Toshi was surprised to feel the warmth of your sleeping body nestled within his arms that morning, and he was even more surprised when he realized the two of you were in his bed. Brief snippets of last night replayed in his head as he studied your face. It was all hazy from his drug induced state, but he remembered the important parts: he'd kissed you. One of the two of you must've confessed, and it apparently went better than he'd ever expected, and now he lay with you sleeping against his chest, your soft hands holding on to him as you dreamt.
Toshinori smiled in utter delight, adjusting you so he had clear access to your face. He pressed his lips against your forehead once, then each of your cheeks, your eyelids, your nose, and finally he placed a gentle kiss against your lips. He was on cloud nine, and as soon as you woke up he planned on giving you as many kisses as you'd allow him.
You stirred slightly, your long lashes blinking against you cheeks as you woke. You stared at him through half-lidded eyes for a moment, and then as you realized the compromising position the two of you were in, your eyes grew wide with embarrassment and utter shock and you started to pull away from him.
The look on your face was not at all what he was expecting. The wheels finally began to turn in Toshinori's head as memories flooded back to his mind. He had kissed you. No confession, no consent, nothing. He'd kissed you against your will after saying all sorts of foolish things to you. He imagined how much you must've hated it and his body filled with dread and utter humiliation. He released you from his arms and pulled away awkwardly.
"Uh... good morning!" He quipped, voice cracking just a little.
"G-Good morning, Toshinori." You stuttered, your face more red than he'd ever seen it. You wouldn't look at him or meet his eyes. You were feeling utterly humiliated and embarrassed. You could tell Toshinori obviously regretted the kiss you'd shared last night, if he even remembered it, and now the energy in the room was awkward at best.
"Do you feel any better?" You asked, wiggling out of his arms and turning away so he couldn't see the bloom of burgundy spreading through your face.
"I feel much better..." you heard his voice crack again, "T-thank you... for helping me. And- everything." He carefully skirted the subject of last night. Guilt filled his core. He would never be able to forgive himself for assaulting you. He wanted to apologize outright, but it was obvious you were humiliated. Apologizing could potentially humiliate you further. He was at war with himself, deciding what the right thing to do would be. He didn't even realize he'd been sitting there, stewing, until you turned your attention back to him for a minute.
Embarrassed as you were, You'd promised yourself that you'd do whatever it took to earn his love and figuring out just how much of last night he remembered was the first step of many. "You alright, Toshi?"
"I-oh. Yes, I'm sorry. I was lost in thought."
"Oh... good." You sat in more awkward silence, unsure of what to say. Was now an appropriate time to confess? Probably not. The mood was definitely much too awkward for that. Perhaps later. You could make him dinner, make it romantic. You knew the best way to Toshi's heart was through his stomach. You could use that to your advantage.
"(Y/n)?" Toshinori began tentatively, his voice softer than you'd ever heard it.
"Y-Yeah, Toshi?"
"I'm sorry about last night... about... kissing you," he choked out the words. He swallowed the lump in his throat and continued. "It was awful of me. I shouldn't have- I- I have no excuse."
You sat in stunned silence for a moment. You honestly hadn't expected him to remember, let alone bring it up.
You chose your words carefully. "I-it's okay, Toshi. I- I didn't mind." You admitted bashfully. He felt his heart leap into his throat. You didn't mind?
Did that mean... you enjoyed it?
"Oh- uh- I did too. From what I remember. Again... I'm sorry. I should've behaved better."
"It's alright, Toshinori. I forgive you. And you don't have to worry about me telling Audioma-"
"Audioma?" He interrupted. "Why would she care?"
Now was the best opportunity he could spot to set things straight about their relationship. Luckily, you took the bait.
"Well, with you two dating and stuff-" you fished.
"We're not dating." He stated bluntly. "And I have no interest in her."
"O-oh!" You stuttered, trying to hide the apparent delight on your face and in your voice. You felt so relieved that you had been misreading signs. Days of stress and worry melted away from you. Your way to Toshi was becoming more and more clear.
"She is just a business acquaintance. You don't have to worry, (y/n)" he smiled and ruffled your hair.
"Why would I be worried?" You tried to sound nonchalant.
"Oh, no reason." He was beaming now. He'd definitely caught your smile at his single status, and you had said you hadn't minded him kissing you. Things couldn't possibly have gone much better. He internally thanked the villain who'd stabbed him and inadvertently set these events in motion. He decided to test his luck. "Anyways, how was your date with Akemi?"
"It was okay... We had pizza and watched a movie. It was fun... but-"
"But what?"
"I-I think he's better as just a friend..." You confessed after sitting and pondering your time with him last night.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure there's someone out there for you."
Like me, he thought to himself.
