°•Night Out•°
Aizawa had come back late at night, claiming that he went for coffee with Hizashi, and the two hadn't really said much since then. There was another sleepless night for Yasu and she wasn't sure if she was imagining things at this point.
The two were sat in the lobby of the hospital after getting both their casts and bandages removed, silently waiting for Nemuri to come by and pick them up. Of course, the blond was booked to the brim with shows and hero work— he really needed to take a break.
At the moment, Yasu couldn't even muster up the energy to use her quirk, and was left feeling like utter shit. Her quirk transformed the energy from her body into the blue wisps she could control, which is why she was constantly wearing layers of clothing. She had tried drawing from sound energy, such as a scream, and calories, but those were never as effective as kinetic and heat. There was just more energy to play with if she relied on heat and kinetic energy.
Still, completely drained as she was, the woman couldn't help but admire the face that she'd been barred from seeing for so long. The black tendrils that threatened to strangle her momentarily distracted her from the man beside her, and the screams that rang in her ear prevented her from hearing what he said, but the hand he laid on her shoulder definitely got her attention.
"What?" She didn't mean to sound upset, even if she was, but with her current predicament the tone of her voice was the last thing she cared for.
He was a bit taken aback, not expecting her to be so hostile. Was she mad at him because he wanted to be with her yesterday? Even so there was no need to be so aggressive. "Nemuri is here. There's no need to be so rude." He huffed, turning on his heel and heading towards the car that was waiting for them. Anger lead to irrationality, yet he couldn't stop the twinge of anger that pierced his heart at her harsh words. Maybe trying to win her over wasn't a good idea.
'When did I decide I wanted to win her over...?'
He shook the thought from his head, ignoring the uneven footsteps that now followed behind him.
Yasu tried catching up, but the black figured she saw on the floor were an obstacle. She knew in the back of her mind they weren't real, but her senses were saying otherwise, and the fear the gripped her was almost chilling. She had to get out of there.
The R-rated hero watched her friends leave the hospital, one with a frown, and the other with a grimace. What had happened? They were both secretly drama queens so she would probably find out later when it all came to a boil. Besides, surely they wouldn't cancel on their night out so late.
Nemuri's friends slid into the backseat of her car and the hostility was almost tangible. It was probably the sexual tension.
"So... how did it go?" She pushed her glasses further up her nose before beginning the drive. The only response she received was a grunt from the raven haired man.
"How detailed!" Nemuri could feel a beat of sweat roll down the side of her temple. These two were going to be the death of her.
Yasu felt a shiver run down her spine at the sight of a black liquid dripping down the windows.
'It's not real.'
She was going to drive herself insane.
She instead chose to focus on the man beside her, the guilt of her precious actions weighing her down along with exhaustion. She debated on how to apologize for needlessly being rude, knowing it was something he did not appreciate.
He felt a pair of eyes burrowing into the back of his head, and his eyes flickered down to meet hers. Aizawa would be lying if he said he hadn't noticed her usually cream-toned skin turn pallid and cold— colder than normal, and her eyes turn from dazzling to gaunt over the past few days. Her physical physique had slowly been waning, and though he knew she had a difficult time caring for herself, it brought an unease to his being knowing that she would probably die young due to her habits. She was always so irrational when it came to herself and he had to push down the simmering rage that he felt at that realization.
The ride seemed longer than it was really meant to be. The forty minutes, including traffic, that the trio spent in the vehicle was exasperated by the deafening silence that surrounded them. Nemuri didn't dare turn on the radio and irritate them further, but even the woman, usually calm, found her lips twitching downward in distaste for a while.
"Finally, you guys are back," Relief washed through Nemuri's voice, thankful that she didn't have to put og with their odd behavior any longer. "Work out whatever's got you panties bunched up before you start drinking because I'm not going to be the one to deal with your messes, got it?" The hero's eyes narrowed behind the metal frames she wore, daring one of them to argue with her.
Yasu just sighed, closing her eyes and concentrating on not toppling over while her male companion waved their friend away.
"We'll be fine. I'm going back to my place tonight anyway, I don't see why it matters." The bitter edge to his words didn't go unnoticed by Nemuri, who accepted that she couldn't fix everything and drove away from the apartment complex.
It was strange, to say the least. Mars greeted both adults at the door, but still no conversation ensued. Aizawa went to pack the things Hizashi had brought over for his return home that night, and Yasu collapsed on the couch, coughing a few times before settling down. She didn't really want to be in the same room as Aizawa, even if it meant a more comfortable nap. At least she would be able to return to her hero work sooner than later. The last thing she could consciously remember was a hand made of black liquid reaching out towards her face.
