When you finally left Saffrons apartment you felt like you were a different person. The fancy clothes, stupid heels, fancy perfume, none of it was you. You felt out of your element, but she insisted it was not only good practice for the gala, it was irresistible. You had to admit, as awkward as you felt there was a little bit of confidence that came along with dressing to the nines. That, paired with the multiple pep talks given to you by Saffron and Camilla made you more determined than ever to tell Toshinori how you felt.
As you clumsily walked down to the street in your borrowed heels you saw a black car pull up in front of you. Your heart skipped a beat as Toshinori stepped out the back, a small bouquet of vibrantly colored carnations. Luckily, you weren't overdressed for what Toshi had on. Toshi was dressed simply and nicely with black dress pants, a white button up shirt, and a black vest over top of it. His tie, of course, was in his signature colors.. As his eyes locked on you you saw his cheeks redden as he observed your get up. You swallowed audibly and smiled shyly as you approached him.
"Hey, (Y/N). You look very lovely," He smiled, "Did you have a good day?"
"It was really good. Chiara was very... nice!"
"She sure is something. She called me to tell you how much she loved you. She insisted you model for her, but I think I fended her off for a little bit for you. I can't blame her, though. You do look beautiful... in her designs!" He stuttered, blushing at his slip up.
"Thanks, Toshi. You look really handsome as well. Are you ready to go?"
"Absolutely! Oh- these are for you," He smiled, handing you the bouquet.
"Aw, Toshi! You didn't have to go to all this trouble," You blushed, gently hugging the bouquet against your chest.
"I wanted to make this date special," He smiled as he helped you into the car,"Since you didn't seem to be swept off your feet yesterday."
"Hey! I had a great time with Akemi, I just didn't feel... sparks? Is that corny to say?"
"No, not corny. Well, maybe a little. I hope you find someone you feel 'sparks' with, (Y/N)." Toshi reached across the seat to take your hand in his and wink at you.
Toshinori Yagi was no stranger to wooing women, it was part of his job as a Hero to impress the crowds. Plus, he'd be lying if he said he'd never flirted with fans before. This, however, was different. He actually cared about you, wanted to impress you, wanted to give you the best date of your life and make you feel 'sparks', but would he be able to do that? He hoped so.
You, on the other hand, were completely unsure of what to do. You were somehow living out your fantasies of going on a date with Toshinori, but now that they were becoming a reality you didn't know what to do. Did you flirt? Did you act casual? Your nerves were sky high as you held his hand, bouncing your leg up and down. He didn't release your hand as you traveled to your dinner destination, instead stroking the back of your hand with his thumb as he told you all about his patrol.
It wasn't long until you pulled up in front of a posh looking restaurant, complete with valets stationed at the front. It looked to be part of a five star hotel that could put Might Towers to shame. Toshinori gave you his hand as you stepped out of the car and looked up at the hotel in astonishment. Toshi drank in the sight of you, looking radiant in front of the fanciest hotel in town. You looked like a princess, and he could stay there all day watching your awestruck expression.
"What do you think?" He asked, coming up to place a gentle hand on your back.
"This place is amazing, Toshinori. I didn't realize there was a place bigger than Might Towers in town," You looked at it in wonder. He held his arm out for you and you took it, heading in to the entrance of the hotel.
"Maybe I'll have to consider some renovations, if that's what it takes to impress you," He snickered, leading you into the lobby of the hotel and towards the restaurant. People immediately took notice of the world's top hero, talking in hushed whispers as they observed the two of you.
"You always impress me, Toshi" You patted his forearm. "I just thought this place kind of looked like a castle."
"It kinda does," He observed. "Do you feel like a princess inside of it?"
"Uh, I mostly feel out of place."
"Don't worry, I still feel like that too. Don't worry, I'm right here."
As soon as you entered the restaurant the hostess greeted you eagerly, ushering you back towards your private room. The entire restaurant was filled with curious people, all looking at All Might and the woman he had on his arm. The entire place was the definition of luxury, with a large chandelier hanging over the center of the room. Waiters in suits bustled across the golden marble floor, whisking dishes that smelled absolutely decadent from the kitchen to the tables. You could hear the soft sound of a pianist drift across the room as someone sang a soft song. In the dead center of the room was a large dance floor, where many people were dancing together underneath the light of the chandelier.
