Villainous

Chapter Eighteen - Closer

"I wanted to get some stuff for my new room, maybe a table or dresser or something. Did it have a closet?"

"A closet with a built in closet?" Toga asked curiously.

"Why was it the designated closet room?"

"Cause it's the only room besides mine without a closet, but mine was empty when I moved in, so yours became the closet room." Toga elaborated as they made it to the top of the escalator.

"Guess I'll need a dresser then." Ochako said, looking for a furniture store.

"You know, you don't have to stay in that room if you don't want too." Toga followed her towards a store called Wooden Works.

"What do you mean? Like, find a different place to stay?" Ochako looked into the store, but found it was only a woodworking classroom, the kind of place you'd take lessons at.

"No, no!" Toga seemed reluctant to finish her thought, but found the courage after a moment. "I meant you could room with me if you want."

"I would, and there's probably enough room for my stuff, but not a second permanent bed. I'd be sleeping on an air mattress or cot the entire time." Ochako turned away from Wooden Works and faced Toga.

"There's my bed." The blonde said quieter than she intended. Ochako couldn't hear her low tone, and stepped closer.

"Huh?"

"You could always sleep in my bed." Toga said louder this time. She felt her face heat up at the suggestion, and smiled.

"Then where would you sleep- oh." Ochako seemed to get it. "Uhm." She started walking back towards the center to look around for something, though she wasn't sure what.

"You don't gotta answer." Toga said, following her.

"Well, uh, I.." Ochako shook her head lightly, to clear her less than decent thoughts. "I'd like my own space."

"M'kay." Toga smiled, but Ochako wasn't sure what to think of it. It seemed off in a sense, not fully natural, but not fake either. Just.. off. "Oh, right there!" Toga pointed behind the hero, towards a store. The sign above it read Finn's Fabulous Furniture.

"How'd I miss that?" Ochako chuckled, and the pair began walking towards it. She wasn't sure how to feel exactly. Maybe she'd told Twice that she just wanted to say close to Toga, and he'd definitely made that seem like not-quite-platonic behavior. But, to the extent of sharing a bed? That wasn't what Ochako was after. She wanted close friendship at max.

She stole a glance at Toga, who hurried ahead to look at a display case of knife covers. She brushed a loose strand of hair away from her eyes, and spun the case around. Ochako watched with a smile as her bright yellow eyes lit up brighter when she saw something she liked. That smile that crept across her face into a fanged grin that only she could make look that adorable.

They were friends right? That meant they hung out like right now at the mall. Ochako was friends with Tsu and Mina, with Deku, and practically everyone in their class. Mineta was a weird little creep, so he didn't count. She'd gone to the mall plenty of times with Mina and Tsu, and she'd seen them get excited over things too, but she'd never felt the urge to walk over and grab their hand, or just be close to them.

She hadn't felt that way about Deku. Being around him always made her overly nervous or self-conscious, like she could've chosen a better outfit or changed her makeup. She never felt this strange calmness around anyone else. So, what was it? Why did it exist? Was this feeling because of the date, or was the date because of this feeling? She enjoyed the date, and that's exactly what it was.