Muted Voices (A BNHA/MHA x OC Fanfic)

Chapter 90: Confrontation

Koto's POV

The next day, I knock on Mina's door to get her up for dance rehearsals. When she rolls the door open, bleary eyed and hair all mussed, she stops in her tracks. Her eyes widen slowly as her sleepy brain takes in my appearance, lips parted in shock.

"You like it?" I ask, twirling around. "Figured I'd shake things up a b-bit."

The skull shirt from Bakugo settles against my skin, almost swallowing me in its baggy fabric.

"How did you--"

"I just asked," I respond with an all-too smug grin. "Looks like we've reached a stalemate."

Mina grabs my arm and tugs me into her room, closing the door with a serious look. "No, but seriously, did you sneak into his room or something?" I just shake my head and she throws her hands in the air in frustration. "He won't even answer his door when I knock!"

I giggle, sitting down on her pink zebra stripe bed. "Maybe you should try teasing him less."

"His name is literally 'Ducky' in your phone!" Her eyes settle on me, narrowing suspiciously. "I see what's happening here."

"Care to share with the class?"

"You two are a thing!" She confidently states. "I knew it! He wouldn't have given his shirt to just anyone, he certainly wouldn't have gone with you to your recital or insisted that Kirishima buy you roses--" The girl covers her mouth in shock, magenta creeping up her face.

My heart does a stutter-step, leaving me breathless for a moment. "What--"

"You didn't hear that!" She shouts at me, shaking her head vigorously. "I wasn't supposed to say that!"

"B-but I did hear it," I protest, standing from the bed. I grab Mina's arms and make her look at me. "Did he really do that?"

Her eyes tell me enough, even though she doesn't answer. "You two really aren't dating?"

I laugh, ignoring that small twist in my stomach. "Of course we're not! Do you know who you're talking about? I j-just don't tease him twenty-four seven."

"I don't believe it," she whispers before perking up. "Unless! He has a crush on you!"

I once again shake my head, but she tightens her grip on me. "Just think about all he does for you! Sure, he probably doesn't express it with words or actions towards you directly, but think about all the little gifts. Like taking care of you when you were sick, going to your recital, being in charge of the rose bouquet, drumming for the band, and now the shirt! Girl, you can't tell me that it's not suspicious."

"You know, if we put this much effort into studying, we'd be a lot higher ranked," is my only reply.

"Fine! Don't believe me," she growls playfully, stalking towards her closet. "But I'm onto you two."

"Yeah, yeah."

•°•°•°•

Dance rehearsal goes...okay, I guess. I'm finally starting to get somewhere with Midoriya and Ojiro, helping them get their lines a little less sloppy. Meanwhile, Mina is having less than no luck with Iida. She can't seem to manage to get him to be less stiff.

I tentatively approach as she hides her face in her hands. "Have you ever t-tried tai chi, Iida?"

He pauses his robotic movements and faces me. "What does that have to do with dancing?"

"Well, dancing isn't just about placing your lines, but also moving fluidly between them. Your dancing is more like 'Place! Place! Place!'" The boy looks mildly taken aback, adjusting his glasses with his eyebrows furrowed. "You j-just need to figure out your pacing. Think of this as strength training. If you can execute a move slowly and with fluidity, you're exercising more of your muscle altogether. It requires much more skill to get right, but I know you can do it."