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MinMin (Mineta/Mina) Prompt: Bizarre Attraction
Suggested by: Knight_Beast
Her neighbor was a total weirdo.
She supposed a lot of the people in off campus housing were, but this guy was just particularly strange. He was, quite possibly, the shortest young adult she’d ever met, and he was actually a sophomore, whereas she was a freshman.
He wore hideous yellow platform boots (with neon purple laces, yikes!) and wore shirts for animes, and she’d definitely seen him in a ahegao hoodie at one point. He was kinda noisy and more than a little creepy, but he was probably the nicest person she’d met in the last few weeks. This college was a higher end one, and people looked at her like she hadn’t earned her keep yet. Weirdo guy hadn’t even known her for five minutes before telling her all the best haunts and giving no less than seven movie recommendations.
She was a little desperate for human contact.
“Pinky!” Mineta yelled, flagging her down as he left the science building. He had given her the name for her curly pink hair, which he said was very fitting for her personality, whatever that meant. He had purple hair that was always in tightly wound circular buns. She was pretty sure he was mixed only because of his hair.
(He’d said once that they were destined to be friends as the only two people in the school with cool hair. He had also said that “Since the first three letters of our names are the same we’re probably soulmates”, so she took everything he said with a tablespoon of salt.)
He passed her a stick of bubble gum, something he’d started doing habitually after finding out she liked the flavor. Mina accepted the gum without a thought, popping it into her mouth and trying to remember where the Macsomething building was.
“Hey Mineta, where’s that Ma- Makso- mahjiggy building?” She gave up trying to remember that stupid name. She was still getting lost and she’d been there for weeks now.
“Maskoka! This way!” He dramatically pointed before starting off with determination. Mina rolled her eyes, but followed him. She’d figured out he was a bit of a social pariah and most people avoided him. She was a little worried it would rub off on her, but she figured they didn’t like her much anyways.
“It’s a scholarship thing, they don’t like when people who don’t have gold plated toilet seats breathe their air.” Minoru sipped his egregiously sugary tea as Mina stared at the weird fancy drink he’d picked for her. The library cafe was stupid expensive, but he’d offered to buy her first drink since she was a ‘freshie’. “I’ve also been told I’m not the easiest person to get along with.”
“That blows.” She tentatively sipped the monstrosity and was slightly irritated by the fact he’d gotten it completely right and she loved it.
“Yeah, what’s your scholarship? I have…three I think. One for academic prowess, one for coming from poverty but ‘excelling’ or some shit, and one because I accidentally saved someone from dying.” He counted off his fingers, looking pensive. “I’m full ride as long as I stay out of trouble for once.” She had a feeling he wasn’t great at staying out of trouble.
“Oh, it’s a dance scholarship. The benefactor saw a performance of mine and was impressed I guess. It only covers the first year but that’s why I’m working, to get a head start on student loans.” Mineta perked up at that.
“You’re a dancer? Huh, the academic ones look down on that program a bit but I have no idea why. I never miss a performance.” He gave a serious nod. Knowing him a little by then, he definitely went because of the skin tight leotards.
“I actually prefer street dancing, but I’m not stupid enough to miss out on this school. I’ve been looking for local places to dance but I don’t know if I’ll be able to with work.” Mina hadn’t really done ballet or interpretive before starting at the college and, if the scoffs of her peers were any indication, it showed. Most of them had gotten their gen eds down in their freshman year before joining the program, but Mina couldn’t risk not being able to attend a second year. She picked things up fast anyways, she’d be fine.
Mineta hummed around his straw, writing down a note in his little notebook before pocketing it.
“I’ll tell ya if I hear anything.” He always did that any time he thought something was important, but she’d never seen him actually read it.
“We’re here!” Mineta waved his arm toward the old building with a dramatic flare. It might have been amusing if, like, five people weren’t staring at him.
“Thanks Mineta.” She gave him a small smile, which he brightly returned.
“It’s Minoru, I hate everyone else here.” He gave her finger guns before running off.
She watched as he tripped over his boots and nearly ran into a light post, shaking her head.
What a weirdo.
-
By the end of the first semester she’d made a few friends, all rich kids but not quite snobby. She’d even found a dance group that used a rec center not far from campus and would go there during her day off to observe and occasionally dance. The people there were super nice.
Logically she didn’t need to be friends with the school weirdo anymore, but… He had grown on her a bit. Plus he was probably the reason her grades were so good, kid was freaky smart.
“You could have told me you were looking for a tutor!” Mineta tended to just walk into her apartment nowadays and she kinda just let him, rarely locking the door during the day.
She was in the middle of writing an essay, barely looking up as he started to dig through her cabinets. He was like a raccoon.
“Oh, sorry. I thought you’d be too busy with all your scholarship requirements.” He’d said before that some of his grade requirements were freaky high, but she’d actually never seen him panic over grades or deadlines.
“Eh, I get behind in English because words suck, but I’m actually kinda smart?” Why did that sound like a question? She’d watched him google once if snakes and eels were related.
He saw the slightly disbelieving look and put his arms on the counter behind him to pull himself up. He swung his ugly boots and nibbled on a twizzler from a pack that she was pretty sure she opened back in her first week. He didn’t seem to care though.
