Though Toshinori had assured you that the drama with the interview would quickly pass and that it would be immediately forgotten after the apology aired, you spent most of the time holed up in the apartment.
You continued your training, as you were expected to, and went to the prison multiple times with Sir Nighteye, but your own personal outings were slim to none. You didn't feel comfortable going out just yet, especially when you thought about the picture that had been painted of you by Sonda. You had carefully avoided the internet so that you wouldn't have to see the public's reaction, even though Saffron assured you it was mostly positive. With nothing to do, boredom quickly consumed you. Everyone was too busy to entertain you. Toshinori had taken on an extra workload of patrols in preparation for the fight versus all for one. Your mother and Brienne had only been able to stay an extra day after the interview before they'd gone home for work, so the majority of your time was spent alone in the apartment.
For the first few days alone, you found many things to keep you entertained. Swimming, people watching from the balcony, catching up on more movies you'd missed during your time in the sea, and more swimming.
When those grew tiresome, you searched a bit more desperately for entertainment in any place you could find. You tried Sir Nighteye, Gutman, and even Akemi though they all had lives of their own to attend to.
It became very isolating, trapping yourself in a prison of you own making within the walls of the apartment. It felt like all those years you spent completely alone in the ocean, except then you had the luxury of swimming and going wherever you needed whenever you wanted. Now, social interactions with your friends were a drug you were quickly hitched on. You didn't want to go back to your old hermit ways if you didn't have to.
You longed to step foot outside once again, but you couldn't bear the idea of being alone and facing the paparazzi or crazed fans who hated you because of that first interview. Even getting in a car to go to the prison was a lengthy endeavor, which required hiding the car in a back alley and hiding yourself in glasses and a hoodie cinched up as far as it could go. Everyone had assured you that it would eventually calm down, that they media would forget about you soon enough, but the waiting was exhausting. You needed to find something to entertain you, but you had no idea what.
"You don't have to rush off so fast, Gran Torino!" You'd caught him leaving in the elevator after your training. You pressed your hand against the door of the elevator to keep it from closing. "Why don't you stay here for a while and I could make you some of that Taiyaki you like!"
"Can't. I'm supposed to have lunch with someone downtown at noon. Don't want to ruin my appetite."
"Someone? Like a date? You could bring them here! I could make you something else like daigaku to tide you over until then!"
"This early in the morning? That's too sweet. No thanks, (Y/N). Another day. I've got to go."
"But-" The elevator door began to beep impatiently at you as you held it open.
"Why don't you go take some to Toshinori at his agency? I'm sure he'd like the surprise."
"But-"
"No more butts." He swatted your hand away from the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."
You sighed in defeat and stepped away from the elevator door.
"Fine... See you tomorrow. Have fun on your date..."
You frowned in defeat and slumped down into the barstool at the kitchen island.
You'd have to find something to do, otherwise you were bound to go insane. You could start with a quick shower, which you were obviously in need of after training, but that could only take so long. What else was there?
A movie? No, you were going to get blood clots from sitting around too long.
More swimming? No, the pool was beginning to feel too small for you.
Make lunch? That was an obvious must, but the idea of taking Toshinori lunch tempted you as well.
He really would have loved the surprise, you told yourself. You knew as well as everyone else in his inner circle that his hero work often came at the expense of his own self care. You still had plenty of time to make him something, after a bath of course.
An hour later, you were clean and ready to leave with a large bento box in your hand filled with enough food for you and Toshinori to enjoy your lunch together. You neatly wrapped it in its carrying bag, called to double check with his secretary that he'd be there, and then you set off in the elevator.
The farther down the building the elevator pinged, the farther your stomach dropped.
Up to that point, you hadn't thought about what would be waiting for you at the ground floor. Gutman always did a good job of keeping the press out of the lobby, but outside the front door was another story. You could only assume the paparazzi were waiting outside for you, itching to be the first to catch a picture of you after the news broke about your relationship with All Might.