Aizawa had taken note of the silence and peaked out of the room, sighing as he noticed his friend completely knocked out on the couch. Even if he was still irritated with the way she had acted towards him, he felt it would be wrong if he left her on the couch just because they were having some sort of misunderstanding at the moment.
He put an arm behind Yasu's neck, supporting her back as the other went under her legs. He knew she was probably too tired to wake up but the man still felt obligated to take careful steps and movements as he laid his friend on her bed, tucking her under the covers after a moment of debate.
Aizawa finished packing soon after, not wasting a moment with unnecessary dawdling and spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon reading the news and planning for the first years' internships. In all honestly, he would miss this place. Of course, he could stop by whenever he felt like, but having lived there for the short while, he would miss sleeping in sheets that smelled like her, and being in her presence almost all the time.
'I'm just telling myself this because I've tricked myself into believing I have feelings for her.' He scoffed, pushing himself off the dining room chair.
It was about four in the afternoon and the man had become quite hungry, having had a pouch of apple sauce for breakfast. Very hearty.
He had to wake Yasu in about an hour if they wanted to meet with their friends on time, but she was hard to stirr once she'd entered a deep sleep, and cranky. Rice and ham would certainly motivate her to get out of bed.
So, that is what he prepared, working diligently on dinner/lunch for the next forty minutes before serving two plates at the table and going to wake his temporary roommate.
"Hey, wake up," his deep voice whispered. She didn't move.
Aizawa's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he tried his best to not lose his cool. He shook her shoulder, doing his best not to do more harm than good, and perched himself on the edge of the mattress. "Hey... I made food."
At the mention of food, Yasu's eyes peeled open, wrapping the blanket she didn't remember going to sleep with tighter around her body. "I hope you know I'm only awake because you said food... what is it?"
The sound of her croaky voice and flushed face left Aizawa's mind blank for a split second. The way she looked, so vulnerable, left a trembling where his heart lay.
A small grin found it's way into his face. "Rice of course, along with some ham." He found her tired smile amusing, especially since it was directed towards the thought of food. The fact that something so simple made her so happy brought a sort of calm to his soul, knowing that she was content with something he could give her.
Yasu, not recovered from her sleep deprivation, and still feeling the mind numbing effects of exhaustion, wrapped her arms around Aizawa's waist and pushed her head against his torso. "Really? You made food? You know I like food." Her soft giggles echoed around the room.
Had he not realized she'd been in the brink of delusional for so long? Was he really such a bad friend that he didn't notice the full effects of her actions or was she simply good at keeping them at bay for longer than usual?
He found himself frozen, unable to move. His arms didn't dare touch her and he was sure his heart had attempted to leap out of his chest in that very moment.
Yasu's mind had yet to register what she had done. Her head was empty as black spots almost took over her vision, and she didn't move out of fear that she would completely lose her orientation. While she wasn't hallucinating strange figures anymore, her body was desperately begging for energy and sleep.
Aizawa pried her body off of his, hiding his warm face from hers with a veil of hair. "C'mon. You don't know what you're saying yet. We promised Nemuri and Hizashi that we would go out for drinks with them today." He wasn't so sure it was a good idea with her current mental and physical state. "Do you still want to go?" She was currently using Aizawa's arm for support as they made their way to the kitchen.
"Yeah yes uh-huh of course? I love Nemuri and Hizashi. They're great. I love them." She slumped over in her seat, nibbling on the ham before taking in a mouthful of food.
He admired her for a moment, finding that he still thought she was beautiful even if she was tired and unkept before retrieving two protein drinks from the fridge which he had bought the night before, anticipating something like this beforehand.
Yasu felt her face heat up while she ate the food in front of her, a bit more sentient now. He has really made dinner for them? That was nice. Then again, he was probably trying to sever their bond slowly, being respectful about it instead of telling her outright that he no longer enjoyed being around her. It didn't seem that nice anymore.
She took a swig of the drink he had given her, feeling her body give a sigh of relief as it received the energy it had been longing for.
Aizawa ate silently, wondering if he should confront her over her self-neglect or if that was for another time. He was more likely to get answers now since she wasn't going to be completely in her right mind no matter how 'awake' she felt, but was that taking advantage of her crippled mental state?
Yasu washed down the last of her food with the remains of her drink, rubbing her eyes and leaning against the table. She was still wearing a lose T-shirt and sweatpants, the colors yellow and green. It didn't match, and it didn't look very aesthetically pleasing, but the dark and brooding aesthetic was centered around her hero costume and besides that, she really didn't care what she looked like.
Nemuri would have been bold to assume Yasu would chance from her morning attire to go to the bar. Please, it's not like anyone was going to care, and she was too tired to give a damn.
