Work Text:
Pink
Tooru was nervous. She was jittery and nervous and anxious. It probably hasn’t helped that she’s had, like, six caramel macchiatos but can you blame her? Seriously, the moment she found out Lunch Rush even made those you bet your ass she was on that like a white girl on pumpkin spice!
…But, for real, though, she’s had to have, like, six different talks with Inui-Sensei, Yamada-Sensei, and even Aizawa-Sensei. That’s, like, three whole dads she’s already talked to! And, and Kyoka had given her a pep-talk too, and that’s from Kyoka! Granted, her and Momo were, like, the Best people to talk to about, well, this but also, yeah. Of the two Momo is usually the Mom-Friend and Kyoka is the one who gives, like, shovel talks, but, still!
“Deep breaths, Tooru,” Mashirao murmured, resting his tail on her lower-back and a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently with that sweet smile of his, and she just couldn’t help but smile at him. They’d dated a bit in first year, and it had been great! Really, it had! He was an amazing boyfriend! And, sure, sometimes she was sad that they hadn’t worked out, had considered getting back together with him during second year even, but well. They just… Didn’t click, y’know? No spark. And then he started dating Itsuka and, well, then there were sparks.
Still, he was the best wingman/Best Friend she could have asked for, supportive and empathetic and still just generally awesome.
And now, they were here, Third Years about to become Heroes! And this Festival had given them a special challenge: no Quirks, Original Ideas Only. Teams of four or less only, and their shows had to be approved by Aizawa-Sensei. So, really, her, Mashirao, Kyoka and—
“Alright, guys! You ready?!” Mina chirped, flinging her arms over Tooru and Mashirao’s shoulders with manic glee, making Tooru sway a bit under the sudden weight.
“Let’s get this show started, shall we?” Kyoka drawled, stepping up to join them at the stage-side, adjusting the keyboard she was carrying so that it wasn’t lopsided. Tooru took a deep breath, feeling her cheeks grow hot even as she let herself bounce in place under Mina’s arm.
“We’re gonna destroy this!” Mina chirped gleefully. “Thanks for letting me join so last minute, guys! And letting me do the bass guitar! I’m so stoked, even if you are being stingy with the vocals, ‘Ru-chan!” She teased with a bright laugh, and Tooru flailed her hands a little with a helpless giggle.
“Ah, it’s just, its an original song, Mina-chan! If I performed it too soon, oh, I just know I’d chicken out!” Mina shook her head and laughed sweetly, and fuck, would Tooru’s face just, like, not do that stupid heating up think, kay thanks.
“If you wrote it, sis, it’s gonna be an absolute banger!” Mina assured her; Tooru bit off a high-pitched wine, hands snapping up to cover her face in embarrassment as Mashirao patted her shoulder comfortingly and Kyoka snorted softly.
“Bit too slow to be a banger,” the punk lesbian icon drawled, deeply amused. “But it’ll be one hell of a show, at least.” Mina blinked over at the purple-haired girl, curious, but, before anything else could be said, Yamada-Sensei was calling them out onto the stage.
“Let’s fucking gooo!” Mina hooted, bouncing out on the stage and waving her hands enthusiastically as she went, quickly followed by an only slightly panicking Tooru!
Honest!
Only Slightly!!
…
“You’ve got this,” Kyoka murmured as she passed Tooru, who bounced nervously on center stage in front of the mic. Mashirao taking his seat at the mixer in the far corner, almost completely out of view. Mina was adjusting the keys on her bass guitar, something Kyoka had gotten her into n their Second Year, a black and neon-pink-flamed thing that just fit her perfectly. Kyoka set up the keyboard so that she was directly behind Tooru, and offered her a wink and a thumb’s up when Tooru couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder nervously. Having her as a back-up singer actually helped a lot, too, now that Tooru thought about it.
Taking a deep breath, Tooru turned to focus on the crown, more grateful than anything that no one could actually see her face right now. One more breath, wrapping her hands around the mic and stand, Tooru closed her eyes tightly and gave a blind nod towards the Teacher’s Booth, the signal to lower the lights. Behind her closed lids, she could picture the words she’d written down, the notes and beat of it. Could already almost hear Kyoka’s voice humming along as they found the right beat for it together that afternoon Tooru had tentatively asked for her help on it.
Go time, she thought, opening her arm and lifting a hand, signaling her friends to start.
Immediately, the pretty piano and reverberating bass started, quickly followed by Mashirao’s mixer filled her senses. Taking a deep breath again, one last moment to close her eyes and focus, and Tooru started to sing.
“I don’t know why it’s been
So hard for me to say this,
I’m not exactly gay but
Sure as hell ain’t straight, Sis,”
To the side, Mina’s eyes went wide and her mouth fell open a little before a look of delight flash and she beamed over at Tooru, who felt her face warm up again. She hadn’t ever talked to her friend about this, after all, and, well…
What a way to come out of the closest, right?
