Finally, after a few hours, the bell rings again and you look out the window. The skyline and the view of the city during the day are breathtaking, but what you see moving in the courtyard is also astonishing: Aizawa-sensei is talking to All Might. As you watch him, your gaze lingers a little longer on his face, noticing every tiny detail. How his scarf blows in the wind, how his hair, always clean and soft, caresses his skin, that unique way of hiding his face behind his scarf when he feels observed...
For an almost imperceptible moment, he looks up at the large window of your classroom. Your eyes meet for a second, then he turns away, as if nothing had happened. What a shame, I wanted to lose myself in his eyes a little longer.
You feel your heart slowly melting... maybe it was just a coincidence. What if it wasn't?
From behind, Tess nudges you lightly, and you jump. "So, Saturday night at my place. I won't accept excuses, okay? And have Aizawa-sensei come too."
You sigh, trying to find the courage to go talk to him and do something like this. However, you can't help but smile, so you let it slip and let it flow across your face. "Okay...but I don't want to play truth or dare."
"We'll see. Even though I already know what game you want to play."
You stick out your tongue and stick it out at her.
"Oh, but what did Ryota say about the party?" she asks, leaning closer to you.
"He won't be there. It's better this way, honestly."
"Wait, seriously? He's not coming?" she asks in a low voice, as if afraid someone might hear her. "And what excuse?"
"Practice." You reply, shrugging. "He said he can't waste time playing our games."
Tess raises her eyebrows. "Oh, sure…" She sighs, placing a hand on her hip. "Why not just say he doesn't feel like it? No, he'll have to make up a cheap excuse, as if we're stupid to notice."
You shrug again, smiling. "Look, that's fine with me. But…that's not the only thing that bothers me." You admit, lowering your voice further. "It's the… way he said it to me. And… and he also brought up that time in the bathroom… when I saw him… touching himself."
Tess looks at you, her eyes widening in shock. "But… why is he acting like this now?"
You shake your head, slightly embarrassed. "I don't know," you reply. "It was… weird. He looked at me in a way I can't explain. Like he wanted me to feel uncomfortable, yes, but at the same time…" You hesitate for a moment, just searching for the right words. "As if he was trying to tell me something without actually saying it. As if… he wanted me to understand something he can't or won't say."
Tess leans against the wall, her arms crossed beneath her ample breasts. "That boy is an enigma. I don't understand what game he's playing."
"I have no idea," you reply, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.
Tess stares at you for a long moment, her green eyes seeming to peer deeper into you, as if trying to read your thoughts. Then, slowly, she turns toward the training field, where the artificial lights have now come on.
"Maybe…he's scared," she says finally.
You look at her, bursting into a strange laugh. "Who? That one? Scared? Of what?"
She turns back to you, her gaze serious. Okay, no kidding now.
"About you." She replies without hesitation. "Or about what might happen if he came. Maybe he knows that if he shows up there, with the alcohol and the atmosphere… he might lose control. And with you around, well, I don't know if that's a good idea for him."
Your back trembles slightly. Just the thought of him brushing against you or touching you somewhere… makes you cringe.
"But… why? Should he be afraid?" You ask. "It's not like between us…" You leave the sentence hanging, because just the thought makes you nauseous. How can I even think about sleeping with my stepbrother?
"Eri, stop pretending nothing's happening."
"I don't pretend nothing's wrong!" you protest, feeling your nerves rise to your head. "He's my stepbrother, Tess. I can't allow myself to think of him that way."
"But you do," she replies bluntly, leaving no room for denial or excuse.
You whirl toward her, your wings threatening to unfurl behind you for a moment, your white feathers fluttering a little. Your heartbeat thumps in your ears, making you almost dizzy.
"That's not true," you say, your voice rising. "It's not like that."
Tess looks at you, without moving, without approaching. Her gaze is calm, but implacable.
"Okay, okay," she replies, raising her hands in surrender. "Sorry, I'm the one who thinks badly. In any case, don't worry about him, leave him alone. He's just an idiot if he acts like this."
"I don't know if I can pretend nothing happened."
"Then talk to him. Only then will you be able to get a clear understanding of the situation."
You close your eyes, breathing deeply. The idea of facing Ryota, of admitting what you've noticed, terrifies you to death. But, at the same time, you know perfectly well that Tess is right. The situation can't continue like this, living under the same roof with him treating you that way.
