Soba Date

Opening the door to her bedroom, Estelle lifted a brow as she stared at the box sitting on her bed. Peeking her eyes out of the entrance, she shrugged her shoulders when nobody could be seen in the hallway. Walking further into her room, Estelle hesitantly opened the lid that no longer had the seal.

Letting out a puff of air, she stared at the clothes in confusion. Taking out the items, Estelle peered at the dress with pursed lips. It was honestly beautiful, a black strapped dress that went past the knees, with a simple slit on the side.

It took her longer than she cared to realise where this was coming from. Letting out a groan of annoyance, she closed her eyes in defeat. 'That boy, he seriously got me a dress for the evening? I had completely forgotten about it.'

It was gorgeous. Estelle observed the fabric between her fingers and knew that the male had a good sense of elegant fashion.She felt no attachment to the item, and as much as she hoped, she could smile and squeal about the fact she loved it. She couldn't lie to herself; she hated dresses. It just wasn't convenient at all. What if she had to fight? She couldn't worry about her undergarments being seen as she battled; it didn't make sense. Never mind the fact they were uncomfortable and didn't seem to suit her.

Scowling, she knew she wouldn't be able to deny putting it on. The two-toned male went out of his way to get her the damn thing, and she wasn't going to upset him like that. Especially since she would have to clarify some things, things that she was dreading to talk about.

"This is seriously the last time," she muttered to herself, her heart longing for something more of her style.

Estelle checked the time and figured she would have to get ready soon anyway. She had spent the morning hunting for light spirits she knew were trapped within Nyx's grasp and managed to free a couple more. It bore down at her like a regular cycle of feeling like it was never enough. But, Estelle knew she was too hard on herself.

The press release was postponed, mainly because the visit to the beach ruined the initial schedule. Calling Endeavour, Estelle found that the two heroes were too busy focusing on their missions. Knowing that meant she would need to continue her regular routine, she knew she would have to patrol once they had returned from their outing. Shuffling over to the shower, she wished she was in bed instead.

Leaning against the wall in the elevator, Estelle folded her arms to hide from the gazes in the other room. The loud ping rang in her ear as the door opened, and she was given the sight of a slightly flustered Shoto, who was fixing his cuffs. Whirling his head up to hers, she remained silent as his eyes widened and his cheeks reddened.

Thankfully not taking as much time as he did on I-Island, Shoto cleared his throat before the soft smile landed on his face. His gaze was smooth, easy, and kind; Estelle could feel her body relaxing under his stare, her arms dropping to her sides.

"You look as beautiful as you always do."

Flicking her eyes to the ceiling, Estelle willed the heat rushing to her head to back down. Bobbing her head, she allowed a small smile to slip through. "Thank you, handsome."

Feeling her lips tilt higher at the heat on his face, Shoto quickly shook his head as if he was attempting to pull himself together. His fingers flexed as if they were nervous, stretching and closing them into a fist quickly. Estelle's eyes trailed down his arms, and she stepped forward to place her hand on his before she could stop herself.

"You've been around me multiple times before. Nothing has changed," she murmured, her voice tinged with reassurance.

His head became a bobblehead as he nodded, and before she could blink, he held his arm out for her expectantly. Unsure of what to do, Estelle awkwardly raised both hands in question. Perking her brows in confusion, she listened to the light chuckles of Shoto's laugh. She was glad when the tension in his shoulders finally lessened.

"You place them like this," he voiced, his hand taking hers to position them on his arm.

Nodding, Estelle bit down her uneasiness at the change in atmosphere. It was too different, too formal for her. But, the half-and-half male had put a lot of effort into this, so she wouldn't interfere for now.

Following his lead, the duo strolled into the living room. The multiple gawking faces swivelled and stared back at them in disbelief, their eyes popping out of their heads as they registered the sight in front of them.

Suddenly, a cluster of loud voices rang into the air as they spoke over each other. Ignoring the rackety sounds was fine until Ashido made her way up to her. "'This is so much better than the pyjamas you love to wear! You look stunning!"

