Chapter Text
Komaeda has been unlucky before, many many times, however it was the first time nothing was going his way. It was Friday night, the festival was in 2 days and he couldn't manage to bring any despair to challenge others. To think he would spend his precious time scrubbing toilets instead of examining the preparations…how unlucky indeed. In fact he felt he has been following a strange pattern these past weeks, where he simply can't get what he exactly wants, the outcome he wishes or fulfills his heart. Yet finding himself not truly misfortune, a blossom of good luck shining from the cracks in other ways.
It was as if Hinata was his bad luck charm, ever since meeting him things have been off, the pattern he used to have been changed. A weird cycle of happiness and disappointment followed his days, and he became used to the tranquility of ordinary happiness. Like eating with someone, playing in a park together, doing bothersome chores with a helping hand. He had to admit, this simple companionship might have turned him a little weaker. But he wasn't one to give up.
He was strangely excited even. This much bad luck, this many disappointments meant he was bound to get something truly outstanding in return, that was the condition of his talent and he believed in his luck. He knew in his heart, he was going to be astonished by what would come.
A silly smile appeared on his face as he thought of the possibilities and the hope to come while he rested his exhausted body on the dorm bed. 5 days straight cleaning bathrooms and classrooms did wonders to his already sick body, although nothing a good night rest wouldn't fix. He was honestly glad Hinata was kind enough to get him some lunch and extra food for dinner or else he might've starved. Since he already had dinner and was too tired to move he did the next best thing, scrolling on his phone while fantasies ran through his head. And as if Lady Luck wanted to apologize, he didn't have to wait long for good news to come to him, thus a bigger smile formed on his face when he began to read the text from his beloved teacher.
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Was it a good idea? Hinata wasn't so sure, it probably, no definitely was not. But it was Miss Yukizome's decision and she wasn't changing her mind. No matter how many times Hinata tried to convince her to rethink her decision, she was stubborn as a rock.
Last year Nidai and Owari caused a ruckus inside both Main and the Reserve Course because of their "battle showdown" which Hinata would like to call extreme roughhousing. This year no one could afford them to shake up the building. Therefore the two teachers and the poor boy from the Reserve Course had to think of something more plausible, less damaging to the school and general city area. Thus they came to the decision to take the two fighters far away from the Academy -to the forester to be exact- and let them fight there instead.
The plan was simple: they were going to find a safe spot in the forest, one that was flat and away from wild animals. Then Nidai and Owari were going to battle like they usually do and the rest were going to film their fight. Afterwards they'll have Mitarai use the clips as reference, and the actions are going to be shown in the form of animation instead. It was going to be a simple collaboration of three with the help of others.
However they had to be quick, they had one day to film, any more time they wasted and the poor guy wouldn't be able to finish his animation by time. -Which was truly amazing how Mitarai could finish a short animation in day, you would think he was working in his home with no breaks, without ever seeing the outside world-
Tanaka was invited in case of a wild animal appearing, Souda was there to help with setting up the cameras. Hinata had to be there as Reserve Course representative and council president.
So what was Komaeda doing there?
Well, the teacher's answer to that question was simple, a little too maybe.
"You two have been together all this time, it feels wrong for one of you to be alone now."
And apparently Hinata was going to accept that as an acceptable and reasonable answer.
In all honesty, Hinata wouldn't mind Komaeda tagging along, if he didn't just try to trick Saionji a few days ago. Frankly, he had to deal with too much whining to forget about the incident and move on. And this was the last event to arrange nonetheless. He would rather not walk on eggshells when he was so close to the end. But regardless the decision was made and the luckster came along.
Now it was 8 AM Saturday and everyone was gathered up in front of the Hope's Peak Academy gates. Mostly silent, waiting for their teacher to finish their conversation.
