AMATEURS [Tenya Iida x OC]

Chapter 3 - The One Where They Fight

Peri gripped a cup of black coffee in her hands like it was a tankard full of pure adrenaline, and knocked back the whole thing in one long swig. Tsu watched on in horror as Peri reached for the coffee pot, as if she were going to pour another cup. "Maybe you should eat something first?" Tsu suggested, blocking the coffee pot with one hand and smiling softly.

Groaning incoherently, Peri shuffled to the pantry and grabbed a protein bar. She held it up for Tsu to see, grunted, and pointed at the coffee pot. "No more until you eat food," Tsu said, putting her foot down, "I know you still aren't sleeping well, but you need to eat breakfast, Peri. It'll help your quirk work better, too, you know."

Peri whined and ripped open the protein bar, chewing angrily. She pouted at Tsu, and the two of them walked out of the kitchen toward class, Peri throwing one last longing look at the coffee pot as they passed through the front door. They looped their arms together and trudged across campus, noting the temperature change that had snuck through in the last week.

Since Peri had talked to Tenya.

Tsu kept Peri's mind off of him while they walked by discussing the end of the book from Book Club (which had them all shocked, but their meeting to discuss it wasn't until the next week). Peri chimed in sometimes with halfhearted comments, but mostly focused on her oxfords, trying to wake up. Half-formed thoughts chased themselves around in her brain, hardly useful from the lack of coherence... Nervous Tenya... One flower... talking on the roof... hand tingles.

She'd been averaging three hours of sleep a night since arriving in Japan, through no fault of Tsu's or UA's... she was just anxious. Nothing seemed to make her tired enough for eight full hours, even a solid workout or running miles and miles. Which typically left Peri up at midnight, baking some kind of treat for her friends, and singing while she did the dishes. The alone time was nice, but at the same time, it was frustrating knowing that she could be sleeping...

"Good morning, ladies."

That voice. His voice.

It took a moment to notice that they had stopped. Peri swiveled her head up, and found them in front of Tenya, Ochaco, and Midoriya. She waved a sleepy hand to the three of them, and Tsu drove the conversation for both of them for a bit, asking about plans for the weekend and homework.

"Hey Tsu," Ochaco grinned, "Speaking of homework... Midoriya and I needed to ask you about that assignment that's due today. We got a different answer than Tenya on number ten, and wanted to get an extra opinion."

Tsu shrugged and followed Ochaco and Midoriya toward the classroom buildings, leaving Peri and Tenya alone together on the path. "How are you this morning, Peri?" Tenya said, noticing that she seemed off.

"I'm okay," Peri sighed, smiling weakly up at Tenya. "I'm glad it's Friday." She began walking again, gesturing for him to follow with her head.

He nodded in agreement, and took two quick strides to catch up to her, her strange behavior still bothering him. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked, struggling to match her small steps with his long ones. If she heard him, she didn't acknowledge it, and stared at the path in front of them, clutching her bag to her chest. Definitely weird. Tenya made a mental note to ask Tsu what was going on when he got a moment.

They made it to their building and he quickly lost her in the surge of students rushing to class. He tried to look for her French braids, but she was too short in the crowd. Tenya gave up and wandered to Class 1-A.

When he arrived, only Midoriya, Tsu, and Ochaco were already there, talking around Midoriya's desk. Tenya waved and walked over to join them once he deposited his bag in his seat. "Where's Peri?" Midoriya asked, looking around Tenya's tall figure as if maybe she was hiding behind him.