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Mem, adult, she/they

[birinboom]

BnHA/MHA

Demon Slayer

Main @madam-mem (wbk, genshin, hsr, kn8)

Last edited on August 22nd, 2025

[birinboom]

Gilded Might

Yagi Toshinori x fem!Reader Word count: 4.026 words Summary: When Toshinori -your neighbor, your friend, your childhood crush- suddenly moves abroad without warning, you fear him lost to you forever. A chance meeting almost a decade later rekindles both your friendship and your old feelings for him. Tags: Childhood friends to strangers to friends to lovers (phew!), very light angst, budding romance ((I just want to make it abundantly clear that they are both adults once any romance happens! Reader, as the youngest, is in her early/mid 20s)) Note: Requested by @justmewoo. I’m so terribly sorry for how long it took to get out!! I hope you’re still here to enjoy it 💖

It was late March when your family moved into the apartment next to Toshinori’s. He showed up next to the moving truck, introducing himself and offering a hand with unloading. You peeked at him from behind your mom. He was already tall back then, even if he was only in his final year of middle school. And he would soon grow even taller.

Your mom made some polite small talk with him, then asked about his parents. 

Toshinori rubbed sheepishly at the back of his neck. “Oh, I, uh… I live alone. My parents, they… passed away some time ago.”

“Oh.” Your mom was flabbergasted at this news. “Oh, dear, I’m so sorry! I…”

Toshinori gave her a disarming smile. “It’s alright, you couldn’t possibly have known.”

In the following years you never really found out if your mom felt sorry for Toshinori in some way, or if she felt some form of responsibility to the teenager next door, living all by himself. But she began inviting him over for dinner most nights, and Toshinori slowly became a part of your family. You’re pretty sure he saw you and your parents as some form of family too. And your mother soon trusted him enough to ask him to keep an eye on you in the afternoons while your parents worked.

The two of you quickly became friends. Your mom often referred to you as being ‘thick as thieves.’ You spent your afternoons together doing homework, playing games, being silly; and you quickly developed a crush on him. 

“‘You’re standing in an open field west of a house with a boarded front door.’” You quoted the opening of your favorite game from memory. “‘There is a mailbox here.’ Toshi, do you remember what’s in the mailbox?”

Toshinori, walking next to you, chuckled. “You really do love that game. How many times have we played it by now? Three?”

“Toshi! The mailbox, do you remember what’s in it?”

He cleared his throat, which made you squeal with glee that he was playing along. “‘Opening the mailbox reveals a leaflet,’” he quoted. 

“Do the bit, Toshi! What does the leaflet say??”

He lowered his voice to a growl. “‘WELCOME TO ZORK.’”

You jumped, pumping your fist in the air. “Yeah!! Can we play it again soon?”

Toshinori smiled at you, that soft smile which you had grown so fond of in the past few months. “Sure. Let’s play it soon. We should be able to finish it before summer break ends.”

You nodded happily. Turning off the shopping street, the two of you entered the supermarket. 

“So,” Toshinori said, pulling a list out of his pocket. “Your mom needs mackerel, cabbage, potatoes, milk, and bread. And a treat for us for the trouble.”

“We get a treat?” Your eyes were blazing. 

“Yeah! Says so right here!” 

He handed you the grocery list. Reading it, you frowned. 

“That last part isn’t my mom’s handwriting… It’s yours.”

Toshinori grinned at you. “Alright, you got me, I want a sweet treat. And I don’t mind sharing. What do you think, an ice pop?”

You tore through the store, gathering the groceries your mom needed in record speed, the promise of getting treated to something sweet by Toshinori spurring you on. You finally stopped in front of the freezer, looking over all the choices.

“How about this one?” Toshinori asked, picking out a soda-flavored double popsicle. 

You swallowed hard, suddenly feeling embarrassed. When he said that he didn’t mind sharing, you hadn’t imagined that you would literally be splitting a treat. For some reason, the thought of it made your mouth dry. 

“Y-yeah,” you forced out. “Looks good.”

Toshinori paid for the groceries, adding a few coins of his own to the money your mom had given him. Once outside, he unwrapped the popsicle. Grabbing hold of the two sticks, he pulled, splitting the popsicle perfectly down the middle. 

“Here you go!”

You took the proffered treat with shaking hands. Sticking it in your mouth, you tried to savor the sweet flavor as the two of you began walking home.

Time passed, and your crush on Toshinori only grew.

However, at one point during the winter, he began changing. He spent his afternoons and evenings working out, rarely stopping by for dinner anymore. Whenever you asked him why, he always gave the same vague answer.

“I’m training for the UA department of heroes entrance exam. I hear it’s pretty difficult.”

“But you don’t have a quirk, Toshi!” you shot back one day. “Why are you taking the entrance exam? I don’t get it! You need a quirk to go be in the hero department, right? So why?”

Toshinori just smiled calmly at your displeasure. “I can’t explain how, but my quirk manifested recently. So I thought I’d give the entrance exam a try. But I’m way behind, so I need to practice extra hard!”

You crossed your arms. “What is it, then? Your quirk, what does it do, huh?”

“I haven’t fully explored all of it yet, but it’s some kind of strength quirk.”

“Strength, sure. And you just found out one day.” 

You didn’t believe him. It seemed too sudden, too perfectly timed. But you also had no other explanation for the change in him, unless he had somehow kept his quirk hidden from you for almost a year. And when Toshinori did pass the entrance exam, you found yourself even less able to argue that something was off. You pulled away from him, keeping to yourself. If he didn’t want to spend time with you, then you wouldn’t make him. His precious quirk and his precious high school seemed more important to him, anyway.

Your mom, however, seemed to ignore your bad mood and your attempts at distancing yourself from Toshinori. On his first day at UA, she decided that a photo of her bonus-son was needed and forced you to stand next to him in his brand new school uniform, a smile plastered to your face. The photo ended up on a shelf in the living room. Toshinori's bright smile greeted you every time you came home.

Toshinori was kept busy with his high school classes, just like your mom had warned you. But it seemed like he’d listened when you voiced your displeasure in his recent change. Even though he wasn’t always able to, he tried freeing a few hours every week to spend with you. And as mad as you were at him, you still cherished what little time you had together.

In his final year of high school, things once again worsened. Toshinori grew distant almost overnight, refusing to tell you what had caused this change. He frequently ignored you, closing the door to his apartment in your face like you weren’t even there. No matter how long you waited outside, nothing changed. You grew desperate, begging him to at least give you a reason, to let you apologize for whatever you did.

“Toshi!!” you cried, beating your fists against his door until they bled. “Toshi, I know you’re home!! Please… Please just tell me what I did!! Toshinori, please!”

Your pleas fell on deaf ears. 

Toshinori disappeared a few days after this. You and your parents only realized when you saw a new family move into his apartment. Your mom approached the landlady, gently asking about the young man who used to live here.

“Oh, he moved to America! Can you believe it, little Toshinori, so far away! He said that he’ll become a great hero, and--”

You didn’t stay to listen to the old woman’s prattle. Turning on your heel, you ran back into your apartment, straight to the shelf which held that picture from Toshinori’s first day of high school.

You pulled the photo from the frame with shaky hands, your face burning with anger. He left without saying goodbye! The frame slipped from your fingers, glass cracking as it hit the floor. You didn’t care. Sniffling, you held the photo by the corners. Then you twisted, tearing the picture down the middle, splitting you and Toshinori apart.

Looking at the torn picture, your vision clouded over with tears, and you let out a heartbroken wail. It was ruined. This was all you had left, and you had ruined it. Just like you somehow ruined your friendship. 

Years passed. You never expected to see Toshinori again. And yet you did, on the news one random night. It seemed that you and your parents were some of the few people who recognized the up-and-coming hero in the US, All Might, as your former next-door neighbor. You scoured whatever piece of information you could find on him, constantly keeping your eyes peeled for any news, if only to make sure that he was still okay. That he was still alive. And you watched him grow over the years, wondering if you’d ever be able to meet him again. 

Then, during your final year at university, All Might returned to Japan in all his gilded glory. You had occasionally seen him featured on the news when an incident happened in America, Japanese news channels fawning over the Japanese-born hero making it big in the US. You had recognized him instantly. And yet, you couldn’t recognize him at all, he had changed so much. His muscles had somehow gotten bigger than they already were the last time you saw him, his once soft smile had become blinding. His long bangs, the ones you used to love to pull on to get his attention, were styled into something reminiscent of rabbits’ ears. And all of this brilliant glory surrounding him only made his face seem more haggard and haunted to you. Gone was the innocent teenager you once knew; instead the screen showed a fully fledged hero, complete with haunting memories of disasters. It made your heart bleed for him. If only you could see him again. You weren’t entirely sure how you’d help him heal, but you were certain that you could.

The chance came sooner than you had expected. The Hero Business and Management department of your university -your department- somehow managed to rope a few of the higher-ranking heroes into giving a speech to the graduating students, All Might included.

You sank deeper into your seat when All Might took the stage, uncertain if you wanted him to recognize you or not. He wouldn’t spot you, you told yourself, you were too hidden in the crowd. You had every intention of seeking him out after the speeches were over -as you were sure many other students would- but right now you preferred to stay hidden and just watch him.

All Might looked out over the crowd of students, his new 1000W smile locked and loaded and ready to go, then he locked eyes with you and his dazzling smile faltered. It was brief, he caught himself instantly, but just for a second you saw that teenager you were so familiar with, and your heart ached.

Then Toshinori leaned closer to the microphone. “I… … AM HERE!”

The crowd erupted in cheers. Your head fell forward and you sighed sadly; the moment was over. His gilded All Might persona was back.

“All Might! All Might!! All Might, over here!!”

The crowd of fans was dense around Toshinori. You hung back, waiting for people to disperse. You didn’t want the whole department witnessing this reunion - a reunion which you only just realized that Toshinori might not want. But you couldn't back out now.

Finally, the crowd thinned with only a few stragglers hanging back, staring lovingly at Toshinori. As the last in line, you were waved forward by his manager.

Toshinori was beaming at the person ahead of you as he exchanged a few final words. Then he turned to you.

“And now for the most patient person! How can I--” The words died in his throat as he met your gaze. His stunned surprise was brief, then a softer smile spread across his face. “It’s you again. I-I feel that… that I know you. What’s your name, young lady?”

When you told him your name, you could almost see the memories unlock in his bright blue eyes.

“The little girl next door…” he said. “I’m sorry, that time was rough for me and I seem to have locked away a few memories. And you’ve grown so much since then, it’s no wonder I didn’t fully recognize you.”

“You’ve changed too,” you said, fiddling with the old photo of the two of you, covered in tape to keep the pieces together.

“What do you have there?” Toshinori asked, holding out one hand. He chuckled when you handed over the photo. “You still have this… You must have handled it a lot seeing how torn up it is.”

“Actually…” You pushed a lock of hair behind your ear, feeling very put on the spot. “I kinda tore it up when I found out that you left. I was feeling so mad I didn’t know what else to do.”

Toshinori’s smile grew apologetic. “I did leave without an explanation.” He was quiet for a moment, then he spoke up again, “If--”

“I’m sorry,” Toshinori’s manager spoke up from behind you, “but time’s up. You’ll have to move on, young lady.”

“It’s alright, Matsura,” Toshinori said, “this is an old friend.” Turning to you, he asked, “Would you happen to be available for dinner tonight?” When you nodded silently, he turned back to his manager. “Matsura, would you be so kind as to clear my schedule for the night?”

“But the dinner with Endeavor and the other heroes?” Matsura said. “You already accepted the invitation.”

“I’m sure there will be other dinners. Please, Matsura, it’s not every day I get to catch up with childhood friends.”

Matsura nodded, pulling a cell phone out of his pocket as he began walking away.

You’d kept quiet during the exchange, but now you spoke up again. “You’re clearing your schedule for me?”

Toshinori nodded. “I thought catching up over dinner would be nice. And I feel like I owe you an apology for my abrupt departure.”

Dinner with Toshinori turned out more pleasant than you had dared hope for. The conversation flowed easily between you, Toshinori taking great interest in your studies. 

Once done eating, you decided to broach the topic you had both been skirting around all evening.

“So… why did you leave so suddenly?”

Toshinori’s smile fell, which made you feel just a smidge guilty. 

“Right, that was part of the reason why I asked you to join me tonight, wasn’t it? It’s a complicated issue, and there are things I am unable to tell you for the sake of your own safety. In essence: my master was killed by a dangerous man. A man who had been after her for years. I had every reason to believe he would set his sights on me next. He has less reach outside of Japan, so I was told to leave the country and only to return when I was ready to face him. I felt it was safer for you and your family -the other people in the building as well- if I left without saying anything. I was hoping that breaking every bond would give him less reason to go after any of you.” Toshinori’s smile turned sad. “That night when you kept hammering on my door. I almost broke my oath of keeping my distance from you.”

“I… see,” you said. You had thought a lot about the why over the years. And once you got older, you had realized that Toshinori had most likely left so abruptly for a reason just like this. Still, it was shocking to find out that you had been right. That you and your family could easily have been a casualty.

“So… did you defeat him yet?” you asked.

Toshinori had a wry smile on his face. “No. He’s gone into hiding. If I could only find a clue to his hiding spot then maybe I could settle this matter.” Then his smile grew soft again. “Speaking of settling a matter.. I apologize for hurting you so deeply that you tore that photo to pieces.”

You waved him off. “It’s alright, I was a stupid kid.” Letting out a derisive laugh, you continued, “My anger that night was aggravated by me having the biggest crush on you. I couldn’t control myself.”

Toshinori stared at you, eyes wide. The look on his face made you want to pick up your fork and eat your words.

“You did?”

“I mean… You know how kids are! We spent so much time together, I looked up to you a lot, thought you were so cool, how could I not? Having a good-looking older boy giving you any form of positive attention is a tween girl’s dream, isn’t it? I mean, I guess you wouldn’t know how tween girls feel, but it is!”

You kept prattling on nervously, trying to convince both yourself and Toshinori that having a crush on the cute boy next door was completely normal -a trivial matter, really!- and trying very much to hide that that crush, which had been laying dormant for all those years, was now blooming again like a flower in spring.

Toshinori smiled at you. “I suppose that’s true. Kids do tend to get crushes easily. I know I experienced it too when I was your age. But that girl never paid me any attention.”

“Yeah… completely normal.”

You were both silent for a while, trying to process what had just been said. Then Toshinori spoke up again.

“Now that you’re old enough to understand the risks of being around me… I was hoping that, maybe, we could repeat this evening. If you want to, that is.”

You just stared at him for a few seconds, trying to parse his words.

“You’re saying… that you want to reconnect?”

“I am.” He sighed deeply. “I understand if it’s too daunting, but I’ve only just realized how nice it is to see a friendly face again. Someone who knew me before my hero career, someone who knew the old me. Even my high school friends only ever knew fledgling All Might...”

“Of course we can! That guy doesn’t scare me! But…” You hesitated. “I’m honestly not sure how much we have in common anymore; I’m not even sure we would’ve been friends back then if we hadn’t been neighbors and my mom practically adopting you, but… I want to try!”

Toshinori beamed at you. “Then, maybe we can recreate the old photo too, if you want.”

“Sure!”

You and Toshinori grew closer over the next six months, closer than you had ever dared hope possible. You didn’t get to hang out with him nearly as often as you would like, but you could feel that, despite his busy schedule, he made a genuine effort to make time for you.

The old photo from his first day of high school was placed prominently on your bookshelf, surrounded by an ever-growing amount of pictures of the two of you.

Your crush on him only grew. And you slowly realized that he was subtly returning your affection. It started with long gazes when he thought you wouldn’t notice. A lingering touch on your shoulder, as if he couldn’t bear to pull his hand away. At first you thought you might be imagining things. But one night, after a dinner with your parents, Toshinori made it abundantly clear that he had grown to hope for more than just friendship from you.

Your parents still lived in the old apartment in Musutafu. The nostalgia of walking through the familiar streets with Toshinori again made you feel sappy. Toshinori had even left his bangs down, framing his face just like he used to when he was a teenager.

“It’s almost weird being back,” he said, as if he’d read your mind. “I’m quite happy your parents still accept me.”

“Of course they do!” you said, turning to him. “They were heartbroken too when you left! And…” You sighed, looking down at your feet. “They were so happy when we reconnected. They see you like a son, y’know.”

“Like a son, huh?” Toshinori mumbled. “I hope this will not make it weird, then.”

You stopped to look at him, surprised by the wistfulness in his voice. “What will?”

Toshinori looked at you, blue eyes sparkling in the streetlight. “My attempt at changing our relationship.”

“Your… I don’t understand, Toshi, change how? Please don’t tell me you’re running away again!”

“No!” Toshinori had the decency to look apologetic for worrying you. “No running this time. Not unless you turn me down…” 

“Turn you down?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you mind if we have this conversation in a place more private? The change I’m trying to make is… good, I hope. But it isn’t something I want any random passersby to know about.”

You looked around, trying to find a place that fitted the description of ‘private.’ There was no way you were waiting until you got home to find out how Toshinori wanted to change your relationship. You had a very thrilling inkling of what he wanted to say, but you tried to squash it just in case you were wrong.

“There!” You pointed to a small, quiet side street. “That’s a good starting point, right?”

Toshinori just nodded, following you as you began briskly walking down the street. You shortly came across an alleyway giving even further privacy, and you pulled Toshinori into the narrow space. His broad shoulders almost touched the walls. 

“Okay, so. What did you want to say?” you asked, trying not to vibrate with excitement. 

Toshinori let out a bark of laughter. “You’re so forward! Let me have a moment to set the mood.”

He was quiet for a little while, thinking, then he spoke up again. “Meeting you again has been a balm for my soul. It made me feel like I had truly returned home. But my thoughts kept returning to the time you mentioned having a crush on me when we were both children. And it made me realize something.”

“Did you have a crush on me too back then?” you asked, confused as to where he was going with this.

He laughed again. “No, no. You were much too young back then, I doubt the thought even crossed my mind. Now, however…”

You felt your cheeks heating up. Toshinori practically towered over you. You whet your lips.

“Now?” you whispered.

Toshinori reached out, gently cupping your cheek. “Now, I find myself thinking about you all the time. Do you think… Would you be open to going on a date with--”

“Yes!!” The words were out of your mouth before you knew it. It made Toshinori laugh again.

“So eager.” His thumb brushed over your bottom lip. “May I?”

You just nodded. Toshinori’s hand slid to the back of your head, and he leaned in, gently pressing his lips against yours. Knees weak, your fingers twisted into the fabric of his shirt, hoping for some sense of stability. 

Toshinori wrapped his free arm around your waist. “I’ve got you,” he whispered, before kissing you again.

You have no idea how long you stood like that in the alleyway, only breaking apart to gasp for air before your lips met once more. Eventually, Toshinori pulled away, pressing a kiss to the corner of your mouth, then your cheek.

“I ought to get you home before someone finds us,” he said.

You just nodded again, not fully trusting your voice. Looking at him, your gaze then went to his long bangs. You couldn’t help yourself. Wrapping one of his bangs around your fingers, you gave it a gentle tug. “I’m happy you left your hair down tonight,” you mumbled, voice rusty. “I like it better this way.” 

Toshinori looked surprised. “You do?”

You smiled at him. “Yeah, I do.” Then you pulled him in for another brief kiss. “I really do prefer you without all your gilded might,” you whispered against his lips.

[birinboom]

The Colors of Twilight

Ojiro Mashirao x Fem!Reader Word count: 5,247 words Summary: Dreaming of getting away from the city and opening up a country-side tea shop, you decide to sell most of your possessions and move to the village of Faerie’s Brook. However, you would never have expected that the stories about the magical creatures of the countryside were actually real. Genre: Fantasy!AU, fluff, romance Warnings: Mentions of food, a recounted story of death by faerie magic, some minor angst, kissing Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖 Also, I'm posting this a bit early but it's already the 28th in Japan so whatevs. Happy birthday Ojiro!

Ever since you were little, your head had been filled with stories about the wild magic of the countryside. Faeries sleeping in flower meadows, dragons flying overhead, briefly blocking out the sun with their wings, trolls lumbering through the vast forests. Your parents always insisted that every single word was true! Once you became an adult, you could only scoff at such childish ideas.

But even if the wild magic wasn't real, you still held on to your childhood dream of moving to the countryside. The fast-paced life of the capital was wearing on you. It might be too romantic an idea, but you longed to wake up to the sound of birdsong rather than shrill cries of street vendors. To be able to sit in a quiet cottage garden, sipping tea and chatting with your neighbors, rather than being hollered and cursed at if you slowed your pace even the tiniest bit. And if you happened to spot a faery or two - well, that would just be an added bonus.

One day, you decided to take the plunge. You quit your tearoom job, sold nearly everything you owned and purchased an old but fully furnished tavern -which you’d decided to turn into your very own tea shop- in a village called Faerie’s Brook. The name certainly sounded promising. And the village was located on the main thoroughfare leading to the country of Tiria, so your little tea shop ought to have plenty of customers.

You knew you’d miss the city, miss the convenience of the capital, miss walking down to the harbor to watch the ashen waves of the Cinder Sea, the smell of salt and seaweed pulling at your nose. You’d miss the convenience of the shops around you, being able to order things like jam and garnish for the tearoom sandwiches rather than making everything yourself. And it would no doubt be difficult at first to be away from your family; even if you had lived on your own for a couple of years now, they had always been nearby, ready to help if you needed it. Once you moved, it would take at least a couple of hours with a stagecoach to reach you.

You shook your head firmly. This had been your dream for so long. And you wouldn’t let something as fickle as convenience stop you, not even if you had to make your own jam!

You peered up at the sun-bleached sign above the door to your new home, squinting as you tried to read the faded letters. It was no use; the sign might as well be blank. Shrugging, you sat on the wide doorstep, searching through your bags. If the sign was as good as blank, it meant that you could reuse it - it looked about big enough to fit the name you’d picked for your tea shop. Now, where had you put the key?

Pausing your search for a moment, you let your gaze glide over the quiet main street, lined with little shops. Just from where you sat, you could see a milliner, a flower shop, a bakery - the scents from the latter was making your empty stomach rumble. You needed to stop by soon and see if you could get a deal on sandwich bread for your tea shop.

Every single storefront had wicker baskets filled with flowers placed next to the door, yours included. Leaning over, you inspected the basket which held a colorful assortment of crocuses and pansies. You frowned. Pansies in mid-April were normal, but it seemed much too late for crocuses. Shrugging, your gaze moved from the flowers to the flower shop right across the street. Surely these flowers were just a particularly late-blooming variety, or a different flower altogether, nothing more than that. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask the florist. And you wanted to thank them for keeping the flower baskets alive while your soon-to-be tea shop had been sitting empty.

As you watched, the door to the flower shop opened and a puppy was let out into the street. It sniffed the cobblestone for a moment before it abruptly stopped, its head whipping around to look at you. You couldn’t help but smile at the little, honey-colored fluff ball. And you couldn’t hold back your laughter when the puppy began yipping happily as it galloped towards you, stubby little front paws thrown high and wide with each leap. 

Stretching out your hand, you offered it to the puppy. The puppy, however, ignored your hand, instead trying to climb onto the doorstep, hind paws scratching against the stone. You lifted the puppy onto the doorstep next to you, then scratched it behind one soft ear. It wasn’t enough; the puppy clambered onto your lap, then tried to lick your face. 

“He really likes you.”

You looked towards the unfamiliar voice, arms full of wiggling, ecstatic puppy. A man -the florist, you assumed- was leaning against the open door of the flower shop, a soft smile on his face. His sleek, golden hair looked as soft as the fur under your fingertips. Black eyes crinkled at the corners. Crossed arms making the biceps peeking out from underneath his short-sleeved shirt pop. Your face burned; you didn’t even know his name, and yet you couldn’t help but feel affected by his good looks. Smiling back at him, you tried your best to keep your blush in check.

Taking in your neighbor’s features had made you let down your guard. The puppy seized his chance, licking your chin. It jolted you back to reality.

The man let out a chuckle. “Amaranth is always very curious about strangers, but he’s rarely this excited.” Pushing off the doorframe, he crossed the street, extending a hand. “I’m Mashirao Ojiro.”

Pinning the puppy to your lap with one arm, you grabbed Mashirao’s hand and shook it, introducing yourself.

“Amaranth,” you mumbled, scratching the puppy behind an ear. “That’s an interesting name for a dog.”

“He picked it himself.”

You looked up at Mashirao, trying to gauge whether he was joking. “What do you mean?”

Mashirao shrugged. “He started speaking shortly after I got him. Told me that that’s the name he’s chosen for himself.”

You raised your eyebrows at him. “He… speaks to you?”

Mashirao seated himself next to you, trying to coax Amaranth onto his own lap. Amaranth, however, turned his rear to Mashirao, settling in for a nap. Mashirao chuckled, then looked at you again. He gave you a soft, genuine smile. “You’re not from around here I take it?”

You tilted your head, trying to prompt him to explain what not being a local had to do with anything.

“Things are different out here,” he explained. “Amaranth is not like the dogs you know. He’s a distant descendant of dragons.”

You could barely contain the derisive laughter that bubbled up through your chest. “Oh, really?”

Mashirao nodded earnestly. “He’s a dragon pup. The faeries told me that his wings will start to grow soon.”

“Faeries?” you asked incredulously.

Mashirao laughed. “Yes, faeries. They inhabit the fields outside town.” He nodded his head towards the far end of the main street. “They offered me some of their magic so I can grow my flowers. That’s how I can make crocuses bloom this late in the season.” Gesturing to the puppy on your lap, he added, “And they entrusted Amaranth’s care to me.”

Pulling the sleeping Amaranth closer, you began getting up, drawing in a deep breath to tell him off for lying to you, when you spotted something moving next to him. It made you sink back onto your rear, breath leaving your lungs.

“You have a tail…” you said stupidly.

Mashirao laughed again. “You have a lot to get used to.”

You just looked at him for a moment. “How come things are so different out here?”

“You’re aware that Faerie’s Brook is close to the border to Tiria, right?” he asked.

You nodded silently.

“I don’t know if this is common knowledge in the bigger cities, but Tiria is known for its abundant wild magic. It has allowed human magic to flourish, too. I’ve heard that there’s a university for mages in Sun City. The wild magic has spread past the borders for the past couple of centuries. The countryside along the border is seeped in magic; we might have as much as Tiria at this point. Creatures from the wild side thrive here.”

Pointing to Amaranth, you asked, “The wild side? So like him? And the faeries you mentioned?”

Mashirao nodded. “The wild magic has begun to affect the humans here, just like it does in Tiria. I was born with a tail. My mother has one as well but hers started growing after having lived here for a couple of years. Other people develop magic powers. The smith is able to handle red-hot metal without gloves. The baker can make it snow on command; they say having cold hands makes baking easier.” Grinning at you, Mashirao added, “If you stay here long enough, you might begin to change, too.”

Biting your lip for a moment, you then broached the question on your mind. “It doesn’t bother any of you that you’re… different?”

Mashirao hesitated for a moment. “No offense meant,” he then said, “but out here you’re the one who’s different. This is our normal.” Tail twitching, he continued, “We generally see it as being enhanced by magic. For the majority of us it causes a neutral change in appearance, like a change in eye color. For some the changes are outright beneficial, though those who develop magic need to learn to control it properly. I’ve heard of one person who developed wings strong enough to fly. It’s very rare that these changes cause an actual problem; at most it’s just temporary growing pains. To me, my tail is just an extra appendage, like an extra arm or leg. I learned to use it as I was learning to walk.” 

You watched, unknowingly holding your breath, as Mashirao wrapped his tail around the flower basket and lifted it off the ground with ease.

Exhaling, a wide grin slowly spread across your face. When Mashirao first told you that Amaranth was a dragon pup, you’d thought that he was pulling your leg. But this? This was indisputable. Your parents had been right all along; magic was real!

You looked at Mashirao again, your eyes sparkling. “Will you help me learn about magic? Will you introduce me to the faeries?”

He beamed at you. “It’ll be my pleasure!”

The next few days disappeared in a whirlwind of unpacking, restocking, and getting the old tavern cleaned up and ready for opening. Mashirao was kind enough to stop by at the end of each day to lend a hand with some of the heavy lifting. He refused any forms of payment except cups of your homemade tea blends which he had very quickly grown fond of. And every day you begged him to tell you more about the wild side.

Amaranth, you learned, was only newly hatched when he was handed over to Mashirao. The puppy’s words were still garbled and hard to understand but you were getting more meaning out of them with every passing day.

You were standing in the kitchen of your tea shop one late afternoon. Amaranth was once again nestled in your arms as you looked out at the herb garden behind your house, every bush wet with rain. Petrichor mixed with the lingering scent of the oil you had used on the wooden counters. Your fingers ran over Amaranth’s back, gently massaging the sore wing nubs growing under his skin. Amaranth stretched in your arms, letting out a deep sigh. 

A flicker of light under a bush caught your attention. Another appeared, and then another. Soon, a little cluster of lights were hovering close to the ground.

“Fireflies?” you wondered out loud. “Or glow worms?”

Amaranth wiggled in your arms, suddenly alert. “Wanna see!” he squeaked.

Behind you, Mashirao got to his feet, a steaming tea mug in his hands. “What are you seeing?” he asked as he stood next to you.

Settling Amaranth on the deep window sill, you then pointed at the floating lights. 

Mashirao let out a soft exhale, a wide smile spreading on his handsome face. “Congratulations. You’ve seen your first court of faeries. And these are a rare kind.”

You whipped your head around to gawp at him. “Those are faeries?? And… kind. There are more than one kind?”

He grinned at you. “Multiple different courts, yeah! I only really deal with one of them, but I know a little about the others. Each court is usually named after a physical attribute of their faeries. These are from the Luminous Court due to how they glow. They are particularly small from what I understand, and they rarely get this close to human settlements. I assume since the tavern has been empty for months they decided the garden was a safe space to wait out the rain.”

The two of you stood in silence for a moment, watching the faeries light up the dusk. The lights began moving with more purpose, forming a single line. Then they darted from bush to bush, slowly making their way out of your garden. 

You let out a breath you hadn’t been aware of holding in. “Faeries…” you whispered. Then you turned to Mashirao. “Will you tell me about your faeries?”

Mashirao laughed. “They’re not my faeries; if anything I’m their human. Have been since I was a child.”

You kept looking at your garden, hoping to catch another glimpse of the Luminous Court, as Mashirao spoke about his childhood in the neighboring village.

“I spent most of my free time in the fields. I would sit still for hours, just watching, studying nature. I guess the faeries decided that I wasn’t dangerous. They let me pick some of their flowers and I made a few coins selling them at the market.

“One day, one of them came to me for help. Her humming bee had gotten too close to the surface of a puddle and couldn’t get out. And she was too small to help.”

“Humming bee,” you repeated to yourself. “Do they produce honey?”

“They do!” Mashirao replied. “But it’s not fit for human consumption. Spotted bears like it though. The faeries had a huge problem with bears raiding their hives, so we eventually struck up a deal. I got a touch of their magic, I get to pick a few of their flowers and take some of the seeds and bulbs to grow on my own throughout the summer, and I’m on standby to protect their hives during bear season.”

You frowned. Despite having learned to not judge any book by its cover since arriving in Faerie’s Brook, this seemed just a bit too far-fetched to you to be true. “Can you really go up against a bear that easily? Are the bears out here different from the ones in the northern mountains?”

Mashirao laughed. “Sorry, I should have made that clearer! They’re very small, compared to the bears from the northern mountains. The adults are only about twice the size of Amaranth, and they’re pretty calm so they usually aren’t a problem for humans; they tend to run as soon as I show up. But the faeries are much smaller, to the point where dealing with just one spotted bear is a dangerous undertaking.”

“What happens if they don’t run?” you asked.

“I carry them back to the woods. They’re not very smart, and they’re so busy licking honey off their chops that they’ve forgotten all about the actual hive by the time I set them back down. At most I get a scratch or two from their hind claws, but the faeries can heal those in no time.”

“And you said the faeries asked you to take care of Amaranth? Is he too big for them?”

Mashirao nodded. “They got him as an egg, and cared for him once he hatched. But I think they always knew that once he started moving around he’d be too much for them to handle. So they put him in my care.” Reaching out to scratch Amaranth behind an ear, Mashirao continued, “He’s like a little brother at this point. He’s a pain in my rear at times, but I love having him around. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Amaranth leaned into Mashirao’s touch, brown eyes closing. “Luv you too,” he squeaked. Then he turned his attention back to the garden.

Your heart beat faster. The scene in front of you was almost too cute to handle. You struggled to continue your original train of thought. “Where did the faeries get him?” you eventually asked. “Is it normal for faeries to raise dragon pups?”

Mashirao’s features darkened. “No. It’s not. They got his egg from a group of poachers.”

You felt an unpleasant chill down your spine. This was not how you had imagined the conversation going. “Oh no… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have--”

He turned to face you, forcing a smile. “Don’t apologize, you couldn’t know. But it’s something you need to be aware of so I might as well tell you now. Dragon poachers are a problem around the border. The eggs, egg shells, bones, scales, all of them are valuable magic ingredients. Some people treat them like collectors’ items. The dragons don’t nest around here, but we occasionally get poachers traveling through the area. They had a bad turn of luck running into a faerie court, and they got rightly disposed of. Faeries don’t take kindly to poachers of any kind.”

“Wait, hold on…” The new pieces of information had two burning questions rising in your mind, and you couldn’t figure out which one was more important to ask first. Mashirao waited patiently as you got your thoughts in order.

“You say dragon poachers, not dragon pup poachers… are they the same thing or different species?”

Mashirao sighed. “This is the worst part. They’re different species, but their nests and eggs look so similar even experts have trouble telling them apart. The poachers go for any type of dragon, most types have at least some use to them. But seeing how dragon pups aren’t true dragons, they’re the exception. Amaranth’s nest was raided for no reason. His was the only egg that was still viable when the faeries got to it. His siblings died for no reason.”

Mashirao’s voice cracked. You reached out, gently rubbing his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” you said, unsure what else to say.

He just nodded. 

The two of you kept silent for a moment, just looking at the one surviving dragon pup. Amaranth seemed wholly unbothered by the conversation, his full attention still on your garden.

You drew in a breath. “Can I ask another question?”

“Sure,” Mashirao responded. “We need to get through this subject so we can talk about more pleasant things.”

“If the faeries can ‘dispose’ of human poachers, why can’t they deal with the bears?”

Mashirao grinned wryly. “The poachers ran into the Vespula Court - the wasp court. They have venomous stingers. I believe they could deal with bears if needed, but they don’t keep humming bees so I don’t think the bears ever bother them.”

You hesitated for a moment, but you couldn’t keep your curiosity in check. “They’re venomous?”

“The only venomous court from what I know,” Mashirao replied. “I don’t know much about it, other than that it drives the victims mad enough to attack whatever is around them. It’s… I’ve never seen it myself, but I’ve heard that it’s horrifying to watch.”

You pressed your lips together, trying your best to keep your next question silent. It was rude, it was unnecessary, you really shouldn’t ask. But it almost seemed like Mashirao could read your mind.

“You’re wondering if I’m worried about my own safety since I spend so much time with the faeries, aren’t you?” The question was asked with a soft smile.

You nodded, looking away.

Mashirao chuckled. “Don’t worry, I get asked that a lot. And the answer is no. I’m genuinely not worried. The faerie courts are peaceful towards humans as a whole. We benefit from each other. And since I have no plans on becoming a poacher or otherwise bringing discord to their courts, I don’t have anything to fear.”

You hummed, thinking about all the new information. Then you spoke up again, deciding on a lighter topic. “The faeries we just saw were the Luminous Court. And there’s the Vespula Court. What court are your faeries from?”

“The Twilight Court,” Mashirao replied, “due to their wings bearing the colors of twilight as they say.”

The sound of running water grew ever louder. Pebbles shifted under your feet as you walked. Ahead of you, Mashirao held up a low-hanging branch, waiting for you to duck under it. 

“It’s just around the bend,” he said as you passed him.

You nodded, walking on. But you stopped in your tracks once reaching the bend in the path, breath torn away from you at the beauty of the scene. 

A wide expanse opened up before you. Mashirao had led you to a big, crystal clear lake, splitting the forest in two. A cliff blocked your view to one side, a waterfall flowing into the lake from the top. The air around the falling water shimmered in the sunlight.

“This…” you said, trying to force your mouth to work again, your mind still busy trying to take in everything. “This is…”

“Told you it was beautiful, didn’t I?” Mashirao laughed. Then he gently grabbed you by the shoulders, pointing towards the waterfall. “Looks like we made it just in time!”

You turned your attention back to the waterfall. At first you saw nothing but the shimmer of water drops in sunlight. But then the shimmer moved. Or rather, it seemed like something almost invisible, frail like spider’s silk, moved through the water drops. The mist settled on a long face, leaf-shaped ears flicking away drops of moisture. The creature stopped once she was fully drenched in the mist, snorted, then shook herself, flinging a rainbow into the air.

You couldn’t help but gasp. “A mist mare,” you whispered.

She heard you. Standing still for a long moment, head turned partly towards you, she gazed at you with one invisible eye. Then, deciding that you weren’t a threat, she snorted again, slowly moving into the lake. You almost lost sight of her when she entered the shadow; the only sign was the water parting around her body as she moved. Then she disappeared with a splash.

“Oh,” you sighed, disappointed. “She’s gone.”

“She’ll be back,” Mashirao ensured you. “The mist mares are too curious to scare away easily. Do you still want to swim?”

With the mist mare gone, you became painfully aware of how close Mashirao was. He still had one hand on your upper arm, his chest pressed against your shoulders. You could feel the heat radiating off him. Face flushed, you nodded, unsure if you could keep your voice even. Cooling off in the water sounded like a great idea.

Leaving your shoes and bags with towels and snacks at the far end of the lake, the two of you waded into the water, cold enough to make your skin prickle. But it was a refreshing contrast to the early summer heat.

“Don’t go farther than the middle,” Mashirao warned. “The current gets stronger the closer you get to the waterfall.”

You swam for a while, the water feeling warmer as you kept moving. When you were ready for a break, you moved towards the shore and Mashirao. 

Just as you had gotten close enough to the shore to be able to wade, something brushed up against your leg, pulling at your skin. Letting out a shriek of terror, you threw yourself towards Mashirao, throwing your arms around his neck. Mashirao wrapped his arms tightly around you to stabilize you.

“Something touched me!” you cried.

Mashirao just chuckled. “Told you they were curious. Look behind you.”

You turned in his arms, looking over your shoulder. Water drops hovered in the air in the shape of a long, leaf-eared face. A mist mare -you couldn’t tell if she was the same one from earlier- had poked her head out of the water, looking at you. She almost seemed offended that you had screamed.

Slowly, you reached out your hand towards the mare, offering her your palm. She moved closer, pressing her muzzle in your palm, mouthing at your fingers with rough lips. Then she decided that you weren’t interesting, and returned to the water.

Next to you, Mashirao let out a breath. “You handled that pretty well, all considered.”

It was only then you realized that you were quite literally in Mashirao’s arms. And it seemed that Mashirao realized at the same moment, judging by his deep blush when the two of you pulled away from each other.

But every time you peeked at him on the walk home, he had a soft smile on his face, a smile that only grew brighter whenever he caught your gaze.

Feelings slowly grew between you and Mashirao over the next few weeks. He seemed less shy about casual touches, he complimented you more freely. And you often found him reaching for your hands when walking next to you. You found yourself smiling wider when thinking about him, and returned every touch and compliment in full.

Mashirao led you by the hand down a path just outside the village. A waning moon peeked over the horizon, bathing everything in a slanted silver glow. 

“Are you ready to meet the faeries?” he asked for what felt like the tenth time that night.

You laughed at his fervor. “Yes! For the umpteenth time, yes!”

Tonight was the night of the summer meteor shower, lovingly nicknamed the ‘star sprinkle’ by the locals. Mashirao had told you that the meteor shower was sacred to the faeries from the Court of Twilight. They believed that during this night the moon goddess left her home in the sky, descending to the ground to visit the graves of her loved ones, her tears leaving streaks on the night sky. Mashirao had a standing invitation to join the Court of Twilight for their solemn worship, and he had decided to extend that invitation to you.

The flowers on the field in front of you blinked with pinpricks of light; lanterns, Mashirao had told you, to guide the moon goddess on her journey. Leading you down the path winding through the flowers, Mashirao stopped at a dark spot in the sea of light, just big enough for the two of you.

“This is our spot,” he said, gently stepping onto the grass as the first meteorite streaked across the sky.

You laid together silently on the blanket Mashirao had brought, your fingers intertwined, Mashirao continuously running his thumb over the back of your hand as you watched the sky. 

A lantern blinked on in your peripheral vision. Then a tiny voice sounded, “The Moon Goddess weeps tonight. Have you come to pay your respect to her too?”

Turning your head, you looked at the small, humanoid creature in the flower, purple butterfly-like wings lit by the pearl-shaped lantern. The faerie met your gaze with glowing, orange eyes.

“May she find solace,” you replied, just like Mashirao had taught you.

The faerie nodded, returning her gaze to the sky. You did the same.

“May she find solace,” Mashirao echoed next to you. Then he shifted closer, squeezing your hand. “You did good,” he whispered into your ear.

His breath ghosting over your skin made you shiver. 

“Cold?” he asked, making you shiver again.

“Yeah, a bit,” you lied, scooting closer to him, leaning your head against his shoulder.

Mashirao let out a grunt which, you’d learned over the past few weeks, meant that you’d managed to fluster him once again. But you’d also learned from a little bit of trial and error that he didn’t mind getting flustered. This was confirmed when he gently lifted your entwined hands, pressing his lips to the back of your thumb.

“So? What do you think?”

You could barely keep yourself from bouncing as you walked home, once again hand in hand with Mashirao. “Oh, it was beautiful!”

He chuckled. “Not as beautiful as you.” He hesitated for a moment, then spoke up again, “Do you think you’ll come next year too? The faeries should know you better by then.”

You stopped, turning to look at him. “We’re already making plans for next year? I mean of course I’ll come! As long as you want me to…”

Mashirao’s smile grew soft. “I hope to have you in my life for quite a few years to come.” Reaching up, he cupped your cheek in his free hand, running his thumb over your skin. “I’ve never felt about anybody the way I feel about you. I feel so fortunate that you picked my village for your tea shop.” 

His thumb moved lower, brushing over your parted lips. “Is this okay,” he asked, suddenly sounding uncertain. “I can stop if--”

“It’s more than okay!” you interjected, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Please don’t stop.”

Mashirao gave you one of his brilliant smiles. Then he leaned in to kiss you.

One year after moving to Faerie’s Brook, you found yourself in front of your bedroom mirror, marvelling at the short, curled horns peeking through your hair. They had begun growing only a few months after arriving, though it took you a while longer to realize why your scalp was constantly sore. Mashirao had theorized that your horns began growing so quickly due to your willingness to accept the wild side.

“You’re admiring them again.”

Mashirao came up behind you, arms circling your waist, and pressed a kiss to one of your horns.

You turned in his embrace to grin at him. “They’re something to admire! They make me feel like I’ve been truly accepted by the wild side, how could I not marvel at them?”

Mashirao hugged you tighter. “You’re a marvel.”

You felt a paw press against your thigh. Looking down you saw Amaranth standing on his high legs, stubby vermillion wings spread out to help him balance.

The dragon pup met your gaze. “Me too! I wanna hug too!”

You giggled as Mashirao let you go, bending over to pick up Amaranth. “You’re getting too big for this,” he huffed.

“Am not!” Amaranth shot back. “I’ll never be too big to--” He abruptly stopped, letting out a strangled sound. “Haaah…”

Mashirao’s face fell. “Oh no. Not now.”

“Haaaaah…”

You knew what was about to happen and quickly backed out of the way. Mashirao shifted his grip on Amaranth, hurrying over to your bedroom fireplace, kicking the grate out of the way and shoving the dragon pups snout into the flue.

“Hachoo!!”

A roar of fire followed Amaranth’s sneeze, finished with an odd popping sound as the fireball exited the chimney. Amaranth sniffed.

“‘Scuse me,” he said, voice echoing through the chimney.

You couldn’t help but laugh. Your whole life was a marvel these days. There was not a doubt in your mind that you wanted to spend the rest of your life in Faerie’s Brook.

[birinboom]

The Colors of Twilight

Ojiro Mashirao x Fem!Reader Word count: 5,247 words Summary: Dreaming of getting away from the city and opening up a country-side tea shop, you decide to sell most of your possessions and move to the village of Faerie’s Brook. However, you would never have expected that the stories about the magical creatures of the countryside were actually real. Genre: Fantasy!AU, fluff, romance Warnings: Mentions of food, a recounted story of death by faerie magic, some minor angst, kissing Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖 Also, I'm posting this a bit early but it's already the 28th in Japan so whatevs. Happy birthday Ojiro!

Ever since you were little, your head had been filled with stories about the wild magic of the countryside. Faeries sleeping in flower meadows, dragons flying overhead, briefly blocking out the sun with their wings, trolls lumbering through the vast forests. Your parents always insisted that every single word was true! Once you became an adult, you could only scoff at such childish ideas.

But even if the wild magic wasn't real, you still held on to your childhood dream of moving to the countryside. The fast-paced life of the capital was wearing on you. It might be too romantic an idea, but you longed to wake up to the sound of birdsong rather than shrill cries of street vendors. To be able to sit in a quiet cottage garden, sipping tea and chatting with your neighbors, rather than being hollered and cursed at if you slowed your pace even the tiniest bit. And if you happened to spot a faery or two - well, that would just be an added bonus.

One day, you decided to take the plunge. You quit your tearoom job, sold nearly everything you owned and purchased an old but fully furnished tavern -which you’d decided to turn into your very own tea shop- in a village called Faerie’s Brook. The name certainly sounded promising. And the village was located on the main thoroughfare leading to the country of Tiria, so your little tea shop ought to have plenty of customers.

You knew you’d miss the city, miss the convenience of the capital, miss walking down to the harbor to watch the ashen waves of the Cinder Sea, the smell of salt and seaweed pulling at your nose. You’d miss the convenience of the shops around you, being able to order things like jam and garnish for the tearoom sandwiches rather than making everything yourself. And it would no doubt be difficult at first to be away from your family; even if you had lived on your own for a couple of years now, they had always been nearby, ready to help if you needed it. Once you moved, it would take at least a couple of hours with a stagecoach to reach you.

You shook your head firmly. This had been your dream for so long. And you wouldn’t let something as fickle as convenience stop you, not even if you had to make your own jam!

You peered up at the sun-bleached sign above the door to your new home, squinting as you tried to read the faded letters. It was no use; the sign might as well be blank. Shrugging, you sat on the wide doorstep, searching through your bags. If the sign was as good as blank, it meant that you could reuse it - it looked about big enough to fit the name you’d picked for your tea shop. Now, where had you put the key?

Pausing your search for a moment, you let your gaze glide over the quiet main street, lined with little shops. Just from where you sat, you could see a milliner, a flower shop, a bakery - the scents from the latter was making your empty stomach rumble. You needed to stop by soon and see if you could get a deal on sandwich bread for your tea shop.

Every single storefront had wicker baskets filled with flowers placed next to the door, yours included. Leaning over, you inspected the basket which held a colorful assortment of crocuses and pansies. You frowned. Pansies in mid-April were normal, but it seemed much too late for crocuses. Shrugging, your gaze moved from the flowers to the flower shop right across the street. Surely these flowers were just a particularly late-blooming variety, or a different flower altogether, nothing more than that. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask the florist. And you wanted to thank them for keeping the flower baskets alive while your soon-to-be tea shop had been sitting empty.

As you watched, the door to the flower shop opened and a puppy was let out into the street. It sniffed the cobblestone for a moment before it abruptly stopped, its head whipping around to look at you. You couldn’t help but smile at the little, honey-colored fluff ball. And you couldn’t hold back your laughter when the puppy began yipping happily as it galloped towards you, stubby little front paws thrown high and wide with each leap. 

Stretching out your hand, you offered it to the puppy. The puppy, however, ignored your hand, instead trying to climb onto the doorstep, hind paws scratching against the stone. You lifted the puppy onto the doorstep next to you, then scratched it behind one soft ear. It wasn’t enough; the puppy clambered onto your lap, then tried to lick your face. 

“He really likes you.”

You looked towards the unfamiliar voice, arms full of wiggling, ecstatic puppy. A man -the florist, you assumed- was leaning against the open door of the flower shop, a soft smile on his face. His sleek, golden hair looked as soft as the fur under your fingertips. Black eyes crinkled at the corners. Crossed arms making the biceps peeking out from underneath his short-sleeved shirt pop. Your face burned; you didn’t even know his name, and yet you couldn’t help but feel affected by his good looks. Smiling back at him, you tried your best to keep your blush in check.

Taking in your neighbor’s features had made you let down your guard. The puppy seized his chance, licking your chin. It jolted you back to reality.

The man let out a chuckle. “Amaranth is always very curious about strangers, but he’s rarely this excited.” Pushing off the doorframe, he crossed the street, extending a hand. “I’m Mashirao Ojiro.”

Pinning the puppy to your lap with one arm, you grabbed Mashirao’s hand and shook it, introducing yourself.

“Amaranth,” you mumbled, scratching the puppy behind an ear. “That’s an interesting name for a dog.”

“He picked it himself.”

You looked up at Mashirao, trying to gauge whether he was joking. “What do you mean?”

Mashirao shrugged. “He started speaking shortly after I got him. Told me that that’s the name he’s chosen for himself.”

You raised your eyebrows at him. “He… speaks to you?”

Mashirao seated himself next to you, trying to coax Amaranth onto his own lap. Amaranth, however, turned his rear to Mashirao, settling in for a nap. Mashirao chuckled, then looked at you again. He gave you a soft, genuine smile. “You’re not from around here I take it?”

You tilted your head, trying to prompt him to explain what not being a local had to do with anything.

“Things are different out here,” he explained. “Amaranth is not like the dogs you know. He’s a distant descendant of dragons.”

You could barely contain the derisive laughter that bubbled up through your chest. “Oh, really?”

Mashirao nodded earnestly. “He’s a dragon pup. The faeries told me that his wings will start to grow soon.”

“Faeries?” you asked incredulously.

Mashirao laughed. “Yes, faeries. They inhabit the fields outside town.” He nodded his head towards the far end of the main street. “They offered me some of their magic so I can grow my flowers. That’s how I can make crocuses bloom this late in the season.” Gesturing to the puppy on your lap, he added, “And they entrusted Amaranth’s care to me.”

Pulling the sleeping Amaranth closer, you began getting up, drawing in a deep breath to tell him off for lying to you, when you spotted something moving next to him. It made you sink back onto your rear, breath leaving your lungs.

“You have a tail…” you said stupidly.

Mashirao laughed again. “You have a lot to get used to.”

You just looked at him for a moment. “How come things are so different out here?”

“You’re aware that Faerie’s Brook is close to the border to Tiria, right?” he asked.

You nodded silently.

“I don’t know if this is common knowledge in the bigger cities, but Tiria is known for its abundant wild magic. It has allowed human magic to flourish, too. I’ve heard that there’s a university for mages in Sun City. The wild magic has spread past the borders for the past couple of centuries. The countryside along the border is seeped in magic; we might have as much as Tiria at this point. Creatures from the wild side thrive here.”

Pointing to Amaranth, you asked, “The wild side? So like him? And the faeries you mentioned?”

Mashirao nodded. “The wild magic has begun to affect the humans here, just like it does in Tiria. I was born with a tail. My mother has one as well but hers started growing after having lived here for a couple of years. Other people develop magic powers. The smith is able to handle red-hot metal without gloves. The baker can make it snow on command; they say having cold hands makes baking easier.” Grinning at you, Mashirao added, “If you stay here long enough, you might begin to change, too.”

Biting your lip for a moment, you then broached the question on your mind. “It doesn’t bother any of you that you’re… different?”

Mashirao hesitated for a moment. “No offense meant,” he then said, “but out here you’re the one who’s different. This is our normal.” Tail twitching, he continued, “We generally see it as being enhanced by magic. For the majority of us it causes a neutral change in appearance, like a change in eye color. For some the changes are outright beneficial, though those who develop magic need to learn to control it properly. I’ve heard of one person who developed wings strong enough to fly. It’s very rare that these changes cause an actual problem; at most it’s just temporary growing pains. To me, my tail is just an extra appendage, like an extra arm or leg. I learned to use it as I was learning to walk.” 

You watched, unknowingly holding your breath, as Mashirao wrapped his tail around the flower basket and lifted it off the ground with ease.

Exhaling, a wide grin slowly spread across your face. When Mashirao first told you that Amaranth was a dragon pup, you’d thought that he was pulling your leg. But this? This was indisputable. Your parents had been right all along; magic was real!

You looked at Mashirao again, your eyes sparkling. “Will you help me learn about magic? Will you introduce me to the faeries?”

He beamed at you. “It’ll be my pleasure!”

The next few days disappeared in a whirlwind of unpacking, restocking, and getting the old tavern cleaned up and ready for opening. Mashirao was kind enough to stop by at the end of each day to lend a hand with some of the heavy lifting. He refused any forms of payment except cups of your homemade tea blends which he had very quickly grown fond of. And every day you begged him to tell you more about the wild side.

Amaranth, you learned, was only newly hatched when he was handed over to Mashirao. The puppy’s words were still garbled and hard to understand but you were getting more meaning out of them with every passing day.

You were standing in the kitchen of your tea shop one late afternoon. Amaranth was once again nestled in your arms as you looked out at the herb garden behind your house, every bush wet with rain. Petrichor mixed with the lingering scent of the oil you had used on the wooden counters. Your fingers ran over Amaranth’s back, gently massaging the sore wing nubs growing under his skin. Amaranth stretched in your arms, letting out a deep sigh. 

A flicker of light under a bush caught your attention. Another appeared, and then another. Soon, a little cluster of lights were hovering close to the ground.

“Fireflies?” you wondered out loud. “Or glow worms?”

Amaranth wiggled in your arms, suddenly alert. “Wanna see!” he squeaked.

Behind you, Mashirao got to his feet, a steaming tea mug in his hands. “What are you seeing?” he asked as he stood next to you.

Settling Amaranth on the deep window sill, you then pointed at the floating lights. 

Mashirao let out a soft exhale, a wide smile spreading on his handsome face. “Congratulations. You’ve seen your first court of faeries. And these are a rare kind.”

You whipped your head around to gawp at him. “Those are faeries?? And… kind. There are more than one kind?”

He grinned at you. “Multiple different courts, yeah! I only really deal with one of them, but I know a little about the others. Each court is usually named after a physical attribute of their faeries. These are from the Luminous Court due to how they glow. They are particularly small from what I understand, and they rarely get this close to human settlements. I assume since the tavern has been empty for months they decided the garden was a safe space to wait out the rain.”