“If I’m honest I fall
Somewhere in the middle…
A little.”
“Pink,” Kyoka sang softly, a background note, and Tooru couldn’t risk it, not one glance or she’d lose her nerve, so she swayed back and forth and let her eyes fall closed.
“I’ve been tryin’ to
Deny it for a Minute.
It only comes out when I
Look at who I’m kissin’—
It only comes out when I
Look at who I’m kissin’,
Kissin’!”
“Pink,” Kyoka sang again, and Tooru took a deep breath, stealing her nerves. This was it. Kyoka’s soft harmonization joined her for the chorus, just a pretty background behind hers, and Tooru was fucking shaking.
“I’ve been so Blue,
Ashamed and afraid,
But when I look at you…
Can’t think straight ‘cause I like
Pink.”
Tooru heard Mina’s breath catch, and knew she’d realized it, knew she knew now, and something almost desperate lit up in her chest as she continued.
“Tried to hide it
But you saw right through me.
Can I tell the truth?
Can’t think straight ‘cause I Like
Pink.”
Kyoka took over briefly, singing the word Pink softly in the background to the beat, and Tooru… She couldn’t look. She couldn’t look, she couldn’t fucking look—
Tooru looked.
Mina’s tear-filled, awed eyes met hers despite her invisibility, had always met hers, had always seen her, more than anyone else, and Tooru’s heart skipped a beat.
“I don’t know why it’s so
Important that you Name it,” she managed, only barely stumbling over the next verse, eyes locked on Mina’s as she sang.
“Won’t wear a label ‘til
I’m ready for the Changes.
It’s not a phase but I just
Don’t know how to phrase it?”
“Pink,” Kyoka sang.
“It’s hard enough to find,
Someone that really sees you,” Tooru sang, emphasizing on it, willing Mina to understand. And, seeing the stunned, joyful smile that was slowly overtaking the other young woman’s face, Tooru knew she got it.
(Mina had always understood her, after all, even without the gloves and constant movement. Mina got her, better than even Mashirao ever had.)
“Even I look in the Mirror
And I’m see-through.
No one gives me color quite the way
That you do…
You do.”
“Pink,” Kyoka sang, a small, warm smile on her face as the she joined in for the chorus.
“I’ve been so Blue,
Ashamed and afraid,
But when I look at you…
Can’t think straight ‘cause I like
Pink…
Tried to hide it
But you saw right through me.
Can I tell the truth?
Can’t think straight ‘cause I Like
Pink.”
And, as Kyoka started singing the steady, background ‘pinks’, Mina moved over, came over to Tooru, and Tooru turned towards her, the mic-stand, guitar, and about a foot of space the only thing left between them, her heart jack-rabbiting in her chest as she looked up at the taller young woman, and she realized that they were both crying now, relieved and joyful tears and Mina leaned down and rested her forehead against Tooru’s, beaming, and Tooru’s face hurt from how hard she was smiling.
“No more waitin’,” Tooru sang softly, staring up into the teary, joy-filled eyes of the girl she’d been in love with for over a year now, too afraid and closeted to confront it, and then too anxious to do anything, until now.
“I’m done with fakin’!
I’m here with you.”
“I’m here with you, Pink,” Kyoka crooned, before the final chorus started up, Mina’s forehead against Tooru’s, their breaths mingling, no care for the watching crowd.
“I’ve been so Blue,
Ashamed and afraid,
But when I look at you…
Can’t think straight ‘cause I like
Pink…
Tried to hide it
But you saw right through me.
Can I tell the truth?
Can’t think straight ‘cause I Like Pink…
Can’t think straight ‘cause I Like Pink…
Can’t think straight ‘cause I Love Pink.”
Mina, obviously, couldn’t hold back anymore at Tooru’s changed last words, and, suddenly, they were kissing as Kyoka and Mashirao finished up with the last of the beat and softly chanted ‘pink’. Not that it mattered as the crowd was screaming as Tooru’s hands cupped Mina’s face and Mina’s own curled around her to cup her shoulder blades.
“IT’S ABOUT FUCKIN’ TIME!” Katsuki’s voice shouted from somewhere, and Tooru and Mina broke apart laughing, because, yeah, typical Bakugou Katsuki, even now.
“Well?” Tooru managed to ask, almost breathless as she grinned helplessly up at Mina as they rested their foreheads together again. “Was the song worth the wait?” And Mina, Mina beamed down at her.
“You absolutely were,” she stated, and Tooru flushed again and couldn’t help but laugh, even as Mina kissed her again.
Yeah.
Yeah, it was so worth the wait.
END