Your Hand in Mine ((TOGATA X MIDORIYA X OC))

26

The remaining two weeks leading up to the festival came and went quickly, and before Rin knew it, it was the night before the big day. She and her classmates spent the majority of that day's afternoon putting the finishing touches on their class routine.

"The gyms closing soon!" Kirishima was saying. "Let's do a final check and one last run-through!"

"Here we go!" Mina said from the front of the group. "From the top! Tap, tap, two!"

Rin followed along to Mina's count, moving to the steps to her choreography absentmindedly as she went over the words to her individual song in her head. She had practiced relentlessly for weeks, and had memorized everything perfectly, but she still couldn't shake the nervous feeling that continued to creep on her the closer they got to the festival.

"Midoriya, run off stage," Mina instructed. "Aoyama to center. Oh, and Midoriya! Your movements are still not sharp enough. Make sure you focus on that extra hard and get it down before the performance tomorrow!"

"Roger!" Deku said as he repeated the moves on his way off the stage.

Rehearsal continued on, and eventually the 1-A students moved on to the stunt team, where Deku would drag Aoyama across the rafters on a rope as a makeshift disco ball. Rin watched quietly from her seat on the edge of the stage, and kicked her legs to and fro as Aoyama was pulled into the air by his harness.

"And then Midoriya, go straight to the ceiling from the wings and set Aoyama up!" Mina called with her hands beside her mouth. Deku obliged. "That's it! That looks good!"

"It's already nine o'clock!" The doors of the gym burst open as a member of faculty entered the room, and Rin jumped upon his entry. "Students should only be here till nine!"

"Sorry! We'll get going," Mina said apologetically. "Let's go, everyone! We can do a once over before the festival starts tomorrow!"

Once everyone was in agreement, Rin hopped off the stage and fell into step with Mina as they left the auditorium.

"You've been awfully quiet, Rinny," Mina commented as they walked back to the dorms. "Are you nervous?"

"Hm?" Rin lifted her head to meet her friend's gaze. She had a knowing look on her face. "Oh... not so much for 1-A's concert, but I am for the contest..."

"Really?" Mina asked, shocked. "What for? You're the cutest little thing I've ever seen! You've totally got this in the bag."

Rin only half-smiled at Mina's reassurance and sighed. "I just hope Papa likes it..."

"Oh, I get it," Mina said, linking their elbows. "You're worried Mr Aizawa won't like the song you made for him? Well, I'd say you have nothing to worry about with that either. I just know he'll love it, everyone will."

"Do you really think so?" Rin offered a doubtful look. Mina quickly nodded.

"Of course!" She said, beaming. "And you'll look super cute with the outfit I have picked out for you, too, you'll see! Everything will be just fine."

"Thanks, Mina." Rin said, and together they made it the rest of the way to the dorms.

"You should get some rest, tomorrow's gonna be a busy day, especially for you!" Mina said as they entered the main room. Mina took Rin's cheeks in her hands. "I'll meet you in your room in the morning to give you your pageant outfit and the uniform for the concert."

Rin nodded in understanding, and with that, the two girls said goodnight.

__________

Rin was up early the next morning continuing her practice like she had been doing for the last week. She moved to the dance of her routine like it was second nature whilst quietly singing to herself, all while doing her best to swallow the anxious lump in her throat. Her mind raced with all the possible outcomes that day would have, and huffed out a heavy sigh when Dante's background music for her performance came to an end.