Reina Mori Yashiro, Takeshi
Takeshi was on his way to class from his dorm room after having lunch with his little sister. Classes for her middle school, which happened to be around the corner didn’t start for another day or so. It was one of the reasons he picked this school, so she could be close to him just in case…
He decided to walk around the cafeteria, just to see what it was like incase he decided to eat there. He could hear a big commotion inside, but didn’t bother himself with it. Probably just some pricks acting up and picking fights.
He was still a little early for class, so his stroll was slow, as he took in the scenery of the outside eating area. It was impressive for a school to have such a nice facility, but that does make sense being the second best Hero school in the country under the UA.
As he walked around the corner he suddenly felt a strong unseen force push him back abruptly. Mad he was caught off guard, but his reflexes were quick enough to keep himself on his feet as he slid into a fighting stance, his right hand going for his sword. Which wasn’t there. He cursed at the school’s rules about weapons. It seemed stupid they would ban weapons from being carried when most if all of these kids quirks could be just as lethal.
He quickly looked around and noticed a girl on her hands and knees, gathering items that had been strewn about. And no one else. It was clear that no threat was there and he relaxed, quickly going over to the dark haired girl. He came up to her side squatted down just in front of her and grabbed a phone that was just out of her reach.
When she would look up at him he would offer a small smile, to show he was there to help and offered her phone just as quickly. He would smile even more when he noticed how cute she was.
“I’m guessing this is yours?” he said a soft but deep voice.
Reina started, glancing up with widened eyes as she felt her face going red. Not only had she been seen crawling around and looking all pathetic, but this boy had taken pity on her on top of that. In her fit of embarrassment, she quickly looked away and scrambled to her feet, brushing her hands and knees. She paused when the boy spoke, her embarrassment fading for a moment. He... hadn’t asked if she was okay or anything of the sort. That made it easier for Reina to tell herself that maybe he wasn’t wasting his time pitying her. Maybe he was just someone who liked helping people, like her. His reasons were probably better than hers, though. Or maybe he was just being subtle with his pity.
A small frown fraught with uncertainty appeared on the girl’s lips. She nodded slightly, still avoiding eye contact as she glanced to her phone in his hand, gingerly reaching out to take it.
Takeshi watched as she quickly got up, face red and dusted herself off. He didn't get up from his position as she did this. Simply watching watching with just a hint of a faint smile on his lips. He didn't see why she she was embarrassed, accidents happen all the time. She continued to keep her eyes diverted from his, a frown on her face caused him to wipe the tiny smirk he had on his. He didn't mean to make her uncomfortable.
As she reached out to take the phone gingerly he reached out almost as slow as her to meet her halfway and to place it in her hand. He held it for a moment trying to make eye contact, but to no avail. Once he let go he then reached out while still squatting and picked up her lunchbox. Standing up slowly he closed the box for her and offered it as well.
“I'm sorry for bothering you, I can't just walk away when I can help when I can.” He smiled as he looked down at her,
“My name is Yashiro Takeshi. It's a pleasure to meet you.”The girl paused for a heartbeat, noticing how the boy carefully handed her phone back.
“You... aren’t bothering me...” That was true, really. It was her bothering herself, as always.
“I... um, I understand that...” So he
was someone like her... well, in that one sense, at least. Being totally like
her would be unfortunate.
Reina finally glanced up to meet his gaze—for only a brief moment—as he gave his name. She nodded lightly again, frown fading a bit, though the uncertainty stayed.
“...Mori Reina,” she said quietly with a tiny bow. She took her lunch box from him, a little less slowly this time.
“Thank you... Yashiro-san...”He smiled and bowed more deeply back to to her as she gave him a tiny one.
”You don't need to thank me, Mori-san.Learning your name is thanks enough.” With his hands free he placed his hands behind his back, gripping his left wrist with his right.
He looked around and asked,
“If I may ask… was did someone hit you with that unseen force as well?” he asked curiously.
Reina blinked, her blush deepening as she immediately understood what Takeshi meant. Her lapse of concentration had inconvenienced someone again. As she silently kicked herself, she opened her mouth to explain.
“I-I... um, that’s my quirk...” she started, hands coming together in front of her as her body closed up a little.
“I can control my gravitational field... but I’m not... I don’t really have a great handle on it...” The girl picked at her skirt with her clasped hands.