"Thank you," Estelle stated, her eyes trailing over her classmates before landing on rubies. Feeling every atom of her body still, her hand clutched onto Shoto's arm instinctively, catching his attention. It wasn't her intention, but he was the only tether keeping her conscious at the moment. It infuriatingly sucked her in, the deep red sinking into the depths of her mind as she tried to claw her eyes away.

Biting her lip harshly, Estelle pushed her confusion away as his eyes trailed over her slowly. The heat in her body seemed to fizzle on every inch of her skin that his eyes touched, and she finally loosened her shoulders when he leaned back onto the couch. His arms swiftly cruised behind his head as he rested against the pillows. Despite not looking directly at her anymore, his ruby eyes seemed to shine through the room. A shadow rested over the sapphires, but it failed to hide the fierce red glare that seemed to pierce through them.

Furrowing her brows, Estelle struggled to understand the emotions rushing through her brain. Curiosity spiked within her immediate reaction and drove the force of her wonder of what was going through the blonde's head. The urge to reach him and place her hands on his face to observe the flurry behind his eyes was prevalent. She wondered what he was thinking and why she even bothered to care. Holding the image in her head in the hope of capturing it and figuring it out, her thoughts were interrupted by the male she was holding onto. Darting her head to gaze at Shoto, his eyes seemed almost knowing as he smoothly uttered, "We must go now, Estelle."

"Lead the way."

The ride to the restaurant was nothing special, as they shared small talk throughout the journey. Estelle was surprised that they were in a long car that Shoto had called a limo. Awkwardly sitting in the seat, she felt like she shouldn't even be in the vehicle with him. The sleek black surrounding the interior looked brand new, and the urge to wince as she sat down was forced away.

Once they had reached their destination, Estelle strolled inside, her hand around Shoto's arm as he led her to the reservation booth. She ignored the conversation, too engrossed in the beauty of the place. It looked impeccable, with mosaic tiles surrounding the area and large chandeliers that hung from the tall ceilings. Her head swung back and forth to grasp everything that was going on. The people were dressed in formal attire, drinking champagne as they laughed at the sound of a live music player. Tilting her head to the side, she tried to remember the long black and white contraption. Before she could question Shoto, he placed his palm on the hand resting around his arm to garner her attention and led her across the room as he followed the waiter.

She lowered her eyes from those around the room, their piercing stares and whispers too obvious to miss. She had been noticed. Forcing her back straight, Estelle would have preferred to wither under their eyes, but that was not who she was. She was not weak.

Shoto pulled out the chair for her, which Estelle thanked him for before elegantly lowering herself to the chair. Her brows furrowed, immediately recognising the action from when Bakugo had done it at the police station. But, she still didn't understand the purpose of it. Did they think she was so incompetent that she couldn't pull out her own chair? No, they wouldn't insult her like that. Putting the thought to the side, Estelle fixed her dress whilst Shoto moved to sit across from her.

Gazing at him, Estelle couldn't help but notice that he fit in so well within the atmosphere.

She knew he was probably used to it, his father being the number two hero; she could imagine the events they had attended throughout his life. The candlelight shone off his features, and Estelle bit her lip to stop herself from blurting out how handsome he looked right now. Flushing slightly from the warm smile, Shoto spoke up. "I made sure to choose a place that does soba, so our deal is still on."

Letting out a chuckle, Estelle tilted her lips up as she responded, "I would have been happy with the soba place around the corner; you didn't have to do all this."

Staring thoughtfully in answer, he wasn't shy as he voiced, "I wanted to. You deserve to be spoiled a little."

Hiding that she was taken aback by his honesty, Estelle opened her mouth with a voiceless answer. She deserves this? No, that wasn't possible; he must be mistaken. Even though Estelle disputed the explanation in her mind, she knew it would be insulting to argue about his comment within this setting. Shoto seemed to warm under her stare, giving him a polite smile as he awkwardly fixed the utensils at his front.

