Quiet || Shota Aizawa

7. Pink & Black

Disappointment was a feeling Aizawa was well acquainted with. He was no stranger to the caving of his stomach or the numbness that simmered in his bones. He'd grown accustomed to such dull bitterness, but he could not have been ready for the way it'd sting as a result of your absence. He felt like kicking himself; he got attached too quickly. Damn that stupid, lovely smile of yours and the way it made his heart skip a beat.

His hands nursed two cups of coffee, both of which would now be his. Probably good riddance, he still didn't know how you liked the hot beverage, so this mightve saved him from some embarrassment. Still, he couldn't help but frown. He could've asked you that if you had come to work today. Did you prefer your coffee warm or iced? What about milk and creamer, did you have a preference for either of them? It would've been a nice conversation starter, he thought.

"Why the long face, Eraserhead?" Mic teased as he waltzed into his friend's empty classroom, poking the tired man's cheek. That earned him a red-eyed glare. "Missed me?"

Aizawa sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. "Not necessarily," A rude response, he knew, but anyone would be less than enthusiastic after being forced into a game of 'guess the song' with Hizashi before they've had their morning coffee. What are you doing here?

Lil Rockstars had an impromptu orientation about training safety rules and whatever, The blonde shrugged, flashing his counterpart a wide grin. What about you? He eyed the two cups of coffee curiously. What are you up to?

The erasure hero merely sighed. He could lie-- come up with a dumb elaborate explanation about why he was in his classroom, wide awake instead of napping while the kids were in a different class. He could lie about why he seemed so out of it, clutching too steaming cups of coffee, one of them bound to grow cold. But he couldnt. Too many years by Hizashis side didnt give way for the luxury of shaking off his curiosity with stupid lies he could easily read through.

She didnt come, Aizawa mumbled, hoping his friend hadnt heard, but luck didnt seem to side with him today.

Mic gushed teasingly, Awww! Is Eraserhead sad his girlfriend didnt show up to work? He dropped onto the chair behind Aizawas desk, spinning around before spreading his arms wide. Thats what the second cup is for! Oh, my good old pal is trying to get on her good side!

Aizawa choked, covering it up with a glare. Shes not my girlfriend, Hizashi, He set both cups over his desk. Despite the heavy exhaustion crushing his shoulders, his appetite for caffeine along with his enthusiasm for it seemed to have bubbled away in your absence.

Hizashi clapped his hands together, his smile refusing to waver. Friends, then?

Hesitation weighed on the words in Aizawas throat, making him swallow thickly. Friends? Sure, you were set on getting there, but what about him? Reluctant to say it out loud, in the caverns of his mind, hed accepted he enjoyed your company, relished in the way you seemed comfortable around him. Maybe he was greedy; perhaps hed just imagined a version of you that didnt merely tolerate him and truly wanted to be near him. No, that couldnt be it, could it? He was certain he remembered the calm in your unfiltered gaze under the dim lights of your apartment, the way your eyes softened as they settled on him. What about the way you seemed to tease him so effortlessly, roping him in despite his better judgment? He didnt make that up, he was sure.

Certainly, youd passed the acquaintance stage already; so, why did he hesitate in calling you friend? What kept him from granting you the title?

Coffee was just a favor, Aizawa cringed, appreciating the cover provided by his capture weapon. He hadnt meant to sound so downhearted. Clearing his throat, he evaded his friends knowing look. Just a favor. He grumbled, accentuating each syllable in hopes of convincing even himself.