“My gravity is naturally strong by default, pulling everything around towards me, so I... I have to keep it consciously in check so it doesn’t affect anything... kind of like flexing a muscle all the time?... S-so when I lose concentration it tends to... spasm, I guess...” As she spoke, she felt like she was taking up too much of the boy’s time—but he deserved an explanation for the discomfort her mistake had caused him, so she forced herself on, speaking as quickly as she dared while keeping her stuttering to a minimum.
He reddened slightly at realizing he should have figured it was her, kicking himself for choosing the wrong choice of words. She seemed to be embarrassed that he asked about it, as well as not having much control. He listened carefully and nodded at the end.
”I See. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be constantly trying to keep my quirk in check all the time.” He paused for a moment as he admired the fact that she was willing enough to do so, and come to a hero academy to use it. [color=a187be] You must have a strong mind to keep such a powerful quirk in check. If it's only that small of a [i]spasm[/]“ he said with a genuine smile. This girl was truly interesting to him. He found it odd that the headmaster himself had a gravity quirk as well. Perhaps she was related.
He changed the subject. Taking his right hand and pointing towards the building where the classrooms were at with a open palm.
”I was actually on my way to class… would you allow me the pleasure of your company along the way? I am going to Hero gadgets right now.”Reina instinctively shook her head upon receiving the compliments, but stopped herself from saying anything. Of course, she wanted to deny what he had said and say that should be better, but...
The girl blinked as Takeshi continued, frowning slightly as she fought back another urge to deny what he said—she was most certainly not a ‘pleasure’ to be around... Her mind wandered to her earlier interaction with Acion, Fumika, and Mamoru.
She had decided to improve herself. It was hard, no matter her sentiments... but Takeshi had done the hardest part for her. He had come up to her and had started their meeting. If she acted all negative and voiced how she thought of herself, she’d just be making him uncomfortable and push him away.
Of course, that had always been the
point. Everyone was better off being pushed away by her—it was better they dislike her immediately than after a terrible, rocky ‘friendship’ brought on by her faults.
But she had told herself she’d try to be better. Unfortunately, that seemed to mean being selfish for some time, until she became less insufferable… or failed and dragged the people she wished to be friends with through the mud. Takeshi would be a guinea pig, of sorts, like Acion, Fumika, and Mamoru. She mentally apologized to the boy, feeling guilt creep into her as she gave her reply.
“...O-Okay...” she said awfully quietly, with a subtle nod.
“I-I’m also in Hero Gadgets...”He smiled and slowly walked to the right, waiting for her to walk alongside him. He found it cute how incredibly shy she was. He was not used to this, as his own little sister was almost completely of her, and the other girls he had met in school growing up were not this shy.
He wondered why she frowned when he had complimented her on her ability to control it. He pushed the thought away, as he smiled.
”Must be fate then.” As he walked, he suddenly didn't know what to say, scratching the back of his head. As if that would help his thought process.
Reina went along in silence, staying a quarter of a step behind Takeshi. It was a silence she was used to. She wasn’t easy to have a conversation with. The girl frowned, deep in thought as she frantically tried to both think of something to say and gather the courage to speak up. Being sociable and... the opposite of how she was now... meant being able to do at least something this simple. She stared at her hands gripped that gripped her schoolbag in front of her thighs.
She paused, glancing up as she realized something in her thought process.
“Y-Yashiro-san... I have no idea where our class is...” she said honestly in her soft voice, a hint of shame in her light blush. It was probably something that made her look silly to admit, but it had to be better than just letting the silence stagnate, right?...
He was glad she said something, anything. He literally could not think of what to say next. This never happened to him before, he always could carry a polite conversation. He looked at her, seeing her blush even slightly caused him to stare blankly at her. Forgetting what she said for a being moment and suddenly it clicked. Looking forward he suddenly realized.. he forgot the room number.
Stopping as he started to pat down his blazer and pants pockets. He turned red himself as he realized… he left his schedule on the table. He smiled. Clearing his throat.
“I...guess that makes two of us then…” he chuckled nervously. His own blush of embarrassment burning his cheeks. He never did anything like this before, he was usually really good at remembering to have everything he needed before leaving, or even remembering a simple number of a room. But it seemed like his brain had shut off around this girl and now he was looking foolish.