You imagined the horrific things they'd say about you, about your lack of fashion or pizazz, about the way you carried yourself, about your hand-me-down phone that used to belong to Saffron, or even the more stupid petty things like the color of your clothes. Whatever they could find, they would use to tear you apart.
You swallowed hard as the door to the ground floor opened.
You tried to reason with yourself.
What they said didn't matter, what they thought of you was irrelevant so long as Toshi liked you, their opinion had no bearing on your relationship. Still, the thought of their opinion of you affecting Toshi in any way broke your heart. You couldn't afford to do anything, like tell them to 'fuck off' or flip them off, because all of your actions would reflect on Toshinori. You couldn't stand the idea of hurting his public reputation, even though you knew he and Saffron would have your backs.
You had to play nice. You had to suck up your fears and get out there and just ignore the cameras and everything. You couldn't stay holed up forever.
You took a single step out of the elevator and swallowed. Your eyes scanned the front doors and windows of the hotel and it was much worse than you could've imagined.
Dozens upon dozens of men with cameras strapped to their necks were waiting for you. They'd probably been there for days, waiting to be the first to get that million dollar shot of you making your public debut.
The sight of all of them swarming outside the door had you feeling sick. You couldn't wade through all of those people alone. They'd eat you alive. You didn't have a guard or an escort to guid you through. You were alone.
You turned back around to get into the elevator. Toshinoris lunch would have to wait until he got home. You weren't brave enough. You couldnt-
"Miss (Y/N)?" Gutman called out to you from the front desk. You cringed, caught in the act of fleeing, and turned around.
"Hey, Mr. Gutman." You smiled at him with uncertainty. "How are you today?"
"I'm doing wonderfully. It's nice to see you. You haven't been down in a few days. I was beginning to worry."
"Sorry, I just figured I should leave you alone to do your work."
"I can always make time for pleasant conversation with you, (Y/N). Look, I've been saving these for you when you come down!" He smiled brightly and went into the back room. You felt yourself relax in his calming, grandfatherly presence, but your eyes continued to dart to the people right outside the door who hadn't noticed you yet."
A few moments later, Gutman returned with a small plastic container with large, ripe strawberries in them.
"I got these as a gift from my grandchildren. Aren't they wonderful? I saved two of them for you and me to share!"
The smile you gave him was very genuine, and the kindness he showed you warmed your heart.
"These are beautiful! You don't have to share them with me, though! They're for you, you should enjoy them."
"I find fruit tastes the sweetest when you have nice company," He grinned and began unpacking the two strawberries. "Besides, I wanted to share them with you to celebrate your interview. You looked wonderful."
Shame clouded your features. "Oh, thanks. It was really nerve-wracking."
"You did a wonderful job. I didn't get a chance to watch the recording until last night, but you did great. You must've been very popular to have garnered so much attention outside."
"Oh- I don't know about that." You frowned.
"I do. I bet they all love you. Anyways, lets celebrate your new debut as a star." He handed you the strawberry and gently tapped his to yours. "Cheers!"
"Cheers!" You smiled weekly before you ate the strawberry. It was as delicious as you knew it would be, and the sweet flavor brightened your spirits a bit.
"Now, don't tell my wife I finished these. It's ice cream night. If she hears that I've been snacking she wont wan't me to have my moose tracks."
"Your secret is safe with me," You crossed your heart.
"I appreciate it. Thank you for sharing that snack with me."
"You were right. It really does taste better with nice company."
"Of course it does." He grinned. "Now I won't keep you. It looked like you were off to do something."
"Oh-" The bento in your hands suddenly felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. You looked at the press outside, heads buried in their phones as they waited. "I was actually going to ask you if you could have the driver deliver this to Toshinoris agency. He forgot his lunch today."
"Of course! Would you like to go with him or do you just want in delivered?"
"Um- just delivered please. I have some things to do." You handed the bento over the counter to Gutman.
