Feather Bound

Chapter 31

"You cannot be serious?" You breathed, scowling as you looked into the mirror. Haruki stood behind you, nibbling her lip nervously as you turned your head and shifted, trying to get the 360 picture of the dress the Commission had chosen for you to wear to the Gala.

"I mean, you're far more covered than Midnight was last year," she offered, and you groaned in response. It wasn't that the dress wasn't nice; it probably was undoubtedly expensive, but it was just so exposing. The deep crimson fabric was silky, clinging to your body like a second skin. It was backless, the fabric just high enough to cover your ass, with shiny diamond chains decorating your back and connecting to the halter top. You sighed as you turned back to face your reflection head-on in the mirror. At least you were completely covered there.

"Plus, Hawks won't be able to keep his eyes off you," she added with a smile, and you blinked at her as she chuckled. "I mean literally. Besides the fact that you're absolutely stunning. If the light catches off these diamonds and your jewelry the right way, those little bird eyes of his will be laser-focused."

You chuckled to yourself, allowing your thoughts to wander as the employees at the dress shop made some last-minute touches and adjustments. It had been two weeks since your living room date, and he had revealed his big secret. Initially, it shocked you; after all, he was Hawks. You'd seen his hero persona in action—the way he fluttered his lashes, flirted with everyone, and how admirers always surrounded him. However, the more you got to know him, the more you realized that Hawks was just a character that he played, a mere act orchestrated by the Commission.

Keigo, on the other hand, was shy and reserved, revealing a side that underscored his social deficits. However, you had to admit that lately, he seemed to be more at ease around you. He had become notably more affectionate, approaching you while you cooked dinner to plant a gentle kiss on your head, and willingly falling asleep with you in his arms. He even managed to sneak in a couple more quick kisses here and there. It was a positive change, a healthy dynamic, and you found yourself thoroughly enjoying it.

You were more than happy to let things progress at his pace, to allow him complete and utter control over that. The Commission had taken away so much from him that you knew he needed this autonomy. When he was ready for that step, you'd gladly let him take it. Because, to be fair, the Commission had been right about one thing—Keigo was undeniably hot. Besides your little shower barge-in, you'd caught glimpses of him here and there; after all, you lived together, it couldn't be helped. The ripple of his muscles as he changed his shirt, the birthmark on his right hip that they definitely photoshopped out of his pictures, or the brief view of his perfectly toned ass as he pulled on his pajama pants the other night. The way his waist was so impossibly tiny, well, it was just unfair.

"Earth to Y/N!" Haruki called out, waving a hand in front of your face and snapping you back to reality. You flushed, your face warming as she smirked at you, crossing her arms. Grateful she didn't have Chiyo's quirk, you sucked in a breath, realizing you'd never hear the end of it if she knew what you had just been thinking about. "Are you done daydreaming? We've gotta get you out of this so we can go get your hair and makeup done."

"Oh, uh, yeah," you said, allowing her to help you down and back towards the dressing room. Haruki quickly assisted you in unclasping the halter top, and you stepped into the dressing room to switch back into your regular clothes. It only took a few seconds to slip out of the dress and hang it back up before getting back into your clothes with a sigh. The upcoming event had you more nervous than you cared to admit. Keigo had gone over everything the Commission expected, and while most of it seemed straightforward, interacting with the other heroes made you more anxious than you cared to admit. The only plus side was that the Commission seemed to want Keigo glued to your side the entire time, meaning he could lead the conversation.