Supernova

Chapter One Hundred and One - Back and Forth Like a Pendulum

A/N: chapters may start to come out rapid fire because we're SO CLOSE to finishing this arc. like...THREE more chapters. and let me tell you, it has been fun, but I am READY to say goodbye to the marriage arc <3 

The four of us sat at a free table off to the side right smack in the middle of the festival, where we could see the dancers, the excitement, the lights. The smell of the food was it's strongest, and the music was playing right nearby. It was wonderful. It really was.

I only wished I'd been able to enjoy it more.

But my focus was needed elsewhere. I didn't have any to waste on having a good time.

I put my massive sack of dumplings in the middle of the table and urged everyone to pick at them. Elias did, at my request. Midoriya and Uraraka did too, largely out of politeness. It was nice, but I felt lost and shaky. I wasn't really quite sure what to talk about.

"It's really nice out tonight," I finally said. I felt stupid, but I figured it was as good a place to start as any.

"It is," Elias agreed.

"Yeah," Midoriya said.

"It's not too cold yet," Uraraka said, throwing me a lifeline, taking another dumpling. "So, uh, when do you guys leave?"

She knew this, of course. Aizawa had told everyone in class. But she hadn't heard it directly from either of us, and that was rather polite of her, I supposed.

"Next Friday," Elias answered with a smile. "A week from today."

And while I knew that, my stomach flipped upon hearing it out loud. It wasn't very much time. Barely any at all. I had to be mindful to keep my smile on my face.

"Oh, wow," Uraraka said. "You guys must be so excited."

"We are," I answered for us, just because I didn't want to hear Elias agree.

Midoriya still hadn't said anything. It looked like he would rather be anywhere else in the world.

Elias noticed. "Midoriya, join me."

"What?" Midoriya spat out, like the word was burning his tongue.

"Join me," Elias repeated, getting to his feet, clearly missing the context.

Midoriya looked at Uraraka, who offered him but a tight lipped smile, and me, who shrugged, still smiling sweetly. I didn't know what Elias was up to, but I chose, perhaps against my worst possible judgement, to trust him. Besides, what did I possibly have to lose besides the last half of my mind at this point?

They left, slipping into the crowd to do whatever it was Elias had up his sleeve, and it left Uraraka and I at the table alone together. I thought this might be good, nice even, but as I caught sight of my bracelet gleaming the soft glow of the paper lanterns back at me in sharp, aggressive beams, I began to worry. I popped another two dumplings in my mouth, just to give myself something to do.

"You guys look happy together," she said softly, smiling a little.

"We are," I told her after I swallowed.

"Are you?"

That was a voice I'd never heard from her. When I looked at her, really looked at her, I swore her eyes had darkened a shade. She wasn't smiling anymore, either.

"Of course," I answered. I kept my tone light and girlish. I was still fishing for those brownie points. My hand moved to toy with my bracelet. "I wouldn't want to marry someone that didn't make me happy."