The two of you stood in silence for a moment, watching the faeries light up the dusk. The lights began moving with more purpose, forming a single line. Then they darted from bush to bush, slowly making their way out of your garden. 

You let out a breath you hadn’t been aware of holding in. “Faeries…” you whispered. Then you turned to Mashirao. “Will you tell me about your faeries?”

Mashirao laughed. “They’re not my faeries; if anything I’m their human. Have been since I was a child.”

You kept looking at your garden, hoping to catch another glimpse of the Luminous Court, as Mashirao spoke about his childhood in the neighboring village.

“I spent most of my free time in the fields. I would sit still for hours, just watching, studying nature. I guess the faeries decided that I wasn’t dangerous. They let me pick some of their flowers and I made a few coins selling them at the market.

“One day, one of them came to me for help. Her humming bee had gotten too close to the surface of a puddle and couldn’t get out. And she was too small to help.”

“Humming bee,” you repeated to yourself. “Do they produce honey?”

“They do!” Mashirao replied. “But it’s not fit for human consumption. Spotted bears like it though. The faeries had a huge problem with bears raiding their hives, so we eventually struck up a deal. I got a touch of their magic, I get to pick a few of their flowers and take some of the seeds and bulbs to grow on my own throughout the summer, and I’m on standby to protect their hives during bear season.”

You frowned. Despite having learned to not judge any book by its cover since arriving in Faerie’s Brook, this seemed just a bit too far-fetched to you to be true. “Can you really go up against a bear that easily? Are the bears out here different from the ones in the northern mountains?”

Mashirao laughed. “Sorry, I should have made that clearer! They’re very small, compared to the bears from the northern mountains. The adults are only about twice the size of Amaranth, and they’re pretty calm so they usually aren’t a problem for humans; they tend to run as soon as I show up. But the faeries are much smaller, to the point where dealing with just one spotted bear is a dangerous undertaking.”

“What happens if they don’t run?” you asked.

“I carry them back to the woods. They’re not very smart, and they’re so busy licking honey off their chops that they’ve forgotten all about the actual hive by the time I set them back down. At most I get a scratch or two from their hind claws, but the faeries can heal those in no time.”

“And you said the faeries asked you to take care of Amaranth? Is he too big for them?”

Mashirao nodded. “They got him as an egg, and cared for him once he hatched. But I think they always knew that once he started moving around he’d be too much for them to handle. So they put him in my care.” Reaching out to scratch Amaranth behind an ear, Mashirao continued, “He’s like a little brother at this point. He’s a pain in my rear at times, but I love having him around. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Amaranth leaned into Mashirao’s touch, brown eyes closing. “Luv you too,” he squeaked. Then he turned his attention back to the garden.

Your heart beat faster. The scene in front of you was almost too cute to handle. You struggled to continue your original train of thought. “Where did the faeries get him?” you eventually asked. “Is it normal for faeries to raise dragon pups?”

Mashirao’s features darkened. “No. It’s not. They got his egg from a group of poachers.”

You felt an unpleasant chill down your spine. This was not how you had imagined the conversation going. “Oh no… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have--”

He turned to face you, forcing a smile. “Don’t apologize, you couldn’t know. But it’s something you need to be aware of so I might as well tell you now. Dragon poachers are a problem around the border. The eggs, egg shells, bones, scales, all of them are valuable magic ingredients. Some people treat them like collectors’ items. The dragons don’t nest around here, but we occasionally get poachers traveling through the area. They had a bad turn of luck running into a faerie court, and they got rightly disposed of. Faeries don’t take kindly to poachers of any kind.”

“Wait, hold on…” The new pieces of information had two burning questions rising in your mind, and you couldn’t figure out which one was more important to ask first. Mashirao waited patiently as you got your thoughts in order.

“You say dragon poachers, not dragon pup poachers… are they the same thing or different species?”

Mashirao sighed. “This is the worst part. They’re different species, but their nests and eggs look so similar even experts have trouble telling them apart. The poachers go for any type of dragon, most types have at least some use to them. But seeing how dragon pups aren’t true dragons, they’re the exception. Amaranth’s nest was raided for no reason. His was the only egg that was still viable when the faeries got to it. His siblings died for no reason.”

Mashirao’s voice cracked. You reached out, gently rubbing his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” you said, unsure what else to say.

He just nodded. 

The two of you kept silent for a moment, just looking at the one surviving dragon pup. Amaranth seemed wholly unbothered by the conversation, his full attention still on your garden.

You drew in a breath. “Can I ask another question?”

“Sure,” Mashirao responded. “We need to get through this subject so we can talk about more pleasant things.”

“If the faeries can ‘dispose’ of human poachers, why can’t they deal with the bears?”

Mashirao grinned wryly. “The poachers ran into the Vespula Court - the wasp court. They have venomous stingers. I believe they could deal with bears if needed, but they don’t keep humming bees so I don’t think the bears ever bother them.”

You hesitated for a moment, but you couldn’t keep your curiosity in check. “They’re venomous?”

“The only venomous court from what I know,” Mashirao replied. “I don’t know much about it, other than that it drives the victims mad enough to attack whatever is around them. It’s… I’ve never seen it myself, but I’ve heard that it’s horrifying to watch.”

You pressed your lips together, trying your best to keep your next question silent. It was rude, it was unnecessary, you really shouldn’t ask. But it almost seemed like Mashirao could read your mind.

“You’re wondering if I’m worried about my own safety since I spend so much time with the faeries, aren’t you?” The question was asked with a soft smile.

You nodded, looking away.

Mashirao chuckled. “Don’t worry, I get asked that a lot. And the answer is no. I’m genuinely not worried. The faerie courts are peaceful towards humans as a whole. We benefit from each other. And since I have no plans on becoming a poacher or otherwise bringing discord to their courts, I don’t have anything to fear.”

You hummed, thinking about all the new information. Then you spoke up again, deciding on a lighter topic. “The faeries we just saw were the Luminous Court. And there’s the Vespula Court. What court are your faeries from?”

“The Twilight Court,” Mashirao replied, “due to their wings bearing the colors of twilight as they say.”

The sound of running water grew ever louder. Pebbles shifted under your feet as you walked. Ahead of you, Mashirao held up a low-hanging branch, waiting for you to duck under it. 

“It’s just around the bend,” he said as you passed him.

You nodded, walking on. But you stopped in your tracks once reaching the bend in the path, breath torn away from you at the beauty of the scene. 

A wide expanse opened up before you. Mashirao had led you to a big, crystal clear lake, splitting the forest in two. A cliff blocked your view to one side, a waterfall flowing into the lake from the top. The air around the falling water shimmered in the sunlight.

“This…” you said, trying to force your mouth to work again, your mind still busy trying to take in everything. “This is…”

“Told you it was beautiful, didn’t I?” Mashirao laughed. Then he gently grabbed you by the shoulders, pointing towards the waterfall. “Looks like we made it just in time!”

You turned your attention back to the waterfall. At first you saw nothing but the shimmer of water drops in sunlight. But then the shimmer moved. Or rather, it seemed like something almost invisible, frail like spider’s silk, moved through the water drops. The mist settled on a long face, leaf-shaped ears flicking away drops of moisture. The creature stopped once she was fully drenched in the mist, snorted, then shook herself, flinging a rainbow into the air.

You couldn’t help but gasp. “A mist mare,” you whispered.

She heard you. Standing still for a long moment, head turned partly towards you, she gazed at you with one invisible eye. Then, deciding that you weren’t a threat, she snorted again, slowly moving into the lake. You almost lost sight of her when she entered the shadow; the only sign was the water parting around her body as she moved. Then she disappeared with a splash.

“Oh,” you sighed, disappointed. “She’s gone.”

“She’ll be back,” Mashirao ensured you. “The mist mares are too curious to scare away easily. Do you still want to swim?”

With the mist mare gone, you became painfully aware of how close Mashirao was. He still had one hand on your upper arm, his chest pressed against your shoulders. You could feel the heat radiating off him. Face flushed, you nodded, unsure if you could keep your voice even. Cooling off in the water sounded like a great idea.

Leaving your shoes and bags with towels and snacks at the far end of the lake, the two of you waded into the water, cold enough to make your skin prickle. But it was a refreshing contrast to the early summer heat.

“Don’t go farther than the middle,” Mashirao warned. “The current gets stronger the closer you get to the waterfall.”

You swam for a while, the water feeling warmer as you kept moving. When you were ready for a break, you moved towards the shore and Mashirao. 

Just as you had gotten close enough to the shore to be able to wade, something brushed up against your leg, pulling at your skin. Letting out a shriek of terror, you threw yourself towards Mashirao, throwing your arms around his neck. Mashirao wrapped his arms tightly around you to stabilize you.

“Something touched me!” you cried.

Mashirao just chuckled. “Told you they were curious. Look behind you.”

You turned in his arms, looking over your shoulder. Water drops hovered in the air in the shape of a long, leaf-eared face. A mist mare -you couldn’t tell if she was the same one from earlier- had poked her head out of the water, looking at you. She almost seemed offended that you had screamed.

Slowly, you reached out your hand towards the mare, offering her your palm. She moved closer, pressing her muzzle in your palm, mouthing at your fingers with rough lips. Then she decided that you weren’t interesting, and returned to the water.

Next to you, Mashirao let out a breath. “You handled that pretty well, all considered.”

It was only then you realized that you were quite literally in Mashirao’s arms. And it seemed that Mashirao realized at the same moment, judging by his deep blush when the two of you pulled away from each other.

But every time you peeked at him on the walk home, he had a soft smile on his face, a smile that only grew brighter whenever he caught your gaze.

Feelings slowly grew between you and Mashirao over the next few weeks. He seemed less shy about casual touches, he complimented you more freely. And you often found him reaching for your hands when walking next to you. You found yourself smiling wider when thinking about him, and returned every touch and compliment in full.

Mashirao led you by the hand down a path just outside the village. A waning moon peeked over the horizon, bathing everything in a slanted silver glow. 

“Are you ready to meet the faeries?” he asked for what felt like the tenth time that night.

You laughed at his fervor. “Yes! For the umpteenth time, yes!”

Tonight was the night of the summer meteor shower, lovingly nicknamed the ‘star sprinkle’ by the locals. Mashirao had told you that the meteor shower was sacred to the faeries from the Court of Twilight. They believed that during this night the moon goddess left her home in the sky, descending to the ground to visit the graves of her loved ones, her tears leaving streaks on the night sky. Mashirao had a standing invitation to join the Court of Twilight for their solemn worship, and he had decided to extend that invitation to you.

The flowers on the field in front of you blinked with pinpricks of light; lanterns, Mashirao had told you, to guide the moon goddess on her journey. Leading you down the path winding through the flowers, Mashirao stopped at a dark spot in the sea of light, just big enough for the two of you.

“This is our spot,” he said, gently stepping onto the grass as the first meteorite streaked across the sky.

You laid together silently on the blanket Mashirao had brought, your fingers intertwined, Mashirao continuously running his thumb over the back of your hand as you watched the sky. 

A lantern blinked on in your peripheral vision. Then a tiny voice sounded, “The Moon Goddess weeps tonight. Have you come to pay your respect to her too?”

Turning your head, you looked at the small, humanoid creature in the flower, purple butterfly-like wings lit by the pearl-shaped lantern. The faerie met your gaze with glowing, orange eyes.

“May she find solace,” you replied, just like Mashirao had taught you.

The faerie nodded, returning her gaze to the sky. You did the same.

“May she find solace,” Mashirao echoed next to you. Then he shifted closer, squeezing your hand. “You did good,” he whispered into your ear.

His breath ghosting over your skin made you shiver. 

“Cold?” he asked, making you shiver again.

“Yeah, a bit,” you lied, scooting closer to him, leaning your head against his shoulder.

Mashirao let out a grunt which, you’d learned over the past few weeks, meant that you’d managed to fluster him once again. But you’d also learned from a little bit of trial and error that he didn’t mind getting flustered. This was confirmed when he gently lifted your entwined hands, pressing his lips to the back of your thumb.

“So? What do you think?”

You could barely keep yourself from bouncing as you walked home, once again hand in hand with Mashirao. “Oh, it was beautiful!”

He chuckled. “Not as beautiful as you.” He hesitated for a moment, then spoke up again, “Do you think you’ll come next year too? The faeries should know you better by then.”

You stopped, turning to look at him. “We’re already making plans for next year? I mean of course I’ll come! As long as you want me to…”

Mashirao’s smile grew soft. “I hope to have you in my life for quite a few years to come.” Reaching up, he cupped your cheek in his free hand, running his thumb over your skin. “I’ve never felt about anybody the way I feel about you. I feel so fortunate that you picked my village for your tea shop.” 

His thumb moved lower, brushing over your parted lips. “Is this okay,” he asked, suddenly sounding uncertain. “I can stop if--”

“It’s more than okay!” you interjected, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Please don’t stop.”

Mashirao gave you one of his brilliant smiles. Then he leaned in to kiss you.

One year after moving to Faerie’s Brook, you found yourself in front of your bedroom mirror, marvelling at the short, curled horns peeking through your hair. They had begun growing only a few months after arriving, though it took you a while longer to realize why your scalp was constantly sore. Mashirao had theorized that your horns began growing so quickly due to your willingness to accept the wild side.

“You’re admiring them again.”

Mashirao came up behind you, arms circling your waist, and pressed a kiss to one of your horns.

You turned in his embrace to grin at him. “They’re something to admire! They make me feel like I’ve been truly accepted by the wild side, how could I not marvel at them?”

Mashirao hugged you tighter. “You’re a marvel.”

You felt a paw press against your thigh. Looking down you saw Amaranth standing on his high legs, stubby vermillion wings spread out to help him balance.

The dragon pup met your gaze. “Me too! I wanna hug too!”

You giggled as Mashirao let you go, bending over to pick up Amaranth. “You’re getting too big for this,” he huffed.

“Am not!” Amaranth shot back. “I’ll never be too big to--” He abruptly stopped, letting out a strangled sound. “Haaah…”

Mashirao’s face fell. “Oh no. Not now.”

“Haaaaah…”

You knew what was about to happen and quickly backed out of the way. Mashirao shifted his grip on Amaranth, hurrying over to your bedroom fireplace, kicking the grate out of the way and shoving the dragon pups snout into the flue.

“Hachoo!!”

A roar of fire followed Amaranth’s sneeze, finished with an odd popping sound as the fireball exited the chimney. Amaranth sniffed.

“‘Scuse me,” he said, voice echoing through the chimney.

You couldn’t help but laugh. Your whole life was a marvel these days. There was not a doubt in your mind that you wanted to spend the rest of your life in Faerie’s Brook.

[birinboom]

The Colors of Twilight

Ojiro Mashirao x Fem!Reader Word count: 5,247 words Summary: Dreaming of getting away from the city and opening up a country-side tea shop, you decide to sell most of your possessions and move to the village of Faerie’s Brook. However, you would never have expected that the stories about the magical creatures of the countryside were actually real. Genre: Fantasy!AU, fluff, romance Warnings: Mentions of food, a recounted story of death by faerie magic, some minor angst, kissing Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖 Also, I'm posting this a bit early but it's already the 28th in Japan so whatevs. Happy birthday Ojiro!

Ever since you were little, your head had been filled with stories about the wild magic of the countryside. Faeries sleeping in flower meadows, dragons flying overhead, briefly blocking out the sun with their wings, trolls lumbering through the vast forests. Your parents always insisted that every single word was true! Once you became an adult, you could only scoff at such childish ideas.

But even if the wild magic wasn't real, you still held on to your childhood dream of moving to the countryside. The fast-paced life of the capital was wearing on you. It might be too romantic an idea, but you longed to wake up to the sound of birdsong rather than shrill cries of street vendors. To be able to sit in a quiet cottage garden, sipping tea and chatting with your neighbors, rather than being hollered and cursed at if you slowed your pace even the tiniest bit. And if you happened to spot a faery or two - well, that would just be an added bonus.

One day, you decided to take the plunge. You quit your tearoom job, sold nearly everything you owned and purchased an old but fully furnished tavern -which you’d decided to turn into your very own tea shop- in a village called Faerie’s Brook. The name certainly sounded promising. And the village was located on the main thoroughfare leading to the country of Tiria, so your little tea shop ought to have plenty of customers.

You knew you’d miss the city, miss the convenience of the capital, miss walking down to the harbor to watch the ashen waves of the Cinder Sea, the smell of salt and seaweed pulling at your nose. You’d miss the convenience of the shops around you, being able to order things like jam and garnish for the tearoom sandwiches rather than making everything yourself. And it would no doubt be difficult at first to be away from your family; even if you had lived on your own for a couple of years now, they had always been nearby, ready to help if you needed it. Once you moved, it would take at least a couple of hours with a stagecoach to reach you.

You shook your head firmly. This had been your dream for so long. And you wouldn’t let something as fickle as convenience stop you, not even if you had to make your own jam!

You peered up at the sun-bleached sign above the door to your new home, squinting as you tried to read the faded letters. It was no use; the sign might as well be blank. Shrugging, you sat on the wide doorstep, searching through your bags. If the sign was as good as blank, it meant that you could reuse it - it looked about big enough to fit the name you’d picked for your tea shop. Now, where had you put the key?

Pausing your search for a moment, you let your gaze glide over the quiet main street, lined with little shops. Just from where you sat, you could see a milliner, a flower shop, a bakery - the scents from the latter was making your empty stomach rumble. You needed to stop by soon and see if you could get a deal on sandwich bread for your tea shop.

Every single storefront had wicker baskets filled with flowers placed next to the door, yours included. Leaning over, you inspected the basket which held a colorful assortment of crocuses and pansies. You frowned. Pansies in mid-April were normal, but it seemed much too late for crocuses. Shrugging, your gaze moved from the flowers to the flower shop right across the street. Surely these flowers were just a particularly late-blooming variety, or a different flower altogether, nothing more than that. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask the florist. And you wanted to thank them for keeping the flower baskets alive while your soon-to-be tea shop had been sitting empty.

As you watched, the door to the flower shop opened and a puppy was let out into the street. It sniffed the cobblestone for a moment before it abruptly stopped, its head whipping around to look at you. You couldn’t help but smile at the little, honey-colored fluff ball. And you couldn’t hold back your laughter when the puppy began yipping happily as it galloped towards you, stubby little front paws thrown high and wide with each leap. 

Stretching out your hand, you offered it to the puppy. The puppy, however, ignored your hand, instead trying to climb onto the doorstep, hind paws scratching against the stone. You lifted the puppy onto the doorstep next to you, then scratched it behind one soft ear. It wasn’t enough; the puppy clambered onto your lap, then tried to lick your face. 

“He really likes you.”

You looked towards the unfamiliar voice, arms full of wiggling, ecstatic puppy. A man -the florist, you assumed- was leaning against the open door of the flower shop, a soft smile on his face. His sleek, golden hair looked as soft as the fur under your fingertips. Black eyes crinkled at the corners. Crossed arms making the biceps peeking out from underneath his short-sleeved shirt pop. Your face burned; you didn’t even know his name, and yet you couldn’t help but feel affected by his good looks. Smiling back at him, you tried your best to keep your blush in check.

Taking in your neighbor’s features had made you let down your guard. The puppy seized his chance, licking your chin. It jolted you back to reality.

The man let out a chuckle. “Amaranth is always very curious about strangers, but he’s rarely this excited.” Pushing off the doorframe, he crossed the street, extending a hand. “I’m Mashirao Ojiro.”

Pinning the puppy to your lap with one arm, you grabbed Mashirao’s hand and shook it, introducing yourself.

“Amaranth,” you mumbled, scratching the puppy behind an ear. “That’s an interesting name for a dog.”

“He picked it himself.”

You looked up at Mashirao, trying to gauge whether he was joking. “What do you mean?”

Mashirao shrugged. “He started speaking shortly after I got him. Told me that that’s the name he’s chosen for himself.”

You raised your eyebrows at him. “He… speaks to you?”

Mashirao seated himself next to you, trying to coax Amaranth onto his own lap. Amaranth, however, turned his rear to Mashirao, settling in for a nap. Mashirao chuckled, then looked at you again. He gave you a soft, genuine smile. “You’re not from around here I take it?”

You tilted your head, trying to prompt him to explain what not being a local had to do with anything.

“Things are different out here,” he explained. “Amaranth is not like the dogs you know. He’s a distant descendant of dragons.”

You could barely contain the derisive laughter that bubbled up through your chest. “Oh, really?”

Mashirao nodded earnestly. “He’s a dragon pup. The faeries told me that his wings will start to grow soon.”

“Faeries?” you asked incredulously.

Mashirao laughed. “Yes, faeries. They inhabit the fields outside town.” He nodded his head towards the far end of the main street. “They offered me some of their magic so I can grow my flowers. That’s how I can make crocuses bloom this late in the season.” Gesturing to the puppy on your lap, he added, “And they entrusted Amaranth’s care to me.”

Pulling the sleeping Amaranth closer, you began getting up, drawing in a deep breath to tell him off for lying to you, when you spotted something moving next to him. It made you sink back onto your rear, breath leaving your lungs.

“You have a tail…” you said stupidly.

Mashirao laughed again. “You have a lot to get used to.”

You just looked at him for a moment. “How come things are so different out here?”

“You’re aware that Faerie’s Brook is close to the border to Tiria, right?” he asked.

You nodded silently.

“I don’t know if this is common knowledge in the bigger cities, but Tiria is known for its abundant wild magic. It has allowed human magic to flourish, too. I’ve heard that there’s a university for mages in Sun City. The wild magic has spread past the borders for the past couple of centuries. The countryside along the border is seeped in magic; we might have as much as Tiria at this point. Creatures from the wild side thrive here.”

Pointing to Amaranth, you asked, “The wild side? So like him? And the faeries you mentioned?”

Mashirao nodded. “The wild magic has begun to affect the humans here, just like it does in Tiria. I was born with a tail. My mother has one as well but hers started growing after having lived here for a couple of years. Other people develop magic powers. The smith is able to handle red-hot metal without gloves. The baker can make it snow on command; they say having cold hands makes baking easier.” Grinning at you, Mashirao added, “If you stay here long enough, you might begin to change, too.”

Biting your lip for a moment, you then broached the question on your mind. “It doesn’t bother any of you that you’re… different?”

Mashirao hesitated for a moment. “No offense meant,” he then said, “but out here you’re the one who’s different. This is our normal.” Tail twitching, he continued, “We generally see it as being enhanced by magic. For the majority of us it causes a neutral change in appearance, like a change in eye color. For some the changes are outright beneficial, though those who develop magic need to learn to control it properly. I’ve heard of one person who developed wings strong enough to fly. It’s very rare that these changes cause an actual problem; at most it’s just temporary growing pains. To me, my tail is just an extra appendage, like an extra arm or leg. I learned to use it as I was learning to walk.” 

You watched, unknowingly holding your breath, as Mashirao wrapped his tail around the flower basket and lifted it off the ground with ease.

Exhaling, a wide grin slowly spread across your face. When Mashirao first told you that Amaranth was a dragon pup, you’d thought that he was pulling your leg. But this? This was indisputable. Your parents had been right all along; magic was real!

You looked at Mashirao again, your eyes sparkling. “Will you help me learn about magic? Will you introduce me to the faeries?”

He beamed at you. “It’ll be my pleasure!”

The next few days disappeared in a whirlwind of unpacking, restocking, and getting the old tavern cleaned up and ready for opening. Mashirao was kind enough to stop by at the end of each day to lend a hand with some of the heavy lifting. He refused any forms of payment except cups of your homemade tea blends which he had very quickly grown fond of. And every day you begged him to tell you more about the wild side.

Amaranth, you learned, was only newly hatched when he was handed over to Mashirao. The puppy’s words were still garbled and hard to understand but you were getting more meaning out of them with every passing day.

You were standing in the kitchen of your tea shop one late afternoon. Amaranth was once again nestled in your arms as you looked out at the herb garden behind your house, every bush wet with rain. Petrichor mixed with the lingering scent of the oil you had used on the wooden counters. Your fingers ran over Amaranth’s back, gently massaging the sore wing nubs growing under his skin. Amaranth stretched in your arms, letting out a deep sigh. 

A flicker of light under a bush caught your attention. Another appeared, and then another. Soon, a little cluster of lights were hovering close to the ground.

“Fireflies?” you wondered out loud. “Or glow worms?”

Amaranth wiggled in your arms, suddenly alert. “Wanna see!” he squeaked.

Behind you, Mashirao got to his feet, a steaming tea mug in his hands. “What are you seeing?” he asked as he stood next to you.

Settling Amaranth on the deep window sill, you then pointed at the floating lights. 

Mashirao let out a soft exhale, a wide smile spreading on his handsome face. “Congratulations. You’ve seen your first court of faeries. And these are a rare kind.”

You whipped your head around to gawp at him. “Those are faeries?? And… kind. There are more than one kind?”

He grinned at you. “Multiple different courts, yeah! I only really deal with one of them, but I know a little about the others. Each court is usually named after a physical attribute of their faeries. These are from the Luminous Court due to how they glow. They are particularly small from what I understand, and they rarely get this close to human settlements. I assume since the tavern has been empty for months they decided the garden was a safe space to wait out the rain.”

The two of you stood in silence for a moment, watching the faeries light up the dusk. The lights began moving with more purpose, forming a single line. Then they darted from bush to bush, slowly making their way out of your garden. 

You let out a breath you hadn’t been aware of holding in. “Faeries…” you whispered. Then you turned to Mashirao. “Will you tell me about your faeries?”

Mashirao laughed. “They’re not my faeries; if anything I’m their human. Have been since I was a child.”

You kept looking at your garden, hoping to catch another glimpse of the Luminous Court, as Mashirao spoke about his childhood in the neighboring village.

“I spent most of my free time in the fields. I would sit still for hours, just watching, studying nature. I guess the faeries decided that I wasn’t dangerous. They let me pick some of their flowers and I made a few coins selling them at the market.

“One day, one of them came to me for help. Her humming bee had gotten too close to the surface of a puddle and couldn’t get out. And she was too small to help.”

“Humming bee,” you repeated to yourself. “Do they produce honey?”

“They do!” Mashirao replied. “But it’s not fit for human consumption. Spotted bears like it though. The faeries had a huge problem with bears raiding their hives, so we eventually struck up a deal. I got a touch of their magic, I get to pick a few of their flowers and take some of the seeds and bulbs to grow on my own throughout the summer, and I’m on standby to protect their hives during bear season.”

You frowned. Despite having learned to not judge any book by its cover since arriving in Faerie’s Brook, this seemed just a bit too far-fetched to you to be true. “Can you really go up against a bear that easily? Are the bears out here different from the ones in the northern mountains?”

Mashirao laughed. “Sorry, I should have made that clearer! They’re very small, compared to the bears from the northern mountains. The adults are only about twice the size of Amaranth, and they’re pretty calm so they usually aren’t a problem for humans; they tend to run as soon as I show up. But the faeries are much smaller, to the point where dealing with just one spotted bear is a dangerous undertaking.”

“What happens if they don’t run?” you asked.

“I carry them back to the woods. They’re not very smart, and they’re so busy licking honey off their chops that they’ve forgotten all about the actual hive by the time I set them back down. At most I get a scratch or two from their hind claws, but the faeries can heal those in no time.”

“And you said the faeries asked you to take care of Amaranth? Is he too big for them?”

Mashirao nodded. “They got him as an egg, and cared for him once he hatched. But I think they always knew that once he started moving around he’d be too much for them to handle. So they put him in my care.” Reaching out to scratch Amaranth behind an ear, Mashirao continued, “He’s like a little brother at this point. He’s a pain in my rear at times, but I love having him around. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Amaranth leaned into Mashirao’s touch, brown eyes closing. “Luv you too,” he squeaked. Then he turned his attention back to the garden.

Your heart beat faster. The scene in front of you was almost too cute to handle. You struggled to continue your original train of thought. “Where did the faeries get him?” you eventually asked. “Is it normal for faeries to raise dragon pups?”

Mashirao’s features darkened. “No. It’s not. They got his egg from a group of poachers.”

You felt an unpleasant chill down your spine. This was not how you had imagined the conversation going. “Oh no… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have--”

He turned to face you, forcing a smile. “Don’t apologize, you couldn’t know. But it’s something you need to be aware of so I might as well tell you now. Dragon poachers are a problem around the border. The eggs, egg shells, bones, scales, all of them are valuable magic ingredients. Some people treat them like collectors’ items. The dragons don’t nest around here, but we occasionally get poachers traveling through the area. They had a bad turn of luck running into a faerie court, and they got rightly disposed of. Faeries don’t take kindly to poachers of any kind.”

“Wait, hold on…” The new pieces of information had two burning questions rising in your mind, and you couldn’t figure out which one was more important to ask first. Mashirao waited patiently as you got your thoughts in order.

“You say dragon poachers, not dragon pup poachers… are they the same thing or different species?”

Mashirao sighed. “This is the worst part. They’re different species, but their nests and eggs look so similar even experts have trouble telling them apart. The poachers go for any type of dragon, most types have at least some use to them. But seeing how dragon pups aren’t true dragons, they’re the exception. Amaranth’s nest was raided for no reason. His was the only egg that was still viable when the faeries got to it. His siblings died for no reason.”

Mashirao’s voice cracked. You reached out, gently rubbing his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” you said, unsure what else to say.

He just nodded. 

The two of you kept silent for a moment, just looking at the one surviving dragon pup. Amaranth seemed wholly unbothered by the conversation, his full attention still on your garden.

You drew in a breath. “Can I ask another question?”

“Sure,” Mashirao responded. “We need to get through this subject so we can talk about more pleasant things.”

“If the faeries can ‘dispose’ of human poachers, why can’t they deal with the bears?”

Mashirao grinned wryly. “The poachers ran into the Vespula Court - the wasp court. They have venomous stingers. I believe they could deal with bears if needed, but they don’t keep humming bees so I don’t think the bears ever bother them.”

You hesitated for a moment, but you couldn’t keep your curiosity in check. “They’re venomous?”

“The only venomous court from what I know,” Mashirao replied. “I don’t know much about it, other than that it drives the victims mad enough to attack whatever is around them. It’s… I’ve never seen it myself, but I’ve heard that it’s horrifying to watch.”

You pressed your lips together, trying your best to keep your next question silent. It was rude, it was unnecessary, you really shouldn’t ask. But it almost seemed like Mashirao could read your mind.

“You’re wondering if I’m worried about my own safety since I spend so much time with the faeries, aren’t you?” The question was asked with a soft smile.

You nodded, looking away.

Mashirao chuckled. “Don’t worry, I get asked that a lot. And the answer is no. I’m genuinely not worried. The faerie courts are peaceful towards humans as a whole. We benefit from each other. And since I have no plans on becoming a poacher or otherwise bringing discord to their courts, I don’t have anything to fear.”

You hummed, thinking about all the new information. Then you spoke up again, deciding on a lighter topic. “The faeries we just saw were the Luminous Court. And there’s the Vespula Court. What court are your faeries from?”

“The Twilight Court,” Mashirao replied, “due to their wings bearing the colors of twilight as they say.”

The sound of running water grew ever louder. Pebbles shifted under your feet as you walked. Ahead of you, Mashirao held up a low-hanging branch, waiting for you to duck under it. 

“It’s just around the bend,” he said as you passed him.

You nodded, walking on. But you stopped in your tracks once reaching the bend in the path, breath torn away from you at the beauty of the scene. 

A wide expanse opened up before you. Mashirao had led you to a big, crystal clear lake, splitting the forest in two. A cliff blocked your view to one side, a waterfall flowing into the lake from the top. The air around the falling water shimmered in the sunlight.

“This…” you said, trying to force your mouth to work again, your mind still busy trying to take in everything. “This is…”

“Told you it was beautiful, didn’t I?” Mashirao laughed. Then he gently grabbed you by the shoulders, pointing towards the waterfall. “Looks like we made it just in time!”

You turned your attention back to the waterfall. At first you saw nothing but the shimmer of water drops in sunlight. But then the shimmer moved. Or rather, it seemed like something almost invisible, frail like spider’s silk, moved through the water drops. The mist settled on a long face, leaf-shaped ears flicking away drops of moisture. The creature stopped once she was fully drenched in the mist, snorted, then shook herself, flinging a rainbow into the air.

You couldn’t help but gasp. “A mist mare,” you whispered.

She heard you. Standing still for a long moment, head turned partly towards you, she gazed at you with one invisible eye. Then, deciding that you weren’t a threat, she snorted again, slowly moving into the lake. You almost lost sight of her when she entered the shadow; the only sign was the water parting around her body as she moved. Then she disappeared with a splash.

“Oh,” you sighed, disappointed. “She’s gone.”

“She’ll be back,” Mashirao ensured you. “The mist mares are too curious to scare away easily. Do you still want to swim?”

With the mist mare gone, you became painfully aware of how close Mashirao was. He still had one hand on your upper arm, his chest pressed against your shoulders. You could feel the heat radiating off him. Face flushed, you nodded, unsure if you could keep your voice even. Cooling off in the water sounded like a great idea.

Leaving your shoes and bags with towels and snacks at the far end of the lake, the two of you waded into the water, cold enough to make your skin prickle. But it was a refreshing contrast to the early summer heat.

“Don’t go farther than the middle,” Mashirao warned. “The current gets stronger the closer you get to the waterfall.”

You swam for a while, the water feeling warmer as you kept moving. When you were ready for a break, you moved towards the shore and Mashirao. 

Just as you had gotten close enough to the shore to be able to wade, something brushed up against your leg, pulling at your skin. Letting out a shriek of terror, you threw yourself towards Mashirao, throwing your arms around his neck. Mashirao wrapped his arms tightly around you to stabilize you.

“Something touched me!” you cried.

Mashirao just chuckled. “Told you they were curious. Look behind you.”

You turned in his arms, looking over your shoulder. Water drops hovered in the air in the shape of a long, leaf-eared face. A mist mare -you couldn’t tell if she was the same one from earlier- had poked her head out of the water, looking at you. She almost seemed offended that you had screamed.

Slowly, you reached out your hand towards the mare, offering her your palm. She moved closer, pressing her muzzle in your palm, mouthing at your fingers with rough lips. Then she decided that you weren’t interesting, and returned to the water.

Next to you, Mashirao let out a breath. “You handled that pretty well, all considered.”

It was only then you realized that you were quite literally in Mashirao’s arms. And it seemed that Mashirao realized at the same moment, judging by his deep blush when the two of you pulled away from each other.

But every time you peeked at him on the walk home, he had a soft smile on his face, a smile that only grew brighter whenever he caught your gaze.

Feelings slowly grew between you and Mashirao over the next few weeks. He seemed less shy about casual touches, he complimented you more freely. And you often found him reaching for your hands when walking next to you. You found yourself smiling wider when thinking about him, and returned every touch and compliment in full.

Mashirao led you by the hand down a path just outside the village. A waning moon peeked over the horizon, bathing everything in a slanted silver glow. 

“Are you ready to meet the faeries?” he asked for what felt like the tenth time that night.

You laughed at his fervor. “Yes! For the umpteenth time, yes!”

Tonight was the night of the summer meteor shower, lovingly nicknamed the ‘star sprinkle’ by the locals. Mashirao had told you that the meteor shower was sacred to the faeries from the Court of Twilight. They believed that during this night the moon goddess left her home in the sky, descending to the ground to visit the graves of her loved ones, her tears leaving streaks on the night sky. Mashirao had a standing invitation to join the Court of Twilight for their solemn worship, and he had decided to extend that invitation to you.

The flowers on the field in front of you blinked with pinpricks of light; lanterns, Mashirao had told you, to guide the moon goddess on her journey. Leading you down the path winding through the flowers, Mashirao stopped at a dark spot in the sea of light, just big enough for the two of you.

“This is our spot,” he said, gently stepping onto the grass as the first meteorite streaked across the sky.

You laid together silently on the blanket Mashirao had brought, your fingers intertwined, Mashirao continuously running his thumb over the back of your hand as you watched the sky. 

A lantern blinked on in your peripheral vision. Then a tiny voice sounded, “The Moon Goddess weeps tonight. Have you come to pay your respect to her too?”

Turning your head, you looked at the small, humanoid creature in the flower, purple butterfly-like wings lit by the pearl-shaped lantern. The faerie met your gaze with glowing, orange eyes.

“May she find solace,” you replied, just like Mashirao had taught you.

The faerie nodded, returning her gaze to the sky. You did the same.

“May she find solace,” Mashirao echoed next to you. Then he shifted closer, squeezing your hand. “You did good,” he whispered into your ear.

His breath ghosting over your skin made you shiver. 

“Cold?” he asked, making you shiver again.

“Yeah, a bit,” you lied, scooting closer to him, leaning your head against his shoulder.

Mashirao let out a grunt which, you’d learned over the past few weeks, meant that you’d managed to fluster him once again. But you’d also learned from a little bit of trial and error that he didn’t mind getting flustered. This was confirmed when he gently lifted your entwined hands, pressing his lips to the back of your thumb.

“So? What do you think?”

You could barely keep yourself from bouncing as you walked home, once again hand in hand with Mashirao. “Oh, it was beautiful!”

He chuckled. “Not as beautiful as you.” He hesitated for a moment, then spoke up again, “Do you think you’ll come next year too? The faeries should know you better by then.”

You stopped, turning to look at him. “We’re already making plans for next year? I mean of course I’ll come! As long as you want me to…”

Mashirao’s smile grew soft. “I hope to have you in my life for quite a few years to come.” Reaching up, he cupped your cheek in his free hand, running his thumb over your skin. “I’ve never felt about anybody the way I feel about you. I feel so fortunate that you picked my village for your tea shop.” 

His thumb moved lower, brushing over your parted lips. “Is this okay,” he asked, suddenly sounding uncertain. “I can stop if--”

“It’s more than okay!” you interjected, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Please don’t stop.”

Mashirao gave you one of his brilliant smiles. Then he leaned in to kiss you.

One year after moving to Faerie’s Brook, you found yourself in front of your bedroom mirror, marvelling at the short, curled horns peeking through your hair. They had begun growing only a few months after arriving, though it took you a while longer to realize why your scalp was constantly sore. Mashirao had theorized that your horns began growing so quickly due to your willingness to accept the wild side.

“You’re admiring them again.”

Mashirao came up behind you, arms circling your waist, and pressed a kiss to one of your horns.

You turned in his embrace to grin at him. “They’re something to admire! They make me feel like I’ve been truly accepted by the wild side, how could I not marvel at them?”

Mashirao hugged you tighter. “You’re a marvel.”

You felt a paw press against your thigh. Looking down you saw Amaranth standing on his high legs, stubby vermillion wings spread out to help him balance.

The dragon pup met your gaze. “Me too! I wanna hug too!”

You giggled as Mashirao let you go, bending over to pick up Amaranth. “You’re getting too big for this,” he huffed.

“Am not!” Amaranth shot back. “I’ll never be too big to--” He abruptly stopped, letting out a strangled sound. “Haaah…”

Mashirao’s face fell. “Oh no. Not now.”

“Haaaaah…”

You knew what was about to happen and quickly backed out of the way. Mashirao shifted his grip on Amaranth, hurrying over to your bedroom fireplace, kicking the grate out of the way and shoving the dragon pups snout into the flue.

“Hachoo!!”

A roar of fire followed Amaranth’s sneeze, finished with an odd popping sound as the fireball exited the chimney. Amaranth sniffed.

“‘Scuse me,” he said, voice echoing through the chimney.

You couldn’t help but laugh. Your whole life was a marvel these days. There was not a doubt in your mind that you wanted to spend the rest of your life in Faerie’s Brook.

[birinboom]

The Colors of Twilight

Ojiro Mashirao x Fem!Reader Word count: 5,247 words Summary: Dreaming of getting away from the city and opening up a country-side tea shop, you decide to sell most of your possessions and move to the village of Faerie’s Brook. However, you would never have expected that the stories about the magical creatures of the countryside were actually real. Genre: Fantasy!AU, fluff, romance Warnings: Mentions of food, a recounted story of death by faerie magic, some minor angst, kissing Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖 Also, I'm posting this a bit early but it's already the 28th in Japan so whatevs. Happy birthday Ojiro!

Ever since you were little, your head had been filled with stories about the wild magic of the countryside. Faeries sleeping in flower meadows, dragons flying overhead, briefly blocking out the sun with their wings, trolls lumbering through the vast forests. Your parents always insisted that every single word was true! Once you became an adult, you could only scoff at such childish ideas.

But even if the wild magic wasn't real, you still held on to your childhood dream of moving to the countryside. The fast-paced life of the capital was wearing on you. It might be too romantic an idea, but you longed to wake up to the sound of birdsong rather than shrill cries of street vendors. To be able to sit in a quiet cottage garden, sipping tea and chatting with your neighbors, rather than being hollered and cursed at if you slowed your pace even the tiniest bit. And if you happened to spot a faery or two - well, that would just be an added bonus.

One day, you decided to take the plunge. You quit your tearoom job, sold nearly everything you owned and purchased an old but fully furnished tavern -which you’d decided to turn into your very own tea shop- in a village called Faerie’s Brook. The name certainly sounded promising. And the village was located on the main thoroughfare leading to the country of Tiria, so your little tea shop ought to have plenty of customers.

You knew you’d miss the city, miss the convenience of the capital, miss walking down to the harbor to watch the ashen waves of the Cinder Sea, the smell of salt and seaweed pulling at your nose. You’d miss the convenience of the shops around you, being able to order things like jam and garnish for the tearoom sandwiches rather than making everything yourself. And it would no doubt be difficult at first to be away from your family; even if you had lived on your own for a couple of years now, they had always been nearby, ready to help if you needed it. Once you moved, it would take at least a couple of hours with a stagecoach to reach you.

You shook your head firmly. This had been your dream for so long. And you wouldn’t let something as fickle as convenience stop you, not even if you had to make your own jam!

You peered up at the sun-bleached sign above the door to your new home, squinting as you tried to read the faded letters. It was no use; the sign might as well be blank. Shrugging, you sat on the wide doorstep, searching through your bags. If the sign was as good as blank, it meant that you could reuse it - it looked about big enough to fit the name you’d picked for your tea shop. Now, where had you put the key?

Pausing your search for a moment, you let your gaze glide over the quiet main street, lined with little shops. Just from where you sat, you could see a milliner, a flower shop, a bakery - the scents from the latter was making your empty stomach rumble. You needed to stop by soon and see if you could get a deal on sandwich bread for your tea shop.

Every single storefront had wicker baskets filled with flowers placed next to the door, yours included. Leaning over, you inspected the basket which held a colorful assortment of crocuses and pansies. You frowned. Pansies in mid-April were normal, but it seemed much too late for crocuses. Shrugging, your gaze moved from the flowers to the flower shop right across the street. Surely these flowers were just a particularly late-blooming variety, or a different flower altogether, nothing more than that. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask the florist. And you wanted to thank them for keeping the flower baskets alive while your soon-to-be tea shop had been sitting empty.

As you watched, the door to the flower shop opened and a puppy was let out into the street. It sniffed the cobblestone for a moment before it abruptly stopped, its head whipping around to look at you. You couldn’t help but smile at the little, honey-colored fluff ball. And you couldn’t hold back your laughter when the puppy began yipping happily as it galloped towards you, stubby little front paws thrown high and wide with each leap. 

Stretching out your hand, you offered it to the puppy. The puppy, however, ignored your hand, instead trying to climb onto the doorstep, hind paws scratching against the stone. You lifted the puppy onto the doorstep next to you, then scratched it behind one soft ear. It wasn’t enough; the puppy clambered onto your lap, then tried to lick your face. 

“He really likes you.”

You looked towards the unfamiliar voice, arms full of wiggling, ecstatic puppy. A man -the florist, you assumed- was leaning against the open door of the flower shop, a soft smile on his face. His sleek, golden hair looked as soft as the fur under your fingertips. Black eyes crinkled at the corners. Crossed arms making the biceps peeking out from underneath his short-sleeved shirt pop. Your face burned; you didn’t even know his name, and yet you couldn’t help but feel affected by his good looks. Smiling back at him, you tried your best to keep your blush in check.

Taking in your neighbor’s features had made you let down your guard. The puppy seized his chance, licking your chin. It jolted you back to reality.

The man let out a chuckle. “Amaranth is always very curious about strangers, but he’s rarely this excited.” Pushing off the doorframe, he crossed the street, extending a hand. “I’m Mashirao Ojiro.”

Pinning the puppy to your lap with one arm, you grabbed Mashirao’s hand and shook it, introducing yourself.

“Amaranth,” you mumbled, scratching the puppy behind an ear. “That’s an interesting name for a dog.”

“He picked it himself.”

You looked up at Mashirao, trying to gauge whether he was joking. “What do you mean?”

Mashirao shrugged. “He started speaking shortly after I got him. Told me that that’s the name he’s chosen for himself.”

You raised your eyebrows at him. “He… speaks to you?”

Mashirao seated himself next to you, trying to coax Amaranth onto his own lap. Amaranth, however, turned his rear to Mashirao, settling in for a nap. Mashirao chuckled, then looked at you again. He gave you a soft, genuine smile. “You’re not from around here I take it?”

You tilted your head, trying to prompt him to explain what not being a local had to do with anything.

“Things are different out here,” he explained. “Amaranth is not like the dogs you know. He’s a distant descendant of dragons.”

You could barely contain the derisive laughter that bubbled up through your chest. “Oh, really?”

Mashirao nodded earnestly. “He’s a dragon pup. The faeries told me that his wings will start to grow soon.”

“Faeries?” you asked incredulously.

Mashirao laughed. “Yes, faeries. They inhabit the fields outside town.” He nodded his head towards the far end of the main street. “They offered me some of their magic so I can grow my flowers. That’s how I can make crocuses bloom this late in the season.” Gesturing to the puppy on your lap, he added, “And they entrusted Amaranth’s care to me.”

Pulling the sleeping Amaranth closer, you began getting up, drawing in a deep breath to tell him off for lying to you, when you spotted something moving next to him. It made you sink back onto your rear, breath leaving your lungs.

“You have a tail…” you said stupidly.

Mashirao laughed again. “You have a lot to get used to.”

You just looked at him for a moment. “How come things are so different out here?”

“You’re aware that Faerie’s Brook is close to the border to Tiria, right?” he asked.

You nodded silently.

“I don’t know if this is common knowledge in the bigger cities, but Tiria is known for its abundant wild magic. It has allowed human magic to flourish, too. I’ve heard that there’s a university for mages in Sun City. The wild magic has spread past the borders for the past couple of centuries. The countryside along the border is seeped in magic; we might have as much as Tiria at this point. Creatures from the wild side thrive here.”

Pointing to Amaranth, you asked, “The wild side? So like him? And the faeries you mentioned?”

Mashirao nodded. “The wild magic has begun to affect the humans here, just like it does in Tiria. I was born with a tail. My mother has one as well but hers started growing after having lived here for a couple of years. Other people develop magic powers. The smith is able to handle red-hot metal without gloves. The baker can make it snow on command; they say having cold hands makes baking easier.” Grinning at you, Mashirao added, “If you stay here long enough, you might begin to change, too.”

Biting your lip for a moment, you then broached the question on your mind. “It doesn’t bother any of you that you’re… different?”

Mashirao hesitated for a moment. “No offense meant,” he then said, “but out here you’re the one who’s different. This is our normal.” Tail twitching, he continued, “We generally see it as being enhanced by magic. For the majority of us it causes a neutral change in appearance, like a change in eye color. For some the changes are outright beneficial, though those who develop magic need to learn to control it properly. I’ve heard of one person who developed wings strong enough to fly. It’s very rare that these changes cause an actual problem; at most it’s just temporary growing pains. To me, my tail is just an extra appendage, like an extra arm or leg. I learned to use it as I was learning to walk.” 

You watched, unknowingly holding your breath, as Mashirao wrapped his tail around the flower basket and lifted it off the ground with ease.

Exhaling, a wide grin slowly spread across your face. When Mashirao first told you that Amaranth was a dragon pup, you’d thought that he was pulling your leg. But this? This was indisputable. Your parents had been right all along; magic was real!

You looked at Mashirao again, your eyes sparkling. “Will you help me learn about magic? Will you introduce me to the faeries?”

He beamed at you. “It’ll be my pleasure!”

The next few days disappeared in a whirlwind of unpacking, restocking, and getting the old tavern cleaned up and ready for opening. Mashirao was kind enough to stop by at the end of each day to lend a hand with some of the heavy lifting. He refused any forms of payment except cups of your homemade tea blends which he had very quickly grown fond of. And every day you begged him to tell you more about the wild side.

Amaranth, you learned, was only newly hatched when he was handed over to Mashirao. The puppy’s words were still garbled and hard to understand but you were getting more meaning out of them with every passing day.

You were standing in the kitchen of your tea shop one late afternoon. Amaranth was once again nestled in your arms as you looked out at the herb garden behind your house, every bush wet with rain. Petrichor mixed with the lingering scent of the oil you had used on the wooden counters. Your fingers ran over Amaranth’s back, gently massaging the sore wing nubs growing under his skin. Amaranth stretched in your arms, letting out a deep sigh. 

A flicker of light under a bush caught your attention. Another appeared, and then another. Soon, a little cluster of lights were hovering close to the ground.

“Fireflies?” you wondered out loud. “Or glow worms?”

Amaranth wiggled in your arms, suddenly alert. “Wanna see!” he squeaked.

Behind you, Mashirao got to his feet, a steaming tea mug in his hands. “What are you seeing?” he asked as he stood next to you.

Settling Amaranth on the deep window sill, you then pointed at the floating lights. 

Mashirao let out a soft exhale, a wide smile spreading on his handsome face. “Congratulations. You’ve seen your first court of faeries. And these are a rare kind.”

You whipped your head around to gawp at him. “Those are faeries?? And… kind. There are more than one kind?”

He grinned at you. “Multiple different courts, yeah! I only really deal with one of them, but I know a little about the others. Each court is usually named after a physical attribute of their faeries. These are from the Luminous Court due to how they glow. They are particularly small from what I understand, and they rarely get this close to human settlements. I assume since the tavern has been empty for months they decided the garden was a safe space to wait out the rain.”

The two of you stood in silence for a moment, watching the faeries light up the dusk. The lights began moving with more purpose, forming a single line. Then they darted from bush to bush, slowly making their way out of your garden. 

You let out a breath you hadn’t been aware of holding in. “Faeries…” you whispered. Then you turned to Mashirao. “Will you tell me about your faeries?”

Mashirao laughed. “They’re not my faeries; if anything I’m their human. Have been since I was a child.”

You kept looking at your garden, hoping to catch another glimpse of the Luminous Court, as Mashirao spoke about his childhood in the neighboring village.

“I spent most of my free time in the fields. I would sit still for hours, just watching, studying nature. I guess the faeries decided that I wasn’t dangerous. They let me pick some of their flowers and I made a few coins selling them at the market.

“One day, one of them came to me for help. Her humming bee had gotten too close to the surface of a puddle and couldn’t get out. And she was too small to help.”

“Humming bee,” you repeated to yourself. “Do they produce honey?”

“They do!” Mashirao replied. “But it’s not fit for human consumption. Spotted bears like it though. The faeries had a huge problem with bears raiding their hives, so we eventually struck up a deal. I got a touch of their magic, I get to pick a few of their flowers and take some of the seeds and bulbs to grow on my own throughout the summer, and I’m on standby to protect their hives during bear season.”

You frowned. Despite having learned to not judge any book by its cover since arriving in Faerie’s Brook, this seemed just a bit too far-fetched to you to be true. “Can you really go up against a bear that easily? Are the bears out here different from the ones in the northern mountains?”

Mashirao laughed. “Sorry, I should have made that clearer! They’re very small, compared to the bears from the northern mountains. The adults are only about twice the size of Amaranth, and they’re pretty calm so they usually aren’t a problem for humans; they tend to run as soon as I show up. But the faeries are much smaller, to the point where dealing with just one spotted bear is a dangerous undertaking.”

“What happens if they don’t run?” you asked.

“I carry them back to the woods. They’re not very smart, and they’re so busy licking honey off their chops that they’ve forgotten all about the actual hive by the time I set them back down. At most I get a scratch or two from their hind claws, but the faeries can heal those in no time.”

“And you said the faeries asked you to take care of Amaranth? Is he too big for them?”

Mashirao nodded. “They got him as an egg, and cared for him once he hatched. But I think they always knew that once he started moving around he’d be too much for them to handle. So they put him in my care.” Reaching out to scratch Amaranth behind an ear, Mashirao continued, “He’s like a little brother at this point. He’s a pain in my rear at times, but I love having him around. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Amaranth leaned into Mashirao’s touch, brown eyes closing. “Luv you too,” he squeaked. Then he turned his attention back to the garden.

Your heart beat faster. The scene in front of you was almost too cute to handle. You struggled to continue your original train of thought. “Where did the faeries get him?” you eventually asked. “Is it normal for faeries to raise dragon pups?”

Mashirao’s features darkened. “No. It’s not. They got his egg from a group of poachers.”

You felt an unpleasant chill down your spine. This was not how you had imagined the conversation going. “Oh no… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have--”

He turned to face you, forcing a smile. “Don’t apologize, you couldn’t know. But it’s something you need to be aware of so I might as well tell you now. Dragon poachers are a problem around the border. The eggs, egg shells, bones, scales, all of them are valuable magic ingredients. Some people treat them like collectors’ items. The dragons don’t nest around here, but we occasionally get poachers traveling through the area. They had a bad turn of luck running into a faerie court, and they got rightly disposed of. Faeries don’t take kindly to poachers of any kind.”

“Wait, hold on…” The new pieces of information had two burning questions rising in your mind, and you couldn’t figure out which one was more important to ask first. Mashirao waited patiently as you got your thoughts in order.

“You say dragon poachers, not dragon pup poachers… are they the same thing or different species?”

Mashirao sighed. “This is the worst part. They’re different species, but their nests and eggs look so similar even experts have trouble telling them apart. The poachers go for any type of dragon, most types have at least some use to them. But seeing how dragon pups aren’t true dragons, they’re the exception. Amaranth’s nest was raided for no reason. His was the only egg that was still viable when the faeries got to it. His siblings died for no reason.”

Mashirao’s voice cracked. You reached out, gently rubbing his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” you said, unsure what else to say.

He just nodded. 

The two of you kept silent for a moment, just looking at the one surviving dragon pup. Amaranth seemed wholly unbothered by the conversation, his full attention still on your garden.

You drew in a breath. “Can I ask another question?”

“Sure,” Mashirao responded. “We need to get through this subject so we can talk about more pleasant things.”

“If the faeries can ‘dispose’ of human poachers, why can’t they deal with the bears?”

Mashirao grinned wryly. “The poachers ran into the Vespula Court - the wasp court. They have venomous stingers. I believe they could deal with bears if needed, but they don’t keep humming bees so I don’t think the bears ever bother them.”