He looked around, He knew for sure it was in that building. He would just have to ask around then. As the front desk was in the opposite direction.
He then straightened his shoulder.
”Well I was lucky to run into a fellow classmate, perhaps we can get lucky and find someone who does know where it's at?”The girl paused, eyes widening imperceptibly as she glanced at Takeshi as he revealed he didn’t know either. She was taken aback by his embarrassed look, and looked away quickly once again to avoid looking like she was staring. There was no reason for him to feel even slightly ashamed of anything when he was with her, she thought... but it somehow made her a little happy.
The slightest smile that had formed on her lips disappeared quickly as she began to worry. Wouldn’t they be late? They already essentially were. This delay would make that worse.
She glanced to Takeshi for a moment again as she began to speak.
“Would... it be too disrespectful to ask here?...” she asked with a small worried frown, reservedly pointing to the classroom they were walking by—a general education class, by the looks of it through the windows. The students and teacher were preparing for the start of class, settling into their desks.
Takeshi caught the tiny smile. Did she find it funny that he didn’t know where the room was as well? Actually it was a little comical. She did look up to him and point to a classroom they were passing. Asking if it would be too disrespectful to ask for directions. He merely shook his head and said,
“No...they are just starting. I’m sure the teachers expect to get lost students walking into their rooms asking for directions. “ He moved to the door and walked in without hesitation. The mere action of opening the door gaining everyone's attention. He was sure that Mori-san, being so shy would not like being seen in the background. So he opened it enough so only he could be seen and looked at the teacher.
“Excuse me Sensi.” He bowed as he said it,
“I seemed to have lost my way, and my schedule. Could you please direct me to Hero Gadgets?” Bowing his head once again.
Reina shrugged slightly, still unsure. Before she could reply, though, it seemed Takeshi had made up his mind. With her face beginning to heat up in anticipation of the public shame they were about to put themselves through—however necessary it was so they could just get to class—she gingerly reached her hand out towards the boy’s turned back. She stopped herself quickly, and felt another pang of guilt as she realized what he was doing for her. Indecisive, she simply stood there quietly, appreciating the gesture despite feeling bad for having him confront the class alone.
The teacher had opened had been passing out worksheets when the two students asked him a question, “Why certainly, go down the hall, up the stairs and the last classroom down on the left wing” he said as he continued passing out papers with a smile. The students in the classroom tried to glare hard outside the classroom in an attempt to get a glimpse of who was asking for directions.
He bowed his head again.
“Thank you Sensei.” before sliding the door shut. He looked at Mori with a smile, apparently asking directions, a man’s greatest weakness. Was not an issue for him.
“That was easy enough. Let’s get going Mori-san.” He said as he started to walk towards the stairs, with a little more speed than last time.
The girl blinked, nodding after a slow moment and taking off after Takeshi. They moved quickly to their destination, but her guilt weighed on her.
“I-I’m sorry,” she said. It probably wasn’t obvious why she was apologizing, she realized, so she continued after a pause.
“For... you know... letting you ask on your own...” Even if it hadn’t seemed like a big deal to him, Reina knew how much difficulty she would have had doing the same thing. It felt wrong to not show voice her appreciation... which she hadn’t done at all done. She had only apologized, like she had programmed herself to do her entire life. There was a much better way to show appreciation. The girl blushed lightly upon the strange, seemingly obvious realization.
“Th-thank you... again...” she said quietly. As she spoke, Takeshi slowed, so she followed his lead and glanced to the closed door nearest them—their class.
Takeshi was confused why she said she was sorry, untill she added to her apology. He only smiled as they continued to their class. He was going to say something but then she added thank you so softly that he almost missed it. glancing back he saw a blush on his face. It was totally worth it to see her blush again.
He stopped at the door and instead of opening it. He looked directly at Riena.
“Mori-san. You don’t have to apologize for that, I was the one who opened the door. I was the one who asked on my own so you wouldn’t be embarrassed. I would do it again in an instant, cause that’s what friends do for each other correct? Help each other out? Just thank me by being my friend ok?” He gave a warm smile before waiting a few moments for her to prepare herself and opened the door suddenly walking into the room first. Looking directly to teacher he bowed his head.
“Forgive me Arsenal Sensei for being late, we were lost and I forgot my schedule.” 
Fetzen
urukhai