Authors Note

After finishing the last chapter my muse said "Keep going!" so, I'm gonna try! My boyfriend is home though, and he tends to make it hard to focus, lol. So we'll see if I can get another one done today!

Making Over, Making Up

"Are you sure this is the right area?" He asked the gothic N on the screen of the monitor the team was looking at; while another screen displayed images of the apartment the pair would be staying in.

Much like with Kira's case they were in a neutral building. The entire hotel had been bought out under a faux company's name. It was a very well laid false paper trail to hide from a very well established criminal enterprise. Near had yet to arrive in person. There were many more security measures he was putting in check. His very closely vetted team was in the middle of transforming the building as they spoke.

<<Quite sure. The average socioeconomic range of the victims around the world puts them in this type of neighborhood.>>

"Around the world...okay. But in Japan?" Matsuda cringed back as he spotted the photo of the kitchen cupboards, half expecting a swarm of cockroaches would be hiding in them.

<<Japan as well. There are plenty of cases you never knew about...those who abducted the mother and child were likely newcomers to the organization. I imagine they were dealt with for leaving so many open ends.>>

"Oh, really?" Matsuda didn't like the idea so many cases had never even come to the NPA's attention. What good were they doing then? How were they helping anybody? Some heroes...

He thought of his mentee. She had joined their group thinking they were heroes. Then here they were, practically ignorant of a massive criminal enterprise ruining lives around the globe.

Some heroes.

[Y/N] had been silent since their arrival. Actually, she had barely said anything since they had left her place. It was one of those completely awkward silences he had no idea how to break, too.

"NO!" [Y/N]'s voice errupted from the room where she was supposed to be getting changed for the role she was going under cover in, "Can't...won't...air tis unoay!"

Quick as a flash Aizawa and Ide were up and moving towards the door to see just what was wrong. But as they tried to enter they were met with every fraction of the young woman's weight pushing back.

"NOOO! YOU CAN'T!" She was so alarmed by the idea they might see just what had her so embarrassed that she forgot to stutter! That was new.

When the pair had stopped trying to enter to look at each other in confusion, [Y/N] poked her head out of the door to glare at the N that shone on the monitor, mortified tears shimmered in the corner of her eyes, "Th'Lothes"

<<Actually, those are quite modest compared to what some of the women taken were seen wearing before their disappearance...your outfits will cover your chest to upper abdomen, most of your upper back; as well as your your upper thighs and lower back...>>

All she could do was blush; her eyes clamped shut as she tried block out the mental image of herself. She shook her head adamantly, horrified at the thought of her Sempai seeing her so exposed.

Near's voice sighed through the phone.

<<No one will think less of you for wearing these things. It's not you, it's your character. Like an actress, but with an important end to achieve.>>

"Th-this?!" [Y/N] pulled out a tube of red lipstick. She had found the article among other flashy cosmetics in the bedroom. And while the shades might compliment her skin or whatever, they wouldn't have been her first pick! Besides, "Never wear! Gonna mess up!"

<<You'll be fine. Plenty of tutorials are saved to the cell phone you've been left. You don't need to use all the colors and be fancy. Just basic powder, eyelids, cheeks, and lips. If it's a little garish it just plays up our cover story.

"Besides," Nears voice was suddenly in the room with them, as he wandered in with an absent gaze that darted about, twirling his hair, "You don't want to be easily recognized..."

"You're so young..."[Y/N]'s eyes widened at the site of the real Near, who paid no real attention as he selected a seat and began setting up his toys, "Like, really young! You solved the Kira case?"

"I look younger than I am," Near's immediate response was too monotone to tell if he was offended or just giving facts, "And yes, I did. With help."

The woman drew a deep breath to sharpen her resolve, and stepped out of the bedroom entirely. 

Matsuda's eyes widened, and even Near spared a few moments to look her way.

"So, " [Y/N] Looked down at herself, picking at the tight fabric of an off the shoulder shirt in [f/c]  that ended just above her belly button, "What exactly is my cover supposed to be?"

