I Am Not Number Seven (TUA/MHA Crossover)

12. Vanya: New Friend?

"Guess we should keep going with the exam, wouldn't want to waste any more time-"

"Time's up!" Midnight's voice echoed through the loudspeaker.

The smile froze on the boy's face, "Shit."

Vanya raised an eyebrow at him, then began walking back in the direction of the battle center gate. She heard the boy sputter behind her then rush after her, "Hey, wait!"

She turned to face him, stopping for him to catch up. "Where are you going?" he asked.

The girl was confused and her tone reflected it, "To the gate? The exam is over, Midnight just said it. Did I happen to damage your hearing during the fall?"

For some reason, the boy's face flushed, "No, you didn't. Um, sorry. I just didn't expect you to leave like that."

Vanya blinked, "Oh, my apologies. I did not mean to be rude."

The boy blinked back at her then let out a bark of laughter, "Oh man, you talk really formally for your age."

The Other growled in her mind at the perceived insult, using her quirk a lot during the exam had made it rise just below the surface of her consciousness. Vanya quickly pushed it back. "Is that a problem?" she asked, carefully devoid of emotion.

The tall boy waved his hands in front of him, "No, no, not at all. It's just surprising. Um..." he paused, then pointed his thumb to the direction she had been walking, "Wanna walk together to the gate?"

Vanya nodded, "Sure." and began walking, the boy at her side.

The girl took the moment of silence to give a quick check of her power counter. A little under 50, she observed, Not bad for all I had to do.

"Ya know," the boy said from her side, "I never got your name."

She glanced at him from the side of her eye, "I am Vanya."

He looked surprised, turning to look at her while she stared straight ahead, "'Vanya', huh? Neat name! Is that Russian?"

"Thank you, I picked it out myself. And it is."

The tall boy looked at her like he didn't know what to make of that statement but he chose not to comment on it, instead saying, "Oh that's cool, are you from Russia?"

"My birth mother was, but I am from America."

The boy stumbled in his steps, making Vanya pause. "Are you alright?" she questioned.

He stared at her for a moment before stumbling on his words, "Um, yeah, I am. Let's- uh- keep going."

Vanya turned to move forward again, but not before catching the boy whisper "Birth mom?" quietly to himself before catching himself and continuing to walk in pace with Vanya.

"SO! Ah-" he quickly quieted himself down from the loud tone he had spoken in, "You're an American? I guess that explains why you talk so formally."

Vanya nodded, "I suppose so, I was taught in a formal setting so I am still unsure how to use slang and other informal parts of the language because I have not practiced talking much in that context."

The boy laughed, "Don't worry! Once school starts and you start being around your friends, you'll be pretty much fluent."

"I hope so. I did not get your name either, by the way."

"Oh yeah! It's Sero, Sero Hanta!"

She nodded at him, eyebrows turned up in what she hoped was a friendly manner, "Nice to meet you, Sero-san."