He's still learning! || Mash x F!reader
Summary: love is a new emotion for him... Maybe he doesn't understand about this topic, but he was trying, alright...?
Warnings: He being too cute
author's note: I'm watching Mashle again, I forgot I love him
You had just arrived at your dorm room. Your new dorm room. It had only been an hour and a half since you started unpacking: clothes in the closet, books on the shelf, some papers scattered on the desk. Everything was going quite well.
Until you heard a sharp, loud, unexpected crack. You turned around immediately.
A boy with jet-black hair and golden eyes was standing right in the middle of the doorframe.
You blinked a couple of times, confused. What was he doing there? Wasnât there a door a second ago? Why was the frame... empty?
Then you noticed it. You opened your eyes wide, stunned. The boy was holding your dorm room door. Whole. Torn off completely. Like it was made of cardboard. He held it with both hands as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
âOh, hi,â he said calmly, looking first at you, then at the wooden door he held. âUh, sorry for breaking the door. I wasnât sure whether to push or pull.â
You blinked again. Twice.
You were still holding a stack of books â at least seven thick volumes you hadnât put on the shelf next to your bed yet â and hadnât even noticed your arms starting to ache from the weight. You were too stunned.
âI think... you got the wrong dorm...â you muttered, still processing the scene in front of you.
âReally?â he asked, genuinely confused, as if he hadnât considered that.
âThe boysâ dorms are upstairs.â
âOh.â He stayed silent for a few seconds, nodding slowly. Then gave a small, awkward but polite bow. âThank you for telling me. Youâre very kind.â
He looked at the door as if he just remembered he still had it in his hands. Not knowing what to do with it, he carefully leaned it against the wall, right where it used to fit in the frame.
âIâll leave it here...â he muttered, and when he took his hands off to make sure it wouldnât fall, he turned back to look at you. âSo... Iâm going.â
And yes, that was your first encounter with Mash, the first time you spoke... and it wasnât the last.
Weeks later, that surreal image â him holding the door like it was paper â still popped into your mind from time to time. But what was even more curious wasnât that.
What was curious was that now you were part of his group.
You didnât know exactly when it happened. Maybe it was after Finn lent you a pen when you forgot yours, or when Dot tried to impress you with ridiculous spells and nearly set a curtain on fire, or when Lemon dragged you along to keep an eye on Mash because he tends to get into trouble just trying to get some cream from the kitchen (she just wants an excuse to see him), or when Lance, for some reason, ended up having a little argument with you and showed you the T-shirt he was wearing that had his sisterâs face printed on it.
The truth was, without realizing it, you started sitting with them in the dining hall, studying in the same corner of the library, joining them on missions, trainings, or just casual afternoons chatting (or, in Mashâs case, intense silences while eating sweets without saying a word).
You were now part of the group. As if you had always been there.
Everything was going well.
At first, Mash didnât notice. You were just a constant, familiar presence. Another friend he was glad to have, someone who was part of his daily life without it feeling strange. But over time, his behavior began to change. There could be tiny gestures, seemingly normal, kind details like he had with his friends... but he noticed something felt off.
Or rather, different. But he didnât know what to call it.
One day, you were carrying a box full of glass cups used in the last class. The teacher asked you to take them to the storage room where the practice materials were kept. The box wasnât very heavy; you could carry it for a while, though the edges started digging into your fingers, making you hurry but carefully so nothing would break.
Then suddenly, you felt the weight disappear.
Or rather... the box was gone.
You looked up and saw him. Mash. Now he was the one holding the box with one hand, completely silent.
âMash, I can do it alone, donât worry,â you said, a bit puzzled.
âI know. But I do it faster.â
And with that, he took off, running with impeccable balance. At an impossible speed, yet not a single glass moved, even though he held the box with only one hand.
Yes, that kind of thing he could do for any friend, and that was your first thought. After all, it was Mash. Someone who cared deeply about the people close to him, with a heart of gold. But that gesture started happening way too often when it came to you. He was always there to help, always insisting on carrying anything you had, no matter if you needed it or not.
And lately, his interest was obvious every time you spoke.
In class, especially in theoretical lessons, he usually didnât pay attention or simply froze, unable to process so much information. Many times he was paralyzed or distracted, but when he heard your voice...
His head turned immediately, almost ridiculously fast, like an owl. He stared at you every time you answered a question or asked one without shame.
His direct gaze was clear. Yet you always took classes seriously and never noticed his eyes fixed on you.
Somehow, Mash always ended up sitting next to you. Whether it was in the dining hall or the library, it didnât matter if he arrived first or last: the seat next to you always became his.
And if someone came before him and took your usual spot, he didnât stay quiet.
âYouâre in her spot,â heâd say, serious.
âWhat?â the other boy would ask, confused, looking around for someone standing there. âSince when does she have an assigned seat?â
The young boy would chuckle nervously, trying to brush it off, but heâd end up standing up. Because Mash didnât blink, didnât hesitate, and his presence was too firm to argue with over something so small.
Other days youâd bump into him in the school halls or heâd walk with you even if it wasnât the direction he needed to go. It didnât matter if you had different classes or had to go to different places, he was there.
