loverofblackberries

Remember the happiness you felt getting hired to work at Dynamight’s agency? Yeah? Well, you can go ahead and kick that out the window. Two months had passed since you started working there, and boy did that advertising team work. The advertising team was more of an advertising AND public relations team, rather than just working one side. You spent most of your first month answering hundreds of phone calls from reporters, bloggers, and just all around nosy people. To be honest, your first month there you didn’t really work on any real projects, just menial stuff like answering the phones and writing emails for the fiftieth time that day. It discouraged you a bit, but your luck was turning around. 

 For the past month, Ms. Eto had made it a point to include you in all things advertising to train you. Even projects you weren’t working on, she made sure you were at least in the room. Though, at first, it was nerve wracking being forced to give your opinion about things you wouldn’t be working on, you found that it actually helped you slowly acclimate to the life of an advertising specialist. The best part about it all was that you got paid very well. You didn’t know what to do with yourself with the money you were making. You were complaining before, but to be honest, this job was actually quite nice and you were happy there. 

You, Charlotte, Leonna, and Charlotte’s coworker, Kaori all became fast friends as the youngest advertising specialists in your respective agencies. Most of your coworkers had worked for other pro-heroes in the past, but after seeing Dynamight and his classmates' fast increase in chart numbers and fans, they decided to start all over at their new agencies. It paid off because with their advertising knowledge and the new pros’ natural popularity, they became unstoppable. It’s one of the reasons Ms. Eto can convince Dynamight to do most of the ads she recommends, she’s amazing at her job and he knows it. 

“You know, working for pro-heroes is not at all what I thought it’d be.” Kaori mumbles around her Paloma, which seemed mighty good compared to your Vodka Cran. Maybe you’d order that next.

“Same. I thought it would be more glamorous, but instead I’m editing something new every night. How many ads does a pro need anyway?” Leonna complains while drinking her beer, which, in your opinion, was disgusting. 

“Well, it could be worse. And, we get paid well compared to our peers working in fashion advertising. They barely make enough to pay their rent, and we get paid time off.” Charlotte says with an upbeat tone. She was so good at looking at the bright side of things, and the Cosmopolitans she had definitely made her happier. 

“Amen to that, sister.” You all shouted playfully towards the girl. It was the truth, anyway. Advertising for pro-heroes could be boring, but it was well known that most advertising companies suck at paying their lower level employees a livable wage. At least, here, you know for sure that you’ll be able to afford rent, even if you’re not invited to the next Miu Miu fashion show. And, in your opinion, working at Dynamight’s company had enough entertainment for you.

“Yeah, I agree with Lottie. I mean working in Dynamight’s company gives me all the views I need. I get to stare at his sexy ass all day,” You giggle and Leonna playfully hits you, silently agreeing that Dynamight himself was enough to keep her occupied. “I mean, who decided that he could be that sexy? Leo, remember when he came back to the agency and his costume was all tore up? Didn’t he look so fine there?” 

“He absolutely did, I almost melted in my seat. And his attitude gives him a certain ruggish look, no?” You and Leonna nod to each other. It was fun having her around. She spoke her mind and you found that in the short time you knew her, it felt like you had already known her for years. She was so personable that Ms. Eto usually sent her to get reporters off the agency’s back, she knew just what to say to butter them up and get them to leave. 

“Ok, y’all. I’m getting a bit tired.” You yawn and start packing up your belongings.You had a big day tomorrow because you would be joining Ms. Eto to oversee the publication of an article about Dynamight. She didn’t tell you whether he’d be there or not–which was probably for the best–but you hoped that you didn’t make a fool of yourself. You wanted to be on a project as co-editor by the end of the month. 

“Me too. Let’s grab the train together.” Charlotte says to you, drunk off both her drink and life. You nod in agreement to her proposition, feeling better with somebody coming with you. Even though you and Charlotte didn’t live too close together, it was still close enough that you could ride the subway together for most of the way. 

The ride was fast–or at least fast to your intoxicated brain–so before you knew it you had said your goodbyes to Charlotte and made it back to your apartment. For once, Sasha was there watching Sex and the City, a show you both enjoyed. Carrie could be dumb sometimes, but you can never say she and her friends weren’t entertaining. 

