Columns : Barnaby Brooks Jr x Reader

Barbie's Glass Slippers

      You swung your legs in the black computer chair as you waited for your fake boyfriend to return. He came back with two slices of pound cake plated in both hands. You cheered when he placed yours on the table in front of you.

     "Thanks. Are you ready to open it now?" You asked with a wide smile. Ever since you had it delivered to your house, you'd been excited to give it to him. It was to the point where you'd been messaging him to guess his present. He failed and remained in the dark until now.

    "Sure, I don't know why you were so eager to drop it off though." You shoved the gift into his free hand, and he placed his slice of cake beside yours. He stared at the pink and red box before unwrapping it. A loud silence followed.

    "Why'd you-"

    "I know. I know. I shouldn't have given you something so amazing." You interrupted as he stared into the box with disbelief.

    "(Y/n)..fish slippers?"

       Not paying attention to his dissatisfaction, you pointed a fish-covered foot at him.

    "Look, we match now." You giggled and stood up.

    "Put them on. I want to take a picture." You said as you fished your phone out of your back pocket. Barnaby sighed as he took the slippers from the box and slid them on his feet. You stood next to him and pointed your camera at four fish.

    "Say cheese!"

    Another flash went off as you and Barnaby posed for Stern Bild's equivalent to Vogue magazine. You blinked rapidly at the echo of flash lingering in your sight. Breaking the empty gaze from the camera, you rested your blotchy rainbow gaze onto Kotetsu giggling to himself. You stared longingly at the seat he'd been sitting in. He'd been blessed with having to sit while you had to stand for hours.

    Speaking of hours, you were almost done and would soon be joining Phoebe and Barnaby for another interview. The hand over your lower face twitched at the thought of resting. There was a creative approach for todays shoot to get rid of your mask and tease the audience by suggesting a face reveal. You wondered if dating Barnaby meant you'd also have to give up your secret identity. Your thoughts stopped for a second before back peddling.

    Dating..? Your eyes trailed over the younger Hundred Power wielder as he asked his partner, 'What's so funny?'. Your thoughts had made a mistake and worded themselves into suggesting you were in an actual relationship. A scowl nearly slipped onto your face, and you caught yourself.

    Kotetsu panicked, trying to cover up what he had done by raising a newspaper to his face upside down. Barnaby leaned closer to get a better look at the article.

    "Wait a minute. I've seen these guys before." He mumbled. You tuned the conversation out as a crew member asked you to do one last pose, that was until the conversation escalated and Kotetsu got riled up.

    "Three men died; it doesn't matter who they are!" He stood from his seat and inched closer to Barnaby. "I thought it was our job to save people. That's what a hero does."

    "Save your sermons for someone who wants to listen."

    Kotetsu began to argue back until he overheard Mr. Lloyds using his alias.

    "That's a wrap, Nefarious were done here."

    You walked off the green-screened area toward Barnaby and Kotetsu, all while grabbing a face mask from a box on the table beside them.

    "What's up with you two today?"

    Kotetsu spoke first, "Nothing, just try to convince your rabbit-eared boyfriend that every life matters, no matter the lifestyle they live."