"This place seems so fancy, Tosh..." You murmured to him as you made your way through the crowd and to your private room.
"You saved my life, (Y/N)," He whispered to you, "I think this place hardly covers how much I owe to you."
You blushed in embarrassment as you entered the room, once again floored by the absolutely lavish room.
A small, intimate table sat in the very center of the room, with a small bottle of champagne in the center. Rose petals littered the table cloth, and the china perched atop the table looked like it cost more than everything you owned. Toshinori walked over and pulled out a chair for you, pushing it in as you sat down. There was a large glass door to the outside, which housed a large patio and a garden with flowers lining every inch of it. You could hear the music trickle in through the door, but the voices of the other guests in the restaurant didn't follow. It was like you two were the only two people in the entire area. Even the hostess left the two of you alone, and as soon as she was out of sight Toshinori was sitting across from you and holding out his hand for you to take. You eagerly placed your hand in his, giving him the brightest smile you could.
It felt wonderful to be on an actual date with him. Alone. Holding hands. There was nothing that could get in the way of your confession. You just needed the opportune moment.
"All of this is really amazing, Toshi. Thank you for bringing me out here."
"Of Course! I hope you like champagne. Don't go too crazy, though. I don't want to have to deal with your hangover again."
"Do we have to keep bringing that up?" You rolled your eyes.
"It's fun to tease you," he smiled, squeezing your hand reassuringly.
The hostess entered into the room quietly, pouring generous glasses of champagne for each of you and handing you both menus. You couldn't understand what any of it was, all of it so fancy and foreign you weren't even sure if it was actually food.
Toshinori noticed your confused reaction and took that as his cue to help you out.
"It's a set four course dinner, you don't have to worry about picking anything out."
"Oh, okay, sounds good." You said, trying not to sound as uncertain as you felt.
"I've never been to a place like this," you told him, taking a sip of your champagne as he continued holding your hand.
"They all blur together after a while. I would've taken you somewhere else but this seemed the most... private." He averted his gaze. He didn't mean for it to sound like his intentions were so nefarious, but that's how it inevitably came out. He just wanted the time to be alone with you, to get to know you better, to talk to you without prying eyes.
"Well, you've got me all alone in 'private' now," you teased him, "Lets talk about something."
Now was the perfect time to lead up to your confession, you just needed to drop subtle hints and test the water.
"Sounds perfect. What do you want to talk about?"
"Uh- what do people normally talk about on fancy dinner dates?"
"Well, stocks and bonds, their assets, other rich people things. None of that interests me, though. I want to know about you."
"What do you want to know? Don't you have a police file with my information all over it?"
"It doesn't have any of the stuff I want to know."
"What do you wanna know?" You smiled as he squeezed your hand.
"Tell me the interesting stuff. Your favorite color, favorite food, that kinda stuff."
"Well, my favorite color is-"
"Your first course, sir." A waitress came in, placing a plate in front of each of you. It was much smaller than the salads you'd seen before, with only a few pieces of precisely placed on a plate, with a swirl of dressing on the plate.
You thanked the waitress, looking to see how Toshinori reacted to the Threadbare salad.
"Not much, huh?" He asked , gesturing to his plate.
"I knew portions in fancy restaurants were small, but I wasn't expecting two leaves if lettuce." You teased.
"Trust me, it's good. The dressing, at least. There will be more courses shortly."
"I'm just teasing, tosh. I'd be grateful if they served me a saltine cracker and called it a day."
"I promise you'll get more than a saltine cracker. And if you're still hungry afterwards I'll take you to get a burger or something." He released your hand as the two of you started eating, resuming your previous conversation. He asked you question after question in between bites of food that you had to admit was delicious despite its small serving size. The mood in the room was unfamiliar for the both of you. You kept catching each other's eyes while exchanging looks that were much more than friendly. Toshinori would lean across the table and find some excuse to caress your face. He'd brush an eyelash away, pretend to fix a smudge in your makeup, tilt your chin up to look at him. He couldn't seem to keep his hands off of you. He blamed it on the intimate setting, the atmosphere of the whole affair. You were equally guilty, buttering him up with your sweetest smiles, bumping your feet against his under the table, reaching across the space that divided you to place a hand on him. You were trying to play the role of the love interest, something you hoped would ease your way into confessing.