He decided to try his luck one final time, just to see how far this lucky streak would take him. "How about I take you out to dinner tomorrow night to thank you for all you've done for me and to get your mind off of it. Somewhere i've been wanting to take you for a while."
The blush in your cheeks that was just starting to diminish came back in full force, an ecstatic grin spreading across your face.
"I'd love that."
"Great! It's a date!" He choked out, his signature grin beaming that much brighter. "How about I pick you up after your outing with Saffron?"
"My outing with Saffron?" You asked. As far as you knew, you didn't have any plans with Saffron.
As soon as Toshinori realized his mistake he slapped his hand over his mouth. He wasn't supposed to tell you. Saffron was taking you to get your dress fitting that day, which they knew would be an uncomfortable experience for you, so they decided to surprise you last minute before you could protest.
"It's- nothing. I lied. Whoops!" Toshinori stammered. "We should probably get up and get some training in! I have a patrol soon and- "
"What? No! Toshinori, you tell me what you meant about 'plans with Saffron'! Is something happening I don't know about??"
He tried to ignore you, to heave himself out of bed and head to the gym, but you were on him in an instant, shooting out of the white bed sheets like a leaping on top of him faster than he thought you were capable of moving. You effectively pinned him down and demanded he tell you what he had meant by his comment. It was panic induced on your part, something you wouldn't have dared do under normal circumstances, but in the moment you didn't even think about how indecent it was. Toshinori absolutely did, however. He felt his face flush. He could have easily thrown you off, but he thought your attempt was just too cute. Plus, he loved the physical closeness. He had to let you stay there, perched upon his lap.
He looked away and sighed. His resolve when it came to keeping secrets wasn't the best, and he was honestly surprised he was able to keep himself from telling you about One for All after the few weeks you'd spent together.
"Saffron made an appointment for you to go together and get a dress for the findraiser. If you're still willing to go with me, that is..." He phrased it carefully.
"Oh god..." You rolled your eyes and groaned, burying your face in your hands. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"We thought you wouldn't want to go!" He defended himself.
"I don't wanna go!" You exclaimed. "Trying on clothes is the worst but this- there's so much pressure with this."
"Chiara is a very nice designer. She'll take very good care of you!" He sat up so you were fully straddling his lap and he put a reassuring hand on your back.
"Why can't I just wear a dress from a normal store?" You pouted, crossing your arms in front of you and averting your gaze from him. There were so many underlying reasons for not wanting to go: The social anxiety that came along with meeting a designer, having to try on different dresses and be measured, the huge price tag that you knew would be attached to any of the things you tried on.
"Saffron has really been looking forward to doing this with you," He attempted to guilt you into it. "Plus, you look so stunning every day, I can't wait to see how radiant you look in a designer outfit made just for you. You don't even have to wear a dress! I'm sure if you asked Chiara would make you a cool suit."
You let out a deep sigh and hung your head in defeat. You knew there was no getting out of it, but that didn't make it any much more pleasant.
"Are you sure you wanna go with me, Tosh? Saffron would look so much better in a dress... or- or literally anybody else." Amongst the stress and anxieties of having to try on a dress, a small bit of self loathing was nestled away in the deepest parts of your brain. All of the self doubt you'd had for weeks was accumulating, and small bits of it were beginning to slip through as you let your guard down. It told you you didn't belong at Toshinoris side. You didn't belong as his guest and date at a fancy party. You were nothing special. You were plain, not used to such large parties, you'd be a sea urchin among a school of radiant tropical fish and Toshi would be the radiant rainbow fish, while you would be a mere barnacle at his side. No amount of fancy dresses or dolling yourself up could change how you viewed yourself compared to him: plain. You weren't a hero, a celebrity, a rich influencer. Hell, a month ago you didn't even have a bed to sleep in. Toshi would've been much better off with someone else.
Toshi could see the way your lip quivered, the way your face twisted as you went to war within your own mind. He knew the tell tale signs of self doubt, having experienced much of it himself, and he knew he had to help however he could. Without any words, Toshinori pulled you against him into a tight hug. He rubbed your back as you buried your face in his neck. Letting out a deep sigh, you pushed aside the troublesome thoughts in your head and focused on your goal. No matter how you thought about yourself, Toshi must've seen at least something in you. It's time you saw it too.
"There is no one I'd rather spend my night with than you, (y/n). It'd be an absolute honor if you accompanied me. If you don't want to get a dress from a designer I understand. I won't push you."
You sighed again and leaned back to look at him. You couldn't help but smile a bit when you saw the half grin on his face as he admired your features, Which grew until you rolled your eyes at him and beamed from his blatant admiration of your face.
"Alright, fine. I'll go! What time is Saff picking me up?"
