â â â â â â âââââ â â«ââ â âŠâ â PLAIN TEXTâ â âȘ â â Columbina & Lauma (Genshin) layouts / For â @compulsivazrael; NO F/O tags for Lauma unless me; Tags okay for Columbina for mutuals only / F2U, but credits are appreciated âŹ
Did you know someone made an orlando x jonah fanfic..
IM CRYINGGGG????? đđđ WHO THE FUCKEBEJEHEJSHSSBS THATS SO FUCKING FUNNY WAITTTTT đđđđ i just wheezed so harddd bruhhrhrgrrhssjshs
no anon i didn't know â€ïž and now i have to live w that knowledge đ someone send it to dani and lara so they can read it together on live or sum đ
âwhatâs with the wholeâŠâ runa struggled to find her words, lips wrapped around her lollipop. from across the quad, the three of them made no effort to conceal the fact they were staring in judgement. upon kiraâs order, you held an umbrella. the president, herself, had a hand hooked under your arm, just standing and watching the lively quad. ââŠbodyguard thing?â
unlike the way most house pets would be handled, you were often strung by kiraâs side, with her hand on you one way or another. she never punished you, even when youâd make a mistake or two as you learnt your new duties, she would just tease, getting off on the power she held over you. and poor riri always seemed to be caught in the flirtatious crossfire.
âcan kira not breathe without touching her?â chad scoffed, shaking his head in disapproval, envy seething from his pout.
âi hear jealousy, chadwick.â runa teased, poking his arm. he shrugged her off, sneering. she scoffed at his attitude, tongue dragging against her lolli. âoh, donât give me that shit, youâre just pressed you didnât get to make y/n your house pet first.â
âyes! i am! do you know how long iâve been trying to get that sweet dime on a date? she rejected me, the chad-man. like, how much better can you get?â he huffed, slapping the candy out of runaâs hand. the girl whined, socking him harshly in the arm. still, he seemed hung up on the complaints spewing from his lips. ânow kira stalin over there will never let her go, and the chad-man is left lonely, without y/nâs sexy face on his.â
âwow. holy issues. maybe y/n likes her toys less desperate.â dori snapped, âtry not being a manwhore.â
âhey, if you think you know more about bagging babes than me, then iâd love to see your roster.â he held his hands up, pursing his lips. âat least i get some, i donât jerk off to hidden cam footage of that spade house gambling-virgin you stalk.â
âare you trying to die today--?â dori held her knife out at him.
âwhat is going on here?â a familiar voice sounded. the three straightened out instinctively, flashing sulky expressions.
you and riri stood to each of kiraâs sides, the younger timurov simply staring at the three acting like children being scolded by their mother. a breathy laugh huffed through your nose, as you tilted your head down, shaking it in amusement.
âwe have enough things to worry about, the last thing we need is to turn against each other.â kira sneered, her arms crossed before her chest. âdirect that anger into dealing with our little pest problem. before i make sure you never see top ten again.â
you watched as runaâs eyes trailed off, chad rolling his eyes with pursed lips, and dori rubbing the tip of her knife.
âwhy yell at us? sukiâs the one taking forever to challenge her.â
kiraâs eyes widened, glaring at the boyâs outburst, wordlessly silencing his next thoughts. his head fell low, arrogant, blind annoyance suddenly morphed into some sense of fear.
âsuki is being dealt with.â the jet-black haired russian assured, inhaling deeply. âuntil his match against yumeko, i donât want to hear any arguing, or childish bickering, understood?â
grumbled âyesâs and âwhateverâs were dully muttered.
âgood,â kira sighed, smiling, ânow go do your jobs, instead of⊠lounging around like useless little children.â
they dispersed, not without an unwilling slump to their step.
you shook your head, letting it hang low. you tilted your head to catch the crease of stress folding in the corner of her eye. âway to stick it to âem, boss. very presidential.â
âshut up.â she barked, crossing her arms with a huff. âitâs unbelievable. they think this is a tea party, not governance.â
âcheer up, darling. at least you look very good as the angry president type. very commanding.â you picked at the chair chad was sitting on, pulling it back before holding a hand out. she took a seat, leaning back as she crossed her legs. you stood behind her, hands running along her shoulders to ease the tension from between her neck and her clavicle. âwhatâs gotten you so worked up, president? youâre so tight.â
your choice of words were enough to yank kira out from whatever worried daze she was trapped in, earning a muffled groan from the russian. she folded her arms, eyes straying away to avoid meeting the cheeky, knowing grin on your face.