You hesitated for a moment, but you couldn’t keep your curiosity in check. “They’re venomous?”

“The only venomous court from what I know,” Mashirao replied. “I don’t know much about it, other than that it drives the victims mad enough to attack whatever is around them. It’s… I’ve never seen it myself, but I’ve heard that it’s horrifying to watch.”

You pressed your lips together, trying your best to keep your next question silent. It was rude, it was unnecessary, you really shouldn’t ask. But it almost seemed like Mashirao could read your mind.

“You’re wondering if I’m worried about my own safety since I spend so much time with the faeries, aren’t you?” The question was asked with a soft smile.

You nodded, looking away.

Mashirao chuckled. “Don’t worry, I get asked that a lot. And the answer is no. I’m genuinely not worried. The faerie courts are peaceful towards humans as a whole. We benefit from each other. And since I have no plans on becoming a poacher or otherwise bringing discord to their courts, I don’t have anything to fear.”

You hummed, thinking about all the new information. Then you spoke up again, deciding on a lighter topic. “The faeries we just saw were the Luminous Court. And there’s the Vespula Court. What court are your faeries from?”

“The Twilight Court,” Mashirao replied, “due to their wings bearing the colors of twilight as they say.”

The sound of running water grew ever louder. Pebbles shifted under your feet as you walked. Ahead of you, Mashirao held up a low-hanging branch, waiting for you to duck under it. 

“It’s just around the bend,” he said as you passed him.

You nodded, walking on. But you stopped in your tracks once reaching the bend in the path, breath torn away from you at the beauty of the scene. 

A wide expanse opened up before you. Mashirao had led you to a big, crystal clear lake, splitting the forest in two. A cliff blocked your view to one side, a waterfall flowing into the lake from the top. The air around the falling water shimmered in the sunlight.

“This…” you said, trying to force your mouth to work again, your mind still busy trying to take in everything. “This is…”

“Told you it was beautiful, didn’t I?” Mashirao laughed. Then he gently grabbed you by the shoulders, pointing towards the waterfall. “Looks like we made it just in time!”

You turned your attention back to the waterfall. At first you saw nothing but the shimmer of water drops in sunlight. But then the shimmer moved. Or rather, it seemed like something almost invisible, frail like spider’s silk, moved through the water drops. The mist settled on a long face, leaf-shaped ears flicking away drops of moisture. The creature stopped once she was fully drenched in the mist, snorted, then shook herself, flinging a rainbow into the air.

You couldn’t help but gasp. “A mist mare,” you whispered.

She heard you. Standing still for a long moment, head turned partly towards you, she gazed at you with one invisible eye. Then, deciding that you weren’t a threat, she snorted again, slowly moving into the lake. You almost lost sight of her when she entered the shadow; the only sign was the water parting around her body as she moved. Then she disappeared with a splash.

“Oh,” you sighed, disappointed. “She’s gone.”

“She’ll be back,” Mashirao ensured you. “The mist mares are too curious to scare away easily. Do you still want to swim?”

With the mist mare gone, you became painfully aware of how close Mashirao was. He still had one hand on your upper arm, his chest pressed against your shoulders. You could feel the heat radiating off him. Face flushed, you nodded, unsure if you could keep your voice even. Cooling off in the water sounded like a great idea.

Leaving your shoes and bags with towels and snacks at the far end of the lake, the two of you waded into the water, cold enough to make your skin prickle. But it was a refreshing contrast to the early summer heat.

“Don’t go farther than the middle,” Mashirao warned. “The current gets stronger the closer you get to the waterfall.”

You swam for a while, the water feeling warmer as you kept moving. When you were ready for a break, you moved towards the shore and Mashirao. 

Just as you had gotten close enough to the shore to be able to wade, something brushed up against your leg, pulling at your skin. Letting out a shriek of terror, you threw yourself towards Mashirao, throwing your arms around his neck. Mashirao wrapped his arms tightly around you to stabilize you.

“Something touched me!” you cried.

Mashirao just chuckled. “Told you they were curious. Look behind you.”

You turned in his arms, looking over your shoulder. Water drops hovered in the air in the shape of a long, leaf-eared face. A mist mare -you couldn’t tell if she was the same one from earlier- had poked her head out of the water, looking at you. She almost seemed offended that you had screamed.

Slowly, you reached out your hand towards the mare, offering her your palm. She moved closer, pressing her muzzle in your palm, mouthing at your fingers with rough lips. Then she decided that you weren’t interesting, and returned to the water.

Next to you, Mashirao let out a breath. “You handled that pretty well, all considered.”

It was only then you realized that you were quite literally in Mashirao’s arms. And it seemed that Mashirao realized at the same moment, judging by his deep blush when the two of you pulled away from each other.

But every time you peeked at him on the walk home, he had a soft smile on his face, a smile that only grew brighter whenever he caught your gaze.

Feelings slowly grew between you and Mashirao over the next few weeks. He seemed less shy about casual touches, he complimented you more freely. And you often found him reaching for your hands when walking next to you. You found yourself smiling wider when thinking about him, and returned every touch and compliment in full.

Mashirao led you by the hand down a path just outside the village. A waning moon peeked over the horizon, bathing everything in a slanted silver glow. 

“Are you ready to meet the faeries?” he asked for what felt like the tenth time that night.

You laughed at his fervor. “Yes! For the umpteenth time, yes!”

Tonight was the night of the summer meteor shower, lovingly nicknamed the ‘star sprinkle’ by the locals. Mashirao had told you that the meteor shower was sacred to the faeries from the Court of Twilight. They believed that during this night the moon goddess left her home in the sky, descending to the ground to visit the graves of her loved ones, her tears leaving streaks on the night sky. Mashirao had a standing invitation to join the Court of Twilight for their solemn worship, and he had decided to extend that invitation to you.

The flowers on the field in front of you blinked with pinpricks of light; lanterns, Mashirao had told you, to guide the moon goddess on her journey. Leading you down the path winding through the flowers, Mashirao stopped at a dark spot in the sea of light, just big enough for the two of you.

“This is our spot,” he said, gently stepping onto the grass as the first meteorite streaked across the sky.

You laid together silently on the blanket Mashirao had brought, your fingers intertwined, Mashirao continuously running his thumb over the back of your hand as you watched the sky. 

A lantern blinked on in your peripheral vision. Then a tiny voice sounded, “The Moon Goddess weeps tonight. Have you come to pay your respect to her too?”

Turning your head, you looked at the small, humanoid creature in the flower, purple butterfly-like wings lit by the pearl-shaped lantern. The faerie met your gaze with glowing, orange eyes.

“May she find solace,” you replied, just like Mashirao had taught you.

The faerie nodded, returning her gaze to the sky. You did the same.

“May she find solace,” Mashirao echoed next to you. Then he shifted closer, squeezing your hand. “You did good,” he whispered into your ear.

His breath ghosting over your skin made you shiver. 

“Cold?” he asked, making you shiver again.

“Yeah, a bit,” you lied, scooting closer to him, leaning your head against his shoulder.

Mashirao let out a grunt which, you’d learned over the past few weeks, meant that you’d managed to fluster him once again. But you’d also learned from a little bit of trial and error that he didn’t mind getting flustered. This was confirmed when he gently lifted your entwined hands, pressing his lips to the back of your thumb.

“So? What do you think?”

You could barely keep yourself from bouncing as you walked home, once again hand in hand with Mashirao. “Oh, it was beautiful!”

He chuckled. “Not as beautiful as you.” He hesitated for a moment, then spoke up again, “Do you think you’ll come next year too? The faeries should know you better by then.”

You stopped, turning to look at him. “We’re already making plans for next year? I mean of course I’ll come! As long as you want me to…”

Mashirao’s smile grew soft. “I hope to have you in my life for quite a few years to come.” Reaching up, he cupped your cheek in his free hand, running his thumb over your skin. “I’ve never felt about anybody the way I feel about you. I feel so fortunate that you picked my village for your tea shop.” 

His thumb moved lower, brushing over your parted lips. “Is this okay,” he asked, suddenly sounding uncertain. “I can stop if--”

“It’s more than okay!” you interjected, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Please don’t stop.”

Mashirao gave you one of his brilliant smiles. Then he leaned in to kiss you.

One year after moving to Faerie’s Brook, you found yourself in front of your bedroom mirror, marvelling at the short, curled horns peeking through your hair. They had begun growing only a few months after arriving, though it took you a while longer to realize why your scalp was constantly sore. Mashirao had theorized that your horns began growing so quickly due to your willingness to accept the wild side.

“You’re admiring them again.”

Mashirao came up behind you, arms circling your waist, and pressed a kiss to one of your horns.

You turned in his embrace to grin at him. “They’re something to admire! They make me feel like I’ve been truly accepted by the wild side, how could I not marvel at them?”

Mashirao hugged you tighter. “You’re a marvel.”

You felt a paw press against your thigh. Looking down you saw Amaranth standing on his high legs, stubby vermillion wings spread out to help him balance.

The dragon pup met your gaze. “Me too! I wanna hug too!”

You giggled as Mashirao let you go, bending over to pick up Amaranth. “You’re getting too big for this,” he huffed.

“Am not!” Amaranth shot back. “I’ll never be too big to--” He abruptly stopped, letting out a strangled sound. “Haaah…”

Mashirao’s face fell. “Oh no. Not now.”

“Haaaaah…”

You knew what was about to happen and quickly backed out of the way. Mashirao shifted his grip on Amaranth, hurrying over to your bedroom fireplace, kicking the grate out of the way and shoving the dragon pups snout into the flue.

“Hachoo!!”

A roar of fire followed Amaranth’s sneeze, finished with an odd popping sound as the fireball exited the chimney. Amaranth sniffed.

“‘Scuse me,” he said, voice echoing through the chimney.

You couldn’t help but laugh. Your whole life was a marvel these days. There was not a doubt in your mind that you wanted to spend the rest of your life in Faerie’s Brook.

[birinboom]

The Colors of Twilight

Ojiro Mashirao x Fem!Reader Word count: 5,247 words Summary: Dreaming of getting away from the city and opening up a country-side tea shop, you decide to sell most of your possessions and move to the village of Faerie’s Brook. However, you would never have expected that the stories about the magical creatures of the countryside were actually real. Genre: Fantasy!AU, fluff, romance Warnings: Mentions of food, a recounted story of death by faerie magic, some minor angst, kissing Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖 Also, I'm posting this a bit early but it's already the 28th in Japan so whatevs. Happy birthday Ojiro!

Ever since you were little, your head had been filled with stories about the wild magic of the countryside. Faeries sleeping in flower meadows, dragons flying overhead, briefly blocking out the sun with their wings, trolls lumbering through the vast forests. Your parents always insisted that every single word was true! Once you became an adult, you could only scoff at such childish ideas.

But even if the wild magic wasn't real, you still held on to your childhood dream of moving to the countryside. The fast-paced life of the capital was wearing on you. It might be too romantic an idea, but you longed to wake up to the sound of birdsong rather than shrill cries of street vendors. To be able to sit in a quiet cottage garden, sipping tea and chatting with your neighbors, rather than being hollered and cursed at if you slowed your pace even the tiniest bit. And if you happened to spot a faery or two - well, that would just be an added bonus.

One day, you decided to take the plunge. You quit your tearoom job, sold nearly everything you owned and purchased an old but fully furnished tavern -which you’d decided to turn into your very own tea shop- in a village called Faerie’s Brook. The name certainly sounded promising. And the village was located on the main thoroughfare leading to the country of Tiria, so your little tea shop ought to have plenty of customers.

You knew you’d miss the city, miss the convenience of the capital, miss walking down to the harbor to watch the ashen waves of the Cinder Sea, the smell of salt and seaweed pulling at your nose. You’d miss the convenience of the shops around you, being able to order things like jam and garnish for the tearoom sandwiches rather than making everything yourself. And it would no doubt be difficult at first to be away from your family; even if you had lived on your own for a couple of years now, they had always been nearby, ready to help if you needed it. Once you moved, it would take at least a couple of hours with a stagecoach to reach you.

You shook your head firmly. This had been your dream for so long. And you wouldn’t let something as fickle as convenience stop you, not even if you had to make your own jam!

You peered up at the sun-bleached sign above the door to your new home, squinting as you tried to read the faded letters. It was no use; the sign might as well be blank. Shrugging, you sat on the wide doorstep, searching through your bags. If the sign was as good as blank, it meant that you could reuse it - it looked about big enough to fit the name you’d picked for your tea shop. Now, where had you put the key?

Pausing your search for a moment, you let your gaze glide over the quiet main street, lined with little shops. Just from where you sat, you could see a milliner, a flower shop, a bakery - the scents from the latter was making your empty stomach rumble. You needed to stop by soon and see if you could get a deal on sandwich bread for your tea shop.

Every single storefront had wicker baskets filled with flowers placed next to the door, yours included. Leaning over, you inspected the basket which held a colorful assortment of crocuses and pansies. You frowned. Pansies in mid-April were normal, but it seemed much too late for crocuses. Shrugging, your gaze moved from the flowers to the flower shop right across the street. Surely these flowers were just a particularly late-blooming variety, or a different flower altogether, nothing more than that. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask the florist. And you wanted to thank them for keeping the flower baskets alive while your soon-to-be tea shop had been sitting empty.

As you watched, the door to the flower shop opened and a puppy was let out into the street. It sniffed the cobblestone for a moment before it abruptly stopped, its head whipping around to look at you. You couldn’t help but smile at the little, honey-colored fluff ball. And you couldn’t hold back your laughter when the puppy began yipping happily as it galloped towards you, stubby little front paws thrown high and wide with each leap. 

Stretching out your hand, you offered it to the puppy. The puppy, however, ignored your hand, instead trying to climb onto the doorstep, hind paws scratching against the stone. You lifted the puppy onto the doorstep next to you, then scratched it behind one soft ear. It wasn’t enough; the puppy clambered onto your lap, then tried to lick your face. 

“He really likes you.”

You looked towards the unfamiliar voice, arms full of wiggling, ecstatic puppy. A man -the florist, you assumed- was leaning against the open door of the flower shop, a soft smile on his face. His sleek, golden hair looked as soft as the fur under your fingertips. Black eyes crinkled at the corners. Crossed arms making the biceps peeking out from underneath his short-sleeved shirt pop. Your face burned; you didn’t even know his name, and yet you couldn’t help but feel affected by his good looks. Smiling back at him, you tried your best to keep your blush in check.

Taking in your neighbor’s features had made you let down your guard. The puppy seized his chance, licking your chin. It jolted you back to reality.

The man let out a chuckle. “Amaranth is always very curious about strangers, but he’s rarely this excited.” Pushing off the doorframe, he crossed the street, extending a hand. “I’m Mashirao Ojiro.”

Pinning the puppy to your lap with one arm, you grabbed Mashirao’s hand and shook it, introducing yourself.

“Amaranth,” you mumbled, scratching the puppy behind an ear. “That’s an interesting name for a dog.”

“He picked it himself.”

You looked up at Mashirao, trying to gauge whether he was joking. “What do you mean?”

Mashirao shrugged. “He started speaking shortly after I got him. Told me that that’s the name he’s chosen for himself.”

You raised your eyebrows at him. “He… speaks to you?”

Mashirao seated himself next to you, trying to coax Amaranth onto his own lap. Amaranth, however, turned his rear to Mashirao, settling in for a nap. Mashirao chuckled, then looked at you again. He gave you a soft, genuine smile. “You’re not from around here I take it?”

You tilted your head, trying to prompt him to explain what not being a local had to do with anything.

“Things are different out here,” he explained. “Amaranth is not like the dogs you know. He’s a distant descendant of dragons.”

You could barely contain the derisive laughter that bubbled up through your chest. “Oh, really?”

Mashirao nodded earnestly. “He’s a dragon pup. The faeries told me that his wings will start to grow soon.”

“Faeries?” you asked incredulously.

Mashirao laughed. “Yes, faeries. They inhabit the fields outside town.” He nodded his head towards the far end of the main street. “They offered me some of their magic so I can grow my flowers. That’s how I can make crocuses bloom this late in the season.” Gesturing to the puppy on your lap, he added, “And they entrusted Amaranth’s care to me.”

Pulling the sleeping Amaranth closer, you began getting up, drawing in a deep breath to tell him off for lying to you, when you spotted something moving next to him. It made you sink back onto your rear, breath leaving your lungs.

“You have a tail…” you said stupidly.

Mashirao laughed again. “You have a lot to get used to.”

You just looked at him for a moment. “How come things are so different out here?”

“You’re aware that Faerie’s Brook is close to the border to Tiria, right?” he asked.

You nodded silently.

“I don’t know if this is common knowledge in the bigger cities, but Tiria is known for its abundant wild magic. It has allowed human magic to flourish, too. I’ve heard that there’s a university for mages in Sun City. The wild magic has spread past the borders for the past couple of centuries. The countryside along the border is seeped in magic; we might have as much as Tiria at this point. Creatures from the wild side thrive here.”

Pointing to Amaranth, you asked, “The wild side? So like him? And the faeries you mentioned?”

Mashirao nodded. “The wild magic has begun to affect the humans here, just like it does in Tiria. I was born with a tail. My mother has one as well but hers started growing after having lived here for a couple of years. Other people develop magic powers. The smith is able to handle red-hot metal without gloves. The baker can make it snow on command; they say having cold hands makes baking easier.” Grinning at you, Mashirao added, “If you stay here long enough, you might begin to change, too.”

Biting your lip for a moment, you then broached the question on your mind. “It doesn’t bother any of you that you’re… different?”

Mashirao hesitated for a moment. “No offense meant,” he then said, “but out here you’re the one who’s different. This is our normal.” Tail twitching, he continued, “We generally see it as being enhanced by magic. For the majority of us it causes a neutral change in appearance, like a change in eye color. For some the changes are outright beneficial, though those who develop magic need to learn to control it properly. I’ve heard of one person who developed wings strong enough to fly. It’s very rare that these changes cause an actual problem; at most it’s just temporary growing pains. To me, my tail is just an extra appendage, like an extra arm or leg. I learned to use it as I was learning to walk.” 

You watched, unknowingly holding your breath, as Mashirao wrapped his tail around the flower basket and lifted it off the ground with ease.

Exhaling, a wide grin slowly spread across your face. When Mashirao first told you that Amaranth was a dragon pup, you’d thought that he was pulling your leg. But this? This was indisputable. Your parents had been right all along; magic was real!

You looked at Mashirao again, your eyes sparkling. “Will you help me learn about magic? Will you introduce me to the faeries?”

He beamed at you. “It’ll be my pleasure!”

The next few days disappeared in a whirlwind of unpacking, restocking, and getting the old tavern cleaned up and ready for opening. Mashirao was kind enough to stop by at the end of each day to lend a hand with some of the heavy lifting. He refused any forms of payment except cups of your homemade tea blends which he had very quickly grown fond of. And every day you begged him to tell you more about the wild side.

Amaranth, you learned, was only newly hatched when he was handed over to Mashirao. The puppy’s words were still garbled and hard to understand but you were getting more meaning out of them with every passing day.

You were standing in the kitchen of your tea shop one late afternoon. Amaranth was once again nestled in your arms as you looked out at the herb garden behind your house, every bush wet with rain. Petrichor mixed with the lingering scent of the oil you had used on the wooden counters. Your fingers ran over Amaranth’s back, gently massaging the sore wing nubs growing under his skin. Amaranth stretched in your arms, letting out a deep sigh. 

A flicker of light under a bush caught your attention. Another appeared, and then another. Soon, a little cluster of lights were hovering close to the ground.

“Fireflies?” you wondered out loud. “Or glow worms?”

Amaranth wiggled in your arms, suddenly alert. “Wanna see!” he squeaked.

Behind you, Mashirao got to his feet, a steaming tea mug in his hands. “What are you seeing?” he asked as he stood next to you.

Settling Amaranth on the deep window sill, you then pointed at the floating lights. 

Mashirao let out a soft exhale, a wide smile spreading on his handsome face. “Congratulations. You’ve seen your first court of faeries. And these are a rare kind.”

You whipped your head around to gawp at him. “Those are faeries?? And… kind. There are more than one kind?”

He grinned at you. “Multiple different courts, yeah! I only really deal with one of them, but I know a little about the others. Each court is usually named after a physical attribute of their faeries. These are from the Luminous Court due to how they glow. They are particularly small from what I understand, and they rarely get this close to human settlements. I assume since the tavern has been empty for months they decided the garden was a safe space to wait out the rain.”

The two of you stood in silence for a moment, watching the faeries light up the dusk. The lights began moving with more purpose, forming a single line. Then they darted from bush to bush, slowly making their way out of your garden. 

You let out a breath you hadn’t been aware of holding in. “Faeries…” you whispered. Then you turned to Mashirao. “Will you tell me about your faeries?”

Mashirao laughed. “They’re not my faeries; if anything I’m their human. Have been since I was a child.”

You kept looking at your garden, hoping to catch another glimpse of the Luminous Court, as Mashirao spoke about his childhood in the neighboring village.

“I spent most of my free time in the fields. I would sit still for hours, just watching, studying nature. I guess the faeries decided that I wasn’t dangerous. They let me pick some of their flowers and I made a few coins selling them at the market.

“One day, one of them came to me for help. Her humming bee had gotten too close to the surface of a puddle and couldn’t get out. And she was too small to help.”

“Humming bee,” you repeated to yourself. “Do they produce honey?”

“They do!” Mashirao replied. “But it’s not fit for human consumption. Spotted bears like it though. The faeries had a huge problem with bears raiding their hives, so we eventually struck up a deal. I got a touch of their magic, I get to pick a few of their flowers and take some of the seeds and bulbs to grow on my own throughout the summer, and I’m on standby to protect their hives during bear season.”

You frowned. Despite having learned to not judge any book by its cover since arriving in Faerie’s Brook, this seemed just a bit too far-fetched to you to be true. “Can you really go up against a bear that easily? Are the bears out here different from the ones in the northern mountains?”

Mashirao laughed. “Sorry, I should have made that clearer! They’re very small, compared to the bears from the northern mountains. The adults are only about twice the size of Amaranth, and they’re pretty calm so they usually aren’t a problem for humans; they tend to run as soon as I show up. But the faeries are much smaller, to the point where dealing with just one spotted bear is a dangerous undertaking.”

“What happens if they don’t run?” you asked.

“I carry them back to the woods. They’re not very smart, and they’re so busy licking honey off their chops that they’ve forgotten all about the actual hive by the time I set them back down. At most I get a scratch or two from their hind claws, but the faeries can heal those in no time.”

“And you said the faeries asked you to take care of Amaranth? Is he too big for them?”

Mashirao nodded. “They got him as an egg, and cared for him once he hatched. But I think they always knew that once he started moving around he’d be too much for them to handle. So they put him in my care.” Reaching out to scratch Amaranth behind an ear, Mashirao continued, “He’s like a little brother at this point. He’s a pain in my rear at times, but I love having him around. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Amaranth leaned into Mashirao’s touch, brown eyes closing. “Luv you too,” he squeaked. Then he turned his attention back to the garden.

Your heart beat faster. The scene in front of you was almost too cute to handle. You struggled to continue your original train of thought. “Where did the faeries get him?” you eventually asked. “Is it normal for faeries to raise dragon pups?”

Mashirao’s features darkened. “No. It’s not. They got his egg from a group of poachers.”

You felt an unpleasant chill down your spine. This was not how you had imagined the conversation going. “Oh no… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have--”

He turned to face you, forcing a smile. “Don’t apologize, you couldn’t know. But it’s something you need to be aware of so I might as well tell you now. Dragon poachers are a problem around the border. The eggs, egg shells, bones, scales, all of them are valuable magic ingredients. Some people treat them like collectors’ items. The dragons don’t nest around here, but we occasionally get poachers traveling through the area. They had a bad turn of luck running into a faerie court, and they got rightly disposed of. Faeries don’t take kindly to poachers of any kind.”

“Wait, hold on…” The new pieces of information had two burning questions rising in your mind, and you couldn’t figure out which one was more important to ask first. Mashirao waited patiently as you got your thoughts in order.

“You say dragon poachers, not dragon pup poachers… are they the same thing or different species?”

Mashirao sighed. “This is the worst part. They’re different species, but their nests and eggs look so similar even experts have trouble telling them apart. The poachers go for any type of dragon, most types have at least some use to them. But seeing how dragon pups aren’t true dragons, they’re the exception. Amaranth’s nest was raided for no reason. His was the only egg that was still viable when the faeries got to it. His siblings died for no reason.”

Mashirao’s voice cracked. You reached out, gently rubbing his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” you said, unsure what else to say.

He just nodded. 

The two of you kept silent for a moment, just looking at the one surviving dragon pup. Amaranth seemed wholly unbothered by the conversation, his full attention still on your garden.

You drew in a breath. “Can I ask another question?”

“Sure,” Mashirao responded. “We need to get through this subject so we can talk about more pleasant things.”

“If the faeries can ‘dispose’ of human poachers, why can’t they deal with the bears?”

Mashirao grinned wryly. “The poachers ran into the Vespula Court - the wasp court. They have venomous stingers. I believe they could deal with bears if needed, but they don’t keep humming bees so I don’t think the bears ever bother them.”

You hesitated for a moment, but you couldn’t keep your curiosity in check. “They’re venomous?”

“The only venomous court from what I know,” Mashirao replied. “I don’t know much about it, other than that it drives the victims mad enough to attack whatever is around them. It’s… I’ve never seen it myself, but I’ve heard that it’s horrifying to watch.”

You pressed your lips together, trying your best to keep your next question silent. It was rude, it was unnecessary, you really shouldn’t ask. But it almost seemed like Mashirao could read your mind.

“You’re wondering if I’m worried about my own safety since I spend so much time with the faeries, aren’t you?” The question was asked with a soft smile.

You nodded, looking away.

Mashirao chuckled. “Don’t worry, I get asked that a lot. And the answer is no. I’m genuinely not worried. The faerie courts are peaceful towards humans as a whole. We benefit from each other. And since I have no plans on becoming a poacher or otherwise bringing discord to their courts, I don’t have anything to fear.”

You hummed, thinking about all the new information. Then you spoke up again, deciding on a lighter topic. “The faeries we just saw were the Luminous Court. And there’s the Vespula Court. What court are your faeries from?”

“The Twilight Court,” Mashirao replied, “due to their wings bearing the colors of twilight as they say.”

The sound of running water grew ever louder. Pebbles shifted under your feet as you walked. Ahead of you, Mashirao held up a low-hanging branch, waiting for you to duck under it. 

“It’s just around the bend,” he said as you passed him.

You nodded, walking on. But you stopped in your tracks once reaching the bend in the path, breath torn away from you at the beauty of the scene. 

A wide expanse opened up before you. Mashirao had led you to a big, crystal clear lake, splitting the forest in two. A cliff blocked your view to one side, a waterfall flowing into the lake from the top. The air around the falling water shimmered in the sunlight.

“This…” you said, trying to force your mouth to work again, your mind still busy trying to take in everything. “This is…”

“Told you it was beautiful, didn’t I?” Mashirao laughed. Then he gently grabbed you by the shoulders, pointing towards the waterfall. “Looks like we made it just in time!”

You turned your attention back to the waterfall. At first you saw nothing but the shimmer of water drops in sunlight. But then the shimmer moved. Or rather, it seemed like something almost invisible, frail like spider’s silk, moved through the water drops. The mist settled on a long face, leaf-shaped ears flicking away drops of moisture. The creature stopped once she was fully drenched in the mist, snorted, then shook herself, flinging a rainbow into the air.

You couldn’t help but gasp. “A mist mare,” you whispered.

She heard you. Standing still for a long moment, head turned partly towards you, she gazed at you with one invisible eye. Then, deciding that you weren’t a threat, she snorted again, slowly moving into the lake. You almost lost sight of her when she entered the shadow; the only sign was the water parting around her body as she moved. Then she disappeared with a splash.

“Oh,” you sighed, disappointed. “She’s gone.”

“She’ll be back,” Mashirao ensured you. “The mist mares are too curious to scare away easily. Do you still want to swim?”

With the mist mare gone, you became painfully aware of how close Mashirao was. He still had one hand on your upper arm, his chest pressed against your shoulders. You could feel the heat radiating off him. Face flushed, you nodded, unsure if you could keep your voice even. Cooling off in the water sounded like a great idea.

Leaving your shoes and bags with towels and snacks at the far end of the lake, the two of you waded into the water, cold enough to make your skin prickle. But it was a refreshing contrast to the early summer heat.

“Don’t go farther than the middle,” Mashirao warned. “The current gets stronger the closer you get to the waterfall.”

You swam for a while, the water feeling warmer as you kept moving. When you were ready for a break, you moved towards the shore and Mashirao. 

Just as you had gotten close enough to the shore to be able to wade, something brushed up against your leg, pulling at your skin. Letting out a shriek of terror, you threw yourself towards Mashirao, throwing your arms around his neck. Mashirao wrapped his arms tightly around you to stabilize you.

“Something touched me!” you cried.

Mashirao just chuckled. “Told you they were curious. Look behind you.”

You turned in his arms, looking over your shoulder. Water drops hovered in the air in the shape of a long, leaf-eared face. A mist mare -you couldn’t tell if she was the same one from earlier- had poked her head out of the water, looking at you. She almost seemed offended that you had screamed.

Slowly, you reached out your hand towards the mare, offering her your palm. She moved closer, pressing her muzzle in your palm, mouthing at your fingers with rough lips. Then she decided that you weren’t interesting, and returned to the water.

Next to you, Mashirao let out a breath. “You handled that pretty well, all considered.”

It was only then you realized that you were quite literally in Mashirao’s arms. And it seemed that Mashirao realized at the same moment, judging by his deep blush when the two of you pulled away from each other.

But every time you peeked at him on the walk home, he had a soft smile on his face, a smile that only grew brighter whenever he caught your gaze.

Feelings slowly grew between you and Mashirao over the next few weeks. He seemed less shy about casual touches, he complimented you more freely. And you often found him reaching for your hands when walking next to you. You found yourself smiling wider when thinking about him, and returned every touch and compliment in full.

Mashirao led you by the hand down a path just outside the village. A waning moon peeked over the horizon, bathing everything in a slanted silver glow. 

“Are you ready to meet the faeries?” he asked for what felt like the tenth time that night.

You laughed at his fervor. “Yes! For the umpteenth time, yes!”

Tonight was the night of the summer meteor shower, lovingly nicknamed the ‘star sprinkle’ by the locals. Mashirao had told you that the meteor shower was sacred to the faeries from the Court of Twilight. They believed that during this night the moon goddess left her home in the sky, descending to the ground to visit the graves of her loved ones, her tears leaving streaks on the night sky. Mashirao had a standing invitation to join the Court of Twilight for their solemn worship, and he had decided to extend that invitation to you.

The flowers on the field in front of you blinked with pinpricks of light; lanterns, Mashirao had told you, to guide the moon goddess on her journey. Leading you down the path winding through the flowers, Mashirao stopped at a dark spot in the sea of light, just big enough for the two of you.

“This is our spot,” he said, gently stepping onto the grass as the first meteorite streaked across the sky.

You laid together silently on the blanket Mashirao had brought, your fingers intertwined, Mashirao continuously running his thumb over the back of your hand as you watched the sky. 

A lantern blinked on in your peripheral vision. Then a tiny voice sounded, “The Moon Goddess weeps tonight. Have you come to pay your respect to her too?”

Turning your head, you looked at the small, humanoid creature in the flower, purple butterfly-like wings lit by the pearl-shaped lantern. The faerie met your gaze with glowing, orange eyes.

“May she find solace,” you replied, just like Mashirao had taught you.

The faerie nodded, returning her gaze to the sky. You did the same.

“May she find solace,” Mashirao echoed next to you. Then he shifted closer, squeezing your hand. “You did good,” he whispered into your ear.

His breath ghosting over your skin made you shiver. 

“Cold?” he asked, making you shiver again.

“Yeah, a bit,” you lied, scooting closer to him, leaning your head against his shoulder.

Mashirao let out a grunt which, you’d learned over the past few weeks, meant that you’d managed to fluster him once again. But you’d also learned from a little bit of trial and error that he didn’t mind getting flustered. This was confirmed when he gently lifted your entwined hands, pressing his lips to the back of your thumb.

“So? What do you think?”

You could barely keep yourself from bouncing as you walked home, once again hand in hand with Mashirao. “Oh, it was beautiful!”

He chuckled. “Not as beautiful as you.” He hesitated for a moment, then spoke up again, “Do you think you’ll come next year too? The faeries should know you better by then.”

You stopped, turning to look at him. “We’re already making plans for next year? I mean of course I’ll come! As long as you want me to…”

Mashirao’s smile grew soft. “I hope to have you in my life for quite a few years to come.” Reaching up, he cupped your cheek in his free hand, running his thumb over your skin. “I’ve never felt about anybody the way I feel about you. I feel so fortunate that you picked my village for your tea shop.” 

His thumb moved lower, brushing over your parted lips. “Is this okay,” he asked, suddenly sounding uncertain. “I can stop if--”

“It’s more than okay!” you interjected, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Please don’t stop.”

Mashirao gave you one of his brilliant smiles. Then he leaned in to kiss you.

One year after moving to Faerie’s Brook, you found yourself in front of your bedroom mirror, marvelling at the short, curled horns peeking through your hair. They had begun growing only a few months after arriving, though it took you a while longer to realize why your scalp was constantly sore. Mashirao had theorized that your horns began growing so quickly due to your willingness to accept the wild side.

“You’re admiring them again.”

Mashirao came up behind you, arms circling your waist, and pressed a kiss to one of your horns.

You turned in his embrace to grin at him. “They’re something to admire! They make me feel like I’ve been truly accepted by the wild side, how could I not marvel at them?”

Mashirao hugged you tighter. “You’re a marvel.”

You felt a paw press against your thigh. Looking down you saw Amaranth standing on his high legs, stubby vermillion wings spread out to help him balance.

The dragon pup met your gaze. “Me too! I wanna hug too!”

You giggled as Mashirao let you go, bending over to pick up Amaranth. “You’re getting too big for this,” he huffed.

“Am not!” Amaranth shot back. “I’ll never be too big to--” He abruptly stopped, letting out a strangled sound. “Haaah…”

Mashirao’s face fell. “Oh no. Not now.”

“Haaaaah…”

You knew what was about to happen and quickly backed out of the way. Mashirao shifted his grip on Amaranth, hurrying over to your bedroom fireplace, kicking the grate out of the way and shoving the dragon pups snout into the flue.

“Hachoo!!”

A roar of fire followed Amaranth’s sneeze, finished with an odd popping sound as the fireball exited the chimney. Amaranth sniffed.

“‘Scuse me,” he said, voice echoing through the chimney.

You couldn’t help but laugh. Your whole life was a marvel these days. There was not a doubt in your mind that you wanted to spend the rest of your life in Faerie’s Brook.

[birinboom]

The Colors of Twilight

Ojiro Mashirao x Fem!Reader Word count: 5,247 words Summary: Dreaming of getting away from the city and opening up a country-side tea shop, you decide to sell most of your possessions and move to the village of Faerie’s Brook. However, you would never have expected that the stories about the magical creatures of the countryside were actually real. Genre: Fantasy!AU, fluff, romance Warnings: Mentions of food, a recounted story of death by faerie magic, some minor angst, kissing Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖 Also, I'm posting this a bit early but it's already the 28th in Japan so whatevs. Happy birthday Ojiro!

Ever since you were little, your head had been filled with stories about the wild magic of the countryside. Faeries sleeping in flower meadows, dragons flying overhead, briefly blocking out the sun with their wings, trolls lumbering through the vast forests. Your parents always insisted that every single word was true! Once you became an adult, you could only scoff at such childish ideas.

But even if the wild magic wasn't real, you still held on to your childhood dream of moving to the countryside. The fast-paced life of the capital was wearing on you. It might be too romantic an idea, but you longed to wake up to the sound of birdsong rather than shrill cries of street vendors. To be able to sit in a quiet cottage garden, sipping tea and chatting with your neighbors, rather than being hollered and cursed at if you slowed your pace even the tiniest bit. And if you happened to spot a faery or two - well, that would just be an added bonus.

One day, you decided to take the plunge. You quit your tearoom job, sold nearly everything you owned and purchased an old but fully furnished tavern -which you’d decided to turn into your very own tea shop- in a village called Faerie’s Brook. The name certainly sounded promising. And the village was located on the main thoroughfare leading to the country of Tiria, so your little tea shop ought to have plenty of customers.

You knew you’d miss the city, miss the convenience of the capital, miss walking down to the harbor to watch the ashen waves of the Cinder Sea, the smell of salt and seaweed pulling at your nose. You’d miss the convenience of the shops around you, being able to order things like jam and garnish for the tearoom sandwiches rather than making everything yourself. And it would no doubt be difficult at first to be away from your family; even if you had lived on your own for a couple of years now, they had always been nearby, ready to help if you needed it. Once you moved, it would take at least a couple of hours with a stagecoach to reach you.

You shook your head firmly. This had been your dream for so long. And you wouldn’t let something as fickle as convenience stop you, not even if you had to make your own jam!

You peered up at the sun-bleached sign above the door to your new home, squinting as you tried to read the faded letters. It was no use; the sign might as well be blank. Shrugging, you sat on the wide doorstep, searching through your bags. If the sign was as good as blank, it meant that you could reuse it - it looked about big enough to fit the name you’d picked for your tea shop. Now, where had you put the key?

Pausing your search for a moment, you let your gaze glide over the quiet main street, lined with little shops. Just from where you sat, you could see a milliner, a flower shop, a bakery - the scents from the latter was making your empty stomach rumble. You needed to stop by soon and see if you could get a deal on sandwich bread for your tea shop.

Every single storefront had wicker baskets filled with flowers placed next to the door, yours included. Leaning over, you inspected the basket which held a colorful assortment of crocuses and pansies. You frowned. Pansies in mid-April were normal, but it seemed much too late for crocuses. Shrugging, your gaze moved from the flowers to the flower shop right across the street. Surely these flowers were just a particularly late-blooming variety, or a different flower altogether, nothing more than that. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask the florist. And you wanted to thank them for keeping the flower baskets alive while your soon-to-be tea shop had been sitting empty.

As you watched, the door to the flower shop opened and a puppy was let out into the street. It sniffed the cobblestone for a moment before it abruptly stopped, its head whipping around to look at you. You couldn’t help but smile at the little, honey-colored fluff ball. And you couldn’t hold back your laughter when the puppy began yipping happily as it galloped towards you, stubby little front paws thrown high and wide with each leap. 

Stretching out your hand, you offered it to the puppy. The puppy, however, ignored your hand, instead trying to climb onto the doorstep, hind paws scratching against the stone. You lifted the puppy onto the doorstep next to you, then scratched it behind one soft ear. It wasn’t enough; the puppy clambered onto your lap, then tried to lick your face. 

“He really likes you.”

You looked towards the unfamiliar voice, arms full of wiggling, ecstatic puppy. A man -the florist, you assumed- was leaning against the open door of the flower shop, a soft smile on his face. His sleek, golden hair looked as soft as the fur under your fingertips. Black eyes crinkled at the corners. Crossed arms making the biceps peeking out from underneath his short-sleeved shirt pop. Your face burned; you didn’t even know his name, and yet you couldn’t help but feel affected by his good looks. Smiling back at him, you tried your best to keep your blush in check.

Taking in your neighbor’s features had made you let down your guard. The puppy seized his chance, licking your chin. It jolted you back to reality.

The man let out a chuckle. “Amaranth is always very curious about strangers, but he’s rarely this excited.” Pushing off the doorframe, he crossed the street, extending a hand. “I’m Mashirao Ojiro.”

Pinning the puppy to your lap with one arm, you grabbed Mashirao’s hand and shook it, introducing yourself.

“Amaranth,” you mumbled, scratching the puppy behind an ear. “That’s an interesting name for a dog.”

“He picked it himself.”

You looked up at Mashirao, trying to gauge whether he was joking. “What do you mean?”

Mashirao shrugged. “He started speaking shortly after I got him. Told me that that’s the name he’s chosen for himself.”

You raised your eyebrows at him. “He… speaks to you?”

Mashirao seated himself next to you, trying to coax Amaranth onto his own lap. Amaranth, however, turned his rear to Mashirao, settling in for a nap. Mashirao chuckled, then looked at you again. He gave you a soft, genuine smile. “You’re not from around here I take it?”

You tilted your head, trying to prompt him to explain what not being a local had to do with anything.

“Things are different out here,” he explained. “Amaranth is not like the dogs you know. He’s a distant descendant of dragons.”

You could barely contain the derisive laughter that bubbled up through your chest. “Oh, really?”

Mashirao nodded earnestly. “He’s a dragon pup. The faeries told me that his wings will start to grow soon.”

“Faeries?” you asked incredulously.

Mashirao laughed. “Yes, faeries. They inhabit the fields outside town.” He nodded his head towards the far end of the main street. “They offered me some of their magic so I can grow my flowers. That’s how I can make crocuses bloom this late in the season.” Gesturing to the puppy on your lap, he added, “And they entrusted Amaranth’s care to me.”

Pulling the sleeping Amaranth closer, you began getting up, drawing in a deep breath to tell him off for lying to you, when you spotted something moving next to him. It made you sink back onto your rear, breath leaving your lungs.

“You have a tail…” you said stupidly.

Mashirao laughed again. “You have a lot to get used to.”

You just looked at him for a moment. “How come things are so different out here?”

“You’re aware that Faerie’s Brook is close to the border to Tiria, right?” he asked.

You nodded silently.

“I don’t know if this is common knowledge in the bigger cities, but Tiria is known for its abundant wild magic. It has allowed human magic to flourish, too. I’ve heard that there’s a university for mages in Sun City. The wild magic has spread past the borders for the past couple of centuries. The countryside along the border is seeped in magic; we might have as much as Tiria at this point. Creatures from the wild side thrive here.”

Pointing to Amaranth, you asked, “The wild side? So like him? And the faeries you mentioned?”

Mashirao nodded. “The wild magic has begun to affect the humans here, just like it does in Tiria. I was born with a tail. My mother has one as well but hers started growing after having lived here for a couple of years. Other people develop magic powers. The smith is able to handle red-hot metal without gloves. The baker can make it snow on command; they say having cold hands makes baking easier.” Grinning at you, Mashirao added, “If you stay here long enough, you might begin to change, too.”

Biting your lip for a moment, you then broached the question on your mind. “It doesn’t bother any of you that you’re… different?”

Mashirao hesitated for a moment. “No offense meant,” he then said, “but out here you’re the one who’s different. This is our normal.” Tail twitching, he continued, “We generally see it as being enhanced by magic. For the majority of us it causes a neutral change in appearance, like a change in eye color. For some the changes are outright beneficial, though those who develop magic need to learn to control it properly. I’ve heard of one person who developed wings strong enough to fly. It’s very rare that these changes cause an actual problem; at most it’s just temporary growing pains. To me, my tail is just an extra appendage, like an extra arm or leg. I learned to use it as I was learning to walk.” 

You watched, unknowingly holding your breath, as Mashirao wrapped his tail around the flower basket and lifted it off the ground with ease.

Exhaling, a wide grin slowly spread across your face. When Mashirao first told you that Amaranth was a dragon pup, you’d thought that he was pulling your leg. But this? This was indisputable. Your parents had been right all along; magic was real!

You looked at Mashirao again, your eyes sparkling. “Will you help me learn about magic? Will you introduce me to the faeries?”

He beamed at you. “It’ll be my pleasure!”

The next few days disappeared in a whirlwind of unpacking, restocking, and getting the old tavern cleaned up and ready for opening. Mashirao was kind enough to stop by at the end of each day to lend a hand with some of the heavy lifting. He refused any forms of payment except cups of your homemade tea blends which he had very quickly grown fond of. And every day you begged him to tell you more about the wild side.

Amaranth, you learned, was only newly hatched when he was handed over to Mashirao. The puppy’s words were still garbled and hard to understand but you were getting more meaning out of them with every passing day.

You were standing in the kitchen of your tea shop one late afternoon. Amaranth was once again nestled in your arms as you looked out at the herb garden behind your house, every bush wet with rain. Petrichor mixed with the lingering scent of the oil you had used on the wooden counters. Your fingers ran over Amaranth’s back, gently massaging the sore wing nubs growing under his skin. Amaranth stretched in your arms, letting out a deep sigh. 

A flicker of light under a bush caught your attention. Another appeared, and then another. Soon, a little cluster of lights were hovering close to the ground.

“Fireflies?” you wondered out loud. “Or glow worms?”

Amaranth wiggled in your arms, suddenly alert. “Wanna see!” he squeaked.

Behind you, Mashirao got to his feet, a steaming tea mug in his hands. “What are you seeing?” he asked as he stood next to you.

Settling Amaranth on the deep window sill, you then pointed at the floating lights. 

Mashirao let out a soft exhale, a wide smile spreading on his handsome face. “Congratulations. You’ve seen your first court of faeries. And these are a rare kind.”

You whipped your head around to gawp at him. “Those are faeries?? And… kind. There are more than one kind?”

He grinned at you. “Multiple different courts, yeah! I only really deal with one of them, but I know a little about the others. Each court is usually named after a physical attribute of their faeries. These are from the Luminous Court due to how they glow. They are particularly small from what I understand, and they rarely get this close to human settlements. I assume since the tavern has been empty for months they decided the garden was a safe space to wait out the rain.”

The two of you stood in silence for a moment, watching the faeries light up the dusk. The lights began moving with more purpose, forming a single line. Then they darted from bush to bush, slowly making their way out of your garden. 

You let out a breath you hadn’t been aware of holding in. “Faeries…” you whispered. Then you turned to Mashirao. “Will you tell me about your faeries?”

Mashirao laughed. “They’re not my faeries; if anything I’m their human. Have been since I was a child.”

You kept looking at your garden, hoping to catch another glimpse of the Luminous Court, as Mashirao spoke about his childhood in the neighboring village.

“I spent most of my free time in the fields. I would sit still for hours, just watching, studying nature. I guess the faeries decided that I wasn’t dangerous. They let me pick some of their flowers and I made a few coins selling them at the market.

“One day, one of them came to me for help. Her humming bee had gotten too close to the surface of a puddle and couldn’t get out. And she was too small to help.”

“Humming bee,” you repeated to yourself. “Do they produce honey?”

“They do!” Mashirao replied. “But it’s not fit for human consumption. Spotted bears like it though. The faeries had a huge problem with bears raiding their hives, so we eventually struck up a deal. I got a touch of their magic, I get to pick a few of their flowers and take some of the seeds and bulbs to grow on my own throughout the summer, and I’m on standby to protect their hives during bear season.”

You frowned. Despite having learned to not judge any book by its cover since arriving in Faerie’s Brook, this seemed just a bit too far-fetched to you to be true. “Can you really go up against a bear that easily? Are the bears out here different from the ones in the northern mountains?”

Mashirao laughed. “Sorry, I should have made that clearer! They’re very small, compared to the bears from the northern mountains. The adults are only about twice the size of Amaranth, and they’re pretty calm so they usually aren’t a problem for humans; they tend to run as soon as I show up. But the faeries are much smaller, to the point where dealing with just one spotted bear is a dangerous undertaking.”

“What happens if they don’t run?” you asked.

“I carry them back to the woods. They’re not very smart, and they’re so busy licking honey off their chops that they’ve forgotten all about the actual hive by the time I set them back down. At most I get a scratch or two from their hind claws, but the faeries can heal those in no time.”

“And you said the faeries asked you to take care of Amaranth? Is he too big for them?”

Mashirao nodded. “They got him as an egg, and cared for him once he hatched. But I think they always knew that once he started moving around he’d be too much for them to handle. So they put him in my care.” Reaching out to scratch Amaranth behind an ear, Mashirao continued, “He’s like a little brother at this point. He’s a pain in my rear at times, but I love having him around. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Amaranth leaned into Mashirao’s touch, brown eyes closing. “Luv you too,” he squeaked. Then he turned his attention back to the garden.

Your heart beat faster. The scene in front of you was almost too cute to handle. You struggled to continue your original train of thought. “Where did the faeries get him?” you eventually asked. “Is it normal for faeries to raise dragon pups?”

Mashirao’s features darkened. “No. It’s not. They got his egg from a group of poachers.”

You felt an unpleasant chill down your spine. This was not how you had imagined the conversation going. “Oh no… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have--”

He turned to face you, forcing a smile. “Don’t apologize, you couldn’t know. But it’s something you need to be aware of so I might as well tell you now. Dragon poachers are a problem around the border. The eggs, egg shells, bones, scales, all of them are valuable magic ingredients. Some people treat them like collectors’ items. The dragons don’t nest around here, but we occasionally get poachers traveling through the area. They had a bad turn of luck running into a faerie court, and they got rightly disposed of. Faeries don’t take kindly to poachers of any kind.”

“Wait, hold on…” The new pieces of information had two burning questions rising in your mind, and you couldn’t figure out which one was more important to ask first. Mashirao waited patiently as you got your thoughts in order.

“You say dragon poachers, not dragon pup poachers… are they the same thing or different species?”

Mashirao sighed. “This is the worst part. They’re different species, but their nests and eggs look so similar even experts have trouble telling them apart. The poachers go for any type of dragon, most types have at least some use to them. But seeing how dragon pups aren’t true dragons, they’re the exception. Amaranth’s nest was raided for no reason. His was the only egg that was still viable when the faeries got to it. His siblings died for no reason.”

Mashirao’s voice cracked. You reached out, gently rubbing his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” you said, unsure what else to say.

He just nodded. 

The two of you kept silent for a moment, just looking at the one surviving dragon pup. Amaranth seemed wholly unbothered by the conversation, his full attention still on your garden.

You drew in a breath. “Can I ask another question?”

“Sure,” Mashirao responded. “We need to get through this subject so we can talk about more pleasant things.”

“If the faeries can ‘dispose’ of human poachers, why can’t they deal with the bears?”

Mashirao grinned wryly. “The poachers ran into the Vespula Court - the wasp court. They have venomous stingers. I believe they could deal with bears if needed, but they don’t keep humming bees so I don’t think the bears ever bother them.”

You hesitated for a moment, but you couldn’t keep your curiosity in check. “They’re venomous?”

“The only venomous court from what I know,” Mashirao replied. “I don’t know much about it, other than that it drives the victims mad enough to attack whatever is around them. It’s… I’ve never seen it myself, but I’ve heard that it’s horrifying to watch.”

You pressed your lips together, trying your best to keep your next question silent. It was rude, it was unnecessary, you really shouldn’t ask. But it almost seemed like Mashirao could read your mind.

“You’re wondering if I’m worried about my own safety since I spend so much time with the faeries, aren’t you?” The question was asked with a soft smile.

You nodded, looking away.

Mashirao chuckled. “Don’t worry, I get asked that a lot. And the answer is no. I’m genuinely not worried. The faerie courts are peaceful towards humans as a whole. We benefit from each other. And since I have no plans on becoming a poacher or otherwise bringing discord to their courts, I don’t have anything to fear.”

You hummed, thinking about all the new information. Then you spoke up again, deciding on a lighter topic. “The faeries we just saw were the Luminous Court. And there’s the Vespula Court. What court are your faeries from?”

“The Twilight Court,” Mashirao replied, “due to their wings bearing the colors of twilight as they say.”

The sound of running water grew ever louder. Pebbles shifted under your feet as you walked. Ahead of you, Mashirao held up a low-hanging branch, waiting for you to duck under it. 

“It’s just around the bend,” he said as you passed him.

You nodded, walking on. But you stopped in your tracks once reaching the bend in the path, breath torn away from you at the beauty of the scene. 

A wide expanse opened up before you. Mashirao had led you to a big, crystal clear lake, splitting the forest in two. A cliff blocked your view to one side, a waterfall flowing into the lake from the top. The air around the falling water shimmered in the sunlight.

“This…” you said, trying to force your mouth to work again, your mind still busy trying to take in everything. “This is…”

“Told you it was beautiful, didn’t I?” Mashirao laughed. Then he gently grabbed you by the shoulders, pointing towards the waterfall. “Looks like we made it just in time!”

You turned your attention back to the waterfall. At first you saw nothing but the shimmer of water drops in sunlight. But then the shimmer moved. Or rather, it seemed like something almost invisible, frail like spider’s silk, moved through the water drops. The mist settled on a long face, leaf-shaped ears flicking away drops of moisture. The creature stopped once she was fully drenched in the mist, snorted, then shook herself, flinging a rainbow into the air.

You couldn’t help but gasp. “A mist mare,” you whispered.

She heard you. Standing still for a long moment, head turned partly towards you, she gazed at you with one invisible eye. Then, deciding that you weren’t a threat, she snorted again, slowly moving into the lake. You almost lost sight of her when she entered the shadow; the only sign was the water parting around her body as she moved. Then she disappeared with a splash.

“Oh,” you sighed, disappointed. “She’s gone.”

“She’ll be back,” Mashirao ensured you. “The mist mares are too curious to scare away easily. Do you still want to swim?”

With the mist mare gone, you became painfully aware of how close Mashirao was. He still had one hand on your upper arm, his chest pressed against your shoulders. You could feel the heat radiating off him. Face flushed, you nodded, unsure if you could keep your voice even. Cooling off in the water sounded like a great idea.

Leaving your shoes and bags with towels and snacks at the far end of the lake, the two of you waded into the water, cold enough to make your skin prickle. But it was a refreshing contrast to the early summer heat.

“Don’t go farther than the middle,” Mashirao warned. “The current gets stronger the closer you get to the waterfall.”

You swam for a while, the water feeling warmer as you kept moving. When you were ready for a break, you moved towards the shore and Mashirao. 

Just as you had gotten close enough to the shore to be able to wade, something brushed up against your leg, pulling at your skin. Letting out a shriek of terror, you threw yourself towards Mashirao, throwing your arms around his neck. Mashirao wrapped his arms tightly around you to stabilize you.

“Something touched me!” you cried.

Mashirao just chuckled. “Told you they were curious. Look behind you.”

You turned in his arms, looking over your shoulder. Water drops hovered in the air in the shape of a long, leaf-eared face. A mist mare -you couldn’t tell if she was the same one from earlier- had poked her head out of the water, looking at you. She almost seemed offended that you had screamed.

Slowly, you reached out your hand towards the mare, offering her your palm. She moved closer, pressing her muzzle in your palm, mouthing at your fingers with rough lips. Then she decided that you weren’t interesting, and returned to the water.

Next to you, Mashirao let out a breath. “You handled that pretty well, all considered.”

It was only then you realized that you were quite literally in Mashirao’s arms. And it seemed that Mashirao realized at the same moment, judging by his deep blush when the two of you pulled away from each other.