The shirt had been matched with skintight denim shorts whose cuff came just shy of fingertip length. Fortunately the high waist made up slightly for the short crop of the top. But barely, as the very top of her belly button still showed if she moved even at all.

"A runaway," Near's monotone answered easily, his slender, pale fingers taking a fingerpuppet that scarily resembled her into their grip, "Whose family did not approve of her older boyfriend."

Now he delicately picked up a puppet the looked eerily similar to Matsuda, "And so, you ran away with him."

The two puppets were placed together in a dollhouse that for whatever weird reason  Near happened to have, "Being an older man, he of course has the unfortunate risk of exposing you to all sorts of vices. It's only natural a young girl's parents would object. Why, if the wrong people heard about his suspect reputation, they both might get in trouble."

"Oh...Oh! I understand! That's very clever!" [Y/N] laughed some at the way they were using the age difference to play into the charade, "I still hate having to dress like this through."

"Your objection is noted. But the outfits are to add to the illusion. I trust Matsuda is gentleman enough to not try anything."

"Of course I won't!" Matsuda's ears went crimson, and [Y/N] turned a pink tinted face to look over her shoulder at him, her smile faltering.

"Oh, he would never do that, Near-san," She murmurred, and, before putting a bright, if not altogether honest, smile back onto her face and turning to look at her mentor, "Matsuda-sempai! There is an outfit for you to change into too!"

"Huh?" Pointing to himself the older man stood up and wandered toward the bedroom, why do I need a new outfit?"

"Because, you look like a cop!" She laughed, and shoved the clothing into his hands before grabbing up her cosmetics to find an isolated place to practice applying it, "Looking forward to the fashion show, Sempai!"

The plan was to be moved in by the next after noon, so they had tonight and tomorrow morning to get everything ready. With that in mind Matsuda looked down at the assorment of clothing in his arms.

"For real? I get not looking like a cop...but I'll look like someone who never made it as an Idol..." He slouched and sighed, closing his eyes before quirking a small smile, "Well, at least[Y/N] is talking to me again, I think?"

===

After watching a few tutorials, [Y/N] stared at her face in the mirror. She'd already messed up. The shade of her face was different that the shade of her neck. How could something as simple as powder be so disasterous?

"You put it on to thick."

Blinking she looked up to see Aizawa glancing at her from where he was setting his computer up the way he liked it, "What?"

"When Near ran his plan by me...I may have asked Eriko for some make up advice...when I mentioned you, she seemed to be willing to help," He sighed wearily, "But she made me swear I wasn't putting you in danger..."

"Then you lied?" [Y/N] quirked an eyebrow.

"I hate lying to her, I'll have you know. For me, that was one of the worst parts of the whole Kira investigation...I wasn't supposed to help...A wife and kid at home," He looked lost in thought, "But...I guess sometimes duty overrides common sense..."

"Hmm..."[Y/N] thought about what he had said a moment. She had never really thought about the personal sacrifices Aizawa had had to make for his job before. And not just Kira. Every case he took on, there was a chance he might not go home. That he may make his wife a widow, leave his child fatherless. Her family flashed through her mind. Her sister, her parents, her overbearing big brother dragging Matsuda off to interrogate him...

"Thank you...for stopping Kira. And for helping me," She smiled up at Aizawa, "I'll be careful, I won't make you liar. So, those makeup tips?"

End Note

Hmm...So, I was gonna have Matsuda show off his outfit too....then I thought that cute little scene with Aizawa and Reader-chan was just a perfect wrap for the chapter, and that we would start with Matsuda's appearance at the beginning of next chapter.

Hmmm....

Hmmmmm...

What do you think?

Did it end in a good place? Awkward place?

Is Near's idea for a cover a good one?

I was originally gonna have Matsu and Reader starting out at the apartment in this chapter, but it seemed weird to not go over their covers with everyone and to have them stroll into the apartment as their normal selves first. So I went and edited.

If you find any missed edits please let me know.

Also, had this, and the next chapter,  finished the same day as the last one...but figured I'd space them out and give you a small treat.