Years. You had waited years for this appointment. Honestly, it felt like you waited a whole lifetime, and sitting in the waiting room as time drudged on only served to turn your excitement into anxiety. Even though it was only a consultation, you were making progress on finally getting top surgery. Inside, you felt like a nervous wreck. What if they denied you, or couldn’t do it for some reason? What if you couldn’t afford it? Or if-

“(Y/N).”

Your thoughts froze as you heard his voice. It was low, and no matter what he was saying, always carried a gravity to it that grounded you. You were staring off into space, eyes seemingly glued to the clock even though you weren’t reading the time, and began to subconsciously wring your hands, nails scraping underneath each other absentmindedly. His fingers slipped between your palms as he separated your hands, taking the one to hold on top of his thigh with your fingers intertwined. The touch of his hand prompted your eyes to blink and then you turned your face, looking at the man beside you. He didn’t smile as your eyes met, but he didn’t need to. Those commanding black eyes of his reassured you that he was there with you, that this appointment would go well, and that everything would be more than fine.

A smile pressed on your lips, however. How did you get so lucky to have Aizawa Shouta as a partner? The pro hero whose epithet should have read “The Aloof Hero” instead of “The Erasing Hero” was actually the most supportive and considerate person you had ever met. It was a severely guarded secret of his that presented itself over the span of years to most, but with you, it had only taken a few months- and then the rest was history. It’s been years since then- he was there from the start of the T-injections, and he was here as you moved forward with your transition.

“Thank you,” you whispered to him, taking a deep breath that filled your belly and then escaped your lips.

As your nerves were finally subsiding, the door opened and you were called for. Aizawa stood with you, still holding your hand and giving you a reassuring squeeze that kept your anxiety from spiking again. You were led to an office, two seats angled towards each other and facing the desk that your potential surgeon sat behind. She greeted you with a bright smile and cheerful disposition, standing and gesturing to the seats for you two, offering her hand for a shake as you two sat. Instantly, you were at ease, your partner paying close attention while the doctor spared no details about the processes for each type of surgery and what made them different and what they were most effective for. At the end, she asked you for your opinions- if you had any preferences or absolutes that needed to be considered. You worked together, nixing each surgery until you were left with one. During all of this, your partner simply observed closely.

“Okay, this one is definitely the best fit for me. It suits my chest size and covers everything that I had hoped for, but wasn’t sure if it would be possible.” Your voice was so happy- this was so unreal. You looked at Aizawa with the happiest smile he’d seen in weeks from you.

“Of course. We aim to assist our patients in being as comfortable as possible in their own skin. This procedure is more complex than most, due to the precision necessary to maintain the sensitivity of your areolas, as well as keep their pigmentation. At minimum, it will cost ¥650,000.”

“I’m sorry- it costs how much? A-are the other procedures cheaper?” That price tag was ludacris to you. There was no way you could afford that; you were expecting maybe half or a quarter of that number- but ¥650,000- it just wasn’t feasible.

“Well, yes, of c-”

“(Y/N).” There it was again- that voice that calmed and steadied you. The surgeon turned to look at the man she honestly forgot about due to his stillness and silence, your eyes shifting to him as well.

“Y-yes, Shouta?”

“I didn’t support you through years of T and struggling to see you settle and take the cheaper route. Pick the procedure that fits best, and don’t worry about the money.” His voice was level, but you could pick up on the height of his command.

“But-” However, you couldn’t obey.

“If you’re going to do this, you’re going to do it right,” he sharply cut you off. You could tell that this was non-negotiable. Even though Aizawa must have sounded controlling and rude to the doctor, who looked stunned and unsure of what to say, he didn’t to you. He wasn’t infringing on your bodily autonomy- he was liberating you from the financial restraint. You didn’t hide your excitement and happiness before the price was revealed, and he attentively listened as you and the surgeon narrowed down your options to the one that you knew was ‘definitely the best fit’ you.

“Don’t worry about the money.”

Silence befell the room as Aizawa’s eyes stared at you intensely. Once again, you took a deep breath, closing your eyes in the process and turning to look to the surgeon.

“I would like to schedule the surgery for the procedure we agreed was best for me.”

The surgeon hesitated, looking between you and your partner. “…You’re sure? It seemed out of your price range. We require a 25% deposit when the-”

“¥650,000 is within our price range,” Aizawa spoke nonchalantly, the intensity from before seeming to have never existed at all to him. Your heart fluttered as you lingered on that possessive.

Still taken aback, the woman across the desk conceded. She pulled up her calendar, and you picked the earliest date available. Insisting on paying the deposit, you refused to let Aizawa cover the 25% down. You were prepared for at least that much. Much to the doctor’s surprise, she saw Aizawa accepting your demand without so much as a glare or sigh. It finally dawned on her that he wasn’t being rude earlier- he was paying you the greatest respect.

You took Aizawa’s hand as you both exited the office, leaving the SRS specialty clinic after that emotional rollercoaster of a consultation. For the longest time, neither of you said anything. There was so much for you to process. The surgery you wanted for so much of your life was finally on the calendar- it was basically tangible now. A countdown started the second that deposit went through, making you so elated you didn’t know what to say. And then there was the love of your life- unrivaled in rationality- who floored you and the doctor with what seemed like complete impulsivity. Your eyes drifted to his face, gazing at him with adoration and a smile on your lips. In the years you’d known him and the ones spent loving him, you never saw him react to something brashly. This was no exception.

“What’s on your mind?” His eyes glanced to the side and met yours briefly. Your smile only grew before you looked away, paying attention to where you were going. You squeezed his hand, feeling him squeeze back affectionately.

“I was thinking that I’m really lucky to be with you.”

At your words, Aizawa stopped walking. With your hands still held, you felt some resistance and looked back at him, getting pulled into his arms. As one hand came to your lower back, the other raised to your face, caressing your jawline before he gently held your chin between his thumb and index finger. The way he gazed at you took your breath away, and you held what little you had left in your chest.