She picked you up after you'd done your daily training with Toshinori. Gran Torino was still absent, to your pleasure. Even if Toshinori had been on the brink of death the night before, he showed no signs of it during your training when he relentlessly fought against you. For once, you felt confident as you nimbly dodged his blows, hopping around his fist each time he lunged at you. You even managed to land a solid blow to his side, which was cushioned by the protective gloves you now wore during your training. The two of you engaged in a back a back and forth mock battle that left you feeling almost satisfied when you were done. It was day and night from the other day, when you could barely dodge any of his blows. Perhaps it was just the high you were still riding from the night before, or maybe you really were getting the hang of the whole combat thing. You certainly weren't on the same level as a pro hero, but maybe a hero in training, or a hero course student.
There was some sort of tension between Toshi and you the entire time you fought. Not one fueled by anger or fear, something different.You could feel it with each brush of Toshinori's skin against yours, every time you caught each other's gaze with an embarrassed smile, each time he had you seemingly trapped against his body as you fought, only for you to break away with a deep red blush in your cheeks.
When training was finally over, and Toshinori had left for his patrol while you were cleaned yourself up, Saffron texted you to let you know she was picking you up for 'something special'. You hated to break it to her, but you already knew what that special something was. You didn't let her in on how much you were dreading it, but she could assume.
She picked you up in a luxurious black car, one with fancy leather seating and a more intricate radio than you could figure out how to work. She looked as fabulous as ever, with thick cat eye sunglasses that stood out against her freckled face. Bright red lipstick complimented her vibrant orange hair, and the sharp black and white dress she wore made her look like a movie star.
"Morning, (Y/N)," She chirped, taking a sip of her iced coffee.
"You look like you're about to go to your billionaire husbands funeral," You quipped, sliding into the passenger seat.
"What makes you think I'm not?" She peered over her glasses at you, lips upturned in a mischievous smile.
"Something tells me Camilla wouldn't really like being the other woman. Plus, I don't think I'm appropriately dressed for a funeral." You gestured to your outfit, something nicer than what you'd normally wear but still pretty casual. You weren't exactly sure what someone should wear to visit a top designer, so you figured something midline would work best.
"Oh, my dearest husband Rupert!" Saffron pressed the back of her hand to her forehead in fake distress. "How I will miss him! His legacy will live on in his fat bank account he left to me!"
"Very convincing. I'm sure the cops will believe you when they investigate how he died."
"Let's be honest with ourselves, dear. It's not like I need to marry a rich man for his money. I worked for my fortune." She beamed proudly.
"That you did, Saffron. Maybe I can marry you for your money, then."
"Alright, I'll have to let Camilla down gently, then. Just don't kill me, alright?"
"No promises," You smiled.
"Wait a second! You don't even need me. You already have a sugar daddy!"
"What? What are you talking about?" You galked.
"Toshinori! He's totally your sugar daddy!"
"Ew! Don't say that!"
"Why? It's true!"
"It's a professional relationship! He's paying me! It's not like that. Don't make it sound so gross."
Saffron rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say. Speaking of your relationships with gorgeous men, how'd your date with Akemi go?"
You spit out the little sip of coffee you were stealing from her cup as you coughed, totally caught off guard.
"My date? It kinda got cancelled," You admitted, wiping the coffee off of her leather seats.
"What? No way! Did it have anything to do with that medical bill I got from the doctor this morning?"
"Kinda. Toshi got injured, so I missed the date while I was helping him. Akemi was totally chill about it though. He came over later and brought pizza... and cinnamon squares!"
"Cinnamon squares? He must really like you." She teased, "What'd you do afterwards?"
"We watched movies... talked..." You trailed off, a deep blush creeping in to your face. You turned away from her.
"Wait... I know that look!" She peered at you, face breaking out into a shit eating grin. "You totally banged last night, didn't you?! Oh my god! And while Toshi was dying in bed! Scandalous!"
"What?! No! We totally didn't! Jesus, Saff, eyes on the road!"
"Shit, sorry. Well if that didn't happen what did? Something totally happened! I can tell!"
You sighed and picked at the hem of your pants. "We may or may not have kissed..."
"Oh my god! Get it, (Y/n)! How was it?!" She was beaming, practically vibrating in her seat as she jumped up and down.
"It was okay I guess..."
"You guess? I know that face... you're not telling me the whole story! What happened?"
You cursed how observant she was. You knew she'd get the info she wanted out of you one way or another, so you rolled your eyes and confessed. "Toshi kissed me too..."
"WHAT?" She practically screamed, momentarily veering into the other lane of traffic.
" JESUS SAFFRON! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL US!" You yelled, grabbing on to the middle console of the car and holding on for dear life.
