°• A Blast from the Past 3/3 •°

The sports festival was approaching quickly, and a formidable opponent for Yasu seemed to be Aizawa, but she didn't have the guts to ask him, and the chances of him actually agreeing to train with her were about zero so why even bother.

'Ngh... he probably doesn't want to be around someone as troublesome as me...'

Said male hadn't brought up the train incident, it was almost like it never even happened, there were a few news articles that served as a constant reminder but besides that it was like their own secret. Theirs and a few others who may have simply been too traumatized to say anything. Everything was normal; the train was fixed and they would travel together, Hizashi would yell during lunch while she would chime in with an irrelevant comment, and then she'd proceed to get her ass cheeks clapped during hero training.

Her close range combat had improved significantly since when school has first started, but compared to her classmates her skills were just a sad, wet paper towel.

It was the weekend, so thankfully she didn't have to talk to anyone (specifically Hizashi), since some people were asking too many questions. The loud blonde had almost interrogated her the day after she didn't show up, and he knew something happened, but she couldn't let anyone know. She refused to let anyone else know. Her parents figured that she was just a teenager going through teenager things again, but the long hours spent in her quiet room were much heavier than they could imagine.

At first, her father was concerned since she would often screech or do weird impressions of dinosaurs or the Grinch during dinner time to make the family laugh, and her mother asked why she stopped going out to the bakery to get pie in the afternoons, but after telling her parents that she was tired, they gave up and figured that U.A. was just a mentally and physically taxing school.

Currently, she was laying under her bed debating on whether or not she wanted to go outside. She was hungry but she wasn't in the mood for food, you know? Her parents were still sleeping so would it really hurt to go out without their permission? Nah.

She slid out from under the mattress and left, not bothering to change out of her T shirt and boy shorts, and just slipping some crocs on. The breeze outside cooled her warm cheeks, the bandages covering her limbs keeping the rest of her body ever so slightly shielded from the air.

The fact that she could leave the house with her bandages exposed was something that brightened her day even just a little, and the girl figured she might as well implement them into her hero costume. It wasn't much for now, just a long sleeve shirt and pants, but she was still trying to figure out what aesthetic she was going for. The grass next to the sidewalk swayed gently, the sun had barely risen, orangey hues painting the sky still. The faint sound of a bird's cry was the only thing that seemed to be going on in her street. Hopefully, it would be the same all the way to the train station.

A few people stared in her direction, though she payed them no mind, and shivered as she stepped onto the train. It was a pleasant morning, but the girls limbs were sore and tense, probably from all the slouching and sleeping she'd done over the last few weeks. She stared out the window, internally screaming at the painful memory that hadn't seemed to fade from her thoughts.

'God... I'm a fucking murderer... I'm no better than the rest of them...'

Soon, a small ding signified the stop she was looking for. It was pie time.

It was significantly busier around here just because people constantly seemed to flock within the radius of U.A. At least, that's what she assumed. Yasu shrugged despite not having to outwardly react to her speculation, and briskly set off to the place where her stomach called home.

'Ryu... here I come... you better have some key lime pie to go...'

The weight that had been pushing her down was released from her the second she walked in, as if her demons were repelled by the warmth of the place. It wasn't too far from U.A. so it couldn't really be considered bothersome to go to when she had school, but it was a ways away from home, a sacrifice she'd been willing to make since she was little.

A young woman stood at the back of the quaint shop, almost slapping some unmade dough.

"A-Ah... Miss Ryu-San......" Yasu hoped the woman wouldn't be mad at her for not showing her face in the bakery for a while. Not that she talked much to her, but at some point you get used to people being around.

"Yasu! I'm glad to see you're back! Was something wrong?" Her face seemed to glow with joy at the sight of the girl, almost like she... wasn't disappointed in her?

"Ngh.... thanks I guess... I'm fine, school has just been... tiring, that's all." The bandaged girl turned away, crossing her arms. "I figured I might as well come for some pie now since it's the only opportunity I've had in a bit." That was only a half lie, you see, she really was very busy sulking and staring into the void.

"Ahaha! Yes yes, I remember my school days, they were very exhausting~ but none of the key lime pies are done for the day, I can get you some cake instead, on the house!" Ryu immediately shuffled to the back, leaving Yasu to awkwardly shift in her spot and play with the ends of her bandages, unable to refuse the offer. "Here you go, dear! Please feel free to stay for a while! Though I wouldn't bother that boy, he's been sitting there for a whole ten minutes, just poking at his pastry..."

A fluttering feeling filled Yasu's stomach as she looked at the kid. She thanked Ryu for the treat before hesitantly approaching a nearby table, her glasses half sliding down her nose (maybe they were nervous too?).

"Just because I don't say much doesn't mean you need to ignore me in public, y'know." A young Aizawa half glared at the guava pastry that sat on his plate, a bag next to him, presumably filled with other sweets, was probably fearing for its life in that moment.

Yasu sighed, the chair scraping across the floor as she stood. "Sorry..." The cake was consumed in silence, the only thing disturbing the peace being the notifications coming from her phone.

Teleporting_Bacteria

Yasssuuuuuu

You can't hide from me ;))))

Don't run from the pain- I promise it
will help you in the sports festival!

I'm coming over later!

Your parents said yes when I asked
the other day so don't even think
about pulling that card on me
AHAHAHAHA

It's been forever- maybe we can catch
up- I promise I won't bring Damien,,,,

Answer me pls I'm too cool to be ignore

She grimaced at the line of messages, her flip phone almost crying out in protest through the successive vibrations.

