The Aizawa Effect - (Aizawa X OC)

The Illusion of a Commitment

The moment Diane and Patrick shook our hands and walked out the door, cheers erupted from the heroes and assistants. Lucian stood on Jay's left side and grinned proudly, while Katori kept a neutral expression as she stood at my right. Jay lifted his arms high, and the excitement reduced to jovial whispers. 

"Today, Rae and I secured an eight-figure deal with the Rockfish Investment Agency for the next five years," Jay began as wide, excited eyes stared back at him. "We couldn't have done this without the hard work from all of you. Thank you for helping to make our dreams a reality," he finished and stepped back. 

I breathed deeply and looked forward toward the crowd. "I want to thank Lucian for being an amazing sidekick for Justice, and I, of course, need to thank my right hand. Justice has believed in this dream since we were children, and to see how close we are to providing the opportunities we strived for is surreal."

Jay wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. "I will always stand by your side, Rae. This agency has become the thing I want to protect for the rest of my life, even after I retire from being a hero when I'm older."

My face felt hot, but I fought the urges and continued with my small speech, "Finally, I would like to thank someone who came into my life in such a surprising way. She saved me when we first met, and frankly, she saved this deal and our agency. Thank you for being our savior, Katori."

Cheers and screams for Katori echoed through the halls. She looked at me, and I opened my arms and hugged her tightly. Katori's typically neutral face seemed shocked, and her head shook slowly. 

"Raezor," Katori began, "I didn't do anything more than you did in there. You were strong and brave and were willing to fight for all of us. That makes it easier for all of us to fight for you."

Jay, Lucian, Katori, and I hugged each other and laughed. Tears formed in my eyes, and the agency was a cacophony of celebratory noises as the four of us turned back toward the crowd. 

After the fanfare calmed down a bit, I followed Jay to his office, and he shut the door behind me. As I put the folder on his deep red velvet couch, he lifted me up high into the air and held me close. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and the tears silently poured. The rich cologne he wore flooded my nostrils. 

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered in my ears, sitting at the edge of his desk with me still in his arms. 

My head leaned back, and my eyes looked into his. 

"You got the investors here in the first place, so despite the turmoil you caused, I should be thanking you," I laughed and wiped my tears. 

He gently stood me on my feet and smiled, "Seriously, you believed in me even at the end. I can't thank you enough."

"Well, I did, but you really put me in a tough spot," I replied truthfully. 

Jay chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair. The watch on his wrist caught my eye. 

He looked at my face, then at his watch, and smiled. "You remember this?"

"Yeah, was it not your dad's?" I questioned. 

He nodded. "Yup. Dad always wore it at his serious events. He gave it to me when I entered the top five on the charts. He said it always got him through any interview or event he had, so I knew it would be perfect for today."