Proximity - Chapter 18

--5 Years Ago--

Today, Raven is going to prank Kirishima! The poor boy doesn't even know what's coming.

Don't get her wrong, Raven adores Kirishima with her whole heart, but the thought that he's next makes her get all giddy. She's always giddy when she's about to prank someone.

That's not the point, though.

The point is, Raven is going to prank Kirishima by putting marble all over the floor like some cartoon. He's going to trip, and hopefully faceplant on the ground.

Now that would be awesome!

It's morning right now, and last night, Raven and Denki snuck out to go buy a big bag of marbles. Don't ask where they're selling a huge bag of twenty five thousand marbles.

Or why.

Anyway, their classmates are walking by to go to the lobby, probably to get themselves some breakfast, but no matter. Raven and Denki pay them no mind as they walk to Kirishima's dorm room door.

He's most likely getting ready, seeing as the light to his room is on, so Raven looks at Kaminari and nods.

Just like that, they're both sent to the same conclusion.

Poor the marbles all over the floor in front of his door.

Denki, who was holding the bag full of twenty five thousand marbles, ripped it open with one big rip! and just dumped almost half of the bag onto the floor.

The duo didn't need twenty five thousand marbles. They just got the biggest bag because they thought it was funnier.

No other reason.

But, of course, pouring almost half a bag of marbles onto the floor would make a lot of noise. A lot.

So they ran.

And they hid behind a corner that was just in watching distance to Kirishima's dorm room door.

And watched.

And waited.

Then, out came a curious looking Kirishima, they overheard some of what he said, "What the heck was that noise-AAHHHH!" He screamed the girliest scream, some could say he rivaled Aoyama.

Denki and Raven stifled their giggles as they watched him plummet to the ground.

But with all that said and done, what really happened was..

He slipped on the marbles.

Just as planned.

But, what wasn't planned, was for Kirishima's arm to get sliced open. Almost.

Thanks to his hardening quirk, he managed to avoid it.

To sum it up, Kirishima had a broken door hinge. It was sticking out at an odd angle, so he had to be careful when he walks out of his room now. He mentioned it to Aizawa, and he said he'd get someone to fix it. But, that was yesterday.

So when Kirishima yelled out, "OWWW!" Raven and Denki started to get worried. They ran out of their hiding place to go check on him, and that's when they noticed the door hinge sticking out on the inside of his door.

Raven looked at his arm where he was holding it. She crouched down next to him. "Lemme see," She said softly, and he let go so she could take a look.

I wasn't bleeding, thanks to his quirk and his quick reflexes, but it did have a gash where some of the skin was ripped and irritated.

"Shit.. I'm so sorry Kirishima, I didn't think you would seriously get hurt!" She apologized profusely, bowing down as he sat upright.

He waved her off, "Ahh, it's no big deal, you didn't know my door was broken. You can't see it from the outside. But, you should be more careful of the pranks you choose to do. Someone could have busted their head open!" He warned.

Raven and Denki looked like puppies getting scolded, "Yeah, we should have thought about that.." Denki said, looking off to the side.

"Mhmm!" Raven agreed, "Well, I guess we should start cleaning this up," She suggested.

And so that's what happened.

And what started the beginning of her second thoughts.

--------

--Present Time--

Raven has been sulking in her bed all day.

Ever since she got home this morning, she kept thinking about how she fucked up.

Yes, she knew she overreacted. He was just teasing, but her mind couldn't help but throw her back into what happened the night before, even though she wasn't nearly as terrified then as she was after.

It was all a sick joke. Everything that he does, the teases, the little moments they have, all of it is just to get back at her. She needs to remind herself of that.

She needs to remember what she did.

Raven groaned as she buried her head into her pillow, still in the outfit she woke up in. She didn't bother changing.

She thought about last night, about everything Uraraka and Tsu had said to her. She knows it's not true, but she keeps thinking about what they said. She keeps thinking that it was all a lie.

It wasn't her fault that she ended up this secluded, it was their fault because they all shamed her and threw her away. Everyone really did hate her.

They still did.

No matter how much she tossed and turned, Raven couldn't stop thinking.

The thoughts raged in her head as she rolled over, bringing the pillow with her and covering her ears with it as if it would make her consciousness shut up.

Until.

Knock, knock, knock.

Oh god.

It's Izuku, isn't it?

Raven didn't want to answer it, and she didn't want to get up. Let alone find out who's behind the door.

But then it happened again.

Knock, knock, knock.

Raven practically wailed out a groan, and forced herself to get up. Trotting over to the front door, the carpet squeaking underneath her, she looked through the peephole.

...What?

What is he doing here?

It's not Izuku, she'll tell you that.

Raven sighed a heavy sigh as she unlocked the door and swung it open, to reveal a gleeful looking Eijiro Kirishima.

"Hi Raven! It's been a while!" He said, with a huge smile. Raven deadpanned.

She had half a mind to just close the damn door on his face.

"Heyy, Kirishima.." She almost groaned out, pinching the bridge of her nose, "What.. what are you doing here?"