“Hey, boo. How was your night out?” Sasha asks, giving you a quick look before going back to the tv. You assumed she had the night off since you didn’t see her this morning, and you were glad she was taking a break. All the girl did was work and work. 

“It was good, tomorrow I have to get up early, so I won’t be able to watch tv with you. Sorry, girl.” You both frowned, but understood that this was just a part of growing up. You needed to get ready for bed to be fully rested for tomorrow anyway. With such a big day ahead of you, you couldn’t afford to fuck it up. 

Unlike your first day on the job, the wind did not blow gently and the sun did not caress your face. Instead, the sounds of nature collided to create a dissonance that invaded your ears and woke you up an hour early. Without much to do, you found time to fix a small breakfast and admire how pretty the world could be in the hours of the morning. Sasha wasn’t far behind you, getting ready for her shift at the restaurant. So, you fixed her a plate to go. Her cooking was better than yours (a given), but she still took the breakfast appreciatively. You wished a good shift for her, said your goodbyes, and then you headed to your room to get ready for work. 

Dynamight’s agency was the epitome of business casual, but for the sake of appearances, Ms. Eto asked that you dress up a bit more for the magazine company. So a pencil skirt, your nicest blazer, and some of your remaining clothing items from your advertising classes all formed your “good” outfit. The magazine, Heroes Official, had been wanting to write about Dynamight for years, but had never gotten the chance, mostly because of scheduling conflicts. So, this article meant a lot for the advertising team and left you with a weight on your shoulder. You know why Ms. Eto asked you to go, but you still worried that you weren’t ready. All your coworkers had agreed with her bringing you, but maybe they were just being nice. You had only started two months ago, you didn’t know the ropes like they did. If you messed this chance up, who knows what could happen. 

Your phone, once again, stopped your spiral. It seemed to know just when you needed to calm down. Ms. Eto, prompt as ever, had texted you with some extra information regarding the meeting.

“Good morning (y/n), we’ll be heading your way with the company car in about twenty minutes. A couple of changes to our schedule–Dynamight will be joining us at Heroes Official as they still have to take pictures of him for the article. Because of that, he will ride with us. Please be ready, thank you.” 

You replied by letting her know you’d be ready, but all you could think about was the fact that Dynamight would be riding with you. So far, you had never talked to him one on one, only in group settings like the meetings the advertising team had. And, sure, you wouldn’t be alone with him, but still, it’s the closest you’ve ever been. You just hoped that you wouldn't embarrass yourself. You may not talk to him that often, but he was still your boss and if he didn’t like you, he could definitely fire you. Losing your job was not on your to-do list. 

Ms. Eto arrived faster than you thought she would and you went down to the car, trying your best to not look like you were internally freaking out. The driver opened the door for you, and there he was. Katsuki Bakugo–the pro-hero Dynamight–in all his glory. You smiled at Ms. Eto, giving her a soft “good morning”, and then looked at Dynamight, who was already looking at you. You said good morning and he gave you a nod in response, going back to his phone right afterwards. You sat down next to Ms. Eto and prayed the whole way there that you wouldn’t lose your cool. 

The ride felt long, but you’re pretty sure that’s just because you kept looking at the clock to see how much longer you would be stuck in the car. When you finally did arrive, the driver opened the door and you and Ms. Eto were off to your meeting, while Dynamight went to his. Once he was out of your sight, you felt like you could breathe again. It’s not like he was a bad guy or did anything to make you uncomfortable, it’s just that you got so nervous around him and you weren’t sure how to act when he was around. When the two of you made eye contact, you felt your heart drop to your ass. It was no secret, Dynamight was beyond attractive (he even won sexiest hero two times in a row) and his eyes–red as the pomegranates you loved– had scoured through your soul in seconds. 

“Do you think you’re ready?” Ms. Eto asked. Her walk was as strong as ever, her heels clacking on the floor, creating a rhythm that calmed you down. 

“As I’ll ever be.” You smiled at her, trying once again to hide your fears behind it. It didn’t work the first time, and it didn’t work this time, but Ms. Eto felt no need to mention it. She had total confidence in you.

“Well, I think you’re going to do great. I chose you to come along because I wanted you to get a feel for some of the things we do here. Every one of your coworkers has come along with me to an important meeting, such as this, so it was only fair you came along too. (y/n), stop worrying, ok? You’ll do fine, you’ll see.” She gives you her warmest smile, and for a slight second you forget the fears you had before. Hearing Ms. Eto’s confidence in you made you feel more confident in yourself. You just had to live up to her expectations. 

