30 Day Ship Challenge - Miritama - BNHA

Day 22 - Competing

“Tamaki? You alright?”
He felt a poke on his head, and Tamaki looked up sleepily. Nejire smiled at him and waved. “You looked like you were in pain.”
“I am, my stomach hurts.”
The girl looked at the bits of food still left on his plate. “Tamaki, your belly's gonna explode if you eat too much. You already have a enough, so you even know how much you can summon at once?” Her voice was serious, but still full of energy. Just like she normally was when she felt strongly about something.
Tamaki glanced back down at his food, looking back up shyly. “Um.. I'm up against Miri-chan, Nejimi. I need all the help I can get.” he hates eating in front of people and he'd stuffed himself for the last match, but regretted the choice for the wings. He didn't need them and now he felt like he was going to throw up if he ate more and that wasn't good with an opponent that always went full on for the gut.
“Ahhhh, right. But he'll toltally let you win if you want him to.”
“No!” Tamaki shook his head. He sighed, “I just have to finish this, then I'll go out, okay? I have fifteen minutes, don't I?”
“Only a few bites! You know Mirio will go for your gut.”

Tamaki only had a few moments of silence when he heard the door open. When he glanced over, Mirio strode through and smiled at him. “Heya! You about ready?”
The smaller boy nodded some. “Yeah. I just hope I had enough.”
“Ah,” Mirio snickered, sitting next to Tamaki and patting his shoulder. He could tell the guy had gotten nervous. “Don't worry. I'll go easy on you.” he was mostly joking, he only would is Tamaki wanted him to. He knew his friend didn't want to get this far in the sports festival anyway and he felt bad; the least he could do was not give it his all. He could go in and get Tamaki out of bounds right away but he couldn't, but this is on live TV in front of thousands of people in the audience. He couldn't humiliate him like that. Of course, he was still trying to win.
“No,” Tamaki said, turning, startled out of the anxiety. “No, don't hold back. It's not good for your image, nor mine. Give me all you got, this is to showcase to pro heros who want to scout you what you can really do.”
That was quite the speech, especially for Tama. Mirio chuckled, “Wow, I didn't know you were capable of talking that long! I won't hold back, then, but I'm not gonna go full. Y'know,” he flashed a different kind of smile than he always wore, and it send a chill down Tamaki's spine. “So I don't completely blow you away.”
Mirio wasn't usually intimidating, what with his comic-book looking face. What he said was so cliche and such a trope and Tamaki wouldn't usually be afraid, but it was the way he said it with that look on his face.
He suddenly changed his expression completely and glanced down to Tamaki's bag.
“Can I have a pocky?”
“Uh.. Yeah.” Tamaki grabbed the box and opened it, handing one over, and Mirio chomped down.
“Wow, these're stale.”
“I like them more crunchy. They're not stale, I get a different kind.”
“Ah.”
Mirio messed up Tamaki's hair, finished up his little snack, than walked off.
-

Present Mic's voice wasn't the only one Tamaki could bear blaring in the background. He had seen the amount of people twice already and it still send anxiety ravaging through his veins. He felt himself shaking and tried to calm it down.
He didn't know when to step up until he heard the words “Silent but deadly,” then knew it was his turn
Seeing Mirio, someone who was much, much more qualified for this position in the tournament then he, made it worse, mad ethe anxiety and nervousness worse. He hadn't thought he would get this far but the idea of going up against Miri made his head spin. He was so incredibly talented and smart, Tamaki didn't think he had any chance at all.
...
But did that mean the wasn't going to try?
No.
He was gonna try his absolute best, but not try too hard to actually win since he didn't want to have to be on that pedestal for everyone to see. There was still a match after this one and he didn't really feel like being up there.

