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Mina dabbed the foundation over her skin lightly using the small sponge, spreading it evenly.
The girls of class 2A were having a 'girl's night' - and Yuga, as he did makeup better than most - as the boys mocked earlier, applying over-the-top makeup and doing elaborate hairstyles on each other, whipping out the oft-unused hair straighteners and curlers. They'd been given permission by Aizawa to use the front room to be considerate to those sleeping on the floors their bedrooms were located on and he even provided some lights snacks to ensure they didn't get hungry. All in all, it was a very pleasant night!
That was, however, until Mina tried putting makeup on and realized that all of the colours were off - the pink lipstick did absolutely nothing, the pale foundation didn't match her pink skintone whatsoever and even the red eyeshadow just blended right in with the shadow in her eyesocket.
She sighed, putting the brushes and sponges down and glaring at her reflection in the mirror. It looked awful. The only part that looked semi-decent was the eyeliner and mascara, but they were overwhelmed by the terrible foundation - fit for someone with skin that definitely wasn't pink. In the past, Mina just tried to not let it get to her, especially because her parents claimed she was too young for makeup anyway, but with the girls of 2A now being 17, makeup was on a lot of their minds. Except Mina. She hated it, hating these nights even more, but she'd feel awful if she was the only girl not participating.
She sighed again, turning away from her reflection and grabbing the pack of wipes, scrubbing furiously at her skin with a fresh one, blinking back tears. It was so unfair, the foundation was matched to the skintone of the rest of the girls in the class, except Hagakure, who didn't even need to wear it.
When the makeup was finally off her face, she turned to watch the rest of the girls do their own or each other's makeup, reaching for a bag of crisps. They all looked content, excited even, and Mina didn't want to ruin the fun by bringing up her woes. On her left, she saw Aizawa entering the room slowly, Present Mic following behind.
"Just a quick reminder, you have until midnight before you have to disperse to your bedrooms," Aizawa said in his usual monotone voice, Present Mic smiling and waving behind him.
"Thanks, Sensei!" Momo said, from where she was curling her hair on the couch.
Aizawa nodded, looking around the room with a fond look in his eyes before noticing Mina sat looking rather dejected on the armchair, a pile of dirty wipes next to her. He glanced behind him at Mic and nodded in Mina's direction. Mic soon realized and winked at Aizawa, heading into the kitchen.
"Mina!!! Come help me make up some more bowls of dip!!"
Mina jumped to help him, leaving the bag of crisps on the table, practically dashing into the kitchen.
When she got there, Mic was stood at the counter, a few empty bowls in front of him and some veggie and sauce mixes. He waved her over, opening a bowl of sauce and directing her to chop some of the peppers up.
"So, what's got you lookin' so glum, little dude?"
Mina froze for a sec, before continuing her chopping, sliding them into the bowl with a knife.
"Nothing, Sensei, just feeling a little tired," she replied, holding the bowl as he poured in some yoghurt and chives.
"Is that why you're not joining in with the other girls?" He asked, using a spoon to stir the mixture.
"Well..." Mina replied, drawing the word out, "it's not just that. I don't think you'd get it though, it's more of a girl problem."
"Ah," Mic nodded, lifting the bowl and heading into the front room, holding it out in front of him like you would a small toddler covered in mud. "More dips!!!" Mic shouted, interrupting the conversation between Aizawa and the rest of the girls.
The girls thanked him profusely and he waved as he left, Aizawa following behind.
Mina sighed, slumping down in the armchair again, holding the new bowl of dip closer and reaching for the same bag. It was quiet for a moment, before Momo spoke up.
"Mina... are you okay?" She asked, tentatively.
Mina looked up, mildly surprised, before nodding. "Of course, I am." None of the girls looked very certain, but moved on regardless. The noise picked up again slowly and Mina managed to morph into the background.
-x-
Just less than a month later, the girls were having another night in the front room of the dorms, with the girls reapplying fancy-ish makeup and eating snacks, talking about boys and murder and all things girly.
Mina was once again slumped in the seat on her own, watching as her peers and friends had fun and laughed around her. She didn't feel up for joining in with the makeup this time, once more seeing the distance and clear difference between her and her friends. The difference would remain forever and it didn't usually bother her, till moments like this - she was bright fucking pink and they weren't.
She sighed, hugging the pillow on her stomach closer, clenching her eyes shut.
She hated it, really. The clear chasm between her and her friends, even teased in her youth by other classmates. It was heartbreaking.
She was brought back into reality by a hand on her shoulder and she turned around in a bit of a panic, nearly getting whiplash, to see Aizawa backing away with his hands up.
"Sorry, Ashido, I was just wondering if I could speak with you for a moment."
Mina blinked, relaxing. "Oh, sure, Sensei!"
He nodded to the kitchen and she followed him in, sitting down at the small table. He sat across from her, steepling his hands on the table.
"You don't wear makeup like the rest of the class, do you?"
Mina looked shocked for a moment before nodding sheepishly, turning a little pinker in the cheeks. "No, the colours don't match my skin.."
He nodded, clearly already knowing the problem beforehand. "I thought as much. I don't want this to seem like I'm trying to intrude on anything but I asked Midnight for some tips and she recommended a few places that might sell makeup you can use," he slid some flyers across the table, having reached into his coat pocket, "and she told me about a place in Musutafu that might be able to match your skin tone or something?" He looked a little confused, but moved on anyway. "There's an opening this weekend and I might be able to take you down there, see if they can do anything."
Mina looked very excited for a moment, holding the flyers reverently and hugging them to her chest, before deflating a little. "But Sensei, I don't want you to feel troubled with it... it really doesn't matter."
"Mina," he replied, reaching out and holding one of her hands in his, "you shouldn't feel ashamed of your skintone, no matter what happens. Just because you're different to the rest of your classmates doesn't mean you're more of a burden, because I really wouldn't mind taking you into Musutafu."
Mina nodded, but still looked a little lost. He squeezed her hand, causing her to look into his eyes. "I promise, Mina. No one views you the way you see yourself. It's ok. We'll figure this out. I want you to wear makeup with the rest of the girls and I want you to enjoy these evenings without feeling left out."
Mina nodded again, clearly feeling a little happier. "If you're sure, Sensei!" She exclaimed, smiling.
Aizawa smiled back slightly, releasing her hand and nodding to the rest of the girls. "Go on," he said, standing from his seat. She ran out of the kitchen, seeming more content than when he joined the girls, so he took his leave quietly.
-x-
Another night, another gathering of teenage girls. This time, however, Mina was right there along with them, applying her own makeup, in her own perfect shade. Aizawa, as promised, took her to Musutafu and Midnight and a few girls joined them. It was a fun day, in the end! The makeup was amazing and absolutely stunning.
For once, she didn't hate her own skin and its differences. In fact, she thought it was quite beautiful.
And really, she was.