bus rides | midoriya izuku

08 | pillow(bus)talk

HIS NAME WAS A PALETTE OF TONES OF GREENS

Midoriya Izuku.

Midoriya, her mind says while said boy boards the bus as usual, immediately cracking a shy smile within those freckled cheeks that could be compared to millions of stars as his emerald eyes met hers—that, cannot be compared to the gems when hers were merely a field of lavenders.

"Hello, Aiko-chan."

He greets just as he stops in front of the middle seat, though the girl couldn't help but relish the warm, gooey feeling in her chest when he called her as if she was the cutest teddy bear in the world—the chan that just makes her world look brighter than before.

"Izuku."

A small blush lingers below the corners of his eyes, and Aiko couldn't help but grin at the sight behind her comic. The bus starts moving after Izuku sat down comfortably, automatically taking out his treasured notebook from his bag, laying it down on his lap while Aiko continues reading her comic from where she left off.

This was pretty much their journey for the past week. After sharing their names, they've been acknowledging each other's presence during the bus ride home. Sometimes they would share stories and hobbies, sometimes the little things they noticed in the bus while each conversation they had throughout the journey lasted merely no longer than ten minutes. Small conversations that fill the vacant seat between them. And Aiko thought, what a change. An odd, yet incredible change. She never thought she would go from peeking behind her comic books to being mutual with someone she made friends with in the bus.

Aiko huffs a chuckle, making sure the boy beside her didn't notice. She made a friend on a bus, only because she intentionally dropped her comic book on his seat.

Distracted from her timeline of thoughts, Aiko glanced to see his head engrossed in the notebook. He wasn't writing anything this time, but from the way his wrist was moving, Izuku was drawing something. And that something was green.

As green as his name. As green as his persona. As green as his appearance. Strands shaped like spider lilies as they dip in forest lakes accompanied by stars in the midnight sky shimmering in his sapphire pupils that looked like it could make dreams come true ( coming from his forlorn smile ). Aiko noticed that the closer Midoriya Izuku was, the more she could see the tiniest details of such hues belonged to a certain lush boy. More so, she could probably see his soul emitting the glow of a Dresden diamond enveloping his true self. If she was even closer.

Curious as always, Aiko subconsciously moves to the empty seat between them, replacing the wide gap with her overwhelming presence that startles the once focused Izuku drawing in his notebook.

"What are you drawing?"

Izuku jolts at her voice, her proximity flushing the life out of him as every fibre of his being turned red, hiding his face behind frantic crossed arms.

"S-So close..!"

Aiko was acutely aware of the proximity between them, though an amused smile crept on her lips when she observed the way his pupils looked to the other side to avoid her gaze, obviously red as Mars just as close in the telescope.

The girl then giggled out loud, surprising the boy who eventually loosened his crossed arms, red slowly fading into his natural skin.

"So, what are you drawing?" She asked again, peeking at the image in his notebook.

"It's.. kind of embarrassing.." Izuku muttered, deflated as he gave in and leans back to let her take a full view of his attempt to draw something that the observer seemed to understand unlike anyone else.

It was a drawing of a turquoise jumpsuit with white linings, accompanied by a mask of some sort. Although the drawing was smudged, looking as if Izuku tried to redraw the same ideas and compile new ones on top of it—Aiko knew what he wanted for the final design. She didn't need to ask what his motive was or what the jumpsuit was for. The girl had a knack for comics and becoming a creator for it.

An assuring smile made its way to her lips. "You shouldn't be ashamed of drawing when it's a rare talent from humans' incredible minds. Here—"

She simply grabs the pencil out of his loose fingers, unhesitant to draw arrows on the colours and lines in his notebook to give him tips on making his drawing a little more polished. Aiko could feel his gaze burning the side of her face as she comments something about line weights and strokes, almost tempting her to turn her head and meet his sapphirine eyes.

"When you want to add something to your art, your mind should already be filled with meaningful experiences in your life and who and what caused them. It makes your art reflect you while you're here in the present, thinking—ah, this is why I'm who I am." She finished, twirling the pencil with her finger, smiling as she finally glanced at Izuku, whose expression was brimming of awe and gratitude with a twinge of merriness in his round, wide eyes.

Ah, Aiko suddenly feels warm, there are even more stars in his eyes.

Or perhaps, could those be tears?

Maybe she was too close, but Izuku abruptly leans back and frantically wipes away at his eyes.

"Ahaha.. sorry," he grasped the notebook a little too tight that Aiko sees fresh wrinkles. "Um.. T-Thank you! Aiko-chan.."

Izuku meets her gaze properly, though they seemed brighter than minutes before. He sighs and smiles.

"Thank you."

Aiko, who noticed everything, who noticed every little detail in his eyes, his hands, the colours on his face, the meaning behind his small gestures and body language—simply smiles kindly for him, a wordless comfort.

"You're welcome."