But every time you peeked at him on the walk home, he had a soft smile on his face, a smile that only grew brighter whenever he caught your gaze.

Feelings slowly grew between you and Mashirao over the next few weeks. He seemed less shy about casual touches, he complimented you more freely. And you often found him reaching for your hands when walking next to you. You found yourself smiling wider when thinking about him, and returned every touch and compliment in full.

Mashirao led you by the hand down a path just outside the village. A waning moon peeked over the horizon, bathing everything in a slanted silver glow. 

“Are you ready to meet the faeries?” he asked for what felt like the tenth time that night.

You laughed at his fervor. “Yes! For the umpteenth time, yes!”

Tonight was the night of the summer meteor shower, lovingly nicknamed the ‘star sprinkle’ by the locals. Mashirao had told you that the meteor shower was sacred to the faeries from the Court of Twilight. They believed that during this night the moon goddess left her home in the sky, descending to the ground to visit the graves of her loved ones, her tears leaving streaks on the night sky. Mashirao had a standing invitation to join the Court of Twilight for their solemn worship, and he had decided to extend that invitation to you.

The flowers on the field in front of you blinked with pinpricks of light; lanterns, Mashirao had told you, to guide the moon goddess on her journey. Leading you down the path winding through the flowers, Mashirao stopped at a dark spot in the sea of light, just big enough for the two of you.

“This is our spot,” he said, gently stepping onto the grass as the first meteorite streaked across the sky.

You laid together silently on the blanket Mashirao had brought, your fingers intertwined, Mashirao continuously running his thumb over the back of your hand as you watched the sky. 

A lantern blinked on in your peripheral vision. Then a tiny voice sounded, “The Moon Goddess weeps tonight. Have you come to pay your respect to her too?”

Turning your head, you looked at the small, humanoid creature in the flower, purple butterfly-like wings lit by the pearl-shaped lantern. The faerie met your gaze with glowing, orange eyes.

“May she find solace,” you replied, just like Mashirao had taught you.

The faerie nodded, returning her gaze to the sky. You did the same.

“May she find solace,” Mashirao echoed next to you. Then he shifted closer, squeezing your hand. “You did good,” he whispered into your ear.

His breath ghosting over your skin made you shiver. 

“Cold?” he asked, making you shiver again.

“Yeah, a bit,” you lied, scooting closer to him, leaning your head against his shoulder.

Mashirao let out a grunt which, you’d learned over the past few weeks, meant that you’d managed to fluster him once again. But you’d also learned from a little bit of trial and error that he didn’t mind getting flustered. This was confirmed when he gently lifted your entwined hands, pressing his lips to the back of your thumb.

“So? What do you think?”

You could barely keep yourself from bouncing as you walked home, once again hand in hand with Mashirao. “Oh, it was beautiful!”

He chuckled. “Not as beautiful as you.” He hesitated for a moment, then spoke up again, “Do you think you’ll come next year too? The faeries should know you better by then.”

You stopped, turning to look at him. “We’re already making plans for next year? I mean of course I’ll come! As long as you want me to…”

Mashirao’s smile grew soft. “I hope to have you in my life for quite a few years to come.” Reaching up, he cupped your cheek in his free hand, running his thumb over your skin. “I’ve never felt about anybody the way I feel about you. I feel so fortunate that you picked my village for your tea shop.” 

His thumb moved lower, brushing over your parted lips. “Is this okay,” he asked, suddenly sounding uncertain. “I can stop if--”

“It’s more than okay!” you interjected, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Please don’t stop.”

Mashirao gave you one of his brilliant smiles. Then he leaned in to kiss you.

One year after moving to Faerie’s Brook, you found yourself in front of your bedroom mirror, marvelling at the short, curled horns peeking through your hair. They had begun growing only a few months after arriving, though it took you a while longer to realize why your scalp was constantly sore. Mashirao had theorized that your horns began growing so quickly due to your willingness to accept the wild side.

“You’re admiring them again.”

Mashirao came up behind you, arms circling your waist, and pressed a kiss to one of your horns.

You turned in his embrace to grin at him. “They’re something to admire! They make me feel like I’ve been truly accepted by the wild side, how could I not marvel at them?”

Mashirao hugged you tighter. “You’re a marvel.”

You felt a paw press against your thigh. Looking down you saw Amaranth standing on his high legs, stubby vermillion wings spread out to help him balance.

The dragon pup met your gaze. “Me too! I wanna hug too!”

You giggled as Mashirao let you go, bending over to pick up Amaranth. “You’re getting too big for this,” he huffed.

“Am not!” Amaranth shot back. “I’ll never be too big to--” He abruptly stopped, letting out a strangled sound. “Haaah…”

Mashirao’s face fell. “Oh no. Not now.”

“Haaaaah…”

You knew what was about to happen and quickly backed out of the way. Mashirao shifted his grip on Amaranth, hurrying over to your bedroom fireplace, kicking the grate out of the way and shoving the dragon pups snout into the flue.

“Hachoo!!”

A roar of fire followed Amaranth’s sneeze, finished with an odd popping sound as the fireball exited the chimney. Amaranth sniffed.

“‘Scuse me,” he said, voice echoing through the chimney.

You couldn’t help but laugh. Your whole life was a marvel these days. There was not a doubt in your mind that you wanted to spend the rest of your life in Faerie’s Brook.

[birinboom]

The Colors of Twilight

Ojiro Mashirao x Fem!Reader Word count: 5,247 words Summary: Dreaming of getting away from the city and opening up a country-side tea shop, you decide to sell most of your possessions and move to the village of Faerie’s Brook. However, you would never have expected that the stories about the magical creatures of the countryside were actually real. Genre: Fantasy!AU, fluff, romance Warnings: Mentions of food, a recounted story of death by faerie magic, some minor angst, kissing Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖 Also, I'm posting this a bit early but it's already the 28th in Japan so whatevs. Happy birthday Ojiro!

Ever since you were little, your head had been filled with stories about the wild magic of the countryside. Faeries sleeping in flower meadows, dragons flying overhead, briefly blocking out the sun with their wings, trolls lumbering through the vast forests. Your parents always insisted that every single word was true! Once you became an adult, you could only scoff at such childish ideas.

But even if the wild magic wasn't real, you still held on to your childhood dream of moving to the countryside. The fast-paced life of the capital was wearing on you. It might be too romantic an idea, but you longed to wake up to the sound of birdsong rather than shrill cries of street vendors. To be able to sit in a quiet cottage garden, sipping tea and chatting with your neighbors, rather than being hollered and cursed at if you slowed your pace even the tiniest bit. And if you happened to spot a faery or two - well, that would just be an added bonus.

One day, you decided to take the plunge. You quit your tearoom job, sold nearly everything you owned and purchased an old but fully furnished tavern -which you’d decided to turn into your very own tea shop- in a village called Faerie’s Brook. The name certainly sounded promising. And the village was located on the main thoroughfare leading to the country of Tiria, so your little tea shop ought to have plenty of customers.

You knew you’d miss the city, miss the convenience of the capital, miss walking down to the harbor to watch the ashen waves of the Cinder Sea, the smell of salt and seaweed pulling at your nose. You’d miss the convenience of the shops around you, being able to order things like jam and garnish for the tearoom sandwiches rather than making everything yourself. And it would no doubt be difficult at first to be away from your family; even if you had lived on your own for a couple of years now, they had always been nearby, ready to help if you needed it. Once you moved, it would take at least a couple of hours with a stagecoach to reach you.

You shook your head firmly. This had been your dream for so long. And you wouldn’t let something as fickle as convenience stop you, not even if you had to make your own jam!

You peered up at the sun-bleached sign above the door to your new home, squinting as you tried to read the faded letters. It was no use; the sign might as well be blank. Shrugging, you sat on the wide doorstep, searching through your bags. If the sign was as good as blank, it meant that you could reuse it - it looked about big enough to fit the name you’d picked for your tea shop. Now, where had you put the key?

Pausing your search for a moment, you let your gaze glide over the quiet main street, lined with little shops. Just from where you sat, you could see a milliner, a flower shop, a bakery - the scents from the latter was making your empty stomach rumble. You needed to stop by soon and see if you could get a deal on sandwich bread for your tea shop.

Every single storefront had wicker baskets filled with flowers placed next to the door, yours included. Leaning over, you inspected the basket which held a colorful assortment of crocuses and pansies. You frowned. Pansies in mid-April were normal, but it seemed much too late for crocuses. Shrugging, your gaze moved from the flowers to the flower shop right across the street. Surely these flowers were just a particularly late-blooming variety, or a different flower altogether, nothing more than that. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask the florist. And you wanted to thank them for keeping the flower baskets alive while your soon-to-be tea shop had been sitting empty.

As you watched, the door to the flower shop opened and a puppy was let out into the street. It sniffed the cobblestone for a moment before it abruptly stopped, its head whipping around to look at you. You couldn’t help but smile at the little, honey-colored fluff ball. And you couldn’t hold back your laughter when the puppy began yipping happily as it galloped towards you, stubby little front paws thrown high and wide with each leap. 

Stretching out your hand, you offered it to the puppy. The puppy, however, ignored your hand, instead trying to climb onto the doorstep, hind paws scratching against the stone. You lifted the puppy onto the doorstep next to you, then scratched it behind one soft ear. It wasn’t enough; the puppy clambered onto your lap, then tried to lick your face. 

“He really likes you.”

You looked towards the unfamiliar voice, arms full of wiggling, ecstatic puppy. A man -the florist, you assumed- was leaning against the open door of the flower shop, a soft smile on his face. His sleek, golden hair looked as soft as the fur under your fingertips. Black eyes crinkled at the corners. Crossed arms making the biceps peeking out from underneath his short-sleeved shirt pop. Your face burned; you didn’t even know his name, and yet you couldn’t help but feel affected by his good looks. Smiling back at him, you tried your best to keep your blush in check.

Taking in your neighbor’s features had made you let down your guard. The puppy seized his chance, licking your chin. It jolted you back to reality.

The man let out a chuckle. “Amaranth is always very curious about strangers, but he’s rarely this excited.” Pushing off the doorframe, he crossed the street, extending a hand. “I’m Mashirao Ojiro.”

Pinning the puppy to your lap with one arm, you grabbed Mashirao’s hand and shook it, introducing yourself.

“Amaranth,” you mumbled, scratching the puppy behind an ear. “That’s an interesting name for a dog.”

“He picked it himself.”

You looked up at Mashirao, trying to gauge whether he was joking. “What do you mean?”

Mashirao shrugged. “He started speaking shortly after I got him. Told me that that’s the name he’s chosen for himself.”

You raised your eyebrows at him. “He… speaks to you?”

Mashirao seated himself next to you, trying to coax Amaranth onto his own lap. Amaranth, however, turned his rear to Mashirao, settling in for a nap. Mashirao chuckled, then looked at you again. He gave you a soft, genuine smile. “You’re not from around here I take it?”

You tilted your head, trying to prompt him to explain what not being a local had to do with anything.

“Things are different out here,” he explained. “Amaranth is not like the dogs you know. He’s a distant descendant of dragons.”

You could barely contain the derisive laughter that bubbled up through your chest. “Oh, really?”

Mashirao nodded earnestly. “He’s a dragon pup. The faeries told me that his wings will start to grow soon.”

“Faeries?” you asked incredulously.

Mashirao laughed. “Yes, faeries. They inhabit the fields outside town.” He nodded his head towards the far end of the main street. “They offered me some of their magic so I can grow my flowers. That’s how I can make crocuses bloom this late in the season.” Gesturing to the puppy on your lap, he added, “And they entrusted Amaranth’s care to me.”

Pulling the sleeping Amaranth closer, you began getting up, drawing in a deep breath to tell him off for lying to you, when you spotted something moving next to him. It made you sink back onto your rear, breath leaving your lungs.

“You have a tail…” you said stupidly.

Mashirao laughed again. “You have a lot to get used to.”

You just looked at him for a moment. “How come things are so different out here?”

“You’re aware that Faerie’s Brook is close to the border to Tiria, right?” he asked.

You nodded silently.

“I don’t know if this is common knowledge in the bigger cities, but Tiria is known for its abundant wild magic. It has allowed human magic to flourish, too. I’ve heard that there’s a university for mages in Sun City. The wild magic has spread past the borders for the past couple of centuries. The countryside along the border is seeped in magic; we might have as much as Tiria at this point. Creatures from the wild side thrive here.”

Pointing to Amaranth, you asked, “The wild side? So like him? And the faeries you mentioned?”

Mashirao nodded. “The wild magic has begun to affect the humans here, just like it does in Tiria. I was born with a tail. My mother has one as well but hers started growing after having lived here for a couple of years. Other people develop magic powers. The smith is able to handle red-hot metal without gloves. The baker can make it snow on command; they say having cold hands makes baking easier.” Grinning at you, Mashirao added, “If you stay here long enough, you might begin to change, too.”

Biting your lip for a moment, you then broached the question on your mind. “It doesn’t bother any of you that you’re… different?”

Mashirao hesitated for a moment. “No offense meant,” he then said, “but out here you’re the one who’s different. This is our normal.” Tail twitching, he continued, “We generally see it as being enhanced by magic. For the majority of us it causes a neutral change in appearance, like a change in eye color. For some the changes are outright beneficial, though those who develop magic need to learn to control it properly. I’ve heard of one person who developed wings strong enough to fly. It’s very rare that these changes cause an actual problem; at most it’s just temporary growing pains. To me, my tail is just an extra appendage, like an extra arm or leg. I learned to use it as I was learning to walk.” 

You watched, unknowingly holding your breath, as Mashirao wrapped his tail around the flower basket and lifted it off the ground with ease.

Exhaling, a wide grin slowly spread across your face. When Mashirao first told you that Amaranth was a dragon pup, you’d thought that he was pulling your leg. But this? This was indisputable. Your parents had been right all along; magic was real!

You looked at Mashirao again, your eyes sparkling. “Will you help me learn about magic? Will you introduce me to the faeries?”

He beamed at you. “It’ll be my pleasure!”

The next few days disappeared in a whirlwind of unpacking, restocking, and getting the old tavern cleaned up and ready for opening. Mashirao was kind enough to stop by at the end of each day to lend a hand with some of the heavy lifting. He refused any forms of payment except cups of your homemade tea blends which he had very quickly grown fond of. And every day you begged him to tell you more about the wild side.

Amaranth, you learned, was only newly hatched when he was handed over to Mashirao. The puppy’s words were still garbled and hard to understand but you were getting more meaning out of them with every passing day.

You were standing in the kitchen of your tea shop one late afternoon. Amaranth was once again nestled in your arms as you looked out at the herb garden behind your house, every bush wet with rain. Petrichor mixed with the lingering scent of the oil you had used on the wooden counters. Your fingers ran over Amaranth’s back, gently massaging the sore wing nubs growing under his skin. Amaranth stretched in your arms, letting out a deep sigh. 

A flicker of light under a bush caught your attention. Another appeared, and then another. Soon, a little cluster of lights were hovering close to the ground.

“Fireflies?” you wondered out loud. “Or glow worms?”

Amaranth wiggled in your arms, suddenly alert. “Wanna see!” he squeaked.

Behind you, Mashirao got to his feet, a steaming tea mug in his hands. “What are you seeing?” he asked as he stood next to you.

Settling Amaranth on the deep window sill, you then pointed at the floating lights. 

Mashirao let out a soft exhale, a wide smile spreading on his handsome face. “Congratulations. You’ve seen your first court of faeries. And these are a rare kind.”

You whipped your head around to gawp at him. “Those are faeries?? And… kind. There are more than one kind?”

He grinned at you. “Multiple different courts, yeah! I only really deal with one of them, but I know a little about the others. Each court is usually named after a physical attribute of their faeries. These are from the Luminous Court due to how they glow. They are particularly small from what I understand, and they rarely get this close to human settlements. I assume since the tavern has been empty for months they decided the garden was a safe space to wait out the rain.”

The two of you stood in silence for a moment, watching the faeries light up the dusk. The lights began moving with more purpose, forming a single line. Then they darted from bush to bush, slowly making their way out of your garden. 

You let out a breath you hadn’t been aware of holding in. “Faeries…” you whispered. Then you turned to Mashirao. “Will you tell me about your faeries?”

Mashirao laughed. “They’re not my faeries; if anything I’m their human. Have been since I was a child.”

You kept looking at your garden, hoping to catch another glimpse of the Luminous Court, as Mashirao spoke about his childhood in the neighboring village.

“I spent most of my free time in the fields. I would sit still for hours, just watching, studying nature. I guess the faeries decided that I wasn’t dangerous. They let me pick some of their flowers and I made a few coins selling them at the market.

“One day, one of them came to me for help. Her humming bee had gotten too close to the surface of a puddle and couldn’t get out. And she was too small to help.”

“Humming bee,” you repeated to yourself. “Do they produce honey?”

“They do!” Mashirao replied. “But it’s not fit for human consumption. Spotted bears like it though. The faeries had a huge problem with bears raiding their hives, so we eventually struck up a deal. I got a touch of their magic, I get to pick a few of their flowers and take some of the seeds and bulbs to grow on my own throughout the summer, and I’m on standby to protect their hives during bear season.”

You frowned. Despite having learned to not judge any book by its cover since arriving in Faerie’s Brook, this seemed just a bit too far-fetched to you to be true. “Can you really go up against a bear that easily? Are the bears out here different from the ones in the northern mountains?”

Mashirao laughed. “Sorry, I should have made that clearer! They’re very small, compared to the bears from the northern mountains. The adults are only about twice the size of Amaranth, and they’re pretty calm so they usually aren’t a problem for humans; they tend to run as soon as I show up. But the faeries are much smaller, to the point where dealing with just one spotted bear is a dangerous undertaking.”

“What happens if they don’t run?” you asked.

“I carry them back to the woods. They’re not very smart, and they’re so busy licking honey off their chops that they’ve forgotten all about the actual hive by the time I set them back down. At most I get a scratch or two from their hind claws, but the faeries can heal those in no time.”

“And you said the faeries asked you to take care of Amaranth? Is he too big for them?”

Mashirao nodded. “They got him as an egg, and cared for him once he hatched. But I think they always knew that once he started moving around he’d be too much for them to handle. So they put him in my care.” Reaching out to scratch Amaranth behind an ear, Mashirao continued, “He’s like a little brother at this point. He’s a pain in my rear at times, but I love having him around. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Amaranth leaned into Mashirao’s touch, brown eyes closing. “Luv you too,” he squeaked. Then he turned his attention back to the garden.

Your heart beat faster. The scene in front of you was almost too cute to handle. You struggled to continue your original train of thought. “Where did the faeries get him?” you eventually asked. “Is it normal for faeries to raise dragon pups?”

Mashirao’s features darkened. “No. It’s not. They got his egg from a group of poachers.”

You felt an unpleasant chill down your spine. This was not how you had imagined the conversation going. “Oh no… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have--”

He turned to face you, forcing a smile. “Don’t apologize, you couldn’t know. But it’s something you need to be aware of so I might as well tell you now. Dragon poachers are a problem around the border. The eggs, egg shells, bones, scales, all of them are valuable magic ingredients. Some people treat them like collectors’ items. The dragons don’t nest around here, but we occasionally get poachers traveling through the area. They had a bad turn of luck running into a faerie court, and they got rightly disposed of. Faeries don’t take kindly to poachers of any kind.”

“Wait, hold on…” The new pieces of information had two burning questions rising in your mind, and you couldn’t figure out which one was more important to ask first. Mashirao waited patiently as you got your thoughts in order.

“You say dragon poachers, not dragon pup poachers… are they the same thing or different species?”

Mashirao sighed. “This is the worst part. They’re different species, but their nests and eggs look so similar even experts have trouble telling them apart. The poachers go for any type of dragon, most types have at least some use to them. But seeing how dragon pups aren’t true dragons, they’re the exception. Amaranth’s nest was raided for no reason. His was the only egg that was still viable when the faeries got to it. His siblings died for no reason.”

Mashirao’s voice cracked. You reached out, gently rubbing his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” you said, unsure what else to say.

He just nodded. 

The two of you kept silent for a moment, just looking at the one surviving dragon pup. Amaranth seemed wholly unbothered by the conversation, his full attention still on your garden.

You drew in a breath. “Can I ask another question?”

“Sure,” Mashirao responded. “We need to get through this subject so we can talk about more pleasant things.”

“If the faeries can ‘dispose’ of human poachers, why can’t they deal with the bears?”

Mashirao grinned wryly. “The poachers ran into the Vespula Court - the wasp court. They have venomous stingers. I believe they could deal with bears if needed, but they don’t keep humming bees so I don’t think the bears ever bother them.”

You hesitated for a moment, but you couldn’t keep your curiosity in check. “They’re venomous?”

“The only venomous court from what I know,” Mashirao replied. “I don’t know much about it, other than that it drives the victims mad enough to attack whatever is around them. It’s… I’ve never seen it myself, but I’ve heard that it’s horrifying to watch.”

You pressed your lips together, trying your best to keep your next question silent. It was rude, it was unnecessary, you really shouldn’t ask. But it almost seemed like Mashirao could read your mind.

“You’re wondering if I’m worried about my own safety since I spend so much time with the faeries, aren’t you?” The question was asked with a soft smile.

You nodded, looking away.

Mashirao chuckled. “Don’t worry, I get asked that a lot. And the answer is no. I’m genuinely not worried. The faerie courts are peaceful towards humans as a whole. We benefit from each other. And since I have no plans on becoming a poacher or otherwise bringing discord to their courts, I don’t have anything to fear.”

You hummed, thinking about all the new information. Then you spoke up again, deciding on a lighter topic. “The faeries we just saw were the Luminous Court. And there’s the Vespula Court. What court are your faeries from?”

“The Twilight Court,” Mashirao replied, “due to their wings bearing the colors of twilight as they say.”

The sound of running water grew ever louder. Pebbles shifted under your feet as you walked. Ahead of you, Mashirao held up a low-hanging branch, waiting for you to duck under it. 

“It’s just around the bend,” he said as you passed him.

You nodded, walking on. But you stopped in your tracks once reaching the bend in the path, breath torn away from you at the beauty of the scene. 

A wide expanse opened up before you. Mashirao had led you to a big, crystal clear lake, splitting the forest in two. A cliff blocked your view to one side, a waterfall flowing into the lake from the top. The air around the falling water shimmered in the sunlight.

“This…” you said, trying to force your mouth to work again, your mind still busy trying to take in everything. “This is…”

“Told you it was beautiful, didn’t I?” Mashirao laughed. Then he gently grabbed you by the shoulders, pointing towards the waterfall. “Looks like we made it just in time!”

You turned your attention back to the waterfall. At first you saw nothing but the shimmer of water drops in sunlight. But then the shimmer moved. Or rather, it seemed like something almost invisible, frail like spider’s silk, moved through the water drops. The mist settled on a long face, leaf-shaped ears flicking away drops of moisture. The creature stopped once she was fully drenched in the mist, snorted, then shook herself, flinging a rainbow into the air.

You couldn’t help but gasp. “A mist mare,” you whispered.

She heard you. Standing still for a long moment, head turned partly towards you, she gazed at you with one invisible eye. Then, deciding that you weren’t a threat, she snorted again, slowly moving into the lake. You almost lost sight of her when she entered the shadow; the only sign was the water parting around her body as she moved. Then she disappeared with a splash.

“Oh,” you sighed, disappointed. “She’s gone.”

“She’ll be back,” Mashirao ensured you. “The mist mares are too curious to scare away easily. Do you still want to swim?”

With the mist mare gone, you became painfully aware of how close Mashirao was. He still had one hand on your upper arm, his chest pressed against your shoulders. You could feel the heat radiating off him. Face flushed, you nodded, unsure if you could keep your voice even. Cooling off in the water sounded like a great idea.

Leaving your shoes and bags with towels and snacks at the far end of the lake, the two of you waded into the water, cold enough to make your skin prickle. But it was a refreshing contrast to the early summer heat.

“Don’t go farther than the middle,” Mashirao warned. “The current gets stronger the closer you get to the waterfall.”

You swam for a while, the water feeling warmer as you kept moving. When you were ready for a break, you moved towards the shore and Mashirao. 

Just as you had gotten close enough to the shore to be able to wade, something brushed up against your leg, pulling at your skin. Letting out a shriek of terror, you threw yourself towards Mashirao, throwing your arms around his neck. Mashirao wrapped his arms tightly around you to stabilize you.

“Something touched me!” you cried.

Mashirao just chuckled. “Told you they were curious. Look behind you.”

You turned in his arms, looking over your shoulder. Water drops hovered in the air in the shape of a long, leaf-eared face. A mist mare -you couldn’t tell if she was the same one from earlier- had poked her head out of the water, looking at you. She almost seemed offended that you had screamed.

Slowly, you reached out your hand towards the mare, offering her your palm. She moved closer, pressing her muzzle in your palm, mouthing at your fingers with rough lips. Then she decided that you weren’t interesting, and returned to the water.

Next to you, Mashirao let out a breath. “You handled that pretty well, all considered.”

It was only then you realized that you were quite literally in Mashirao’s arms. And it seemed that Mashirao realized at the same moment, judging by his deep blush when the two of you pulled away from each other.

But every time you peeked at him on the walk home, he had a soft smile on his face, a smile that only grew brighter whenever he caught your gaze.

Feelings slowly grew between you and Mashirao over the next few weeks. He seemed less shy about casual touches, he complimented you more freely. And you often found him reaching for your hands when walking next to you. You found yourself smiling wider when thinking about him, and returned every touch and compliment in full.

Mashirao led you by the hand down a path just outside the village. A waning moon peeked over the horizon, bathing everything in a slanted silver glow. 

“Are you ready to meet the faeries?” he asked for what felt like the tenth time that night.

You laughed at his fervor. “Yes! For the umpteenth time, yes!”

Tonight was the night of the summer meteor shower, lovingly nicknamed the ‘star sprinkle’ by the locals. Mashirao had told you that the meteor shower was sacred to the faeries from the Court of Twilight. They believed that during this night the moon goddess left her home in the sky, descending to the ground to visit the graves of her loved ones, her tears leaving streaks on the night sky. Mashirao had a standing invitation to join the Court of Twilight for their solemn worship, and he had decided to extend that invitation to you.

The flowers on the field in front of you blinked with pinpricks of light; lanterns, Mashirao had told you, to guide the moon goddess on her journey. Leading you down the path winding through the flowers, Mashirao stopped at a dark spot in the sea of light, just big enough for the two of you.

“This is our spot,” he said, gently stepping onto the grass as the first meteorite streaked across the sky.

You laid together silently on the blanket Mashirao had brought, your fingers intertwined, Mashirao continuously running his thumb over the back of your hand as you watched the sky. 

A lantern blinked on in your peripheral vision. Then a tiny voice sounded, “The Moon Goddess weeps tonight. Have you come to pay your respect to her too?”

Turning your head, you looked at the small, humanoid creature in the flower, purple butterfly-like wings lit by the pearl-shaped lantern. The faerie met your gaze with glowing, orange eyes.

“May she find solace,” you replied, just like Mashirao had taught you.

The faerie nodded, returning her gaze to the sky. You did the same.

“May she find solace,” Mashirao echoed next to you. Then he shifted closer, squeezing your hand. “You did good,” he whispered into your ear.

His breath ghosting over your skin made you shiver. 

“Cold?” he asked, making you shiver again.

“Yeah, a bit,” you lied, scooting closer to him, leaning your head against his shoulder.

Mashirao let out a grunt which, you’d learned over the past few weeks, meant that you’d managed to fluster him once again. But you’d also learned from a little bit of trial and error that he didn’t mind getting flustered. This was confirmed when he gently lifted your entwined hands, pressing his lips to the back of your thumb.

“So? What do you think?”

You could barely keep yourself from bouncing as you walked home, once again hand in hand with Mashirao. “Oh, it was beautiful!”

He chuckled. “Not as beautiful as you.” He hesitated for a moment, then spoke up again, “Do you think you’ll come next year too? The faeries should know you better by then.”

You stopped, turning to look at him. “We’re already making plans for next year? I mean of course I’ll come! As long as you want me to…”

Mashirao’s smile grew soft. “I hope to have you in my life for quite a few years to come.” Reaching up, he cupped your cheek in his free hand, running his thumb over your skin. “I’ve never felt about anybody the way I feel about you. I feel so fortunate that you picked my village for your tea shop.” 

His thumb moved lower, brushing over your parted lips. “Is this okay,” he asked, suddenly sounding uncertain. “I can stop if--”

“It’s more than okay!” you interjected, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Please don’t stop.”

Mashirao gave you one of his brilliant smiles. Then he leaned in to kiss you.

One year after moving to Faerie’s Brook, you found yourself in front of your bedroom mirror, marvelling at the short, curled horns peeking through your hair. They had begun growing only a few months after arriving, though it took you a while longer to realize why your scalp was constantly sore. Mashirao had theorized that your horns began growing so quickly due to your willingness to accept the wild side.

“You’re admiring them again.”

Mashirao came up behind you, arms circling your waist, and pressed a kiss to one of your horns.

You turned in his embrace to grin at him. “They’re something to admire! They make me feel like I’ve been truly accepted by the wild side, how could I not marvel at them?”

Mashirao hugged you tighter. “You’re a marvel.”

You felt a paw press against your thigh. Looking down you saw Amaranth standing on his high legs, stubby vermillion wings spread out to help him balance.

The dragon pup met your gaze. “Me too! I wanna hug too!”

You giggled as Mashirao let you go, bending over to pick up Amaranth. “You’re getting too big for this,” he huffed.

“Am not!” Amaranth shot back. “I’ll never be too big to--” He abruptly stopped, letting out a strangled sound. “Haaah…”

Mashirao’s face fell. “Oh no. Not now.”

“Haaaaah…”

You knew what was about to happen and quickly backed out of the way. Mashirao shifted his grip on Amaranth, hurrying over to your bedroom fireplace, kicking the grate out of the way and shoving the dragon pups snout into the flue.

“Hachoo!!”

A roar of fire followed Amaranth’s sneeze, finished with an odd popping sound as the fireball exited the chimney. Amaranth sniffed.

“‘Scuse me,” he said, voice echoing through the chimney.

You couldn’t help but laugh. Your whole life was a marvel these days. There was not a doubt in your mind that you wanted to spend the rest of your life in Faerie’s Brook.

[birinboom]

My Roommate and I

Kirishima Eijiro x Fem!Reader Word count: 6.336 words Summary: You don’t know your roommate all that well. He’s fine as roommates go, cleans up after himself, bills paid on time. But he isn’t around enough for you to actually get to know him. Things begin to change when the pandemic forces both of you to stay at home and your social butterfly of a roommate loses IRL access to his friends. Genre: Quirkless AU, roommates to lovers, pandemic fic, forced proximity, domestic fluff, romance Warning: mention of past Kiri-Mina, food/eating, swearing, alcohol, Eijiro calls Reader ‘babe’ Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖

The first time you meet Eijiro, you could only describe him as big and bright. Big and bright smile, big and bright personality, big stature in a bright outfit, big and bright hair. You wonder briefly if his hair is dyed and whether he dyes it himself. Then you shrug. The two of you have separate bathrooms so if he leaves red dye streaks everywhere, that’s his own problem. He can take it up with the landlord when he eventually moves out.

You’re happy, though, that he agreed to meet up with you before moving in. You'd be a bit freaked out seeing a stranger in your home, even if you knew that he’d be moving in. And this makes it easier to sit down with him early on to go over some general rules and a chore chart for the common areas.

It turns out that Eijiro’s a pretty decent roommate. He keeps his clutter out of the kitchen and living room, he cleans his assigned areas, he leaves your food alone, he pays rent on time. Most of this, you think, is probably attributed to him only really using his room for sleep. You rarely see him outside of early mornings when you're both preparing for work. After work he usually hangs out with his friends, or goes to the gym, or whatever a guy like him does, only coming home long after you've retired to your own room.

You don't really mind; you have the apartment mostly to yourself this way. And it's not like you really know him, anyway. He's just a roommate.

Time passes. You count yourself lucky, hearing some of your friends’ horror stories about their roommates from hell. 

Then the pandemic lockdowns happen.

You’re fortunate that you’re able to do your job remotely. Eijiro, however, is fired; he tells you so in passing. But he quickly adds that he’ll get by on unemployment until he finds another job, so no need to worry!

You're honestly surprised that he doesn't go stay with one of his friends. But he unfortunately doesn't, which means that you’re now stuck with him constantly at home. And you learn yet another aspect of his personality: just how frustratingly loud he can be. He cranks the volume on video calls with his friends -to the point where you can hear their voices clearly through his headphones- and he laughs boisterously at almost anything they say. He shrieks and hollers at the online games they play. And even though he's quick to turn the volume down with a sheepish ‘whoops, my roomie got mad’ when you poke your head out of your room to scowl at him, it still frustrates you to no end. You still have work for goodness’ sake! 

You soon come to realize that Eijiro’s very existence is loud, even when he’s not yapping with his friends. It seems that all he does during his waking hours is never-ending chit-chat and exercising in the middle of the living room, grunting up a storm. These two things sometimes happen at the same time, making you want to scream. 

Adding onto your frustrations are his so-called ‘cooking experiments,’ the stench of burned food often hanging in the air for hours after he finishes cooking, pots and pans left to soak overnight. You do have to admit, though, that they might very well need the soaking, given the amount of charred food on them. And Eijiro usually cleans them up the next morning without prompting. Usually. 

It’s just two more weeks, you tell yourself, then things will open up again and he can go spend time SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Things go on like this for months, your urge to throw him out a window slowly growing with each day.

Then, one Saturday morning, you find him sitting at the dining table, eyes red-rimmed and nose running. Your first thought is that he caught covid. But there’s something off about the scene; Eijiro isn’t behaving like someone who’s sick. He absentmindedly moves his cereal around in the bowl, lifts the spoon, then lowers it again. His breathing stutters, he hiccups, then lets out a shaky sigh. And it hits you; he’s not sick, nor is he potentially hungover. He’s trying his best to not cry. 

You almost wish you could back into your bedroom, pretend like you didn’t notice anything to give him some privacy. But it’s too late.

“Oh!” you hear him croak as he sees you, followed by a very wet sniffle.

Guess I’m dealing with this now, you think. The two of you had a pretty decent -if almost non-existent- relationship before the lockdown, right? You really ought to be a good roommate.

“Are you alright?” you ask. It seems stupid in hindsight, he’s clearly far from alright.

And Eijiro admits as much. 

“I… … no.” 

You watch as he clenches his teeth, lower lip wobbling, trying to breathe through whatever this is. And you sigh. Yeah, it’s time to be a good roommate. 

Moving into the kitchen, you begin fixing your own bowl of cereal. You figure this conversation might be easier for him if you’re not looking straight at him. He’s always seemed like the type of hyper-masculine person who’d hate crying in front of others.

“What’s going on?” you ask.

Eijiro sniffles again. He’s silent for a moment, then he draws in a deep, shaky breath. “I’m so fucking lonely,” he admits.

Humming in response, you eye the pot of coffee he made earlier. Surely he won’t mind if you have some, not when you’re listening to him vent. You pull a cup from the cupboard.

“But you talk with your friends all the time, don’t you?” You have to fight not to make a snippy comment about how loud they usually are; now isn’t the time for that.

He shifts in his seat. “’S not the same,” he says, then adds in a smaller voice, “Not at all.”

Placing your filled coffee cup next to you, you finally turn to face him, leaning against the counter, cereal bowl balanced in one hand. Sitting in front of him at the table still feels a bit too intimate with the mood he’s in.

His silhouette is dark against the light from the window at the end of the room, mirroring his emotions. You realize that his hair isn’t styled into the normal spikes; instead it’s drooping around his face, making him seem smaller, almost like he’s folding in on himself. Like he’s trying to hide. You barely recognize him.

“How is it not the same?” you ask, deciding to prod just a little bit. “Is it because you’re not in the same room?”

“It’s not just that!” he responds. “I can kinda get there if I really crank the volume, but…”

Oh, you think, is that why he prefers it so loud? Here you just thought he was obnoxious and had no respect for your working hours. Or your sleep.

“But?” you prod again.

Eijiro sighs deeply. When he speaks again, his voice croaks with held-back tears. “I miss physical touch. We’re pretty tight, me ‘n my friends. We hug each other a lot.” He sighs again; it almost sounds like his heart is breaking. “Not being in the same room as them, not being able to hear their voices except through headphones - it already hurts. But not being able to reach out and touch them is… it’s so much worse.” 

He swallows hard, then continues, “Denki’s roommate moved back home with their parents; to assist them, I think. So he’s alone too. He cried on our call yesterday. And I couldn’t do anything; couldn’t offer him a tissue, or a hug, or anything!”

You have no idea who Denki is. But it strikes you that Eijiro described him as ‘alone too.’ Denki, it seems, really is alone if his roommate has moved out. Did Eijiro truly see himself in the same situation, even with you here? You swallow hard. Maybe you haven’t been as good a roommate as you thought. 

Looking at the cereal bowl in your hand, you absentmindedly stir it, much like Eijiro had done with his own bowl just a moment before. Seems like you might have misjudged him too, if he truly gives physical affection to his friends as freely as he just described. You hadn’t expected that - you’ve always seen him as the classic, super macho gym-nut who might catch the gay if he’s in the vicinity of the color pink. Not that he’s ever given you any reason to believe that, you slowly realize. This was all your own prejudice. You really haven’t been a good roommate. And that realization stings.

Looking at Eijiro again, you feel like you see him in a different light. You read an article just the night before about how the pandemic has left a lot of people touch-starved when they can’t participate in their usual social activities. 

The article suggested moving in with friends, with family, even with friends-with-benefits, just to stave off touch-starvation and loneliness. You have to admit that you feel a bit touch-starved too, now that you can’t spend time with your friends or family. And isn’t there something about humans needing a certain amount of touch a day to thrive?

Eijiro’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts. 

"D’ya think I could have a hug?" he asks, finally facing you, his eyes brimming with tears.

You realize in that moment that a hug sounds really, really great. And maybe this is an opportunity to actually get to know your roommate. Especially when you don’t know how long this pandemic will last. The promise of two weeks to flatten the curve has already been extended several times.

Putting your cereal bowl on the counter, you wordlessly spread your arms. Eijiro is up in an instant, chair clattering against the floor. Then you find yourself swept up in what you can only describe as a bone-crushing embrace. You know he’s buff, but you haven’t realized just how strong he is. Gasping for air, you tap his biceps.

“Not so tight!” you wheeze.

Eijiro lets out what you can only describe as a wet bark of laughter. But he loosens his grip on you instantly.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, sniffling again. “Got a bit too enthusiastic.”

“That’s okay,” you say. “Guess you really needed it.”

It’s comforting, you realize, as you sink back into the embrace. He’s warm, and his arms around you feel safe for some reason. You can almost imagine falling asleep standing like this, certain that he’ll keep you upright. But you want your coffee while it’s still hot.

Eijiro seems reluctant to let go when you begin pulling away, scrubbing at his face behind your back.

Finally, he looks at you again, tear streaks on his cheeks. “Think we could do this again sometime?” he asks shyly.

You smile at him and nod. “Yeah. I think we’re both gonna need it.”

Eijiro blows his nose again, managing to make a sound reminiscent of a trumpeting elephant. 

“Sorry ‘bout all that,” he says, sniffling once more. “Crying to you wasn’t exactly manly of me.”

Resting your elbows on the dining table, you tilt your head and look at him over the rim of your coffee cup. “Crying is human. It’s not feminine, it’s--”

“That’s not what I mean,” he interrupts. “I agree, nothing shameful about crying; I meant complaining ‘bout all my issues. It’s not manly of me to put that burden on you.”

You decide to ignore the issue of not wanting to ask for help for now. Instead you say, “We’re gonna be stuck together for a while. I want to at least try to help. Besides, this might be better for both of us in the long run. Being at home all the time hasn’t exactly been great for me either…”

Eijiro nods thoughtfully, pulling his bowl of soggy breakfast closer. You look towards the movement, your brows furrowing.

“Is that my cereal?”

He looks at you like a deer caught in headlights. “You… you said I could have some, didn’t you?”

You can’t help but laugh at his expression. “I did! I’m not going back on that, don’t worry! I’ve just never seen you eat sugary cereal before.”

Eijiro relaxes again, then gives a small shrug. “Felt like I needed a sweet treat today.” 

“Don’t we all these days...”

You take another sip of your coffee, then look back to the man at the opposite side of the table.

“I think we need to put down some new rules while we’re both home all the time. The voice calls with your friends are really starting to bother me, especially when I’m working.”

He nods. “Yeah, kinda figured. I swear I’m trying to be quieter, but I always end up forgetting when I’m in the middle of it. I’ll try talking with everybody, see if we can find a different time or something. Maybe meet up outside once the weather’s better…” Leaning back in his chair, Eijiro scrubs at his face. “If only I could find a new job, then I’d actually have something to occupy me. Haven’t had any luck though.”

You realize with a pang of guilt that you don’t even know what he does for a living. Or… did. But Eijiro just grins when you tell him as much.

“Guess I was never really around so you could ask. I was a fitness instructor at this privately owned gym. They had to close because of the pandemic, but the owners promised me that if they have any hope of keeping the gym going I’ll be back on payroll once they open up again. They only really let me go so I could get unemployment.” He sighs fondly. “I really like them, they’re so… manly!”

You fight not to make a face. There it is again. Manly. Manliness isn’t exactly something you’d be looking for in a gym, but you guess you also aren’t a masculine gym-nut. At least Eijiro isn’t nearly as bad as you had originally thought.

You really do fight not to make a face… But you fail. And Eijiro notices instantly.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… I’m not sure I’d personally want to go to a ‘manly’ gym.”

He just blinks at you for a moment. “Not sure why you think that-- oh.” He laughs to himself. “I need to explain something. ‘Manly’ doesn’t mean masculine to me. ’S not based on gender at all. When I was a kid I used to be a really big fan of this action hero, Crimson Riot - do you know him?”

You shake your head. Never heard of the guy.

“He had this habit of calling things he favored ‘manly,’” Eijiro explains. “It was a way of living, a way of staying true to yourself, or so he’d say. Guess I never grew out of this way of seeing things.

“But the owners,” he continues, “they’re a gay couple, and they’re some of the sweetest and most helpful people I’ve ever met. They face a lot of prejudice but they never let it get to them. They choose to stay kind. It’s awesome. It’s… It’s manly! You see?”

You look at him for a moment. Then you nod. “Yeah, I… I think I do.”

Eijiro beams at you. “I think you’d like the gym. We’re very supportive, and we take harassment complaints very seriously. One of my buds was a regular when it was still open, and she told me she felt very safe there.” He chuckles. “Though anyone who wanted to harass her should fear her, not the management. She’s never been shy about punching someone in the gut. And it hurts!”

You raise your brows. “Wait, she’s punched you??”

Eijiro grins. “Yeah! … Wait no, not because I deserved it; I asked her to! She wanted to know if she could do anything to punch better, so I said ‘well, punch me!’ and she did. It was perfect, 10/10 no notes. Took me close to 15 minutes to be able to breathe regularly again.”

Smiling to himself, he adds, “Mina is one of the manliest girls I know. Been friends since high school and she’s always been unabashedly herself. She really helped me grow into the person I am today.”

Mina. He sounds so fond when he speaks of her. You can’t help but wonder if there’s something more there than he’s admitting. Pushing the thought away, you focus on Eijiro again.

“I guess being a personal trainer explains why you’re constantly exercising. I thought you were just obsessed with it.”

Eijiro shrugs with a smile. “I’m actually working out more than I did before getting fired. I’m used to being on my feet and moving almost constantly while at work, and exercising burns off some of that energy. ‘N I want to be ready to go back instantly.” He’s quiet for a moment, then adds, “Oh, let me know if you want me to show you how to work out at home, or some stretches or anything. You sit still a lot, ’s not good for you.”

You try to wave him off with an awkward laugh. “I know. But I’m not interested right now.”

You’re admittedly surprised when Eijiro backs down instantly. 

“Well, let me know if you ever change your mind. I’ll let ya borrow any equipment you need!”

A couple of days later, Eijiro asks to sit down with you again.

“I’ve been thinking,” he starts. 

“Did it hurt?” The words are out before you can stop them.

Thankfully, Eijiro just laughs. “Lil’ bit, yeah. I prefer to just cruise through life without having to think too much. But I can’t right now, so I need something to keep myself occupied while I’m looking for a job. And I was thinking: how about I take on more of the chores? Cleaning’s a good workout, right? And it’d give ya more free time.”

You just look at him for a moment. “Is that really fair? We pay the same amount of rent, so shouldn’t chores be split evenly too?”

He shrugs. “You talked about wanting to help me the other day. I like being helpful too, y’know. So I thought about maybe getting a wireless headset so I can talk with my friends while I clean. Might make the noise easier on you too, knowing that I’m not just sitting on my ass while talking.” He stops for a moment, then adds, “Was thinking about doing the grocery runs too. Y’know how they’ve been saying that thing about only having one person per household shopping? Might as well be me.” He scoffs. “Got nothing but free time.”

You’re speechless. What he’s saying makes sense, yes. But it still feels wrong to let him do most of your chores just because he’s bored.

It’s like he can sense your unease. 

“We could also take turns on groceries,” he offers. “Then you can get all the intimate stuff ya need without needing to involve me.”

You can’t help but grin at him. “What, too much of a chicken to buy me tampons?” 

Eijiro grins back. “Nah, ‘s not that, I don’t mind. I’ve done it before. It’s just that there are so many kinds I’d need pictures to make sure I got the right thing. Might be less of a hassle if you got it yourself. But! If you’re ever in a pinch I got your back!”

You look down at your lunch for a moment, thinking over what he just said.

“If we’re combining groceries, it might be easier if we coordinate our meals. I’m already cooking for myself, I don’t mind cooking for…” -you eye him for a moment- “for two more people. It’s not that much of a difference.”

“Two people!” he sputters. “That’s… … actually probably accurate. I do eat a lot. I like the idea, but…” He scratches at the back of his neck. “I was actually thinking we could take turns cooking.”

You can’t stop yourself from making a face this time. Eijiro just laughs.

“Yeah, I know. I’m terrible. But I was thinking that this is the time to get better. I don’t mind eating what I cook, but I wouldn’t serve it to someone else. So cooking for you as well would force me to pay more attention.”

You sit back in your seat, crossing your arms. “You want me to be your guinea pig.”

“No, I want ya to hold me accountable!”

When you just glare at him, Eijiro holds up his hands. “I’ve got a plan. One of my friends, Katsuki, he’s really good at cooking. Like really, really good. He’s been laid off as well, and he just started a Youtube channel where he shares cooking tips. He’s suggested helping me and Denks cook some meals, so he can figure out what some common mistakes might be. And we can get better at cooking at the same time.”

You stay silent, thinking. It makes Eijiro fret.

“So? Whaddaya think?” he eventually asks.

You sigh, feeling your resolve crumble. It’s too difficult to say no to his puppy-eyes. “Yeah, okay. I’ll at least give your food a try.”

Eijiro rewards you with a beaming smile. It makes your cheeks burn.

It only takes a few days before Eijiro decides to try his cooking experiments on you. He spends the afternoon getting barked at by whom you can only assume is Katsuki - with you listening in on every word. It’s Eijiro’s own fault for having his phone on speaker, you try to reassure yourself. And Katsuki’s tinny voice is piercing.

“Show me what you’re doing, Shitty Hair! … No, you need to cut them smaller, they’ll cook too slow as they are!”

‘Shitty hair’? you think. Do his friends really speak to him like that?

Eijiro just groans, ignoring the insult. “I don’t think I can, Kats, I don’t want the knife to slip.”

“Then sharpen your fucking knife! It’s meant to cut easily, if you’re fighting to cut small pieces then it’s too fucking dull!”

You roll your eyes. As charming as Gordon Ramsey.

“Are you keeping an eye on the meat?” Katsuki asks, his voice smug. “It’s gonna burn if you don’t…”

“SHIT!!”

The food turns out a lot more palatable than you’d imagined. It’s a little bland, a little overcooked, but you really wouldn’t mind eating it again.

And you’re surprised at just how fast Eijiro improves. Over the next few months you grow more and more thankful that he suggested taking turns cooking. It’s a weight off your shoulders, even if you still feel a bit weird that he does most of the cleaning and grocery shopping. But the extra free time and knowing that he’s being productive during his loud voice calls do make things easier on you. In the end you suggest to him that you take on a few more of the financial responsibilities -just a bill or two- to make things a little bit more even. 

You look up from your screen when you hear the front door slam; Eijiro has arrived home with a load of groceries. Stretching, you get up from your chair. Helping him put away the groceries assuages your guilt just a little bit. And -if you’re being very honest with yourself- you’ve recently noticed finding every excuse to spend more time with him. Just five minutes here and there. Helping put away the groceries fits nicely into that too.

Leaving your room, you notice a bag of groceries leaning against the dining table. You turn to Eijiro -who’s already busy putting away groceries- and ask, “What about this one?”

Eijiro smiles at you, which makes your stomach flutter.

“Break time?” he asks. “I got you some ice cream at the store. Didn’t do great in the heat so you might wanna eat it soon.”

You thank him, finally moving from your doorway to actually help. Then you ask again, “What about the bag by the table? We’re not emptying that one?”

He shakes his head, grinning. “That one’s not for us. You know the elderly couple down the hallway?”

You nod silently, unwilling to admit that you don’t.

“I’ve been chatting with them a little bit. Distanced, of course! They’re not doing great so I thought I’d buy them some staples to help out. I’ll take the cost out of my own budget, don’t worry.”

You pause for a moment. It’s such a kind gesture to someone he barely knows. He really is a giant sweetheart. Then you make an instant decision. “I’ll split the cost with you, I wanna help too!” 

You’re graced with a brilliant smile, like the sun rising over the horizon.

“Really?? Thanks! I’ll let them know it’s from both of us!”

You’re numbed, ears ringing as Eijiro talks about taking a quick shower before heading over to your neighbors. Then you’re left alone in the kitchen. 

Sliding onto the floor, you lean your forehead against your drawn-up knees. You’re in deep. Maybe too deep. Ever since his breakdown and the following hug, your feelings have only been growing. And now you don’t know how to make it stop. You aren’t entirely sure you want to, either. But… It’s a bad idea, isn’t it? You’re worried that telling him will only lead to hurt and heartbreak. And yet, you’re not sure how long you can keep your feelings contained.

You decide that you need an in-depth vent session with your own friend group.

The vent session only helps solidify that you definitely have feelings for your roommate. But you still have no idea whether to act on those feelings or not. And Eijiro only makes things harder by being himself - sweet, kind, and maybe a little bit too touchy.

He comes up behind you one night as you’re cooking, loudly sniffing the air.

“Something smells amazing!”

He leans in over you, hands resting on either side of the stove, his chin on your shoulder, just watching as you cook. It’s almost too easy to melt against his chest.

You pull away instead, turning to face him as you try to laugh. It comes out strangled.

“It’s not ready yet, you have to wait!”

Eijiro pouts at you. But he thankfully moves away, instead opting to set the table. You sigh, equal parts in relief and disappointment. You’re not sure how much longer you can keep going without spilling the secret.

You’re doing the dishes together after dinner. It’s become a routine to do them as a team - they get done quicker that way. Eijiro refuses to let you do them alone, even back when your shared cooking routine began. Your idea of ‘you cook, I clean’ fell on deaf ears. And now you appreciate the extra time with him.

And you decide to let him know as much.

“Y’know, I’m actually kind of happy that we got this chance to get to know each other,” you say, nudging him with your hip. “If we hadn’t been stuck at home, I don’t know if we’d ever have taken the time to actually talk.”

You’re rewarded with a brilliant smile.

“Me too!”

You keep chatting while Eijiro washes the dishes, handing you clean ones to dry. The conversation jumps from the two of you, to your apartment and how thankful you are that Eijiro took on more of the chores, to the lives you led before the pandemic. And eventually to your individual friend groups.

“There’s Katsuki - you know him already,” Eijiro says. “And Denki and Hanta and Kyoka. We all met in high school. But Mina and me, we go back to middle school.”

“Mina,” you mumble. There she was again.

He pauses, looking at you questioningly.

“Did…” You hesitate, then you decide to just ask what’s on your mind. “She’s clearly very special to you. Did you ever date?”

Eijiro looks down at the soapy water, a fond smile on his face. “We did, back in high school. Only for a few months, though, then we decided that we were better off as friends. I guess we both felt pressured to give it a try.” Turning back to you, he finds your gaze again. “She’s my oldest friend. She’s my rock, not afraid to tell me if I’m being an idiot. N’ I do the same for her! But that’s as far as it goes. We didn’t work out back then, and we sure as hell wouldn’t work out now.”

You feel your cheeks heat under his gaze. It doesn’t sound like he regretted breaking up with Mina at all. And the way he’s looking at you makes your stomach flutter. 

Eijiro breaks eye contact for a moment to empty the dish tub and dry his hands. Then he turns to you again, leaning against the counter.

“If you’re not busy tonight, do you maybe want to watch a movie or something?”

It’s your turn to beam. “Yeah, absolutely!!”

Maybe saying yes to a movie was a bad idea. You had trouble sleeping last night, work was particularly draining today, and now you find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open. As much as you want to pay attention to the movie Eijiro picked, your mind is steadily turning into soup. You blink hard, trying to force your eyes to stay open. It doesn’t work. They slowly close, and you sag sideways.

You have no idea how much time has passed. All you know is that you are comfortable and warm. You can still hear the movie playing. Or maybe it’s a new movie. You can’t bring yourself to truly care.

Eijiro shifts in his seat. It makes you realize that you’re leaning against him, his arm wrapped loosely around your waist. Your eyes snap open. Then you decide to close them again. If he doesn’t mind -which you assume he doesn’t, since he hasn’t pushed you away- then you won’t mind either. It’s too comfortable, anyway. 

The two of you stay like this for a while. It’s cozy. Then a frown forms on your face. Something is tickling your waist. It’s most likely a hair stuck to the inside of your shirt. You try to ignore it, but it only gets more irritating, brushing over your skin every time you breathe.

You snap, pushing Eijiro’s arm out of the way to get at the itch. 

Eijiro flinches away from you. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to-- You were leaning on me pretty hard and I thought this would be more comfortable! I-I didn’t--”

“It’s fine,” you say, as you sink back against him. “I don’t mind, it’s cozy. Just had an itch right where your arm was.”

“O-oh.” He hesitates for a moment, then he puts his arm back around you, gently hugging you to his side. “It’s… Yeah, it’s pretty cozy.”

You close your eyes again, not fully registering how flustered he sounds. Or how happy…

Eijiro sits as still as he can, despite the credits rolling over the screen. You’re still nestled up against his shoulder, your forehead pressed against his neck, your breathing soft and even. He’s certain you’re asleep again. And he cannot bring himself to move a muscle, worried he’ll break the spell.

