Play Nice (Tomura Shigaraki x Reader)

Chapter 4: Great Expectations

Dinner with the Shigarakis. Was there any fate worse? These days, maybe dinner alone with Mirio. God, imagining dinner with the Shigarakis and Mirio would be pure Hell on earth.

Okay so maybe there were worse fates. But she was still extremely unhappy with the situation as she looked over her outfit in the full-length mirror — a blush blouson dress that just flirted with above the knee. It was conservative — high-necked, but figure-flattering without hugging. The most revealing thing about it honestly was that it was sleeveless. It was her go-to for any nice business dinner or party that her Dad wanted to show the family off at. This daughter is poised, professional, pure — that's what the dress said.

And she knew Shigaraki was gonna hate it.

She took at least a little pleasure in that. And she was positive that would be the only thing she'd enjoy about tonight. Business dinners and company events with her Dad were affairs she dreaded even before Tomura Shigaraki had entered her life in any meaningful way, particularly events involving the man's father. Listening to his speeches of grandeur, the long, aimless stories about how he became the man he was today and how the vision for his company came from his favorite comic book — it was enough to make her want to jab an oyster fork into her eye.

Usually she'd get through the events by mentally mapping out the layout of a house she wanted to build on The Sims once she got home or sneakily thumb-warring with her little brother under the table. But she had a feeling that the junior Shigaraki was going to take great pleasure in not letting her get away with distracting herself like that. It was becoming quickly apparent how much he loved to see people (namely her) squirm.

She wondered momentarily if she could get her Dad to make her stay home. She could slut it up and grab the super little black dress she'd worn for the School Festival Beauty contest last year, cop an attitude and make him fear the idea of her acting up so much that he'd make her stay rather than risk embarrassment in front of his boss who seemed to already have them on thin ice.

Or maybe she could even tell him the truth.

She sighed and brushed down the bottom of her skirt. No, no she couldn't do that. Even if he did believe her, what would it even accomplish? Would he tell her to suck it up because he needs this job?

No. No, he was a good Dad, so more than likely he'd confront All for One and quit his job, regardless of the financial implications it had for their family. He might even try to go to the cops and sue. But it's not like they would win anything. The Shigarakis undoubtedly had some of the best legal and publicity teams available in Japan. There was absolutely no way being honest could end in anything but suffering for her family.

That was just the way the world was.

"Moooom I hate this." she could hear her brother whine as she left her room and walked down the hall, "Can't I just do the clip on?"

A quick and efficient tug into a bow tie was his answer. "No sweetie, not at a restaurant like this."

"But it's too tight."

She chuckled at her little brother and leaned against the living room entryway, "Come on, give it a shot, kiddo. You actually look good for once!"

Her brother was quick to stick his tongue out at her, but their mother was even quicker to swat it back into his mouth. She patted and preened the seven year old's little suit as if a single wrinkle or piece of lint meant life or death for them.

And honestly, knowing the Shigarakis, it kind of did.

"Peanut...?"

She turned to see her Father, approaching cautiously from the hallway. They hadn't really talked since he had forced her to go and apologize to Tomura Shigaraki. She could tell part of it was him being uncomfortable at first, he'd genuinely never had to yell at her before or even discipline her for anything past drawing on the walls. But he'd also wanted to give her space.