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For all intents and purposes it should have been a good day.
The weather was perfect for a 15th of July : a warm breeze, sparse clouds and the sun high in the sky all finally coming back from the past three weeks of constant rain and heavy atmosphere.
The general mood in town was also pretty cheerful thanks to said summer vibe and the excitement of oncoming projects for the vacations.
And there even was a new (and affordable, if the colorful and appetizing adds distributed everywhere were anything to go by) sushi restaurant that opened close to the school and seemed really good.
All in all everything was set up for this day to be great, or at the very least tolerable.
And yet Shirakumo Oboro only felt like turning himself into a cloud, drift far far away into the atmosphere, and dissolve into a million of water droplets to circle back into the ocean and later become a cloud again in an infinite loop. Or like... maybe water some flowers. A bit dramatic yes, but totally fitting.
To think that it began so well too...
That morning he had left home with a plan and his heart pounding with excitement. This was the day. He would finally talk with one of his best friends in the world and tell him about his feelings.
To be honest said feelings had been kind of unexpected, even for him. Not earlier than the last evening he was eating dinner without a care in the world, replaying the best moments of his day to the delight of his only audience - his mother - with a lot of dramatic re-enactments and excited gestures (like the time Shota spilled Strawberry milk through his nose or when Kayama showed them a video of Sushi the cat catching a big bug and trying to eat it).
Then he began to talk about Hizashi.
It had been a pretty simple, trivial story about how Oboro and him had to run to get to the afternoon classes because once again they'd lost track of time at lunch. How they had to drag Shota along because he took a nap and was still too groggy to walk.
How they had laughed despite the stress of the situation (or maybe because of it?). That Hizashi was being too loud but Oboro couldn't care less because it meant that he was excited, and that they arrived right on time but still got scolded by the teachers for being too noisy.
That later when Hizashi nodded mischievously to indicate Shota barely staying awake at his desk Oboro couldn't contain a snort even if it earned him a light reprimand.
That Hizashi was fun, and nice, and cool, and Oboro was so happy to be friends with him and Shota. That “Hizashi's eyes really look like rubies from up close” and that “his laugh is contagious” and “I like when he puts his hand on my shoulder and, you know, lean a little bit forward to talk with Shota and how his presence is so warm against me” and-
Yeah. His mother teased him about it. And Oboro himself couldn't believe that he didn't realize it earlier.
But anyway, at least now Oboro knew what he wanted to do, and that was the most important.
So it was with that excited urgency that he marched to school like an out of control locomotive barely missing atrocious collateral damages as he dashed through the school gates, and navigated the hallways and stairs at blinding speed just to find his one and only blond friend with sunglasses, a too loud crackling voice (that had recently began going through puberty to Hizashi's chagrin) and the prettiest laugh.
Yet when he slammed the door of their classroom open with the biggest smile on his face, he was only met with every other surprised eyes but the red ones he wanted to see the most.
His enthusiasm deflated immediately, leaving his chest with a cold dampness reminiscent of the drenched feeling he'd get after running back home through the rain. Fortunately though (and true to form) it left as quickly as it appeared, and in no time his gaze had refocused on another person whose face was now contorting in controlled apprehension as Oboro rushed to their desk.
"HEY SHOTA HAVE YOU SEEN HIZASHI?!"
Shota Aizawa - a really sweet and shy guy with wits and sheer willpower that could take him absolutely anywhere as long as he sets his mind to it and one of Oboro's best friends (too bad that the rest of humanity could only see the "grouchy" and "moody" parts of him but well... their loss) - blinked a few times.
"...Yamada?” He frowned and pondered the question for a moment, putting a hand to his chin for emphasis where a few hair had recently began to appear. "I think he went a little while ago with Kei from class B-"
"WHERE PLEASE?!"
Shota cringed slightly, something he did a lot when it came to Oboro (or rather Hizashi) being that loud around him. "I dunno... The courtyard behind the school I guess, why?"
"THANKS!!"