He took some deep breaths, if he had a panic attack he wouldn't be able to use his quirk correctly. It'd mess everything up.
“Ready,”
“Mirio, don't hold back on me.” Tamaki said again, rolling up his right sleeve. He glanced at the spectators, then took a quick bite of kalimari. He had some in his pocket and he wanted to show what happened - even if it wasn't instantaneous, he wanted to make it clear what his quirk was.
“Start!”
Tanaki's whole right arm quickly turned into a tentacle, lashing about to quickly get full control. Mirio wasn't moving and Tama knew as much that just the soles of his feet were solid, to keep him on the ground,  and his head + lungs, so he could see and breathe. They'd let him wear part of his costume so he wouldn't fall nude on live TV.
That wouldn't be very good for the press.
Tamaki didn't want to make the first move but it suddenly dawned on him that they hadn't sparred before and that was why Mirio wasn't going to take the first.
Tamaki had watched his and other's matches bit he never participates, so he actually knew the blond's attack patterns and strategies. Of course, Mirio had seen him fight, but not up close and personal. He actually might have an advantage here, for the first few moments of the round, before Mirio actually caught on.
He tried to form his stomach to the oyster he'd eaten, but he couldn't get it to work and instead used his hand, then covered up his gut. That was the most important thing to do when fighting Mirio.
He stretched out his arm and flicked the tentacle again, then raced forward, clenching his jaw and trying not to stop himself. Now that he was here, attacking and hurting his best friend was an awful idea and he didn't want to be here anymore.
Mirio was out of the way in a second, Tamaki whipping around to try and find where he was moving to and therefore going to attack from.
He just caught a glance of the guy before he was flown toward him. Tamaki shouted and lifted his tentacle up, going to try and catch him, or at least defend himself, but Mirio went right through him. He turned and didn't see the taller, then jumped back and sprinted a few feet away.
Mirio was under the ground, he knew what he was trying to do.
All he had to do was get away, Mirio couldn't move or see or even breathe down there so he wouldnt be there for very long.
Just as he thought, Mirio was up above the ground again in a second. The sound of Mic's voice was so distracting he almost looked away.
“Where-!” Tanaki looked away for a second and then-
He felt his back curl around who could only be Mirio's fist, and he was sent forward. He tried to twist but just hurt his knew wrong. He tried hard to get Mirio back but he was already untouchable again.
Trying to maneuver himself to not fall onto his ass and to also protect his main weak spot and to also see if Mirio could be hit right now, but he just couldn't, landing hard on his tailbone and if you don't think thst hurts like absolute hell, you're crazy.
Tamaki didn't cry out, he almost did but he didn't want to embarass himself further.
But Mirio wasn't holding back. That fact was really the only thing he could keep himself going with, he'd have collapsed with a mix of fear and pain and anxiety.
He couldn't understand why Mirio got him going so much, it was inspiration, of course it was that. He was inspired to do better, he wanted to do just as good. He knew be couldn't, but he wanted to try. His best wasn't good enough but he wanted to get as far as he could.
Tamaki stood and saw Mirio there, above him. “Ya ready to give up just yet?”
Tamaki backed up away from him, trying to stand. His knee ached, but he stood. “Not just yet..”
Mirio shot toward him before he even had a chance to blink, Tamaki having a second to react as two fingers came very close to his eyes. Mirio's fingers weren't solid and the younger knew it full well.
Tamaki knew what he was doing but he couldn't help his instinct. He lifted his arm and as fast as he tried to react and catch Mirio's fist, he found it connected with his gut.
It was only exposed for a second.
...
Stupid ass instincts-!
Tamaki wasn't focused on anything but keeping his stomach down. He covered his mouth and close dhis tonsils, reverting both hands back and  pressing then to his mouth.
He whimpered slightly, falling into his side and trying to not let Mirio get close at the same time as not fetching in public and on TV, where people will be recording...
He sniffed, then summoned some wings and curled them around himself. If you throw up, you don't have anything to fight with. You cannot let this happen. This is not how this ends, or are you too weak yo get past this? Its not that big of a deal he didn't even hit you hard!
Tamaki looked up, trying not to look St the audience. Then he noticed the fatal mistake, he couldn't see Mirio.
He backed up the moment he realized, twisting over to get away faster but that just made it worse, he still was nailed hard in the nose.
Amajiki clenched his eyes shut and couldn't help the cry that came from his mouth. He cut himself off, closing his tonsils to keep vile down. And new-found blood seeping down onto his hands and tracing the cracks in his lips.
Present Mic's voice haunted him and he found he was close to where Midnight was standing becsue he could hear her speaking quietly, probably asking if she should call off the match. Mirio was too strong. He had such a good grip on his Quirk, even with Tamaki's quick thinking and with his strong ability, Mirio was just too strong.
He could see the white line, faintly. It was all blurry and be would have thought his eyes had crossed if he didn't know better. Tamaki swallowed hard, trying to get his bearings. His ears were singing and his stomach was doing somersaults, he could barely keep himself on his hands and knees.
“Tamaki,” Mirio started. He felt bad, he couldn't hurt the guy any more. He just wanted him to give up already. He didn't want this to continue, and he almost was about to step out of bounds himself. He was feeling extremely conflicted aswell. Save the friend or save the hero image he wanted to sustain for the rest of his working life?

