What I like about you

 "Me? Wh - what." It came out flat, fallen from her lips that had grown suddenly numb. Elly suddenly wanted to flee the karaoke room the group had rented. "What're you talking about?"

Kayama rolled her eyes so hard Elly winced, half expecting them to fall right out of her head. "<i>Seriously</i>, woman. Come onnnn. Everyone here knows you've got the hots for Yamada. It's not a secret."

The counselor's ears flattened back. "Kayama!" She choked, unable to speak more than the other woman's name.

"It's true, though, right?" Thirteen cocked her head to one side, regarding the trembling cat lady with wide eyes reflected out of her helmet.

"I..." She glanced guiltily at the lone door in the little room, gauging if there was anyone outside and if they might be able to hear them. "He's coming too, you know! You shouldn't spread gossip like that!"

"He's not here yet, though, is he?" Kayama tapped on the low table in front of her, eyes narrowed shrewdly as she regarded her nervously sweating colleague. "What on earth do you see in that man? I mean, he's a good guy and works hard. But he never shuts up ...and he's always not exactly that good looking, either."

Elly bit her lip, holding back anything she may have said. "I know when I'm being goaded, <i>Midnight</i>."

"Oh?" She absently polished her ruby red nails on her sleeve. "Well. I was only trying to help."

"I'm sure Cheshire can handle her own relationships," Thirteen murmured.

"I was <i>saying</i>," Kayama continued, "because I heard there's a rumor that the girl at that station he does his one stupid show at - I don't know which one, she's got those two horns -- is planning on shooting her shot." She watched Elly's ears dissappear into her purple hair and heard the rhythmic thumping as her striped tail started to swish in fury behind her.

"Why." Her jaw clenched, Elly shook her head. "Why would you tell me that."

"I'm really trying to help! I know how far gone you are, and I don't want to see you moping around if he goes on a date."

She glared at her, ears flat with rage she couldn't suppress.

"What is it about Yamada that you like?" Thirteen asked curiously, interjecting to break up the awkward air.

Elly shook her head in exasperation. "I don't know, okay?! He's fucking adorable, for one. Adorable <i>and</i> handsome <i>and</i> sexy. He can go from glaring at someone, sizing them up with that sexy, cockeyed stare of his, to smiling so sweetly I almost pass out." She took a haphazard, gulping breath and continued rapidly, "he's kind, and smart, and he loves music like I do. Everything about him <i>unhinges</i> me! His voice, his eyes, his smile..." She tapered off, realizing she was babbling like a lovesick idiot and the ladies were enthralled.

"Wow..."

"Hot damn, you've got it bad!" Kayama slapped her own leg, laughing. "Holy shit! I didn't know you were in <i>love</i> with him already!"

Elly's face grew bright red and she tried and diffuse the situation. "Shh!"

"But this is great! You need to get your shit together and flirt with him!"

"He's gonna be here any minute! I - okay, I'm in love with him if that'll shut you up. <i>Please</i> don't say anything, both of you! He likes me as a coworker and friend, is all. Don't make him wanna stop hanging out. I - I don't know what I'd do if he stopped smiling at me." She looked so pathetically sad at the thought that the women immediately offered soothing sounds meant to comfort her fears.

"Awwwww, no. That wouldn't happ -"

The door suddenly burst open and a whirlwind of tall, blond energy whooshed past them to plop down beside Elly. "<i>Hey heyyy, karaoke night!</i> I'm here to show you all how to <i>rock</i>!"

Aizawa entered from behind, his expression enigmatic as always. He flopped down as far away from everyone as possible and immediately took up a menu to hold in front of him.

Kayama groaned at the blond man's declaration, though there was a mischievous smile on her lips. "Your voice will probably sour all our drinks, Yamada."

"My <i>voice</i> is my best feature," he scoffed, grabbing a menu and quickly scanning it. "Isn't that right, Ches?"

Elly blinked rapidly several times, trying to reset her brain. He was pressed closely against her in the booth and she could smell leather and the fruity, bubblegum like scent of the shampoo he washed his hair with. It was a very pleasant smell, manly yet sweet.

<i>Perfect</i>, she thought, her mind clouding with affection for the boisterous hero. <i>Manly, but sweet is just like him.</i>

"Hellooooo? Ches?" Yamada poked a careful finger on her forehead.

"Yeah! What?"

"Thought I'd lost ya for a second," he chuckled.

Elly caught herself dreamily watching him far too many times as the night wore on. The group became rowdier as they consumed more alcohol, but the Voice Hero was sober because he was driving.

"Hey, Yamada - " Kayama had a wicked smirk on her face as she pointed at Elly. "What d'ya think of her, huh? Looks pretty good tonight, right?"

The counselor froze in terror, her body stiffening beside his. "What the heck?! Why would you ask Hiz -" She gasped as she nearly called him by his given name. The sudden onslaught of embarrassment was so stifling she blurted out, "Yamada! I'm sorry," and tried to edge out of her seat to physically escape.

He blinked at her for a moment, then jumped up and shook his head. "S'okay, Ches! Don't bug out on us yet. Plus, ya can call me Hizashi if ya want. I don't mind."