Two mini vans were rented, two teachers driving each. The tough choice was which one to choose to spend the whole 4 hour ride in: one driven by the guy that gets hangover regularly or one driven by the girl who's infamously a little too over the top and careless. Everyone except Owari were hesitant, rightfully so, and the teachers could sense that. Therefore they choose to use drawing lots to decide how to group each student. Yukizome was prepared for situations like that, and took 6 sticks from the pocket of her apron. Ones who picked the little sticks were in Kizakura's team, ones who got longer ones in hers.
After the little game they were grouped nicely; Nidai, Hinata and Komaeda were going to be with Kizakura and Souda, Tanaka and Owari with Yukizome.
"Ugh being in the same car as Tanaka…I have no luck…" The mechanic whined as he stared at the stick in his hand then Tanaka's. If the breeder wasn't there the ride could've been nice even, him and the girls but of course that hamster piss smelling maniac had to ruin it with his own existence. He sighed again and looked at the other group. Nidai was a nice guy, although a little too much at times and he liked Hinata enough. He wouldn't mind being in that group, he supposed.
"Hey Komaeda! Switch up with me!" He then yelled, drawing attention to himself.
"Sorry Souda-kun, I'd have to decline." However to his surprise Komaeda -OF ALL PEOPLE- refused him. He thought it had to be a weird dream and he couldn't help but blink several times before reacting.
"Wh-why! You usually would agree!" He shouted in disbelief, his mouth all wide.
"Well…I want to sit next to Hinata-kun, so, I apologize." Another apology escaped from the luckster's mouth. The rest was just as surprised as Souda, perhaps Hinata even more than him. His unfiltered honesty made the Reserve feel slightly flustered he had to admit. He didn't talk but a silly shy smile appeared on his face.
"Oh my! Finally setting some boundaries I see! Good good." Instead the apron wearing teacher spoke, praising the boy and nodding in approval. But it was for Komaeda only, when she turned to Souda she began to pout, her mouth frowning.
"And Souda-kun, everything was decided fair and square, don't be a butt head." Souda whined some more afterwards, Yukizome having to basically drag him inside the van. It was rather funny to see, as if she was dealing with a grown baby, so much that others couldn't hold their cackles and giggles.
And one by one everyone took their seats. Hinata didn't know how they arranged seating in Yukizome's van but for them, they had Kizakura on the front seat alone, the two boys behind him and Nidai behind them (since he took too much space). They didn't plan on spending the night at the forest but they had some camping equipment in any case.
They had their maps, both cars in good condition and two adults with them. Hopefully the ride would go smoothy
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Komaeda always felt uneasy about rides, any ride, anything that he had to be forced inside of a vehicle with people. Planes always came first in the list of rides he hates, in fact he would rather walk kilometers to his destination than get inside of a plane. However it wasn't just planes he disliked, boats were horrid too, especially when the sea is unpredictable, not to mention drowning was one of the most painful ways to die. Next came car rides, any car, after all car crashes were always common, most common way people die even, not to mention the vehicle could always just blow up and leave no chance of survival. No chance for others at the very least.
Thinking that made him feel sick to his stomach while the minivan wobbled, worsening his nausea. It would be an unimaginable despair if the van simply blew up, huh? Would it give birth to unimaginable hope? Well that possibility was the only thing keeping him from opening that car door and throwing himself on the raw road. The other half of the group would be heavily traumatized by the sight of his damaged corpse, everyone trying to cope with the death of their close ones. It would bring hope, so it was okay if anything happened.
It is okay…it is okay…it is okay…
He had to remind himself.
"Hey, Komaeda!" But soon after heard a familiar voice calling him, a hand on his shoulder, green eyes gazing at him with clear worry.
"You good? You look a little unwell." Said Hinata, with an adorable soft voice. He then asked if Komaeda were car sick, that he could hand him a water bottle if he wanted, however his voice was not quiet reaching through the luckster even when it was this sweet and gentle. What a waste, Komaeda thought.