"Sorry! Sorry! I'm in control now. Tell me what happened!"
"He was kinda hopped up on painkillers when he did it... but it was great... and then this morning we talked about it and he said he was taking me on a date tonight."
"A date!?!? Holy shit, (Y/N)! Why didn't you call me as soon as he asked? Things are happening so fast... I'm thinking pink and orange for your wedding colors. He would insist on white, red and blue, like his suit, but that's so tacky-"
"Woah! Slow down, Saff. It's just a date. Probably not even a real date. Don't get ahead of yourself."
"I can't help it! You guys would make the best couple. At least let me help you pick out an outfit for your date. I bet he's gonna take you somewhere real nice. I can almost hear him calling me now: 'Saffron, the best manager and personal assistant ever, I need you to get me reservations to the most exclusive restaurant in town!" She imitated his voice while you laughed along.
"Well, if he does call try not to pick anything too expensive, alright? I hate it when he spends money on me."
"Then you're gonna hate how much this dress is gonna cost..." Saffron mumbled under her breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing! Let's turn on some music. It's too quiet."
The rest of the drive went down without much more theatrics from Saffron, save from her complaining about how terrible the traffic to the next town over was. You'd only been to this town a handful of times, and each time you were absolutely enthralled by the glitz and glamor of the fashion district. Everyone looked primped and polished, like models straight off of the runway. Saffron looked like she'd fit right in here, but you suddenly felt very out of place.
As Saffron drove deeper into the city you saw a large white building off in the dead center of town, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of reporters and paparazzi.
"What's happening over there?" You asked Saffron.
"Oh, that's Adache tower. He's having a business summit today. He's actually the man hosting the gala you're going to."
"Really? What does he do?"
"He has a quirk that allows him to turn anything into some sort of precious gem or material. Kind of like King Midos. He dabbles in fashion, but I think jewelry is his main source of income."
"I can see how that'd be lucrative."
"Yeah, but there are rumors that his actual money comes from less... savory... places."
"Like... with villains?"
Saffron hushed her tone, as if someone else in the empty car was going to hear her. "I've heard that he can take people out without leaving a trace... like turn them into a huge chunk of diamond or something, then he can cut them up and sell them off."
"Why would Toshi let him keep doing this? Or even go to his gala?"
"I think it's because taking down such a high profile person without any actual proof that he's done anything could be really hard... All Might needs concrete evidence before he can do a raid or anything like that with the police. It's different than taking down a villain blowing up cars in the street."
"I guess so... so does he go to the Gala just to pretend he's not on to him? Or to keep an eye on him?"
"A little bit of both. You'd be surprised how often he has to do that. Villains get cocky when they think the symbol of peace isn't paying attention. Adache is bound to slip up at some point."
"I guess so..." You shuddered. If the gala wasn't intimidating on it's own, the fact that the host was a villain certainly was. Hopefully you wouldn't have to speak with him.
"Alright, we're here!" Saffron announced as she pulled up to a large black building. The entire structure screamed 'Couture' with its large black windows, sharp angles, and funky shapes. A large abstract sculpture sat atop a large water fountain, illuminated by bright lights built in to the concrete base. Smartly dressed employees hustled in and out of the building, rushing to wherever their jobs took them.
Two men approached Saffrons car and opened both the doors. The one to open your door offered you his hand as you stepped out from the vehicle.
"Greetings, Miss (Y/N), Miss Saffron. Chiara has been waiting for you."
"I hope she wasn't waiting long. Traffic was dreadful," Saffron griped as she handed her keys to the valet.
"Of course, it always is around here. Especially because of the business summit at Adache towers."
"I hope for your sake it doesn't get too much crazier, Claude. Come on, (Y/N). Let's not leave Chiara waiting." Saffron instructed you, linking her arm with yours and leading you straight into the heart of the building. It was obviously she was very familiar with everyone here. She and Toshinori must've been frequent patrons. You, on the other hand, were an unknown. The only person wearing something not black tie, and with colors to boot. People stared at you curiously, wondering why you were in a place you so obviously didn't belong. You felt yourself shrink against Saffron as she talked to the receptionist, who completely ignored you as she led you into a large glass elevator. You traveled in silence to the very top of the tower, where you were let off into a large expanse of white.
The room was surrounded by bright windows on every side, giving a perfectly unobstructed view of the city below. The entire floor was flawless white marble, and the furniture itself, as sparse as it was, was sculpted out of a similar color and material. It was all very bland, if you were being honest, but that just made the woman standing in the center of the room stand that much brighter.
