The Emerald King (VillainDekuxFem!Reader)

Chapter 10

Izuku leads me down a short hall and a small flight of stairs. I keep the hem of my dress slightly raised with one hand, and the other is intertwined with Izuku's as he leads me to where he's set up for our supposed date.

We stop at two large doors. Izuku carefully lets go of my hand, almost as though he's reluctant. He pushes the door open, revealing a decorated ballroom. As he leads me to the center of the room, I can't help but admire the nature-inspired decorations. 

The room is painted a simple pastel blue, and decorated with ribbons. At the end of each ribbon is a cutout of a yellow lily with a dangling string of green iridescent beads.  In the center of the ceiling is a beautiful golden chandelier, lighting up the bright marble floor. Underneath the chandelier is a round table covered with a deep green tablecloth with a golden candelabra in the middle. 

"What do you think?" Izuku asks. 

"It's wonderful," I say, "Thank you for this." 

"Of course, doll," he says, getting down on one knee before me, like a soldier bowing to a queen. I stay silent, shocked at the gesture. He takes my hand and pulls it to his lips, giving me a soft kiss. 

"If you asked, I would give you the world."

I'm still in shock and my heart is beating like it's trying to break free from my ribcage. I let Izuku lead me to the table. He pulls the chair out for me and I take a seat. He takes a seat in the only chair, right across from me. He claps his hands and a masked man in a suit brings us many covered plates on a cart. 

After the man places the plates in front of us and leaves, Izuku and I remove the covers to reveal our meal. It seems we both have the same meal, spaghetti and meatballs. It's a classic dish for a date, so it makes sense. 

Our meal is filled with conversation. Random topics and questions fill any silence; we learn everything we can about each other in a short time. We tell each other many small details. Nothing personal or heavy, just lighthearted conversation suitable for a first date, no matter how unusual the situation is. 

As our conversation dies down and our plates are emptied, a soft melody begins to fill the room. As if on cue, Izuku stands and holds out his hand.

"May I have this dance, doll?"

"Of course."

...

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

"This is where the boss said I have no idea,"

...

Izuku twirls me around the ballroom slowly. A simple waltz, stepping to the music, is the perfect way to end this beautiful evening. As the final notes of the song play, Izuku carefully places his hand on my lower back, keeping me steady as he leads me into a dip. 

The song ends leaving only the sound of our steady breaths. 

Izuku pulls me closer and wraps me in a loving hug. I feel calm as I listen to the sound of his heartbeat. 

Nothing can pull me from this moment.   

"I'm sorry for interrupting." 

 The timid voice proves my thoughts wrong. I don't bother turning my head, I peek out of the corner of my eye to see the older man speaking to Izuku.

"It seems your guests have come early..." 

"I don't appreciate being interrupted." 

"Unfortunately, they refuse to leave until you meet with them,"  

"Very well," Izuku relents with a sigh, "inform them that I shall  meet with them momentarily."

The man bows politely, like a servant bowing to his king, before leaving to relay the message. After the man leaves, Izuku turns to me. 

"I hate to cut our evening short, but I would love to spend more time with you,"  he begins, "If you would feel comfortable joining me for this meeting, I'd love to show off my beautiful queen. What do you say, Doll~?"

I pause for a moment, contemplating the idea.

"I don't know..." I reply, unsure of how I should answer. 

The fact is, putting my own treacherous emotions aside, I want to be a hero. I want to save people, but it would be difficult to do that if I'm associated with someone I'm fairly sure is a villain. 

My mind begins to race, imagining every possibility. I could be branded as a traitor... I could lose everything I once knew and have to fight against my friends. 

But, I could also be by the side of the man who saved my life; the man I fell for, both metaphorically and literally. 

"I... I still want to be a hero... I want to save people..."

"You have a good heart, but there are other ways to save people," Izuku tells me, placing a gentle hand on my head, "follow that heart of yours. No matter what decision you make, I won't stop you."

"I'm surprised," I admit, "with how things have been, I've assumed I have no choice."

"You have... some choice. I don't want you to leave, and I will fight if you try to run or turn me in, however, you are not meant to be a lifeless trophy. I refuse to restrain your heart and spirit."

"But... you call me doll. I thought that meant..."

"I use the name doll because it's the best way I can quickly describe how beautiful you are to me. Dolls are crafted with patience, made to show grace and beauty, and give joy. A doll maker puts so much time and care into perfecting a beloved creation." 

I look up into Izuku's eyes. His strong, emerald gaze has softened into what can nearly be described as love. I refuse to call this love yet, it still feels too soon. Even so, for every word that falls from his lips, my heart beats a little faster.

"You are the doll crafted by your heart."