Total Command

Chapter 10: World is suddener than we fancy it

He was done faster than she had expected, and Momo had said a small thank you shutting herself in her room soon after that, still flustered by the connotations of her latest train of thought.

She couldn't help imagining all the romantic stories she had read as a kid, ones depicting the older days where romance bloomed between men and women. Something her generation didn't even get to see any more let alone experience it.

But all of those thoughts were unfit for an academic environment. Not like he would even... want that.

right?

She is just pushing her old childish dreams onto him and the real world.

"stop overthinking" she hissed at herself leaning on her door, deciding to start to unpack to clear her head.

He was back at the common room, waiting. Nozomi had messaged him about a secondary move in. and he apparently had more work to do than moving a bed upstairs this time.

A girl walked in unannounced, two-tone hair flowing behind her as she did so "I was told there was someone to help with the move-in?" her hair was white and red, parted right at the middle

"that would be me" he said, getting up and walking towards the girl. Her hair was down to her hips, body rugged but still undeniably attractive. Her eyes were heterochromatic, just like her hair, left an icy blue, right a steely grey.

They looked off.

And it wasn't due to the damage done to her left side.

She looked like she was staring through him rather at him, not even registering his presence in a meaningful way. It was a surprising change to the normal reactions he got to say the least.

"ok my stuff is outside, I'll be at my room 305" she said, voice icy. She then promptly moved upstairs

He moved out seeing a pile of... Tatami?

First, a woman that he could relate with self-confidence issues and now one that looked to have walled herself off from the planet. Both on his floor, both his neighbors.

Nozomi what are you planning?

To her credit by the time he had hauled all of the materials upstairs the girl had managed to strip the room of its flooring. Singed floorboards littered the hallway in front of her room.

"Sorry I'll clean it up after" she mumbled still no emotion in her voice. She looked out of breath and the look in her eyes was slightly strained

Maybe using her quirk hurts her emotionally?

"It's fine I got it" he hummed, dropping the new flooring to the floor and picking up the old floorboards, pushing them to the side.

She was about to pull the stuff in and start constructing that he coughed finally getting some of her attention.

"I- I kinda got some experience in building stuff and construction" he mumbled rubbing the back of his head "I can help you re-floor this place- if you want it"

She looked at him- really looked at him once. It wasn't pity nor was it patronization that came out of his mouth. Just an offer of help from one person to another. Her 'mother' hadn't ever said something like that to her, nor did she allow anyone else to.

"sure," she said, opening the door a little wider for him to get in too.

Anything Endeavor said; she would do all in her power to do the opposite.

Including accepting help.

She had to admit, having someone that actually knew a little about tatami instillation actually helped, and they were done in an hour. "thank you-" she hesitated for a second I never got his name- didn't even ask it did I-