She her dark skin was contrasted by neon pink hair, white lipstick, and an outfit that looked like pieces of the sun itself were used to create it. The bright orange pantsuit was accented with yellow and pink details, all of which were intricately and perfectly designed. The entire ensemble took your breath away with the way it radiated throughout the room, filling every nook and cranny of the blank floor with a kaleidoscope of brilliant colors. Her personality was no less bright, as within the few seconds you saw her you could tell how much confidence and pure class she exhumed.
"Saffron, my dear!" She purred in a thick italian accent, rushing up to greet her.
"Chiara, you're looking as lovely as ever. I love the pantsuit" Saffron smiled, planting a delicate kiss onto each of her cheeks.
"It is my duty to be an oasis of color in a world that believes fashion can only come in shades of black." She scoffed, turning her attention to you. "You must be All Might's date for the big event. I am Chiara."
"It's nice to meet you," You squeaked, taking her outstretched hand and shaking it.
"(Y/N) is working for All Might's hero agency for a few months. She's in charge of recruiting new heros." Saffron lied casually.
"Ah, of course! And now you have the honor of attending that god awful Gala with him. I'm so sorry for you," She teased. "Come, let me see what I have to work with."
The designer rushed away to a small block in the center of the room and gestured for you to stand on it. You followed obediently, with Saffron right at your heels.
"Chiara hates Mr. Adache more than anyone in the world. I'll tell you more later..." Saffron whispered into your ear. You nodded to acknowledge her comment and stepped up on to the podium as instructed. You suddenly felt very exposed, but as Chiara looked you over you didn't feel judged. She paid no mind to the plain clothes you were wearing, instead looking you up and down as if you were a piece of clay she was going to sculpt. She produced a tape measure from her pocket and began to take down measurements for you. You stood rigidly still, trying not to move the slightest so you wouldn't mess her up.
"Have you ever been measured before?" Chiara asked as she bent down to measure your legs.
"Uh- no. Not really. I just usually shop at the store. I asked All Might if I could do that but-"
Chiara cut you off with a bark of raucous laughter. "Hah! An associate of All Might's going to an Adache fundraiser in a store bought dress? I'd never allow it. How is he supposed to know how much more skilled I am if I don't send the world's top hero in my designs every year?"
"Oh... Uh- I'm sorry." You stuttered as she finished taking the measurements around your waist.
"Oh it's fine, my dear. I'm simply teasing- mostly. I look forward every year to making All Might's suit for this gala. When he asked me to do yours I was ecstatic. I need fresh material. Things around here can be so boring!"
"I'm glad I could help," You smiled.
"Now, I've got your measurements, time for the fun part. Picking colors and materials. Now, this hair is just too gorgeous for me not to do something with." She announced as she took some of it into her hands, moving it this way and that to look for the undertones in the light. She let your hair go, then beginning to circle around you again. "Your complexion is lovely as well. We could really do any color, but it's been a while since I've done a statement piece. You don't seem like a limelight kind of person, so I'll try to control myself, but this opportunity is just too good to pass up. Tell me, what is your quirk?"
"When I'm in water I get a tail... and I can sing hypnotic songs..." You humbly explained.
"I have pictures, if you'd like to see them, Chiara." Saffron piped up, holding out her phone. You glared daggers at her as the designer went over to look. When did she take pictures? Was I naked???
"Oh, this is just gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous! Oh, I've never seen such a magnificent looking quirk. Have you ever considered modeling?" Chiara gasped, turning back to you. "Now the colors might be a bit much for a gala, so I think I'll incorporate the shape of your tail into the dress. A long, flowy train would be stunning. Oh! And sequins to reflect the scales... Something like this perhaps?" Chiara held out her forearm as black fabric began spilling from her wrist. It appeared that she was creating her own fabric with her quirk. It was plain white in color, but you could see the way the small sequins danced in the light on top of it. The lace pattern was more intricate and detailed you'd ever seen, it almost looked unreal.
"Yes, yes! This will be perfect! Now there's a question of color.... Hmmm... All Mights suits are so boring.... He always wants black with a blue, red, and yellow tie. How tacky! But he's requested his suit match whatever dress I design to you. This opens my options substantially. This hair would really go with any color.... What is in this season... Saffron?"
"What?" Saffron snapped out of her thoughts. It was easy to get lost in the way Chiara babbled to herself, almost as if she was alone in the room.
"What colors are in this season?"
"Oh... Uh- shouldn't you know this?"
"A peacock does not concern herself with the feathers of a dove, Saffron," Chiara retorted.
"Rude. Well, I'm pretty sure rose gold is still hanging on. And camo green."
"Ew- disgusting. Rose gold is just pink. That will likely be what all the other women at the gala will be dressed in. None of that will do. I want you to stand out amongst the crowd1 Make a statement! Rip the spotlight right out from under Adache's stupid little feet! Saffron, show me your lipstick!"