Turning to the waiter, who arrived with pieces of fancy cardboard, Estelle realised that these places physically gave her menus rather than looking at a sign on the walls. Thanking him, Estelle furrowed her brows in perplexity when she didn't understand a thing on the menu. Why did the words have to be so grandiloquent? She had no idea what any of it meant.

Shoto didn't waste any time ordering. Rattling off his food choice, Estelle forced back her wince as he turned to gaze at her expectantly. Slightly embarrassed as the waiter patiently stood by, Estelle apologetically mumbled, "I uh, don't know what any of this means. So, I'll just get the same as him."

Passing back the menu, Estelle played with her utensils as Shoto shifted in his seat. "Sorry about that. I should have known."

Straightening up, Estelle frantically shook her head at the evident disapproval he directed to himself. "No, no! It's okay! It's not your fault that I'm clueless."

The male in front of her gave no response as he placed his hand over Estelle's. The heat that radiated off his hand was inviting, but she was surprised at how dry it was. Did he regulate his temperature enough so he wouldn't sweat? That sounded like a dream, but still, it felt strange to be held by a hand that wasn't slippery. It almost felt wrong, but she put the thought away quickly, knowing that she shouldn't be thinking about anyone else.

"I'll teach you for next time," Shoto softly stated, bringing Estelle right back to reality. Feeling her denial at the tip of her tongue, she didn't get to voice it as Shoto called for a waiter. Stumped, Estelle watched with tension as he requested the menu once again. His hand was comforting, which seemed to be the only thing keeping her in place.

Thanking the waiter, Estelle listened with attention as Shoto explained the contents of the menu and the meanings. Surprisingly, it wasn't as dull as she expected, considering the offhanded way he described them. Even though she felt out of place within the environment, Estelle figured it was good knowledge to have just in case.

Once the food arrived, Estelle and Shoto seemed to fall into a decent pace. The conversation seemed to flow between the duo, chattering back and forth about their training and different aspects of her world. She could feel her body relaxing at the easiness between them, but the stares around the room continued to dig into her skin. She didn't like how she felt here, like it was innately wrong for her to be surrounded by such luxuries.

Estelle felt uncomfortable in the unknown. Shoto had already corrected her on what utensils to use. The emotions only continued to spiral when he informed her that she was supposed to place the cloth from the table on her lap. Flushing, Estelle bore through it for the unbelievable male in front of her.

"Have you ever tried alcohol?" Shoto questioned innocently.

"My world doesn't have a drinking limit, so yes. Have you?"

"I've tried wine from my old man's events, but I am not a fan."

"Ah, so you prefer to be soba," Estelle voiced with a wink. The male in front of her grinned with a light laugh. His eyes twinkled at her softly as he admired her, and she focused her eyes back on the meal to avoid his gaze.

As the meal came to a close, Estelle knew she wouldn't be able to leave the restaurant without clearing the air. She had seen the phones discreetly point to them during their meal, and her annoyance had skyrocketed a few times, but she pulled it back as Shoto chatted away.

"What would you rate the soba?"

"It was delicious! I would say an eight out of ten."

"Ah, we'll try again next time for a ten," He stated thoughtfully, already pondering on other places to take the otherworldy female.

Stiffening, Estelle raised her hand to place over Shoto's this time. Feeling his body tense at the action, Estelle bit her lip as she tried to formulate her words. Before she could even speak, Shoto softly spoke up. "You never did tell me if this was a date."

"I just don't understand..." Estelle started, clearing her throat as she gazed up at the male.

"Understand what?"

"Why you would even want to court me."

"You are beautiful, and you face everything with fearless abandon. You are considerate, witty, and a caring person, even though you would never admit it. You are skilled at what you do, and you treat me amazingly. Why wouldn't I?"

Flushing from the sheer plethora of compliments, Estelle internally died inside as every word hit her like a brick wall. They bounced off in sheer disbelief, unable to fathom the genuineness of his tone. It internally made her want to crawl under the table and hide because it almost felt unjust to hear them. Pushing those thoughts aside, she knew that wasn't the point of the conversation.

