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There's an anxious feeling swirling in the pit of your stomach; it's cold and makes you wanna rush to the bathroom. But the warmth of Tsuyu's hand makes up for it, your friend.
You take a quick glance at her, and your lips quirk up into a smile. You're practically one of Pavlov's dogs when it comes to her. She keeps taking you on the overgrown but charming path, in some neck of the woods that, of course, only she'd be familiar with.
"Well, uh...where are you taking me again?"
She blows a breath out of her nose, a behavior you've grown to recognize as her feeling happy before she tenderly squeezes your hand.
"A picnic. Don't tell me you forgot?"
"No! That's not it! I was just...n-nevermind!"
Curse your stuttering and inability to stay calm about your long-time crush. You couldn't help it, you loved the frog girl. She was so kind and ready to help if needed, a level head in a time of crisis, and most importantly...she was always there for you if you needed it. That was what made her unique. She was a good friend, and as much as you wanted to hold her in your arms and never let go--you couldn't.
Your heart started to pound at the thought of it, and you cursed Eros and Cupid for inflicting those feelings upon you in this lifetime. At the very least, the path chosen was a good one. The earthy smell of dirt and green leaves was calming, bringing you peace. You were sure you needed to get outside anyways as there were only so many times a person could listen to Denki Kaminari's knock-knock jokes before going crazy.
The light crunching of leaves under the two pairs of feet made for a very serene, dare you say, sapphic environment.
"What do you think of cottagecore? The pictures I sent earlier?"
She laughs openly then.
"Well, I think that's something we can afford to think about in the near future. As long as we're still close to the city, we're heroes, you know?"
"I didn't say it had to be about us! I was just sending them because I thought they were cute!"
"Watch your step," she calmly steps in a smooth rock in the middle of rushing water before crossing to the other side. Her hands part from yours, but not for long as she reaches over for you to take it once more, "we're almost there, kero."
Her hands dwarf yours, a part of her quirk, you assume. There's no mistaking it, though. The comfort it brings you is like a drug-induced high. Your blood pressure lowers, and all anxious feelings swirl up and away. All that's left are the butterflies that take up your stomach space instead.
You two continue in silence, occasionally stopping to peer at the wild mushrooms that bloomed, even some red ones that Tsuyu claimed, "looked like your face."
"What if this is like a little red riding hood story? Are you sure you aren't leading me to a wolf?"
"I don't want you to die, Y/N-Chan. That'd make for a heartbreaking story. We're here."
You open your mouth to retort that being a hero would have the same ending, but you're cut off by the beauty of it all.
It was as if the trees had bent backward to make room for the ferocious wildflowers that wished to take up space. There were a few brushes, a wonderful shade of green that matched Tsuyu's aesthetic perfectly. Wild mushrooms that felt like they'd been placed by fairies sat in clusters, adding to the mystical feeling of it all. But the most remarkable sight was the flowers. Pink, white, and yellow sparkled all over the clearing, reaching high to the sky and some sticking to the fertile soil.
It felt as if you'd walked into a fairy-tale. There was no way this place was real. It wasn't soiled by humanity's indulgence of alcohol and typical trashing, but pure and undisturbed. For a second, you almost wondered if you should turn back, worried you were intruding on something intimate.
"This is my favorite spot. It's beautiful, right? Sometimes animals come and wander, it's so…"
You agreed with her; there were simply no words to describe it. Unfurling the blanket poking out of the basket, she walked pointedly in spots that wouldn't damage the greenery before laying down the traditionally checkered blanket. You followed, feeling as though every step you took, the plants beamed at you with hellos and smiles.
Of course, that was impossible unless they were magic flowers. Nonetheless, you hoped that when you returned to the afterlife, it looked as peaceful and as beautiful as this. You sat down on the blanket across from Tsuyu and smiled. It felt like you could cry; what was all this? Is this considered a date?
"Shall we eat?"
"Kero!"
Ah, sweet cream with strawberries all on top of deliciously fluffy milk bread. It was your favorite sandwich, no matter how much of a dessert it practically was. The soft cream made you laugh when you took a bite. Two girls sat in forest land, eating sweet cream sandwiches. One of which was in love with the other. It genuinely felt fictional.
"If I'd known you'd made all of this, I would have brought something for us to have together!"
Tsuyu wiped her mouth and looked downwards, a slight frown appearing on her face.
"Do you know why I brought you here?"
"...No."
She mulls over the consequences of her possible actions before shifting till she's right next to you. The white skirt she wore contrasting your blue jeans and making you hot under the collar.
"This place makes me happy. I've never brought anyone to it before; I hardly come here myself! I want it to look as good as it did when I first saw it. I trust you, though. So I know you'll be kind to it."
You dryly swallow and look at her eyes to the scene around you.
"Tsu, I don't think I understand…"
"What I'm saying is that I love you. You make me happy, and I wanted to put the two most beautiful things I've ever seen together."
It's silent except for the wind that picked up its ferocity.
"Huh?"
Tsuyu looks at you with cherry cheeks, she said she loved you. What do you mean, huh? What are you saying?!
"..."
There is nothing that could describe the joy you feel at that moment. You lock eyes with her and see the move you could make, like chess. It's now or never.
She tastes like sweet cream and squeaks when you run your tongue against her bottom lip. You should have asked, you wonder and move to pull away. She loves you, but that didn't mean anything…
"Come back," she whispers before holding your jaw tenderly and bringing you down to her level again. It's not a passion-filled kiss. It's sweet and loving. Tender with sparkles of joy. Those butterflies seem to manifest in your real world, flying up and about and circling you. Was she magic?
Pulling away, you stare in awe at the girl.
"I'm a disaster."
She giggles and chases your lips once more.
"I know."