Always Here for You (Erika, Girls und Panzer)

Rejection...

"You love me do you? Well that's funny~"

"W-What?..."

"Did you really think I would have any feelings like that for you?!"

"B-But I-"

"Hahaha, are you really this dumb? You actually thought I would think about you in that way!"

"I-I d-d-don't understand... I t-thought you l-liked m-me!"

"How could I ever like someone as useless and pathetic as you..."

---Flashback: beginning of the day---

"I'm going to tell her today!" Michael said to himself with conviction as he finished his breakfast in his apartment while getting ready for school.

"It's like Maho said, she's going to confess her feelings to Karl, so I have to get in first!"

Michael then let out a sigh as he rested his hand on the door handle, about to leave his apartment "I just hope she feels the same way..."

---Timeskip---

"You look nervous. Is something wrong?" Maho asked with a worried expression as she looked over at Michael who sat beside her in role call.

"I'm fine..." he replied bluntly, trying his hardest not to make it obvious what he was going to do today.

He trusted Maho of course, but he felt like this was something he needed to do alone, for better or for worse.

He had certainly considered asking Maho for advice about confessing to Erika, however he didn't want to burden his best friend with his personal problems, and didn't want her worrying about him.

"If you say so..." Maho replied, noticing there was something different about Michael today, she just couldn't place it.

---Timeskip---

(Maho in head) "There it is again, something seems off about him" Maho thought intently as she watched his focused yet distant expression while they worked in engineering class.

(Michael in head) "Today will be it, this will be my Operation Citadel. Either I achieve victory or face ultimate defeat..." Michael thought to himself as a determined expression formed on his face.

Due to his lack of experience with dealing with emotions like this, he had likened his attempts to make sense of, and confess his feelings, to battles. Which were one of the few things he felt confident about.

(Maho in head) "Ugh! Why can't I figure him out today?!" Maho mentally yelled to herself as she watched a deeply focused expression form on Michael's face...

---Timeskip---

(Maho in head) "That's it I need to know!" Maho thought as she closed her eyes and let out a sigh, as she walked slowly beside Michael in an empty corridor.

"Achtung!" Maho yelled in her most commanding voice, knowing how Michael would react...

Michael stopped in his tracks for a moment before sliding his heels together and standing at attention. Although they were friends, and at school, Michael had unwavering loyalty to Maho as his commander and wouldn't hesitate to heed her commands, whatever they may be.

Maho narrowed her eyes as she looked up at Michael, who was looking intently in front of him."Something's off about you today... What's going on?"

"Nothing heer komandant!" Michael replied in his usual military style tone and phrasing, his expression unchanging.

"Oh come on, drop the act, you know I was joking~"

Michael didn't reply to her commands, standing completely still and silent.

"At ease then..." Maho said with a frown, having seen all she needed.

(Maho in head) "Well now I know..."

Maho had finally worked out what was wrong. He was clearly nervous, very nervous, and that could only mean one thing...

(Maho in head) "He's going to confess to Erika!"

While she hadn't thought it at first, she now knew for sure. Whenever he got nervous he would act this way, he would seem distant to all those around him, focusing all his thoughts on what ever was making him nervous, in this case that was Erika...

That's why he reacted as he did to her orders. Normally he would crack a joke in reply, knowing she herself was joking. However this time he had responded without hesitation, showing her that he truly was unbenounced to the world around him. For all he knew, he was at practice receiving a real order...

"I'm sorry about that Maho..." Michael said quietly as they reached an intersection of corridors.

"It's fine, don't worry about it~" Maho replied with a smile.

"I've just... got a lot on my mind..."

"I know, and I'm always here if you need me~"

"Thank you Maho, you're a great friend~"

Maho said nothing just smiling back at Michael as a wide smile formed on his face.

"I actually need to go and do something..."

Maho let out a small gasp, knowing what he was going to do, "Alright... Good luck~"

Michael opened his mouth to question her words, but saw the knowing smile on her face and simply said, "Thank you~"

---Timeskip: Michael POV---

"The truth is... I-I l-love you..." Michael's eyes began to tear up at these words, his stomach turning over...

"You love me do you? Well that's funny~"

"W-What?..."

"Did you really think I would have any feelings like that for you?!"

"B-But I-"

"Hahaha, are you really this dumb? You actually thought I would think about you in that way!"

"I-I d-d-don't understand... I t-thought you l-liked m-me!"

"How could I ever like someone as useless and pathetic as you..."

By the end of this exchange, Michael was in tears and sobbing as he walked shakily through a school corridor...