{A GAME OF CHARADES} Aizawa x Fem!Reader

Beyond the Pretense

As the two of you walk into his house, you crash down on the couch and let out a sigh. "I hope you don't mind if I stay here for today. I'm not in the mood for work anymore," you confess to him.

He looks unsurprised and walks over, wearing a sleeping bag like a makeshift cloak.

"What's with the sleeping bag?" you ask curiously.

"It's comfortable," he says like it's perfectly obvious. "And I'd rather stay in too. It'd be weird if my fiancé stayed home and I wasn't there to comfort her."

You roll your eyes playfully, slightly amused by his comment. As you shift in your seat, you gasp when you feel a sudden twinge of pain. "Ouch," you grimace, noticing a large gash on the back of your calf from your recent battle. 

Aizawa notices your reaction and becomes concerned. "We should take care of that before it scars," he tells you.

"It's alright, I can handle it myself. You already saved me once today," you try to smile.

But Aizawa is insistent. "I want to help. You shouldn't be bleeding all over the place," he says, his concern evident. "Especially not on my bed."

"Okay," you agree, not really sure what to do to help yourself anyway. "What should we do?"

"Come with me to the kitchen," he says before walking over to you and wrapping his arm around your waist. Carefully, he then guides you to the kitchen and props you up on the island counter. There, he lets you go and reaches for the first aid box nearby.

"Let's see what we have here..." he says as he turns back around and opens the first aid kit. Inside, he pulls out a small antiseptic bottle first. "This might sting a bit," he says as he prepares to clean your wound.

"Maybe an infection would be better than the sting," you gulp.

"Trust me, you do not want an infection in that area. It will hurt a lot more than the antiseptic, and you could wind up being unable to walk properly," he explains, giving you a serious look.

Aizawa starts to wrap a bandage around your calf over the gash, and you can't help but feel a strange warmth from his touch, despite the pain.

"Thanks for taking care of this," you say sincerely.

Aizawa looks up at you, and you see a softness in his eyes that you rarely witness.

"You're welcome," he replies, his voice gentle. "with this, there'll be no more issues with this wound."

"I hope not," you then smile softly.

Aizawa notices the grin on your face and then quickly looks away to close the first aid kit. "Now then... would you like anything else?" he asks, still looking away from you.

"I think I'm alright. Maybe just a bit of help getting down," you then hum.

Aizawa offers you his hand. "Let me help you with that," he says in a caring manner. He then helps you down from the island counter, his hand gently supporting you. As your bodies draw close, you feel a subtle warmth and comfort in his touch. 

However, he takes a step back, seeming slightly embarrassed by the closeness, but you notice a small grin that tugs at the corner of his mouth, one he tries to hide. 

"Why are you smiling?" you hum, curiosity getting the better of you.

Aizawa seems a bit embarrassed as he replies, "I'm just... enjoying our time together, I guess."

"Enjoying it?" you scoff, not quite believing him. "I don't see how you could enjoy a complete stranger living in your house."

"Well, we are engaged now, so I'd hope that we aren't strangers," he retorts.

You can't help but roll your eyes, but a part of you can sense the sincerity in his words, even if he tries to hide it. The charade may have brought you together, but you still find it hard to believe that he could genuinely enjoy your forced constant company.

"Hey, how about we go on a real date once this whole thing is over? Go out for drinks?" you suggest, trying to gauge his reaction.

"That's a good idea," he replies, his tone a bit hesitant, making you think he's only trying to be polite.

Feeling a bit nervous, you then ask, "You don't want to go? You really don't have to..."

Aizawa quickly clarifies, "It's not that I don't want to, it's just that..." He trails off, seemingly at a loss for words.

You understand his hesitation and reply, "That's alright. I understand."

With a tinge of sadness, you decide to leave the room. As you walk away, you can't help but wonder about the complexities of your relationship with Aizawa. The charade might be temporary, but what's going to happen once it's all over?

Aizawa watches you walk away, feeling a pang of guilt for causing any sadness. He quickly catches up to you, his steps determined. "Hey," he then calls out, making you turn to face him.

You brace yourself for whatever he might say, but instead, he surprises you. "I want to go on that date," he says with a sincerity that takes you aback.

You respond skeptically, "Aizawa, you don't have to say that just because you feel bad for me."

He shakes his head, his expression serious. "No, I mean it. It would be the perfect chance for us to get to know each other better after this whole business is settled."

You can't help but feel a mixture of surprise and happiness at his words. "You mean that?" you ask, your heart racing with hope.

He nods, and the edges of his mouth curl up into a smile, one he doesn't bother hiding this time. "Yes, I mean it. Of course, we don't know when all of this will be over, but I still mean it."

Feeling a rush of emotions, you can't help but wrap your arms around him in a hug. Aizawa seems slightly taken aback at first, freezing for a moment before he gently returns the embrace, his arms warmly encircling you.

"Can't wait," you whisper, feeling a sense of reassurance and genuine affection from him.

Aizawa smiles softly, and for a moment, all the complexities and uncertainties of the charade fade away. In his arms, you find comfort and a small bit of hope for what lies ahead.