Slowly lifting his free hand, he scrubs at his face. “I’m really in it now, aren’t I?” he mumbles to himself. Falling in love with his roommate. Isn’t that one of the things people are always advised against?

“Fuck, Kats’ll never let me hear the end of it!”

You stir in your sleep, sighing softly. It only makes him wrap his arm tighter around you. Katsuki will have to be a problem for another day; right now Eijiro doesn’t want to think about anything but the sensation of you pressed against his side.

“Need your advice on something, Kats.”

The blonde makes a non-commital sound on the other end of the line. Eijiro swallows thickly, suddenly happy that it’s only the two of them on the voice call. And that you aren’t home to accidentally overhear anything.

He hesitates too long.

“What fucking is it?” Katsuki barks.

Eijiro sighs, steeling himself for the barrage he’s sure is about to come. “I think I’m falling in love with my roomie.”

When the barrage doesn’t come, he wonders briefly if the connection has been cut. 

Then Katsuki groans. “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. Really, Shitty Hair? Your fuckin’ roommate?”

“Hey, she’s a sweetheart, I--”

“NOT what I meant! I’m sure she’s amazin’ if she can tolerate your ass. But what the fuck are you planning to do? Tell her?”

Eijiro can feel himself blush. “I.. I mean, yeah, I’d like to. That’s what I wanted advice on.”

Katsuki practically growls. “Well, my advice is DON’T! We’re in the middle of a fuckin’ pandemic, if she says no, you won’t be able to easily move out.” He grumbles for a moment. “Of all your shitty, hare-brained ideas… But knowin’ you, you’ll never be able to let it go unless you find out, right?”

Eijiro chuckles, scratching at his cheek. “Ya know me too well, Kats.”

“‘Too well’ is right.” Katsuki is silent for a moment, then he groans again. “Alright, fuckin’ fine. Advice. Try to figure out if she feels the same b’fore you tell her anythin’. If she rebuffs you at all, then fuckin’ leave it alone, ya got that??”

Eijiro’s face splits into a wide smile. “Got it!! And if she says no, I can move in with you, right?”

“Like fuck you can’t!!”

Meat and onions sizzle in the pan. You give it a stir, peeking at Eijiro out of the corner of your eyes. He’s currently chopping vegetables, broad shoulders barely moving as he uses the knife. You have to admit that he’s gotten a lot better in the past few months, to the point where you’re looking forward to every meal he makes.

He’s gotten a lot more forward with you too. He’s become touchy-feely and quick to give compliments. And you don’t mind it one bit. You just hope it will continue once the pandemic ends. 

You really ought to tell him how you feel. But… You can’t help but worry about whether he feels the same. Sighing softly, you push the thought away for now. 

Eijiro turns to you with the cutting board, ready to add the veggies to the pan.

“By the way,” he says, “I got a surprise for dinner.”

You tilt your head, unable to stop your coquettish grin. “Oh? Should I be worried?”

Eijiro’s features soften as he looks at you. “Nah, probably not. Unless you don’t drink wine.”

“I do!”

You slowly swirl the wine in your glass. It’s the last of the two bottles Eijiro bought, so you want to savor it.

Across the table, Eijiro watches your movements with rapt attention. You can almost feel the intensity of his gaze. Or maybe it’s the wine.

He draws in a deep breath, almost like he forgot how to breathe for a moment. “You’re fuckin’ beautiful.”

It takes a little too long for his words to make their way through your drunk brain. 

“What did you just say?” you exhale. Your face feels like it's on fire.

Eijiro blinks. Then he sits up straight, shaking his head. “Fuck, I-- I shouldn’t have-- It’s just… I dunno how much longer I can stand not saying anythin’.”

You swallow hard, trying your best not to melt against the table. “What are you trying to say?”

He looks at you again, features softening. “That I’m in love with you.” Looking away, he scratches at the back of his neck. “I-I don’t even know if… if you return my feelings, but--”

You down the rest of your wine, trying to gain some liquid courage which you honestly don’t need at the moment. Then you get up, moving around the table. 

He peers at you, smile evaporating. “What are you…”

“I do!” you finally answer him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning in, face level with his.

Eijiro blinks hard. “What…”

“I do return your feelings. You’re pretty fucking cute yourself.” 

He just looks at you for a moment, letting your words sink in. Then his face splits into a brilliant smile. You should’ve worn sunglasses.

Raising a hand, he gently cups your cheek, his smile widening when you lean into his touch. His thumb rubs over your skin, slowly moving downwards until it brushes over your bottom lip.

“Can I?” he asks.

You don’t answer. Instead, you lean in to kiss him first. His lips are warm, tasting like wine. Eijiro interrupts the kiss briefly to push his chair back, getting to his feet.

Pulling you close, his hand finds its place on your cheek once more. “You’ve no idea how fuckin’ long I’ve wanted to do this,” he mumbles against your lips. Then he kisses you again.

You sit sideways on the couch, feet propped up against Eijiro’s thigh. He’s gaming with his friends again; you can feel the muscles in his thigh tense as he leans into the curve of the race track on the screen. 

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon… YES!!!”

He jumps to his feet, whooping as he wins. You eye him over the top of your magazine, pouting at him.

Grinning at you, he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, babe, didn’t mean to get that loud!” 

You hear someone loudly exclaiming something through Eijiro’s headset.

He chuckles. “Yeah, my girlfriend got mad.”

The voice call erupts into shouts. You can’t help but giggle when you hear Denki screaming ‘what??’ over and over again, with whom you assume is Mina cheering loudly in the background. 

Eijiro just laughs. “Didn’t I tell you? Me and my roomie started dating!”

He talks for a moment longer, then bows out of the game with his victory, deciding that he’d rather spend the rest of the day with you. 

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, comments, and reblogs are always greatly appreciated! If you like what you’ve read, please check out my other works. Love, Em 💖

Do not repost, redistribute, copy, modify, record, translate, or plagiarize my writing. If you see someone posting my writing claiming it as their own, or posting a narration of my writing, please let me know!

[birinboom]

My Roommate and I

Kirishima Eijiro x Fem!Reader Word count: 6.336 words Summary: You don’t know your roommate all that well. He’s fine as roommates go, cleans up after himself, bills paid on time. But he isn’t around enough for you to actually get to know him. Things begin to change when the pandemic forces both of you to stay at home and your social butterfly of a roommate loses IRL access to his friends. Genre: Quirkless AU, roommates to lovers, pandemic fic, forced proximity, domestic fluff, romance Warning: mention of past Kiri-Mina, food/eating, swearing, alcohol, Eijiro calls Reader ‘babe’ Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖

The first time you meet Eijiro, you could only describe him as big and bright. Big and bright smile, big and bright personality, big stature in a bright outfit, big and bright hair. You wonder briefly if his hair is dyed and whether he dyes it himself. Then you shrug. The two of you have separate bathrooms so if he leaves red dye streaks everywhere, that’s his own problem. He can take it up with the landlord when he eventually moves out.

You’re happy, though, that he agreed to meet up with you before moving in. You'd be a bit freaked out seeing a stranger in your home, even if you knew that he’d be moving in. And this makes it easier to sit down with him early on to go over some general rules and a chore chart for the common areas.

It turns out that Eijiro’s a pretty decent roommate. He keeps his clutter out of the kitchen and living room, he cleans his assigned areas, he leaves your food alone, he pays rent on time. Most of this, you think, is probably attributed to him only really using his room for sleep. You rarely see him outside of early mornings when you're both preparing for work. After work he usually hangs out with his friends, or goes to the gym, or whatever a guy like him does, only coming home long after you've retired to your own room.

You don't really mind; you have the apartment mostly to yourself this way. And it's not like you really know him, anyway. He's just a roommate.

Time passes. You count yourself lucky, hearing some of your friends’ horror stories about their roommates from hell. 

Then the pandemic lockdowns happen.

You’re fortunate that you’re able to do your job remotely. Eijiro, however, is fired; he tells you so in passing. But he quickly adds that he’ll get by on unemployment until he finds another job, so no need to worry!

You're honestly surprised that he doesn't go stay with one of his friends. But he unfortunately doesn't, which means that you’re now stuck with him constantly at home. And you learn yet another aspect of his personality: just how frustratingly loud he can be. He cranks the volume on video calls with his friends -to the point where you can hear their voices clearly through his headphones- and he laughs boisterously at almost anything they say. He shrieks and hollers at the online games they play. And even though he's quick to turn the volume down with a sheepish ‘whoops, my roomie got mad’ when you poke your head out of your room to scowl at him, it still frustrates you to no end. You still have work for goodness’ sake! 

You soon come to realize that Eijiro’s very existence is loud, even when he’s not yapping with his friends. It seems that all he does during his waking hours is never-ending chit-chat and exercising in the middle of the living room, grunting up a storm. These two things sometimes happen at the same time, making you want to scream. 

Adding onto your frustrations are his so-called ‘cooking experiments,’ the stench of burned food often hanging in the air for hours after he finishes cooking, pots and pans left to soak overnight. You do have to admit, though, that they might very well need the soaking, given the amount of charred food on them. And Eijiro usually cleans them up the next morning without prompting. Usually. 

It’s just two more weeks, you tell yourself, then things will open up again and he can go spend time SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Things go on like this for months, your urge to throw him out a window slowly growing with each day.

Then, one Saturday morning, you find him sitting at the dining table, eyes red-rimmed and nose running. Your first thought is that he caught covid. But there’s something off about the scene; Eijiro isn’t behaving like someone who’s sick. He absentmindedly moves his cereal around in the bowl, lifts the spoon, then lowers it again. His breathing stutters, he hiccups, then lets out a shaky sigh. And it hits you; he’s not sick, nor is he potentially hungover. He’s trying his best to not cry. 

You almost wish you could back into your bedroom, pretend like you didn’t notice anything to give him some privacy. But it’s too late.

“Oh!” you hear him croak as he sees you, followed by a very wet sniffle.

Guess I’m dealing with this now, you think. The two of you had a pretty decent -if almost non-existent- relationship before the lockdown, right? You really ought to be a good roommate.

“Are you alright?” you ask. It seems stupid in hindsight, he’s clearly far from alright.

And Eijiro admits as much. 

“I… … no.” 

You watch as he clenches his teeth, lower lip wobbling, trying to breathe through whatever this is. And you sigh. Yeah, it’s time to be a good roommate. 

Moving into the kitchen, you begin fixing your own bowl of cereal. You figure this conversation might be easier for him if you’re not looking straight at him. He’s always seemed like the type of hyper-masculine person who’d hate crying in front of others.

“What’s going on?” you ask.

Eijiro sniffles again. He’s silent for a moment, then he draws in a deep, shaky breath. “I’m so fucking lonely,” he admits.

Humming in response, you eye the pot of coffee he made earlier. Surely he won’t mind if you have some, not when you’re listening to him vent. You pull a cup from the cupboard.

“But you talk with your friends all the time, don’t you?” You have to fight not to make a snippy comment about how loud they usually are; now isn’t the time for that.

He shifts in his seat. “’S not the same,” he says, then adds in a smaller voice, “Not at all.”

Placing your filled coffee cup next to you, you finally turn to face him, leaning against the counter, cereal bowl balanced in one hand. Sitting in front of him at the table still feels a bit too intimate with the mood he’s in.

His silhouette is dark against the light from the window at the end of the room, mirroring his emotions. You realize that his hair isn’t styled into the normal spikes; instead it’s drooping around his face, making him seem smaller, almost like he’s folding in on himself. Like he’s trying to hide. You barely recognize him.

“How is it not the same?” you ask, deciding to prod just a little bit. “Is it because you’re not in the same room?”

“It’s not just that!” he responds. “I can kinda get there if I really crank the volume, but…”

Oh, you think, is that why he prefers it so loud? Here you just thought he was obnoxious and had no respect for your working hours. Or your sleep.

“But?” you prod again.

Eijiro sighs deeply. When he speaks again, his voice croaks with held-back tears. “I miss physical touch. We’re pretty tight, me ‘n my friends. We hug each other a lot.” He sighs again; it almost sounds like his heart is breaking. “Not being in the same room as them, not being able to hear their voices except through headphones - it already hurts. But not being able to reach out and touch them is… it’s so much worse.” 

He swallows hard, then continues, “Denki’s roommate moved back home with their parents; to assist them, I think. So he’s alone too. He cried on our call yesterday. And I couldn’t do anything; couldn’t offer him a tissue, or a hug, or anything!”

You have no idea who Denki is. But it strikes you that Eijiro described him as ‘alone too.’ Denki, it seems, really is alone if his roommate has moved out. Did Eijiro truly see himself in the same situation, even with you here? You swallow hard. Maybe you haven’t been as good a roommate as you thought. 

Looking at the cereal bowl in your hand, you absentmindedly stir it, much like Eijiro had done with his own bowl just a moment before. Seems like you might have misjudged him too, if he truly gives physical affection to his friends as freely as he just described. You hadn’t expected that - you’ve always seen him as the classic, super macho gym-nut who might catch the gay if he’s in the vicinity of the color pink. Not that he’s ever given you any reason to believe that, you slowly realize. This was all your own prejudice. You really haven’t been a good roommate. And that realization stings.

Looking at Eijiro again, you feel like you see him in a different light. You read an article just the night before about how the pandemic has left a lot of people touch-starved when they can’t participate in their usual social activities. 

The article suggested moving in with friends, with family, even with friends-with-benefits, just to stave off touch-starvation and loneliness. You have to admit that you feel a bit touch-starved too, now that you can’t spend time with your friends or family. And isn’t there something about humans needing a certain amount of touch a day to thrive?

Eijiro’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts. 

"D’ya think I could have a hug?" he asks, finally facing you, his eyes brimming with tears.

You realize in that moment that a hug sounds really, really great. And maybe this is an opportunity to actually get to know your roommate. Especially when you don’t know how long this pandemic will last. The promise of two weeks to flatten the curve has already been extended several times.

Putting your cereal bowl on the counter, you wordlessly spread your arms. Eijiro is up in an instant, chair clattering against the floor. Then you find yourself swept up in what you can only describe as a bone-crushing embrace. You know he’s buff, but you haven’t realized just how strong he is. Gasping for air, you tap his biceps.

“Not so tight!” you wheeze.

Eijiro lets out what you can only describe as a wet bark of laughter. But he loosens his grip on you instantly.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, sniffling again. “Got a bit too enthusiastic.”

“That’s okay,” you say. “Guess you really needed it.”

It’s comforting, you realize, as you sink back into the embrace. He’s warm, and his arms around you feel safe for some reason. You can almost imagine falling asleep standing like this, certain that he’ll keep you upright. But you want your coffee while it’s still hot.

Eijiro seems reluctant to let go when you begin pulling away, scrubbing at his face behind your back.

Finally, he looks at you again, tear streaks on his cheeks. “Think we could do this again sometime?” he asks shyly.

You smile at him and nod. “Yeah. I think we’re both gonna need it.”

Eijiro blows his nose again, managing to make a sound reminiscent of a trumpeting elephant. 

“Sorry ‘bout all that,” he says, sniffling once more. “Crying to you wasn’t exactly manly of me.”

Resting your elbows on the dining table, you tilt your head and look at him over the rim of your coffee cup. “Crying is human. It’s not feminine, it’s--”

“That’s not what I mean,” he interrupts. “I agree, nothing shameful about crying; I meant complaining ‘bout all my issues. It’s not manly of me to put that burden on you.”

You decide to ignore the issue of not wanting to ask for help for now. Instead you say, “We’re gonna be stuck together for a while. I want to at least try to help. Besides, this might be better for both of us in the long run. Being at home all the time hasn’t exactly been great for me either…”

Eijiro nods thoughtfully, pulling his bowl of soggy breakfast closer. You look towards the movement, your brows furrowing.

“Is that my cereal?”

He looks at you like a deer caught in headlights. “You… you said I could have some, didn’t you?”

You can’t help but laugh at his expression. “I did! I’m not going back on that, don’t worry! I’ve just never seen you eat sugary cereal before.”

Eijiro relaxes again, then gives a small shrug. “Felt like I needed a sweet treat today.” 

“Don’t we all these days...”

You take another sip of your coffee, then look back to the man at the opposite side of the table.

“I think we need to put down some new rules while we’re both home all the time. The voice calls with your friends are really starting to bother me, especially when I’m working.”

He nods. “Yeah, kinda figured. I swear I’m trying to be quieter, but I always end up forgetting when I’m in the middle of it. I’ll try talking with everybody, see if we can find a different time or something. Maybe meet up outside once the weather’s better…” Leaning back in his chair, Eijiro scrubs at his face. “If only I could find a new job, then I’d actually have something to occupy me. Haven’t had any luck though.”

You realize with a pang of guilt that you don’t even know what he does for a living. Or… did. But Eijiro just grins when you tell him as much.

“Guess I was never really around so you could ask. I was a fitness instructor at this privately owned gym. They had to close because of the pandemic, but the owners promised me that if they have any hope of keeping the gym going I’ll be back on payroll once they open up again. They only really let me go so I could get unemployment.” He sighs fondly. “I really like them, they’re so… manly!”

You fight not to make a face. There it is again. Manly. Manliness isn’t exactly something you’d be looking for in a gym, but you guess you also aren’t a masculine gym-nut. At least Eijiro isn’t nearly as bad as you had originally thought.

You really do fight not to make a face… But you fail. And Eijiro notices instantly.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… I’m not sure I’d personally want to go to a ‘manly’ gym.”

He just blinks at you for a moment. “Not sure why you think that-- oh.” He laughs to himself. “I need to explain something. ‘Manly’ doesn’t mean masculine to me. ’S not based on gender at all. When I was a kid I used to be a really big fan of this action hero, Crimson Riot - do you know him?”

You shake your head. Never heard of the guy.

“He had this habit of calling things he favored ‘manly,’” Eijiro explains. “It was a way of living, a way of staying true to yourself, or so he’d say. Guess I never grew out of this way of seeing things.

“But the owners,” he continues, “they’re a gay couple, and they’re some of the sweetest and most helpful people I’ve ever met. They face a lot of prejudice but they never let it get to them. They choose to stay kind. It’s awesome. It’s… It’s manly! You see?”

You look at him for a moment. Then you nod. “Yeah, I… I think I do.”

Eijiro beams at you. “I think you’d like the gym. We’re very supportive, and we take harassment complaints very seriously. One of my buds was a regular when it was still open, and she told me she felt very safe there.” He chuckles. “Though anyone who wanted to harass her should fear her, not the management. She’s never been shy about punching someone in the gut. And it hurts!”

You raise your brows. “Wait, she’s punched you??”

Eijiro grins. “Yeah! … Wait no, not because I deserved it; I asked her to! She wanted to know if she could do anything to punch better, so I said ‘well, punch me!’ and she did. It was perfect, 10/10 no notes. Took me close to 15 minutes to be able to breathe regularly again.”

Smiling to himself, he adds, “Mina is one of the manliest girls I know. Been friends since high school and she’s always been unabashedly herself. She really helped me grow into the person I am today.”

Mina. He sounds so fond when he speaks of her. You can’t help but wonder if there’s something more there than he’s admitting. Pushing the thought away, you focus on Eijiro again.

“I guess being a personal trainer explains why you’re constantly exercising. I thought you were just obsessed with it.”

Eijiro shrugs with a smile. “I’m actually working out more than I did before getting fired. I’m used to being on my feet and moving almost constantly while at work, and exercising burns off some of that energy. ‘N I want to be ready to go back instantly.” He’s quiet for a moment, then adds, “Oh, let me know if you want me to show you how to work out at home, or some stretches or anything. You sit still a lot, ’s not good for you.”

You try to wave him off with an awkward laugh. “I know. But I’m not interested right now.”

You’re admittedly surprised when Eijiro backs down instantly. 

“Well, let me know if you ever change your mind. I’ll let ya borrow any equipment you need!”

A couple of days later, Eijiro asks to sit down with you again.

“I’ve been thinking,” he starts. 

“Did it hurt?” The words are out before you can stop them.

Thankfully, Eijiro just laughs. “Lil’ bit, yeah. I prefer to just cruise through life without having to think too much. But I can’t right now, so I need something to keep myself occupied while I’m looking for a job. And I was thinking: how about I take on more of the chores? Cleaning’s a good workout, right? And it’d give ya more free time.”

You just look at him for a moment. “Is that really fair? We pay the same amount of rent, so shouldn’t chores be split evenly too?”

He shrugs. “You talked about wanting to help me the other day. I like being helpful too, y’know. So I thought about maybe getting a wireless headset so I can talk with my friends while I clean. Might make the noise easier on you too, knowing that I’m not just sitting on my ass while talking.” He stops for a moment, then adds, “Was thinking about doing the grocery runs too. Y’know how they’ve been saying that thing about only having one person per household shopping? Might as well be me.” He scoffs. “Got nothing but free time.”

You’re speechless. What he’s saying makes sense, yes. But it still feels wrong to let him do most of your chores just because he’s bored.

It’s like he can sense your unease. 

“We could also take turns on groceries,” he offers. “Then you can get all the intimate stuff ya need without needing to involve me.”

You can’t help but grin at him. “What, too much of a chicken to buy me tampons?” 

Eijiro grins back. “Nah, ‘s not that, I don’t mind. I’ve done it before. It’s just that there are so many kinds I’d need pictures to make sure I got the right thing. Might be less of a hassle if you got it yourself. But! If you’re ever in a pinch I got your back!”

You look down at your lunch for a moment, thinking over what he just said.

“If we’re combining groceries, it might be easier if we coordinate our meals. I’m already cooking for myself, I don’t mind cooking for…” -you eye him for a moment- “for two more people. It’s not that much of a difference.”

“Two people!” he sputters. “That’s… … actually probably accurate. I do eat a lot. I like the idea, but…” He scratches at the back of his neck. “I was actually thinking we could take turns cooking.”

You can’t stop yourself from making a face this time. Eijiro just laughs.

“Yeah, I know. I’m terrible. But I was thinking that this is the time to get better. I don’t mind eating what I cook, but I wouldn’t serve it to someone else. So cooking for you as well would force me to pay more attention.”

You sit back in your seat, crossing your arms. “You want me to be your guinea pig.”

“No, I want ya to hold me accountable!”

When you just glare at him, Eijiro holds up his hands. “I’ve got a plan. One of my friends, Katsuki, he’s really good at cooking. Like really, really good. He’s been laid off as well, and he just started a Youtube channel where he shares cooking tips. He’s suggested helping me and Denks cook some meals, so he can figure out what some common mistakes might be. And we can get better at cooking at the same time.”

You stay silent, thinking. It makes Eijiro fret.

“So? Whaddaya think?” he eventually asks.

You sigh, feeling your resolve crumble. It’s too difficult to say no to his puppy-eyes. “Yeah, okay. I’ll at least give your food a try.”

Eijiro rewards you with a beaming smile. It makes your cheeks burn.

It only takes a few days before Eijiro decides to try his cooking experiments on you. He spends the afternoon getting barked at by whom you can only assume is Katsuki - with you listening in on every word. It’s Eijiro’s own fault for having his phone on speaker, you try to reassure yourself. And Katsuki’s tinny voice is piercing.

“Show me what you’re doing, Shitty Hair! … No, you need to cut them smaller, they’ll cook too slow as they are!”

‘Shitty hair’? you think. Do his friends really speak to him like that?

Eijiro just groans, ignoring the insult. “I don’t think I can, Kats, I don’t want the knife to slip.”

“Then sharpen your fucking knife! It’s meant to cut easily, if you’re fighting to cut small pieces then it’s too fucking dull!”

You roll your eyes. As charming as Gordon Ramsey.

“Are you keeping an eye on the meat?” Katsuki asks, his voice smug. “It’s gonna burn if you don’t…”

“SHIT!!”

The food turns out a lot more palatable than you’d imagined. It’s a little bland, a little overcooked, but you really wouldn’t mind eating it again.

And you’re surprised at just how fast Eijiro improves. Over the next few months you grow more and more thankful that he suggested taking turns cooking. It’s a weight off your shoulders, even if you still feel a bit weird that he does most of the cleaning and grocery shopping. But the extra free time and knowing that he’s being productive during his loud voice calls do make things easier on you. In the end you suggest to him that you take on a few more of the financial responsibilities -just a bill or two- to make things a little bit more even. 

You look up from your screen when you hear the front door slam; Eijiro has arrived home with a load of groceries. Stretching, you get up from your chair. Helping him put away the groceries assuages your guilt just a little bit. And -if you’re being very honest with yourself- you’ve recently noticed finding every excuse to spend more time with him. Just five minutes here and there. Helping put away the groceries fits nicely into that too.

Leaving your room, you notice a bag of groceries leaning against the dining table. You turn to Eijiro -who’s already busy putting away groceries- and ask, “What about this one?”

Eijiro smiles at you, which makes your stomach flutter.

“Break time?” he asks. “I got you some ice cream at the store. Didn’t do great in the heat so you might wanna eat it soon.”

You thank him, finally moving from your doorway to actually help. Then you ask again, “What about the bag by the table? We’re not emptying that one?”

He shakes his head, grinning. “That one’s not for us. You know the elderly couple down the hallway?”

You nod silently, unwilling to admit that you don’t.

“I’ve been chatting with them a little bit. Distanced, of course! They’re not doing great so I thought I’d buy them some staples to help out. I’ll take the cost out of my own budget, don’t worry.”

You pause for a moment. It’s such a kind gesture to someone he barely knows. He really is a giant sweetheart. Then you make an instant decision. “I’ll split the cost with you, I wanna help too!” 

You’re graced with a brilliant smile, like the sun rising over the horizon.

“Really?? Thanks! I’ll let them know it’s from both of us!”

You’re numbed, ears ringing as Eijiro talks about taking a quick shower before heading over to your neighbors. Then you’re left alone in the kitchen. 

Sliding onto the floor, you lean your forehead against your drawn-up knees. You’re in deep. Maybe too deep. Ever since his breakdown and the following hug, your feelings have only been growing. And now you don’t know how to make it stop. You aren’t entirely sure you want to, either. But… It’s a bad idea, isn’t it? You’re worried that telling him will only lead to hurt and heartbreak. And yet, you’re not sure how long you can keep your feelings contained.

You decide that you need an in-depth vent session with your own friend group.

The vent session only helps solidify that you definitely have feelings for your roommate. But you still have no idea whether to act on those feelings or not. And Eijiro only makes things harder by being himself - sweet, kind, and maybe a little bit too touchy.

He comes up behind you one night as you’re cooking, loudly sniffing the air.

“Something smells amazing!”

He leans in over you, hands resting on either side of the stove, his chin on your shoulder, just watching as you cook. It’s almost too easy to melt against his chest.

You pull away instead, turning to face him as you try to laugh. It comes out strangled.

“It’s not ready yet, you have to wait!”

Eijiro pouts at you. But he thankfully moves away, instead opting to set the table. You sigh, equal parts in relief and disappointment. You’re not sure how much longer you can keep going without spilling the secret.

You’re doing the dishes together after dinner. It’s become a routine to do them as a team - they get done quicker that way. Eijiro refuses to let you do them alone, even back when your shared cooking routine began. Your idea of ‘you cook, I clean’ fell on deaf ears. And now you appreciate the extra time with him.

And you decide to let him know as much.

“Y’know, I’m actually kind of happy that we got this chance to get to know each other,” you say, nudging him with your hip. “If we hadn’t been stuck at home, I don’t know if we’d ever have taken the time to actually talk.”

You’re rewarded with a brilliant smile.

“Me too!”

You keep chatting while Eijiro washes the dishes, handing you clean ones to dry. The conversation jumps from the two of you, to your apartment and how thankful you are that Eijiro took on more of the chores, to the lives you led before the pandemic. And eventually to your individual friend groups.

“There’s Katsuki - you know him already,” Eijiro says. “And Denki and Hanta and Kyoka. We all met in high school. But Mina and me, we go back to middle school.”

“Mina,” you mumble. There she was again.

He pauses, looking at you questioningly.

“Did…” You hesitate, then you decide to just ask what’s on your mind. “She’s clearly very special to you. Did you ever date?”

Eijiro looks down at the soapy water, a fond smile on his face. “We did, back in high school. Only for a few months, though, then we decided that we were better off as friends. I guess we both felt pressured to give it a try.” Turning back to you, he finds your gaze again. “She’s my oldest friend. She’s my rock, not afraid to tell me if I’m being an idiot. N’ I do the same for her! But that’s as far as it goes. We didn’t work out back then, and we sure as hell wouldn’t work out now.”

You feel your cheeks heat under his gaze. It doesn’t sound like he regretted breaking up with Mina at all. And the way he’s looking at you makes your stomach flutter. 

Eijiro breaks eye contact for a moment to empty the dish tub and dry his hands. Then he turns to you again, leaning against the counter.

“If you’re not busy tonight, do you maybe want to watch a movie or something?”

It’s your turn to beam. “Yeah, absolutely!!”

Maybe saying yes to a movie was a bad idea. You had trouble sleeping last night, work was particularly draining today, and now you find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open. As much as you want to pay attention to the movie Eijiro picked, your mind is steadily turning into soup. You blink hard, trying to force your eyes to stay open. It doesn’t work. They slowly close, and you sag sideways.

You have no idea how much time has passed. All you know is that you are comfortable and warm. You can still hear the movie playing. Or maybe it’s a new movie. You can’t bring yourself to truly care.

Eijiro shifts in his seat. It makes you realize that you’re leaning against him, his arm wrapped loosely around your waist. Your eyes snap open. Then you decide to close them again. If he doesn’t mind -which you assume he doesn’t, since he hasn’t pushed you away- then you won’t mind either. It’s too comfortable, anyway. 

The two of you stay like this for a while. It’s cozy. Then a frown forms on your face. Something is tickling your waist. It’s most likely a hair stuck to the inside of your shirt. You try to ignore it, but it only gets more irritating, brushing over your skin every time you breathe.

You snap, pushing Eijiro’s arm out of the way to get at the itch. 

Eijiro flinches away from you. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to-- You were leaning on me pretty hard and I thought this would be more comfortable! I-I didn’t--”

“It’s fine,” you say, as you sink back against him. “I don’t mind, it’s cozy. Just had an itch right where your arm was.”

“O-oh.” He hesitates for a moment, then he puts his arm back around you, gently hugging you to his side. “It’s… Yeah, it’s pretty cozy.”

You close your eyes again, not fully registering how flustered he sounds. Or how happy…

Eijiro sits as still as he can, despite the credits rolling over the screen. You’re still nestled up against his shoulder, your forehead pressed against his neck, your breathing soft and even. He’s certain you’re asleep again. And he cannot bring himself to move a muscle, worried he’ll break the spell.

Slowly lifting his free hand, he scrubs at his face. “I’m really in it now, aren’t I?” he mumbles to himself. Falling in love with his roommate. Isn’t that one of the things people are always advised against?

“Fuck, Kats’ll never let me hear the end of it!”

You stir in your sleep, sighing softly. It only makes him wrap his arm tighter around you. Katsuki will have to be a problem for another day; right now Eijiro doesn’t want to think about anything but the sensation of you pressed against his side.

“Need your advice on something, Kats.”

The blonde makes a non-commital sound on the other end of the line. Eijiro swallows thickly, suddenly happy that it’s only the two of them on the voice call. And that you aren’t home to accidentally overhear anything.

He hesitates too long.

“What fucking is it?” Katsuki barks.

Eijiro sighs, steeling himself for the barrage he’s sure is about to come. “I think I’m falling in love with my roomie.”

When the barrage doesn’t come, he wonders briefly if the connection has been cut. 

Then Katsuki groans. “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. Really, Shitty Hair? Your fuckin’ roommate?”

“Hey, she’s a sweetheart, I--”

“NOT what I meant! I’m sure she’s amazin’ if she can tolerate your ass. But what the fuck are you planning to do? Tell her?”

Eijiro can feel himself blush. “I.. I mean, yeah, I’d like to. That’s what I wanted advice on.”

Katsuki practically growls. “Well, my advice is DON’T! We’re in the middle of a fuckin’ pandemic, if she says no, you won’t be able to easily move out.” He grumbles for a moment. “Of all your shitty, hare-brained ideas… But knowin’ you, you’ll never be able to let it go unless you find out, right?”

Eijiro chuckles, scratching at his cheek. “Ya know me too well, Kats.”

“‘Too well’ is right.” Katsuki is silent for a moment, then he groans again. “Alright, fuckin’ fine. Advice. Try to figure out if she feels the same b’fore you tell her anythin’. If she rebuffs you at all, then fuckin’ leave it alone, ya got that??”

Eijiro’s face splits into a wide smile. “Got it!! And if she says no, I can move in with you, right?”

“Like fuck you can’t!!”

Meat and onions sizzle in the pan. You give it a stir, peeking at Eijiro out of the corner of your eyes. He’s currently chopping vegetables, broad shoulders barely moving as he uses the knife. You have to admit that he’s gotten a lot better in the past few months, to the point where you’re looking forward to every meal he makes.

He’s gotten a lot more forward with you too. He’s become touchy-feely and quick to give compliments. And you don’t mind it one bit. You just hope it will continue once the pandemic ends. 

You really ought to tell him how you feel. But… You can’t help but worry about whether he feels the same. Sighing softly, you push the thought away for now. 

Eijiro turns to you with the cutting board, ready to add the veggies to the pan.

“By the way,” he says, “I got a surprise for dinner.”

You tilt your head, unable to stop your coquettish grin. “Oh? Should I be worried?”

Eijiro’s features soften as he looks at you. “Nah, probably not. Unless you don’t drink wine.”

“I do!”

You slowly swirl the wine in your glass. It’s the last of the two bottles Eijiro bought, so you want to savor it.

Across the table, Eijiro watches your movements with rapt attention. You can almost feel the intensity of his gaze. Or maybe it’s the wine.

He draws in a deep breath, almost like he forgot how to breathe for a moment. “You’re fuckin’ beautiful.”

It takes a little too long for his words to make their way through your drunk brain. 

“What did you just say?” you exhale. Your face feels like it's on fire.

Eijiro blinks. Then he sits up straight, shaking his head. “Fuck, I-- I shouldn’t have-- It’s just… I dunno how much longer I can stand not saying anythin’.”

You swallow hard, trying your best not to melt against the table. “What are you trying to say?”

He looks at you again, features softening. “That I’m in love with you.” Looking away, he scratches at the back of his neck. “I-I don’t even know if… if you return my feelings, but--”

You down the rest of your wine, trying to gain some liquid courage which you honestly don’t need at the moment. Then you get up, moving around the table. 

He peers at you, smile evaporating. “What are you…”

“I do!” you finally answer him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning in, face level with his.

Eijiro blinks hard. “What…”

“I do return your feelings. You’re pretty fucking cute yourself.” 

He just looks at you for a moment, letting your words sink in. Then his face splits into a brilliant smile. You should’ve worn sunglasses.

Raising a hand, he gently cups your cheek, his smile widening when you lean into his touch. His thumb rubs over your skin, slowly moving downwards until it brushes over your bottom lip.

“Can I?” he asks.

You don’t answer. Instead, you lean in to kiss him first. His lips are warm, tasting like wine. Eijiro interrupts the kiss briefly to push his chair back, getting to his feet.

Pulling you close, his hand finds its place on your cheek once more. “You’ve no idea how fuckin’ long I’ve wanted to do this,” he mumbles against your lips. Then he kisses you again.

You sit sideways on the couch, feet propped up against Eijiro’s thigh. He’s gaming with his friends again; you can feel the muscles in his thigh tense as he leans into the curve of the race track on the screen. 

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon… YES!!!”

He jumps to his feet, whooping as he wins. You eye him over the top of your magazine, pouting at him.

Grinning at you, he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, babe, didn’t mean to get that loud!” 

You hear someone loudly exclaiming something through Eijiro’s headset.

He chuckles. “Yeah, my girlfriend got mad.”

The voice call erupts into shouts. You can’t help but giggle when you hear Denki screaming ‘what??’ over and over again, with whom you assume is Mina cheering loudly in the background. 

Eijiro just laughs. “Didn’t I tell you? Me and my roomie started dating!”

He talks for a moment longer, then bows out of the game with his victory, deciding that he’d rather spend the rest of the day with you. 

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, comments, and reblogs are always greatly appreciated! If you like what you’ve read, please check out my other works. Love, Em 💖

Do not repost, redistribute, copy, modify, record, translate, or plagiarize my writing. If you see someone posting my writing claiming it as their own, or posting a narration of my writing, please let me know!

[birinboom]

My Roommate and I

Kirishima Eijiro x Fem!Reader Word count: 6.336 words Summary: You don’t know your roommate all that well. He’s fine as roommates go, cleans up after himself, bills paid on time. But he isn’t around enough for you to actually get to know him. Things begin to change when the pandemic forces both of you to stay at home and your social butterfly of a roommate loses IRL access to his friends. Genre: Quirkless AU, roommates to lovers, pandemic fic, forced proximity, domestic fluff, romance Warning: mention of past Kiri-Mina, food/eating, swearing, alcohol, Eijiro calls Reader ‘babe’ Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖

The first time you meet Eijiro, you could only describe him as big and bright. Big and bright smile, big and bright personality, big stature in a bright outfit, big and bright hair. You wonder briefly if his hair is dyed and whether he dyes it himself. Then you shrug. The two of you have separate bathrooms so if he leaves red dye streaks everywhere, that’s his own problem. He can take it up with the landlord when he eventually moves out.

You’re happy, though, that he agreed to meet up with you before moving in. You'd be a bit freaked out seeing a stranger in your home, even if you knew that he’d be moving in. And this makes it easier to sit down with him early on to go over some general rules and a chore chart for the common areas.

It turns out that Eijiro’s a pretty decent roommate. He keeps his clutter out of the kitchen and living room, he cleans his assigned areas, he leaves your food alone, he pays rent on time. Most of this, you think, is probably attributed to him only really using his room for sleep. You rarely see him outside of early mornings when you're both preparing for work. After work he usually hangs out with his friends, or goes to the gym, or whatever a guy like him does, only coming home long after you've retired to your own room.

You don't really mind; you have the apartment mostly to yourself this way. And it's not like you really know him, anyway. He's just a roommate.

Time passes. You count yourself lucky, hearing some of your friends’ horror stories about their roommates from hell. 

Then the pandemic lockdowns happen.

You’re fortunate that you’re able to do your job remotely. Eijiro, however, is fired; he tells you so in passing. But he quickly adds that he’ll get by on unemployment until he finds another job, so no need to worry!

You're honestly surprised that he doesn't go stay with one of his friends. But he unfortunately doesn't, which means that you’re now stuck with him constantly at home. And you learn yet another aspect of his personality: just how frustratingly loud he can be. He cranks the volume on video calls with his friends -to the point where you can hear their voices clearly through his headphones- and he laughs boisterously at almost anything they say. He shrieks and hollers at the online games they play. And even though he's quick to turn the volume down with a sheepish ‘whoops, my roomie got mad’ when you poke your head out of your room to scowl at him, it still frustrates you to no end. You still have work for goodness’ sake! 

You soon come to realize that Eijiro’s very existence is loud, even when he’s not yapping with his friends. It seems that all he does during his waking hours is never-ending chit-chat and exercising in the middle of the living room, grunting up a storm. These two things sometimes happen at the same time, making you want to scream. 

Adding onto your frustrations are his so-called ‘cooking experiments,’ the stench of burned food often hanging in the air for hours after he finishes cooking, pots and pans left to soak overnight. You do have to admit, though, that they might very well need the soaking, given the amount of charred food on them. And Eijiro usually cleans them up the next morning without prompting. Usually. 

It’s just two more weeks, you tell yourself, then things will open up again and he can go spend time SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Things go on like this for months, your urge to throw him out a window slowly growing with each day.

Then, one Saturday morning, you find him sitting at the dining table, eyes red-rimmed and nose running. Your first thought is that he caught covid. But there’s something off about the scene; Eijiro isn’t behaving like someone who’s sick. He absentmindedly moves his cereal around in the bowl, lifts the spoon, then lowers it again. His breathing stutters, he hiccups, then lets out a shaky sigh. And it hits you; he’s not sick, nor is he potentially hungover. He’s trying his best to not cry. 

You almost wish you could back into your bedroom, pretend like you didn’t notice anything to give him some privacy. But it’s too late.

“Oh!” you hear him croak as he sees you, followed by a very wet sniffle.

Guess I’m dealing with this now, you think. The two of you had a pretty decent -if almost non-existent- relationship before the lockdown, right? You really ought to be a good roommate.

“Are you alright?” you ask. It seems stupid in hindsight, he’s clearly far from alright.

And Eijiro admits as much. 

“I… … no.” 

You watch as he clenches his teeth, lower lip wobbling, trying to breathe through whatever this is. And you sigh. Yeah, it’s time to be a good roommate. 

Moving into the kitchen, you begin fixing your own bowl of cereal. You figure this conversation might be easier for him if you’re not looking straight at him. He’s always seemed like the type of hyper-masculine person who’d hate crying in front of others.

“What’s going on?” you ask.

Eijiro sniffles again. He’s silent for a moment, then he draws in a deep, shaky breath. “I’m so fucking lonely,” he admits.

Humming in response, you eye the pot of coffee he made earlier. Surely he won’t mind if you have some, not when you’re listening to him vent. You pull a cup from the cupboard.

“But you talk with your friends all the time, don’t you?” You have to fight not to make a snippy comment about how loud they usually are; now isn’t the time for that.

He shifts in his seat. “’S not the same,” he says, then adds in a smaller voice, “Not at all.”

Placing your filled coffee cup next to you, you finally turn to face him, leaning against the counter, cereal bowl balanced in one hand. Sitting in front of him at the table still feels a bit too intimate with the mood he’s in.

His silhouette is dark against the light from the window at the end of the room, mirroring his emotions. You realize that his hair isn’t styled into the normal spikes; instead it’s drooping around his face, making him seem smaller, almost like he’s folding in on himself. Like he’s trying to hide. You barely recognize him.

“How is it not the same?” you ask, deciding to prod just a little bit. “Is it because you’re not in the same room?”

“It’s not just that!” he responds. “I can kinda get there if I really crank the volume, but…”

Oh, you think, is that why he prefers it so loud? Here you just thought he was obnoxious and had no respect for your working hours. Or your sleep.

“But?” you prod again.

Eijiro sighs deeply. When he speaks again, his voice croaks with held-back tears. “I miss physical touch. We’re pretty tight, me ‘n my friends. We hug each other a lot.” He sighs again; it almost sounds like his heart is breaking. “Not being in the same room as them, not being able to hear their voices except through headphones - it already hurts. But not being able to reach out and touch them is… it’s so much worse.” 

He swallows hard, then continues, “Denki’s roommate moved back home with their parents; to assist them, I think. So he’s alone too. He cried on our call yesterday. And I couldn’t do anything; couldn’t offer him a tissue, or a hug, or anything!”

You have no idea who Denki is. But it strikes you that Eijiro described him as ‘alone too.’ Denki, it seems, really is alone if his roommate has moved out. Did Eijiro truly see himself in the same situation, even with you here? You swallow hard. Maybe you haven’t been as good a roommate as you thought. 

Looking at the cereal bowl in your hand, you absentmindedly stir it, much like Eijiro had done with his own bowl just a moment before. Seems like you might have misjudged him too, if he truly gives physical affection to his friends as freely as he just described. You hadn’t expected that - you’ve always seen him as the classic, super macho gym-nut who might catch the gay if he’s in the vicinity of the color pink. Not that he’s ever given you any reason to believe that, you slowly realize. This was all your own prejudice. You really haven’t been a good roommate. And that realization stings.

Looking at Eijiro again, you feel like you see him in a different light. You read an article just the night before about how the pandemic has left a lot of people touch-starved when they can’t participate in their usual social activities. 

The article suggested moving in with friends, with family, even with friends-with-benefits, just to stave off touch-starvation and loneliness. You have to admit that you feel a bit touch-starved too, now that you can’t spend time with your friends or family. And isn’t there something about humans needing a certain amount of touch a day to thrive?

Eijiro’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts. 

"D’ya think I could have a hug?" he asks, finally facing you, his eyes brimming with tears.

You realize in that moment that a hug sounds really, really great. And maybe this is an opportunity to actually get to know your roommate. Especially when you don’t know how long this pandemic will last. The promise of two weeks to flatten the curve has already been extended several times.

Putting your cereal bowl on the counter, you wordlessly spread your arms. Eijiro is up in an instant, chair clattering against the floor. Then you find yourself swept up in what you can only describe as a bone-crushing embrace. You know he’s buff, but you haven’t realized just how strong he is. Gasping for air, you tap his biceps.

“Not so tight!” you wheeze.

Eijiro lets out what you can only describe as a wet bark of laughter. But he loosens his grip on you instantly.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, sniffling again. “Got a bit too enthusiastic.”

“That’s okay,” you say. “Guess you really needed it.”

It’s comforting, you realize, as you sink back into the embrace. He’s warm, and his arms around you feel safe for some reason. You can almost imagine falling asleep standing like this, certain that he’ll keep you upright. But you want your coffee while it’s still hot.

Eijiro seems reluctant to let go when you begin pulling away, scrubbing at his face behind your back.

Finally, he looks at you again, tear streaks on his cheeks. “Think we could do this again sometime?” he asks shyly.

You smile at him and nod. “Yeah. I think we’re both gonna need it.”

Eijiro blows his nose again, managing to make a sound reminiscent of a trumpeting elephant. 

“Sorry ‘bout all that,” he says, sniffling once more. “Crying to you wasn’t exactly manly of me.”

Resting your elbows on the dining table, you tilt your head and look at him over the rim of your coffee cup. “Crying is human. It’s not feminine, it’s--”

“That’s not what I mean,” he interrupts. “I agree, nothing shameful about crying; I meant complaining ‘bout all my issues. It’s not manly of me to put that burden on you.”

You decide to ignore the issue of not wanting to ask for help for now. Instead you say, “We’re gonna be stuck together for a while. I want to at least try to help. Besides, this might be better for both of us in the long run. Being at home all the time hasn’t exactly been great for me either…”

Eijiro nods thoughtfully, pulling his bowl of soggy breakfast closer. You look towards the movement, your brows furrowing.

“Is that my cereal?”

He looks at you like a deer caught in headlights. “You… you said I could have some, didn’t you?”

You can’t help but laugh at his expression. “I did! I’m not going back on that, don’t worry! I’ve just never seen you eat sugary cereal before.”

Eijiro relaxes again, then gives a small shrug. “Felt like I needed a sweet treat today.” 

“Don’t we all these days...”

You take another sip of your coffee, then look back to the man at the opposite side of the table.

“I think we need to put down some new rules while we’re both home all the time. The voice calls with your friends are really starting to bother me, especially when I’m working.”

He nods. “Yeah, kinda figured. I swear I’m trying to be quieter, but I always end up forgetting when I’m in the middle of it. I’ll try talking with everybody, see if we can find a different time or something. Maybe meet up outside once the weather’s better…” Leaning back in his chair, Eijiro scrubs at his face. “If only I could find a new job, then I’d actually have something to occupy me. Haven’t had any luck though.”

You realize with a pang of guilt that you don’t even know what he does for a living. Or… did. But Eijiro just grins when you tell him as much.

“Guess I was never really around so you could ask. I was a fitness instructor at this privately owned gym. They had to close because of the pandemic, but the owners promised me that if they have any hope of keeping the gym going I’ll be back on payroll once they open up again. They only really let me go so I could get unemployment.” He sighs fondly. “I really like them, they’re so… manly!”

You fight not to make a face. There it is again. Manly. Manliness isn’t exactly something you’d be looking for in a gym, but you guess you also aren’t a masculine gym-nut. At least Eijiro isn’t nearly as bad as you had originally thought.

You really do fight not to make a face… But you fail. And Eijiro notices instantly.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… I’m not sure I’d personally want to go to a ‘manly’ gym.”

He just blinks at you for a moment. “Not sure why you think that-- oh.” He laughs to himself. “I need to explain something. ‘Manly’ doesn’t mean masculine to me. ’S not based on gender at all. When I was a kid I used to be a really big fan of this action hero, Crimson Riot - do you know him?”

You shake your head. Never heard of the guy.

“He had this habit of calling things he favored ‘manly,’” Eijiro explains. “It was a way of living, a way of staying true to yourself, or so he’d say. Guess I never grew out of this way of seeing things.

“But the owners,” he continues, “they’re a gay couple, and they’re some of the sweetest and most helpful people I’ve ever met. They face a lot of prejudice but they never let it get to them. They choose to stay kind. It’s awesome. It’s… It’s manly! You see?”

You look at him for a moment. Then you nod. “Yeah, I… I think I do.”

Eijiro beams at you. “I think you’d like the gym. We’re very supportive, and we take harassment complaints very seriously. One of my buds was a regular when it was still open, and she told me she felt very safe there.” He chuckles. “Though anyone who wanted to harass her should fear her, not the management. She’s never been shy about punching someone in the gut. And it hurts!”

You raise your brows. “Wait, she’s punched you??”

Eijiro grins. “Yeah! … Wait no, not because I deserved it; I asked her to! She wanted to know if she could do anything to punch better, so I said ‘well, punch me!’ and she did. It was perfect, 10/10 no notes. Took me close to 15 minutes to be able to breathe regularly again.”

Smiling to himself, he adds, “Mina is one of the manliest girls I know. Been friends since high school and she’s always been unabashedly herself. She really helped me grow into the person I am today.”

Mina. He sounds so fond when he speaks of her. You can’t help but wonder if there’s something more there than he’s admitting. Pushing the thought away, you focus on Eijiro again.

“I guess being a personal trainer explains why you’re constantly exercising. I thought you were just obsessed with it.”

Eijiro shrugs with a smile. “I’m actually working out more than I did before getting fired. I’m used to being on my feet and moving almost constantly while at work, and exercising burns off some of that energy. ‘N I want to be ready to go back instantly.” He’s quiet for a moment, then adds, “Oh, let me know if you want me to show you how to work out at home, or some stretches or anything. You sit still a lot, ’s not good for you.”

You try to wave him off with an awkward laugh. “I know. But I’m not interested right now.”

You’re admittedly surprised when Eijiro backs down instantly. 

“Well, let me know if you ever change your mind. I’ll let ya borrow any equipment you need!”

A couple of days later, Eijiro asks to sit down with you again.

“I’ve been thinking,” he starts. 

“Did it hurt?” The words are out before you can stop them.

Thankfully, Eijiro just laughs. “Lil’ bit, yeah. I prefer to just cruise through life without having to think too much. But I can’t right now, so I need something to keep myself occupied while I’m looking for a job. And I was thinking: how about I take on more of the chores? Cleaning’s a good workout, right? And it’d give ya more free time.”

You just look at him for a moment. “Is that really fair? We pay the same amount of rent, so shouldn’t chores be split evenly too?”

He shrugs. “You talked about wanting to help me the other day. I like being helpful too, y’know. So I thought about maybe getting a wireless headset so I can talk with my friends while I clean. Might make the noise easier on you too, knowing that I’m not just sitting on my ass while talking.” He stops for a moment, then adds, “Was thinking about doing the grocery runs too. Y’know how they’ve been saying that thing about only having one person per household shopping? Might as well be me.” He scoffs. “Got nothing but free time.”

You’re speechless. What he’s saying makes sense, yes. But it still feels wrong to let him do most of your chores just because he’s bored.

It’s like he can sense your unease. 

“We could also take turns on groceries,” he offers. “Then you can get all the intimate stuff ya need without needing to involve me.”

You can’t help but grin at him. “What, too much of a chicken to buy me tampons?” 

Eijiro grins back. “Nah, ‘s not that, I don’t mind. I’ve done it before. It’s just that there are so many kinds I’d need pictures to make sure I got the right thing. Might be less of a hassle if you got it yourself. But! If you’re ever in a pinch I got your back!”

You look down at your lunch for a moment, thinking over what he just said.

“If we’re combining groceries, it might be easier if we coordinate our meals. I’m already cooking for myself, I don’t mind cooking for…” -you eye him for a moment- “for two more people. It’s not that much of a difference.”

“Two people!” he sputters. “That’s… … actually probably accurate. I do eat a lot. I like the idea, but…” He scratches at the back of his neck. “I was actually thinking we could take turns cooking.”

You can’t stop yourself from making a face this time. Eijiro just laughs.

“Yeah, I know. I’m terrible. But I was thinking that this is the time to get better. I don’t mind eating what I cook, but I wouldn’t serve it to someone else. So cooking for you as well would force me to pay more attention.”

You sit back in your seat, crossing your arms. “You want me to be your guinea pig.”

“No, I want ya to hold me accountable!”

When you just glare at him, Eijiro holds up his hands. “I’ve got a plan. One of my friends, Katsuki, he’s really good at cooking. Like really, really good. He’s been laid off as well, and he just started a Youtube channel where he shares cooking tips. He’s suggested helping me and Denks cook some meals, so he can figure out what some common mistakes might be. And we can get better at cooking at the same time.”

You stay silent, thinking. It makes Eijiro fret.

“So? Whaddaya think?” he eventually asks.

You sigh, feeling your resolve crumble. It’s too difficult to say no to his puppy-eyes. “Yeah, okay. I’ll at least give your food a try.”

Eijiro rewards you with a beaming smile. It makes your cheeks burn.

It only takes a few days before Eijiro decides to try his cooking experiments on you. He spends the afternoon getting barked at by whom you can only assume is Katsuki - with you listening in on every word. It’s Eijiro’s own fault for having his phone on speaker, you try to reassure yourself. And Katsuki’s tinny voice is piercing.

“Show me what you’re doing, Shitty Hair! … No, you need to cut them smaller, they’ll cook too slow as they are!”

‘Shitty hair’? you think. Do his friends really speak to him like that?

Eijiro just groans, ignoring the insult. “I don’t think I can, Kats, I don’t want the knife to slip.”

“Then sharpen your fucking knife! It’s meant to cut easily, if you’re fighting to cut small pieces then it’s too fucking dull!”

You roll your eyes. As charming as Gordon Ramsey.

“Are you keeping an eye on the meat?” Katsuki asks, his voice smug. “It’s gonna burn if you don’t…”

“SHIT!!”

The food turns out a lot more palatable than you’d imagined. It’s a little bland, a little overcooked, but you really wouldn’t mind eating it again.

And you’re surprised at just how fast Eijiro improves. Over the next few months you grow more and more thankful that he suggested taking turns cooking. It’s a weight off your shoulders, even if you still feel a bit weird that he does most of the cleaning and grocery shopping. But the extra free time and knowing that he’s being productive during his loud voice calls do make things easier on you. In the end you suggest to him that you take on a few more of the financial responsibilities -just a bill or two- to make things a little bit more even. 

