Chapter 1

Aizawa Shota had never been someone who cared much about appearances. In fact, he can count on one hand the people whose opinions actually matter to him. That, however, doesn’t mean he’s completely unaware of his own shortcomings.

He finds the invitation a week after the event has already taken place, shoved to the bottom of a stack of unopened mail lying in a messy pile on the coffee table. Hizashi usually sorts through the mail—the vast majority of it is addressed to him anyway—but the bright gleam of the silver trim running along the edge of the invitation catches Shota’s eye.

It’s some kind of charity gala that Hizashi attended alone. Honestly, Aizawa doesn’t really remember Hizashi talking much about it; he just recalls Hizashi coming back around midnight and collapsing tiredly beside him in bed. Hizashi goes to so many of these events that, after a while, they all blur together in Shota’s memory.

Still, there’s something about this particular invitation that makes Shota pause. It says that Hizashi may attend with a plus-one, and Aizawa can’t recall Hizashi asking him to go.

It’s not that Shota actually enjoys being dragged to these parties. He’s terrible at small talk and even worse at pretending to be interested in things he doesn’t understand, and he’s certainly turned down plenty of events before. Even so, this evening was especially important, and Shota vaguely remembers Hizashi wearing one of his best suits that night.

But Hizashi hadn’t even asked him to come.

The realization bothers him more than it probably should. He would’ve said yes out of obligation anyway, and it’s not like he would’ve enjoyed the evening all that much, so Hizashi did him a favor, but…

But, in short, Shota can’t help wondering whether Hizashi would’ve wanted him there. He knows he’s not entirely unattractive (Hizashi seems to find him handsome enough), but he isn’t beautiful the way Hizashi is, or the way the celebrities at that gala are. His conversational skills certainly don’t make up for his unkempt appearance, and as an underground hero, he can’t even talk about his achievements to compensate for it.

At one point, he wonders if Hizashi is embarrassed to bring him to events like that. After all, love may be blind, but Hizashi could certainly find someone better.

These aren’t Shota’s insecurities; it’s just a fact. If Hizashi wanted someone more attractive, he could get them. If he wanted someone smarter, he could get them. If he wanted someone better or more attentive, or better at cooking, or all of the above—he could get them.

It’s not that Hizashi actually wants someone else. Shota knows that Hizashi loves him more than anything in the world—that’s never been in doubt—but in moments like this, he wonders whether he’s doing enough.

Maybe Hizashi expects more from him but doesn’t know how to ask. Clearly, something is missing if Hizashi is ashamed to take him to events.

Alright. Maybe he should start putting in a little more effort.

His appearance is the easiest thing to fix. He doesn’t have the time or patience for grooming as elaborate as Hizashi’s, but there are a few small things he can improve.

He starts on Saturday morning.

“What are you doing?” Hizashi asks, disbelief coloring his voice.

“What does it look like?” Shota snorts, squinting at his reflection in the bathroom mirror as he carefully drags the razor along his chin.

“Fine, let me rephrase: why are you shaving?” Hizashi rolls his eyes. “And why are you even up this early? Are you going to another press conference or something?”

Shota sighs.

“There’s no press conference. I just felt like shaving.”

“Shota, baby, are you hiding something from me?” Hizashi steps closer and presses the back of his hand to Shota’s forehead. “You’re scaring me.”

Shota gently moves his hand away.

“I’m fine.”

He rinses the remaining shaving cream away, pulls one of Hizashi’s hair ties from the medicine cabinet, and gathers his hair into a neat bun. Then he turns to him.

“Get dressed, and then we’re going out for brunch.”

Hizashi nods, still looking a little stunned, and Shota can only hope it’s a pleasant surprise.