When the Stars Align

Chapter 45

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"My, my! It's a pleasure to see you again! It feels like I haven't had the chance to talk to you in ages!"

You nod politely at the sentiment, the corners of your mouth lifting up in a way that you hope resembles a smile and not a grimace.

Though Principal Nezu was certainly small in both stature and breadth, he seemed to be able to fill a room with just a little too much energy. He could never sit still, paws and ears constantly twitching, as if running through arithmetic problems continuously in that intellectual brain of his. You wouldn't be surprised if he was- he seemed the type to be able to multitask and you slightly envied the way he could take in precise details from a person with very little to go off of.

Maybe that's why you found yourselves sitting at his wooden zataku table rather than his main desk, knees digging into freshly fluffed pillows. Maybe, he'd seen the way you were fidgeting with the lapels of your blazer, had taken in your rigid stance when you'd sheepishly knocked on his door. Maybe, he'd thought it better to have you settle down some before encroaching on whatever topic it is he'd needed your presence for, ticking clock on the wall emphasizing the mere seconds you'd spent in the chimeras office thus far.

As the silence persisted, Principal Nezu patted at his short knee once, twice, before popping up from his place. Heading in the direction of his desk, the chimera hums a small tune, pep in his step as he brightly exclaims, "I think the tea should be steeped enough. Just a moment!"

You blink at that, head swiveling to keep the Pro within your view. "Tea?"

Nezu tuts happily, opening a small compartment in his desk. "I do so enjoy a good cup of tea, don't you?"

You shrug lightly, watching as the chimera makes his way towards you, tray in hand with an old fashioned kettle and two mugs monopolizing its space. "I don't really drink teas often-"

"Then you'll just have to make it a habit to stop by! I have a variety of blends you must try!"

Positioning the tray onto the small table, Nezu situates himself back into his spot, pouring himself some tea before reaching over to fill the mug you supposed was meant for you. You try to decline, hand grasping the handle to pull away the object, but the principal insists, nearly scalding you with the drink accidentally.

Conceding, you bring the full mug up to your lips, humming delightedly even as the liquid burns the tip of your tongue. "Oh. Wow. This is... really good-"

"How splendid! I was told you weren't one for anything sweet, so I went ahead and prepared this instead. It's kuding! I rarely drink it; many of my guests aren't fond of the taste, so I'm more than happy to share this with you!"

Sipping at the drink, you both take a moment to appreciate the flavor; the tea is bitter, though, it holds a honey-like note towards the end when you swallow. It reminds you of cough medicine and you relay as much to the principal, but it's leagues better than anything you've had before. When the mug is near empty, you make a mental note to ask Aizawa to look for a tin on his next grocery trip.

Polishing off your tea, the pair of you leave your glasses on the table, settling back with soft sighs. You can't remember the last time you'd ever felt so relaxed, body seemingly running on nonexistent fumes.

This was... a nice touch on Nezus part.

It wasn't often you interacted with the chimera; he was just as elusive as All Might when it came to catching a glimpse of them around campus, both men having an affinity for moving through the shadows to avoid attention. It made sense, especially with all the eyes the Hero school seemed to be attracting as of late; who would want to constantly be bombarded by the general populace in their place of work?