“We’re here. Don’t freak out, just remember what you’ve learned. You got this.” 

And into the room you went. Heroes Official’s advertising team looked strict, not at all how your team looked. Every time you came into the office, you felt the sunshine on your face and the warmth of your coworkers, but here, there was no warmth. Only the coldness and slight irritation of the head specialist. Her employees looked devoid of happiness and the room itself was dark and seemed to scream with the horrors of past meetings. 

“Ms. Eto, Ms. (l/n), thank you for joining us. Please have a seat.” The head specialist, Naomi Awaka, spoke. 

The meeting drudged on for entirely too long. Ms. Eto and Ms. Awaka seemed to have some unspoken beef, so some decisions took forever to actually get done. But, luckily, it finished up around 4 o’clock. You sighed in relief when it was finally dismissed, both too thirsty and hungry to continue discussing fonts and colors with such an unwilling group like Heroes Official’s. You had heard that this article was important, but from their attitudes, you would’ve never guessed. They were some of the most non-accommodating people you had ever met. You walked out the room thankful it was over, and with the water dispenser you saw before on your mind. 

You took the small cup next to the dispenser and drank a few cups. It felt like that meeting took a part of your soul, and all you needed was some water and food to regain it. Enjoying your water, you didn’t worry about who was around, which is why you didn’t notice Dynamight approaching until he was already at the dispenser. He nods in greeting and you step aside to give him room, you didn’t want to be all up in his space, you’re sure he had enough of that from fans everyday. 

He glances over, eyebrow raised. “How was the meeting? You and Eto rushed out.”

You were surprised he was talking to you, so you looked around and then said, “Oh, it was interesting. The advertising team here are…-”

“A couple of asshats?”

“Yeah, that.” You laugh at his apt description of them. It made sense he would know, having had first hand experience with them for his article. 

“Yeah, they’re something else. But, don’t worry about it. After the article comes out, I’m telling Eto to never sign another agreement with these assholes. Always thinking they’re so superior and shit, it grinds my gears.”

You nod in silent agreement. You wondered how Ms. Eto would react to this information. Probably good, if her beef with Awaka was anything to go by. She would probably be happy to never step another foot in here again. 

“-And girl let me tell you, Dynamight is finer in person. He almost took the door off when he burst in! I didn’t know what to do with myself, fine as he was. If I got that job, lord knows that I would have to practice the strongest of self-control to make sure that I didn’t spend my whole shift staring at him. And the interviewers! Girl, I was so nervous and I smelt like this lady’s perfume the whole time. Towards the end, all I wanted was to finish it up because I was just too tired.” You rant to your friend, Charlotte. 

You met Charlotte your sophomore year of college, and ever since then, the two of you had been the best of friends. She was an advertising major like you, but had greater luck since she wound up getting a job offer at pro-hero Deku’s agency. According to her, Deku was the best boss ever and if her paychecks were anything to go by, she was living the life there. Most advertising students wanted to work for a pro-hero since it was great exposure, so to get one straight out of college was extremely impressive. 

“Girl, I told you!! Dynamight is fine, not finer than Deku, but fine nonetheless. You know, him and Deku are pretty good friends, so there’s a chance I might see you at work. Maybe we’ll even collab at some point. Anyway, did I tell you how–” Charlotte tells you more about the drama at work. She’s always telling you about how an editor has beef with a writer, and how one manager hates the other. She’s always telling you about her job in general, you think it was her way of inspiring you (and it worked sometimes). 

You two talk for a bit more, you regaling her with stories of the customers that you engage with at the retail store, and her with stories of coworkers at Deku’s agency. You don’t see her as often as you’d like, but you hope you can change that soon. She was a good friend and the one that told you that Dynamight’s agency was hiring. 

“Ok, well I gotta go, girl. It’s getting late and I gotta fix me something to eat soon.” You tell Charlotte. She nods and agrees that she needs to cook soon too. Being an adult was tiring. You two hang up, and you let the air of happiness spread about before finally submitting to the loneliness of your apartment. Sasha was working a late shift at the restaurant, so it was just you and your cat, Sade. You missed being around your friends. College made it so easy to see your friends, but now, spread out across the world, you could barely keep in contact with them, let alone see them in person. It was so tiring. 