The main course was much more reasonable than the previous two courses, and though you didn't have a choice in what you ate, the food you were given was one of the most delicious things you'd ever tasted. It was filling, unfamiliar, and definitely tasted like it was expensive.
"This is so good, Toshi." You gushed, enjoying the way he beamed with pride. He wasn't sure that you'd like this place or not, but the way you smiled at him proved he'd made a good choice.
"I'm glad you enjoy it. Dessert will be served in a while, if you still have room." He reached across the table to lace your fingers in between his big ones.
You blushed and took another sip of champagne. "I always have room for dessert."
He laughed at that, leaning back slightly in his chair and admiring you. He had a dreamy look on his face as he released your hand, leaning over to push a stray hair off of his cheek with his finger.
"You've asked me a lot of questions tonight, Toshinori. Now it's my turn to ask some questions."
"Alright, hit me!" He smiled.
"Okay, favorite food?"
"You're not gonna ask my favorite color first?"
"I think I already know that," You laughed.
"Alright, well my favorite food is Oyako-Don."
"If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?"
"Like on a vacation?"
"Yeah!"
"Hmmm... I haven't gone to see the cedars on Yakushima in a while. I'd like to go there. But somewhere tropical would be nice, somewhere quiet. I'm in need of a break. Have you ever been on a vacation?"
"I haven't," You admitted.
"We'll have to change that," He winked at you.
You blushed, not willing to argue about how ridiculous that was and ruin the moment. "Moving on from that, why haven't you ever had a girlfriend?" You blurted out without thinking.
"You're not beating around the bush, huh? It's probably because I've never met anyone I was interested. And even if there was someone who was interested, it'd be really dangerous for them. If the public found out... if villains found out it could be dangerous. I couldn't be that selfish."
As soon as he saw your face fall he internally smacked himself. He hadn't meant for it to sound like he'd never date anyone ever, he was just trying to get across the message that he wouldn't want a super public relationship.
"Well, If that makes you happy, Tosh." Anxiety started to set into your mind. What did he mean by that last statement? Was it a hint? Did he not want you as a girlfriend? Was confessing a bad idea? All the mixed signals you were getting was making your head spin. It was almost impossible for you to decide what to do as you sipped the last of your champagne refill. You wouldn't meet his eyes as your brain worked over time on recreating a plan. Maybe tonight wasn't the right night, maybe tomorrow-
"(Y/N)?" Toshi snapped you out of your panic induced haze, "You look a little overwhelmed. How about we get some fresh air?"
Toshinori stood and offered you his hand, gesturing to the garden door with the other. You accepted his hand and he lead you out, the sound of the pianist and the singer following you out onto the patio.
"Wow," you gasped, looking at the entirety of the garden before you. "This place really is a palace."
You stood with Toshinori on a small stone patio, surrounded on all four sides with marble pillars that stretched into the sky, each draped with lights that hung from pillar to pillar. Flowers and vines greedily consumed any flat surface available, covering the walls and fences in a thick layer of colorful foliage. The flowers and bushes growing along the garden were larger than you'd ever seen them grow anywhere else, and some were in such vibrant shades you thought they had to have been painted. Light streamed out from the windows of the ballroom, which had its own exit to a separate patio tucked away from yours. You could clearly head the piano playing, the melodic voice singing along, and you could see the people dancing inside on the ballroom floor. This place was intimate, private. An absolutely perfect place to be alone with him.
"I'm glad you like it so much," Toshi said as he threaded his fingers through yours, watching as you inspected the flowers with delight.
"It really is wonderful, Toshi. I'll never be able to thank you enough for bringing me here."
"You don't have to thank me, (y/n). It's my pleasure."
"I really do love spending time with you," you turned to him.
NOW WAS YOUR CHANCE!!!
"It makes me very happy to hear that..." he opened his mouth to say something more, but he was cut off by the sound of the piano picking up in volume again. You could see the singer step up to the microphone, preparing to sing what was obviously going to be a very slow song. A cellist and a violinist came out to join the two performers, making them a quartet.
