Chapter Text
Since the meteor, Saiki’s powers had come back, though only a few at full strength. Some of them were occasionally more volatile, which was almost as difficult to adjust to as a powerless life had been.
While he mourned his chance at normality, at least he didn’t feel so useless anymore. Like now, for example, if he wanted to, despite the freezing temperature he could use pyrokinesis and walk home from school as though there was sunshine. Saiki concentrated…
…and felt like he had in the library, crossing his eyes and failing to levitate. And now he was shivering, which usually only happened when he saw a bug. Needless to say, not his favorite feeling. Well, it was fine, he’d just teleport if his pyrokinesis wasn’t working. As long as there was no one around—
‘Oh wow, it’s so cold out. I’m glad I have my cardigan with me. The perfect pretty girl is always prepared!’
Yare yare. Why was he even surprised anymore? As Teruhashi walked out the door, any slim hope he’d had of being unnoticed by her vanished. He should have used invisibility when he had the chance. He’d never thought he would miss his previous telepathy range.
“Oh, Saiki-kun!”
‘Ah, I’m so lucky! I knew there was a reason I had to stay behind for cleaning duty today! It was fate!’
Saiki didn’t reply to her greeting, just nodded his head slightly. At one point, this might have infuriated her. By now, she just seemed used to it, less delusional, even if a part of her still seemed to wish to see a blushing version of him.
Too bad. The chances of that happening are about the same as the chances of me saying offu.
…again, I mean.
“Are you alright?”
He’d be alright as soon as she went on her way. “I’m fine.”
‘He’s definitely not fine. Oh, but I can’t just say that! But I’ve never seen him look so cold before, he’s shaking!’
Yare yare, it’s not that big of a deal.
Teruhashi herself seemed mostly unaffected by the temperature, despite her skirt. That lavender cardigan of hers must have been really warm, in addition to being extremely soft-looking. (He didn’t like to admit it, but it looked like something he’d probably wear.)
‘Come on, Kokomi, you can do it!’
What?
Saiki did not like the sound of that. It didn’t help that he hadn’t heard whatever had come before it, either because his telepathy had glitched or because he was thinking too hard about that stupid cardigan.
‘Chiyo’s house isn’t very far away!’
What on Earth could that possibly have to do with anyth—
In a graceful motion, she’d shrugged off the cardigan he hadn’t even realized was unbuttoned, and thrown it over his shoulders.
He—
…
…that—
She looked at him nervously. ‘I hope I didn’t make him uncomfortable.’
Uncomfortable…is probably not the right word for it, no.
It was even warmer than he’d thought it would be. In fact he felt rather warm all over. Had his pyrokinesis come back? He didn’t feel as though he could control it though. A flare up? Or maybe Teruhashi had just been really warm (warm was starting to not feel like a real word anymore, because of how much his mind was repeating it), plus the material seemed thick, so—
‘Is he blushing?’
What had he said about Teruhashi being less delusional? Whatever it was he took it back immediately.
(He did not, however, give her back her cardigan. In fact he just accepted it and slipped his arms into the sleeves. Mostly because she’d started speed-walking away after an awkward goodbye and some rambling about how she had to be at Yumehara’s for a sleepover, she was expected, she was late, Chiyo was waiting, blah blah blah, he certainly hadn’t been listening to her every word. Also, there was no one around to kidnap him out of jealousy. Giving it back to her some time in the future was not a present Kusuo problem, and thanks to Teruhashi, neither was the cold.)