Inception

Chapter 8: Shrimp Scampi

By the time she'd finish eating, a semblance of her usual awareness had returned, along with the realization that she was stuck between two way-too close bodies and being looked at by a bunch of dudes she did not know. Had she been sane she would have grabbed Leno and had dinner back in her dorm, or even outside. She was also sweaty. Ugh. People.

Her eyes happened to meet Hoshina's. He flashed her a smile. She looked down at her plate.

"Excuse me," she searched for a way to get out...somehow. Damn, how'd she even get onto this bench?

"Hey, why not come visit our dorms?" asked a man with navy hair and half-ponytail. His eyes were lazy and his smile smooth. "We could play some cards, maybe a board game or two—"

"What's this?" pipped up Hoshina cheerfully. "Do my ears deceive me or do my men happen to have extra energy after today's training?"

Everyone at the table stiffened and clacked their mouths shut. Leno glared at the navy-haired man.

"Um...I can't get out," said Lena quietly.

"Oh! Shit," said Hibino, who twisted around wildly. "Maybe I can just—"

"I'm skinnier, Sir, let me—"

"Did you just call me fat!?"

After barely avoiding them all falling out onto each other, Lena finally managed to wiggle herself free and flee for the exit, but not after giving her brother's head a brief, one-armed squeeze. She didn't care how awkward it was, she was going to hug that stupid head.

She didn't realize Hoshina had followed her until she was out in the much quieter hallway and peeling her lab coat off her back.

"You were in pretty bad shape today."

She flinched, then scowled over her shoulder. She had never thought of Hoshina as short but he seemed particularly so after she'd been overshadowed by Hibino's hulk for a meal.

"It's just blood sugar." She tied her coat onto her waist. "I'm not going to die."

"But there are a lot of dangerous tools and sensitive information that you work with. It's a liability. If you can't keep on top of that I'm going to have to report this."

"It wasn't that bad."

"Your brother just stopped you from face-planting into your scampi."

She opened her mouth to say she had been aiming to lay her head besides her plate, but then realize that it hadn't been a plate, it had been a tray, and that her aiming may have been off a touch.

"I'll do better, sir."

His smile widened. "Good girl!"