“I actually have an eidetic memory. I spend the first week memorizing the textbooks then I kinda just use that, and I guess I have a good math brain. I have a 3.9 gpa. I used to have a 4.0 but English drags me down. Apparently writing an essay on an inappropriate topic gets deductions.” Minoru shrugged like his grades weren’t surprising, grabbing another twizzler.
“I don’t know if I’m any good at teaching, but I’ll tutor you in anything that isn’t English.”
Mina sighed, hammering the delete button a few times before shutting her laptop.
“I can’t pay you, that’s why I was going to use the school resources.” Just paying for rent was difficult with her part time job, but her parents sent a check every month so she didn’t starve. She didn’t really have any extra money.
“I’m actually a recognized tutor, you can request me through official channels so that I can get school credits. People tend not to request me, so I don’t advertise.” He definitely had an idea of why no one ever requested him, but he didn’t share.
“I do want something from you though.”
Mina grimaced, seeing his mischievous little smile that promised trouble. “If it’s something weird I’ll start locking the door on you.”
He mock gasped, clutching dramatically at his chest. “Me? Never!”
He scooted closer, hands gripping the edge of the counter to keep him from toppling over.
“I want you to teach me how to dance!”
Mina blinked, staring blankly at him. She had watched him trip over air on several occasions. He had the grace of a grizzly bear.
“Hey, if you at least try, I can promise you I’ll get your grades up.”
Well, it couldn’t hurt?
Mineta had, in fact, managed to improve her grades. He was an absolute tyrant of a tutor, forgetting that normal humans couldn’t memorize formulas. He ended up making a comprehensive cheat sheet that she could look at in between lessons. He only needed to help her in mathematics since she was pretty good in Chemistry, but he had corrected her assignments a few times.
It was her turn now.
This…was going to be difficult.
“I told you to dress in something appropriate.” She whined, watching her neighbor practically bounce out of his apartment.
He wasn’t wearing his platforms for once, and she realized he was even shorter than she thought. He was instead wearing neon purple sneakers and yellow leggings. The worst part was his shirt, a crop top that said ‘I <3 Oppai’ in fucking comic sans . He was going to be the death of her and he would enjoy it.
He smirked, planting his hands on his hips. Damn, he was skinny as hell, but had more muscle than she expected.
“I did gymnastics.” He helpfully supplied, tugging on his shirt a bit, reminding her not to stare.
“If you embarrass me I will dissolve you in acid.” She poked him in the chest. They both knew she had the means.
“I won’t! On purpose. I’ve been told I’m an embarrassment for existing so…” Mina just hung her head and power walked, trying to pretend she wasn’t with him.
He was quiet the entire trip, actually looking a little nervous. She realized with a start that this was the first time she’d ever seen him nervous, he tended to be very confident, even when it was completely unjustified.
“Hey.” She stopped him before they could go in the rec center, giving him a small smile that she hoped was reassuring. “I told them you’re a newbie, they won’t be expecting you to be perfect.”
He gave a shaky little grin before squaring his shoulders. “I know sugar, I’m not worried about that.” He pressed a piece of bubble gum in her palm before opening the doors and walking inside like he owned the place.
She rolled her eyes and popped the gum in her mouth, following him.
-
“Meet the squad!” She kept a hand on Minoru’s shoulder for reassurance as she pointed out her troupe.
“That is not the name we’re going with!” The leader, a hotheaded blonde named Bakugou, snapped.
“Whatever. That’s Bakugo, ignore him. Over there are Sero and Kaminari,” The two boys waved, looking happy at a new person. “That’s Kirishima, he’s best boy. We’re the Bakusquad.”
Mineta waved, much more subdued in a group of men, thankfully. “I’m Mineta, I’ve never actually danced but I used to do gymnastics and I was a flyer in high school.”
“You were a cheerleader?” Bakugou sneered, his usual prickly self.
“Did you get to hang around hot girls in miniskirts in Highschool? Didn’t think so.” No one could say the kid didn’t have a backbone.
Mina looked at him and definitely didn’t pout. “How come I didn’t know that?”
Her friend just laughed, wearing his usual smirk.
“Hon I don’t try and advertise that girls weighing a hundred pounds used to throw me.”
Okay fair.
“We’ll, I’m claiming the far corner, feel free to join us if ya want.” Mina dragged him from the group, a bit curious now.
The worst part of the entire thing was that Mineta wasn’t even that bad.
He was a bit clumsy, but the fucker could bend. He also managed to pick Sero up easily which was fucking freaky. He was no taller than 4’9 and probably weighed a hundred pounds soaking wet, but he was pretty strong.
He had no rhythm, but he wasn’t completely hopeless.
Mina watched from the sidelines as Sero and Kaminari tried to teach Mineta some of their routines. They had kinda high jacked her teaching, but it was nice to see Mineta actually talking and laughing with someone that wasn’t her. She was pretty sure she was his only friend.
She looked up as Bakugo joined her, watching the boys with contempt.
“You have horrible taste in men.”