"Oh, Hinata-kun. Are you worried about me? It's okay, I am just a bit tired because of all that cleaning from last week. I'll be okay." He breathed out, and indeed he sounded tired. He could tell Hinata that he just hates rides because of his tragic past but that conversation was reserved for another day. Right now he simply wished to suck it in in silence and arrive at their destination without any accident.
"Well..." While he was battling with this awful feeling in his heart a hand guided his head and soon he met with a silky-like sensation, soft but firm, carrying a certain warmth that was beyond comforting.
"Rest here, I'll wake you up when we arrive." His head was now on Hinata's lap…his head…on his…Komaeda's eyes widened, his body jolted for a second but Hinata held him so he wouldn't fall down.
"W-what!" He shouted with one hand on his head and another on his shoulder.
"I-I can't." He then whined, and his voice cracked embarrassingly as if his face didn't look dumb enough. He could his face hot and muscles tense, he had an awkward look that was hard to describe, but he knew it looked weird.
"Don't be stupid. We'll be walking a lot so you need to have some energy." Yet Hinata remained calm, like a counter attack on Komaeda's turmoil.
"Just say if you still don't feel good after resting okay!" The boy then added, and at that moment Komaeda found it hard to reject him. Probably because he didn't want to. As selfish as it is, he couldn't help but succumb into Hinata's warmth.
"O-okay…" He let out as he allowed himself to get a little more comfortable.
Komaeda was a hypocrite in every sense. He didn't want people he looked up to get hurt but he couldn't help but to indulge in something so nice, knowing others could pay the price. Yet the mere thought of any bad luck and despair eventually turning into hope made the guilt a little bit more bearable. After all, it's not that he was in a car with talentless civilians, that even their death wouldn't mean much. He was with ultimates, indeed if they get hurt or even die it would mean something for greater good. And that thought alone eased the guilt, let him be a little more selfish, a little more reckless, a bit cruel perhaps...
Or maybe not.
When he was resting his head on Hinata's thighs he didn't feel like tangling around his abstruse mind. He simply wanted to enjoy the moment once. There had been a lot of times like this recently, since he met Hinata-kun, where he would stop caring about his luck or his mind and enjoy the moment. It was risque, but Komaeda was giving in. It was hard to not do when he was with Hinata.
The other boy was caressing his fluffy hair with one hand, gently like a mother would, all while the corny 90's pop music came from the radio. And the slight breeze from the tip of the window was helping with the heat on his cheeks. Komaeda felt like he wouldn't mind this moment being his coffin. Thus his eyelids got heavier by second and soon he found himself resting in Hinata's warmth. And it was truly nice even with his seatbelt 's discomfort wrapping his body.
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No fun could've last forever, he supposed. He was woken up by the boy then the blonde teacher. Apparently Nidai was in urgent need for…restroom and Owari had begun to bite the others due to her never ending hunger therefore they had to take a break at a family restaurant before heading back.
It was a classic road restaurant like any other, in fact it carried such a cliche look that it somewhat felt abnormal. It wasn't very big, however they didn't seem to be expecting any visitors at 11 AM in the morning, it was clear that the place shined better in afternoons or in evenings but beggars can't be chooser, right? Hence why they went inside without much complaining.
Nidai directly ran towards the bathroom while others took their red, fake leather seats. The place carried the scent of cheap burgers and motor oil, which somewhat seem to excite the Mechanic. Komaeda wondered if it activated some sort of childhood memories in him, but didn't comment.
The menus were written on the blackboards on top of them, separated as meals and desserts. Komaeda wasn't much of an eater but he guessed it was best to order something that'd keep him full for the rest of the day, instead of his usual pick of toasted bread. However since he wasn't familiar with management like this one he didn't know what to expect.
"The burger menu looks safe, I'll get that with orange juice." Hinata leaned closer to him and spoke as if he could read Komaeda's soul, that he could sense the boy was anxious to choose. Of course it wasn't much surprising, Komaeda did tell him he doesn't eat out but he was amazed regardless.
" Then I'll get that too but with a blue ram." He murmured and then waited for others to order.