Oboro turned around and disappeared in the hallway so fast he barely heard Shota call after him.
The backyard wasn't very far; from experience if he took some shortcuts and ignored some rules he could be there in 5 minutes or less.
As he was jumping over a student tying their shoelaces, he suddenly saw Kayama and slid to a halt so fast that he had to perform a hell of a gym figure to not crash-land violently on his butt. Whatever he was doing could always wait for Kayama. Always.
"HI SENPAI!!"
"Hi Oboro!" She tried to stifle a giggle (not so successfully). "Where are you going so fast?"
"I'M SEARCHING FOR HIZASHI NO TIME TO CHITCHAT IT WAS REALLY NICE SEEING YOU YOU'RE AS PRETTY AS EVER TALKTOYOULATER BYE!!"
"Uh okay? Wait, did you say Hizash-"
He didn't hear the rest as he barreled through the nearest corner and jumped down a flight of stairs to safely land on a newly formed cloud.
He kept sprinting through all the passageways like a boulder down a steep hill until a thought crossed his mind; as athletic as he was, running was still taking too long. So Oboro did what he always did best in a hurry : he created a shortcut.
And as he always did best when in a hurry, he failed to remember one small but very critical detail as he opened and leapt through the nearest window. A detail that he only realized was missing when the sky got further away from him instead or closer and the floor came into view way quicker than he intended. And if he struggled into the air for a solid second and only managed to create a cloud at the very last moment then no one had to know.
Once nicely secured (and after taking a few deep breaths) he directed the cloud to the back of the school, and flew until he spotted two small forms standing near the place most students usually met during lunch time.
Jumping down from his cloud a small distance away from them, he was about to call out to them when his voice caught itself in his throat with a strangled noise.
Hizashi was standing next to a bench, positioned in a way where Oboro could see his face, and a very tall girl with scales (probably Kei) was bending down and kissing him.
If there was a noise for your entire being breaking from the inside, Oboro most likely heard it right then and there, and it sounded eerily like his mother's shoebox full of very fragile ornaments when he accidentally dropped it five years ago.
The girl waved to Hizashi and left, but Oboro couldn't move.
There were so much loud and urgent thoughts and emotions happening all at once in him that it became overwhelming before he could even BEGIN to try and process it. And when he did try, it had already turn into a formless and undecipherable goo that he couldn't even make head nor tails of and weighted him into place like lead.
...
Okay.
Okay.
Well, okay. If Hizashi.
If Hizashi had a girlfriend, Oboro should like...
Congratulate him, right?
That's the thing friends usually did in these circumstances, and they WERE friends. So it was the best thing to do.
Right?
Right.
...
But.
What if it was all a misunderstanding? That was also possible.
Then he should ask for clarification, because misunderstandings lead to bitter feelings and arguments and Oboro definitely didn't want any of that.
And if Hizashi told him that Kei WAS his girlfriend then...
Better to rip the band aid now and get over it quickly so he could focus back on their friendship. He did value it over any potential romantic relationship after all.
Right?
Yeah.
Yeah...
Oboro sighed heavily.
He knew what was the best course of action, the one closest to his views of friendship and respect and all that. His feet though, they didn't seem to want to move an inch yet.
Some days it would honestly be easier to just be a cloud. No thoughts, no feelings, no relationships, no morals nor responsibilities towards them. All he'd have to do would be to pee on people sometimes. That'd be a good life. Last time he tried to pee from one of his clouds his teachers weren't too happy.
"Oboro?"
Oboro shrieked and tripped ungraciously. When did Hizashi arrive there?
"H-Hizashi!! You were HERE?! What a coincidence ah, ah ah ah!"
Hizashi frowned. "You okay dude?"
"PFFF," Oboro waved him off with an exaggerated gesture. "Never better! What about you?!"
Hizashi raised an eyebrow and looked at him over his yellow sunglasses, his familiar eyes searching for the fatal flaw that he was getting increasingly (and scarily) better at finding in Oboro's barrier; but he did not seem to find anything incriminating this time around and dropped the subject after a moment.
