mineta mocks Kaminari, "Says the guy who's never had a girlfriend."
"At least I wasn't the one who got hit in the face by a girl while working," the electricity user quips, not a trace of maliciousness smears his tone.
"Hey! It was just a misunderstanding!"
Snickering at Mineta's protests, Kaminari turns his head to Todoroki when something on said boy's phone screen catches his attention. "What are you and Aizawa-sensei talking about, Todoroki?"
Rather than an answer, he gets a glare from Todoroki, who swiftly turns off the screen and slides the phone down to his pocket. "It's none of your business."
"Whoa! Chill, Todoroki. It's not like I intended to see it."
"It's rude to spy on people, Kaminari-kun," Deku chides, frowning in disapproval, before stealing a glance at Iida, whose position is closer to the gate than to them. "You're lucky Iida-kun didn't hear it, but you have to apologize to Todoroki-kun."
"You're right." Kaminari throws an apologetic grin to his tense friend. "I was just very curious. My bad."
After a moment of consideration, Todoroki slips his own hands in his pockets, one of them fingering the phone. "How much of it did you see?"
"Not much, only Aizawa-sensei's name and a sorta picture of nature."
"... Fine."
Kaminari doesn't understand. His friend is being quite defensive for a student who merely receives a message from his teacher. It seems innocent enough... So, why? Is there a secret hidden on that screen?
He almost asks Todoroki about it when Mineta's loud yell cuts his thoughts off. "ALL THE GIRLS ARE HERE!"
"Sorry for making you guys wait!"
Oh, right, girls. And, just like that, Kaminari's brain switches his focus to the most important task on hand: girls. He immediately glances around, his honey-colored eyes searching the crowd for the girls as they step into the room.
"Wow! Would you look at that!? U.A. really needs to require the female students to wear dresses every day! Melissa looks a hell of a lot like a supermodel too!"
"Ugh, wipe your drool off, Kaminari."
"That's not nice, Kaminari-kun! You will subject our friends into wearing impractical outfits during training sessions, written exams, classes, and—"
"Iida-kun, I think he got the message."
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"..."
"..."
"I... I hope I don't look weird wearing this... This is my first time wearing a dress and I'm not sure if I—"
"Ara, you... don't look weird at all."
"Oh! Um— I'm glad... I— I think your outfit suits you, Shoto-san..."
"Thanks."
"..."
"..."
It is amusing how much the impact of a dress suit and a dress can have on him. On her. Well, on both of them. This is by no means Shoto's first conversation with Arata, but by the magic of their formal attires, it sort of feels that way.
Arata's nervousness surfaces in the form of pink spreads over her cheeks. While he doesn't have a visible reaction like hers, he knows that his breathing stutters every time their gazes accidentally collide.
It doesn't help either that there's this... static uncertainty. It inaudibly crackles, almost suspicious how its timing matches with her stealing a glance at him. It lingers without form between the empty space that separates them. And it sends unsolicited, tiny jolts up to his chest.
This electric sensation... Is it Kaminari's quirk?
However, a quick sweep around the room with his eyes is enough to tell Shoto that Kaminari is right across the room, joking around with Jirou and Mineta. No one to pin the blame on now, he decides to pass it off as an abnormal phenomenon, regardless of its inexplicability.
Just some time ago, he and Arata were so comfortable with each other, to the point of holding hands during the walk back, even. Now? He isn't used to this kind of... whatever it is. The awkwardness laid out between them could take form as cheese considering how thick it feels.
What to say... What to say... Shoto sighs in his head, silently observing her from the corner of his eye. I can't focus at all. Should I say something? But, what? About I-Speed? About our teamwork in the race? Oh, right, that reminds me...
"Ara, about your right arm... Is it healed up? I mean, the bruise has... disappeared."
"Oh, it's..." he sees Arata pause for a moment before carefully resuming her words. "Yao-momo offered to, um... cover it up with make-up."
"So it's still hurt."
Shoto thinks his expression doesn't change, not even a bit. However, his guilt must be visible, because Arata reassures him right away.
"It's nothing big, just a minor injury. It could've been worse, but it's not. Thanks to you..." she smiles to him, showing a pair of charming dimples. "... and your ice, Shoto-san."
It's not the first time Arata has smiled to him, but somehow it sends a tingling feeling all over his body. It brings the funny sensation from before right back inside him. Scratching his own neck, he averts his gaze to another direction. "Just... don't overwork your arm. Otherwise it can get worse."