It took a while to translate Tanaka's order so that the poor waitress could understand what to bring, and they had to stop Akane from ordering everything on the menu. She however still got extra portions. They ate their food while the background music and Souda's complaints filled their ears. The burger wasn't the worst thing Komaeda consumed, a little too oily maybe, the fries were much better but as long as it filled his belly the luckster wasn't one to complain. He guessed Hinata felt the same. Once he had the last bite he only hoped no one would get food poisoning, especially Nidai.
The teachers had to discuss the ways to go in the parking lot, check out the map and their GPS while the kids entertained themselves. Komaeda had heard them worry about how they would find an appropriate place, hoping it wouldn't take much. He saw Miss Yukizome leaning and whispering in his ear. It was practically impossible to understand the conversation even if Komaeda dared to come closer to them, however he caught one sentence clear. It came from Mister Kizakura. "Sorry, but we can't trust the kid." The luckster didn't need to think much to guess who that comment was about.
If he had to guess he would suppose Yukizome might have offered to use his luck to find the most suitable place and Kizakura declined the offer, rather harshly. But he was a smart man, Komaeda had to give it to him, after all he couldn't deny that he wasn't very trustworthy. And since he had the presence of someone untrustworthy he didn't want to stand close to them and raise attention.
He looked around to see if there was anyone available to chat, since it was awkward to stand alone in a dirty parking lot. He saw Souda and Hinata chatting, he could hear bits of the conversation as Souda never really knew how to control the volume of his voice. And he wasn't delighted with the topic. It was a regular boy talk, after all the waitress that served them was a busty half Japanese girl with bright blonde hair, it would be odd for Souda to not talk about her.
Komaeda didn't enjoy chats like that -although it's not that Hinata looked any pleased either-, or was he good at it, moreover he knew it would be awkward if he dared to join in. Therefore he chose to leave the duo alone and look for another person to spend the time with. Nidai went to the pot just in case so he was out of consideration. He could go with Tanaka -even if it'd anger him- but… he was petting the dog that the owner of the diner owns and…he didn't have good memories with dogs. Not that he disliked them, quite the contrary, he adored them but the thought of the poor animal getting hurt because of his luck simply made him nauseous.
So he found himself next to the gymnast who was sitting on a grass
"Hi, Owari-san!" He greeted her with his usual smile.
"Oh, hi…K…Karl?" She turned around, chewing a mouthful of something Komaeda was sure wasn't from the diner, it looked like berries which she probably had picked up from the nearby bushes on the more forest side of the road, she wasn't showing any symptom of discomfort so Komaeda supposed they were edible.
"It's Komaeda." He corrected her after, although he should be used to her mistaking his name it was hard to not take it personally. But again, not that they talked long enough for her to remember his name so he wasn't all mad.
"Oh yeah, you tots have the vibe of that name." She said and went to chew on what she gathered. Her hands and face were painted by the juice and she looked a little…wild, although Komaeda wasn't sure if it was an appropriate term to describe a girl.
He sat next to her, watching her eat, she didn't initiate conversation but didn't tell him to go away either so Komaeda thought it was fine if he just sat there in silence. It lasted like two minutes.
"I see that you don't want to talk? Was it because you were enjoying some snacks or is my presence bothering you?" He then asked once she finished eating, while handing her some wet tissue he took from the diner.
"Well…I don't like talking with guys who look like they have low fighting power. You look like a three, a four at best." She replied as she cleaned herself. Her comment didn't offend him nearly as one would assume, because it was more so correct. He wasn't the type to start fist fights.
"What a low score, fitting for me though!" He said with an unsettling smile, but Owari seemed to not mind as much.
"Well you are not the lowest, Hank is somehow even lower than you, a two I say." She continued talking about this weird ranking system, which Komaeda assumed was out of ten.
"Hank..? You mean Hinata-kun right? Well, he doesn't look like the type to want to fight. So I believe your ranking system is accurate. But I wonder how it works!" It got him curious enough to hear further about it and the girl seemed pleased to chat too, so a win for two one might say.