"Care to dance?" Toshinori asked you, looking longingly at the other people dancing through the window.
"I- uh- I don't know how," you admitted meekly, looking inside the ballroom windows to gaze at all the people who obviously had much more experience dancing than you did.
"Don't worry, just follow my lead," He smiled encouragingly, holding out his hand for you.
You took it timidly and within a second he pulled you tight to his chest, pressing his hand to your lower back as the quartet began its performance.
You could hear the singer begin his song as the two of you swayed. You were completely alone in the garden, surrounded by flowers and illuminated by the lanterns that were draped from the marble posts all around. Rose bushes stood tall, lining the ceramic stone beneath you. The stars shone brightly above. It was a perfect, warm night.
"You're in my arms
And all the world is calm
The music playing on for only two,
So close together
And when I'm with you
So close to feeling alive,"
You looked up at Toshi, admiring the way his blue eyes shined in the light. He looked down at you, enchanted by the radiance of your features, the way your eyes seemed to shimmer as they looked at him.
"You know, their singing is nowhere near as beautiful as yours," He cooed, the hand he had on your skin gently tracing the small of your back,sending delightful shivers up your spine. You blushed and looked away, heart doing cartwheels as he held you close in a slow dance. You wished the moment could've lasted forever. Your head dipped slightly, leaning against his chest as he took the lead. You closed your eyes, breathing in his scent, memorizing the feeling of his hand on your back, every single detail about that moment you could because you knew it wouldn't last forever.
"A life goes by
Romantic dreams must die
So I bid my goodbye
And never knew
So close, was waiting
Waiting here with you,"
As he looked at you pressed against his body, something in his heart ached, a small sting that nagged at him. Tell her! His heart yelled. Tell her how you feel, you coward!
But he couldn't. You were already in enough danger as it was. Being in a relationship with him... even being the subject of his affection would put a bright red target on your forehead. He'd been at war with himself all day. Today would be the perfect time to confess, but the more he thought about how he'd do it the more he realized nothing could come of it. You'd already been attacked once when you had only known him for a day. A relationship with him would be a death sentence, and as much as is heart yearned to tell you how much he cared for you he knew he couldn't. Even this date was a small luxury he could barely afford. He'd have to be on the look out for prying eyes. The patio was concealed enough that no one would be able to see you, but even then he had to be cautious. He'd have to leave his love unrequited, no matter how much it killed him. You could never know. You could never be together. It would be what's best for you. The fate of a hero was cruel, the sacrifices he had to make to be the number one hero even more unfortunate.
"What's wrong?" You looked up at Toshi, noticing the way his brow furrowed. You reached a hand up and cupped the side of his jaw. The way you looked at him with wide eyed adoration made his heart pang with sorrow. He felt your fingers delicately trace his jawline, and he let out a breathy sigh. His resolve was crumbling.
"Nothing, darling. I just... it's nothing." He sighed again. He reached up to cover your hand with his own, pressing it against his face as he soaked up the warmth from it. He closed his eyes, breathing in the perfume of your skin as your bodies moved together.
"And now, forever, I know
All that I wanted
To hold you so close"
"Toshi," You spoke suddenly, unable to control your words. "I... I've had something I've wanted to tell you..."
He opened his eyes slightly, his face alarmed, were you really going to do what he thought you were? What in the hell was he supposed to do if you were? Reject you? He wasn't strong enough to do that. If he wasn't careful his own confession would begin spilling out, he wouldn't be able to control himself.
"W-Whats on your mind?"
"I... well..." The way your face grew redder and redder was indication of what you were going to say, but all of those well prepared speeches you'd memorized in your head were suddenly gone, and all language seemed to abandon you. "I need to tell you how I feel..."
"How you feel? Are you alright? Are you upset with me?" He asked dumbly.
"So close to reaching
That famous happy end
Almost believing
This one's not pretend
And now you're beside me
And look how far we've come
So far we are, so close"
"No, Toshi... The opposite actually..." You stammered, finally turning to look him directly in the eyes. "Toshinori Yagi... I'm falling for you. I- I have been for a while. I can't help it- you're just so wonderful. I'm the happiest with you that I've been in so long and I- I want you to know how I feel about you."