Aizawa cleaned up the dishes, bringing Yasu over to the couch so she could rest a bit mkre before they left around six. From the looks of it she wasn't going to change and with getting ready out of the equation they had some time to kill.
Yasu found herself leaning against Aizawa, wrapping an arm around his chest and holding onto his shoulder. She was never one for physical affection, and despised it in almost every occasion. In the moment, she found her body working against her will, and didn't budge as he put his hand behind her back to prevent her from falling.
Did this mean he tolerated her? He had to or else he would've pushed her away.
Did this mean she wasn't really mad at him? That maybe her rejection and hostility was just a result of his irrationality?
Things were still unclear.
He let her nap for a good thirty minutes, resting his eyes as well until about 5:45 when he nudged her awake. "Hey, Yasu, we have to go." He brushed away the hair that had fallen in front of her face, daring not to touch her skin.
She groaned, sliding off the couch and disappearing into her room, coming out a few moments later with her purse and shoes.
He suppressed a smile, shrugging off his fatigue and opening the door for her as they both made their way out towards her car. He didn't really trust her to drive at the moment but he also wasn't going to tell her to let him drive.
After a car ride filled with soft music and a good ten minutes of putting his things in her trunk, they had arrived at the Far Out bar.
It was relatively dark, compared to other places. You'd need a phone light to look through your things, and most people had to squint to see anything through the yellow lights, but the alcohol was an absolute banger and the friends found themselves coming back on multiple occasions.
Nemuri and Hizashi were already sitting at a booth, drinks in hand and laughing the evening away.
"Yasu!" Nemuri beamed, dragging her down to the seat beside her and leaving an arm slung around the brunettes shoulders. "How was your day~ anything interesting happen?" A wink followed.
Yasu shoved her friend off, scoffing at the absurdity of her statement. "Please, the only thing worth my while today has been food and I've already had it so I'm set for the night." She ordered a drink that was mainly sweet juice. "Besides, I'm supposed to be taking you home, dumb-ass."
Nemuri's head fell back as a laugh left her throat. "Hizashi, did you hear that? The way to her heart is food!" The hero rested her elbows on the tabletop, glancing in the direction of the raven haired man. "And you? How's it feel to go back home?"
Hizashi leaned back in his seat, taking a long sip of his beverage, waiting for the answer as well.
Aizawa's words drawled out, catching the attention of Yasu, who too wanted to know what he had to say.
"I'm glad to go back. Get some time alone before we head back to school." He avoided their gazes, drinking the water he'd asked for. "Going back to normal is a good thing." He shrugged, slouching over the table.
Hizashi have him an overly dramatized clap on the back. "HEY! Look on the bright side!" He paused, not really knowing how going back to his place was that much better than how he's been living. "There's... always a silver lining!"
Yasu's smile was forced as she came to terms with the fact that the man she admired would no longer be living with her. She had enjoyed his company more than she probably should've, but he was probably excited to get away from her.
They began talking about the man who Hizashi wouldn't stop fawning over, though he didn't even know the blond hero existed, and how he should take the risk and talk to him. He would protest saying that the man would be driven away by his loud personality and voice, and Yasu would retort saying that if that was the case he wasn't worth Hizashi's time anyway.
Then came Nemuri, who vented about how people looked down on her for her life choices. She never really cared for what others thought, but that didn't mean she appreciated the negative things that she was associated with just because she embraced her sexuality. People didn't respect her because she was too 'out there' and she actually had a recent run in with a man who called her a whore without even getting to know her. Aizawa scoffed at this, telling her that they were just insecure about themselves.
By the end of those conversations, both Shota and Nemuri were bordering on annoyingly drunk. While Yasu hadn't completely abstained from alcohol, she was well within the means to drive her friend home. Hizashi was no light-weight but had stopped drinking pretty soon after she got there. Yasu never saw Aizawa drink more than to get a little tipsy, so his current state baffled her. Was there something in his mind that he was trying to get rid of? Perhaps the memories of staying at her apartment.
At some point when she'd been lost in her thoughts, Hizashi had helped Nemuri out of her seat and was directing her to the cars parked outside.
"Wait a damn minute, Hizashi!" She scowled at the man, crossing her arms over her chest. "Where the hell do you think you're going with her?" Yasu's eyes narrowed, feeling like she already knew where this was going.
"C'mon man, you didn't really think I was going to pass up the chance to get you with a drunk Shota, did you" His booming laughter brought on a minor headache, but that was nothing she couldn't handle. "I'm telling you, Yasu, it's gotta happen for the plot!"
The plot? What was he talking about. "What plot? We're not in some book, idiot— you're just making excuses." It was too late. He was already pulling out of the parking lot.