3Dead4Life

Yeah whatever, just don't scream

I already know enough  people who
try to bust my eardrums on a daily basis

And uh- being some Caroline-pie

Get it- key lime, caro-lime

I know-

I'm not funny 

Teleporting_Bacteria

LFISVIZKCLZkcksjfzjc am XDD

Ok.

Aizawa, who always appeared to be relatively uninterested in everything, for some reason seemed to be inquisitive this fine morning.

"Who's texting you so early in the morning?"

"I dunno, why are you sitting at a bakery alone in the morning?"

"I could say the same about the plans you had." He leaned back into the seat.

Now that Yasu could get a better look at him, he looked a bit tired, his under-eyes were a bit discolored and his skin a bit more pallid than usual.

"Well... it was my cousin. She said she's going to come over to help me train for the Sports Festival. But UhM... se- why? Why are you actually here? I've never," she paused, unsure if her words. "I never took you for one to go out to a bakery."

It was like the question was a burden to him. He rolled his eyes, looking out the window instead of doing the mannered thing and looking at whoever he was speaking to. The dark haired boy mumbled a few things before gritting his teeth and answering.

"My mom asked me to go get desserts since her friends were coming over for brunch today, but I forgot to do it yesterday and... I've seen you come to this place a bit so I figured I'd try it out." For some unknown reason, he figured he had to add onto what was already said. "Not because of you, it's irrational to place a whole decision on the fact that you go somewhere, it's just that it was the only place open so early."

His words stung, she wouldn't lie. She had hoped that maybe he valued her enough to go here just because she did, but it seems like he read the internal dream she had and crushed it. It's not like she should've expected anything else, they found each other's company by circumstance, not willingness. For now, at least.

"Tsk, yeah ok stalker man, whatever floats your goat."

The cake was really good, really really good. The fluffiness, the perfect moisture, the texture and sweetness of the creme between the layers, no overbearing frosting. It was heaven.

"Well," she swallowed. "Screw your reasons, this is the best place hands down. No cap, if Alexa had to play a song right now, it'd be..." her brows furrowed in deep thought before her eyes lit up. "All Star. For sure."

Aizawa looked around discretely, wondering if she'd hit her head on some random shelf, or maybe she was talking to someone else entirely. It wasn't uncommon for her to say such strange things, but 'Alexa' and 'All Star' were definitely new. He just didn't question it at this point.

Yasu's eyes slowly dragged over to the scene on the street; two little cats were playing on the road, one golden and one tabby. Precious. The mere fact they were on the street was already confusing, but why of all places they choose there to play was probably what was more baffling. Shouldn't they know by now that such a thing is dangerous? She pushed herself away from the table, taking her plate and throwing the plastic in the trash before heading out to move the kitties.

Aizawa had initially planned on staying inside and slipping away when she was focused on the cats, but he found himself drawn to her laidback and, dare he say, lighter demeanor outside of school. After that one day any trust that she'd built with the two shattered. She had crept back into the dark hole of existence and didn't make any more jokes, her performance slipping and overshadowing the progress she'd been making, and surprisingly enough, the thing Aizawa found most irritating was the fact that she almost tried avoiding him on the way home. It's not like he was going to complain about the silence, but every once in a while he noticed she'd have the freedom she felt at the beginning of the school year in her eyes, and those were always the best rides home.

"Hey hey, Aizawa, guess what~"

"Huh?"

"Chicken butt. HAHAHAHAH!"

-

"Hm... this is pretty random but uh, I like your hair. It looks soft! You should totally grow it out when you can."

"What?"

"I said your hair is nice"

A warmth brewed in his stomach, it was a feeling that was foreign. He didn't like it.

"Oh... thanks. Uh..."

"Jee, I complimented your hair I didn't read your life story out of a crystal ball, you don't have to look so confused."

Yeah, those were definitely the best rides.

He picked up his bag and trailed behind Yasu, watching the scene from the sidewalk whilst she went out and picked them up. She looked so peaceful carrying them over and cooing at their pawing. It was cute. Wait. No, he didn't just internally think that.

"Waha! Aizawa look at them they're so cute! They don't have a collar- does that mean they don't belong to anytime?"

He sighed, closing his eyes briefly before taking the tabby kitted out of her arms and holding it close to him.

"They're a bit dirty... id assume not, but I'll take this one to the vet and find out, my mom would ask too many questions if I brought two home." He wouldn't say it out loud but he hoped it wasn't anyone's, because then he could keep it. Lord knows the love he had for cats.

"Oh- yes yes you're right. I'll do the same with this one! I'll name her hm....." Yasu couldn't help but show her love for space in this moment. "Venus!" Her grin was contagious, a small smile forming on his face too.

"I'm not giving this a name yet until I get a final answer. It's illogical to name something that's not yours."

"Sure sure, whatever. I can tell you like him already." Yasu faced the rising sun, her face drawn into a forlorn expression before she quickly covered up her internal suffering with a smirk.

"Come now, emo boy, you have to get your mom her brunch sweets, and I've got to mentally prepare to get the crap beaten out of me!"

He grumbled a few incoherent things before nodding and following quietly. She was much more fun outside of school, that was for sure, though he could tell she was probably killing herself internally, or at least coping with trauma, he couldn't bring himself to put his nose where it didn't belong.

What kind of hero did he think he could be if he couldn't even save his friend, if he couldn't even ask if she was ok? What coward was he, to think that he was worthy of such a title?

Wait, since when did he refer to her as his friend? Damn. Those train rides would be the death of him.