Don't Deny Me

Chapter Sixty-Two: Trust

Aisla had just gotten out of the shower when her phone chimed with a message. She padded over to it and pulled it off the nightstand, smiling when she saw Katsuki's name displayed on the screen.

"Wear a dress tonight," was all the message said.

She rolled her eyes at his simple way of speaking and typed out a response.

"What kind of dress?" She didn't have many to choose from, but she had brought a few just in case she needed something nice to wear on this trip. She wasn't sure what Katsuki had in mind, and she was curious what sort of answer he would give.

A moment later, his reply popped up. "Whatever makes you feel pretty."

Her heart thumped in response, though she wasn't sure why. It wasn't like he'd said anything overly romantic and he hadn't exactly called her pretty, but his words still made something flutter inside of her.

"Do I get to know where we're going?" she asked.

"No," he replied, then a moment later, "It's a date."

Aisla grinned stupidly in response. She couldn't remember ever hearing Katsuki utter the word 'date.' It barely counted since it was through a text, but she still felt giddy at the thought of this shy boy offering to take her out.

The image of him capturing her in his arms after her battle suddenly flooded into her mind and made heat rise to her cheeks. She hadn't even known if he'd been watching her, then out of nowhere he drew her into a tight embrace and refused to let go, even as Aisla stood there stiff and confused. Then, the heat of his body and the familiar smell of woodsmoke and cinnamon invaded her senses and she couldn't help but melt into him. She could have stayed there forever, but her need to shower was so consuming she'd finally had to push away from him and force herself to leave.

Hours later, Aisla swore she could still feel his warmth like a wildfire setting her skin ablaze. The pressure of his arms held her, and his soft words still ricocheted inside her brain. "I was worried about you..."

She smiled as she sent him another reply. "I can't wait."

She pulled out a midnight blue A-line style dress with shoulder-length sleeves. The dress's skirt was divided into two layers, with the top forming an apron style fold over the bottom. The fabric underneath was made of a thinner lace than the cotton which made up the rest of the design, and a flower of the same color was embroidered into the left corner of the bottom layer. She paired this with a silver icicle style necklace that hung just over the dress' collar, adding a little flare to the otherwise plain ensemble.

Satisfied with the outfit choice, she decided to give her hair some wavy curls, looser than her normal ones to give her a more natural look while still looking pretty. She wasn't sure what to expect for tonight, but Katsuki had never specifically asked her to wear something nice, so she assumed this was a smart choice. The dress was elegant, but the fabric was sturdy enough to hold up for various activities, and the skirt was long enough that it wouldn't show off her rear if she bent over. She thought she looked classy yet still girly and cute. Maybe even beautiful.

Katsuki said he would be picking her up at 6:30, so she had a little over an hour to wait. She thought about calling her dad—who had been bugging her incessantly the entire trip—but finally decided that drawing would help her relax the best.

She sat down at the desk the room provided with the uncomfortable chair and tiny desk light that barely illuminated a softball sized circle on the mahogany surface. She laid her sketchbook out on the table in front of her and opened to a fresh page. Her pencil hovered just over the paper while she pursed her lips in thought, trying to decide what to work on.