Demons (Mha)

29

Mai sat on her bunk.
It was times like today that she hated her quirk.
It made her listen to conversations that she had no right to listen to.
Conversations that made everything more complicated than she wanted.
Why couldn't she just have friends?
Have friends without any complications?

She liked hanging out with Sero and Kaminari but now she felt odd just thinking about it.
Did they actually like having her around?
Or did they just tolerate her "coldness"?

Maybe she should try to change, be more social and... Cute.
An image of Mina blushing, giggling and skipping around followed by a awkward vision of herself danced in her mind.
Mai shook her head making the horrifying image disappear.

Yeah she's not going to do that, maybe she'll just have to be fine with not being "girlfriend material"
The hell did that even mean anyways?
And what exactly did they mean by hooking up with her?

Unfortunately the combination of these questions and the fear of talking or screaming in her dreams kept her from falling asleep like everyone else.
To her right was the vine haired girl.
She at first seemed reluctant to sleep so close to Mai but it was to late to switch.

Mai couldn't help but scrunch up her nose at the strong smell of her still burning incense
Not to mention the glinting of the shiny stones and dream catchers she had set up next to her bed.

Mai grumbled and pulled herself out of bed.
She was wearing a red crop top and black shorts as pajamas leaving the scars on her stomach, legs and arms at full display.
Including the gash in her side from the exam.
But the tired girl didn't care.
She walked outside and watched the rain softly drizzle.
She smiled and inhaled through her nose, gently taking in the earthy smell of the woods, rain and muddy Soil.

It was peaceful and calm out here in the open, though exposed to the elements Mai felt more at home here than in a secure room filled with friends.
Maybe she was meant to be alone.
Maybe that's why she liked the calmness of nature rather than the wild conversation of people.
Maybe that's why she desperately lacked nessisary social skills.
And Maybe that's why people would rather Fuck her and leave than stay and be in a relationship with her.

Thinking like that made Mai's reality seem like a sad one, with her past struggles of life or death battles and now her current ones of finding her place Mai supposed maybe she wasn't meant to ever find actual peace.

Quiet footsteps approached the door and Mai heard the gentle sound of it clicking open.
The footsteps stalled when they noticed Mai sitting there, her back still facing the intruder.
"Hey Mai, what are you doing out here?"
Kirishima asked, walking to her spot on the porch.

"Nothing really, just thinking."
She looked at him finally after he sat next to her.
"What about you?"
She returned the question as he got situated.

"Same I guess, couldn't sleep."
He sighed and looked out at the trees.
"It's nice out here, it's really peaceful."
He said a small smile resting naturally on her lips.

Mai nodded slowly.
"Why couldn't you sleep?"
She asked quietly after a few moments of silence.

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at her through the corner of his eyes considering telling her about everything.
"I just got in an argument with Sero and Denki earlier, they were being idiots and I snapped at them."
He sighed dropping his hand.

Mai pressed her lips together.
"Do you feel bad? About snapping at them?"
She asked him turning to meet his eyes.
Not sure want she hoped his answer would be.

"I don't feel bad about that they totally deserved it, but I just-"
He looked away back to the trees decorated with mist.
"They said something about someone I really care about so I'm not gonna bend on what I said, I'm just sorta worried they won't care about what I said and they'll just keep thinking about people in the same way."
He finished, deciding it was best to keep the subject of the argument a secret from Mai.

Mai didn't know if she should be flattered that he accidentally admitted that he cared about her, or now worried that she might be the reason Kirishima loses some friends.

"So anyways, what about you? Why are you sitting out here?"
He asked changing the subject.

Mai looked down.
"I don't want to sleep in there with everyone else."
She said honestly.
"It's embarrassing but... I have nightmares a lot, and I think I talk in my sleep so I don't want to risk someone hearing me..."
She said blushing slightly.

A silence spread between them, it wasn't awkward or heavy, it was natural and good natured.
The two teenagers sat side by side listening to the quiet sound of rain drops hitting trees, and puddles and the roof of the porch above them.

Kirishima turned to look at the girl as she closed her eyes and listened to the rain, new questions boiling in his mind.
"Do you wanna talk about it? Your nightmares?"
He asked, not only because he wanted to help, but also because he couldn't help but wonder, what could be bad enough to bother someone like Mai?

She shook her head.
"Not really."
She whispered, scared that he'll get upset but prepared to let her reluctance to talk about it stand strong.

"That's fine, I didn't mean to push."
He said immediately regretting his question.
"Sorry."
He ended looking down.
Mai was going to be hard, a hard person to open up. It would be hard to gain her trust as a friend but Kirishima was ready to do whatever it took.