"I'm okay, just a bit tired I guess."
"Yeah you bet, it's way too early for a date."
"What?"
“HM?”
Heat bloomed on Oboro's face and he groaned internally.
Why.
Why could he only ever be clever and sensitive when it was to help someone else. Then he could not only easily adapt to any situation, but instinctively know what to say to make the other feel better and defuse the situation.
"A-ARE YOU GOING OUT WITH KEI?!"
He wished he could do that for himself, it would have been useful.
"WHAT?!"
Oboro recoiled from the sudden increase in volume. "Are you going out with Kei?"
"WH-WHAT ARE YOU- DID YOU- THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!"
"Well it kinda is!"
Hizashi sputtered. “W-WHY?!"
"Because I want to avoid misunderstanding so our friendship can still be nice and healthy, and for that I have to rip the band aid once and for all and depending on the result either ask you or congratulate you!"
Hizashi's mouth hanged open for a second, his eyes the width of someone whose brain has decided to pull a hard stop.
"...Ask me... what?"
"If you're going out with Kei!"
"No the other thing you want to ask!"
"To... rip the band aid?"
"What band aid?!"
"A FIGURATIVE BAND AID!"
"WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ME GOING OUT WITH KEI?!"
"SO YOU ARE GOING OUT WITH KEI!"
"I'M NOT GOING OUT WITH ANYONE!"
Hizashi covered his mouth but it was too late, the sound of his voice already reverberating through the entire school building and moving each and every windows one by one in a gigantic wave. The two boys watched helplessly from the ground, praying to every gods that it didn't break anything, until it eventually ended it's course a few excruciatingly long seconds later without having done any visible damage. They allowed themselves to slowly look back at each-other.
“Wow... that was close,” Oboro exhaled with a shaky breath. He could still hear a faint echo as he released his ears from the weak wall of protection he had hastily put up with his hands.
“Y-yeah...“
“...and very loud.”
“Yeah, sorry...”
“No it's alright! I was just... surprised.”
Surprised to say the least. Oboro knew well that Hizashi wasn't using his voice at full potential in hero training and exercises because of the possible risks (something that the teachers never failed to remind him at every slip of his quirk) but that had been on another level entirely.
And so, so cool.
Painful to the point that he would surely need to go the infirmary, but cool nonetheless!
Oboro cleared his throat audibly, grabbing Hizashi's attention from anxiously displacing the skin of his already damaged nails. “Anyway I think if it wasn't clear before, now everyone in a 3 km radius knows that you're single!”
Hizashi's face turned a delightful red at the realization and he made a gurgled noise of distress, smacking both of his hands on his face to yell a muffled “FUCK!” through them.
Oboro barked a laugh. As always lightening the mood with Hizashi was super easy. Not that he didn't like making an effort for it - eliciting a smile from Shota was like winning at the lottery - but sometimes having someone whose brain worked like yours did make things smoother. Although there was one problem he had to bring up...
“Uh, I don't want to rub salt in the wound or anything but you might want to have a talk with Kei? She's not gonna be too happy about the news.”
“Oh that,” Hizashi slid his hands down his cheeks. “I dunno what you saw dude, but honestly nothing too interesting happened. She just asked me to come over here to talk about something and then whispered into my ear about helping her get Nemuri's mail and stuff.”
“...Wait, that's it?! So you guys didn't-”
“Yeah, she really just has the hots for Nemuri. Like... 90% of the students in this school I think.”
“Oh...”
“Yeah.”
“Sorry...”
“Nah it's alright, Kei is a sweet girl and I think she'd be great with Nemuri anyway. Also it gave me a good experience for my future love advice section in my long-awaited radio show!”
“Good thinking!” Oboro grinned. He patted Hizashi on the shoulder and the other answered with one of his trademark smiles.