"Um. Okay?" She sat back down, her mind a swirling mess of confusion.

"Righteous," he laughed happily. "Nobody really does, so it can be our thing. It's cool that we have a thing, eh? I think it's about time, yo." He bounced back into his spot in the booth, his mismatched necklaces jingling together.

"Finally admitting you've got a thing for her?" Aizawa chuckled dryly in the corner.

"What? Holy shit, <i>please</i> tell me that scream boy over there has told you that."

"Wh - what?"

"What happened?" Thirteen wandered back over from where she'd been trying to pick a song to sing. "Why's everybody so loud?"

The three of them started arguing over nicknames, given names and when - not if -- the two shell-shocked heroes listening in should date.

Elly let out a strangled mew, uncertain what she should do. Her mind was yelling at her to flee, but she was boxed in. Hizashi curled a warm arm around her shoulders, leaning in to talk to her.

"You wanna head out of here early? Or should I say escape?" He grinned.

That <i>smile</i>. It was so innocent, so pure and sweet, all the way up to his greenish-gold eyes. Elly managed a nod, and he gave the rest of the party a thumbs-up as they were leaving.

"See ya Monday morning, guys!"

"<i>Wait! They're leaving together</i>..!"

The door closed on the loud party. Elly breathed a sigh of relief and he chuckled.

"Awright, I gotta swing by the station to pick up my campus I.D before we go. I left the damn thing in my other jacket pocket." He made a face and she giggled.

It was such a short drive she wasn't thinking about what she would do when they got there, but when he pulled smartly into a parking space she began to worry.

"Well, I don't have to go in, right? I'll just wait in the car."

"Nahhh, I want everyone to meet ya. Pleeeease?" He batted his eyelashes at her and, well, before she knew it she was stepping inside the radio station. He moved his arm lower around her waist and waved happily at the woman behind the desk in the front. Elly's heart beat fast when she recognized the horns on her head.

Hizashi waited until she was off the phone before pointing a jaunty finger gun at her. "Hey."

The woman's smile turned warm when she saw who it was addressing her. "Hey, Mic. What do you need?" She glanced over and her eyes noticeably hardened. "And who's your ...<i>friend</i>?"

Elly's ears flattened at the stress on the one word. She was a grown woman, but she really wanted to claw this bitch's face off at the moment. As a Pro Hero in the top percentage, she knew the receptionist recognized her, but was blowing her off. That, and was she insinuating she wasn't a threat.

The perky man surprised both of them by springing to life, louder than ever. "This? This is Elly," Hizashi crooned, his tone sickeningly sweet. "Also known as Cheshire... and my ab-solute <i>number one</i> listener." He bent and kissed her cheek, which caused Elly to blush and jump a little closer to his side.

"Zashi!" She gasped, in such shock that she blurted out the cutesy nickname she called him in her head.

His eyes lit up and his grin grew huge. "Aw, babe, m'sorry if I embarrassed you. Let's get my card an' we can go. C'mon." He tugged her inside and she went without protest, yet as soon as the door closed in the sound room she exploded.

"What was that, Hizashi Yamada?! You acted like we were dating in there!" Her tail frizzed out as she balled her hands into fists. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she didn't like her emotions being toyed with.

"Well... you wanna?" He stared directly into her eyes, his own wide and clear with honesty. "I'd like that."

Elly stared at him, her mouth half open and her ears twitching. She wasn't sure she'd heard that correctly. After a brief mental struggle, however, she managed to squeak out a reply. "Yes!"

Hizashi had been anxiously watching her, his fingers steepled together and his lower lip caught adorably between his teeth. The tension flowed out of him all at once with her answer, however.

"I hereby declare us a couple!" He snatched her tightly close and spun her twice around in glee. "How about a celebratory kiss?"

This was the first time he really paused before jumping on an idea he suggested. He pulled her up against him, grinning hopefully, his eyebrows wiggling. His enthusiasm was infectious and she threw her arms around his neck, standing up so as to reach him better.

"You wanna kiss me right here? What if everyone sees?" There was a busy crew walking around outside the booth. More than a few of them had stopped to point and whisper amongst themselves.

He doubled down and widened his eyes, staring deeply into her own. "I don't care. No, wait, I do! I <i>want</i> everybody to see. I love you," he said in English. Then he quickly switched back to Japanese. "I hope you feel the same way. I wanted to tell you for awhile, but I kept chickening out like a real wuss."

"Good," she murmured. "Show off, then. I'm a huge sucker for a boyfriend that loves to love me."

"Oh, <i>hell</i> yeah." He bent down, and right before their lips met she whispered to him.

"I love you so much."

Hizashi whined so loudly all the objects not bolted down on the desk and equipment rattled. Some fell to the floor but he paid them no heed as he passionately kissed her. She went limp and sighed when he caught her, his hands secure around her low waist. He took the opportunity of her parted lips to deepen the kiss, and she got a clear reminder of why you never, ever dared him to do anything. They paused for air, panting into each other's mouths for a brief moment, and then he swiftly bent, picked her bodily up and beamed at the crowd, giving them a huge, cheesy wink.

They didn't hear the catcalls and cheers, since they were inside the soundproof room, but later the videos plastered all over social media provided an alternate view.