"I'll try. And, um, Shoto-san?"
"Yeah?" he grunts, trying to will down his own nerves.
"I think... your collar got a bit tangled up under your tie."
"Oh... Which part?" His fingers sweep the suit's collar without aim, fumbling to find any rumpled part. "Here?"
"A little more to the left."
"This one?"
"No, not there." A light giggle slips out from her mouth as he throws her a confused, lost-puppy-like look. "Want me to help?"
A help. To fix my tie, Shoto closes his eyes and ponders, skimming past memories. When was the last time I heard that offer? No, when was the last time anyone bothered with something so trivial for me?
Since his very first time in junior high school, he has always done his tie himself. When other teenagers seemed to consult their parents or siblings on it, he did it by watching "Otou-san, How Do I?" tutorial videos on the internet.
Part of it was because he didn't ask for help. Who was he supposed to ask, anyway?
His mother never left the hospital. His oldest brother was ashes. His sister drowned herself in her undergraduate studies. His other brother steered clear of their home most of the time.
His father didn't bother with anything that didn't make him stronger or closer to surpassing All Might. And even if he did, why would Shoto have wanted his help? After everything he had put them through... Shoto wanted nothing to do with him.
It's true that Shoto never asked for their help. It's true that his family never offered to help him either.
But here, Arata concerns herself with him. Even if she doesn't have to. Even if he doesn't ask for it outright. Even if it's merely about a small matter, like wiping away his sweat, draping him with a blanket, comforting him, and… fixing his tie. No matter how insignificant it seems, the way she cares for him... is far from insignificant for him.
Being taken care of is unfamiliar for Shoto, but it is a welcome change.
"Sure." The sides of his lips curl into a smile as he opens his eyes again. "As much as my confusion entertains you, yes, I would like to have your help."
"All right."
Leaning closer to him, Arata stands on her toes and her hand dives for his left collar leaf, fiddling with it lightly. Shoto would like to think, that he instinctively dips his head down to make her job easier, because she is shorter than him. Because he doesn't want her to overstretch her injured arm. Not because he likes the fluttering warmth in his body when he is with her.
The way these little, innocent touches spread between them brings his mind back to their walk back this evening. With his hand over hers the whole way.
It set him warm inside, and he would be lying to say he didn't wish for it to go on. Her touch doesn't burn him the way his Half-Hot quirk does. It smolders him slowly until his feelings melt into a hot mess.
"Okay, done. It's all good now." Arata pats his collar, smoothing the creases on it with her fingers. He squirms a little when they accidentally brush his neck, causing her to pause. "Um... Shoto-san?"
"Yeah?"
"Your ears are slightly red. Why...?" Confused, her green eyes follow the redness on his skin from the ear up to his face. "O— Oh."
Unlike him, it looks like Arata has just noticed how close their faces are. One slight move and their foreheads will be touching. The hands around his neck twitch and her eyes widen in surprise, sucking Shoto right into a vivid green abyss, immobilizing his muscles in the most unexpected way possible.
What's wrong with me? I can't concentrate… She's... too close...
The pounding in his chest keeps accelerating until it's almost painful. To the point that suddenly he finds it almost impossible to breathe. Instead of breathing, his brain is allocating too much of his focus on actively ignoring these restless, tiny movements she makes.
"Stop moving, Ara," Shoto mutters, hoping that his state of disarray isn't reflected by his voice. "It's... Don't make me nervous..."
"Oh!" Arata's cheeks flush deeper, painting more adorable red on her face. "Sorry, I..."
"No, thank you," he hushes her, grey-cyan eyes gleaming in gratitude, "for fixing my tie."
"S— Sure... Um, any time, Shoto-san..."
The tension between them is brewing and somehow, none of them pulls away. They are just standing there, hearts palpitating in ribcage. Staring into each other's gaze in indefinite silence.
Vaguely, he asks himself why he stays still instead of pulling away. Arata has finished fixing his tie, so there's no business for him to maintain this... position. For her as well. Yet, he can't find it in himself to step back. Not if it means he has to let go of this smothering, yet warm sensation.
It's strange and I don't understand why. Probably... I can figure it out later.