His eyes opened wide, his heart stopping as he looked at you. You'd laid your hand that was on his face back on his chest, your dance stopping entirely as he pondered your words. Falling for him? He really couldn't believe what you were saying. He'd always hoped that you'd reciprocate his feelings, but could you afford to start a relationship together? He couldn't break his resolve.
"(Y/N), darling... I..."
"I know what you're going to say Toshi... that it's too risky, that I'll constantly be threatened. But I don't care. If that's the cost of being with you... I'll do it.... I'd do anything to be with you, Toshinori. I... I l- really care about you." The words poured out from your mouth like a flood. You couldn't let these feelings fester any more. They grew every day, threatening to consume you whole if you didn't release them, didn't tell him the truth.
He stared at you, flabbergasted, unable to say anything. All his plans, his entire resistance crumbled at hearing those words. He knew what he wanted to say... what he wanted to confess... but could he? Should he?
"Oh how could I face the faceless days
If I should lose you now"
You bit your lip as he remained silent. He wasn't going to say anything. Of course he wasn't. He was All Might. Of course he couldn't have feelings for someone as insignificant as you. You were a fool. Hot tears began to sting your eyes, but you blinked them back, not willing to ruin Saffron's hard work. Even if he didn't love you back, just spending your life near him was enough, even if it was just as his partner in the fight against All for One.
"We're so close to reaching
That famous happy end
Almost believing
This one's not pretend"
"(Y/N)," he spoke finally, pulling your chin to look at him in the eyes. His lightning blue orbs bore into you, gathering the courage to say what he wanted to tell you. His face was inches from yours, his hot breath sending goosebumps all over your skin. "Is this really what you want?"
"Yes," you breathed without hesitation, returning his gaze. Your pulse was beating so fast it was almost audible, a deafening drum amidst the quiet music. You held your breath as he formed a response, still clinging to hope.
"(Y/N)... I don't want to see you hurt... If people know we were together they would try to hurt you. I couldn't let that happen. (Y/N)... I care for you so much. Being together these past few weeks has filled my heart with so much joy. I would love nothing more than for you to be my girlfriend but- but is that a risk you're willing to take?"
"Yes," You answered without hesitation. You weren't afraid of the obstacles that were in between you and Toshinori. You didn't have to have a public relationship, you would much prefer it be kept completely quiet. You weren't afraid of the risk of any villains attacking, Toshinori could protect you and you were learning to protect yourself. All you wanted was him. Everything else didn't matter.
He took a deep breath, he could only resist his heart for so long, and he knew you well enough to know he couldn't change your mind, so against all his previous reservations, he opened his mouth to speak.
"(Y/N)? Will you be mine?" He whispered to you, looking at you as if you were the only person in the world.
"Absolutely," You beamed at him, the sight of how happy you were cracking his heart into a million pieces, the last bit of his resolve melting away.
"Let's go on dreaming
For we know we are-"
Toshi leaned down, capturing your lips in a gentle kiss. He pulled your waist flush against his, almost lifting you up to meet him. The kiss took your breath away, sending electricity shooting through your body. Your head spun as he deepened the kiss, burying one of his hands in your hair and forgetting that somebody could be watching. His lips danced against yours, responding to your confession in a way that was better than you'd dreamed. His tongue darted past your parted lips, taking in every inch of you he could. He'd been wanting this for so long, and you had too. He cared for you, you knew, and the passion in this kiss proved it ten times over.
"So close, so close
And still so far"
Slowly, Toshi pulled away, looking at you in wonder. You had never looked more beautiful than in that moment. Your long lashes cascading your cheeks as you blinked in half lidded awe of him. Your cheeks slightly rosey, lips glossed and parted. He wanted so badly to duck in for another kiss, to steal you away back to his home, but he could hear the waitress enter the nearby room and begin to place your dessert plates down. You privacy was interrupted, and he was dying to continue your conversation somewhere else.
He released your embrace and slipped his hand onto your hip.
"How about we head home?" He whispered into your ear, grip on your waist tightening.
Home.
You looked up and nodded to him. You would go anywhere, as long as it was with him.
"So close, so close
And still so far"