The Hero and the Damsel

As a Friend

            I drew back, staring at him in disbelief as my own face started to heat up with embarrassment and a blush. "L-L-Like me?!"

I watched as the intimidating, towering Yagi recoiled back and put his hands up. He started giving that obnoxiously annoying fake laugh as he avoided looking at me. "D-D-Did I s-s-say 'like?!' I-I-I meant as...a-a-as a friend!" He continued to laugh as he tried to lower his hands down, attempting to seem suave and not an embarrassed mess.

I carefully watched him, scanning his responses, and gazing into those deep blue eyes. I started to lean forward on my left hand weakly. I pushed myself closer to him, attempt to use his eyes as a lie detector. "D-Did you mean...as friends?"

He avoided looking at me. "Y-Y-Yes!" He was completely red as he took a step back and a deep breath. He readjusted his gaze to me, and with as much calmness as he could muster, spoke, "Yamane, please stay resting here while your injuries heal. Do not hesitate to ask me for assistance. I only wish to help a civilian I seem to be having difficulty saving."

He placed his hands on his hips with a heroic pose before giving one final laugh and picking me up to place me on his bed in the bedroom. I didn't struggle. I felt there was no point to my struggling. He was taller, stronger. I was aware that struggling would get me nowhere fast. I mean, I ran off earlier and look where that got me, a gash in my neck and a hole through my shoulder. And I was still in the same house I was running from. This did not work out.

As he placed me on the bed, rather gently I might add, I looked up at him. "W-Why did you say you l-liked me?" I flushed and quickly threw in, "A-A-As a friend I mean!"

Yagi sat on the side of the bed next to where he had placed me. His eyes focused down into mine as he smiled awkwardly. "Well, you yelled at me this morning about whether I liked you are not, I thought you wanted an answer." He was blushing bright red and rubbing the back of his neck like an awkward dork.

I simply watched him in disbelief. How could a man with all this strength, all those muscles, all those fangirls, be a dorky, silly, sweet, normal guy? It was insane. Most guys that look like him have a tendency to be jerks, so why was he so different from them? I wanted to ask him, but I thought best not to do as such. I had already dug my hole by yelling at him this morning about liking me or not liking me. He liked me as a friend, that was certainly a start. Wait...start to what?

I covered my face with my left hand as my right one lay on the bed motionless. Yagi noticed the motion and worried. "Are you all right Civilian Yamane? Why are you covering your face?"

I gently bit into my hand as I looked up at Yagi. "Fine, fine. Just...biting my tongue."

Yagi gave that sweet genuine laugh again as he watched me. "Biting your tongue on what Yamane? You can speak freely around me. I'm your...friend after all."

I knew that, but it was too embarrassing to lay on his bed and just be like, 'Hey I find you to be insanely attractive and the equivalent of a Greek god. Want to go out and start dating?' Especially with the way I've been treating him and yelling at him. Also, on top of that, I'm living in his home rent free, this could be seen as another way of me trying to get out of paying rent or something along those lines.

Either way, I couldn't say what I was thinking, or that I was attracted to him. Friends. We were friends. Nothing more, nothing less. Just friends. He's an amazingly attractive pro-hero, and I'm just...me. Right.

Yagi was still staring at me as I opened my eyes from my internal conversation and was greeted with his cerulean blue spheres. "Y-Y-Y-Yagi?!"

He jolted back at my quick saying of his name. "Sorry, I was worried about you biting your hand like that." He pointed to my hand, which I had been biting to remain calm. "I'd prefer if you didn't bite on your hand, you...have enough injuries as it is..." His eyes remained on me, but were focused on my neck and shoulder.

I watched him as he examined me. He looked so...sad? Pained? "Yagi...are you all right?"

He jolted and blinked at me confused, no longer staring with intent at my injuries. "Huh?! All right? Me? Yes! I'm absolutely fine!" There was the stupid laugh again.

I grit my teeth and reached my left hand out to gently slap him across the face. I did as such, causing him to glance at me confused and a bit irritated that I had hit him. "Civilian Yamane? Why exactly did you hit me?"

I growled. The irritation of his fake laughter and smile getting the best of me. "You're stupid, annoying, incessant laugh. I hate it! I hate when you laugh like that! What are you so scared of?!"

I watched as Yagi's physical demeanor changed from an upright and proper posture, to relaxed and depressed. "I'm afraid...that you would have gotten hurt worse. Had I not come to your rescue, would you even be here? Would you have been...?" I saw the hesitation, the pained expression. The...desperation? What was wrong with –. I felt arms around me, and Yagi place his head on my left shoulder. He hoisted me up with ease, hugging me close to him. "Don't...ever scare me like that again Yamane."

I sat in his lap, confused and not really sure what to do with my hands or arms. I decided I would return the hug I was obviously being given. I moved my left arm awkwardly and weakly under his large biceps, to hug him back. His body was warm and comforting. His muscles rippled at my touch and feeling myself firmly pressed against them certainly gave me a feeling of comfort. "Yagi, I'm fine. Sorry...S-Sorry for yelling at you, and...a-and thanks for saving me..." I kind of felt guilty. I had yelled at him about saving me, and it seems he was overly worried about me dying or getting injured. He was a good friend and a wonderful person. He took care of everyone.

I remained in his arms though, he held me close, but gently as if I was a precious item that he never wished to release. I could hear his breathing change from relaxed to jagged for a moment to relaxed as he sighed. "I laughed because I was scared I would never get the chance to...t-t-to speak with you again..."

I moved myself from him, gently pushing his chest from me, so I could get a good look up at him. "Yagi, I'm right here. Just breath. No need to worry. Besides, we just became friends. We've known each other for what, a week or two. Are you always this attached to people?" I smiled as his head tilted down. He looked so pained and dejected. I sighed, feeling more guilt as I reached to place my left hand on top of his head. If he had not been hanging his head, I doubt I would have been able to make it. However, I made it and rested my hand there before ruffling his hair like he always did to me. "You're like a lost puppy Yagi. Looking for some sign of affection. You really don't share this room with women, do you?" I tried to lighten the mood by making him blush.

It didn't seem to work, he remained hanging his head as he shook it. "No, I don't." He was very matter of fact with his answer causing me to feel awkward after having brought it up. I sat there a moment and contemplated before just ruffling and scratching his hair and head. I hoped it was soothing and comforting to him.

I think it was as I could feel his muscles begin to relax under me and his head hung a little more loosely. I sat there scratching before I heard a phone vibrate. Yagi reached into his pocket and pulled it out. "Hello...?" He paused and lifted his head almost as though he didn't want to but it had to be done. I watched as he listened intently, his expression changing from that pained, devastated, and angered look, to one of confusion. After a minute or two of listening he nodded. "Yes, I'll be right over. Thank you." He hung up and turned his attention to me. I focused on those blue eyes with such vigor and desire to understand him. As I did, he spoke, "Civilian Yamane, forgive me, but I need to go to a meeting for a bit. Remain here and rest. I will have to...r-r-reprimand you again if I find you w-w-working or doing anything t-tasking before I arrive back." He stood up and went to the door of the bedroom, turning around for a moment to point an authoritative, large finger at me. "Rest." With that he left the room, closing the door behind him and leaving for where, I wasn't exactly sure.