As you feel tears welling up in your eyes, your phone lights up, drawing your attention immediately. Your phone whispers promises to you, promises of good news, and you can’t help but look at what it wishes to show you. Your phone is never that busy, but there’s one thing that stands out to you besides all the notifications from the useless apps you have downloaded. It’s what you had been waiting for for days. Your holy grail, your make it or break it, your last chance: the email from Dynamight’s company. 

You don’t look for two minutes. Your fears surround your senses again, and your ego–so precious and fragile–doesn’t want to be hurt anymore. It pulls your body away from your phone, wishing the news away. How many more rejections could you take? If you didn’t get this job, then maybe you just weren’t cut out to do this. But, even with your preemptive sadness and disappointment, you gather the courage to look at your bearer of bad news. You turn on your phone, and stare. You can barely believe your eyes. It wasn’t, “Sorry, we decided to go with another applicant", no, it said “Congratulations! You have been chosen to be an advertising specialist at Pro-hero Dynamight’s agency.”

You could scream. You could cry. There’s no telling what you could do. In just a few simple words, your life had been changed and now the world opens to accept you. To change your life and allow you the grace you had been begging for. You dance around your living room, screaming and shouting with the happiness of every broke college student turned successful worker behind you. There’s no telling what you might do now. God, you’re just so happy. You, you, you, you. Out of everyone they interviewed with, they chose you. Maybe you’re doing too much, but you’re just so happy. You!

You did all the steps the email prompted you to do, a giddy smile overtaking your face. You laughed at the misery you felt before, it all felt so far away, so unimportant. Here, in your hand, was something important–the key to changing your life. You sighed and ordered some chinese food, your glowing smile never leaving your face. You would have to call Charlotte soon, maybe you two would be working together. You just kept on smiling and giggling throughout the whole night. 

The next day you called Charlotte over to tell her the good news. Sasha had worked a late shift, and took an early morning. She was barely ever there, so even though you technically had a roommate, it never really felt like it. That left you with enough space to scream your heart out in excitement with Charlotte. You both now worked in advertising for pro-heroes. This had been the dream since you got your college acceptance letter, and now it was coming into fruition. 

“I’m so happy for you! I knew you would kill it.” Charlotte smiled at you, both of your cheeks were starting to hurt from how much you guys had laughed and smiled since she arrived at your apartment. 

“I know, I’m so happy. I start on Monday.” You tell her all the details you can, and she gives you some advice for the future. You had already told your old job that you quit, and had gone shopping in the early morning, so you felt ready to start fresh. Maybe once you saved enough money, you would be able to get your own place. No ghost roommate needed. For now, though, that would have to remain a dream. You just needed to save as much as you could, who knows what could happen in the future. 

You and Charlotte spend the rest of your time watching movies and gossiping about people you mutually know. Some of it was juicy, some of it was boring, but none of it could compare to the daydreams you were making about your new job. You had never been so excited to start a job, and you wondered how much you would actually interact with Dynamight. I mean, he was technically your boss, but you were a low level advertising “specialist”, so it wasn’t like you were heading any of the ads he does. But, still, how much does the advertising team work with Dynamight? You tried to take your mind off of it, lest you let your small crush on the man override your advertising sense. Now was not the time to play. 

Monday rolled around faster than you thought it would. You, Charlotte, and some other friends spent the weekend celebrating your new job and you had one too many green tea shots, but it was all in the name of fun. You were happy to be employed, especially with a livable wage. Monday morning found you with a smile, and the sun kissed you awake. The air itself lifted you off the bed, and the cold breeze that usually rattled your windows in the morning halted all in favor of watching you get ready for work. It was like the universe itself was speaking to you. You had such a fine morning, so fine, in fact, that you let time slip away just a bit and had to rush out the door to make your train. 

You made it just in time, luckily. The last thing you needed was being late on the first day and making a bad first impression. You breathed heavily in your seat and hoped that nobody would notice it. You had first day jitters already, and you had already gone through to the linkedin post to review what exactly your role was a thousand times. You just didn’t want to be underprepared or confused on your first day. 

“Hello, Ms. (l/n), I’m happy to see you back here.” Aina Eto smiles and greets you again. She had high hopes for you, defending you when the two men tried to smear dirt on your name. She didn’t know why, but she felt that you would do extremely well here and she wanted to see your improvement. Maybe it was because of the way you fought through your fears and put on a strong face for the interview. Either way, she was happy to see you. 