"Shoto, you are all that and more. Honestly, it feels wrong to be sitting across from you because of that," Estelle admitted bashfully. Seeing his eyes widen in disagreement, Estelle shook her head to let him know she wasn't done. "But, you forget that my stay here is temporary. Even if I were to stay, I think we may be too different."

"What do you mean?"

"All of this. As flattering and lovely as all of this is, it's not me. I've lived all my life within the dirt, where I found a home. But, this fits you like a glove. You deserve someone that would be able to be by your side through it all. Unfortunately, I don't think that is me."

Shoto nodded with solemn understanding. He wanted her to enjoy the luxuries he could provide her and live her life without worries. He had hoped that by showing her what he could give her, she would realise the life she could live. A simple life with him. But, internally, he knew Estelle was like the wind; she was everchanging, her feet plastered to the shifting ground as she fought with every inch of her being.

He could see it throughout the meal, as much as she tried to conceal it. She was uncomfortable in this space. He wasn't sure if his feelings for her were romantic, but she was too remarkable to not try. Estelle was unique, intriguing and beautiful; anybody would be lucky to have Estelle by their side because she was a force to be reckoned with. If she ever made that decision, he knew Estelle would back her partner no matter what. He wanted that, a person at his side whilst he became a hero.

But she was right; it wasn't her.

The thought made him sad, but it wasn't as painful as expected. Perhaps he always knew there was nothing more, or he had unconsciously prepared himself for the conversation.

He also couldn't forget the hot-headed male who was constantly around her.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you're right. That doesn't mean I want to stop being your soba buddy. We are soba buddies for life," Shoto resolutely determined.

Laughing loudly, Estelle shook her head fondly with a broad and relieved grin. He had taken that much better than she anticipated, but now the air was cleared, she was content enough to stick around for dessert.

Trailing up to the doors to Heights Alliance, Estelle turned to Shoto for the night's end. Smiling at him slightly, Estelle shifted her brows in confusion as he dug into his inside jacket pocket. His eyes remained averted as he pulled out the item, and Estelle felt her lips grow once her stare fell onto his hand.

A rose.

"Even though it wasn't what we expected, I enjoyed our time together. Take it."

Slowly accepting the flower from his grasp, Estelle's heart warmed immensely from the gesture. She had never been given a flower before, and the thoughtfulness tightened her throat. Stepping forward, she raised her hands up to his cheeks. Ignoring his wide, startled eyes, Estelle pulled his head down slightly as she went up to her tiptoes. Landing a slow kiss on his forehead, Estelle leaned back with soft eyes. "You sweet, sweet boy. Thank you."

As if she was thanking him for more than the rose, Shoto nodded with a childlike expression that made Estelle want to coo. Pushing her instinct aside, she held onto his arm as they turned to the doorway.

Seeing the curtain drop from the corner of her eye, Estelle rolled her eyes in humour as they stepped into the hall. Separating from each other, they made one final comment of farewell before departing to their dorms. Ignoring the others, her body speeded upstairs to get into her hero gear. As soon as she finished throwing her shirt over her head, the door slammed open.

Estelle yelped when a hand landed on her waist; her body forcefully turned to face the new arrival. Estelle's body jerked forward so she was right up against a chest, and her eyes immediately landed on the two spinels that whirled with fervour.

It was suddenly like they were frozen in time, the rising tension within their eyes clashing, causing sparks to crackle within the bubble they were now in. It felt weird, and Estelle had no other words to describe it besides breathtaking. It was as if the air had thinned suddenly, and their chests moved with quick succession to balance themselves from the switch.

Flushing as the blonde leaned forward, he was inches away from her ear. The profound guttural words seemed to laser through her body, from her head to her curling toes. She willed herself to stop pulling him further into her with the fingers now twisted in his shirt.

"How was your date?" he practically snarled with a bite to his tone.