"Actually…that's the only way. If he does it again, I'll talk to him." You reply, looking up at the door of Alpha Classroom.
She turns her eyes to you, smiling faintly. "Now you'll have to deal with the hardest part first: talking to Aizawa-sensei."
"Yeah…" Your eyes widen. You almost forgot! "Then…I'm going."
Tess doesn't answer, but she glances at you out of the corner of her eye. She only whispers a soft "Good luck!" before disappearing around the corner of the hallway.
***
And here you are, in the school hallway. It's not the first time you've walked through it, nor the first time you should have spoken to Aizawa-sensei. And yet, every time you have to talk to him, it feels like the world around you shrinks, leaving room only for him and that strange, electric tension that seems to vibrate through your body whenever you're alone with him. You see him, even before you arrive, in front of his office door. He's sitting behind his desk, his back straight, his shoulders broad under his black suit, and that pose that makes him seem different from his usual awkward and clumsy demeanor.
His long, dark hair, always slightly tousled, frames his beautiful, sharp-featured face, while the scar under his right eye gives him an even more menacing look. But it's his eyes, inky black and equally inscrutable, that captivate you every time. You see them fixed on an open file in front of him, his brows slightly furrowed in an expression of concentration that makes him seem even more distant, unapproachable.
Your heart is pounding, your anxiety is sky-high. But you have to do it. You want it, you want him to be at the party. You stop a few meters away from him. Your hands are shaking, along with your body. Come on, Seraph, you mentally scold yourself, using that nickname only your closest friends know. It's just an invitation. You're not asking him to marry you!
Yet the words catch in your throat, and you find it hard to even swallow. It's as if the very presence of that handsome, sexy man is a gravitational field, capable of simultaneously attracting and repelling you.
"A-Aizawa-sensei..." You call, your voice faint.
He doesn't respond immediately. His long, tapered fingers pause mid-stroke, the pen suspended in the air. Oh God, your cheeks are turning red, noooo! Shit, you're already blushing.
You try to breathe deeply, to calm that tremor running through your hands and body, but it's like trying to tame an earthquake with a whisper.
Finally, the sensei looks up. Not abruptly, but slowly, as if every inch of space between you must be treaded with caution. When your eyes meet, you feel a shiver run down your spine, as if someone had run the tip of a feather along your spine. His eyes seem to undress you, and you feel completely wet between your legs. Again. It always happens like this. And it also seems, from the way he looks at you, that he sees the desire you harbor inside you, the one you dare not admit to anyone, least of all yourself.
"Yes, Togata?" His beautiful voice pierces you from inside. You clench your fists tighter, breathing more deeply, when you finally decide to enter.
You push the door open with two fingers, his eyes still fixed on you.
"It'll be Saturday…Tess is organizing the party for this Saturday. At the beach…" The words come out in fits and starts, almost as if you have to push them out one by one. "I'd love it if you came too."
Silence.
Aizawa-sensei doesn't look away from you, he doesn't even smile. He doesn't even nod. He simply stares at you, and right now you feel like a specimen under a microscope. He seems to read your every insecurity, every desire, exposed to his clinical analysis.
"Ah yes, the party," he repeats.
You nod, too quickly, too nervous.
"Yeah. I mean, it's not one of those parties… I mean, it's not like we have to get drunk or anything." God, why am I babbling? "It's just that Tess has this house on the beach, and since the weather's nice, she thought she'd organize something. Present Mic-sensei will be there too." You add quickly, even though you'd already told him a few days ago.
Aizawa slowly puts his pen on the table, his fingers tapping lightly on the wood of the desk, an irregular rhythm. "Hizashi will be there." He repeats again, as if processing information. Then, his eyes narrow slightly, a flicker of… irritation? Curiosity? crossing his dark gaze. "And you want me to come."
It's not a question, nor a statement. Your cheeks burn. "Y-yes," You admit, softly. "I want you to come."
For a moment, your time stands still. You no longer hear the distant sirens, the footsteps of other students, or the voices of other professors. There's only the two of you, and your eyes.
He leans back in the chair, his arms crossed over his chest. You've fantasized about him a million times, about his arms wrapped around you...and now, seeing them tense under the fabric of his shirt is making you even wetter. Your legs curl slightly inward, as if trying to contain the desire that's gnawing at you.