“Oh, hi Ms. Eto, I’m so happy to start this job! This is really like a dream come true.”

“Well, let me give you a tour of the agency. The advertising side is small, but we’re a strong bunch.” She walks you around Dynamight’s agency, which was very modern and looked very expensive. The smell of the morning greeted your nose–coffee, bagels, and tea, all those took a part in guiding you towards the agency’s cafeteria. The cafeteria was well-sized, seemingly able to hold over a hundred people in it. You watched the faces of some of the employees, they seemed happy and not at all scared of what the day held for them. Hopefully, you could feel the same at some point.

“And, finally, here’s the advertising sector. We usually meet at that big meeting room over there every morning, and then we disperse to our desks. Head managers such as myself have our own offices, and you’re free to come in any time if you have a question. Your desk will be right here,” She points to a desk in the far right side of the room, “and you’ll notice that advertising is the closest sector to Dynamight’s office. That’s because he’s always complaining to us about something, so we work with him directly a lot, or at least when he has time.” 

Your desk was right by Dynamight’s office, you could stare at his nameplate all day if you wanted to. You nod to Ms. Eto and start to unpack your supplies in the desk she escorted you to. Your first day jitters got worse and worse as you did so, which led to you being a little too distracted to notice Dynamight glancing your way as he grumbled to his desk. He was pleasantly surprised to see that girl from the interview was here, days after the interview he still thought about the stare you gave him. It felt like you were peering into his soul, and your eyes shone so bright, he felt pulled. You were beautiful, there was no doubt about it, but he wouldn’t let that distract him. He couldn’t.

 You had finally finished all you needed to do when the morning meeting was about to begin. You sat down and joined your coworkers in the meeting room with a smile on your face. You hoped everybody liked you. One coworker, a very beautiful woman, shot you a smile before turning her attention back to the presentation. The goal this week was to finalize everything regarding Dynamight’s cologne ad (the ad that he burst through your interview about, and you couldn’t help but wonder what Ms. Eto said to him to get him to agree) and to speak to the advertising team of a sports company. There was an opportunity for Dynamight to be in an ad for some new shoes they were selling. You wondered what ads Dynamight liked to do, if he even liked any at all. 

After the meeting was dismissed, the pretty lady that smiled at you before came to introduce herself. 

“Hi, I’m Leonna. Are you excited to work here?”

“Hi, I’m (y/n) and yeah, I’m pretty happy to be here. How is advertising here? Dynamight does have a certain reputation…” 

She giggles at you and says, “It’s honestly not that bad. Dynamight may seem ferocious in the media, and don't get me wrong, he does speak his mind, but honestly he’s not as bad as he seems. He’s really respectful to us and as long as I’ve been here I’ve never had a problem with him.” 

You nod at what she says. It makes you feel better about working here. Dynamight did have a reputation, but if his employees are saying he’s cool then he must be. Hopefully, you get to see that side of him. 

“Well, this is my desk. If you need help with anything, come find me.” She gives you one last smile and then sits down to get started on her assignment. 

“Ok, thank you Leonna.” You head back to your seat to get started on your work as well. 

The day moves by slowly and you find yourself daydreaming for most of your shift. Since it was only your first day, they didn’t want to overwhelm you with anything yet. You spent most of the shift responding to emails, calls, and even some text messages on the company phone they gave you. Overall, your first day had gone pretty well and your coworkers were kind and inviting. They had even invited you to a celebratory night out for Dynamight’s successful ad. Ms. Eto, being the woman she was, had insisted that everybody come to celebrate, even Dynamight himself. 

“Mr. Bakugo, I think the team would enjoy it if you came out to celebrate with us. You know morale is very important for team structures. Plus, you can invite Mr. Deku or Mr. Red Riot if you so please.” 

Dynamight just rolls his eyes, very aware that the team could hear the whole discussion that was taking place. Despite his exterior, Dynamight quite liked his advertising team. They weren’t pushy bastards like the one he had when he was just starting out. This team listened to his concerns, and accepted deals with him in mind, not just chart scores. So, he appreciated them a lot. But, drinking had never been something he enjoyed that much. Getting drunk, and being out of control…it gave him goosebumps. Maybe one day he would finance a celebratory dinner to make up for his absence. 

