Tempest [BNHA]

Chapter Nine

~Shota's POV~

The weekend after the Sports Festival, Hizashi, Ariel and I went on a shopping trip. It was another thing Ariel had found in her research of what friends do with one another. She'd started by asking us if we should get pedicures and facials as she'd read about that in the spa/shopping day combo. Hizashi tried to play along but I shot the idea down quickly and told her just shopping would be fine.

We arrived by helicopter to some fancy mall next to a nice pier that Ariel said had one of the best crepe places she'd ever been to. It seemed like she really wanted to go so we headed to the pier first. The three of us walked to the pier. Hizashi and I kept Ariel between us to which she'd become adorably flustered by and kept trying to trade one of us places so we could have some time together.

"It'll draw less attention if we hold your hands instead and if we're both holding your hands its almost like we're holding hands." Hizashi said as if he'd just made some brilliant deduction.

Ariel looked to him curiously trying to work out what he'd said, "are you sure? This area is pretty safe, it was one of the few places Dad could take me to meet his dates whenever he found someone he liked and no one minded when they were affectionate with each other."

"He took you to meet his dates?" I asked her curiously ignoring Hizashi's nonsense idea, though my body seemed to have other plans as I somehow found myself holding Ariel's hand.

"Mhm." Ariel nodded, "I told him he didn't have to but he always wanted me to meet them and see how we got along before he'd let himself get too serious about anyone."

She always got misty eyed when she talked about her father. I gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "it sounds like he really treasured you."

She offered me a small solemn smile, "he did."

Hizashi looked over and panicked as he saw the solemn look on her face. He let out a strange choking yelp sound and moved to hug her, forgetting he was also clinging to her other hand. When he tried to wrap both of his arms around her he ended up knocking her off balance and they both fell into me. I managed to keep them both from toppling over and the three of us wound up in an odd hug with Ariel sandwiched between us.

"What the hell are you doing, moron?" I growled at Hizashi.

"Ariel needed a hug." Hizashi said as if it were obvious causing Ariel to let out a soft giggle between us.

I felt my heart skip a beat as she squeezed my hand, "you guys are the best." She beamed.

I hugged her back though it was a little difficult as I was still holding one of her hands, Hizashi was holding the other and we were somewhat hugging her between us. We released her simultaneously from the hug but our hands stayed interlocked. We continued on our way to the crepe place with Ariel between us.

She had a skip in her step and was adorably swinging our interlocked hands as we made our way to a cute café. There were several familiar looking sea glass art pieces hanging on the walls and a pretty sea glass chandelier hanging in the middle of the dining area. Ariel seemed to relax once we stepped inside and were beneath the chandelier and I knew right away it was one of her father's creations.

A middle-aged woman behind the counter wearing a frilly apron with a dolphin embroidered on the pocket spotted Ariel and her face lit up, "it's been awhile since you've visited us, Miss Ariel." She stepped out from behind the counter and wrapped Ariel in a warm hug. I felt the absence of her hand right away as she hugged the woman back.