"Why?" He finally asks. Okay, it seems like a simple question, so you open your mouth… then you realize it's not simple, so you close it again. How can you explain it? If you don't even understand it yourself? Why is it that every time he's near you, your stomach knots and your breath burns in your throat? Why is it that when he speaks, even just to correct a paper or give a reprimand, you find yourself hanging on every word, as if every word were a revelation? Because, despite his coldness, despite that seemingly insurmountable wall of detachment, you see something in him that others don't: the loneliness hidden behind those beautiful eyes, and the passion that simmers beneath the icy surface.
"Because…" you begin, then stop again. A jolt courses through you, a sudden surge of courage. "I want to spend…time with you."
He's silent for a long moment, and you wonder if perhaps you've gone too far. If you've crossed that invisible line that separates you. But then, slowly, Aizawa-sensei looks away, staring at a point over your shoulder, as if he's looking at something only he can see.
"I'm telling you, I'm not good at parties, or with people in general."
"You don't have to be," you reply, before he could stop you again. "You shouldn't talk to anyone, you shouldn't do anything you don't want to. Especially because…it'll just be the four of us, like I told you."
He looks at you again, with something different in his eyes. A different light, perhaps. Perhaps with a vulnerability you weren't expecting, and one that strikes you straight to the heart.
"What if I wanted to do something else?" he asks, in a low, sensual voice.
Your heart skips a beat. Oh shit, the blood pounding in your ears, the heat spreading from your chest to your fingertips. What does he mean? You don't dare ask. You don't even dare hope for anything, because it's sure nothing will change.
"Then...you will." You reply, your voice shaking. "No one will stop you."
He closes his eyes for a moment, as if wrestling with himself. "You…you're just like your mother, Eri. The same sass. How can I say no to you now?"
When he opens them again, his expression is inscrutable again, but something has changed. "Okay," he says finally. "I'll be there."
Your breath catches in your throat.
"Th-thanks," you stammer, and suddenly feel silly, awkward, like you've forgotten how to walk. You take a step back, then another, before turning and walking off down the corridor, without saying goodbye and with your heart pounding like a wild horse.
You don't turn around, you don't dare. You're so happy you could scream and be heard throughout the school. What will you wear? Oh, you have no idea. What will happen? How will you approach... him? How will you make him understand that... you want to fuck him?
You smile, your lips trembling slightly. Taking a deep breath, you resume walking, faster, your heart still filled with that strange, wonderful, terrifying hope.
Saturday evening...
Tess's beach house is anything but cold and damp. In fact, she's turned on practically everything, including radiators, space heaters, and electric blankets. You're wearing a summer dress (even though it's 2 degrees Celsius outside), but you have to say you feel decidedly warm and relaxed. Your dress is white, slightly sheer, and short, reaching mid-thigh. High heels (and, of course, high heels) click against the elegant parquet flooring. Tess, meanwhile, stunning in her green outfit, runs around the house searching for a pair of her mother's earrings.
Your blonde hair is loose, long past your butt, and your blue eyes shine in the reflection of the lit lamps. You feel awkward and insecure, every now and then you clench your jaw and grit your teeth. Tonight, perhaps... you would have done something. You would have tried to get even closer to your sensei, trying every way to get his attention.
The doorbell rings, and your heart skips a beat. Tess rushes out of her room on her heels, taking short steps, while you fix your messy blonde bangs that fall over your eyes in front of one of the myriad mirrors hanging in the hallway.
Tess opens the door, and what you see now takes your breath away for a moment. Aizawa-sensei is incredibly elegant, and for the first time, he's not wearing a scarf. His hair is tied back. His face is finally fully visible, and in profile, his features are even sexier than you thought. He doesn't smile, obviously, but when his eyes move to you, he first looks you up and down, then his eyes widen for half a second and he nods in greeting.
You nod in return, moving closer to him.
"Go-good evening, Aizawa-sensei," you say, bowing slightly.
"No formalities, outside of school. Call me Shouta."
Your lips are trembling. How can I call him by his name?
"Come on, try it." He says, bringing his face close to yours. His eyes are on you.
"Okay…S-Sh-Shouta."
He nods and smiles, then immediately turns serious.
And the party begins...