The only thing he understands about himself right now is that he trusts her not to choke him even when her hands are up on his collar. That he doesn't mind having her in his personal space though it's kind of bad for his heart. That he feels so warm with her and he wants to—
"Oi, don't you smell something burning here?"
His thought process be damned, Shoto physically recoils and yanks himself away from Arata.
Crap! Did I just burn her? All that warmth, was it from my own quirk? What if I accidentally set her on fire?
Struggling to keep himself together, he quickly scans his own arm to look for any trace of fire. He pulls his left sleeve higher, his fingertips only finding warm—not hot—skin underneath.
None. Calm down. No signs of fire. Then, what was that just now?
Shoto quickly snaps his head to the source, only to find Kaminari snickering at the red-faced Arata, not him. Next to the electricity user, Jirou is grinning ear to ear, as if she found the whole thing hilarious.
"It's adorable that she blushes this hard," Jirou remarks. "Wanna try frying an egg on your face, Arata-chan?"
"Ugh, stop teasing me, Kyoka-chan, Kaminari-kun... See, you even made Shoto-san surprised."
Oh, they're talking about Ara.
Chuckling, Jirou turns to him, her earphone jacks gesturing to Arata's flushed cheeks. "What did you even do to her, Todoroki?"
Keeping his internal thoughts under wraps, Shoto slips back into his usual poker face. "Nothing."
"Sure, like anyone would buy that reason," Jirou scoffs.
"Hey, Arata-chan, does being near Todoroki have that strong of an effect on you?"
The three of them expect Arata to blush again, considering Kaminari's intrusive question. However, she stares at the blond with an indescribable, yet serious expression—like she's just remembered something important. If this reaction isn't unexpected, her next surely is.
"Say, Kaminari-kun... Did someone manage to catch your eye at the cafe?"
"Say what!?"
"Um, were you... attracted to anyone at your workplace? Is there anyone you liked?"
Her reply catches Kaminari so off-guard that he almost electrocutes himself. By the looks of it, he isn't the only one surprised. Jirou and Todoroki are frozen stiff on their spot, perhaps wondering if their ears have failed them.
Kaminari quickly blurts out the first thing that comes to mind, "Are you— Are you asking me out, Arata-chan?"
"Huh?" After a while, Arata finally realizes the implication of her question. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean it that way... I, um, just heard from Kyoka-chan that you had a demon-like customer this evening. I was wondering... if you were attracted to him...?"
"Where did you get that idea!?" Kaminari cries out, bewildered beyond belief. "I like women, not men! Mineta can vouch for me about that! Besides, I bet that customer hates men. He refused to be within a meter from the male staffs!"
Body tensing, Shoto quickly chips in, "Ara, is it the restroom creep? Kaminari also met him?"
"I think so, but—"
Just as Arata wants to explain, a security emergency blares off in the building and the metal seals surrounding them descend one by one, shutting them inside with loud, ominous clanks.
"This is an announcement by the I-Island security system."
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The light from the monitor casts a blue hue on his goggled face as he finishes typing on his keyboard. "Okay, that's it. All the people in this island are our hostages now."
"I usually don't like men, but I can tolerate you as a comrade, Mr. Hacker." a yellow-eyed man shoots him a confident smile, hand combing his own purple locks.
"You only say that because I helped you to cover your tracks. Which I only did because you've done your part in getting us into I-Island."
"Ouch, so cold. This is why we need to recruit girls."
"Shut your trap, Ephialtes. Flirting with female guards wasn't enough for you? Remember, only our boss can recruit members," his goat-faced ally snarls, pointing his finger to him. "You've messed up! You let one run away from you! Good job at nearly fucking all of us."
"Oh, that one? Give her a break, Nobu. Little Red Riding Hood is a teenager. Mr. Hacker has thrown her off our trail as well."
"To be honest, I'm not sure about that..." the hacker pipes up, not that everyone else in the room gives much thought about it.
"As if age actually matters to an old fart like you," Nobu spits to Ephialtes, nostrils flaring and sharp teeth showing. "Your next target isn't even much older than she is."
"Should I even be guilty about it? It's not like I've ever physically hurt the girls." Ephialtes's chuckle reverberates between them, his yellow eyes gleaming, carefully tracing a picture of an identity card on another monitor. "Hmm, Melissa Shield, is it? Quirkless, young, and gorgeous to boot. Our informant has outdone himself. I can't wait to feed on her."