maybe | hitoshi shinsou x reader

~chapter 6~

Getting up the next morning is hard. Half because you got three hours of sleep, and half because today's the sports festival, and anxiety's wracking your brain with a baseball bat.

Maybe you could just...not go?

Is that an option?

Nedzu would probably be disappointed in you, though. And, his little not-mouse face...

With an elongated sigh, you push yourself out of bed, and start your daily routine.

Your first day of work is tomorrow, too. Another sigh, because that's way too many first things in a row. First day of school, first real job interview (kinda), first friends at new school, first time being in a sports festival, first day at the job you somehow managed to snag.

Too many firsts.

The sports festival doesn't take place at school, it's at an offshoot facility from U.A., so you have to take an entirely new train route, which is as uncomfortable as it is terrifying.

Like, what if you picked the wrong train? Or what if you get off at the wrong stop? Or what if something inexplicably falls from the sky, crushing you and your fellow train-riders to dust?

That might be a little much, but hey, villain attacks happen all the time. Literally every day. One could happen right this second.

When you realize that, the train ride's scariness levels increase twofold.

On the bright side, some kids with the U.A. school uniform end up taking the same train as you. So, at least if you got it wrong and are branded as an idiot for the rest of your life, it's not going to be a lonely experience.

~~

Arriving at the big coliseum is a lot of things, and all at once.

Exciting. Petrifying. Exhilarating. Paralyzing.

It takes a frightening amount of effort not to let out, like, just a little scream from all the pressure. It would probably help, because you feel like a balloon that's been blown up too much, a second away from bursting, but it would also make you look like a nutjob, and you'd like to avoid that if at all possible. And, it's looking pretty dang possible, so you keep it locked inside, like most of your feelings.

You're going to take a really long nap when you get home. Maybe a bubble bath. You feel a little frivolous. Though that might be because you're trying your hardest to emotionally extricate yourself from the situation, thereby loosening your hold on your more rational thought processes. It's not exactly a comforting thing to think, but what do you care? Bubble baths.

Yeah, maybe you should...stop that. If you can. Breathing exercises help, right?

When someone claps a hand on your shoulder, you flinch, hard, and let out an eep that you don't think you'll ever live down.

You whirl around, and Iida's behind you, a little shocked at the sound that just came out of you, but willing to let it go without much thought. Iida's a really good guy. A kind, kind person. You'd probably trust him with your life, given the chance.

Okay, that came out of nowhere. Now you're thinking about death, as if the situation wasn't stressful enough. Thanks brain.

"Hello [l/n]! I must apologize for scaring you like that." Which is kind of a dramatic way to say
"I'm sorry," but whatever, you'll take it. "You weren't responding when I called your name a few times, so I utilized a more physical approach to get your attention."

"Ah, it's fine don't worry about it. I was pretty spaced-out." You try to laugh it off, and apparently it's convincing enough, because Iida joins in with a small, polite chuckle.