"Of course. If you change your mind, the driver should be back in twenty minutes."
"Thank you, Gutman. And thank you for the strawberry. It was great!"
"Any time. Maybe I can tell my grandchildren that I lost them so they can buy me more."
"Sounds like a good plan," You laughed and made your way back to the elevator.
Even within the walls of the elevator you didn't feel any relief. Instead, a deep and all consuming regret filled you.
You headed straight for your room and flopped down on your bed in defeat. Maybe today just wasn't the day to face the press. Maybe if you waited a few more days they'd lose interest.
You sighed and closed your eyes. Sleep would make everything better. Sleep always made things better. A nap would help keep the regret at bay until Toshi got home. That was your only option.
A few minutes later, just as you were on the verge of dozing off, your phone began incessantly buzzing. With a grown, you blindly reached over and snatched it off your pillow.
"Hello?" You grunted.
"Darling, how did the interview go?" Chiara's voice was not one you'd expected on the line, but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless.
"Not- not great..." You admitted, unsure of which version of the interview she'd seen.
"What do you mean? You looked absolutely dazzling in my suit. The stitching, the colors, your makeup: it was all flawless."
"Did you watch the interview?" You asked incredulously.
"Of course I did! I just didn't happen to catch what you were saying, though I doubt it was that important. We both know they feed you the same cookie-cutter trash as every other couple they interview." She teased. You could hear the whirr of a sewing machine in the background and the distinct click of her heels as she walked through her studio.
"They edited everything I said to make me look really bad..." You divulged. You weren't sure why you were telling her, but it felt good to voice your problem to someone who hadn't witnessed the whole disaster go down. "Saffron took care of it and they issued an apology, but I'm sure that people are pissed."
"I see... Do you know these people who are 'pissed'?"
"I mean... not really." You sighed, "I'm sure that's just the general consensus of the public after what they saw."
"But you don't know these people personally, correct?"
"I don't."
"Then what does it matter? You got your man, you've got my beautiful designs. What more could you want?"
"I'm just worried if I go out people will say something nasty to me, or that I'll reflect poorly on All Might."
"All Might has bigger fish to fry than these internet nobodies. You care too much about what other people think, my dear. It has to be draining."
"It is, but-"
"No 'buts'. If you spend all your time worrying about making sure everyone likes you you'll forget to make sure that you're a person you like. There's bound to be people out there who don't like you. It's a fact of life, darling, and no one knows it better than me. People say my designs are 'too beautiful' or 'too perfect' but do I care? No. They're my designs. I don't hide in my loft and quit designing, I press on. I live my normal life. And when people criticize me? I stick up my middle finger at them and walk away."
"That's easier said than done."
"Of course it is, but like all good things it takes practice. You won't be able to stop caring what other people think overnight, but with time and persistence you'll find that people's thoughts won't bother you so much. The people who dislike you already have it set in their minds that you're someone worth disliking. Hiding away won't change their minds, why give them more mental energy than they're worth? Go out, be your true self, and fuck anyone who has a problem with that. "
"I suppose you're right."
"Of course I am. I always am. That's why I'm such a good designer."
A small smile turned up the corners of your lips. The weight and dread in your chest didn't feel quite so heavy any more.
"You're a beautiful girl, (Y/N). You shouldn't keep yourself locked away in a tower like rapunzel. Go out and face the world head on, take your gorgeous man on a date and when you're done come visit me. I have more designs for you."
"Alright, I'll come see you this week." You laugh.
"Good. Now, I can- Hey! Youre bunching up the fabric too much! Get over here and-"
The line went dead, and you were once again left alone.
With a loud sigh and a burst of determination, you leapt off the bed and marched to the elevator. You were determined to make it to Toshinori's office if the driver hadn't left yet. You stormed straight off the elevator, head held high, and ignored the dread in the pit of your stomach.
You kept your shoulders back, face straight, and stared directly at the driver outside the door, loading your bento into his sleek black car.