You look up from your screen when you hear the front door slam; Eijiro has arrived home with a load of groceries. Stretching, you get up from your chair. Helping him put away the groceries assuages your guilt just a little bit. And -if you’re being very honest with yourself- you’ve recently noticed finding every excuse to spend more time with him. Just five minutes here and there. Helping put away the groceries fits nicely into that too.

Leaving your room, you notice a bag of groceries leaning against the dining table. You turn to Eijiro -who’s already busy putting away groceries- and ask, “What about this one?”

Eijiro smiles at you, which makes your stomach flutter.

“Break time?” he asks. “I got you some ice cream at the store. Didn’t do great in the heat so you might wanna eat it soon.”

You thank him, finally moving from your doorway to actually help. Then you ask again, “What about the bag by the table? We’re not emptying that one?”

He shakes his head, grinning. “That one’s not for us. You know the elderly couple down the hallway?”

You nod silently, unwilling to admit that you don’t.

“I’ve been chatting with them a little bit. Distanced, of course! They’re not doing great so I thought I’d buy them some staples to help out. I’ll take the cost out of my own budget, don’t worry.”

You pause for a moment. It’s such a kind gesture to someone he barely knows. He really is a giant sweetheart. Then you make an instant decision. “I’ll split the cost with you, I wanna help too!” 

You’re graced with a brilliant smile, like the sun rising over the horizon.

“Really?? Thanks! I’ll let them know it’s from both of us!”

You’re numbed, ears ringing as Eijiro talks about taking a quick shower before heading over to your neighbors. Then you’re left alone in the kitchen. 

Sliding onto the floor, you lean your forehead against your drawn-up knees. You’re in deep. Maybe too deep. Ever since his breakdown and the following hug, your feelings have only been growing. And now you don’t know how to make it stop. You aren’t entirely sure you want to, either. But… It’s a bad idea, isn’t it? You’re worried that telling him will only lead to hurt and heartbreak. And yet, you’re not sure how long you can keep your feelings contained.

You decide that you need an in-depth vent session with your own friend group.

The vent session only helps solidify that you definitely have feelings for your roommate. But you still have no idea whether to act on those feelings or not. And Eijiro only makes things harder by being himself - sweet, kind, and maybe a little bit too touchy.

He comes up behind you one night as you’re cooking, loudly sniffing the air.

“Something smells amazing!”

He leans in over you, hands resting on either side of the stove, his chin on your shoulder, just watching as you cook. It’s almost too easy to melt against his chest.

You pull away instead, turning to face him as you try to laugh. It comes out strangled.

“It’s not ready yet, you have to wait!”

Eijiro pouts at you. But he thankfully moves away, instead opting to set the table. You sigh, equal parts in relief and disappointment. You’re not sure how much longer you can keep going without spilling the secret.

You’re doing the dishes together after dinner. It’s become a routine to do them as a team - they get done quicker that way. Eijiro refuses to let you do them alone, even back when your shared cooking routine began. Your idea of ‘you cook, I clean’ fell on deaf ears. And now you appreciate the extra time with him.

And you decide to let him know as much.

“Y’know, I’m actually kind of happy that we got this chance to get to know each other,” you say, nudging him with your hip. “If we hadn’t been stuck at home, I don’t know if we’d ever have taken the time to actually talk.”

You’re rewarded with a brilliant smile.

“Me too!”

You keep chatting while Eijiro washes the dishes, handing you clean ones to dry. The conversation jumps from the two of you, to your apartment and how thankful you are that Eijiro took on more of the chores, to the lives you led before the pandemic. And eventually to your individual friend groups.

“There’s Katsuki - you know him already,” Eijiro says. “And Denki and Hanta and Kyoka. We all met in high school. But Mina and me, we go back to middle school.”

“Mina,” you mumble. There she was again.

He pauses, looking at you questioningly.

“Did…” You hesitate, then you decide to just ask what’s on your mind. “She’s clearly very special to you. Did you ever date?”

Eijiro looks down at the soapy water, a fond smile on his face. “We did, back in high school. Only for a few months, though, then we decided that we were better off as friends. I guess we both felt pressured to give it a try.” Turning back to you, he finds your gaze again. “She’s my oldest friend. She’s my rock, not afraid to tell me if I’m being an idiot. N’ I do the same for her! But that’s as far as it goes. We didn’t work out back then, and we sure as hell wouldn’t work out now.”

You feel your cheeks heat under his gaze. It doesn’t sound like he regretted breaking up with Mina at all. And the way he’s looking at you makes your stomach flutter. 

Eijiro breaks eye contact for a moment to empty the dish tub and dry his hands. Then he turns to you again, leaning against the counter.

“If you’re not busy tonight, do you maybe want to watch a movie or something?”

It’s your turn to beam. “Yeah, absolutely!!”

Maybe saying yes to a movie was a bad idea. You had trouble sleeping last night, work was particularly draining today, and now you find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open. As much as you want to pay attention to the movie Eijiro picked, your mind is steadily turning into soup. You blink hard, trying to force your eyes to stay open. It doesn’t work. They slowly close, and you sag sideways.

You have no idea how much time has passed. All you know is that you are comfortable and warm. You can still hear the movie playing. Or maybe it’s a new movie. You can’t bring yourself to truly care.

Eijiro shifts in his seat. It makes you realize that you’re leaning against him, his arm wrapped loosely around your waist. Your eyes snap open. Then you decide to close them again. If he doesn’t mind -which you assume he doesn’t, since he hasn’t pushed you away- then you won’t mind either. It’s too comfortable, anyway. 

The two of you stay like this for a while. It’s cozy. Then a frown forms on your face. Something is tickling your waist. It’s most likely a hair stuck to the inside of your shirt. You try to ignore it, but it only gets more irritating, brushing over your skin every time you breathe.

You snap, pushing Eijiro’s arm out of the way to get at the itch. 

Eijiro flinches away from you. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to-- You were leaning on me pretty hard and I thought this would be more comfortable! I-I didn’t--”

“It’s fine,” you say, as you sink back against him. “I don’t mind, it’s cozy. Just had an itch right where your arm was.”

“O-oh.” He hesitates for a moment, then he puts his arm back around you, gently hugging you to his side. “It’s… Yeah, it’s pretty cozy.”

You close your eyes again, not fully registering how flustered he sounds. Or how happy…

Eijiro sits as still as he can, despite the credits rolling over the screen. You’re still nestled up against his shoulder, your forehead pressed against his neck, your breathing soft and even. He’s certain you’re asleep again. And he cannot bring himself to move a muscle, worried he’ll break the spell.

Slowly lifting his free hand, he scrubs at his face. “I’m really in it now, aren’t I?” he mumbles to himself. Falling in love with his roommate. Isn’t that one of the things people are always advised against?

“Fuck, Kats’ll never let me hear the end of it!”

You stir in your sleep, sighing softly. It only makes him wrap his arm tighter around you. Katsuki will have to be a problem for another day; right now Eijiro doesn’t want to think about anything but the sensation of you pressed against his side.

“Need your advice on something, Kats.”

The blonde makes a non-commital sound on the other end of the line. Eijiro swallows thickly, suddenly happy that it’s only the two of them on the voice call. And that you aren’t home to accidentally overhear anything.

He hesitates too long.

“What fucking is it?” Katsuki barks.

Eijiro sighs, steeling himself for the barrage he’s sure is about to come. “I think I’m falling in love with my roomie.”

When the barrage doesn’t come, he wonders briefly if the connection has been cut. 

Then Katsuki groans. “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. Really, Shitty Hair? Your fuckin’ roommate?”

“Hey, she’s a sweetheart, I--”

“NOT what I meant! I’m sure she’s amazin’ if she can tolerate your ass. But what the fuck are you planning to do? Tell her?”

Eijiro can feel himself blush. “I.. I mean, yeah, I’d like to. That’s what I wanted advice on.”

Katsuki practically growls. “Well, my advice is DON’T! We’re in the middle of a fuckin’ pandemic, if she says no, you won’t be able to easily move out.” He grumbles for a moment. “Of all your shitty, hare-brained ideas… But knowin’ you, you’ll never be able to let it go unless you find out, right?”

Eijiro chuckles, scratching at his cheek. “Ya know me too well, Kats.”

“‘Too well’ is right.” Katsuki is silent for a moment, then he groans again. “Alright, fuckin’ fine. Advice. Try to figure out if she feels the same b’fore you tell her anythin’. If she rebuffs you at all, then fuckin’ leave it alone, ya got that??”

Eijiro’s face splits into a wide smile. “Got it!! And if she says no, I can move in with you, right?”

“Like fuck you can’t!!”

Meat and onions sizzle in the pan. You give it a stir, peeking at Eijiro out of the corner of your eyes. He’s currently chopping vegetables, broad shoulders barely moving as he uses the knife. You have to admit that he’s gotten a lot better in the past few months, to the point where you’re looking forward to every meal he makes.

He’s gotten a lot more forward with you too. He’s become touchy-feely and quick to give compliments. And you don’t mind it one bit. You just hope it will continue once the pandemic ends. 

You really ought to tell him how you feel. But… You can’t help but worry about whether he feels the same. Sighing softly, you push the thought away for now. 

Eijiro turns to you with the cutting board, ready to add the veggies to the pan.

“By the way,” he says, “I got a surprise for dinner.”

You tilt your head, unable to stop your coquettish grin. “Oh? Should I be worried?”

Eijiro’s features soften as he looks at you. “Nah, probably not. Unless you don’t drink wine.”

“I do!”

You slowly swirl the wine in your glass. It’s the last of the two bottles Eijiro bought, so you want to savor it.

Across the table, Eijiro watches your movements with rapt attention. You can almost feel the intensity of his gaze. Or maybe it’s the wine.

He draws in a deep breath, almost like he forgot how to breathe for a moment. “You’re fuckin’ beautiful.”

It takes a little too long for his words to make their way through your drunk brain. 

“What did you just say?” you exhale. Your face feels like it's on fire.

Eijiro blinks. Then he sits up straight, shaking his head. “Fuck, I-- I shouldn’t have-- It’s just… I dunno how much longer I can stand not saying anythin’.”

You swallow hard, trying your best not to melt against the table. “What are you trying to say?”

He looks at you again, features softening. “That I’m in love with you.” Looking away, he scratches at the back of his neck. “I-I don’t even know if… if you return my feelings, but--”

You down the rest of your wine, trying to gain some liquid courage which you honestly don’t need at the moment. Then you get up, moving around the table. 

He peers at you, smile evaporating. “What are you…”

“I do!” you finally answer him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning in, face level with his.

Eijiro blinks hard. “What…”

“I do return your feelings. You’re pretty fucking cute yourself.” 

He just looks at you for a moment, letting your words sink in. Then his face splits into a brilliant smile. You should’ve worn sunglasses.

Raising a hand, he gently cups your cheek, his smile widening when you lean into his touch. His thumb rubs over your skin, slowly moving downwards until it brushes over your bottom lip.

“Can I?” he asks.

You don’t answer. Instead, you lean in to kiss him first. His lips are warm, tasting like wine. Eijiro interrupts the kiss briefly to push his chair back, getting to his feet.

Pulling you close, his hand finds its place on your cheek once more. “You’ve no idea how fuckin’ long I’ve wanted to do this,” he mumbles against your lips. Then he kisses you again.

You sit sideways on the couch, feet propped up against Eijiro’s thigh. He’s gaming with his friends again; you can feel the muscles in his thigh tense as he leans into the curve of the race track on the screen. 

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon… YES!!!”

He jumps to his feet, whooping as he wins. You eye him over the top of your magazine, pouting at him.

Grinning at you, he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, babe, didn’t mean to get that loud!” 

You hear someone loudly exclaiming something through Eijiro’s headset.

He chuckles. “Yeah, my girlfriend got mad.”

The voice call erupts into shouts. You can’t help but giggle when you hear Denki screaming ‘what??’ over and over again, with whom you assume is Mina cheering loudly in the background. 

Eijiro just laughs. “Didn’t I tell you? Me and my roomie started dating!”

He talks for a moment longer, then bows out of the game with his victory, deciding that he’d rather spend the rest of the day with you. 

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, comments, and reblogs are always greatly appreciated! If you like what you’ve read, please check out my other works. Love, Em 💖

Do not repost, redistribute, copy, modify, record, translate, or plagiarize my writing. If you see someone posting my writing claiming it as their own, or posting a narration of my writing, please let me know!

[birinboom]

My Roommate and I

Kirishima Eijiro x Fem!Reader Word count: 6,336 words Summary: You don’t know your roommate all that well. He’s fine as roommates go, cleans up after himself, bills paid on time. But he isn’t around enough for you to actually get to know him. Things begin to change when the pandemic forces both of you to stay at home and your social butterfly of a roommate loses IRL access to his friends. Genre: Quirkless AU, roommates to lovers, pandemic fic, forced proximity, domestic fluff, romance Warning: mention of past Kiri-Mina, food/eating, swearing, alcohol, Eijiro calls Reader ‘babe’ Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖

The first time you meet Eijiro, you could only describe him as big and bright. Big and bright smile, big and bright personality, big stature in a bright outfit, big and bright hair. You wonder briefly if his hair is dyed and whether he dyes it himself. Then you shrug. The two of you have separate bathrooms so if he leaves red dye streaks everywhere, that’s his own problem. He can take it up with the landlord when he eventually moves out.

You’re happy, though, that he agreed to meet up with you before moving in. You'd be a bit freaked out seeing a stranger in your home, even if you knew that he’d be moving in. And this makes it easier to sit down with him early on to go over some general rules and a chore chart for the common areas.

It turns out that Eijiro’s a pretty decent roommate. He keeps his clutter out of the kitchen and living room, he cleans his assigned areas, he leaves your food alone, he pays rent on time. Most of this, you think, is probably attributed to him only really using his room for sleep. You rarely see him outside of early mornings when you're both preparing for work. After work he usually hangs out with his friends, or goes to the gym, or whatever a guy like him does, only coming home long after you've retired to your own room.

You don't really mind; you have the apartment mostly to yourself this way. And it's not like you really know him, anyway. He's just a roommate.

Time passes. You count yourself lucky, hearing some of your friends’ horror stories about their roommates from hell. 

Then the pandemic lockdowns happen.

You’re fortunate that you’re able to do your job remotely. Eijiro, however, is fired; he tells you so in passing. But he quickly adds that he’ll get by on unemployment until he finds another job, so no need to worry!

You're honestly surprised that he doesn't go stay with one of his friends. But he unfortunately doesn't, which means that you’re now stuck with him constantly at home. And you learn yet another aspect of his personality: just how frustratingly loud he can be. He cranks the volume on video calls with his friends -to the point where you can hear their voices clearly through his headphones- and he laughs boisterously at almost anything they say. He shrieks and hollers at the online games they play. And even though he's quick to turn the volume down with a sheepish ‘whoops, my roomie got mad’ when you poke your head out of your room to scowl at him, it still frustrates you to no end. You still have work for goodness’ sake! 

You soon come to realize that Eijiro’s very existence is loud, even when he’s not yapping with his friends. It seems that all he does during his waking hours is never-ending chit-chat and exercising in the middle of the living room, grunting up a storm. These two things sometimes happen at the same time, making you want to scream. 

Adding onto your frustrations are his so-called ‘cooking experiments,’ the stench of burned food often hanging in the air for hours after he finishes cooking, pots and pans left to soak overnight. You do have to admit, though, that they might very well need the soaking, given the amount of charred food on them. And Eijiro usually cleans them up the next morning without prompting. Usually. 

It’s just two more weeks, you tell yourself, then things will open up again and he can go spend time SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Things go on like this for months, your urge to throw him out a window slowly growing with each day.

Then, one Saturday morning, you find him sitting at the dining table, eyes red-rimmed and nose running. Your first thought is that he caught covid. But there’s something off about the scene; Eijiro isn’t behaving like someone who’s sick. He absentmindedly moves his cereal around in the bowl, lifts the spoon, then lowers it again. His breathing stutters, he hiccups, then lets out a shaky sigh. And it hits you; he’s not sick, nor is he potentially hungover. He’s trying his best to not cry. 

You almost wish you could back into your bedroom, pretend like you didn’t notice anything to give him some privacy. But it’s too late.

“Oh!” you hear him croak as he sees you, followed by a very wet sniffle.

Guess I’m dealing with this now, you think. The two of you had a pretty decent -if almost non-existent- relationship before the lockdown, right? You really ought to be a good roommate.

“Are you alright?” you ask. It seems stupid in hindsight, he’s clearly far from alright.

And Eijiro admits as much. 

“I… … no.” 

You watch as he clenches his teeth, lower lip wobbling, trying to breathe through whatever this is. And you sigh. Yeah, it’s time to be a good roommate. 

Moving into the kitchen, you begin fixing your own bowl of cereal. You figure this conversation might be easier for him if you’re not looking straight at him. He’s always seemed like the type of hyper-masculine person who’d hate crying in front of others.

“What’s going on?” you ask.

Eijiro sniffles again. He’s silent for a moment, then he draws in a deep, shaky breath. “I’m so fucking lonely,” he admits.

Humming in response, you eye the pot of coffee he made earlier. Surely he won’t mind if you have some, not when you’re listening to him vent. You pull a cup from the cupboard.

“But you talk with your friends all the time, don’t you?” You have to fight not to make a snippy comment about how loud they usually are; now isn’t the time for that.

He shifts in his seat. “’S not the same,” he says, then adds in a smaller voice, “Not at all.”

Placing your filled coffee cup next to you, you finally turn to face him, leaning against the counter, cereal bowl balanced in one hand. Sitting in front of him at the table still feels a bit too intimate with the mood he’s in.

His silhouette is dark against the light from the window at the end of the room, mirroring his emotions. You realize that his hair isn’t styled into the normal spikes; instead it’s drooping around his face, making him seem smaller, almost like he’s folding in on himself. Like he’s trying to hide. You barely recognize him.

“How is it not the same?” you ask, deciding to prod just a little bit. “Is it because you’re not in the same room?”

“It’s not just that!” he responds. “I can kinda get there if I really crank the volume, but…”

Oh, you think, is that why he prefers it so loud? Here you just thought he was obnoxious and had no respect for your working hours. Or your sleep.

“But?” you prod again.

Eijiro sighs deeply. When he speaks again, his voice croaks with held-back tears. “I miss physical touch. We’re pretty tight, me ‘n my friends. We hug each other a lot.” He sighs again; it almost sounds like his heart is breaking. “Not being in the same room as them, not being able to hear their voices except through headphones - it already hurts. But not being able to reach out and touch them is… it’s so much worse.” 

He swallows hard, then continues, “Denki’s roommate moved back home with their parents; to assist them, I think. So he’s alone too. He cried on our call yesterday. And I couldn’t do anything; couldn’t offer him a tissue, or a hug, or anything!”

You have no idea who Denki is. But it strikes you that Eijiro described him as ‘alone too.’ Denki, it seems, really is alone if his roommate has moved out. Did Eijiro truly see himself in the same situation, even with you here? You swallow hard. Maybe you haven’t been as good a roommate as you thought. 

Looking at the cereal bowl in your hand, you absentmindedly stir it, much like Eijiro had done with his own bowl just a moment before. Seems like you might have misjudged him too, if he truly gives physical affection to his friends as freely as he just described. You hadn’t expected that - you’ve always seen him as the classic, super macho gym-nut who might catch the gay if he’s in the vicinity of the color pink. Not that he’s ever given you any reason to believe that, you slowly realize. This was all your own prejudice. You really haven’t been a good roommate. And that realization stings.

Looking at Eijiro again, you feel like you see him in a different light. You read an article just the night before about how the pandemic has left a lot of people touch-starved when they can’t participate in their usual social activities. 

The article suggested moving in with friends, with family, even with friends-with-benefits, just to stave off touch-starvation and loneliness. You have to admit that you feel a bit touch-starved too, now that you can’t spend time with your friends or family. And isn’t there something about humans needing a certain amount of touch a day to thrive?

Eijiro’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts. 

"D’ya think I could have a hug?" he asks, finally facing you, his eyes brimming with tears.

You realize in that moment that a hug sounds really, really great. And maybe this is an opportunity to actually get to know your roommate. Especially when you don’t know how long this pandemic will last. The promise of two weeks to flatten the curve has already been extended several times.

Putting your cereal bowl on the counter, you wordlessly spread your arms. Eijiro is up in an instant, chair clattering against the floor. Then you find yourself swept up in what you can only describe as a bone-crushing embrace. You know he’s buff, but you haven’t realized just how strong he is. Gasping for air, you tap his biceps.

“Not so tight!” you wheeze.

Eijiro lets out what you can only describe as a wet bark of laughter. But he loosens his grip on you instantly.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, sniffling again. “Got a bit too enthusiastic.”

“That’s okay,” you say. “Guess you really needed it.”

It’s comforting, you realize, as you sink back into the embrace. He’s warm, and his arms around you feel safe for some reason. You can almost imagine falling asleep standing like this, certain that he’ll keep you upright. But you want your coffee while it’s still hot.

Eijiro seems reluctant to let go when you begin pulling away, scrubbing at his face behind your back.

Finally, he looks at you again, tear streaks on his cheeks. “Think we could do this again sometime?” he asks shyly.

You smile at him and nod. “Yeah. I think we’re both gonna need it.”

Eijiro blows his nose again, managing to make a sound reminiscent of a trumpeting elephant. 

“Sorry ‘bout all that,” he says, sniffling once more. “Crying to you wasn’t exactly manly of me.”

Resting your elbows on the dining table, you tilt your head and look at him over the rim of your coffee cup. “Crying is human. It’s not feminine, it’s--”

“That’s not what I mean,” he interrupts. “I agree, nothing shameful about crying; I meant complaining ‘bout all my issues. It’s not manly of me to put that burden on you.”

You decide to ignore the issue of not wanting to ask for help for now. Instead you say, “We’re gonna be stuck together for a while. I want to at least try to help. Besides, this might be better for both of us in the long run. Being at home all the time hasn’t exactly been great for me either…”

Eijiro nods thoughtfully, pulling his bowl of soggy breakfast closer. You look towards the movement, your brows furrowing.

“Is that my cereal?”

He looks at you like a deer caught in headlights. “You… you said I could have some, didn’t you?”

You can’t help but laugh at his expression. “I did! I’m not going back on that, don’t worry! I’ve just never seen you eat sugary cereal before.”

Eijiro relaxes again, then gives a small shrug. “Felt like I needed a sweet treat today.” 

“Don’t we all these days...”

You take another sip of your coffee, then look back to the man at the opposite side of the table.

“I think we need to put down some new rules while we’re both home all the time. The voice calls with your friends are really starting to bother me, especially when I’m working.”

He nods. “Yeah, kinda figured. I swear I’m trying to be quieter, but I always end up forgetting when I’m in the middle of it. I’ll try talking with everybody, see if we can find a different time or something. Maybe meet up outside once the weather’s better…” Leaning back in his chair, Eijiro scrubs at his face. “If only I could find a new job, then I’d actually have something to occupy me. Haven’t had any luck though.”

You realize with a pang of guilt that you don’t even know what he does for a living. Or… did. But Eijiro just grins when you tell him as much.

“Guess I was never really around so you could ask. I was a fitness instructor at this privately owned gym. They had to close because of the pandemic, but the owners promised me that if they have any hope of keeping the gym going I’ll be back on payroll once they open up again. They only really let me go so I could get unemployment.” He sighs fondly. “I really like them, they’re so… manly!”

You fight not to make a face. There it is again. Manly. Manliness isn’t exactly something you’d be looking for in a gym, but you guess you also aren’t a masculine gym-nut. At least Eijiro isn’t nearly as bad as you had originally thought.

You really do fight not to make a face… But you fail. And Eijiro notices instantly.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… I’m not sure I’d personally want to go to a ‘manly’ gym.”

He just blinks at you for a moment. “Not sure why you think that-- oh.” He laughs to himself. “I need to explain something. ‘Manly’ doesn’t mean masculine to me. ’S not based on gender at all. When I was a kid I used to be a really big fan of this action hero, Crimson Riot - do you know him?”

You shake your head. Never heard of the guy.

“He had this habit of calling things he favored ‘manly,’” Eijiro explains. “It was a way of living, a way of staying true to yourself, or so he’d say. Guess I never grew out of this way of seeing things.

“But the owners,” he continues, “they’re a gay couple, and they’re some of the sweetest and most helpful people I’ve ever met. They face a lot of prejudice but they never let it get to them. They choose to stay kind. It’s awesome. It’s… It’s manly! You see?”

You look at him for a moment. Then you nod. “Yeah, I… I think I do.”

Eijiro beams at you. “I think you’d like the gym. We’re very supportive, and we take harassment complaints very seriously. One of my buds was a regular when it was still open, and she told me she felt very safe there.” He chuckles. “Though anyone who wanted to harass her should fear her, not the management. She’s never been shy about punching someone in the gut. And it hurts!”

You raise your brows. “Wait, she’s punched you??”

Eijiro grins. “Yeah! … Wait no, not because I deserved it; I asked her to! She wanted to know if she could do anything to punch better, so I said ‘well, punch me!’ and she did. It was perfect, 10/10 no notes. Took me close to 15 minutes to be able to breathe regularly again.”

Smiling to himself, he adds, “Mina is one of the manliest girls I know. Been friends since high school and she’s always been unabashedly herself. She really helped me grow into the person I am today.”

Mina. He sounds so fond when he speaks of her. You can’t help but wonder if there’s something more there than he’s admitting. Pushing the thought away, you focus on Eijiro again.

“I guess being a personal trainer explains why you’re constantly exercising. I thought you were just obsessed with it.”

Eijiro shrugs with a smile. “I’m actually working out more than I did before getting fired. I’m used to being on my feet and moving almost constantly while at work, and exercising burns off some of that energy. ‘N I want to be ready to go back instantly.” He’s quiet for a moment, then adds, “Oh, let me know if you want me to show you how to work out at home, or some stretches or anything. You sit still a lot, ’s not good for you.”

You try to wave him off with an awkward laugh. “I know. But I’m not interested right now.”

You’re admittedly surprised when Eijiro backs down instantly. 

“Well, let me know if you ever change your mind. I’ll let ya borrow any equipment you need!”

A couple of days later, Eijiro asks to sit down with you again.

“I’ve been thinking,” he starts. 

“Did it hurt?” The words are out before you can stop them.

Thankfully, Eijiro just laughs. “Lil’ bit, yeah. I prefer to just cruise through life without having to think too much. But I can’t right now, so I need something to keep myself occupied while I’m looking for a job. And I was thinking: how about I take on more of the chores? Cleaning’s a good workout, right? And it’d give ya more free time.”

You just look at him for a moment. “Is that really fair? We pay the same amount of rent, so shouldn’t chores be split evenly too?”

He shrugs. “You talked about wanting to help me the other day. I like being helpful too, y’know. So I thought about maybe getting a wireless headset so I can talk with my friends while I clean. Might make the noise easier on you too, knowing that I’m not just sitting on my ass while talking.” He stops for a moment, then adds, “Was thinking about doing the grocery runs too. Y’know how they’ve been saying that thing about only having one person per household shopping? Might as well be me.” He scoffs. “Got nothing but free time.”

You’re speechless. What he’s saying makes sense, yes. But it still feels wrong to let him do most of your chores just because he’s bored.

It’s like he can sense your unease. 

“We could also take turns on groceries,” he offers. “Then you can get all the intimate stuff ya need without needing to involve me.”

You can’t help but grin at him. “What, too much of a chicken to buy me tampons?” 

Eijiro grins back. “Nah, ‘s not that, I don’t mind. I’ve done it before. It’s just that there are so many kinds I’d need pictures to make sure I got the right thing. Might be less of a hassle if you got it yourself. But! If you’re ever in a pinch I got your back!”

You look down at your lunch for a moment, thinking over what he just said.

“If we’re combining groceries, it might be easier if we coordinate our meals. I’m already cooking for myself, I don’t mind cooking for…” -you eye him for a moment- “for two more people. It’s not that much of a difference.”

“Two people!” he sputters. “That’s… … actually probably accurate. I do eat a lot. I like the idea, but…” He scratches at the back of his neck. “I was actually thinking we could take turns cooking.”

You can’t stop yourself from making a face this time. Eijiro just laughs.

“Yeah, I know. I’m terrible. But I was thinking that this is the time to get better. I don’t mind eating what I cook, but I wouldn’t serve it to someone else. So cooking for you as well would force me to pay more attention.”

You sit back in your seat, crossing your arms. “You want me to be your guinea pig.”

“No, I want ya to hold me accountable!”

When you just glare at him, Eijiro holds up his hands. “I’ve got a plan. One of my friends, Katsuki, he’s really good at cooking. Like really, really good. He’s been laid off as well, and he just started a Youtube channel where he shares cooking tips. He’s suggested helping me and Denks cook some meals, so he can figure out what some common mistakes might be. And we can get better at cooking at the same time.”

You stay silent, thinking. It makes Eijiro fret.

“So? Whaddaya think?” he eventually asks.

You sigh, feeling your resolve crumble. It’s too difficult to say no to his puppy-eyes. “Yeah, okay. I’ll at least give your food a try.”

Eijiro rewards you with a beaming smile. It makes your cheeks burn.

It only takes a few days before Eijiro decides to try his cooking experiments on you. He spends the afternoon getting barked at by whom you can only assume is Katsuki - with you listening in on every word. It’s Eijiro’s own fault for having his phone on speaker, you try to reassure yourself. And Katsuki’s tinny voice is piercing.

“Show me what you’re doing, Shitty Hair! … No, you need to cut them smaller, they’ll cook too slow as they are!”

‘Shitty hair’? you think. Do his friends really speak to him like that?

Eijiro just groans, ignoring the insult. “I don’t think I can, Kats, I don’t want the knife to slip.”

“Then sharpen your fucking knife! It’s meant to cut easily, if you’re fighting to cut small pieces then it’s too fucking dull!”

You roll your eyes. As charming as Gordon Ramsey.

“Are you keeping an eye on the meat?” Katsuki asks, his voice smug. “It’s gonna burn if you don’t…”

“SHIT!!”

The food turns out a lot more palatable than you’d imagined. It’s a little bland, a little overcooked, but you really wouldn’t mind eating it again.

And you’re surprised at just how fast Eijiro improves. Over the next few months you grow more and more thankful that he suggested taking turns cooking. It’s a weight off your shoulders, even if you still feel a bit weird that he does most of the cleaning and grocery shopping. But the extra free time and knowing that he’s being productive during his loud voice calls do make things easier on you. In the end you suggest to him that you take on a few more of the financial responsibilities -just a bill or two- to make things a little bit more even. 

You look up from your screen when you hear the front door slam; Eijiro has arrived home with a load of groceries. Stretching, you get up from your chair. Helping him put away the groceries assuages your guilt just a little bit. And -if you’re being very honest with yourself- you’ve recently noticed finding every excuse to spend more time with him. Just five minutes here and there. Helping put away the groceries fits nicely into that too.

Leaving your room, you notice a bag of groceries leaning against the dining table. You turn to Eijiro -who’s already busy putting away groceries- and ask, “What about this one?”

Eijiro smiles at you, which makes your stomach flutter.

“Break time?” he asks. “I got you some ice cream at the store. Didn’t do great in the heat so you might wanna eat it soon.”

You thank him, finally moving from your doorway to actually help. Then you ask again, “What about the bag by the table? We’re not emptying that one?”

He shakes his head, grinning. “That one’s not for us. You know the elderly couple down the hallway?”

You nod silently, unwilling to admit that you don’t.

“I’ve been chatting with them a little bit. Distanced, of course! They’re not doing great so I thought I’d buy them some staples to help out. I’ll take the cost out of my own budget, don’t worry.”

You pause for a moment. It’s such a kind gesture to someone he barely knows. He really is a giant sweetheart. Then you make an instant decision. “I’ll split the cost with you, I wanna help too!” 

You’re graced with a brilliant smile, like the sun rising over the horizon.

“Really?? Thanks! I’ll let them know it’s from both of us!”

You’re numbed, ears ringing as Eijiro talks about taking a quick shower before heading over to your neighbors. Then you’re left alone in the kitchen. 

Sliding onto the floor, you lean your forehead against your drawn-up knees. You’re in deep. Maybe too deep. Ever since his breakdown and the following hug, your feelings have only been growing. And now you don’t know how to make it stop. You aren’t entirely sure you want to, either. But… It’s a bad idea, isn’t it? You’re worried that telling him will only lead to hurt and heartbreak. And yet, you’re not sure how long you can keep your feelings contained.

You decide that you need an in-depth vent session with your own friend group.

The vent session only helps solidify that you definitely have feelings for your roommate. But you still have no idea whether to act on those feelings or not. And Eijiro only makes things harder by being himself - sweet, kind, and maybe a little bit too touchy.

He comes up behind you one night as you’re cooking, loudly sniffing the air.

“Something smells amazing!”

He leans in over you, hands resting on either side of the stove, his chin on your shoulder, just watching as you cook. It’s almost too easy to melt against his chest.

You pull away instead, turning to face him as you try to laugh. It comes out strangled.

“It’s not ready yet, you have to wait!”

Eijiro pouts at you. But he thankfully moves away, instead opting to set the table. You sigh, equal parts in relief and disappointment. You’re not sure how much longer you can keep going without spilling the secret.

You’re doing the dishes together after dinner. It’s become a routine to do them as a team - they get done quicker that way. Eijiro refuses to let you do them alone, even back when your shared cooking routine began. Your idea of ‘you cook, I clean’ fell on deaf ears. And now you appreciate the extra time with him.

And you decide to let him know as much.

“Y’know, I’m actually kind of happy that we got this chance to get to know each other,” you say, nudging him with your hip. “If we hadn’t been stuck at home, I don’t know if we’d ever have taken the time to actually talk.”

You’re rewarded with a brilliant smile.

“Me too!”

You keep chatting while Eijiro washes the dishes, handing you clean ones to dry. The conversation jumps from the two of you, to your apartment and how thankful you are that Eijiro took on more of the chores, to the lives you led before the pandemic. And eventually to your individual friend groups.

“There’s Katsuki - you know him already,” Eijiro says. “And Denki and Hanta and Kyoka. We all met in high school. But Mina and me, we go back to middle school.”

“Mina,” you mumble. There she was again.

He pauses, looking at you questioningly.

“Did…” You hesitate, then you decide to just ask what’s on your mind. “She’s clearly very special to you. Did you ever date?”

Eijiro looks down at the soapy water, a fond smile on his face. “We did, back in high school. Only for a few months, though, then we decided that we were better off as friends. I guess we both felt pressured to give it a try.” Turning back to you, he finds your gaze again. “She’s my oldest friend. She’s my rock, not afraid to tell me if I’m being an idiot. N’ I do the same for her! But that’s as far as it goes. We didn’t work out back then, and we sure as hell wouldn’t work out now.”

You feel your cheeks heat under his gaze. It doesn’t sound like he regretted breaking up with Mina at all. And the way he’s looking at you makes your stomach flutter. 

Eijiro breaks eye contact for a moment to empty the dish tub and dry his hands. Then he turns to you again, leaning against the counter.

“If you’re not busy tonight, do you maybe want to watch a movie or something?”

It’s your turn to beam. “Yeah, absolutely!!”

Maybe saying yes to a movie was a bad idea. You had trouble sleeping last night, work was particularly draining today, and now you find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open. As much as you want to pay attention to the movie Eijiro picked, your mind is steadily turning into soup. You blink hard, trying to force your eyes to stay open. It doesn’t work. They slowly close, and you sag sideways.

You have no idea how much time has passed. All you know is that you are comfortable and warm. You can still hear the movie playing. Or maybe it’s a new movie. You can’t bring yourself to truly care.

Eijiro shifts in his seat. It makes you realize that you’re leaning against him, his arm wrapped loosely around your waist. Your eyes snap open. Then you decide to close them again. If he doesn’t mind -which you assume he doesn’t, since he hasn’t pushed you away- then you won’t mind either. It’s too comfortable, anyway. 

The two of you stay like this for a while. It’s cozy. Then a frown forms on your face. Something is tickling your waist. It’s most likely a hair stuck to the inside of your shirt. You try to ignore it, but it only gets more irritating, brushing over your skin every time you breathe.

You snap, pushing Eijiro’s arm out of the way to get at the itch. 

Eijiro flinches away from you. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to-- You were leaning on me pretty hard and I thought this would be more comfortable! I-I didn’t--”

“It’s fine,” you say, as you sink back against him. “I don’t mind, it’s cozy. Just had an itch right where your arm was.”

“O-oh.” He hesitates for a moment, then he puts his arm back around you, gently hugging you to his side. “It’s… Yeah, it’s pretty cozy.”

You close your eyes again, not fully registering how flustered he sounds. Or how happy…

Eijiro sits as still as he can, despite the credits rolling over the screen. You’re still nestled up against his shoulder, your forehead pressed against his neck, your breathing soft and even. He’s certain you’re asleep again. And he cannot bring himself to move a muscle, worried he’ll break the spell.

Slowly lifting his free hand, he scrubs at his face. “I’m really in it now, aren’t I?” he mumbles to himself. Falling in love with his roommate. Isn’t that one of the things people are always advised against?

“Fuck, Kats’ll never let me hear the end of it!”

You stir in your sleep, sighing softly. It only makes him wrap his arm tighter around you. Katsuki will have to be a problem for another day; right now Eijiro doesn’t want to think about anything but the sensation of you pressed against his side.

“Need your advice on something, Kats.”

The blonde makes a non-commital sound on the other end of the line. Eijiro swallows thickly, suddenly happy that it’s only the two of them on the voice call. And that you aren’t home to accidentally overhear anything.

He hesitates too long.

“What fucking is it?” Katsuki barks.

Eijiro sighs, steeling himself for the barrage he’s sure is about to come. “I think I’m falling in love with my roomie.”

When the barrage doesn’t come, he wonders briefly if the connection has been cut. 

Then Katsuki groans. “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. Really, Shitty Hair? Your fuckin’ roommate?”

“Hey, she’s a sweetheart, I--”

“NOT what I meant! I’m sure she’s amazin’ if she can tolerate your ass. But what the fuck are you planning to do? Tell her?”

Eijiro can feel himself blush. “I.. I mean, yeah, I’d like to. That’s what I wanted advice on.”

Katsuki practically growls. “Well, my advice is DON’T! We’re in the middle of a fuckin’ pandemic, if she says no, you won’t be able to easily move out.” He grumbles for a moment. “Of all your shitty, hare-brained ideas… But knowin’ you, you’ll never be able to let it go unless you find out, right?”

Eijiro chuckles, scratching at his cheek. “Ya know me too well, Kats.”

“‘Too well’ is right.” Katsuki is silent for a moment, then he groans again. “Alright, fuckin’ fine. Advice. Try to figure out if she feels the same b’fore you tell her anythin’. If she rebuffs you at all, then fuckin’ leave it alone, ya got that??”

Eijiro’s face splits into a wide smile. “Got it!! And if she says no, I can move in with you, right?”

“Like fuck you can’t!!”

Meat and onions sizzle in the pan. You give it a stir, peeking at Eijiro out of the corner of your eyes. He’s currently chopping vegetables, broad shoulders barely moving as he uses the knife. You have to admit that he’s gotten a lot better in the past few months, to the point where you’re looking forward to every meal he makes.

He’s gotten a lot more forward with you too. He’s become touchy-feely and quick to give compliments. And you don’t mind it one bit. You just hope it will continue once the pandemic ends. 

You really ought to tell him how you feel. But… You can’t help but worry about whether he feels the same. Sighing softly, you push the thought away for now. 

Eijiro turns to you with the cutting board, ready to add the veggies to the pan.

“By the way,” he says, “I got a surprise for dinner.”

You tilt your head, unable to stop your coquettish grin. “Oh? Should I be worried?”

Eijiro’s features soften as he looks at you. “Nah, probably not. Unless you don’t drink wine.”

“I do!”

You slowly swirl the wine in your glass. It’s the last of the two bottles Eijiro bought, so you want to savor it.

Across the table, Eijiro watches your movements with rapt attention. You can almost feel the intensity of his gaze. Or maybe it’s the wine.

He draws in a deep breath, almost like he forgot how to breathe for a moment. “You’re fuckin’ beautiful.”

It takes a little too long for his words to make their way through your drunk brain. 

“What did you just say?” you exhale. Your face feels like it's on fire.

Eijiro blinks. Then he sits up straight, shaking his head. “Fuck, I-- I shouldn’t have-- It’s just… I dunno how much longer I can stand not saying anythin’.”

You swallow hard, trying your best not to melt against the table. “What are you trying to say?”

He looks at you again, features softening. “That I’m in love with you.” Looking away, he scratches at the back of his neck. “I-I don’t even know if… if you return my feelings, but--”

You down the rest of your wine, trying to gain some liquid courage which you honestly don’t need at the moment. Then you get up, moving around the table. 

He peers at you, smile evaporating. “What are you…”

“I do!” you finally answer him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning in, face level with his.

Eijiro blinks hard. “What…”

“I do return your feelings. You’re pretty fucking cute yourself.” 

He just looks at you for a moment, letting your words sink in. Then his face splits into a brilliant smile. You should’ve worn sunglasses.

Raising a hand, he gently cups your cheek, his smile widening when you lean into his touch. His thumb rubs over your skin, slowly moving downwards until it brushes over your bottom lip.

“Can I?” he asks.

You don’t answer. Instead, you lean in to kiss him first. His lips are warm, tasting like wine. Eijiro interrupts the kiss briefly to push his chair back, getting to his feet.

Pulling you close, his hand finds its place on your cheek once more. “You’ve no idea how fuckin’ long I’ve wanted to do this,” he mumbles against your lips. Then he kisses you again.

You sit sideways on the couch, feet propped up against Eijiro’s thigh. He’s gaming with his friends again; you can feel the muscles in his thigh tense as he leans into the curve of the race track on the screen. 

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon… YES!!!”

He jumps to his feet, whooping as he wins. You eye him over the top of your magazine, pouting at him.

Grinning at you, he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, babe, didn’t mean to get that loud!” 

You hear someone loudly exclaiming something through Eijiro’s headset.

He chuckles. “Yeah, my girlfriend got mad.”

The voice call erupts into shouts. You can’t help but giggle when you hear Denki screaming ‘what??’ over and over again, with whom you assume is Mina cheering loudly in the background. 

Eijiro just laughs. “Didn’t I tell you? Me and my roomie started dating!”

He talks for a moment longer, then bows out of the game with his victory, deciding that he’d rather spend the rest of the day with you. 

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, comments, and reblogs are always greatly appreciated! If you like what you’ve read, please check out my other works. Love, Em 💖

Do not repost, redistribute, copy, modify, record, translate, or plagiarize my writing. If you see someone posting my writing claiming it as their own, or posting a narration of my writing, please let me know!

[birinboom]

My Roommate and I

Kirishima Eijiro x Fem!Reader Word count: 6.336 words Summary: You don’t know your roommate all that well. He’s fine as roommates go, cleans up after himself, bills paid on time. But he isn’t around enough for you to actually get to know him. Things begin to change when the pandemic forces both of you to stay at home and your social butterfly of a roommate loses IRL access to his friends. Genre: Quirkless AU, roommates to lovers, pandemic fic, forced proximity, domestic fluff, romance Warning: mention of past Kiri-Mina, food/eating, swearing, alcohol, Eijiro calls Reader ‘babe’ Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖

The first time you meet Eijiro, you could only describe him as big and bright. Big and bright smile, big and bright personality, big stature in a bright outfit, big and bright hair. You wonder briefly if his hair is dyed and whether he dyes it himself. Then you shrug. The two of you have separate bathrooms so if he leaves red dye streaks everywhere, that’s his own problem. He can take it up with the landlord when he eventually moves out.

You’re happy, though, that he agreed to meet up with you before moving in. You'd be a bit freaked out seeing a stranger in your home, even if you knew that he’d be moving in. And this makes it easier to sit down with him early on to go over some general rules and a chore chart for the common areas.

It turns out that Eijiro’s a pretty decent roommate. He keeps his clutter out of the kitchen and living room, he cleans his assigned areas, he leaves your food alone, he pays rent on time. Most of this, you think, is probably attributed to him only really using his room for sleep. You rarely see him outside of early mornings when you're both preparing for work. After work he usually hangs out with his friends, or goes to the gym, or whatever a guy like him does, only coming home long after you've retired to your own room.

You don't really mind; you have the apartment mostly to yourself this way. And it's not like you really know him, anyway. He's just a roommate.

Time passes. You count yourself lucky, hearing some of your friends’ horror stories about their roommates from hell. 

Then the pandemic lockdowns happen.

You’re fortunate that you’re able to do your job remotely. Eijiro, however, is fired; he tells you so in passing. But he quickly adds that he’ll get by on unemployment until he finds another job, so no need to worry!

You're honestly surprised that he doesn't go stay with one of his friends. But he unfortunately doesn't, which means that you’re now stuck with him constantly at home. And you learn yet another aspect of his personality: just how frustratingly loud he can be. He cranks the volume on video calls with his friends -to the point where you can hear their voices clearly through his headphones- and he laughs boisterously at almost anything they say. He shrieks and hollers at the online games they play. And even though he's quick to turn the volume down with a sheepish ‘whoops, my roomie got mad’ when you poke your head out of your room to scowl at him, it still frustrates you to no end. You still have work for goodness’ sake! 

You soon come to realize that Eijiro’s very existence is loud, even when he’s not yapping with his friends. It seems that all he does during his waking hours is never-ending chit-chat and exercising in the middle of the living room, grunting up a storm. These two things sometimes happen at the same time, making you want to scream. 

Adding onto your frustrations are his so-called ‘cooking experiments,’ the stench of burned food often hanging in the air for hours after he finishes cooking, pots and pans left to soak overnight. You do have to admit, though, that they might very well need the soaking, given the amount of charred food on them. And Eijiro usually cleans them up the next morning without prompting. Usually. 

It’s just two more weeks, you tell yourself, then things will open up again and he can go spend time SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Things go on like this for months, your urge to throw him out a window slowly growing with each day.

Then, one Saturday morning, you find him sitting at the dining table, eyes red-rimmed and nose running. Your first thought is that he caught covid. But there’s something off about the scene; Eijiro isn’t behaving like someone who’s sick. He absentmindedly moves his cereal around in the bowl, lifts the spoon, then lowers it again. His breathing stutters, he hiccups, then lets out a shaky sigh. And it hits you; he’s not sick, nor is he potentially hungover. He’s trying his best to not cry. 

You almost wish you could back into your bedroom, pretend like you didn’t notice anything to give him some privacy. But it’s too late.

“Oh!” you hear him croak as he sees you, followed by a very wet sniffle.

Guess I’m dealing with this now, you think. The two of you had a pretty decent -if almost non-existent- relationship before the lockdown, right? You really ought to be a good roommate.

“Are you alright?” you ask. It seems stupid in hindsight, he’s clearly far from alright.

And Eijiro admits as much. 

“I… … no.” 

You watch as he clenches his teeth, lower lip wobbling, trying to breathe through whatever this is. And you sigh. Yeah, it’s time to be a good roommate. 

Moving into the kitchen, you begin fixing your own bowl of cereal. You figure this conversation might be easier for him if you’re not looking straight at him. He’s always seemed like the type of hyper-masculine person who’d hate crying in front of others.

“What’s going on?” you ask.

Eijiro sniffles again. He’s silent for a moment, then he draws in a deep, shaky breath. “I’m so fucking lonely,” he admits.

Humming in response, you eye the pot of coffee he made earlier. Surely he won’t mind if you have some, not when you’re listening to him vent. You pull a cup from the cupboard.

“But you talk with your friends all the time, don’t you?” You have to fight not to make a snippy comment about how loud they usually are; now isn’t the time for that.

He shifts in his seat. “’S not the same,” he says, then adds in a smaller voice, “Not at all.”

Placing your filled coffee cup next to you, you finally turn to face him, leaning against the counter, cereal bowl balanced in one hand. Sitting in front of him at the table still feels a bit too intimate with the mood he’s in.

His silhouette is dark against the light from the window at the end of the room, mirroring his emotions. You realize that his hair isn’t styled into the normal spikes; instead it’s drooping around his face, making him seem smaller, almost like he’s folding in on himself. Like he’s trying to hide. You barely recognize him.

“How is it not the same?” you ask, deciding to prod just a little bit. “Is it because you’re not in the same room?”

“It’s not just that!” he responds. “I can kinda get there if I really crank the volume, but…”

Oh, you think, is that why he prefers it so loud? Here you just thought he was obnoxious and had no respect for your working hours. Or your sleep.

“But?” you prod again.

Eijiro sighs deeply. When he speaks again, his voice croaks with held-back tears. “I miss physical touch. We’re pretty tight, me ‘n my friends. We hug each other a lot.” He sighs again; it almost sounds like his heart is breaking. “Not being in the same room as them, not being able to hear their voices except through headphones - it already hurts. But not being able to reach out and touch them is… it’s so much worse.” 

He swallows hard, then continues, “Denki’s roommate moved back home with their parents; to assist them, I think. So he’s alone too. He cried on our call yesterday. And I couldn’t do anything; couldn’t offer him a tissue, or a hug, or anything!”

You have no idea who Denki is. But it strikes you that Eijiro described him as ‘alone too.’ Denki, it seems, really is alone if his roommate has moved out. Did Eijiro truly see himself in the same situation, even with you here? You swallow hard. Maybe you haven’t been as good a roommate as you thought. 

Looking at the cereal bowl in your hand, you absentmindedly stir it, much like Eijiro had done with his own bowl just a moment before. Seems like you might have misjudged him too, if he truly gives physical affection to his friends as freely as he just described. You hadn’t expected that - you’ve always seen him as the classic, super macho gym-nut who might catch the gay if he’s in the vicinity of the color pink. Not that he’s ever given you any reason to believe that, you slowly realize. This was all your own prejudice. You really haven’t been a good roommate. And that realization stings.

Looking at Eijiro again, you feel like you see him in a different light. You read an article just the night before about how the pandemic has left a lot of people touch-starved when they can’t participate in their usual social activities. 

The article suggested moving in with friends, with family, even with friends-with-benefits, just to stave off touch-starvation and loneliness. You have to admit that you feel a bit touch-starved too, now that you can’t spend time with your friends or family. And isn’t there something about humans needing a certain amount of touch a day to thrive?

Eijiro’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts. 

"D’ya think I could have a hug?" he asks, finally facing you, his eyes brimming with tears.

You realize in that moment that a hug sounds really, really great. And maybe this is an opportunity to actually get to know your roommate. Especially when you don’t know how long this pandemic will last. The promise of two weeks to flatten the curve has already been extended several times.

Putting your cereal bowl on the counter, you wordlessly spread your arms. Eijiro is up in an instant, chair clattering against the floor. Then you find yourself swept up in what you can only describe as a bone-crushing embrace. You know he’s buff, but you haven’t realized just how strong he is. Gasping for air, you tap his biceps.

“Not so tight!” you wheeze.

Eijiro lets out what you can only describe as a wet bark of laughter. But he loosens his grip on you instantly.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, sniffling again. “Got a bit too enthusiastic.”

“That’s okay,” you say. “Guess you really needed it.”

It’s comforting, you realize, as you sink back into the embrace. He’s warm, and his arms around you feel safe for some reason. You can almost imagine falling asleep standing like this, certain that he’ll keep you upright. But you want your coffee while it’s still hot.

Eijiro seems reluctant to let go when you begin pulling away, scrubbing at his face behind your back.

Finally, he looks at you again, tear streaks on his cheeks. “Think we could do this again sometime?” he asks shyly.

You smile at him and nod. “Yeah. I think we’re both gonna need it.”

Eijiro blows his nose again, managing to make a sound reminiscent of a trumpeting elephant. 

“Sorry ‘bout all that,” he says, sniffling once more. “Crying to you wasn’t exactly manly of me.”

Resting your elbows on the dining table, you tilt your head and look at him over the rim of your coffee cup. “Crying is human. It’s not feminine, it’s--”

“That’s not what I mean,” he interrupts. “I agree, nothing shameful about crying; I meant complaining ‘bout all my issues. It’s not manly of me to put that burden on you.”

You decide to ignore the issue of not wanting to ask for help for now. Instead you say, “We’re gonna be stuck together for a while. I want to at least try to help. Besides, this might be better for both of us in the long run. Being at home all the time hasn’t exactly been great for me either…”

Eijiro nods thoughtfully, pulling his bowl of soggy breakfast closer. You look towards the movement, your brows furrowing.

“Is that my cereal?”

He looks at you like a deer caught in headlights. “You… you said I could have some, didn’t you?”

You can’t help but laugh at his expression. “I did! I’m not going back on that, don’t worry! I’ve just never seen you eat sugary cereal before.”

Eijiro relaxes again, then gives a small shrug. “Felt like I needed a sweet treat today.” 

“Don’t we all these days...”

You take another sip of your coffee, then look back to the man at the opposite side of the table.

“I think we need to put down some new rules while we’re both home all the time. The voice calls with your friends are really starting to bother me, especially when I’m working.”

He nods. “Yeah, kinda figured. I swear I’m trying to be quieter, but I always end up forgetting when I’m in the middle of it. I’ll try talking with everybody, see if we can find a different time or something. Maybe meet up outside once the weather’s better…” Leaning back in his chair, Eijiro scrubs at his face. “If only I could find a new job, then I’d actually have something to occupy me. Haven’t had any luck though.”

You realize with a pang of guilt that you don’t even know what he does for a living. Or… did. But Eijiro just grins when you tell him as much.

“Guess I was never really around so you could ask. I was a fitness instructor at this privately owned gym. They had to close because of the pandemic, but the owners promised me that if they have any hope of keeping the gym going I’ll be back on payroll once they open up again. They only really let me go so I could get unemployment.” He sighs fondly. “I really like them, they’re so… manly!”

You fight not to make a face. There it is again. Manly. Manliness isn’t exactly something you’d be looking for in a gym, but you guess you also aren’t a masculine gym-nut. At least Eijiro isn’t nearly as bad as you had originally thought.

You really do fight not to make a face… But you fail. And Eijiro notices instantly.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… I’m not sure I’d personally want to go to a ‘manly’ gym.”

He just blinks at you for a moment. “Not sure why you think that-- oh.” He laughs to himself. “I need to explain something. ‘Manly’ doesn’t mean masculine to me. ’S not based on gender at all. When I was a kid I used to be a really big fan of this action hero, Crimson Riot - do you know him?”

You shake your head. Never heard of the guy.

“He had this habit of calling things he favored ‘manly,’” Eijiro explains. “It was a way of living, a way of staying true to yourself, or so he’d say. Guess I never grew out of this way of seeing things.

“But the owners,” he continues, “they’re a gay couple, and they’re some of the sweetest and most helpful people I’ve ever met. They face a lot of prejudice but they never let it get to them. They choose to stay kind. It’s awesome. It’s… It’s manly! You see?”