"My lipstick?" She began digging into her purse, pulling out a silver tube of lipstick. "Here you go..."
Chaira opened the tube and inspected the color, looking at it next to the pigment of your skin.
"Oh yes... this will look divine. I think I've got it!" Chiara cheered in delight, giving the lipstick back to saffron and busting herself with creating more and more fabric samples from her wrist, all in different shades of black and crimson red.
"Yes... yes! You'll be so radiant... elegant, show stopping, but mysterious... You will put cinderella to shame! No one has heard of you anyways, everyone will be wondering who the gorgeous woman on All Mights arm is! "
"Maybe his wife by then," Saffron winked.
"Oh, is romance blossoming?" Chiara grinned at you.
"They have a date tonight, Chiara." Saffron divulged as you rolled your eyes.
"A date? And you're going in that? No, no! That just won't do. You're my project now. The model I've been looking for for ages! My dear, this encounter is just the beginning of our relationship. You won't shake me off easily! I can already imagine the underwater line of gowns I could create for you. No. This just won't do. I have to make you something else to wear. One moment please!" Chiara began feverishly working, pulling pins and needles out of her hair as fabric billowed from her wrists. You didn't even have time to protest before she held a new dress before you.
You stood there awestruck as you looked at it, surprised that a quirk could give Chiara the ability to create that in seconds.
"Chiara- I-"
"Go on! Try it on! I'm absolutely dying to see how it looks!"
"I- I can't accept this!"
"Yes you can! I've already made it specifically for you. It won't fit anyone else! Put it on!" She shoved the dress at you.
"But there's no dressing room!"
"We've both already seen you naked! Who cares?" Saffron laughed.
"So that picture was naked? God, Saffron! I have no privacy!" You groaned, reluctantly taking the dress. "At least close your eyes..."
"Yes, yes... Just put the dress on!" Chiara urged, making a big show of turning around.
You sighed and inspected the dress in your hands. It was made of a deep burgundy colored fabric, and the material was soft and stretchy. As you turned it this way and that you could see small crystals etched into the hem of the neckline. They were subtle enough that you couldn't see them normally, but they shone in the light. Hesitantly you peeled off your clothes, leaving on your underwear and bra, and stepped into the dress. Before you'd even finished changing Chiara turned back around to inspect her handiwork.
"Chiara!" You protested, trying to cover yourself up.
"Relax, I've seen many naked women in my days as a designer. Please, allow me to neck the back for you."
You sighed and reluctantly turned around, allowing her to secure the clasp on the back of the neck.
"Good! Perfect, as I anticipated. Look at yourself in the mirror!"
You awkwardly walked over to the mirror in your dowdy tennis shoes, which looked very out of place with such a fancy dress.
The dress wasn't as formal and over the top as you'd anticipated, though the backless part was a bit much. The halter neckline was lightly accented with the stones you'd noticed earlier, and the skirt of the dress was soft and loose, ending slightly above your knees. Your back was almost completely exposed, but the front was much more modest than you were expecting.
"Damn, (Y/N). You look fantastic!" Saffron gaped, coming up to admire the dress. "How come you never make anything like that for me, Chiara?"
"Ever since I saw you at that one book signing in a Gavanci dress!" She spat bitterly. "Traitor!"
Saffron huffed and crossed her arms, unable to argue.
"Back to you, (Y/N). What do you think?" Chiara looked to you for approval.
"It's absolutely gorgeous Chiara, bu-"
"But it's missing something, I know... Hmmm... I know!" With another flick of her wrist more material spilled out of her wrist and she gestured for you to turn around again. You did as she requested and watched in the mirror as she fastened a black lace choker around your neck, complete with a small opalescent pendant in the middle.
You looked in awe and delicately touched the gorgeous jewelry.
"Chiara, this is gorgeous. Really amazing! Bu-"
"No! No more buts. I know you're trying to decline this one of a kind generous gift, but I won't allow it! No! Absolutely not! All Might would insist you take this and I do too!"
"I would listen to her, (Y/N)." Saffron agreed.
You sighed deeply and smiled at her. "Thank you, Chiara."
"Now, back to your dress for the gala: I will have it ready by the gala. Not a day sooner. I need all the time I can to prepare my 'Magnum Opus'!"
"Of course, Chiara. We wouldn't want to rush you. I'll come pick it up when it's ready." Saffron mentioned.
"Good, good. Now if you don't mind, I have another appointment soon. I'm a very busy woman, you know." She said, ushering you towards the door while tossing your clothes into your hands. You sputtered a rushed goodbye and before you knew it you were in the elevator heading to the bottom floor.
"Woah..." Was all you could manage to say, "She's-"
"Intense?" Saffron filled in the blanks for you.
