Watch Your Step

Chapter Three: Fraying Emotions

Is this punishment for something? Did I do something to cause all the karma of the world to just decide to hate me?

Hawks tried to keep his attention on the book he was supposed to be reading for school. And yet it was growing more and more difficult when he was aware of Enji and Toshinori just a few feet away, sitting on the other couch together.

Hawks had been there first of course, bored out of his mind trying to read some book with heavy commentary on the nature of quirks and mankind and yadda yadda, really boring stuff he definitely didn't care about.

Then in had walked the happy couple, plopping down on the couch together to do whatever homework thing they'd been doing-sue him he wasn't too interested in what kind of homework the weird school loving pair were doing-only for the following view to unfold.

Enji having made himself comfortable half laying in Toshinori's lap, reading softly from a book. Toshinori smiling down at him and occasionally stroking his hair.

Hawks felt like an unknown third wheel and it was really uncomfortable. Especially since he couldn't really leave now without one of those two noticing, the problem being he really wanted to leave because every second was causing his chest to tighten and his heart to ache.

Why did they do this down here, and not up by themselves in one of their rooms? The sudden image of the two on a bed together, half snuggling as reading struck Hawks with both shame and another wave of heart ache. No I take that back, I don't want that but-did they have to do it when I'm here?!

Honestly he'd been hoping Enji's natural aversion to touch would have at least minimized the PDA, which he supposed technically yeah since the pair were much less touchy feely then say, Aizawa and Yamada, and yet still even with how little they did...he still felt like every time they touched it stomped a bit harder down on those feelings he'd tried so hard to keep a grip on.

Hawks would give anything for a good excuse to leave without either of them noticing.

The sound of the door opening caught Hawks attention and he quickly glanced over to see Chizome stepping in, half dropping his bag to the ground on his way in. Well would you look at that. Guy is three for three, almost like showing up when I need a get away is his quirk.

Chizome glanced over Hawks way and Hawks quickly flashed a grin before as quickly and stealthily as he could manage getting out of the chair he'd been uncomfortably sitting in and making a bee line for Chizome.

Hawks could feel someone's gaze on his back but didn't dare look back. "Hey! Just the guy I was wanting to see!"

"You-" Hawks felt a little guilt as he started pushing Chizome back out the door he'd just stepped through, not enough to stop though.

"Yup!" Hawks glanced at Chizome's confused, tired eyes and felt a small twang of guilt. He probably needs to go take a nap or something. "I...I just wanted to...apologize for yesterday." Not the words I planned on saying?

Chizome apparently hadn't expected him to say that either as he blinked for what had to be a solid minute before letting out a soft: "What?"

"Yeah I..." Hawks hadn't at all been planning to say this, but he let the words go as the truth felt oddly nice after having to hide it so much recently. "I realize I kinda just, grabbed you and dragged you around a bit, then I...well I realize I might have made you uncomfortable so I wanted to get something for you to make up for it."

Chizome blinked at Hawks again. "You-You don't really have to-"

"Nah none of that!" Hawks wrapped an arm around the other teens shoulders, choosing to ignore how it felt like grabbing a board. "You gotta be able to accept people being nice to you or you'll be stuck constantly feeling weird. Just say 'thank you' and let me be randomly nice!"