“So, uh,” Oboro pinched his lips and retrieved his hand, stretching his toes distractedly in his school shoes. “Since you're not dating Kei and all that... It means that I can ask my question!”
“What question?”
“You know, the question I wanted to ask you earlier!”
“Ah yeah, about the band aid thing?”
“NO. Forget about the band aid Hizashi!”
“Hey you were the one talking about a band aid!”
“I'm asking if you want to date me!”
Hizashi froze.
In all honesty Oboro hadn't really planned this whole confession thing. He did imagine some possible scenarios while falling asleep the last night but had quickly discarded the idea in profit of getting some rest and waking up early.
So Hizashi's reaction, while not completely unexpected, was still extremely jarring. Particularly the absolute silence part.
“Uh, you okay Hizashi?”
“...”
“H-Hizashi?!”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, hi!... Are you okay?”
“Sure.”
“Good! Good. Did you... hear what I just asked?”
“Yup.”
“Cool! Aaand uh, what's your answer?”
Hizashi's face, which had been a perfect recreation of a marble statue up to this point, began to redden by the second – starting from his cheeks, to his nose, his forehead, and then spreading on every skin in sight from his neck up to his hairline.
Oboro really hoped he wasn't breaking into a fever or something.
Hizashi took in an unsteady breath and, in the most subtle gesture Oboro had even seen from him, nodded.
“Is... is this your answer?”
“Hm.”
“Is this a yes?”
Hizashi dipped his head with a groan and pushed against his sunglasses. Truly if Oboro hadn't been at the metaphorical edge of his seat he would have teased him for looking like a boiling kettle. Hizashi eventually confirmed with another, more assured nod and Oboro gasped.
“REALLY?! YEEEEEEEEEES!”
Without waiting one more second he tackled his friend and hugged him tightly, eliciting a few complaints from Hizashi about strangling him or whatever.
“I'M SO HAPPY! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!”
“Why are you thanking me?! I didn't even do anything!”
“YOU ACCEPTED!”
Hizashi made an incredulous noise. “That's it?! Why wouldn't I?!”
“I dunno, you have the right not to!”
“But you're so nice and beautiful and fun and... I mean everyone would want to be with you!”
Oboro leaned back a little bit.
“Pff no, not everyone and you know it. Also YOU were the one I wanted to ask!”
Hizashi's chin wobbled a little and he pushed against Shirakumo's chest feebly. “Come on dude don't become all cheesy on me, you know how I get.”
“Sorry!” Oboro chuckled. He hesitated a moment but let Hizashi go, both boys taking a step back awkwardly. “So... what do we do now?”
“I dunno, I've never dated anyone before...”
“Yeah me neither...”
Silence stretched for a little bit, until Oboro winced slightly.
“Sorry to break the moment but, maybe we could go the infirmary first? My ears are still kinda ringing from earlier.”
“OH FUCK- YES OF COURSE! I'M SO SORRY DUDE, ARE YOU OKAY?!”
“Yeah it's alright don't worry!” Oboro laughed, already being forcefully dragged by the arm towards the school building by an overstressed Hizashi. “I just want to make sure everything's fine is all!”
“YOU NEED TO TAKE THESE THINGS SERIOUSLY! LET'S GO!”
“Yeah yeah okay, sorry!”
Oboro couldn't tell if Hizashi was fuming because of his lack of self-preservation or because of his own quirk slip-up. Knowing him most likely both. The soft but insistent tug on his arm suddenly gave him an idea.
“Hey, what if we held hands on the way to the infirmary?”
Hizashi turned to him and looked as if Oboro had just landed from an alien spaceship and asked him the directions to the nearest Starbucks.
“I mean, only if you want to!” Oboro quickly added, his free hand shooting up in a pacifying gesture. “It's okay if you don't!”
The blond looked away, his grasp on Oboro reducing slightly as he seemed to ponder the question with the seriousness of an entrance exam to a big university. After a moment, he slowly slid his hand down Oboro's arm and linked their fingers together.