“I’m not going Eto. Tell the rest of the team to enjoy their night.” He goes right back to typing away on his computer, clearly signaling that this conversation was over and that he didn’t want to hear about it anymore. Aina Eto just sighed and laughed, having already guessed what his answer was going to be, but still wanting to ask just in case. She never wanted her team to feel like she wouldn’t try for them.

“Well, alright. But, I expect that you’ll make this up to the team somehow.” 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Everyone knows that getting a job in this economy is akin to winning the lottery. You go to college, you (hopefully) get some internships, and then you go on to get a job and life truly begins. At least, that was what you had been told your entire college experience. Sure, you got a couple internships here and there, and you did pretty well as an advertising major, but every company wants somebody with 5 years of experience, nobody wants to train anyone anymore. That’s why six months post grad, you’ve been working as a retail worker who, unfortunately, is forced to experience humanity’s most annoying people.

It’s not so bad though, and your coworkers are chill, it’s just not what you imagined yourself to be doing after graduating. So many of your friends had secured jobs before they even graduated, and you were stuck working in a run down mall for minimum wage. But, today, things were finally looking up for you. You had finally secured an in-person interview. After months of “Sorry, we decided to go with another person” and other forms of rejection, you had finally managed to at least get inside the building. That’s gotta count for something, right? Well, anyway, you really need this job. If not for experience, just to have enough money to both pay the rent and be able to go out at least once a month with some friends.

The day arrived faster than you anticipated. You had already researched the company for weeks and had all your friends give you mock interviews, but you still felt so nervous. This was a big deal. This wasn’t any company, no, this was pro-hero Dynamight’s company. You had long heard about Katsuki Bakugo and the rest of his classmates, but to actually work with him? That was something entirely different. You weren’t even sure if you’d be able to pay attention because he was just too fine. Regardless, you had two hours until the interview which left you with enough time to eat something and practice a bit more.

“Hey girl, you ready for your interview?” Your roommate, Sasha, asked while cooking some breakfast for you. She loved cooking, and had made a decent career out of it. She was the complete opposite of you. She graduated culinary school and almost immediately found herself in a nice position at some fancy restaurant downtown. But, she was genuinely good and it’s no surprise that she found a job so fast. You could only hope that her magical prowess would somehow seep into her food and bless you with some well deserved luck.

“I think I’m ready. I practiced all last night.” You said while playing with your food. It's not that you don’t believe in yourself, it’s just that this job could really change your life and your life definitely needs some changing.

“Well, then I think you’ll be fine. You got this.” You both smiled and ate your breakfast. You tried to feel confident in your abilities. You did well in school, and liked to think that you had a golden thumb for advertising. You just hoped that the interviewers would see it too.

“I think I’m going to head out now. I’ll see you later and let you know how it goes.”

“Alright, good luck!”

The subway was the most convenient way to get to the interview since you didn’t have a car. Dynamight’s company wasn’t too far from your apartment, even though it was on the nicer side of town. The subway ride there didn’t help to calm your nerves at all, but you had no choice but to walk into the building with your head held high. This interview was too important to lose.

The room was cold. Cold enough that you wished you had brought a jacket, and cold enough that two other applicants had run to their cars to grab one. Your blazer, which was thrifted and nicely sewed back up to look presentable, wasn’t anywhere near tough enough to brave the cold, but you didn’t have time to go back and grab a jacket. You didn’t have time to go back and do anything. All you had was the present, which was filled with anticipatory worry, and the smell of a too strong perfume. Its scent drifted across the room like a phantom, it clearly had no specific victim in mind– with every person smelling faintly of the perfume–but you just hoped that it didn’t take away from you doing well. The last thing you needed was to worry about that on top of everything else you’re already worrying about.

Finally, finally, the interviewer calls your name. She’s beautiful, with her hair pulled back in a strict bun and her face devoid of any of the coldness the room holds, she’s obviously an important figure here. She looks kind, but you would have to do more than just be personable to work here. Dynamight’s company only employed the best of the best.

“(y/n) (l/n)?”

“Oh, that’s me!” You did your best to hide all your fears behind your smile, it wouldn’t help to fuck it all up now. You had to remove all negativity from your mind…hopefully. You grabbed your small purse, and followed the lady to the room. She had a very strong walk, you noticed. You wondered what exactly she did besides hiring people to have a walk that strong, a bun that strict, and a face that carried warmth reminiscent of bygone days.