Your eyes were trained directly on him, not looking at anything or even acknowledging anything in your peripheral vision.
He saw you as you powered through the lobby, rushed past Gutmans desk, and burst out the front door of the hotel.
The fresh air felt good on your face, and seeing the outside of the front of the building for the first time in months felt amazing. The driver opened the door for you and you slipped in. Once the door was finally closed behind you, you breathed a sigh of relief and allowed yourself to look at the paparazzi out the black tinted windows.
To your shock, no one was there.
"Excuse me..." You started as the driver pulled away from the hotel and into the street. "Where did everyone go?"
"The people with cameras?"
"Yes."
"There was some incident outside of All Mights agency. A big fight or something. They all rushed to be first on the scene."
"A fight? Is he okay?"
"I'm not sure, miss. I was assuming you were going to check on him."
"I am now! Step on it!" You urged him, panic flooding your chest.
As requested, the driver rushed through town and towards All Mights agency, not stopping for anyone or anything.
You could see his agency as it came into sight, with dozens of cars, police vans, and press swarming the building. Thin plumes of smoke drifted into the sky and you swallowed, getting out of the car before it was even parked. Gridlock traffic was piled all the way to the agency, and though the destruction wasn't bad, it was enough to scare you. Crumbled streets, broken glass stoor fronts, a few smashed and smoking cars. Everything was chaos as you ran on foot to the agency.
People were shoulder to shoulder with cameras, capturing and reporting on the scene as you pushed your way through and up to the front door.
You had to see Toshi, had to make sure he was okay. There wouldn't be this many people here if something hadn't gone wrong, and you couldn't stand not knowing how he was.
You pushed aggressively through the crowd, ignoring those who protested or called out to you. You barreled straight to the front door, where guards were keeping everyone at bay.
"Let me in." You demanded once you were at the front of the hoard.
"Sorry, maam. All Might's Agency isn't taking any interviews today."
"I'm not a reporter." You reasoned. "I work here."
" Still. No people are coming in. Everyone's been sent home for the day"
"You have to let me in. I have to make sure he's okay." You pleaded.
"You don't have any business there." The guards turned their heads to ignore you. "Come back for your shift tomorrow."
"I'm his girlfriend, you asshole! Let me in or I'm calling Saffron and she'll rip you a new one!" You hissed, desperately inching forward and ready to make a break for it into the building. You couldn't spy anyone over their shoulders in the front lobby, it looked abandoned.
The people around you hushed, and suddenly all eyes were on you.
"Shit dude, I recognize her from the interview. She's serious."
"Oh- I didn't realize- Sorry-" The guard stepped aside and opened the door for you.
Suddenly, as you stepped forward into the building all hell broke loose. People began screaming your name, cameras flashed all around, and the crowd of press surged forward towards you, only stopped by the guards and the doors to the agency that closed behind you. You didn't pay them any mind, and instead rushed towards Toshinoris office. The people left in the building were few and far between. Only a few more important people and a stray hero or two doing damage control on the phones and bandaging their own wounds. You rushed past all of them unnoticed and booked it toward the door at the end of the hall. You burst in without knocking, desperate to see Toshinori.
"All Might!" You called, out of breath from running. He was sitting at his office desk, tattered and dusty but entirely in one piece. Dr. Kakinomoto was working on a small cut on his arm, but he otherwise seemed in good health.
"(Y/N)," Toshi seemed alarmed, though pleasantly surprised to see you. "What are you doing here?" " I was coming to bring you lunch, but I heard about the attack and wanted to check to make sure you're alright."
"Thank you, doctor," He dismissed him so he could focus on you.
"Of course. Lovely to see you again, (Y/N)." The doctor smiled as he left and closed the door behind him.
You rushed forward once you were alone to carefully inspect him. Your hands cupped his jaw, trailed down his neck and to his shoulders. You fingered the torn and burnt bits of his suit and checked for bruises and bleeding, but found nothing aside from the cut on his arm.