“Okay, but if a teacher or another student come by we'll have to stop just in case alright?”
Oboro nodded. Hizashi's palm was warm and his grip firm but careful. He sure hoped that his own palms weren't sweaty because he suddenly felt like he might have a fever too.
They kept going at a leisure pace, using the least frequented hallways and stairs so they could enjoy staying hand in hand a little while longer. When they arrived in front of the infirmary Oboro hold them both back from entering immediately.
“Uh? What is it?”
“Hum...” He hesitated for a half-second. “Can I get a kiss?”
Hizashi blinked, his glasses slipping down his nose.
“Right here? Right now?!”
“Y-yeah? If it's okay?”
Oboro knew that he was asking a lot out of Hizashi for one day. But he really, really wanted to ask. He'd been wanting to ever since the confession.
“I...” Hizashi glanced around the hallway. There was no one but them. “Hm... yeah okay.”
“Really?!”
“Yeah sure.” Hizashi's face, which had managed to regain some of it's natural color, turned a bit red at the cheeks.
“Thanks!”
“Augh, you're gonna make me blush saying thanks all the time like that!”
“Hate to break it to you but you're already blushing!”
“I KNOW, LET ME BELIEVE!”
That made Oboro snicker. Hizashi squeezed his hand and they locked eyes for a second. Then his friend stood on his tiptoes, leaned forward, and placed a quick peck at the corner of Oboro's lips. It was clumsy, kind of wet, and over in the blink of an eye; but Oboro felt like a firework had been launched in his chest all the same. Or more like a THOUSAND fireworks.
He didn't know if he wanted another kiss or if his heart was going to explode before.
...Yeah, he definitely wanted another kiss.
He didn't have time to think about it however because Hizashi was already dragging him in the infirmary, his back to him in a feeble (and mostly ineffective) attempt at hiding his flushed face.
“Can we do that again later?” Oboro rushed to ask, seeing Recovery girl's silhouette appear at the back of the room.
“Sure.”
“And I'll do it too alright? Kiss you I mean!
“S-SURE.”
“Nice!”
In the end his hearing wasn't too much damaged. Hizashi still received a small scolding despite Oboro defending him though, and recovery girl asked that they both stay until lunch to check up on them. Something to do with Hizashi's quirk and how it could damage his senses over time. So they stayed there, together, laughing about something or other while resting from Recovery girl's treatment.
Oboro had went through a hell of an emotional roller-coaster that day, to the point that even him was a bit exhausted. But in the end it had been fun and exciting! And even if being a cloud seemed like a nice life to have, at that moment he was more than content just being Shirakumo Oboro.
Later
“I've heard that you're not going out with anyone, is that right Yamadaaa?”
“Shut up Kayama.”
“Whoa calm down, it's not like the entire school – no, sorry. The entire town heard you or something!”
“PLEASE KAYAMA!”
“Okay okay, I'm just pulling your leg!” Kayama laughed and slapped him on the back, making Hizashi trip a few meters forward. “But that sure was a surprise after seeing you go with Kei! Even Shota was a bit worried.”
“Yeah I know, he latched onto me and Oboro the moment we came back from the infirmary! Also, about Kei,” Hizashi fumbled into his bag and retrieved a small piece of flowery paper, something written on its perfumed surface with a curved and soft hand-writing. “She wanted me to give you this!”
“Hm? What is it?”
“You'll see!” Hizashi winked and pushed the paper in her hand. “I'm going to find Oboro and Aizawa now if that's okay, we're studying together tonight!”
“Sure? No problem. But I want to know what happened so you better mail me with the deets later tonight!”
“I'll do just that!” He laughed and waved. “See ya!”
Kayama watched him go with a puzzled expression. If he didn't keep his promise she'll be sure to find him the next day and show him what it meant to not share the spicy gossip with his friend. Glancing down at her hand she finally took a look at the note.
“Oh,” she blushed. “Well, that explains some things.”
She pocketed it with a smile.
“Better not make my sweet admirer wait then!”