Mina flushed pink, slightly horrified.
“I’m not dating him!”
“Oh.” Bakugo looked at her for a long minute, making her skin prickle. “Then you have horrible taste in friends.”
-
In the present Minoru tended to hang out at the rec center when he wasn’t busy, since he was a freak and didn’t have to study.
He didn’t often actually dance, he mostly watched and gave some stretching tips.
It was during one of these little sessions that Mina realized her sanity had up and left her.
“Okay, specifically watch my muscles and how they contract. Keep in mind that I used to do this competitively and I don’t expect you guys to be able to do the more complicated moves. It just helps to see how everything ties in.” He was wearing another horrific crop top that looked like the 90’s carpeting on bus seats and leggings with little grape clusters. She learned a long time ago that he didn’t own a single normal piece of clothing and pretty much exclusively shopped at GoodWill.
She was pretty sure he said something about being a fashion major, which made his style so much more confusing.
Mineta then proceeded to calmly sit on the ground, one leg bent in front of him, and the other bent behind. He leaned back, arching his body and pressing the back of his head to his foot. “This is a one legged king pigeon pose, it’s pretty easy once you get used to the other basics.”
He then put but legs behind him and brought them over his fucking head. His chest was still touching the floor, but his back was in a painful looking bend with his feet touching the floor in front of him.
“This is me showing off.” He grinned, unbending and standing with a stretch. “Fuck that used to be way easier.
Mina stared, mouth hanging open. She know this kid was a freak but what the fuck? What the actual fresh fuck was the genius bendy fashion blind boy doing in her life?! What god created him and did they fear him?
This guy was fucking bizarre.
Dramatics aside, it was weirdly fascinating watching him move. You could see every rib and knob of his spine, but he also had lean muscle that flexed with every little movement.
She watched in wonder as he took off his crop top and threw it to the side, whining about being sweaty.
He had tattoos, tiny little stars along his shoulders.
Just who was Mineta?
When they walked home, her listening to him prattle on about his classes and who, in his opinion, were the hottest.
“They all suck, but damn.” He unlocked the main door and held it open, letting her pass before following. “Maybe it’s a rich thing.”
Mina grabbed his shoulder before he could go to his apartment, ignoring the heat in her cheeks and pressing on. “You can come over later if you want.”
Mineta blinked, visibly buffering.
“Oh. Uh sure, let me shower first.”
She practically ran into her apartment when he turned away to leave, heart hammering in her chest.
What the fuck? What the fuck?
Clearly Mina was insane, had lost her sanity somewhere in the snobby rich kids and asshole professors. Her standards- oh god her standards were garbage! She was catching feelings for quite possibly the weirdest human being she had ever met!
And she invited him over at 9 pm?!
With a sound that may have been a wail she hurried to go shower, secretly hoping Minoru would decide to stay in tonight.
-
He didn’t.
Ten minutes later he was sitting on her counter, undoing his hair balls and letting the frizziest, kinkiest purple hair fan out. His braids stayed in, too intricate and tight to bother with probably, so it looked funny.
And cute, fuck.
“So…” This was awkward. This was somehow worse than when they first met and he stared at her boobs for half the conversation! “You have tattoos?”
Mineta brightened, grabbing on to the conversation topic eagerly. “Yeah!” He pulled up his shirt and turned his back to her, showing off his tiny little stars. There had to be dozens!
“I always liked the stars and I know this guy who wanted to be a tattooist, so I’d let him use me as practice for little details.” Minoru flinched slightly when she touched one of the stars, fingers ghosting across his shoulders. Tiny purple stars, how strange. He relaxed after a minute, continuing to tell her about this fiend of his.
“Who even are you?” She asked softly, feeling him shiver under her touch.
“What do you mean?” He sounded breathless, muscles tensing and fluttering under his fingers.
“You are the weirdest person I’ve ever met.” He hunched into himself at that, pulling away from her touch ever so slightly.
“But…You’re also the most interesting person I’ve ever met.” And he was. He was so confident in his strangeness, so sneaky and creepy, but caring. How could a guy who she knew for a fact was a peeping Tom also laugh with her about shitty movies and help her throw popcorn at the actors? How could this skinny little punk from income housing strut around an Ivy League school with confidence? How could some idiot make her heart race like she was twelve again?
“Listen Mina, I’m bad with social cues, and I don’t want to do the wrong thing and make you hate me.” He let his shirt fall, hiding his tattoos from her traitorous fingers.
“What do you want from me?” He asked quietly, turning backs around and sliding off the counter. He sounded scared, a tremor in his voice she had never held before.
“I…don’t know.” Mina felt lost, unsure of what she was supposed to do. Her face was hot and her hands were shaking.
Mineta smiled up at her, small and nervous and real . “That’s okay. Let’s watch a movie.”
She let him lead her to the couch and turn on a hallmark movie that they hadn’t seen yet. (She loved romances, he pretended to hate them)
Mineta didn’t say anything when she curled into his side. Usually he was the cuddly one, but he didn’t seem to mind the reversal, playing with her curls.
Mina would figure this out, this bizarre attraction to this weird boy.
Just, not tonight.