"A little," You admitted, fidgeting with the necklace on your neck.
"She can be, but that could've gone a lot worse. That was a pretty mild interaction with her. You should see when Toshinori is there. The way they argue would give you nightmares. He has absolutely no fashion sense and obviously she has a bit too much."
"Do you think she'll make me a good dress?" You asked nervously as you stepped off the elevator and into the lobby. All heads seemed to snap in your direction, sizing you up in your new outfit.
"Oh, absolutely. Chiara only makes the absolute best. She could turn a potato sack into a masterpiece. Trust me."
"She has a really cool quirk," You added.
"She really does." Saffron replied offhandedly, slipping into the driver's seat of her car and tipping the valet who'd had it waiting for you.
"Alright, next stop; my house. I have some makeup looks I'm dying to try on you."
"Makeup? Do I have to?" You groaned, thinking of your general distaste for it.
"Sorry, babes. You're gonna have to dress to the nines for this gala. That means cramming as much makeup on your face as physically possible."
You groaned in distaste, "You're trying to make this day as miserable for me as possible, huh?"
"Pretty much," She answered smugly.
The rest of the car ride to her apartment was spent mostly in idle chatter. Saffron explained to you, in great detail, the time she had gone to the gala with Toshinori. The gala had a different theme every year, it seemed, and this year the theme was 'garden'. It seemed more simple than you'd anticipated, and you got your hopes up that it might be less of a production than you'd originally anticipated.
When you entered her apartment you noticed immediately that it was much more well put together than the last time you'd visited. There weren't any clothes strewn about the place, no half empty drinks, the smell of alcohol wasn't lingering in the air. It was oddly homey, like something out of one of those posh home decor magazines. Saffrons style was impeccable in both fashion and interior design, it appeared.
"Hey, how was dress shopping?" Camilla greeted the two of you. She was lounging on one of the sofas, a pair of thick rimmed black glasses perched precariously on the tip of her nose as she worked over her laptop.
"Pretty good. She got the full Chiara experience, I think." Saffron snickered, walking over to give Camilla a kiss on the forehead. "How was work?"
"Rin came to school with a bad cold, so I can only imagine she spread it to the rest of the class during snack time."
"Sounds like oodles of fun. Just try not to give anything to me, alright?" Saffron smiled.
"I'll do my best. What are you two up to now? Woah- Nice dress, (Y/N). Is that what you're wearing to the gala?" Camilla finally looked up to acknowledge you.
"Chiara insisted I wear this to my date with Toshinori tonight." You explained.
"Wait- did you say date? Hold the fucking phone, (Y/N). What happened to Akemi?"
"They didn't hit it off, babe. Seriously. Keep up. Toshinori and (Y/N) are made for each other anyways."
"True, true. You might wanna let him know, though. He was texting me about what a great time he had last night."
"I will," You reluctantly agreed. You didn't want to hurt his feelings, but leading him on would've been much crueler.
"We can talk about this later, Cam. I've gotta test out some makeup looks on (Y/N). I think I have the perfect foundation shade for her."
"Alright, alright. Better her than me. Good luck, (Y/N)." Camilla smirked and ran a han through her blue hair as Saffron drug you back into her bedroom. Before you could say much she had you forced into a chair in front of her vanity. She looked over her makeup, pulling out different eyeshadows and lip glosses and holding them up against your skin and dress.
"Now, I think based on what you're wearing right now I'll try and do a subtle smokey eye-" You started to tune her voice out as she babbled, instead pulling out your phone to check your messages.
To your delight, there were a few unread ones from Toshinori, and one from Akemi. You checked the one from Akemi first, guilt eating away at you as you read it.
Akemi: I had a really good time last night. I hope All Might is feeling better today.
You couldn't think of how to respond. You'd had a good time too, but you were also going on a date with someone else later that night. It felt like an asshole move to respond saying you had a great time too, you didn't want to get his hopes up. You settled for sending him a quick update on how Toshinori was feeling and moved on to Toshinori's messages. Saffron was still droning on about her makeup, turning your face this way and that as she dabbed foundation on to you with a beauty blender.
You scrolled through Toshinoris texts, smiling with excitement as your date drew nearer.
Toshinori: Is six alright for dinner tonight?
Toshinori: I made a reservation at a place I think you'll like.
You responded with a quick 'Sounds good!' and smiled to yourself again.
"Hey! Knock it off! We haven't baked yet! Your concealer is gonna crease!" Saffron scolded you.
"Saff, I don't know what any of that means!"
"Don't worry about it. Just hold still!" She instructed you as she pressed some powder to your face.