Tamaki looked back and squinted, trying to get the images to focus and to blend into one. He could see Mirio just standing there.
He formed a half added plan in his head. This could easily not work but he wanted to try. A last hurrah. A final blow.
“Mirio..” Tamaki whimpered, swallowing rhe bit of vile that strode up his throat and threatened his lips just at taking a breath. “I- I g..” he reached his hand up, trying to get him to take the bait and help him up. He was makin git look like he was going to give up and he felt like a shit person for trying to take advantage of how the human worked and take advantage of Mirio's emotiond and their relationship.
Come on, come on, come on, please take the bait, please, this is all I can do.
Mirio walked toward him and grabbed his hand. “Heh, alright. Let's get you up. Good fight, Tamaki, I'm sorry, but you said not to hold back and I didn't want to embarass y-”
“Chimera- K-khh- Kraken!”
Tamaki's tentacles crawled up Miro's arm as quickly as he could, and his other arm went for his leg. He was trying to at least throw him out of bounds.
He felt the appendages go through but he was already in motion, Jesus Mirio was heavier than he looked and that's saying a lot, but Tamaki was able to get him to touch past that white line. He was thrown back aswell, just because of the force. He tried to get himself up onto his feet using the wings he was still able to maintain, but it didn't work. He could only get himself to his feet for a few moments, but he couldn't support himself with wings yet — he hadn't started taking an interest until a month or so ago and he felt he was too heavy to hold up, even when he made big wings, he couldn't keep himself up. He tried to pull back at least one of his tentacles but he was thrown onto his tailbone again.
Damnit, how bad did he hurt his knee? His knees were bad as it was, they went back a bit further than they were supposed to and if he stood like that for too long they'd ache for the rest of the day.
He couldn't support himself when he let himself down slowly, he almost immediately fell to the ground. Whether that was because his knee buckled or because he was increasingly dizzy was up for debate. He could taste the blood from his nose and he bowed his head so the nosebleed would drip onto the floor instead of into his mouth.

Mirio had tried to stop himself, but he was already moving and he couldn't stop himself in time. He, pretty much, stayed on his feet. Mirio just kind of processed, he digested what just happened, he couldn't fully get a grip on everything thst was going on but what he did know was that Tamaki had just thrown him out of bounds and that he'd just been outsmarted.
Had Tamaki used his emotions against him? He didn't think he would have let himself do thst kind of thing but... You learn something new every day!
He heard the crack of Midnight's whip and her voice, proclaiming who'd won and why.
“Ah that was smart, Tamaki!” he walked over and knelt down to his friend, holding his hand out. Tamaki noticed and gently took it. “You got me off guard! I put my guard down, I gotta work on that, thanks for making me aware! We should spar more often.” As well as making Tamaki feel accomplished, he was getting him to try and respond and make conversation. He'd gotten a hard punch to the gut, to the nose, and to the spine and Mirio wasn't as worried about anyone he'd ever fought than Tamaki. Whether that'd be because of how he reacted or because of their relationship, he couldn't tell you.
Mirio paused as he really took what Tamaki was doing in.
“Here,” he carefully helped him up, and Tamaki wrapped his arms around him, thank goodness, and held him to his chest, gently rubbing his back.
“Just please don't throw up on my costume.”
That got a single giggle out of Tamaki, but he didn't see it as much of a joke.

-

“Thank you...” Tamaki put the little gummy bear into his mouth and chewed slowly. Mirio had taken him to Recovery Girl's office, and his stomach wasn't exactly aching for no more food, if you know what I mean.
He had buckled his knee but it was nothing more than that, he just had it hanging off the bed; stomach first because of his back and a bandage around his nose.
He felt that he should have gotten scolded more, but he barely was told off. He expected more, especially from Recovery Girl. He did know that she'd scold Mirio when he came in with lunch soon. He wanted to take the hit for this one, it was his fault he didn't have fast enough reaction times and Mirio didn't do anything but his best and that wasn't something to get him in trouble.

2809 words.
Just to let people know, I'm very aware neither did good in the sorts festival. I wrote this back before I'd even met either of the characters in the manga and I was going off of wiki definitions of their personalities.
But I'm not gonna rewrite it because there's almost 3000 words, and I do rather like what I've written, even if it's not correct!
This is supposed to be an au, after all.
Hope noone cares about that and can enjoy it either way!