âMash, werenât you going the other way?â youâd ask, raising an eyebrow and pointing to the path he was supposed to take.
âYes, but I can go this way too.â
And well... isnât love just beautiful?
Itâd be even better if Mash could understand what he was feeling.
Because his situation was complicated. His emotions were growing, clear and strong, all directed at you. But he didnât know what to do with them. He had never felt anything like this before. Love always seemed unnecessary, confusing... even ridiculous.
And now it was right there, on him. Without a name.
Thatâs why he needed help.
One ordinary day, students were in their classes. It was the five-minute break before the next lesson and Mash was in his usual seat. The classroom was the only place he didnât sit next to you, because from the start he was assigned Finn as his desk partner.
Mash stared at you while you studied for the exam. An exam he hadnât even heard about. But he didnât care. Not when you were there, so focused, frowning as you read, biting your pencil without realizing it.
âAhhh, Mash!â Finn exclaimed, running into the classroom.
He came in out of breath, hair messy, and a mountain of notes under his arm as if dragged by a whirlwind. His papers scattered halfway down the hall, but he didnât stop to pick them up. He went straight to his seat and collapsed into the chair like he had crossed a desert.
âI forgot there was an exam today! Iâm done for! Iâm going to fail!â he moaned, throwing his papers chaotically across the desk.
He rested his elbows, covered his face with both hands, and slowly slid them down his face, leaving a trail of pure despair.
âI canât, I canâtââ
He didnât make his usual confused comment. Didnât ask âwhat exam?â or seem to enter his classic brain-freeze mode. He didnât even blink.
Finn narrowed his eyes. Something was off.
âMash?â he said, snapping his fingers in front of his face.
Nothing. Still. Like a statue. A statue with eyes fixed in one direction.
He followed the gaze and found you, at your usual desk a few meters away. You had your head down, reviewing your notes, completely unaware of what was going on. Focused, calm. Biting the pen cap without realizing it, like you usually did when studying.
Finn looked back at his friend. Mash didnât blink.
âAre you okay?â he finally asked, lowering his voice, genuinely worried now.
âI think Iâm sick.â
Finn raised his eyebrows in surprise at his friendâs comment, since he had never gotten sick, had amazing defenses, and hearing him admit it was very strange.
Mash kept staring at you. Not even blinking.
âI feel like my heart isnât doing its job,â he said, as if making a clinical observation.
âIt hurts. But not like when you train and your muscles burn. Itâs different. Here,â he pointed at his chest without looking away.
Finn watched him silently. The guy who once accidentally lifted half a ton and went to breakfast like it was nothing... was complaining about pain?
âLike a heart attack?â he asked, already starting to think emergency.
âI donât know. Sometimes it beats faster than normal. Like when I run. But Iâm sitting.â
âDo you have trouble breathing?â
âNo. It only happens when I look at her.â
Finn looked at him. Then at you. Then back at him.
He put his hands on his face, slid them like before, and letout a long, exhausted sigh.
He sighed so hard he almost fell off the chair.
Mash finally looked at him, expecting a medical answer.
Finn smacked his forehead with his palm.
âNo. Well, it depends. But no, itâs not a disease. It means you like (L/n). You like her. You want to be with her. Your heart knows it. You, clearly, donât.â
Mash squinted, thoughtful.
âLike? But sheâs my friend.â
âExactly! Sometimes feelings start there.â Mash stared at him thoughtfully, not very convinced by his answers. It was hard to understand for him
âIâm not sure. Is it like wanting to lift more weight to impress her?â
âNo! Well, yes... a little. Itâs like when you see a cream that shines brighter than all the others. And you only want that one. Even if there are others.â
Mash didnât respond. He looked... confused. As if all the information was new, although it was clearly something heâd felt. He just didnât have the words to name it.
âFinn. How do you study love?â
Finn chuckled and leaned back in his chair.
âYou donât study it. You live it. And youâre doing it, in Mash mode.â
Mash nodded very slowly. Then he stayed still. So still Finn thought he had rebooted.
âIâm trying to feel that heart thing again. To confirm.â
Finn covered his face with his hands again.
âItâs more... when you donât understand what you feel, but you know itâs important. That you want to be with that person for no logical reason. That you care, even when they donât do anything special.â
Finn tried to explain again with all the patience in the world, though he was running out of it. He didnât even know if he had limits. This situation was frustrating him.
Mash lowered his gaze, thoughtful. Then looked back at her.
His heart went bum bum bum again.
ââŠSo, yes. Iâm âlikingâ her.â
Finn finally smiled and sighed in relief. At last, Mash understood it, or half understood.
âAnd now what do I do?â Mash asked curiously. Though his face stayed calm, there was impatience in his tone.
âHmmm.â Finn grabbed his chin and muttered silently, thinking of the best simple answer for him. âDo what you always do. Be yourself. Although maybe donât talk about bench presses the first five minutes.â
Mash nodded. Then stood up decisively and walked straight toward you, with his usual serious face, not knowing he was about to confess something... the Mash way.
While you were still looking at the papers on the table, you felt a presence in front of you, so you looked up and were surprised to see your friend Mash right there.
âOh, Mash. Do you need somâ?â
âWant some cream? Itâs vanilla. I like it a lot. I think I like you too.â