You couldn't help but laugh as you looked in the mirror at yourself. With the foundation on you had no color to your eyebrows, no color to your lips, no flaws, and basically no discernable blush or differentiation in your skin tone. You looked like a mannequin from a cheap retail store.
"I really hope you can save this, Saff, because I look rough." You snickered. No matter what she did to your face, no matter how bad it was, you took comfort in knowing that you could just wipe it off before your date if need be.
"Trust me. You are in the hands of a master. Things will look worse before they look better."
"I thought you said this was gonna be subtle," You cocked what used to be an eyebrow at her.
"Listen, do you want this date to go well? Do you want Toshinori to worship you for the goddess you are before he takes you home, professes his love to you, and absolutely rails you?"
"SAFFRON!!!" You screamed in protest, the blush in your cheeks still not showing through your makeup as you turned around to smack the top of her head.
"Sorry, sorry! I forgot you're 'Little Miss Innocent'. My point still stands though, I'm gonna make you look even more show stopping than you usually do. You'll be irresistible."
"Just tone it down a little, okay? I still wanna look like me when you're done."
"Alright, alright. I'll lighten it up a little bit," She immediately began abandoning her work, roughly wiping the caked makeup off of your skin. "What time is he picking you up, anyways?"
"Six," You mumbled as she wiped the makeup off of your lips.
"Are you nervous?"
"Incredibly," you said, fidgeting with the hem of your skirt.
"How come?"
"Because I've come this close to confessing so many times, and I think tonight will be the night I finally do it."
"You've got some balls on you, (Y/N). I honestly never thought you'd do it!"
"I didn't think so either, but after the kiss last night I have to or it's going to kill me. He told me today he isn't dating Audioma."
"I assumed he wasn't, since he's taking you on a date. He's not an asshole like that." Saffron began re covering your face in a much lighter layer of foundation, after she'd put some fruity smelling moisturizer on you.
"Well, I just wanted to be sure." You nervously bounced your leg up and down as you spoke, thinking about all the things that could go wrong if you confessed. He could say he wasn't interested, he could kick you out of his house and force you back into the ocean, he could tell you he secretly had hated you this whole time. The possibilities were endless. On the other hand, it could go well, so you needed to hold out hope that he would return your feelings. You'd promised yourself you'd try your best, and confessing was the best way to do that.
"You're gonna do fine, (Y/N). Just don't chicken out. You gotta go in there with enough confidence to kill a man, tell him how you feel, and then I can plan your wedding!"
"You're really hung up on that, huh?"
"Shush, lip gloss time. And yes, I am. I really want to write a book on weddings, but I don't have any experience." She said, painting your lips with a sweet smelling lip gloss.
"So I'm your test subject?" You murmured, checking the time. It wouldn't be too long before Toshinori would pick you up. It was officially time to panic.
"Well, Cam keeps dragging her feet on proposing so you'll have to do. Plus, All Might has so much money. I could throw you a wedding to top all weddings."
"I don't think I'd want a huge blow out wedding, if we were to ever get married, Saffron."
"Damn, you sure are a piece of work, huh?" She smiled, putting the finishing touches on your makeup. She stepped away to admire her work and gave you a nod of approval. "You clean up nice, though. I hope that's subtle enough for you.
To your surprise, it did look a lot more subtle than before, and it certainly felt much lighter. She'd simply exaggerated your best features. Soft grey eyeshadow dusted your lids, while a thin line of eyeliner accentuated your eyes. The minor blemishes on your face were subtly covered up, and a lip gloss a shade darker than the normal tint of your lips topped it all off.
"Color me impressed, Saffron. I don't hate it!" You smiled as she rolled her eyes.
"Oh ye of little faith!" She chided you. Before you could come up with a witty retort, your phone rang: Toshi.
"Oh shit, is he here already?" Saffron asked, looking at the time. It was ten till six, so you should've had a bit more time, but he was early as always.
"Hello, (Y/N)." Toshi spoke as you answered the phone, he sounded almost nervous. " I just wanted to let you know I'm on my way to get you from Saffron's. I'll meet you outside. See you soon!"
"See you, Toshi!" You replied, hanging up and instantly panicking. "He's on his way!"
You started to freak out, suddenly having second thoughts about confessing to him. Confessing was a bad idea, the date was a bad idea! You didn't belong with a guy like Toshinori, there was no way he'd ever return your confession!
"(Y/N), chill. You've got that 'Oh my god, I'm freaking out and not gonna confess' face on. Listen to me: You're gonna tell him how you feel, got it? It's not optional. Life is short, do what you want and love who you want! Now gimme your battle face!" Saffron roared, pumping a fist into the air.
"What?" You looked at her dumbly.
"Nevermind, we'll work on that later. Anyways, we gotta get you some heels and some perfume! You've got a date to go on!"