âiâm serious,â she insisted, âthe councilâs on thin ice.â
âso am i.â you replied, standing by her chair. âlook, i told you, if you want to undermine yumeko, this isnât the way to do it. i know you know it, kira, youâre too smart for a move so stupid.â
âsukiâs a pawn. i need him to distract her while i make my real move.â she confessed, tilting her head just enough for her eyes to find yours. âand you need to stay in your lane. she reached for your tie, yanking you down to kneel just adjacent to her. she tightened the house pet chain around your neck, patting your cheek. âi have a little problem for you to fix.â
âanything.â you gasped, feeling her fiddle with your hair.
she leant in, hand cupping your cheek. she whispered into your ear, your eyes darted up at a familiar name. just as you thought they would be, yumekoâs eyes were already on you.
when her instructions came to an end, kira pulled away, her hand sliding from your cheek to pinch your chin. she cocked your head upwards. âdonât disappoint me⊠pet.â
somewhere at the edge of the quad, yumeko fondled her motherâs chip, watching you exchange with your handler. the corner of her lips quirked and her eyes narrowed as your gazes met. her smirk widened, turning back to mary, who just watched the japanese with a grimace.
âmary, youâre good friends with the slayer, right?â she asked, her dimples denting her pale cheeks as she toddled her chip.
the shorterâs eyebrows furrowed. âi wouldnât say that. why?â
âi need you to help me ask her on a date.â yumeko stated, a tone so casual it was like it was just right, like it was the most ordinary thing that could have come out of her mouth.
mary couldnât muster the right words to phrase just how ridiculous the request was. but the hysteric laugh she doubled over into should have sufficed; what a hilarious question.
âyou are one freaky little bitch, yâknow that?â mary insisted.
âjust one, and i guarantee iâll have what i need by the end of the night.â yumeko followed the shorter towards the building, hands clasped behind her back as they strode through.
âand that would be⊠what, exactly?â she continued prodding.
ânothing you should concern yourself with.â the japanese chuckled sweetly. "all i need is for you to ask her for me. iâm almost certain sheâll agree. i'll bet you a coffee for it.â
mary scoffed in utter disbelief at her confidence. she glanced over at you, beckoned to kira's feet, collar still strung tight around your throat. "you don't just ask y/n on a date, man. she'll either ignore you, or worse, gamble you for it. you'll go from a hopeless idiot begging for a date to her house pet just like that." she snapped her fingers. "besides, now with kira walking her like a dog, i doubt you'd get her off her leash."
"so you'll help me?" yumeko grinned wider, eyes hopeful.
there was a beat of silence. before she exhaled, eyes fluttering shut in defeat. "whatever. i'm not responsible for whatever shit youâre getting yourself into. i'll talk to her, but if this ends in some crazy beef with kira, i'm not bailing you out."
yumeko clasped mary's hand tightly, beaming. "deal.â
âa date?â you scoffed, crossing your arms. you leant against your locker, raising an eyebrow as you tilted your head. mary didnât fold at the subtle, but charismatic gesture, instead, she stared back at you with an âiâm not fucking aroundâ look. you took another second to register what she had just told you, a hand sliding down your open collar. your hand found the pocket of your blazer, before you finally met maryâs gaze again. âiâm flattered, but why on earth would she ask for a date?â
it was obscene. never in a million years would you expect yumeko to be ballsy enough to as you out. especially not with kira breathing down your neck in front of the school.
âsheâs not asking, itâs not up for debate. iâm just a messenger.â mary corrected, âitâs been like a week since you lost, and iâve made zero progress. runa wonât loan me money to bet on shit, and all this bitch,â her thumb shot to gesture towards her back, glancing past her shoulder, you see yumeko conversing with ryan. but her eyes were dead set on you, a smile tugging at her glossy lips. â--can talk about, is you. sheâs straight up cuckoo, dude! what am i supposed to do now, slayer? hm? âcuz i sure as hell ainât making it out of war alive like this.â
you held a hand up, calming her before her voice escalated any further. you smiled, the harsher edges of your eyes softened--the new lines from the pressure your new position brought, evident to the shorter girl before you. she almost felt bad, almost, if she didnât have her own big things to worry about.