"It's just the vibes, nothing much. But I am never wrong! " She shouted with a jolly smile, then went to further explain.
"Like you look like you are not eating enough or working out so I can sense that you are not much of a fighter but you have like…what the old man Nidai called it…" She then pondered the thought, searching the right word in her mind, her eyes closed and one finger pointing at her forehead.
"Hmm…" Komaeda waited quietly, not that he would be any help if he opened his mouth.
"Oh yeah, it was blood-lust or something!" She shouted again, then went to talking further about it.
"You have that in you so while I can see that you don't want to fight much I know when you do you'll give your all to death or something." She explained with a child-like cockiness behind her tone, however Komaeda could say her analysis was more so correct. After all, whenever he had to fight something it usually would happen in a life or death situation, and the boy selfishly enjoyed living.
"Gosh, this whole fighting talk makes me fire up! Wanna go!?" Then the girl jumped out of her place, a feral smirk on her face.
"No thank you. I need to preserve my energy for today." Although Komaeda didn't want to ruin her fun, he had to decline the offer for various reasons, the main one being not wanting to walk around with bruises on him. So he gave a cheap excuse and the girl brought it.
"Tch, see. No fun!" She clicked her tongue and sat down with a pouting face. Nevertheless, the luckster couldn't help but feel slightly guilty so he reached out his jacket and took out a small snack out of one of his inside pockets.
"I apologize for being boring, I can give you some of this jerky I found in our van if it'll help you cheer up a little." He handed the plastic bag filled with greasy goods and watched her mood pull a 180 in seconds.
"Really?! Thanks man!" The girl put that delightful smile back on her face as she snatched the bag but before she opened it she suddenly stopped and began to stare at the boy. And the further she stared the more her brows frowned and her face started to form a look of concern. Now that Komaeda was thinking, it was the first time he truly looked at the brown girl's face, and the opposite was true. Was that the reason for her strange behavior;?
"Oh…but…You should eat it. You look sick." She gave back the bag and looked around to see if there was anything else was left to give, like a mama bear looking out for her kid. It was wholesome and cute in a way.
"Are you even eating? You die if you don't, don’t you know!" She then put some of her leftovers next to him, her voice carrying a great worry and even fear. He never saw her like that before.
"I ate my portion in the diner, so please don't worry." He tried to reassure her but his attempts came in vain.
"You mean those small burgers and fries? No one can be full after eating that!" She yelled and honestly scared him a bit, so he humbly accepted to share the snack.
"Then I'll be having some."
They sat on the floor, eating the salty snack, while they gazed at the forest sight. Komaeda was thankful that his and Owari's eating speed were mountains different, that he didn't have to eat much and ruin his stomach further. He glanced at their teachers who were now discussing the matter with the ultimate manager. The two boys were playing with the old dog now and Hinata was not around. He probably was inside the diner. Overall, it seemed like they were going to sit here for a while.
"God this is boring." While he was observing he heard the girl's voice.
"Isn't it?"He agreed casually, it was boring.
"I mean why do we have to wait like this, I want to fight with the old man RIGHT NOW!!" She then complained and whined some more, while the luckster watched her
"Well, our teachers are trying to find a safe spot, but I too think it's rather boring." Komaeda admitted, knowing the gymnast wouldn't judge.
"Right! Fighting is the best when there's danger!!" Indeed, she didn't. Somehow they were around the same wavelength and some ideas began to form inside that mischievous mind of the lucky one.
"Hey, Owari-san…if I said I can help finding somewhere dangerous…what would you think?" He leaned towards her and whispered softly in her ear, and she perked up a smile.
"I'd say what are you waiting for, take me there!" She shouted again, a laughter slipping from her lips.
"Even if we had to tweak out some rules and get into some trouble?" He then asked but that thrilled smile didn't fade.
"Eh, I think it'll be fine. As long as no one dies it's all good isn't it!"