You look at him for a moment. Then you nod. “Yeah, I… I think I do.”

Eijiro beams at you. “I think you’d like the gym. We’re very supportive, and we take harassment complaints very seriously. One of my buds was a regular when it was still open, and she told me she felt very safe there.” He chuckles. “Though anyone who wanted to harass her should fear her, not the management. She’s never been shy about punching someone in the gut. And it hurts!”

You raise your brows. “Wait, she’s punched you??”

Eijiro grins. “Yeah! … Wait no, not because I deserved it; I asked her to! She wanted to know if she could do anything to punch better, so I said ‘well, punch me!’ and she did. It was perfect, 10/10 no notes. Took me close to 15 minutes to be able to breathe regularly again.”

Smiling to himself, he adds, “Mina is one of the manliest girls I know. Been friends since high school and she’s always been unabashedly herself. She really helped me grow into the person I am today.”

Mina. He sounds so fond when he speaks of her. You can’t help but wonder if there’s something more there than he’s admitting. Pushing the thought away, you focus on Eijiro again.

“I guess being a personal trainer explains why you’re constantly exercising. I thought you were just obsessed with it.”

Eijiro shrugs with a smile. “I’m actually working out more than I did before getting fired. I’m used to being on my feet and moving almost constantly while at work, and exercising burns off some of that energy. ‘N I want to be ready to go back instantly.” He’s quiet for a moment, then adds, “Oh, let me know if you want me to show you how to work out at home, or some stretches or anything. You sit still a lot, ’s not good for you.”

You try to wave him off with an awkward laugh. “I know. But I’m not interested right now.”

You’re admittedly surprised when Eijiro backs down instantly. 

“Well, let me know if you ever change your mind. I’ll let ya borrow any equipment you need!”

A couple of days later, Eijiro asks to sit down with you again.

“I’ve been thinking,” he starts. 

“Did it hurt?” The words are out before you can stop them.

Thankfully, Eijiro just laughs. “Lil’ bit, yeah. I prefer to just cruise through life without having to think too much. But I can’t right now, so I need something to keep myself occupied while I’m looking for a job. And I was thinking: how about I take on more of the chores? Cleaning’s a good workout, right? And it’d give ya more free time.”

You just look at him for a moment. “Is that really fair? We pay the same amount of rent, so shouldn’t chores be split evenly too?”

He shrugs. “You talked about wanting to help me the other day. I like being helpful too, y’know. So I thought about maybe getting a wireless headset so I can talk with my friends while I clean. Might make the noise easier on you too, knowing that I’m not just sitting on my ass while talking.” He stops for a moment, then adds, “Was thinking about doing the grocery runs too. Y’know how they’ve been saying that thing about only having one person per household shopping? Might as well be me.” He scoffs. “Got nothing but free time.”

You’re speechless. What he’s saying makes sense, yes. But it still feels wrong to let him do most of your chores just because he’s bored.

It’s like he can sense your unease. 

“We could also take turns on groceries,” he offers. “Then you can get all the intimate stuff ya need without needing to involve me.”

You can’t help but grin at him. “What, too much of a chicken to buy me tampons?” 

Eijiro grins back. “Nah, ‘s not that, I don’t mind. I’ve done it before. It’s just that there are so many kinds I’d need pictures to make sure I got the right thing. Might be less of a hassle if you got it yourself. But! If you’re ever in a pinch I got your back!”

You look down at your lunch for a moment, thinking over what he just said.

“If we’re combining groceries, it might be easier if we coordinate our meals. I’m already cooking for myself, I don’t mind cooking for…” -you eye him for a moment- “for two more people. It’s not that much of a difference.”

“Two people!” he sputters. “That’s… … actually probably accurate. I do eat a lot. I like the idea, but…” He scratches at the back of his neck. “I was actually thinking we could take turns cooking.”

You can’t stop yourself from making a face this time. Eijiro just laughs.

“Yeah, I know. I’m terrible. But I was thinking that this is the time to get better. I don’t mind eating what I cook, but I wouldn’t serve it to someone else. So cooking for you as well would force me to pay more attention.”

You sit back in your seat, crossing your arms. “You want me to be your guinea pig.”

“No, I want ya to hold me accountable!”

When you just glare at him, Eijiro holds up his hands. “I’ve got a plan. One of my friends, Katsuki, he’s really good at cooking. Like really, really good. He’s been laid off as well, and he just started a Youtube channel where he shares cooking tips. He’s suggested helping me and Denks cook some meals, so he can figure out what some common mistakes might be. And we can get better at cooking at the same time.”

You stay silent, thinking. It makes Eijiro fret.

“So? Whaddaya think?” he eventually asks.

You sigh, feeling your resolve crumble. It’s too difficult to say no to his puppy-eyes. “Yeah, okay. I’ll at least give your food a try.”

Eijiro rewards you with a beaming smile. It makes your cheeks burn.

It only takes a few days before Eijiro decides to try his cooking experiments on you. He spends the afternoon getting barked at by whom you can only assume is Katsuki - with you listening in on every word. It’s Eijiro’s own fault for having his phone on speaker, you try to reassure yourself. And Katsuki’s tinny voice is piercing.

“Show me what you’re doing, Shitty Hair! … No, you need to cut them smaller, they’ll cook too slow as they are!”

‘Shitty hair’? you think. Do his friends really speak to him like that?

Eijiro just groans, ignoring the insult. “I don’t think I can, Kats, I don’t want the knife to slip.”

“Then sharpen your fucking knife! It’s meant to cut easily, if you’re fighting to cut small pieces then it’s too fucking dull!”

You roll your eyes. As charming as Gordon Ramsey.

“Are you keeping an eye on the meat?” Katsuki asks, his voice smug. “It’s gonna burn if you don’t…”

“SHIT!!”

The food turns out a lot more palatable than you’d imagined. It’s a little bland, a little overcooked, but you really wouldn’t mind eating it again.

And you’re surprised at just how fast Eijiro improves. Over the next few months you grow more and more thankful that he suggested taking turns cooking. It’s a weight off your shoulders, even if you still feel a bit weird that he does most of the cleaning and grocery shopping. But the extra free time and knowing that he’s being productive during his loud voice calls do make things easier on you. In the end you suggest to him that you take on a few more of the financial responsibilities -just a bill or two- to make things a little bit more even. 

You look up from your screen when you hear the front door slam; Eijiro has arrived home with a load of groceries. Stretching, you get up from your chair. Helping him put away the groceries assuages your guilt just a little bit. And -if you’re being very honest with yourself- you’ve recently noticed finding every excuse to spend more time with him. Just five minutes here and there. Helping put away the groceries fits nicely into that too.

Leaving your room, you notice a bag of groceries leaning against the dining table. You turn to Eijiro -who’s already busy putting away groceries- and ask, “What about this one?”

Eijiro smiles at you, which makes your stomach flutter.

“Break time?” he asks. “I got you some ice cream at the store. Didn’t do great in the heat so you might wanna eat it soon.”

You thank him, finally moving from your doorway to actually help. Then you ask again, “What about the bag by the table? We’re not emptying that one?”

He shakes his head, grinning. “That one’s not for us. You know the elderly couple down the hallway?”

You nod silently, unwilling to admit that you don’t.

“I’ve been chatting with them a little bit. Distanced, of course! They’re not doing great so I thought I’d buy them some staples to help out. I’ll take the cost out of my own budget, don’t worry.”

You pause for a moment. It’s such a kind gesture to someone he barely knows. He really is a giant sweetheart. Then you make an instant decision. “I’ll split the cost with you, I wanna help too!” 

You’re graced with a brilliant smile, like the sun rising over the horizon.

“Really?? Thanks! I’ll let them know it’s from both of us!”

You’re numbed, ears ringing as Eijiro talks about taking a quick shower before heading over to your neighbors. Then you’re left alone in the kitchen. 

Sliding onto the floor, you lean your forehead against your drawn-up knees. You’re in deep. Maybe too deep. Ever since his breakdown and the following hug, your feelings have only been growing. And now you don’t know how to make it stop. You aren’t entirely sure you want to, either. But… It’s a bad idea, isn’t it? You’re worried that telling him will only lead to hurt and heartbreak. And yet, you’re not sure how long you can keep your feelings contained.

You decide that you need an in-depth vent session with your own friend group.

The vent session only helps solidify that you definitely have feelings for your roommate. But you still have no idea whether to act on those feelings or not. And Eijiro only makes things harder by being himself - sweet, kind, and maybe a little bit too touchy.

He comes up behind you one night as you’re cooking, loudly sniffing the air.

“Something smells amazing!”

He leans in over you, hands resting on either side of the stove, his chin on your shoulder, just watching as you cook. It’s almost too easy to melt against his chest.

You pull away instead, turning to face him as you try to laugh. It comes out strangled.

“It’s not ready yet, you have to wait!”

Eijiro pouts at you. But he thankfully moves away, instead opting to set the table. You sigh, equal parts in relief and disappointment. You’re not sure how much longer you can keep going without spilling the secret.

You’re doing the dishes together after dinner. It’s become a routine to do them as a team - they get done quicker that way. Eijiro refuses to let you do them alone, even back when your shared cooking routine began. Your idea of ‘you cook, I clean’ fell on deaf ears. And now you appreciate the extra time with him.

And you decide to let him know as much.

“Y’know, I’m actually kind of happy that we got this chance to get to know each other,” you say, nudging him with your hip. “If we hadn’t been stuck at home, I don’t know if we’d ever have taken the time to actually talk.”

You’re rewarded with a brilliant smile.

“Me too!”

You keep chatting while Eijiro washes the dishes, handing you clean ones to dry. The conversation jumps from the two of you, to your apartment and how thankful you are that Eijiro took on more of the chores, to the lives you led before the pandemic. And eventually to your individual friend groups.

“There’s Katsuki - you know him already,” Eijiro says. “And Denki and Hanta and Kyoka. We all met in high school. But Mina and me, we go back to middle school.”

“Mina,” you mumble. There she was again.

He pauses, looking at you questioningly.

“Did…” You hesitate, then you decide to just ask what’s on your mind. “She’s clearly very special to you. Did you ever date?”

Eijiro looks down at the soapy water, a fond smile on his face. “We did, back in high school. Only for a few months, though, then we decided that we were better off as friends. I guess we both felt pressured to give it a try.” Turning back to you, he finds your gaze again. “She’s my oldest friend. She’s my rock, not afraid to tell me if I’m being an idiot. N’ I do the same for her! But that’s as far as it goes. We didn’t work out back then, and we sure as hell wouldn’t work out now.”

You feel your cheeks heat under his gaze. It doesn’t sound like he regretted breaking up with Mina at all. And the way he’s looking at you makes your stomach flutter. 

Eijiro breaks eye contact for a moment to empty the dish tub and dry his hands. Then he turns to you again, leaning against the counter.

“If you’re not busy tonight, do you maybe want to watch a movie or something?”

It’s your turn to beam. “Yeah, absolutely!!”

Maybe saying yes to a movie was a bad idea. You had trouble sleeping last night, work was particularly draining today, and now you find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open. As much as you want to pay attention to the movie Eijiro picked, your mind is steadily turning into soup. You blink hard, trying to force your eyes to stay open. It doesn’t work. They slowly close, and you sag sideways.

You have no idea how much time has passed. All you know is that you are comfortable and warm. You can still hear the movie playing. Or maybe it’s a new movie. You can’t bring yourself to truly care.

Eijiro shifts in his seat. It makes you realize that you’re leaning against him, his arm wrapped loosely around your waist. Your eyes snap open. Then you decide to close them again. If he doesn’t mind -which you assume he doesn’t, since he hasn’t pushed you away- then you won’t mind either. It’s too comfortable, anyway. 

The two of you stay like this for a while. It’s cozy. Then a frown forms on your face. Something is tickling your waist. It’s most likely a hair stuck to the inside of your shirt. You try to ignore it, but it only gets more irritating, brushing over your skin every time you breathe.

You snap, pushing Eijiro’s arm out of the way to get at the itch. 

Eijiro flinches away from you. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to-- You were leaning on me pretty hard and I thought this would be more comfortable! I-I didn’t--”

“It’s fine,” you say, as you sink back against him. “I don’t mind, it’s cozy. Just had an itch right where your arm was.”

“O-oh.” He hesitates for a moment, then he puts his arm back around you, gently hugging you to his side. “It’s… Yeah, it’s pretty cozy.”

You close your eyes again, not fully registering how flustered he sounds. Or how happy…

Eijiro sits as still as he can, despite the credits rolling over the screen. You’re still nestled up against his shoulder, your forehead pressed against his neck, your breathing soft and even. He’s certain you’re asleep again. And he cannot bring himself to move a muscle, worried he’ll break the spell.

Slowly lifting his free hand, he scrubs at his face. “I’m really in it now, aren’t I?” he mumbles to himself. Falling in love with his roommate. Isn’t that one of the things people are always advised against?

“Fuck, Kats’ll never let me hear the end of it!”

You stir in your sleep, sighing softly. It only makes him wrap his arm tighter around you. Katsuki will have to be a problem for another day; right now Eijiro doesn’t want to think about anything but the sensation of you pressed against his side.

“Need your advice on something, Kats.”

The blonde makes a non-commital sound on the other end of the line. Eijiro swallows thickly, suddenly happy that it’s only the two of them on the voice call. And that you aren’t home to accidentally overhear anything.

He hesitates too long.

“What fucking is it?” Katsuki barks.

Eijiro sighs, steeling himself for the barrage he’s sure is about to come. “I think I’m falling in love with my roomie.”

When the barrage doesn’t come, he wonders briefly if the connection has been cut. 

Then Katsuki groans. “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. Really, Shitty Hair? Your fuckin’ roommate?”

“Hey, she’s a sweetheart, I--”

“NOT what I meant! I’m sure she’s amazin’ if she can tolerate your ass. But what the fuck are you planning to do? Tell her?”

Eijiro can feel himself blush. “I.. I mean, yeah, I’d like to. That’s what I wanted advice on.”

Katsuki practically growls. “Well, my advice is DON’T! We’re in the middle of a fuckin’ pandemic, if she says no, you won’t be able to easily move out.” He grumbles for a moment. “Of all your shitty, hare-brained ideas… But knowin’ you, you’ll never be able to let it go unless you find out, right?”

Eijiro chuckles, scratching at his cheek. “Ya know me too well, Kats.”

“‘Too well’ is right.” Katsuki is silent for a moment, then he groans again. “Alright, fuckin’ fine. Advice. Try to figure out if she feels the same b’fore you tell her anythin’. If she rebuffs you at all, then fuckin’ leave it alone, ya got that??”

Eijiro’s face splits into a wide smile. “Got it!! And if she says no, I can move in with you, right?”

“Like fuck you can’t!!”

Meat and onions sizzle in the pan. You give it a stir, peeking at Eijiro out of the corner of your eyes. He’s currently chopping vegetables, broad shoulders barely moving as he uses the knife. You have to admit that he’s gotten a lot better in the past few months, to the point where you’re looking forward to every meal he makes.

He’s gotten a lot more forward with you too. He’s become touchy-feely and quick to give compliments. And you don’t mind it one bit. You just hope it will continue once the pandemic ends. 

You really ought to tell him how you feel. But… You can’t help but worry about whether he feels the same. Sighing softly, you push the thought away for now. 

Eijiro turns to you with the cutting board, ready to add the veggies to the pan.

“By the way,” he says, “I got a surprise for dinner.”

You tilt your head, unable to stop your coquettish grin. “Oh? Should I be worried?”

Eijiro’s features soften as he looks at you. “Nah, probably not. Unless you don’t drink wine.”

“I do!”

You slowly swirl the wine in your glass. It’s the last of the two bottles Eijiro bought, so you want to savor it.

Across the table, Eijiro watches your movements with rapt attention. You can almost feel the intensity of his gaze. Or maybe it’s the wine.

He draws in a deep breath, almost like he forgot how to breathe for a moment. “You’re fuckin’ beautiful.”

It takes a little too long for his words to make their way through your drunk brain. 

“What did you just say?” you exhale. Your face feels like it's on fire.

Eijiro blinks. Then he sits up straight, shaking his head. “Fuck, I-- I shouldn’t have-- It’s just… I dunno how much longer I can stand not saying anythin’.”

You swallow hard, trying your best not to melt against the table. “What are you trying to say?”

He looks at you again, features softening. “That I’m in love with you.” Looking away, he scratches at the back of his neck. “I-I don’t even know if… if you return my feelings, but--”

You down the rest of your wine, trying to gain some liquid courage which you honestly don’t need at the moment. Then you get up, moving around the table. 

He peers at you, smile evaporating. “What are you…”

“I do!” you finally answer him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning in, face level with his.

Eijiro blinks hard. “What…”

“I do return your feelings. You’re pretty fucking cute yourself.” 

He just looks at you for a moment, letting your words sink in. Then his face splits into a brilliant smile. You should’ve worn sunglasses.

Raising a hand, he gently cups your cheek, his smile widening when you lean into his touch. His thumb rubs over your skin, slowly moving downwards until it brushes over your bottom lip.

“Can I?” he asks.

You don’t answer. Instead, you lean in to kiss him first. His lips are warm, tasting like wine. Eijiro interrupts the kiss briefly to push his chair back, getting to his feet.

Pulling you close, his hand finds its place on your cheek once more. “You’ve no idea how fuckin’ long I’ve wanted to do this,” he mumbles against your lips. Then he kisses you again.

You sit sideways on the couch, feet propped up against Eijiro’s thigh. He’s gaming with his friends again; you can feel the muscles in his thigh tense as he leans into the curve of the race track on the screen. 

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon… YES!!!”

He jumps to his feet, whooping as he wins. You eye him over the top of your magazine, pouting at him.

Grinning at you, he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, babe, didn’t mean to get that loud!” 

You hear someone loudly exclaiming something through Eijiro’s headset.

He chuckles. “Yeah, my girlfriend got mad.”

The voice call erupts into shouts. You can’t help but giggle when you hear Denki screaming ‘what??’ over and over again, with whom you assume is Mina cheering loudly in the background. 

Eijiro just laughs. “Didn’t I tell you? Me and my roomie started dating!”

He talks for a moment longer, then bows out of the game with his victory, deciding that he’d rather spend the rest of the day with you. 

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, comments, and reblogs are always greatly appreciated! If you like what you’ve read, please check out my other works. Love, Em 💖

Do not repost, redistribute, copy, modify, record, translate, or plagiarize my writing. If you see someone posting my writing claiming it as their own, or posting a narration of my writing, please let me know!

[birinboom]

My Roommate and I

Kirishima Eijiro x Fem!Reader Word count: 6.336 words Summary: You don’t know your roommate all that well. He’s fine as roommates go, cleans up after himself, bills paid on time. But he isn’t around enough for you to actually get to know him. Things begin to change when the pandemic forces both of you to stay at home and your social butterfly of a roommate loses IRL access to his friends. Genre: Quirkless AU, roommates to lovers, pandemic fic, forced proximity, domestic fluff, romance Warning: mention of past Kiri-Mina, food/eating, swearing, alcohol, Eijiro calls Reader ‘babe’ Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖

The first time you meet Eijiro, you could only describe him as big and bright. Big and bright smile, big and bright personality, big stature in a bright outfit, big and bright hair. You wonder briefly if his hair is dyed and whether he dyes it himself. Then you shrug. The two of you have separate bathrooms so if he leaves red dye streaks everywhere, that’s his own problem. He can take it up with the landlord when he eventually moves out.

You’re happy, though, that he agreed to meet up with you before moving in. You'd be a bit freaked out seeing a stranger in your home, even if you knew that he’d be moving in. And this makes it easier to sit down with him early on to go over some general rules and a chore chart for the common areas.

It turns out that Eijiro’s a pretty decent roommate. He keeps his clutter out of the kitchen and living room, he cleans his assigned areas, he leaves your food alone, he pays rent on time. Most of this, you think, is probably attributed to him only really using his room for sleep. You rarely see him outside of early mornings when you're both preparing for work. After work he usually hangs out with his friends, or goes to the gym, or whatever a guy like him does, only coming home long after you've retired to your own room.

You don't really mind; you have the apartment mostly to yourself this way. And it's not like you really know him, anyway. He's just a roommate.

Time passes. You count yourself lucky, hearing some of your friends’ horror stories about their roommates from hell. 

Then the pandemic lockdowns happen.

You’re fortunate that you’re able to do your job remotely. Eijiro, however, is fired; he tells you so in passing. But he quickly adds that he’ll get by on unemployment until he finds another job, so no need to worry!

You're honestly surprised that he doesn't go stay with one of his friends. But he unfortunately doesn't, which means that you’re now stuck with him constantly at home. And you learn yet another aspect of his personality: just how frustratingly loud he can be. He cranks the volume on video calls with his friends -to the point where you can hear their voices clearly through his headphones- and he laughs boisterously at almost anything they say. He shrieks and hollers at the online games they play. And even though he's quick to turn the volume down with a sheepish ‘whoops, my roomie got mad’ when you poke your head out of your room to scowl at him, it still frustrates you to no end. You still have work for goodness’ sake! 

You soon come to realize that Eijiro’s very existence is loud, even when he’s not yapping with his friends. It seems that all he does during his waking hours is never-ending chit-chat and exercising in the middle of the living room, grunting up a storm. These two things sometimes happen at the same time, making you want to scream. 

Adding onto your frustrations are his so-called ‘cooking experiments,’ the stench of burned food often hanging in the air for hours after he finishes cooking, pots and pans left to soak overnight. You do have to admit, though, that they might very well need the soaking, given the amount of charred food on them. And Eijiro usually cleans them up the next morning without prompting. Usually. 

It’s just two more weeks, you tell yourself, then things will open up again and he can go spend time SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Things go on like this for months, your urge to throw him out a window slowly growing with each day.

Then, one Saturday morning, you find him sitting at the dining table, eyes red-rimmed and nose running. Your first thought is that he caught covid. But there’s something off about the scene; Eijiro isn’t behaving like someone who’s sick. He absentmindedly moves his cereal around in the bowl, lifts the spoon, then lowers it again. His breathing stutters, he hiccups, then lets out a shaky sigh. And it hits you; he’s not sick, nor is he potentially hungover. He’s trying his best to not cry. 

You almost wish you could back into your bedroom, pretend like you didn’t notice anything to give him some privacy. But it’s too late.

“Oh!” you hear him croak as he sees you, followed by a very wet sniffle.

Guess I’m dealing with this now, you think. The two of you had a pretty decent -if almost non-existent- relationship before the lockdown, right? You really ought to be a good roommate.

“Are you alright?” you ask. It seems stupid in hindsight, he’s clearly far from alright.

And Eijiro admits as much. 

“I… … no.” 

You watch as he clenches his teeth, lower lip wobbling, trying to breathe through whatever this is. And you sigh. Yeah, it’s time to be a good roommate. 

Moving into the kitchen, you begin fixing your own bowl of cereal. You figure this conversation might be easier for him if you’re not looking straight at him. He’s always seemed like the type of hyper-masculine person who’d hate crying in front of others.

“What’s going on?” you ask.

Eijiro sniffles again. He’s silent for a moment, then he draws in a deep, shaky breath. “I’m so fucking lonely,” he admits.

Humming in response, you eye the pot of coffee he made earlier. Surely he won’t mind if you have some, not when you’re listening to him vent. You pull a cup from the cupboard.

“But you talk with your friends all the time, don’t you?” You have to fight not to make a snippy comment about how loud they usually are; now isn’t the time for that.

He shifts in his seat. “’S not the same,” he says, then adds in a smaller voice, “Not at all.”

Placing your filled coffee cup next to you, you finally turn to face him, leaning against the counter, cereal bowl balanced in one hand. Sitting in front of him at the table still feels a bit too intimate with the mood he’s in.

His silhouette is dark against the light from the window at the end of the room, mirroring his emotions. You realize that his hair isn’t styled into the normal spikes; instead it’s drooping around his face, making him seem smaller, almost like he’s folding in on himself. Like he’s trying to hide. You barely recognize him.

“How is it not the same?” you ask, deciding to prod just a little bit. “Is it because you’re not in the same room?”

“It’s not just that!” he responds. “I can kinda get there if I really crank the volume, but…”

Oh, you think, is that why he prefers it so loud? Here you just thought he was obnoxious and had no respect for your working hours. Or your sleep.

“But?” you prod again.

Eijiro sighs deeply. When he speaks again, his voice croaks with held-back tears. “I miss physical touch. We’re pretty tight, me ‘n my friends. We hug each other a lot.” He sighs again; it almost sounds like his heart is breaking. “Not being in the same room as them, not being able to hear their voices except through headphones - it already hurts. But not being able to reach out and touch them is… it’s so much worse.” 

He swallows hard, then continues, “Denki’s roommate moved back home with their parents; to assist them, I think. So he’s alone too. He cried on our call yesterday. And I couldn’t do anything; couldn’t offer him a tissue, or a hug, or anything!”

You have no idea who Denki is. But it strikes you that Eijiro described him as ‘alone too.’ Denki, it seems, really is alone if his roommate has moved out. Did Eijiro truly see himself in the same situation, even with you here? You swallow hard. Maybe you haven’t been as good a roommate as you thought. 

Looking at the cereal bowl in your hand, you absentmindedly stir it, much like Eijiro had done with his own bowl just a moment before. Seems like you might have misjudged him too, if he truly gives physical affection to his friends as freely as he just described. You hadn’t expected that - you’ve always seen him as the classic, super macho gym-nut who might catch the gay if he’s in the vicinity of the color pink. Not that he’s ever given you any reason to believe that, you slowly realize. This was all your own prejudice. You really haven’t been a good roommate. And that realization stings.

Looking at Eijiro again, you feel like you see him in a different light. You read an article just the night before about how the pandemic has left a lot of people touch-starved when they can’t participate in their usual social activities. 

The article suggested moving in with friends, with family, even with friends-with-benefits, just to stave off touch-starvation and loneliness. You have to admit that you feel a bit touch-starved too, now that you can’t spend time with your friends or family. And isn’t there something about humans needing a certain amount of touch a day to thrive?

Eijiro’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts. 

"D’ya think I could have a hug?" he asks, finally facing you, his eyes brimming with tears.

You realize in that moment that a hug sounds really, really great. And maybe this is an opportunity to actually get to know your roommate. Especially when you don’t know how long this pandemic will last. The promise of two weeks to flatten the curve has already been extended several times.

Putting your cereal bowl on the counter, you wordlessly spread your arms. Eijiro is up in an instant, chair clattering against the floor. Then you find yourself swept up in what you can only describe as a bone-crushing embrace. You know he’s buff, but you haven’t realized just how strong he is. Gasping for air, you tap his biceps.

“Not so tight!” you wheeze.

Eijiro lets out what you can only describe as a wet bark of laughter. But he loosens his grip on you instantly.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, sniffling again. “Got a bit too enthusiastic.”

“That’s okay,” you say. “Guess you really needed it.”

It’s comforting, you realize, as you sink back into the embrace. He’s warm, and his arms around you feel safe for some reason. You can almost imagine falling asleep standing like this, certain that he’ll keep you upright. But you want your coffee while it’s still hot.

Eijiro seems reluctant to let go when you begin pulling away, scrubbing at his face behind your back.

Finally, he looks at you again, tear streaks on his cheeks. “Think we could do this again sometime?” he asks shyly.

You smile at him and nod. “Yeah. I think we’re both gonna need it.”

Eijiro blows his nose again, managing to make a sound reminiscent of a trumpeting elephant. 

“Sorry ‘bout all that,” he says, sniffling once more. “Crying to you wasn’t exactly manly of me.”

Resting your elbows on the dining table, you tilt your head and look at him over the rim of your coffee cup. “Crying is human. It’s not feminine, it’s--”

“That’s not what I mean,” he interrupts. “I agree, nothing shameful about crying; I meant complaining ‘bout all my issues. It’s not manly of me to put that burden on you.”

You decide to ignore the issue of not wanting to ask for help for now. Instead you say, “We’re gonna be stuck together for a while. I want to at least try to help. Besides, this might be better for both of us in the long run. Being at home all the time hasn’t exactly been great for me either…”

Eijiro nods thoughtfully, pulling his bowl of soggy breakfast closer. You look towards the movement, your brows furrowing.

“Is that my cereal?”

He looks at you like a deer caught in headlights. “You… you said I could have some, didn’t you?”

You can’t help but laugh at his expression. “I did! I’m not going back on that, don’t worry! I’ve just never seen you eat sugary cereal before.”

Eijiro relaxes again, then gives a small shrug. “Felt like I needed a sweet treat today.” 

“Don’t we all these days...”

You take another sip of your coffee, then look back to the man at the opposite side of the table.

“I think we need to put down some new rules while we’re both home all the time. The voice calls with your friends are really starting to bother me, especially when I’m working.”

He nods. “Yeah, kinda figured. I swear I’m trying to be quieter, but I always end up forgetting when I’m in the middle of it. I’ll try talking with everybody, see if we can find a different time or something. Maybe meet up outside once the weather’s better…” Leaning back in his chair, Eijiro scrubs at his face. “If only I could find a new job, then I’d actually have something to occupy me. Haven’t had any luck though.”

You realize with a pang of guilt that you don’t even know what he does for a living. Or… did. But Eijiro just grins when you tell him as much.

“Guess I was never really around so you could ask. I was a fitness instructor at this privately owned gym. They had to close because of the pandemic, but the owners promised me that if they have any hope of keeping the gym going I’ll be back on payroll once they open up again. They only really let me go so I could get unemployment.” He sighs fondly. “I really like them, they’re so… manly!”

You fight not to make a face. There it is again. Manly. Manliness isn’t exactly something you’d be looking for in a gym, but you guess you also aren’t a masculine gym-nut. At least Eijiro isn’t nearly as bad as you had originally thought.

You really do fight not to make a face… But you fail. And Eijiro notices instantly.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… I’m not sure I’d personally want to go to a ‘manly’ gym.”

He just blinks at you for a moment. “Not sure why you think that-- oh.” He laughs to himself. “I need to explain something. ‘Manly’ doesn’t mean masculine to me. ’S not based on gender at all. When I was a kid I used to be a really big fan of this action hero, Crimson Riot - do you know him?”

You shake your head. Never heard of the guy.

“He had this habit of calling things he favored ‘manly,’” Eijiro explains. “It was a way of living, a way of staying true to yourself, or so he’d say. Guess I never grew out of this way of seeing things.

“But the owners,” he continues, “they’re a gay couple, and they’re some of the sweetest and most helpful people I’ve ever met. They face a lot of prejudice but they never let it get to them. They choose to stay kind. It’s awesome. It’s… It’s manly! You see?”

You look at him for a moment. Then you nod. “Yeah, I… I think I do.”

Eijiro beams at you. “I think you’d like the gym. We’re very supportive, and we take harassment complaints very seriously. One of my buds was a regular when it was still open, and she told me she felt very safe there.” He chuckles. “Though anyone who wanted to harass her should fear her, not the management. She’s never been shy about punching someone in the gut. And it hurts!”

You raise your brows. “Wait, she’s punched you??”

Eijiro grins. “Yeah! … Wait no, not because I deserved it; I asked her to! She wanted to know if she could do anything to punch better, so I said ‘well, punch me!’ and she did. It was perfect, 10/10 no notes. Took me close to 15 minutes to be able to breathe regularly again.”

Smiling to himself, he adds, “Mina is one of the manliest girls I know. Been friends since high school and she’s always been unabashedly herself. She really helped me grow into the person I am today.”

Mina. He sounds so fond when he speaks of her. You can’t help but wonder if there’s something more there than he’s admitting. Pushing the thought away, you focus on Eijiro again.

“I guess being a personal trainer explains why you’re constantly exercising. I thought you were just obsessed with it.”

Eijiro shrugs with a smile. “I’m actually working out more than I did before getting fired. I’m used to being on my feet and moving almost constantly while at work, and exercising burns off some of that energy. ‘N I want to be ready to go back instantly.” He’s quiet for a moment, then adds, “Oh, let me know if you want me to show you how to work out at home, or some stretches or anything. You sit still a lot, ’s not good for you.”

You try to wave him off with an awkward laugh. “I know. But I’m not interested right now.”

You’re admittedly surprised when Eijiro backs down instantly. 

“Well, let me know if you ever change your mind. I’ll let ya borrow any equipment you need!”

A couple of days later, Eijiro asks to sit down with you again.

“I’ve been thinking,” he starts. 

“Did it hurt?” The words are out before you can stop them.

Thankfully, Eijiro just laughs. “Lil’ bit, yeah. I prefer to just cruise through life without having to think too much. But I can’t right now, so I need something to keep myself occupied while I’m looking for a job. And I was thinking: how about I take on more of the chores? Cleaning’s a good workout, right? And it’d give ya more free time.”

You just look at him for a moment. “Is that really fair? We pay the same amount of rent, so shouldn’t chores be split evenly too?”

He shrugs. “You talked about wanting to help me the other day. I like being helpful too, y’know. So I thought about maybe getting a wireless headset so I can talk with my friends while I clean. Might make the noise easier on you too, knowing that I’m not just sitting on my ass while talking.” He stops for a moment, then adds, “Was thinking about doing the grocery runs too. Y’know how they’ve been saying that thing about only having one person per household shopping? Might as well be me.” He scoffs. “Got nothing but free time.”

You’re speechless. What he’s saying makes sense, yes. But it still feels wrong to let him do most of your chores just because he’s bored.

It’s like he can sense your unease. 

“We could also take turns on groceries,” he offers. “Then you can get all the intimate stuff ya need without needing to involve me.”

You can’t help but grin at him. “What, too much of a chicken to buy me tampons?” 

Eijiro grins back. “Nah, ‘s not that, I don’t mind. I’ve done it before. It’s just that there are so many kinds I’d need pictures to make sure I got the right thing. Might be less of a hassle if you got it yourself. But! If you’re ever in a pinch I got your back!”

You look down at your lunch for a moment, thinking over what he just said.

“If we’re combining groceries, it might be easier if we coordinate our meals. I’m already cooking for myself, I don’t mind cooking for…” -you eye him for a moment- “for two more people. It’s not that much of a difference.”

“Two people!” he sputters. “That’s… … actually probably accurate. I do eat a lot. I like the idea, but…” He scratches at the back of his neck. “I was actually thinking we could take turns cooking.”

You can’t stop yourself from making a face this time. Eijiro just laughs.

“Yeah, I know. I’m terrible. But I was thinking that this is the time to get better. I don’t mind eating what I cook, but I wouldn’t serve it to someone else. So cooking for you as well would force me to pay more attention.”

You sit back in your seat, crossing your arms. “You want me to be your guinea pig.”

“No, I want ya to hold me accountable!”

When you just glare at him, Eijiro holds up his hands. “I’ve got a plan. One of my friends, Katsuki, he’s really good at cooking. Like really, really good. He’s been laid off as well, and he just started a Youtube channel where he shares cooking tips. He’s suggested helping me and Denks cook some meals, so he can figure out what some common mistakes might be. And we can get better at cooking at the same time.”

You stay silent, thinking. It makes Eijiro fret.

“So? Whaddaya think?” he eventually asks.

You sigh, feeling your resolve crumble. It’s too difficult to say no to his puppy-eyes. “Yeah, okay. I’ll at least give your food a try.”

Eijiro rewards you with a beaming smile. It makes your cheeks burn.

It only takes a few days before Eijiro decides to try his cooking experiments on you. He spends the afternoon getting barked at by whom you can only assume is Katsuki - with you listening in on every word. It’s Eijiro’s own fault for having his phone on speaker, you try to reassure yourself. And Katsuki’s tinny voice is piercing.

“Show me what you’re doing, Shitty Hair! … No, you need to cut them smaller, they’ll cook too slow as they are!”

‘Shitty hair’? you think. Do his friends really speak to him like that?

Eijiro just groans, ignoring the insult. “I don’t think I can, Kats, I don’t want the knife to slip.”

“Then sharpen your fucking knife! It’s meant to cut easily, if you’re fighting to cut small pieces then it’s too fucking dull!”

You roll your eyes. As charming as Gordon Ramsey.

“Are you keeping an eye on the meat?” Katsuki asks, his voice smug. “It’s gonna burn if you don’t…”

“SHIT!!”

The food turns out a lot more palatable than you’d imagined. It’s a little bland, a little overcooked, but you really wouldn’t mind eating it again.

And you’re surprised at just how fast Eijiro improves. Over the next few months you grow more and more thankful that he suggested taking turns cooking. It’s a weight off your shoulders, even if you still feel a bit weird that he does most of the cleaning and grocery shopping. But the extra free time and knowing that he’s being productive during his loud voice calls do make things easier on you. In the end you suggest to him that you take on a few more of the financial responsibilities -just a bill or two- to make things a little bit more even. 

You look up from your screen when you hear the front door slam; Eijiro has arrived home with a load of groceries. Stretching, you get up from your chair. Helping him put away the groceries assuages your guilt just a little bit. And -if you’re being very honest with yourself- you’ve recently noticed finding every excuse to spend more time with him. Just five minutes here and there. Helping put away the groceries fits nicely into that too.

Leaving your room, you notice a bag of groceries leaning against the dining table. You turn to Eijiro -who’s already busy putting away groceries- and ask, “What about this one?”

Eijiro smiles at you, which makes your stomach flutter.

“Break time?” he asks. “I got you some ice cream at the store. Didn’t do great in the heat so you might wanna eat it soon.”

You thank him, finally moving from your doorway to actually help. Then you ask again, “What about the bag by the table? We’re not emptying that one?”

He shakes his head, grinning. “That one’s not for us. You know the elderly couple down the hallway?”

You nod silently, unwilling to admit that you don’t.

“I’ve been chatting with them a little bit. Distanced, of course! They’re not doing great so I thought I’d buy them some staples to help out. I’ll take the cost out of my own budget, don’t worry.”

You pause for a moment. It’s such a kind gesture to someone he barely knows. He really is a giant sweetheart. Then you make an instant decision. “I’ll split the cost with you, I wanna help too!” 

You’re graced with a brilliant smile, like the sun rising over the horizon.

“Really?? Thanks! I’ll let them know it’s from both of us!”

You’re numbed, ears ringing as Eijiro talks about taking a quick shower before heading over to your neighbors. Then you’re left alone in the kitchen. 

Sliding onto the floor, you lean your forehead against your drawn-up knees. You’re in deep. Maybe too deep. Ever since his breakdown and the following hug, your feelings have only been growing. And now you don’t know how to make it stop. You aren’t entirely sure you want to, either. But… It’s a bad idea, isn’t it? You’re worried that telling him will only lead to hurt and heartbreak. And yet, you’re not sure how long you can keep your feelings contained.

You decide that you need an in-depth vent session with your own friend group.

The vent session only helps solidify that you definitely have feelings for your roommate. But you still have no idea whether to act on those feelings or not. And Eijiro only makes things harder by being himself - sweet, kind, and maybe a little bit too touchy.

He comes up behind you one night as you’re cooking, loudly sniffing the air.

“Something smells amazing!”

He leans in over you, hands resting on either side of the stove, his chin on your shoulder, just watching as you cook. It’s almost too easy to melt against his chest.

You pull away instead, turning to face him as you try to laugh. It comes out strangled.

“It’s not ready yet, you have to wait!”

Eijiro pouts at you. But he thankfully moves away, instead opting to set the table. You sigh, equal parts in relief and disappointment. You’re not sure how much longer you can keep going without spilling the secret.

You’re doing the dishes together after dinner. It’s become a routine to do them as a team - they get done quicker that way. Eijiro refuses to let you do them alone, even back when your shared cooking routine began. Your idea of ‘you cook, I clean’ fell on deaf ears. And now you appreciate the extra time with him.

And you decide to let him know as much.

“Y’know, I’m actually kind of happy that we got this chance to get to know each other,” you say, nudging him with your hip. “If we hadn’t been stuck at home, I don’t know if we’d ever have taken the time to actually talk.”

You’re rewarded with a brilliant smile.

“Me too!”

You keep chatting while Eijiro washes the dishes, handing you clean ones to dry. The conversation jumps from the two of you, to your apartment and how thankful you are that Eijiro took on more of the chores, to the lives you led before the pandemic. And eventually to your individual friend groups.

“There’s Katsuki - you know him already,” Eijiro says. “And Denki and Hanta and Kyoka. We all met in high school. But Mina and me, we go back to middle school.”

“Mina,” you mumble. There she was again.

He pauses, looking at you questioningly.

“Did…” You hesitate, then you decide to just ask what’s on your mind. “She’s clearly very special to you. Did you ever date?”

Eijiro looks down at the soapy water, a fond smile on his face. “We did, back in high school. Only for a few months, though, then we decided that we were better off as friends. I guess we both felt pressured to give it a try.” Turning back to you, he finds your gaze again. “She’s my oldest friend. She’s my rock, not afraid to tell me if I’m being an idiot. N’ I do the same for her! But that’s as far as it goes. We didn’t work out back then, and we sure as hell wouldn’t work out now.”

You feel your cheeks heat under his gaze. It doesn’t sound like he regretted breaking up with Mina at all. And the way he’s looking at you makes your stomach flutter. 

Eijiro breaks eye contact for a moment to empty the dish tub and dry his hands. Then he turns to you again, leaning against the counter.

“If you’re not busy tonight, do you maybe want to watch a movie or something?”

It’s your turn to beam. “Yeah, absolutely!!”

Maybe saying yes to a movie was a bad idea. You had trouble sleeping last night, work was particularly draining today, and now you find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open. As much as you want to pay attention to the movie Eijiro picked, your mind is steadily turning into soup. You blink hard, trying to force your eyes to stay open. It doesn’t work. They slowly close, and you sag sideways.

You have no idea how much time has passed. All you know is that you are comfortable and warm. You can still hear the movie playing. Or maybe it’s a new movie. You can’t bring yourself to truly care.

Eijiro shifts in his seat. It makes you realize that you’re leaning against him, his arm wrapped loosely around your waist. Your eyes snap open. Then you decide to close them again. If he doesn’t mind -which you assume he doesn’t, since he hasn’t pushed you away- then you won’t mind either. It’s too comfortable, anyway. 

The two of you stay like this for a while. It’s cozy. Then a frown forms on your face. Something is tickling your waist. It’s most likely a hair stuck to the inside of your shirt. You try to ignore it, but it only gets more irritating, brushing over your skin every time you breathe.

You snap, pushing Eijiro’s arm out of the way to get at the itch. 

Eijiro flinches away from you. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to-- You were leaning on me pretty hard and I thought this would be more comfortable! I-I didn’t--”

“It’s fine,” you say, as you sink back against him. “I don’t mind, it’s cozy. Just had an itch right where your arm was.”

“O-oh.” He hesitates for a moment, then he puts his arm back around you, gently hugging you to his side. “It’s… Yeah, it’s pretty cozy.”

You close your eyes again, not fully registering how flustered he sounds. Or how happy…

Eijiro sits as still as he can, despite the credits rolling over the screen. You’re still nestled up against his shoulder, your forehead pressed against his neck, your breathing soft and even. He’s certain you’re asleep again. And he cannot bring himself to move a muscle, worried he’ll break the spell.

Slowly lifting his free hand, he scrubs at his face. “I’m really in it now, aren’t I?” he mumbles to himself. Falling in love with his roommate. Isn’t that one of the things people are always advised against?

“Fuck, Kats’ll never let me hear the end of it!”

You stir in your sleep, sighing softly. It only makes him wrap his arm tighter around you. Katsuki will have to be a problem for another day; right now Eijiro doesn’t want to think about anything but the sensation of you pressed against his side.

“Need your advice on something, Kats.”

The blonde makes a non-commital sound on the other end of the line. Eijiro swallows thickly, suddenly happy that it’s only the two of them on the voice call. And that you aren’t home to accidentally overhear anything.

He hesitates too long.

“What fucking is it?” Katsuki barks.

Eijiro sighs, steeling himself for the barrage he’s sure is about to come. “I think I’m falling in love with my roomie.”

When the barrage doesn’t come, he wonders briefly if the connection has been cut. 

Then Katsuki groans. “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. Really, Shitty Hair? Your fuckin’ roommate?”

“Hey, she’s a sweetheart, I--”

“NOT what I meant! I’m sure she’s amazin’ if she can tolerate your ass. But what the fuck are you planning to do? Tell her?”

Eijiro can feel himself blush. “I.. I mean, yeah, I’d like to. That’s what I wanted advice on.”

Katsuki practically growls. “Well, my advice is DON’T! We’re in the middle of a fuckin’ pandemic, if she says no, you won’t be able to easily move out.” He grumbles for a moment. “Of all your shitty, hare-brained ideas… But knowin’ you, you’ll never be able to let it go unless you find out, right?”

Eijiro chuckles, scratching at his cheek. “Ya know me too well, Kats.”

“‘Too well’ is right.” Katsuki is silent for a moment, then he groans again. “Alright, fuckin’ fine. Advice. Try to figure out if she feels the same b’fore you tell her anythin’. If she rebuffs you at all, then fuckin’ leave it alone, ya got that??”

Eijiro’s face splits into a wide smile. “Got it!! And if she says no, I can move in with you, right?”

“Like fuck you can’t!!”

Meat and onions sizzle in the pan. You give it a stir, peeking at Eijiro out of the corner of your eyes. He’s currently chopping vegetables, broad shoulders barely moving as he uses the knife. You have to admit that he’s gotten a lot better in the past few months, to the point where you’re looking forward to every meal he makes.

He’s gotten a lot more forward with you too. He’s become touchy-feely and quick to give compliments. And you don’t mind it one bit. You just hope it will continue once the pandemic ends. 

You really ought to tell him how you feel. But… You can’t help but worry about whether he feels the same. Sighing softly, you push the thought away for now. 

Eijiro turns to you with the cutting board, ready to add the veggies to the pan.

“By the way,” he says, “I got a surprise for dinner.”

You tilt your head, unable to stop your coquettish grin. “Oh? Should I be worried?”

Eijiro’s features soften as he looks at you. “Nah, probably not. Unless you don’t drink wine.”

“I do!”

You slowly swirl the wine in your glass. It’s the last of the two bottles Eijiro bought, so you want to savor it.

Across the table, Eijiro watches your movements with rapt attention. You can almost feel the intensity of his gaze. Or maybe it’s the wine.

He draws in a deep breath, almost like he forgot how to breathe for a moment. “You’re fuckin’ beautiful.”

It takes a little too long for his words to make their way through your drunk brain. 

“What did you just say?” you exhale. Your face feels like it's on fire.

Eijiro blinks. Then he sits up straight, shaking his head. “Fuck, I-- I shouldn’t have-- It’s just… I dunno how much longer I can stand not saying anythin’.”

You swallow hard, trying your best not to melt against the table. “What are you trying to say?”

He looks at you again, features softening. “That I’m in love with you.” Looking away, he scratches at the back of his neck. “I-I don’t even know if… if you return my feelings, but--”

You down the rest of your wine, trying to gain some liquid courage which you honestly don’t need at the moment. Then you get up, moving around the table. 

He peers at you, smile evaporating. “What are you…”

“I do!” you finally answer him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning in, face level with his.

Eijiro blinks hard. “What…”

“I do return your feelings. You’re pretty fucking cute yourself.” 

He just looks at you for a moment, letting your words sink in. Then his face splits into a brilliant smile. You should’ve worn sunglasses.

Raising a hand, he gently cups your cheek, his smile widening when you lean into his touch. His thumb rubs over your skin, slowly moving downwards until it brushes over your bottom lip.

“Can I?” he asks.

You don’t answer. Instead, you lean in to kiss him first. His lips are warm, tasting like wine. Eijiro interrupts the kiss briefly to push his chair back, getting to his feet.

Pulling you close, his hand finds its place on your cheek once more. “You’ve no idea how fuckin’ long I’ve wanted to do this,” he mumbles against your lips. Then he kisses you again.

You sit sideways on the couch, feet propped up against Eijiro’s thigh. He’s gaming with his friends again; you can feel the muscles in his thigh tense as he leans into the curve of the race track on the screen. 

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon… YES!!!”

He jumps to his feet, whooping as he wins. You eye him over the top of your magazine, pouting at him.

Grinning at you, he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, babe, didn’t mean to get that loud!” 

You hear someone loudly exclaiming something through Eijiro’s headset.

He chuckles. “Yeah, my girlfriend got mad.”

The voice call erupts into shouts. You can’t help but giggle when you hear Denki screaming ‘what??’ over and over again, with whom you assume is Mina cheering loudly in the background. 

Eijiro just laughs. “Didn’t I tell you? Me and my roomie started dating!”

He talks for a moment longer, then bows out of the game with his victory, deciding that he’d rather spend the rest of the day with you. 

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, comments, and reblogs are always greatly appreciated! If you like what you’ve read, please check out my other works. Love, Em 💖

Do not repost, redistribute, copy, modify, record, translate, or plagiarize my writing. If you see someone posting my writing claiming it as their own, or posting a narration of my writing, please let me know!

[birinboom]

My Roommate and I

Kirishima Eijiro x Fem!Reader Word count: 6.336 words Summary: You don’t know your roommate all that well. He’s fine as roommates go, cleans up after himself, bills paid on time. But he isn’t around enough for you to actually get to know him. Things begin to change when the pandemic forces both of you to stay at home and your social butterfly of a roommate loses IRL access to his friends. Genre: Quirkless AU, roommates to lovers, pandemic fic, forced proximity, domestic fluff, romance Warning: mention of past Kiri-Mina, food/eating, swearing, alcohol, Eijiro calls Reader ‘babe’ Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖

The first time you meet Eijiro, you could only describe him as big and bright. Big and bright smile, big and bright personality, big stature in a bright outfit, big and bright hair. You wonder briefly if his hair is dyed and whether he dyes it himself. Then you shrug. The two of you have separate bathrooms so if he leaves red dye streaks everywhere, that’s his own problem. He can take it up with the landlord when he eventually moves out.

You’re happy, though, that he agreed to meet up with you before moving in. You'd be a bit freaked out seeing a stranger in your home, even if you knew that he’d be moving in. And this makes it easier to sit down with him early on to go over some general rules and a chore chart for the common areas.

It turns out that Eijiro’s a pretty decent roommate. He keeps his clutter out of the kitchen and living room, he cleans his assigned areas, he leaves your food alone, he pays rent on time. Most of this, you think, is probably attributed to him only really using his room for sleep. You rarely see him outside of early mornings when you're both preparing for work. After work he usually hangs out with his friends, or goes to the gym, or whatever a guy like him does, only coming home long after you've retired to your own room.

You don't really mind; you have the apartment mostly to yourself this way. And it's not like you really know him, anyway. He's just a roommate.

Time passes. You count yourself lucky, hearing some of your friends’ horror stories about their roommates from hell. 

Then the pandemic lockdowns happen.

You’re fortunate that you’re able to do your job remotely. Eijiro, however, is fired; he tells you so in passing. But he quickly adds that he’ll get by on unemployment until he finds another job, so no need to worry!

You're honestly surprised that he doesn't go stay with one of his friends. But he unfortunately doesn't, which means that you’re now stuck with him constantly at home. And you learn yet another aspect of his personality: just how frustratingly loud he can be. He cranks the volume on video calls with his friends -to the point where you can hear their voices clearly through his headphones- and he laughs boisterously at almost anything they say. He shrieks and hollers at the online games they play. And even though he's quick to turn the volume down with a sheepish ‘whoops, my roomie got mad’ when you poke your head out of your room to scowl at him, it still frustrates you to no end. You still have work for goodness’ sake! 

You soon come to realize that Eijiro’s very existence is loud, even when he’s not yapping with his friends. It seems that all he does during his waking hours is never-ending chit-chat and exercising in the middle of the living room, grunting up a storm. These two things sometimes happen at the same time, making you want to scream. 

Adding onto your frustrations are his so-called ‘cooking experiments,’ the stench of burned food often hanging in the air for hours after he finishes cooking, pots and pans left to soak overnight. You do have to admit, though, that they might very well need the soaking, given the amount of charred food on them. And Eijiro usually cleans them up the next morning without prompting. Usually. 

It’s just two more weeks, you tell yourself, then things will open up again and he can go spend time SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Things go on like this for months, your urge to throw him out a window slowly growing with each day.

Then, one Saturday morning, you find him sitting at the dining table, eyes red-rimmed and nose running. Your first thought is that he caught covid. But there’s something off about the scene; Eijiro isn’t behaving like someone who’s sick. He absentmindedly moves his cereal around in the bowl, lifts the spoon, then lowers it again. His breathing stutters, he hiccups, then lets out a shaky sigh. And it hits you; he’s not sick, nor is he potentially hungover. He’s trying his best to not cry. 

You almost wish you could back into your bedroom, pretend like you didn’t notice anything to give him some privacy. But it’s too late.

“Oh!” you hear him croak as he sees you, followed by a very wet sniffle.

Guess I’m dealing with this now, you think. The two of you had a pretty decent -if almost non-existent- relationship before the lockdown, right? You really ought to be a good roommate.

“Are you alright?” you ask. It seems stupid in hindsight, he’s clearly far from alright.

And Eijiro admits as much. 

“I… … no.” 

You watch as he clenches his teeth, lower lip wobbling, trying to breathe through whatever this is. And you sigh. Yeah, it’s time to be a good roommate. 

Moving into the kitchen, you begin fixing your own bowl of cereal. You figure this conversation might be easier for him if you’re not looking straight at him. He’s always seemed like the type of hyper-masculine person who’d hate crying in front of others.

“What’s going on?” you ask.

Eijiro sniffles again. He’s silent for a moment, then he draws in a deep, shaky breath. “I’m so fucking lonely,” he admits.

Humming in response, you eye the pot of coffee he made earlier. Surely he won’t mind if you have some, not when you’re listening to him vent. You pull a cup from the cupboard.

“But you talk with your friends all the time, don’t you?” You have to fight not to make a snippy comment about how loud they usually are; now isn’t the time for that.

He shifts in his seat. “’S not the same,” he says, then adds in a smaller voice, “Not at all.”

Placing your filled coffee cup next to you, you finally turn to face him, leaning against the counter, cereal bowl balanced in one hand. Sitting in front of him at the table still feels a bit too intimate with the mood he’s in.

His silhouette is dark against the light from the window at the end of the room, mirroring his emotions. You realize that his hair isn’t styled into the normal spikes; instead it’s drooping around his face, making him seem smaller, almost like he’s folding in on himself. Like he’s trying to hide. You barely recognize him.

“How is it not the same?” you ask, deciding to prod just a little bit. “Is it because you’re not in the same room?”

“It’s not just that!” he responds. “I can kinda get there if I really crank the volume, but…”

Oh, you think, is that why he prefers it so loud? Here you just thought he was obnoxious and had no respect for your working hours. Or your sleep.

“But?” you prod again.