"Trust me on this one!"
Her clenched fists relaxed. There was no point in trying to change something that was already set in stone. Hopefully he wouldn't be too annoying.
She made her way inside the bar to retrieve her friend, dragging him to the car and placing him in the back seat. She wasn't taking any chances of a drunk Aizawa messing with the gears of her moving car.
"I thought Hizashi was taking me home?" His arm draped around the passengers seat as he leaned forward.
"Yeah well change of plans I guess. Just don't fuck anything up until we get you home." She turned on the radio, starting the drive to his bare apartment in silence. He was oddly quiet, staring out the window and occasionally murmuring something about missing Mars, but besides that he was tolerable.
Once they had made it there, Yasu took his bags from the back and helped him find his way to his home. It was weird. He rarely, possibly never, drank to the point where his decision making was hindered. He always said it was 'irrational' and just a poor life choice, so what had changed?
He watched her set his things down, but his mind was completely elsewhere. Did she really dislike him or was that just him thinking the worst? Had he done something that would cause her to call him by his last name? "Wait—" he stumbled over to grab her arm. "Do you... not like me? What did I do that made you leave?"
His questions had taken her aback. She was the one who thought he didn't like her. "Uhm, yes? W- like, yes as in I do like you... as a friend of course!" She didn't know why he would've ever taken her words as anything but accepting him as a friend, but she didn't want to risk a misunderstanding. "I... well if you're talking about the other day, uh what—" Her words were cut short as he pulled her into his embrace.
"Uh, okay I think you're a little out of it..." She knew her face probably looked like one of the many red lights she'd encountered on the way here. "Let's just get you to sleep, yeah?" She pushed herself away, her heart racing as she shoved him towards his room.
"I don't want to sleep yet." He hunched over as Yasu pointed sternly at the bed.
"I don't really care— go to sleep. I still have to get home, before 10 would be nice." She gave his head a quick pat as he slid under the covers.
"Please stay, I don't want to lose you." His eyes brimmed with tears that she would've surely teased him for had he actually been in his right mind. What was he going on about?
She sat beside him on the space he had created once he'd scooted over. "You're not to lose me, okay? I promise. Now hush." She ran her fingers through his hair, which was surprisingly soft.
He sighed, relaxing at her touch and dragging her closer to him. "Why didn't you call me by my name? I just wanted to be with you, I'm sorry. Please, I didn't mean to take you away from them I.... I guess I had a bad idea." His hazy thoughts were clouded with the worry he had hoped to drink away that night. Why couldn't he get her out of his head?
Yasu forgot how to breathe for a second, I sure of how to respond. Everyone says that drunk words are sober thoughts, but did that apply to Mr Drunk Emotionalist? She didn't want him to be around her if he really didn't feel like it— and she's assumed that he was trying to let her go easy, making small talk to drive her away, but from what she understood, she'd taken his attempts at conversation the wrong way.
'Maybe I'm dumber than I give myself credit for'
"Listen uh, Ai- Shota. I took your words the wrong way, that's all. I won't leave you and I still like you. Your idea wasn't bad, I'm just dumb, okay?"
'I've liked you for way too long, stupid...'
She smiled down at him, tracing the scar under his eye and feeling guilty for not having been able to do something more. If she had been faster, better, maybe he wouldn't have gotten as hurt.
He buried his head into her side, gripping her T-shirt so tightly she was worried for his newly recovered hands. "You don't understand, I'm going to lose you... I cant lose somebody else too." She could feel his tears through the thin fabric.
"I don't know what you're talking about Shota, you're just tired. Please go to sleep." Her voice wavered when his angry eyes met hers.
"Don't play stupid!" The salty tears that rolled down his cheeks only hi lighted the irritation present on his face. What had gotten him so upset? "You're going to kill yourself if you keep this up. You think I haven't noticed? You barely eat sometimes, you almost never sleep! You don't take care of yourself and it's going to cost you your life."
She couldn't hide the shocked expression plastered on her face. "You're... you're just overreacting, you don't know what you're talking about, please go to sleep?" Yasu wasn't sure if she could handle the guilt that constructed her airway at the sight that lay before her. She never thought he would care how she treated herself, and despite the other times they'd had this talk, she figured it was out of a sense of responsibility and not care. How could she cause him this pain and be able to live with herself.
"I'm sorry..." A choked whisper fell from her tired body and onto the limp body that hugged hers. He had fallen asleep, but did he hear her? Would he want to wake up wrapped around her? Could she let herself stay here knowing she was probably the reason he had swapped water for alcohol halfway through the evening?
She figured that she would find out in the morning.
'Hizashi did say it was for the plot... whatever that is...'