Misunderstood (GundhamxReader)

Hope's Peak trip comes to an end

 On any other day, there is no way i would have shared a room with almost a complete stranger, however at the end of our Hope's Peak school trip, i managed to get the short end of the stick, and was forced to carry most of the baggage as we hiked. It was our last day in the hotel before we left early the next morning, and i was too exhausted to even argue.

After stripping off my heavy jacket and changing into a pair of comfortable pyjama shorts, i ambled wearily into the door of my hotel room. Upon fully opening my tired eyelids, i saw that there was only one bed.. However, that was not going to stop me from getting my well deserved sleep. I decided not to worry, since they would likely pair me up with another girl.

To my mildly apathetic horror, a tall boy with slicked back black hair and a long black jacket came in. His unusual appearance startled me - i was not used to seeing... a red eye? On top of that, a large scar stretched over the left side of his greyish face and over his eye. He appeared to scowl to himself as he rubbed his neck.

I didn't believe that he had seen me yet, as i was tucked pretty soundly under the warm duvet (he must have also been almost as tired as i was) - in fact, he likely made me worried enough that i think i retreated beneath the blankets by myself instinctively. He grumbled in an unusually low voice before unwinding the long purple scarf from around his neck.

Suddenly, i realised the situation i was in. Here i was, in a room by myself with a stranger, and he didn't even know i was there! I scrambled to figure out a way to let him know i was here without startling him or embarrassing myself too severely.

I coughed loudly.

The poor man seemed to jump out of his own pale skin at the sound of me clearing my throat. "Who is there!!" He exclaimed loudly, covering his neck with his scarf as though he had been caught naked. I peered my head up over the top of the blanket and timidly said "Uh.. H-hi! I think w-" He cut me off as he whipped his head around to me with his dark eyes wide. "Silence, fool!" He yelled, "What are you doing in my chambers!!". Despite his fierce attitude, he took a few steps back as he re-tied his scarf, as though he were cowering. "I think we were assigned the same room.." I said quietly, trying to mask my nervousness. "Ah! I.. I see!" He proclaimed, attempting to put up a confident front again.

He mumbled angrily to himself and pulled his long scarf up, partially covering his face.

"So.. you're a student, I assume?" I said, trying my best to make conversation. The man smiled slyly before exploding into a half deranged, wide mouthed smile and pointing a bandaged finger toward me; "Of course, I - am Gundham Tanaka! Supreme ruler of ice, leader of the dark world!!" (Man, what a nutter..) "Sure.. Well, my name's ______" I replied, less crazily. While his nature seemed odd and a little unhinged, it was still strangely endearing. I sat in awkward silence as he stood with his arms crossed in the room, avoiding eye contact.

I suddenly became aware of how exhausted i was, as my eyes started glazing over. "Gundham?" I asked shyly. "What do you want, mortal?" He replied in a deep voice, smirking. "I'm gonna go ahead and sleep here"

"O-oh.."

"I'm fine if you wanna hop in too, I just really need sleep now."

His eye twitched a little in response. "No! I shall not rest with a woman! You simply will not be able to.. handle the power radiating from my body!!"

"Then what're you gonna do, genius?"

"I am the supreme leader of the underworld! I killed god with my own two bare hands! I can handle simply remaining awake! A dark lord of the underworld does not require such an amenity." He said defensively, once again avoiding eye contact.

I told him to suit himself before finally turning off the bedside lamp and turning to room to darkness. I could hear Gundham huff into his scarf quietly.

With the combination of my fatigue, and the comforting warmth of the blanket, I was practically out in an instant.

Upon waking up from my slumber, I realised it was still dark. I seemed to have been jostled awake by the sound of quiet snoring. I turned my phone on and used the lock-screen as a flashlight, pointing it around the room. The light gently illuminated the form of Gundham, slumped over in the chair, still fully clothed yet fast asleep. "Poor guy.." I thought out loud. I begrudgingly peeled the warm duvet away from my body and stood up, quietly walking over to him. I reached out my hand to tap him on the shoulder. 

He quickly and confusedly snapped awake, turning his head to look up at me with his eyes open wide, and noticeably meek. "Hey Gundham," I started, however he quickly scooted himself back in the chair and threw his bandaged left arm up in the air, attempting to form a barrier between me and him. "You fool!" He yelled, springing up from his chair and leaping back a few feet, stumbling a little in the process, as well as brandishing a white knuckled fist and baring his teeth in a snarl. "W-What??" I exclaimed, panicked. "Do you wish to die, mortal!?" He said, scowling his usual confident scowl now and gestating towards me with his hand. Ok, that is when i really started panicking.. He doesn't actually mean-?.... Before i could articulate myself he sneered, "My body is full of poison! Poisonous to the touch, poisonous to the smell!" Oh, so just his usual rambling then..

Taking note of his severe aversion to touch, i apologised to him as sincerely as my doubtful mind could muster. He tutted and gave me a stern nod. "Anyway.." I said quietly, "Please, take the bed, it would be wise of you to get some proper sleep for tomorrow". Gundham averted his eyes from me and seemed a tad taken aback by my offer. "Thank you.." He responded, gesturing vaguely for me to turn around. I mean, there was a bathroom not even two meters away, but i heeded his request and turned my back to the strange guy. I heard him take off what i assumed was his jacket and perhaps his over-shirt and scarf. Before i knew it, he was sound asleep again, this time in the warm bed. I checked the time - it was 4am! That only gave me one and a half hours before i had to get up and start preparing myself for the long journey back to Hope's Peak.