His face formed an 'O' expression, "Oh, well... I heard that you and some others from our old high school class got together last night! And since I haven't heard from you in a while, I thought I'd swing by and we could catch up!" He informed her.

Memories of last night surfaced, and that's when she remembered why she had been sulking in her room for the past four hours.

Lies.

He doesn't want to be all friendly, he wants to manipulate her.

But the rational part of her brain dismissed that. It's Kirishima, he's like a ray of sunshine! He would never do anything but tell the truth!

So, with that in mind--and the hope that he's still anything like back in high school--She stepped aside and let him in.

He walked through the door and started looking around the place, taking note of Raven's outfit. He thought it was a little weird--but suspicious--that she was wearing one of his friends' merch.

"Sooo.." Raven started, turning around after closing and locking the door, "How'd you get my address?" Raven made sure to keep her address hidden. Don't ask how. Some of it isn't very legal.

They faced each other, "Midoriya!" Kirishima said as cheerful as ever.

Raven clenched her jaw so hard, she could've swore she chipped a tooth. She balled her hands into fists, "That idiot!" She said through clenched teeth.

Kirishima knew he crossed a line that very moment, and he's never seen her so mad in his life. "Woah, woah! It's okay! I'm the one that asked for it! If you're gonna blame anyone, blame me!" He said, trying to calm her down.

It didn't work.

Her eyes zeroed in on him, he might've pissed his pants. "Did you tell anyone else where I live?" She asked, her voice a deadly tone.

Kirishima shook his head once, slowly.

She closed her eyes and sighed, the tension slowly draining out of her body. "God, I'm so fucking pissed right now." She looked at him, "Not at you. At that curly headed, broccoli looking ass freak!"

He was pretty sure she meant Midoriya.

"Okay.. Well, maybe we can talk it out..?" He suggested, and Raven froze.

..Talk it out? What is there to talk about? The fact that she was in a very dangerous position last night, and didn't have half the mind to protect herself? She's a fucking hero! And she can't fight back when she needs to?

Raven's hands went up into her hair, pulling at the roots.

Should she talk about the fact that she's been having recurring dreams every night? That no matter what, being around Izuku is making her feel like she's reliving the very nightmare she's been running away from the past five years?

Or should she talk about how she may or may not be the entire reason for her suffering? That her mind is just that delusional. That she doesn't even know who to believe anymore?

She doesn't know. And she's so up in her head that she doesn't realize that she's been talking out loud this entire time, crying and sobbing into her wrists while her hands are tearing out her hair at the roots.

Raven doesn't even remember kirishima pulling her hands away from her face, and giving her the warmest hug she's had in years. So warm, that she completely melts into his body, sobbing and hiccuping because she hasn't had actual physical contact in so long.

It was then, she realized, she really likes hugs.

Why did she only realize now, that she likes hugs? At twenty three years old, it took her that long for her to realize it.

Because Uraraka and Tsu were right. She was the reason for her own suffering. Because if they were wrong, Kirishima wouldn't be here, holding her the way he is.

If they were wrong, Deku wouldn't have come and saved her like he did yesterday.

If they were wrong, they wouldn't have let her come to the club in the first place.

If they were wrong, she might be stronger than she is now.

Raven shuddered and gasped for a breath. She doesn't know how long she's been crying like this for, but it's probably in an awkward position for Kirishima.

They were both on their knees, cuddled up against one another while Kirishima stroked her hair as she began to calm down.

Raven composed herself, pushing herself away and sitting up on her legs. Kirishima did the same.

She cleared her throat, "Well.. that was.. I- I'm sorry.. about th-" She began, when Kirishima cut her off.

"Don't worry about it. I figured you have a lot on your shoulders since.. you know... But, don't worry, cause I'll always be here for you!" He said, a thumb pointing to his chest and a smile brighter than the sun.

Raven giggled, wiping her eyes. "Aww, I got your shirt all wet!" She said, pouting. "I'm sorry," He looked down, and sure enough, there was a huge wet patch on the shoulder of his shirt.

He waved her off, "Ahh, no worries, it'll dry!" Man, he really is a ray of sunshine. "Anyway, What have you been doing?" He changed the subject immediately, Raven was thankful for it.

She got up off the floor, and Kirishima followed. Stretching, she replied, "Yeah... well, I was just drowning in my sorrows until you arrived. Oh! I have to tell you what happened this morning! You'll never believe it!" She said, all excited like.

Kirishima smiled as he listened to her story. He had no idea what happened, but this is the Raven he knew from his first year of high school. Nothing like what he just saw.

He honestly felt bad for her. All of this inner turmoil was really breaking her down, she needed someone to talk to.

He was pleased to be that person.

He hadn't seen her in so long, he wonders how she changed so much from when he last saw her. Kirishima was almost sure she was going to be the same way as when they graduated, since she went off the radar and all.

But, something must have happened recently so she could get out of her head. Not what had just happened, but something that would have taken time.

He didn't know the whole story, but his guess was that Midoriya had something to do with it.