Eijiro sighs deeply. When he speaks again, his voice croaks with held-back tears. “I miss physical touch. We’re pretty tight, me ‘n my friends. We hug each other a lot.” He sighs again; it almost sounds like his heart is breaking. “Not being in the same room as them, not being able to hear their voices except through headphones - it already hurts. But not being able to reach out and touch them is… it’s so much worse.” 

He swallows hard, then continues, “Denki’s roommate moved back home with their parents; to assist them, I think. So he’s alone too. He cried on our call yesterday. And I couldn’t do anything; couldn’t offer him a tissue, or a hug, or anything!”

You have no idea who Denki is. But it strikes you that Eijiro described him as ‘alone too.’ Denki, it seems, really is alone if his roommate has moved out. Did Eijiro truly see himself in the same situation, even with you here? You swallow hard. Maybe you haven’t been as good a roommate as you thought. 

Looking at the cereal bowl in your hand, you absentmindedly stir it, much like Eijiro had done with his own bowl just a moment before. Seems like you might have misjudged him too, if he truly gives physical affection to his friends as freely as he just described. You hadn’t expected that - you’ve always seen him as the classic, super macho gym-nut who might catch the gay if he’s in the vicinity of the color pink. Not that he’s ever given you any reason to believe that, you slowly realize. This was all your own prejudice. You really haven’t been a good roommate. And that realization stings.

Looking at Eijiro again, you feel like you see him in a different light. You read an article just the night before about how the pandemic has left a lot of people touch-starved when they can’t participate in their usual social activities. 

The article suggested moving in with friends, with family, even with friends-with-benefits, just to stave off touch-starvation and loneliness. You have to admit that you feel a bit touch-starved too, now that you can’t spend time with your friends or family. And isn’t there something about humans needing a certain amount of touch a day to thrive?

Eijiro’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts. 

"D’ya think I could have a hug?" he asks, finally facing you, his eyes brimming with tears.

You realize in that moment that a hug sounds really, really great. And maybe this is an opportunity to actually get to know your roommate. Especially when you don’t know how long this pandemic will last. The promise of two weeks to flatten the curve has already been extended several times.

Putting your cereal bowl on the counter, you wordlessly spread your arms. Eijiro is up in an instant, chair clattering against the floor. Then you find yourself swept up in what you can only describe as a bone-crushing embrace. You know he’s buff, but you haven’t realized just how strong he is. Gasping for air, you tap his biceps.

“Not so tight!” you wheeze.

Eijiro lets out what you can only describe as a wet bark of laughter. But he loosens his grip on you instantly.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, sniffling again. “Got a bit too enthusiastic.”

“That’s okay,” you say. “Guess you really needed it.”

It’s comforting, you realize, as you sink back into the embrace. He’s warm, and his arms around you feel safe for some reason. You can almost imagine falling asleep standing like this, certain that he’ll keep you upright. But you want your coffee while it’s still hot.

Eijiro seems reluctant to let go when you begin pulling away, scrubbing at his face behind your back.

Finally, he looks at you again, tear streaks on his cheeks. “Think we could do this again sometime?” he asks shyly.

You smile at him and nod. “Yeah. I think we’re both gonna need it.”

Eijiro blows his nose again, managing to make a sound reminiscent of a trumpeting elephant. 

“Sorry ‘bout all that,” he says, sniffling once more. “Crying to you wasn’t exactly manly of me.”

Resting your elbows on the dining table, you tilt your head and look at him over the rim of your coffee cup. “Crying is human. It’s not feminine, it’s--”

“That’s not what I mean,” he interrupts. “I agree, nothing shameful about crying; I meant complaining ‘bout all my issues. It’s not manly of me to put that burden on you.”

You decide to ignore the issue of not wanting to ask for help for now. Instead you say, “We’re gonna be stuck together for a while. I want to at least try to help. Besides, this might be better for both of us in the long run. Being at home all the time hasn’t exactly been great for me either…”

Eijiro nods thoughtfully, pulling his bowl of soggy breakfast closer. You look towards the movement, your brows furrowing.

“Is that my cereal?”

He looks at you like a deer caught in headlights. “You… you said I could have some, didn’t you?”

You can’t help but laugh at his expression. “I did! I’m not going back on that, don’t worry! I’ve just never seen you eat sugary cereal before.”

Eijiro relaxes again, then gives a small shrug. “Felt like I needed a sweet treat today.” 

“Don’t we all these days...”

You take another sip of your coffee, then look back to the man at the opposite side of the table.

“I think we need to put down some new rules while we’re both home all the time. The voice calls with your friends are really starting to bother me, especially when I’m working.”

He nods. “Yeah, kinda figured. I swear I’m trying to be quieter, but I always end up forgetting when I’m in the middle of it. I’ll try talking with everybody, see if we can find a different time or something. Maybe meet up outside once the weather’s better…” Leaning back in his chair, Eijiro scrubs at his face. “If only I could find a new job, then I’d actually have something to occupy me. Haven’t had any luck though.”

You realize with a pang of guilt that you don’t even know what he does for a living. Or… did. But Eijiro just grins when you tell him as much.

“Guess I was never really around so you could ask. I was a fitness instructor at this privately owned gym. They had to close because of the pandemic, but the owners promised me that if they have any hope of keeping the gym going I’ll be back on payroll once they open up again. They only really let me go so I could get unemployment.” He sighs fondly. “I really like them, they’re so… manly!”

You fight not to make a face. There it is again. Manly. Manliness isn’t exactly something you’d be looking for in a gym, but you guess you also aren’t a masculine gym-nut. At least Eijiro isn’t nearly as bad as you had originally thought.

You really do fight not to make a face… But you fail. And Eijiro notices instantly.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… I’m not sure I’d personally want to go to a ‘manly’ gym.”

He just blinks at you for a moment. “Not sure why you think that-- oh.” He laughs to himself. “I need to explain something. ‘Manly’ doesn’t mean masculine to me. ’S not based on gender at all. When I was a kid I used to be a really big fan of this action hero, Crimson Riot - do you know him?”

You shake your head. Never heard of the guy.

“He had this habit of calling things he favored ‘manly,’” Eijiro explains. “It was a way of living, a way of staying true to yourself, or so he’d say. Guess I never grew out of this way of seeing things.

“But the owners,” he continues, “they’re a gay couple, and they’re some of the sweetest and most helpful people I’ve ever met. They face a lot of prejudice but they never let it get to them. They choose to stay kind. It’s awesome. It’s… It’s manly! You see?”

You look at him for a moment. Then you nod. “Yeah, I… I think I do.”

Eijiro beams at you. “I think you’d like the gym. We’re very supportive, and we take harassment complaints very seriously. One of my buds was a regular when it was still open, and she told me she felt very safe there.” He chuckles. “Though anyone who wanted to harass her should fear her, not the management. She’s never been shy about punching someone in the gut. And it hurts!”

You raise your brows. “Wait, she’s punched you??”

Eijiro grins. “Yeah! … Wait no, not because I deserved it; I asked her to! She wanted to know if she could do anything to punch better, so I said ‘well, punch me!’ and she did. It was perfect, 10/10 no notes. Took me close to 15 minutes to be able to breathe regularly again.”

Smiling to himself, he adds, “Mina is one of the manliest girls I know. Been friends since high school and she’s always been unabashedly herself. She really helped me grow into the person I am today.”

Mina. He sounds so fond when he speaks of her. You can’t help but wonder if there’s something more there than he’s admitting. Pushing the thought away, you focus on Eijiro again.

“I guess being a personal trainer explains why you’re constantly exercising. I thought you were just obsessed with it.”

Eijiro shrugs with a smile. “I’m actually working out more than I did before getting fired. I’m used to being on my feet and moving almost constantly while at work, and exercising burns off some of that energy. ‘N I want to be ready to go back instantly.” He’s quiet for a moment, then adds, “Oh, let me know if you want me to show you how to work out at home, or some stretches or anything. You sit still a lot, ’s not good for you.”

You try to wave him off with an awkward laugh. “I know. But I’m not interested right now.”

You’re admittedly surprised when Eijiro backs down instantly. 

“Well, let me know if you ever change your mind. I’ll let ya borrow any equipment you need!”

A couple of days later, Eijiro asks to sit down with you again.

“I’ve been thinking,” he starts. 

“Did it hurt?” The words are out before you can stop them.

Thankfully, Eijiro just laughs. “Lil’ bit, yeah. I prefer to just cruise through life without having to think too much. But I can’t right now, so I need something to keep myself occupied while I’m looking for a job. And I was thinking: how about I take on more of the chores? Cleaning’s a good workout, right? And it’d give ya more free time.”

You just look at him for a moment. “Is that really fair? We pay the same amount of rent, so shouldn’t chores be split evenly too?”

He shrugs. “You talked about wanting to help me the other day. I like being helpful too, y’know. So I thought about maybe getting a wireless headset so I can talk with my friends while I clean. Might make the noise easier on you too, knowing that I’m not just sitting on my ass while talking.” He stops for a moment, then adds, “Was thinking about doing the grocery runs too. Y’know how they’ve been saying that thing about only having one person per household shopping? Might as well be me.” He scoffs. “Got nothing but free time.”

You’re speechless. What he’s saying makes sense, yes. But it still feels wrong to let him do most of your chores just because he’s bored.

It’s like he can sense your unease. 

“We could also take turns on groceries,” he offers. “Then you can get all the intimate stuff ya need without needing to involve me.”

You can’t help but grin at him. “What, too much of a chicken to buy me tampons?” 

Eijiro grins back. “Nah, ‘s not that, I don’t mind. I’ve done it before. It’s just that there are so many kinds I’d need pictures to make sure I got the right thing. Might be less of a hassle if you got it yourself. But! If you’re ever in a pinch I got your back!”

You look down at your lunch for a moment, thinking over what he just said.

“If we’re combining groceries, it might be easier if we coordinate our meals. I’m already cooking for myself, I don’t mind cooking for…” -you eye him for a moment- “for two more people. It’s not that much of a difference.”

“Two people!” he sputters. “That’s… … actually probably accurate. I do eat a lot. I like the idea, but…” He scratches at the back of his neck. “I was actually thinking we could take turns cooking.”

You can’t stop yourself from making a face this time. Eijiro just laughs.

“Yeah, I know. I’m terrible. But I was thinking that this is the time to get better. I don’t mind eating what I cook, but I wouldn’t serve it to someone else. So cooking for you as well would force me to pay more attention.”

You sit back in your seat, crossing your arms. “You want me to be your guinea pig.”

“No, I want ya to hold me accountable!”

When you just glare at him, Eijiro holds up his hands. “I’ve got a plan. One of my friends, Katsuki, he’s really good at cooking. Like really, really good. He’s been laid off as well, and he just started a Youtube channel where he shares cooking tips. He’s suggested helping me and Denks cook some meals, so he can figure out what some common mistakes might be. And we can get better at cooking at the same time.”

You stay silent, thinking. It makes Eijiro fret.

“So? Whaddaya think?” he eventually asks.

You sigh, feeling your resolve crumble. It’s too difficult to say no to his puppy-eyes. “Yeah, okay. I’ll at least give your food a try.”

Eijiro rewards you with a beaming smile. It makes your cheeks burn.

It only takes a few days before Eijiro decides to try his cooking experiments on you. He spends the afternoon getting barked at by whom you can only assume is Katsuki - with you listening in on every word. It’s Eijiro’s own fault for having his phone on speaker, you try to reassure yourself. And Katsuki’s tinny voice is piercing.

“Show me what you’re doing, Shitty Hair! … No, you need to cut them smaller, they’ll cook too slow as they are!”

‘Shitty hair’? you think. Do his friends really speak to him like that?

Eijiro just groans, ignoring the insult. “I don’t think I can, Kats, I don’t want the knife to slip.”

“Then sharpen your fucking knife! It’s meant to cut easily, if you’re fighting to cut small pieces then it’s too fucking dull!”

You roll your eyes. As charming as Gordon Ramsey.

“Are you keeping an eye on the meat?” Katsuki asks, his voice smug. “It’s gonna burn if you don’t…”

“SHIT!!”

The food turns out a lot more palatable than you’d imagined. It’s a little bland, a little overcooked, but you really wouldn’t mind eating it again.

And you’re surprised at just how fast Eijiro improves. Over the next few months you grow more and more thankful that he suggested taking turns cooking. It’s a weight off your shoulders, even if you still feel a bit weird that he does most of the cleaning and grocery shopping. But the extra free time and knowing that he’s being productive during his loud voice calls do make things easier on you. In the end you suggest to him that you take on a few more of the financial responsibilities -just a bill or two- to make things a little bit more even. 

You look up from your screen when you hear the front door slam; Eijiro has arrived home with a load of groceries. Stretching, you get up from your chair. Helping him put away the groceries assuages your guilt just a little bit. And -if you’re being very honest with yourself- you’ve recently noticed finding every excuse to spend more time with him. Just five minutes here and there. Helping put away the groceries fits nicely into that too.

Leaving your room, you notice a bag of groceries leaning against the dining table. You turn to Eijiro -who’s already busy putting away groceries- and ask, “What about this one?”

Eijiro smiles at you, which makes your stomach flutter.

“Break time?” he asks. “I got you some ice cream at the store. Didn’t do great in the heat so you might wanna eat it soon.”

You thank him, finally moving from your doorway to actually help. Then you ask again, “What about the bag by the table? We’re not emptying that one?”

He shakes his head, grinning. “That one’s not for us. You know the elderly couple down the hallway?”

You nod silently, unwilling to admit that you don’t.

“I’ve been chatting with them a little bit. Distanced, of course! They’re not doing great so I thought I’d buy them some staples to help out. I’ll take the cost out of my own budget, don’t worry.”

You pause for a moment. It’s such a kind gesture to someone he barely knows. He really is a giant sweetheart. Then you make an instant decision. “I’ll split the cost with you, I wanna help too!” 

You’re graced with a brilliant smile, like the sun rising over the horizon.

“Really?? Thanks! I’ll let them know it’s from both of us!”

You’re numbed, ears ringing as Eijiro talks about taking a quick shower before heading over to your neighbors. Then you’re left alone in the kitchen. 

Sliding onto the floor, you lean your forehead against your drawn-up knees. You’re in deep. Maybe too deep. Ever since his breakdown and the following hug, your feelings have only been growing. And now you don’t know how to make it stop. You aren’t entirely sure you want to, either. But… It’s a bad idea, isn’t it? You’re worried that telling him will only lead to hurt and heartbreak. And yet, you’re not sure how long you can keep your feelings contained.

You decide that you need an in-depth vent session with your own friend group.

The vent session only helps solidify that you definitely have feelings for your roommate. But you still have no idea whether to act on those feelings or not. And Eijiro only makes things harder by being himself - sweet, kind, and maybe a little bit too touchy.

He comes up behind you one night as you’re cooking, loudly sniffing the air.

“Something smells amazing!”

He leans in over you, hands resting on either side of the stove, his chin on your shoulder, just watching as you cook. It’s almost too easy to melt against his chest.

You pull away instead, turning to face him as you try to laugh. It comes out strangled.

“It’s not ready yet, you have to wait!”

Eijiro pouts at you. But he thankfully moves away, instead opting to set the table. You sigh, equal parts in relief and disappointment. You’re not sure how much longer you can keep going without spilling the secret.

You’re doing the dishes together after dinner. It’s become a routine to do them as a team - they get done quicker that way. Eijiro refuses to let you do them alone, even back when your shared cooking routine began. Your idea of ‘you cook, I clean’ fell on deaf ears. And now you appreciate the extra time with him.

And you decide to let him know as much.

“Y’know, I’m actually kind of happy that we got this chance to get to know each other,” you say, nudging him with your hip. “If we hadn’t been stuck at home, I don’t know if we’d ever have taken the time to actually talk.”

You’re rewarded with a brilliant smile.

“Me too!”

You keep chatting while Eijiro washes the dishes, handing you clean ones to dry. The conversation jumps from the two of you, to your apartment and how thankful you are that Eijiro took on more of the chores, to the lives you led before the pandemic. And eventually to your individual friend groups.

“There’s Katsuki - you know him already,” Eijiro says. “And Denki and Hanta and Kyoka. We all met in high school. But Mina and me, we go back to middle school.”

“Mina,” you mumble. There she was again.

He pauses, looking at you questioningly.

“Did…” You hesitate, then you decide to just ask what’s on your mind. “She’s clearly very special to you. Did you ever date?”

Eijiro looks down at the soapy water, a fond smile on his face. “We did, back in high school. Only for a few months, though, then we decided that we were better off as friends. I guess we both felt pressured to give it a try.” Turning back to you, he finds your gaze again. “She’s my oldest friend. She’s my rock, not afraid to tell me if I’m being an idiot. N’ I do the same for her! But that’s as far as it goes. We didn’t work out back then, and we sure as hell wouldn’t work out now.”

You feel your cheeks heat under his gaze. It doesn’t sound like he regretted breaking up with Mina at all. And the way he’s looking at you makes your stomach flutter. 

Eijiro breaks eye contact for a moment to empty the dish tub and dry his hands. Then he turns to you again, leaning against the counter.

“If you’re not busy tonight, do you maybe want to watch a movie or something?”

It’s your turn to beam. “Yeah, absolutely!!”

Maybe saying yes to a movie was a bad idea. You had trouble sleeping last night, work was particularly draining today, and now you find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open. As much as you want to pay attention to the movie Eijiro picked, your mind is steadily turning into soup. You blink hard, trying to force your eyes to stay open. It doesn’t work. They slowly close, and you sag sideways.

You have no idea how much time has passed. All you know is that you are comfortable and warm. You can still hear the movie playing. Or maybe it’s a new movie. You can’t bring yourself to truly care.

Eijiro shifts in his seat. It makes you realize that you’re leaning against him, his arm wrapped loosely around your waist. Your eyes snap open. Then you decide to close them again. If he doesn’t mind -which you assume he doesn’t, since he hasn’t pushed you away- then you won’t mind either. It’s too comfortable, anyway. 

The two of you stay like this for a while. It’s cozy. Then a frown forms on your face. Something is tickling your waist. It’s most likely a hair stuck to the inside of your shirt. You try to ignore it, but it only gets more irritating, brushing over your skin every time you breathe.

You snap, pushing Eijiro’s arm out of the way to get at the itch. 

Eijiro flinches away from you. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to-- You were leaning on me pretty hard and I thought this would be more comfortable! I-I didn’t--”

“It’s fine,” you say, as you sink back against him. “I don’t mind, it’s cozy. Just had an itch right where your arm was.”

“O-oh.” He hesitates for a moment, then he puts his arm back around you, gently hugging you to his side. “It’s… Yeah, it’s pretty cozy.”

You close your eyes again, not fully registering how flustered he sounds. Or how happy…

Eijiro sits as still as he can, despite the credits rolling over the screen. You’re still nestled up against his shoulder, your forehead pressed against his neck, your breathing soft and even. He’s certain you’re asleep again. And he cannot bring himself to move a muscle, worried he’ll break the spell.

Slowly lifting his free hand, he scrubs at his face. “I’m really in it now, aren’t I?” he mumbles to himself. Falling in love with his roommate. Isn’t that one of the things people are always advised against?

“Fuck, Kats’ll never let me hear the end of it!”

You stir in your sleep, sighing softly. It only makes him wrap his arm tighter around you. Katsuki will have to be a problem for another day; right now Eijiro doesn’t want to think about anything but the sensation of you pressed against his side.

“Need your advice on something, Kats.”

The blonde makes a non-commital sound on the other end of the line. Eijiro swallows thickly, suddenly happy that it’s only the two of them on the voice call. And that you aren’t home to accidentally overhear anything.

He hesitates too long.

“What fucking is it?” Katsuki barks.

Eijiro sighs, steeling himself for the barrage he’s sure is about to come. “I think I’m falling in love with my roomie.”

When the barrage doesn’t come, he wonders briefly if the connection has been cut. 

Then Katsuki groans. “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. Really, Shitty Hair? Your fuckin’ roommate?”

“Hey, she’s a sweetheart, I--”

“NOT what I meant! I’m sure she’s amazin’ if she can tolerate your ass. But what the fuck are you planning to do? Tell her?”

Eijiro can feel himself blush. “I.. I mean, yeah, I’d like to. That’s what I wanted advice on.”

Katsuki practically growls. “Well, my advice is DON’T! We’re in the middle of a fuckin’ pandemic, if she says no, you won’t be able to easily move out.” He grumbles for a moment. “Of all your shitty, hare-brained ideas… But knowin’ you, you’ll never be able to let it go unless you find out, right?”

Eijiro chuckles, scratching at his cheek. “Ya know me too well, Kats.”

“‘Too well’ is right.” Katsuki is silent for a moment, then he groans again. “Alright, fuckin’ fine. Advice. Try to figure out if she feels the same b’fore you tell her anythin’. If she rebuffs you at all, then fuckin’ leave it alone, ya got that??”

Eijiro’s face splits into a wide smile. “Got it!! And if she says no, I can move in with you, right?”

“Like fuck you can’t!!”

Meat and onions sizzle in the pan. You give it a stir, peeking at Eijiro out of the corner of your eyes. He’s currently chopping vegetables, broad shoulders barely moving as he uses the knife. You have to admit that he’s gotten a lot better in the past few months, to the point where you’re looking forward to every meal he makes.

He’s gotten a lot more forward with you too. He’s become touchy-feely and quick to give compliments. And you don’t mind it one bit. You just hope it will continue once the pandemic ends. 

You really ought to tell him how you feel. But… You can’t help but worry about whether he feels the same. Sighing softly, you push the thought away for now. 

Eijiro turns to you with the cutting board, ready to add the veggies to the pan.

“By the way,” he says, “I got a surprise for dinner.”

You tilt your head, unable to stop your coquettish grin. “Oh? Should I be worried?”

Eijiro’s features soften as he looks at you. “Nah, probably not. Unless you don’t drink wine.”

“I do!”

You slowly swirl the wine in your glass. It’s the last of the two bottles Eijiro bought, so you want to savor it.

Across the table, Eijiro watches your movements with rapt attention. You can almost feel the intensity of his gaze. Or maybe it’s the wine.

He draws in a deep breath, almost like he forgot how to breathe for a moment. “You’re fuckin’ beautiful.”

It takes a little too long for his words to make their way through your drunk brain. 

“What did you just say?” you exhale. Your face feels like it's on fire.

Eijiro blinks. Then he sits up straight, shaking his head. “Fuck, I-- I shouldn’t have-- It’s just… I dunno how much longer I can stand not saying anythin’.”

You swallow hard, trying your best not to melt against the table. “What are you trying to say?”

He looks at you again, features softening. “That I’m in love with you.” Looking away, he scratches at the back of his neck. “I-I don’t even know if… if you return my feelings, but--”

You down the rest of your wine, trying to gain some liquid courage which you honestly don’t need at the moment. Then you get up, moving around the table. 

He peers at you, smile evaporating. “What are you…”

“I do!” you finally answer him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning in, face level with his.

Eijiro blinks hard. “What…”

“I do return your feelings. You’re pretty fucking cute yourself.” 

He just looks at you for a moment, letting your words sink in. Then his face splits into a brilliant smile. You should’ve worn sunglasses.

Raising a hand, he gently cups your cheek, his smile widening when you lean into his touch. His thumb rubs over your skin, slowly moving downwards until it brushes over your bottom lip.

“Can I?” he asks.

You don’t answer. Instead, you lean in to kiss him first. His lips are warm, tasting like wine. Eijiro interrupts the kiss briefly to push his chair back, getting to his feet.

Pulling you close, his hand finds its place on your cheek once more. “You’ve no idea how fuckin’ long I’ve wanted to do this,” he mumbles against your lips. Then he kisses you again.

You sit sideways on the couch, feet propped up against Eijiro’s thigh. He’s gaming with his friends again; you can feel the muscles in his thigh tense as he leans into the curve of the race track on the screen. 

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon… YES!!!”

He jumps to his feet, whooping as he wins. You eye him over the top of your magazine, pouting at him.

Grinning at you, he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, babe, didn’t mean to get that loud!” 

You hear someone loudly exclaiming something through Eijiro’s headset.

He chuckles. “Yeah, my girlfriend got mad.”

The voice call erupts into shouts. You can’t help but giggle when you hear Denki screaming ‘what??’ over and over again, with whom you assume is Mina cheering loudly in the background. 

Eijiro just laughs. “Didn’t I tell you? Me and my roomie started dating!”

He talks for a moment longer, then bows out of the game with his victory, deciding that he’d rather spend the rest of the day with you. 

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, comments, and reblogs are always greatly appreciated! If you like what you’ve read, please check out my other works. Love, Em 💖

Do not repost, redistribute, copy, modify, record, translate, or plagiarize my writing. If you see someone posting my writing claiming it as their own, or posting a narration of my writing, please let me know!

[birinboom]

My Roommate and I

Kirishima Eijiro x Fem!Reader Word count: 6,336 words Summary: You don’t know your roommate all that well. He’s fine as roommates go, cleans up after himself, bills paid on time. But he isn’t around enough for you to actually get to know him. Things begin to change when the pandemic forces both of you to stay at home and your social butterfly of a roommate loses IRL access to his friends. Genre: Quirkless AU, roommates to lovers, pandemic fic, forced proximity, domestic fluff, romance Warning: mention of past Kiri-Mina, food/eating, swearing, alcohol, Eijiro calls Reader ‘babe’ Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖

The first time you meet Eijiro, you could only describe him as big and bright. Big and bright smile, big and bright personality, big stature in a bright outfit, big and bright hair. You wonder briefly if his hair is dyed and whether he dyes it himself. Then you shrug. The two of you have separate bathrooms so if he leaves red dye streaks everywhere, that’s his own problem. He can take it up with the landlord when he eventually moves out.

You’re happy, though, that he agreed to meet up with you before moving in. You'd be a bit freaked out seeing a stranger in your home, even if you knew that he’d be moving in. And this makes it easier to sit down with him early on to go over some general rules and a chore chart for the common areas.

It turns out that Eijiro’s a pretty decent roommate. He keeps his clutter out of the kitchen and living room, he cleans his assigned areas, he leaves your food alone, he pays rent on time. Most of this, you think, is probably attributed to him only really using his room for sleep. You rarely see him outside of early mornings when you're both preparing for work. After work he usually hangs out with his friends, or goes to the gym, or whatever a guy like him does, only coming home long after you've retired to your own room.

You don't really mind; you have the apartment mostly to yourself this way. And it's not like you really know him, anyway. He's just a roommate.

Time passes. You count yourself lucky, hearing some of your friends’ horror stories about their roommates from hell. 

Then the pandemic lockdowns happen.

You’re fortunate that you’re able to do your job remotely. Eijiro, however, is fired; he tells you so in passing. But he quickly adds that he’ll get by on unemployment until he finds another job, so no need to worry!

You're honestly surprised that he doesn't go stay with one of his friends. But he unfortunately doesn't, which means that you’re now stuck with him constantly at home. And you learn yet another aspect of his personality: just how frustratingly loud he can be. He cranks the volume on video calls with his friends -to the point where you can hear their voices clearly through his headphones- and he laughs boisterously at almost anything they say. He shrieks and hollers at the online games they play. And even though he's quick to turn the volume down with a sheepish ‘whoops, my roomie got mad’ when you poke your head out of your room to scowl at him, it still frustrates you to no end. You still have work for goodness’ sake! 

You soon come to realize that Eijiro’s very existence is loud, even when he’s not yapping with his friends. It seems that all he does during his waking hours is never-ending chit-chat and exercising in the middle of the living room, grunting up a storm. These two things sometimes happen at the same time, making you want to scream. 

Adding onto your frustrations are his so-called ‘cooking experiments,’ the stench of burned food often hanging in the air for hours after he finishes cooking, pots and pans left to soak overnight. You do have to admit, though, that they might very well need the soaking, given the amount of charred food on them. And Eijiro usually cleans them up the next morning without prompting. Usually. 

It’s just two more weeks, you tell yourself, then things will open up again and he can go spend time SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Things go on like this for months, your urge to throw him out a window slowly growing with each day.

Then, one Saturday morning, you find him sitting at the dining table, eyes red-rimmed and nose running. Your first thought is that he caught covid. But there’s something off about the scene; Eijiro isn’t behaving like someone who’s sick. He absentmindedly moves his cereal around in the bowl, lifts the spoon, then lowers it again. His breathing stutters, he hiccups, then lets out a shaky sigh. And it hits you; he’s not sick, nor is he potentially hungover. He’s trying his best to not cry. 

You almost wish you could back into your bedroom, pretend like you didn’t notice anything to give him some privacy. But it’s too late.

“Oh!” you hear him croak as he sees you, followed by a very wet sniffle.

Guess I’m dealing with this now, you think. The two of you had a pretty decent -if almost non-existent- relationship before the lockdown, right? You really ought to be a good roommate.

“Are you alright?” you ask. It seems stupid in hindsight, he’s clearly far from alright.

And Eijiro admits as much. 

“I… … no.” 

You watch as he clenches his teeth, lower lip wobbling, trying to breathe through whatever this is. And you sigh. Yeah, it’s time to be a good roommate. 

Moving into the kitchen, you begin fixing your own bowl of cereal. You figure this conversation might be easier for him if you’re not looking straight at him. He’s always seemed like the type of hyper-masculine person who’d hate crying in front of others.

“What’s going on?” you ask.

Eijiro sniffles again. He’s silent for a moment, then he draws in a deep, shaky breath. “I’m so fucking lonely,” he admits.

Humming in response, you eye the pot of coffee he made earlier. Surely he won’t mind if you have some, not when you’re listening to him vent. You pull a cup from the cupboard.

“But you talk with your friends all the time, don’t you?” You have to fight not to make a snippy comment about how loud they usually are; now isn’t the time for that.

He shifts in his seat. “’S not the same,” he says, then adds in a smaller voice, “Not at all.”

Placing your filled coffee cup next to you, you finally turn to face him, leaning against the counter, cereal bowl balanced in one hand. Sitting in front of him at the table still feels a bit too intimate with the mood he’s in.

His silhouette is dark against the light from the window at the end of the room, mirroring his emotions. You realize that his hair isn’t styled into the normal spikes; instead it’s drooping around his face, making him seem smaller, almost like he’s folding in on himself. Like he’s trying to hide. You barely recognize him.

“How is it not the same?” you ask, deciding to prod just a little bit. “Is it because you’re not in the same room?”

“It’s not just that!” he responds. “I can kinda get there if I really crank the volume, but…”

Oh, you think, is that why he prefers it so loud? Here you just thought he was obnoxious and had no respect for your working hours. Or your sleep.

“But?” you prod again.

Eijiro sighs deeply. When he speaks again, his voice croaks with held-back tears. “I miss physical touch. We’re pretty tight, me ‘n my friends. We hug each other a lot.” He sighs again; it almost sounds like his heart is breaking. “Not being in the same room as them, not being able to hear their voices except through headphones - it already hurts. But not being able to reach out and touch them is… it’s so much worse.” 

He swallows hard, then continues, “Denki’s roommate moved back home with their parents; to assist them, I think. So he’s alone too. He cried on our call yesterday. And I couldn’t do anything; couldn’t offer him a tissue, or a hug, or anything!”

You have no idea who Denki is. But it strikes you that Eijiro described him as ‘alone too.’ Denki, it seems, really is alone if his roommate has moved out. Did Eijiro truly see himself in the same situation, even with you here? You swallow hard. Maybe you haven’t been as good a roommate as you thought. 

Looking at the cereal bowl in your hand, you absentmindedly stir it, much like Eijiro had done with his own bowl just a moment before. Seems like you might have misjudged him too, if he truly gives physical affection to his friends as freely as he just described. You hadn’t expected that - you’ve always seen him as the classic, super macho gym-nut who might catch the gay if he’s in the vicinity of the color pink. Not that he’s ever given you any reason to believe that, you slowly realize. This was all your own prejudice. You really haven’t been a good roommate. And that realization stings.

Looking at Eijiro again, you feel like you see him in a different light. You read an article just the night before about how the pandemic has left a lot of people touch-starved when they can’t participate in their usual social activities. 

The article suggested moving in with friends, with family, even with friends-with-benefits, just to stave off touch-starvation and loneliness. You have to admit that you feel a bit touch-starved too, now that you can’t spend time with your friends or family. And isn’t there something about humans needing a certain amount of touch a day to thrive?

Eijiro’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts. 

"D’ya think I could have a hug?" he asks, finally facing you, his eyes brimming with tears.

You realize in that moment that a hug sounds really, really great. And maybe this is an opportunity to actually get to know your roommate. Especially when you don’t know how long this pandemic will last. The promise of two weeks to flatten the curve has already been extended several times.

Putting your cereal bowl on the counter, you wordlessly spread your arms. Eijiro is up in an instant, chair clattering against the floor. Then you find yourself swept up in what you can only describe as a bone-crushing embrace. You know he’s buff, but you haven’t realized just how strong he is. Gasping for air, you tap his biceps.

“Not so tight!” you wheeze.

Eijiro lets out what you can only describe as a wet bark of laughter. But he loosens his grip on you instantly.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, sniffling again. “Got a bit too enthusiastic.”

“That’s okay,” you say. “Guess you really needed it.”

It’s comforting, you realize, as you sink back into the embrace. He’s warm, and his arms around you feel safe for some reason. You can almost imagine falling asleep standing like this, certain that he’ll keep you upright. But you want your coffee while it’s still hot.

Eijiro seems reluctant to let go when you begin pulling away, scrubbing at his face behind your back.

Finally, he looks at you again, tear streaks on his cheeks. “Think we could do this again sometime?” he asks shyly.

You smile at him and nod. “Yeah. I think we’re both gonna need it.”

Eijiro blows his nose again, managing to make a sound reminiscent of a trumpeting elephant. 

“Sorry ‘bout all that,” he says, sniffling once more. “Crying to you wasn’t exactly manly of me.”

Resting your elbows on the dining table, you tilt your head and look at him over the rim of your coffee cup. “Crying is human. It’s not feminine, it’s--”

“That’s not what I mean,” he interrupts. “I agree, nothing shameful about crying; I meant complaining ‘bout all my issues. It’s not manly of me to put that burden on you.”

You decide to ignore the issue of not wanting to ask for help for now. Instead you say, “We’re gonna be stuck together for a while. I want to at least try to help. Besides, this might be better for both of us in the long run. Being at home all the time hasn’t exactly been great for me either…”

Eijiro nods thoughtfully, pulling his bowl of soggy breakfast closer. You look towards the movement, your brows furrowing.

“Is that my cereal?”

He looks at you like a deer caught in headlights. “You… you said I could have some, didn’t you?”

You can’t help but laugh at his expression. “I did! I’m not going back on that, don’t worry! I’ve just never seen you eat sugary cereal before.”

Eijiro relaxes again, then gives a small shrug. “Felt like I needed a sweet treat today.” 

“Don’t we all these days...”

You take another sip of your coffee, then look back to the man at the opposite side of the table.

“I think we need to put down some new rules while we’re both home all the time. The voice calls with your friends are really starting to bother me, especially when I’m working.”

He nods. “Yeah, kinda figured. I swear I’m trying to be quieter, but I always end up forgetting when I’m in the middle of it. I’ll try talking with everybody, see if we can find a different time or something. Maybe meet up outside once the weather’s better…” Leaning back in his chair, Eijiro scrubs at his face. “If only I could find a new job, then I’d actually have something to occupy me. Haven’t had any luck though.”

You realize with a pang of guilt that you don’t even know what he does for a living. Or… did. But Eijiro just grins when you tell him as much.

“Guess I was never really around so you could ask. I was a fitness instructor at this privately owned gym. They had to close because of the pandemic, but the owners promised me that if they have any hope of keeping the gym going I’ll be back on payroll once they open up again. They only really let me go so I could get unemployment.” He sighs fondly. “I really like them, they’re so… manly!”

You fight not to make a face. There it is again. Manly. Manliness isn’t exactly something you’d be looking for in a gym, but you guess you also aren’t a masculine gym-nut. At least Eijiro isn’t nearly as bad as you had originally thought.

You really do fight not to make a face… But you fail. And Eijiro notices instantly.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… I’m not sure I’d personally want to go to a ‘manly’ gym.”

He just blinks at you for a moment. “Not sure why you think that-- oh.” He laughs to himself. “I need to explain something. ‘Manly’ doesn’t mean masculine to me. ’S not based on gender at all. When I was a kid I used to be a really big fan of this action hero, Crimson Riot - do you know him?”

You shake your head. Never heard of the guy.

“He had this habit of calling things he favored ‘manly,’” Eijiro explains. “It was a way of living, a way of staying true to yourself, or so he’d say. Guess I never grew out of this way of seeing things.

“But the owners,” he continues, “they’re a gay couple, and they’re some of the sweetest and most helpful people I’ve ever met. They face a lot of prejudice but they never let it get to them. They choose to stay kind. It’s awesome. It’s… It’s manly! You see?”

You look at him for a moment. Then you nod. “Yeah, I… I think I do.”

Eijiro beams at you. “I think you’d like the gym. We’re very supportive, and we take harassment complaints very seriously. One of my buds was a regular when it was still open, and she told me she felt very safe there.” He chuckles. “Though anyone who wanted to harass her should fear her, not the management. She’s never been shy about punching someone in the gut. And it hurts!”

You raise your brows. “Wait, she’s punched you??”

Eijiro grins. “Yeah! … Wait no, not because I deserved it; I asked her to! She wanted to know if she could do anything to punch better, so I said ‘well, punch me!’ and she did. It was perfect, 10/10 no notes. Took me close to 15 minutes to be able to breathe regularly again.”

Smiling to himself, he adds, “Mina is one of the manliest girls I know. Been friends since high school and she’s always been unabashedly herself. She really helped me grow into the person I am today.”

Mina. He sounds so fond when he speaks of her. You can’t help but wonder if there’s something more there than he’s admitting. Pushing the thought away, you focus on Eijiro again.

“I guess being a personal trainer explains why you’re constantly exercising. I thought you were just obsessed with it.”

Eijiro shrugs with a smile. “I’m actually working out more than I did before getting fired. I’m used to being on my feet and moving almost constantly while at work, and exercising burns off some of that energy. ‘N I want to be ready to go back instantly.” He’s quiet for a moment, then adds, “Oh, let me know if you want me to show you how to work out at home, or some stretches or anything. You sit still a lot, ’s not good for you.”

You try to wave him off with an awkward laugh. “I know. But I’m not interested right now.”

You’re admittedly surprised when Eijiro backs down instantly. 

“Well, let me know if you ever change your mind. I’ll let ya borrow any equipment you need!”

A couple of days later, Eijiro asks to sit down with you again.

“I’ve been thinking,” he starts. 

“Did it hurt?” The words are out before you can stop them.

Thankfully, Eijiro just laughs. “Lil’ bit, yeah. I prefer to just cruise through life without having to think too much. But I can’t right now, so I need something to keep myself occupied while I’m looking for a job. And I was thinking: how about I take on more of the chores? Cleaning’s a good workout, right? And it’d give ya more free time.”

You just look at him for a moment. “Is that really fair? We pay the same amount of rent, so shouldn’t chores be split evenly too?”

He shrugs. “You talked about wanting to help me the other day. I like being helpful too, y’know. So I thought about maybe getting a wireless headset so I can talk with my friends while I clean. Might make the noise easier on you too, knowing that I’m not just sitting on my ass while talking.” He stops for a moment, then adds, “Was thinking about doing the grocery runs too. Y’know how they’ve been saying that thing about only having one person per household shopping? Might as well be me.” He scoffs. “Got nothing but free time.”

You’re speechless. What he’s saying makes sense, yes. But it still feels wrong to let him do most of your chores just because he’s bored.

It’s like he can sense your unease. 

“We could also take turns on groceries,” he offers. “Then you can get all the intimate stuff ya need without needing to involve me.”

You can’t help but grin at him. “What, too much of a chicken to buy me tampons?” 

Eijiro grins back. “Nah, ‘s not that, I don’t mind. I’ve done it before. It’s just that there are so many kinds I’d need pictures to make sure I got the right thing. Might be less of a hassle if you got it yourself. But! If you’re ever in a pinch I got your back!”

You look down at your lunch for a moment, thinking over what he just said.

“If we’re combining groceries, it might be easier if we coordinate our meals. I’m already cooking for myself, I don’t mind cooking for…” -you eye him for a moment- “for two more people. It’s not that much of a difference.”

“Two people!” he sputters. “That’s… … actually probably accurate. I do eat a lot. I like the idea, but…” He scratches at the back of his neck. “I was actually thinking we could take turns cooking.”

You can’t stop yourself from making a face this time. Eijiro just laughs.

“Yeah, I know. I’m terrible. But I was thinking that this is the time to get better. I don’t mind eating what I cook, but I wouldn’t serve it to someone else. So cooking for you as well would force me to pay more attention.”

You sit back in your seat, crossing your arms. “You want me to be your guinea pig.”

“No, I want ya to hold me accountable!”

When you just glare at him, Eijiro holds up his hands. “I’ve got a plan. One of my friends, Katsuki, he’s really good at cooking. Like really, really good. He’s been laid off as well, and he just started a Youtube channel where he shares cooking tips. He’s suggested helping me and Denks cook some meals, so he can figure out what some common mistakes might be. And we can get better at cooking at the same time.”

You stay silent, thinking. It makes Eijiro fret.

“So? Whaddaya think?” he eventually asks.

You sigh, feeling your resolve crumble. It’s too difficult to say no to his puppy-eyes. “Yeah, okay. I’ll at least give your food a try.”

Eijiro rewards you with a beaming smile. It makes your cheeks burn.

It only takes a few days before Eijiro decides to try his cooking experiments on you. He spends the afternoon getting barked at by whom you can only assume is Katsuki - with you listening in on every word. It’s Eijiro’s own fault for having his phone on speaker, you try to reassure yourself. And Katsuki’s tinny voice is piercing.

“Show me what you’re doing, Shitty Hair! … No, you need to cut them smaller, they’ll cook too slow as they are!”

‘Shitty hair’? you think. Do his friends really speak to him like that?

Eijiro just groans, ignoring the insult. “I don’t think I can, Kats, I don’t want the knife to slip.”

“Then sharpen your fucking knife! It’s meant to cut easily, if you’re fighting to cut small pieces then it’s too fucking dull!”

You roll your eyes. As charming as Gordon Ramsey.

“Are you keeping an eye on the meat?” Katsuki asks, his voice smug. “It’s gonna burn if you don’t…”

“SHIT!!”

The food turns out a lot more palatable than you’d imagined. It’s a little bland, a little overcooked, but you really wouldn’t mind eating it again.

And you’re surprised at just how fast Eijiro improves. Over the next few months you grow more and more thankful that he suggested taking turns cooking. It’s a weight off your shoulders, even if you still feel a bit weird that he does most of the cleaning and grocery shopping. But the extra free time and knowing that he’s being productive during his loud voice calls do make things easier on you. In the end you suggest to him that you take on a few more of the financial responsibilities -just a bill or two- to make things a little bit more even. 

You look up from your screen when you hear the front door slam; Eijiro has arrived home with a load of groceries. Stretching, you get up from your chair. Helping him put away the groceries assuages your guilt just a little bit. And -if you’re being very honest with yourself- you’ve recently noticed finding every excuse to spend more time with him. Just five minutes here and there. Helping put away the groceries fits nicely into that too.

Leaving your room, you notice a bag of groceries leaning against the dining table. You turn to Eijiro -who’s already busy putting away groceries- and ask, “What about this one?”

Eijiro smiles at you, which makes your stomach flutter.

“Break time?” he asks. “I got you some ice cream at the store. Didn’t do great in the heat so you might wanna eat it soon.”

You thank him, finally moving from your doorway to actually help. Then you ask again, “What about the bag by the table? We’re not emptying that one?”

He shakes his head, grinning. “That one’s not for us. You know the elderly couple down the hallway?”

You nod silently, unwilling to admit that you don’t.

“I’ve been chatting with them a little bit. Distanced, of course! They’re not doing great so I thought I’d buy them some staples to help out. I’ll take the cost out of my own budget, don’t worry.”

You pause for a moment. It’s such a kind gesture to someone he barely knows. He really is a giant sweetheart. Then you make an instant decision. “I’ll split the cost with you, I wanna help too!” 

You’re graced with a brilliant smile, like the sun rising over the horizon.

“Really?? Thanks! I’ll let them know it’s from both of us!”

You’re numbed, ears ringing as Eijiro talks about taking a quick shower before heading over to your neighbors. Then you’re left alone in the kitchen. 

Sliding onto the floor, you lean your forehead against your drawn-up knees. You’re in deep. Maybe too deep. Ever since his breakdown and the following hug, your feelings have only been growing. And now you don’t know how to make it stop. You aren’t entirely sure you want to, either. But… It’s a bad idea, isn’t it? You’re worried that telling him will only lead to hurt and heartbreak. And yet, you’re not sure how long you can keep your feelings contained.

You decide that you need an in-depth vent session with your own friend group.

The vent session only helps solidify that you definitely have feelings for your roommate. But you still have no idea whether to act on those feelings or not. And Eijiro only makes things harder by being himself - sweet, kind, and maybe a little bit too touchy.

He comes up behind you one night as you’re cooking, loudly sniffing the air.

“Something smells amazing!”

He leans in over you, hands resting on either side of the stove, his chin on your shoulder, just watching as you cook. It’s almost too easy to melt against his chest.

You pull away instead, turning to face him as you try to laugh. It comes out strangled.

“It’s not ready yet, you have to wait!”

Eijiro pouts at you. But he thankfully moves away, instead opting to set the table. You sigh, equal parts in relief and disappointment. You’re not sure how much longer you can keep going without spilling the secret.

You’re doing the dishes together after dinner. It’s become a routine to do them as a team - they get done quicker that way. Eijiro refuses to let you do them alone, even back when your shared cooking routine began. Your idea of ‘you cook, I clean’ fell on deaf ears. And now you appreciate the extra time with him.

And you decide to let him know as much.

“Y’know, I’m actually kind of happy that we got this chance to get to know each other,” you say, nudging him with your hip. “If we hadn’t been stuck at home, I don’t know if we’d ever have taken the time to actually talk.”

You’re rewarded with a brilliant smile.

“Me too!”

You keep chatting while Eijiro washes the dishes, handing you clean ones to dry. The conversation jumps from the two of you, to your apartment and how thankful you are that Eijiro took on more of the chores, to the lives you led before the pandemic. And eventually to your individual friend groups.

“There’s Katsuki - you know him already,” Eijiro says. “And Denki and Hanta and Kyoka. We all met in high school. But Mina and me, we go back to middle school.”

“Mina,” you mumble. There she was again.

He pauses, looking at you questioningly.

“Did…” You hesitate, then you decide to just ask what’s on your mind. “She’s clearly very special to you. Did you ever date?”

Eijiro looks down at the soapy water, a fond smile on his face. “We did, back in high school. Only for a few months, though, then we decided that we were better off as friends. I guess we both felt pressured to give it a try.” Turning back to you, he finds your gaze again. “She’s my oldest friend. She’s my rock, not afraid to tell me if I’m being an idiot. N’ I do the same for her! But that’s as far as it goes. We didn’t work out back then, and we sure as hell wouldn’t work out now.”

You feel your cheeks heat under his gaze. It doesn’t sound like he regretted breaking up with Mina at all. And the way he’s looking at you makes your stomach flutter. 

Eijiro breaks eye contact for a moment to empty the dish tub and dry his hands. Then he turns to you again, leaning against the counter.

“If you’re not busy tonight, do you maybe want to watch a movie or something?”

It’s your turn to beam. “Yeah, absolutely!!”

Maybe saying yes to a movie was a bad idea. You had trouble sleeping last night, work was particularly draining today, and now you find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open. As much as you want to pay attention to the movie Eijiro picked, your mind is steadily turning into soup. You blink hard, trying to force your eyes to stay open. It doesn’t work. They slowly close, and you sag sideways.

You have no idea how much time has passed. All you know is that you are comfortable and warm. You can still hear the movie playing. Or maybe it’s a new movie. You can’t bring yourself to truly care.

Eijiro shifts in his seat. It makes you realize that you’re leaning against him, his arm wrapped loosely around your waist. Your eyes snap open. Then you decide to close them again. If he doesn’t mind -which you assume he doesn’t, since he hasn’t pushed you away- then you won’t mind either. It’s too comfortable, anyway. 

The two of you stay like this for a while. It’s cozy. Then a frown forms on your face. Something is tickling your waist. It’s most likely a hair stuck to the inside of your shirt. You try to ignore it, but it only gets more irritating, brushing over your skin every time you breathe.

You snap, pushing Eijiro’s arm out of the way to get at the itch. 

Eijiro flinches away from you. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to-- You were leaning on me pretty hard and I thought this would be more comfortable! I-I didn’t--”

“It’s fine,” you say, as you sink back against him. “I don’t mind, it’s cozy. Just had an itch right where your arm was.”

“O-oh.” He hesitates for a moment, then he puts his arm back around you, gently hugging you to his side. “It’s… Yeah, it’s pretty cozy.”

You close your eyes again, not fully registering how flustered he sounds. Or how happy…

Eijiro sits as still as he can, despite the credits rolling over the screen. You’re still nestled up against his shoulder, your forehead pressed against his neck, your breathing soft and even. He’s certain you’re asleep again. And he cannot bring himself to move a muscle, worried he’ll break the spell.

Slowly lifting his free hand, he scrubs at his face. “I’m really in it now, aren’t I?” he mumbles to himself. Falling in love with his roommate. Isn’t that one of the things people are always advised against?

“Fuck, Kats’ll never let me hear the end of it!”

You stir in your sleep, sighing softly. It only makes him wrap his arm tighter around you. Katsuki will have to be a problem for another day; right now Eijiro doesn’t want to think about anything but the sensation of you pressed against his side.

“Need your advice on something, Kats.”

The blonde makes a non-commital sound on the other end of the line. Eijiro swallows thickly, suddenly happy that it’s only the two of them on the voice call. And that you aren’t home to accidentally overhear anything.

He hesitates too long.

“What fucking is it?” Katsuki barks.

Eijiro sighs, steeling himself for the barrage he’s sure is about to come. “I think I’m falling in love with my roomie.”

When the barrage doesn’t come, he wonders briefly if the connection has been cut. 

Then Katsuki groans. “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. Really, Shitty Hair? Your fuckin’ roommate?”

“Hey, she’s a sweetheart, I--”

“NOT what I meant! I’m sure she’s amazin’ if she can tolerate your ass. But what the fuck are you planning to do? Tell her?”

Eijiro can feel himself blush. “I.. I mean, yeah, I’d like to. That’s what I wanted advice on.”

Katsuki practically growls. “Well, my advice is DON’T! We’re in the middle of a fuckin’ pandemic, if she says no, you won’t be able to easily move out.” He grumbles for a moment. “Of all your shitty, hare-brained ideas… But knowin’ you, you’ll never be able to let it go unless you find out, right?”

Eijiro chuckles, scratching at his cheek. “Ya know me too well, Kats.”

“‘Too well’ is right.” Katsuki is silent for a moment, then he groans again. “Alright, fuckin’ fine. Advice. Try to figure out if she feels the same b’fore you tell her anythin’. If she rebuffs you at all, then fuckin’ leave it alone, ya got that??”

Eijiro’s face splits into a wide smile. “Got it!! And if she says no, I can move in with you, right?”

“Like fuck you can’t!!”

Meat and onions sizzle in the pan. You give it a stir, peeking at Eijiro out of the corner of your eyes. He’s currently chopping vegetables, broad shoulders barely moving as he uses the knife. You have to admit that he’s gotten a lot better in the past few months, to the point where you’re looking forward to every meal he makes.

He’s gotten a lot more forward with you too. He’s become touchy-feely and quick to give compliments. And you don’t mind it one bit. You just hope it will continue once the pandemic ends. 

You really ought to tell him how you feel. But… You can’t help but worry about whether he feels the same. Sighing softly, you push the thought away for now. 

Eijiro turns to you with the cutting board, ready to add the veggies to the pan.

“By the way,” he says, “I got a surprise for dinner.”

You tilt your head, unable to stop your coquettish grin. “Oh? Should I be worried?”

Eijiro’s features soften as he looks at you. “Nah, probably not. Unless you don’t drink wine.”

“I do!”

You slowly swirl the wine in your glass. It’s the last of the two bottles Eijiro bought, so you want to savor it.

Across the table, Eijiro watches your movements with rapt attention. You can almost feel the intensity of his gaze. Or maybe it’s the wine.

He draws in a deep breath, almost like he forgot how to breathe for a moment. “You’re fuckin’ beautiful.”

It takes a little too long for his words to make their way through your drunk brain. 

“What did you just say?” you exhale. Your face feels like it's on fire.

Eijiro blinks. Then he sits up straight, shaking his head. “Fuck, I-- I shouldn’t have-- It’s just… I dunno how much longer I can stand not saying anythin’.”

You swallow hard, trying your best not to melt against the table. “What are you trying to say?”

He looks at you again, features softening. “That I’m in love with you.” Looking away, he scratches at the back of his neck. “I-I don’t even know if… if you return my feelings, but--”

You down the rest of your wine, trying to gain some liquid courage which you honestly don’t need at the moment. Then you get up, moving around the table. 

He peers at you, smile evaporating. “What are you…”

“I do!” you finally answer him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning in, face level with his.

Eijiro blinks hard. “What…”

“I do return your feelings. You’re pretty fucking cute yourself.” 

He just looks at you for a moment, letting your words sink in. Then his face splits into a brilliant smile. You should’ve worn sunglasses.

Raising a hand, he gently cups your cheek, his smile widening when you lean into his touch. His thumb rubs over your skin, slowly moving downwards until it brushes over your bottom lip.

“Can I?” he asks.

You don’t answer. Instead, you lean in to kiss him first. His lips are warm, tasting like wine. Eijiro interrupts the kiss briefly to push his chair back, getting to his feet.

Pulling you close, his hand finds its place on your cheek once more. “You’ve no idea how fuckin’ long I’ve wanted to do this,” he mumbles against your lips. Then he kisses you again.

You sit sideways on the couch, feet propped up against Eijiro’s thigh. He’s gaming with his friends again; you can feel the muscles in his thigh tense as he leans into the curve of the race track on the screen. 

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon… YES!!!”

He jumps to his feet, whooping as he wins. You eye him over the top of your magazine, pouting at him.

Grinning at you, he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, babe, didn’t mean to get that loud!” 

You hear someone loudly exclaiming something through Eijiro’s headset.

He chuckles. “Yeah, my girlfriend got mad.”

The voice call erupts into shouts. You can’t help but giggle when you hear Denki screaming ‘what??’ over and over again, with whom you assume is Mina cheering loudly in the background. 

Eijiro just laughs. “Didn’t I tell you? Me and my roomie started dating!”

He talks for a moment longer, then bows out of the game with his victory, deciding that he’d rather spend the rest of the day with you.