AMATEURS [Tenya Iida x OC]

Chapter 19 - The One About Winter Break

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Peri felt like shit.

She'd tossed all night next to Tenya, mind unable to quiet down enough for her to sleep. While he had snuck off to use the bathroom, Peri finally opened a lingering text from Bastien saying that Peri wouldn't be able to fly home for the winter holiday break. The homesickness was stifling, drowning, all-consuming.

While Tenya slept peacefully beside her, Peri couldn't help but think of her bed at home, her brother, her kitchen. Paris in the snow. Homemade boeuf bourguignon. Raclette at the kitchen table. Movie night, watching Amélie for the four hundredth time and eating popcorn dusted with sugar.

When Tenya asked what was wrong, Peri had deflected, changed the topic. Smiled through the ache in her gut. Her house was still there. France was waiting. It would be there in June when she went home. What was a few more months?

Now she sat in class, listening to Midnight talk about Art History, trying not to tear up while she watched the snow drift down outside. Peri'd texted Tsu before class started to ask if she could stay at her house over break, but she felt like such a burden. Their winter break was nearly a month. She didn't want to impose on Tsu's family again, when they had already welcomed her into their home and family.

Tenya scanned the class, taking his usual stock of who was paying attention and who would need a talking-to later, and his eyes landed on his girlfriend. Her gaze was shifted out the window, watching the fluffy snowflakes float down, drumming her fingers on the desk in a pattern that looked deliberate - piano music? He frowned and continued his own notes so that Peri could copy them later.

He knew when she'd said nothing was wrong over breakfast that she was lying. But he didn't want to pry. Tenya wasn't sure if they were there yet, at that point in their relationship where he should push her to open up to him. Usually Peri was the type to blurt her feelings to anyone and everyone who would listen. But now he couldn't get her to say anything he could use to crack the case, anything important.

The lunch bell rang, and he stowed away his notebook, watching Peri out of the corner of his eye. She still hadn't roused from her daydream, thrumming on the desk with her careful fingers. Tenya stood and walked over to her desk, waving for Izuku and Ochaco to head to lunch without them.

"Peri," he whispered, trying not to scare her. He gently placed his hand on top of hers, and she jolted, eyes wide as they landed on him. "I'm sorry to scare you, but it's lunch time," he smiled softly.

"Oh," she gasped, her hand over her heart. Peri nodded and put away her things before following Tenya out of the room, her fingers barely holding his on the way to the lunchroom.

Tenya sighed and said, "Peri, I know something is bothering you. If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay, but please don't shut me out. Did I do something wrong?" He gripped her hand and pulled her to a stop just before the lunchroom so they could talk privately.

Peri's heart squeezed in anguish. She hadn't meant to make Tenya feel bad. She thought she was doing a good job of hiding her homesickness, but apparently not. "It's not your fault at all, love," she said, her hand drifting up to his tie, straightening it ever so slightly. "My dads can't afford to fly me home for the holiday break because they all had to fly here when I got kidnapped or whatever, and I just found out last night. I've been feeling a little homesick, that's all." Peri ran her fingers down Tenya's tie, avoiding eye contact. "I'll be fine, I just haven't made plans to stay anywhere yet, so I'm feeling a little..." She searched for the word. "Discarded? Is that the right word?"

"Come stay at my house," Tenya blurted. His cheeks burned as soon as the words slipped out. He hadn't asked for permission, or even told his parents that he was seeing Peri yet. But Tensei knew. Maybe he had told their parents? That would make the impending conversation a lot easier on Tenya.