Opening her mouth to respond and confirm that it was no longer technically called a date, her breath caught in her throat as his hands moved from her back to her butt. Pulling her in further, so her pelvis was against his, Estelle was flustered with her words as she tried to comprehend the rash actions. Why was he making her feel this way? The closeness of their bodies shouldn't make her feel like she was in free-fall, but it did, and she couldn't figure out why. The expression on the blonde's face seemed to portray that he knew exactly what was happening, his lowered eyelids only heightening the sensations in her body.

Yanking her sanity back together, Estelle muttered, "It wasn't a date."

The redness of her cheeks deepened as he lowered his head again. Feeling his nose lightly trail down her neck, Estelle tensed as she tried to manage her breathing. Her fingers bunched into his shirt as his hot breath sparked tiny explosions on her skin, and she blinked quickly to try and settle herself. "Doesn't seem like it from the dress you were wearing. And that damn rose sitting on your desk."

With clawing hope, Estelle forced her tone to be bland to minimise how evidently flustered she was. She could feel his smirk as he continued to run his nose up and down a single spot on her neck, and she knew she needed to make her point before her brain stopped working. Clearing her throat, she answered, "Because I told him while we were out."

Feeling his body freeze for a moment before relaxing, she could practically taste the relief from his entire being before continuing his ministrations. "Good. You should get rid of the damn flower while you're at it."

"No."

"Why the hell not?!" Bakugo barked, finally leaning back to gaze into her eyes in blazing wonder.

"Because it was a gift. I've never been given flowers before," Estelle answered honestly, feeling a slight attachment to the rose on her desk.

"Tch, I'll get you all the flowers in the world if that's what you want," He muttered, focusing on the rose as if he was trying to mentally burn it.

Estelle let out a light chuckle and raised her hand to brush her fingers through his hair. He lowered his skull from the action, his deep red eyes staring into her soul as if he had found a treasure. It was like she was the only thing of importance. The searing openness of his emotions struck her, and Estelle immediately felt her knees wobble as her brain scrambled to understand the misplaced look. It didn't help to calm the crashing waves in her soul, and the words slipped out of her heart before she could realise them. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?" He questioned, his voice soft as the expression refused to waver from her own.

"Like I'm somebody."

"You are, idiot."

Feeling the cheeks that were calming flush red again, Estelle only gave him a soft smile as her heart thrummed out of her chest. She could feel his beating chest through her own, falling into synchronisation as they stared at each other.

The crackling spitfire they were encased in fell into a calmer sea with his soft demeanour. Instead of unfathomable emotions and heat, all Estelle could feel was the hug of his stare. It was slower, more stable as they watched each other, a magnetic pull keeping them in place as they revelled in the moment's comfort. She could feel the rumble of Bakugo's groan as he tugged her body against him again like he couldn't get close enough.

Apparently finding that it still wasn't enough, Bakugo crushed his chest against hers with eyes that held copious amounts of determination. The rubies bore into her in a way that seemed like she was the prey for the taking. Feeling nervousness bubble in her veins, her brain raced as she failed to understand the situation. Her eyes trailed to the door, wondering if she would be able to succeed in escaping and think about what the hell was going on.

"Don't run away from me." He mumbled, his eyes narrowing as recognition flooded his veins.

Before Estelle could even react, the door slammed wide open. Jerking back, Estelle and Bakugo seemed to bounce six feet apart as their bubble suddenly popped.

Hearing the discomfiting coughs of the girls behind the entrance, Estelle let out a sigh of aggravation as she flickered her eyes to Bakugo. The blonde seemed to be giving them a death stare, and the expression only made the tips of her lips quirk up.

"Out! We need to get details, Estelle!"

"Tch, whatever."

Estelle only laughed at his indignant expression. Shaking her head, her eyes fondly glossed over the male before trailing her eyes back to the overexcited females.

Feeling the gaze of the blonde dig into her, Estelle pointedly ignored him as the girls rushed into the room to surround her. Shifting from feet to feet, Estelle wondered why he was still standing there, watching her be jostled about between the sea of girls.

"I'll see you tonight," he finally called out, hands in his pockets as he trailed to the door.

Estelle simply nodded with a smile as she mentally prepared herself for the onslaught in the group.