bus rides | midoriya izuku

06 | first light

HIS VOICE FEELS BRIGHTER THAN SHE THOUGHT

Aiko was reading another comic she owns with such focus that her eyes glued to the pages for hours ( minutes ) that her senses were tuned out from the world of coldness. A faint brush of artificial wind would have felt like a tornado spinning in her mind if she weren't as engrossed as before, but comically, it's really just a tiny breeze through her fringe. The sound of footsteps greeting the bus would have felt like her eardrums were bursting through her earphones if said, but.. Aiko was acutely delved in her cave today.

Delving deep in a world of superheroes that a sensitively perceptive girl didn't even notice a certain green head walking towards her.

His timid footsteps should be jolting her awake with its waves rippling her senses, but they didn't. Even when he had stopped in front of the middle seat from the back of the bus, Aiko didn't seem to notice his presence. Although, from his point of view, the wisteria girl's eyes were a little wider than before. As if she reached the climactic part of the story: could it be the reveal of Moon Knight's nemesis' identity? If so, who is he/she? Are they strong? Indisputably unique than other villains? Is it possible to defeat them? Wait, there's a villain featured on the cover page of her comic—could that be—

The bus started moving, which concludes on Izuku stumbling forward on the empty seat in front of him, causing the girl to blink out of her daze.

Aiko hummed in confusion at the sudden noise and glanced at the cause, heart bursting into flames ( oh passion ) in retaliation.

When the boy's clumsiness dissipated, he immediately noticed the twinge of surprise on her features, causing him to stand up straight so quickly that his back might snap, before he increased the risk of his spine again by bowing vigorously for the acutely disturbed yet surprised girl.

"T-Thank you for lending me your latest Moon Knight volume! I've made sure to take good care of it! No tears and wrinkles! B-But um, thinking about it, I wasn't sure if you accidentally dropped it but I'm pretty sure you purposely left it on my seat or it could be you just really accidentally drop it but it landed so perfectly that I assumed I was given permission to read it so I ended up reading the entire volume in one night and took some notes on Moon Knight's quirk. But I must say, Moon Knight's quirk is really unique! His strength enhances depending on the lunar cycle and.."

And so, Aiko just blinked: thinking that it would stop the sudden rambling turned to incomprehensible mumbling spewing out of his mouth.

Aiko was literally in a cave seconds ago, in the blink of an eye, she was yanked outside with the sun beaming in her eyes.

She sighed deeply, her energy already draining from the world of socialization.

Heeding back to his words earlier, she noticed the comic she purposely left for him grasped in his hands, though Izuku was still bowing while the bus is moving, face lifted a little due to his mind of wonder and a bunch of words that didn't make sense.

Good riddance, she thought: when the bus halts to a stop, causing him to stumble again—falling face plant on the sit right next to her.

Aiko blinked.

Izuku quickly looks up, face cherry red when the proximity between them felt intruding, flustering as he scrambles.

"I-I'm sorry I fell!"

Why is he apologizing for falling? Aiko's brows furrowed in her mind.

"Eh? Eh??" Izuku gasped at her comic in his hands—which was now wrinkled from the fall. "No no no! Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I-I ruined your precious Moon Knight comic! P-Please forgive me! I will buy a new one with the money that I've been saving for All Might's limited-edition figurine! I promise you! So please forgive m—"

The bus moves again, in which, he fell. Again.

"No!! I made it worse!" Izuku was close to tears, causing Aiko to feel her heart race in panic.

The girl glanced at the row of seats to, thankfully, see about four passengers who didn't seem to hear what was happening. But each second his voice raised higher in dread, causing her to panic as well, which ends up on them being a chaotic mess.

Seemingly, Aiko finally managed to find her voice. "C-Calm down.. I have another copy back at home in case I lose one on the way back.."

Izuku, who was now sitting on the middle seat of the bus—a seat away from her—abruptly stopped the anxious noises from emanating. He still have his bag on his shoulders, limiting the space and comfort on his seat, but the wrinkled comic was still loosely grasped in his hand, sitting on his lap.

"I-I see.. I'm glad.." He stares at the space in front of him.

His cheekbones were faintly reddish as if he had really cried over that, but Aiko knew it was fine. She knew better that she'd experienced the rollercoaster of such worrisome. People might call them over-dramatic as a label for such intense feelings.

"You can keep it," Aiko breaks the silence. "And take off your bag. You know how uncomfortable it is sitting with your bag on."

"R-Really?" She knew he was referring to the comic.

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" She chuckled a little.

Izuku's emerald eyes lit up.

Then, the two look away from each other, a small, but bright smile forming on their lips.