“Are you nervous?” Her smile towards you was comforting. All you could do was smile and nod back.

“A little, but I’m confident in my abilities.” A lie. Almost convincing but Aina Eto had worked enough years in the industry to recognize when someone was putting on a strong face. She liked that you tried, though. It showed that you cared about your image and that you wanted to be well received. Plus, faking it until you make it never hurt nobody. She guided you to the much warmer room where the cold and the heat gently danced until both were too tired to dominate the other. This room relinquished the last restraints you had on your fears. Everything was too real now, and your smile, which gave you the power of forgetting yourself, wavered just a bit.

A chair, black and small, stood in the middle of the room. It faced the three interviewers with contempt, having been set on by hundreds of people these past week weeks. The interviewers, and Aina, having just sat down, all smiled at you. Aina’s smile was a neverending fountain of warmth, but the other two–two men you hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting yet–smiled as if they couldn’t wait for this to be over. No matter because you had it in your mind that you were going to nail this interview, anxiety be damned.

“Go ahead and sit down Ms. (l/n).” One of the men spoke, obviously tired of interviewing people.

You smiled, and sat down. Now was the time to wow these people. You had to come out on top. Your pride and ego needed a little boost after months and months of disappointment. This moment, this job, this could all change your life. All you had was now.

“So, I see that you graduated last spring. Care to explain the gap in your resume? The last internship date you have on here was more than five months ago. Surely, an aspiring advertising expert like yourself would want all the experience you could get. Why now? Why here?”

The man’s questioning felt less like an interview and more like a death row sentence. His haughty attitude irritated you, and his eyes–which gleamed with a certain hatred for all interviewees–stared into your soul. But, you had prepared for this kind of questioning. You were ready.

“Yes, I graduated from university last spring and during that time I had three internships. I have applied for many positions since then, and have been working as a sales employee since June of last year. During that time, I have attended many interviews and discussions in order to keep my knowledge fresh in my brain. If you take a look at my resume, you will also see that during my time in school, I worked as an advertising manager to many clubs and non-profits around the area. Though I may lack formal experience, I do believe that I have enough background information and knowledge to do what this job requires of me.” You knew it was corny, you knew that outside of college, you hadn’t had much experience, but you hoped that they would allow you to prove yourself. Even their boss was a beginner at some point.

The interviewers just nod, you felt that you hadn’t impressed them, but maybe that was just your pessimistic side talking. Ms. Eto smiles again and asks, “Why do you want to work here?”

You had practiced this question too, but you made sure to make it look like you were taking time to think about it.

“I want to work here because I want to gain valuable experience in the advertising industry. Dynamight’s advertising sector has proven time and time again how valuable they are to his image. They work well with him by providing him with ads that suit his personality, rather than just want trends say. I think it’s important to consider your client and how to work best with them, rather than just what is currently trending at the moment. This allows the client to be a trailblazer and gives them an identity that can’t be washed away by the next fad. I think this company will give me the knowledge that I need to improve my skills and give me new ones to build upon.”

They ask you a couple of more questions, most of which you had prepared for, but some threw you for a loop. The interview was long and taxing, and the warmth that you had enjoyed earlier faded into a dull heat that smelled faintly of the woman’s perfume from before. To put it plainly, you were over it. You hoped they would finish up soon, so that you could go ahead and cry about your rejection. Just as you were thinking about the ice cream you were going to devour later, the door bursts open, damn near falling off the hinges.

“ETO” Katuski Bakugo, aka the hero Dynamight and the boss of all the interviewers, yells. “What kind of ad did you sign me up for? It’s bullshit. Who the fuck cares about cologne, that’s for–” His gaze falls to you, it’s a quick glance, but its still toward you.

“Mr. Dynamight, as you can see we’re in the middle of an interview. I would be happy to discuss your appointments after we finish up here. Give us five minutes.” She gives him a stern look, her bun–strict and true–stands like a wand commanding Katsuki Bakugo. He rolls his eyes, takes one last glance at you, and leaves the room.

“Sorry for the interruption Ms. (l/n), I think that’ll be all for today. We’ll be in contact with you in two to three business days. Thank you for your time.”