"I'm okay, darling." He reassured you with a hand on your waist. You pressed your forehead to his and closed your eyes, grateful to see that he was okay. His arms wrapped around you and he pulled you close.
"What happened," You asked, "Why are there so many people out there?"
"Someone attempted to knock down the building. They had an explosion related quirk or something. Set some detonators around the area and... well... We thwarted them but he managed to bust up the street a bit. Things like this always stir up the news."
"But everyone is okay?"
"Everyone is perfectly fine."
"Alright..." You sighed in relief. Toshi chuckled and pressed a kiss to your forehead.
"I'm glad to see you were so worried about me. I'm sorry it ruined your surprise lunch plans."
"I think I left the bento in the car anyways," You admitted and gave him a kiss to his nose.
He smiled and planted a delicate kiss to your lips.
"Well, we could always go get it." He smiled. "I'm starving."
"And face the crowd outside? I'd rather eat something from the vending machine."
"I'm honestly a bit surprised you left the apartment. I figured you'd become a permanent fixture in there." He teased as he trailed delicate kisses down the column of your throat. You tilted your head back to give him better access.
"Chiara convinced me."
"Good. I was ready to pry you out if I had to." He nipped at the juncture of your shoulder and neck.
"I'd like to see you try." You hummed and smoothed your hands over the muscles of his broad shoulders.
His hands slid down to your thighs and swiftly pulled them up over his lap so you straddled him. It was a stretch, with how wide and muscled his thighs were, but you managed.
"I can be quite persuasive," He murmured against your collarbone. He used his finger to tug down the neckline of your shirt just enough to leave teasing kissed across you chest, just above the swell of your breasts.
"Toshi- not here!" You blushed and swatted him away.
"Why not? No one is here." He leaned forward to nip at your skin, leaving a small mark.
"Because! There's so many people outside. It feels like they're watching."
"But wouldn't it be fun to rip apart the remains of my suit?" He teased. You felt your face flush a deep red and you saw his confident, smug face turn to fear as he worried he'd crossed a line.
"Toshi!" You laughed and pushed him away. "Control yourself!"
"Sorry (Y/N). I don't know why I said that- I- Shit. I'm sorry." He relented.
"It's okay." You laughed. "I just didn't expect something so indecent to come out of your mouth.
"Sorry- I don't know what came over me." He rubbed his face with his hand.
"It's alright. You must be deliriously hungry. Let's get out of here and see if that bento is still in the car."
"Are you sure? Are you ready to face the hoards of hungry press down there? I'm sure your entrance gave them a lot to talk about."
"I'm not ready, but I don't think I ever will be. So lets just go." You smiled.
"If you say so," He smiled.
You got off of Toshi's lap and took his hand. It wasn't going to be easy to navigate the press, but just like with everything else up to that point, it'd be easier if you faced it together.
(Sorry about the formatting of this chapter. Idk why but when I copied it from google docs it pasted really funny. Also I didn't really reread or edit it because I'm lazy. The doc itself is almost 750 pages, which is wild. We're nearing the end, ya'll! Buckle up, because it's gonna be a wild and bumpy ride.
PSA. There will be some light smut moving forward. Nothing kinky, nothing too graphic, but pretty suggestive. Chapters that have smut will be marked with an asterisk ****** And I'll section off the smutty parts so that you can avoid it if you want. Also, please only read or interact with the smut if you're 18+. I can't really stop you from reading it, but please don't leave comments and junk if you're a minor. It makes me really uncomfortable when minors comment 'naughty' stuff on my work. I try to keep it clean so everyone can enjoy it, but I wanna add a little spice in there. Don't make me take it down please :)
Hope you're all having a good summer (if it's summer where you live like it is for me) and are staying cool. Thank you also for sticking with me even though the updates are inconsistent and far between. We're nearing the end soon :)