âtalk to me then, mary. tell me everything,â you begged softly, reaching for her hand, squeezing it. âlet me help.â
âyumeko doesnât care about kira, or the council, or whatever shit theyâre gonna throw at her. and honestly, sheâs good. like, good, good. almost as good as you at lying her ass off.â she ranted, âsheâs on some weird little mission to drag up shit from like decades ago, and youâre smack-dab in the middle.â
âwhy? whatâve i done?â you asked, staring at the japanese.
âlook, i donât want that public humiliation ritual you pulled to be all for nothing, so i think we need to recourse,â mary sighed, âkira still keeps you around for council meetings, right? tell me, like, whatâre those bloodsuckers planning now?â
"to tank yumeko's momentum before she climbs any higher. suki's going to challenge her to an icebreaker, but, i wish i could tell you when." you thought back to the little order the raven-haired tyrant had whispered into the shell of your ear. âi have an idea on how to make things work.â
your gaze trailed off, pushing for a beat before the shorter clapped in your face. âhello? stop edging me, spill it.â
âtell yumeko iâll meet her by the roundabout before dinner.â you laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it tightly. she doesnât jerk away, just stared up at you in skepticism. âfocus on wearing runa down and placing petty bets for now.â
âthatâs it? you just hyped up that?â she sighed, âalright then.â
just as she turned to walk away, you spoke over your shoulder, âoh! and tell her to bring her lucky chip. sheâll need it.â
you werenât going to tell kira. no, not yet. she would lose her mind, then youâd lose your head. but as loss strikes, opportunity arises. and this was just what you needed to set the bait for sukiâs part of the councilâs plans.
yumeko spun on her heel, walking alongside mary with her hands behind her back. she smiled, like she already knew the answer. âso whenâs my date with the slayer, cupid-san?â
âroundabout before dinner. she said to bring that.â mary gestured at the chip dangling from her neck. âyouâll probably have to pray your luck doesnât betray you.â the girl couldnât resist a roll of her eyes, practically seething of irritant at the lack of progress. âlike i said, she doesnât do free wins.â
yumeko squealed, twirling before tackling the shorter in a hug. her eyes wide, sparkling with inexplicable excitement.
âi told you sheâd agree, didnât i?â she giggled, âthis is perfect.â
âyouâre really going to make this a thing, huh?â
âof course.â she giggled, biting her bottom lip. âshe talks risky, so iâm going to talk back. like a reflex. (aye pnd anyone?)â
âoh my god, please donât do something reckless.â mary scolded, âjust because you got lucky last time and managed to leave a game with her with zero losses doesnât mean you will again. youâre seriously get off on the adrenaline, donât you?â
ârelax, mary.â yumeko mumbled under her breath, voice soft and thrilled, leant forward cheekily. âitâs not reckless. itâs romantic. iâll wager a date against something she canât refuse, and i have until dinner to figure out what. something that gets her in the game, one she canât slay her way out of.â
mary held a hand up, walking around her. âthatâs insane.â
âmaybe,â yumeko hummed, âbut what snag is insanity when the price is so deliciously her?â
mary watched the girl strut off, striding in her usual confidence, but there was an extra pep in her step.
âyouâre a fucking psycho, yâknow that!â she yelled after her.
yumeko only grinned at her, shrugging her shoulders before turning the corner. mary shook her head at the japaneseâs antics. why was everyone around her fucking crazy?
being in the solitary comfort of your dorm room was a luxury you never realized was sacred until it was taken from you. you were spending more and more nights in kiraâs quarters, with the timurov siblings having the biggest suites st. dom could offer. you swore your back must be permanently altered from sleeping on the pull-out bed so much.
you slumped into your chair, staring at the untouched stationary sitting on your table. your eyes trailed to the picture of you and your father sitting on your dresser, and you gulped.
you hadnât spoken to him in a while. if it were up to you, you wouldâve called by then--it was your fourth year boarding after all. but your father operated on a âdonât speak unless spoken toâ system. only he could call, and he never did.
you werenât his favourite child, despite being his only one.
you stunned at a periodic buzz sounding from your pocket. you pulled your phone, the sight of your fatherâs caller id nearly sending you into an anxiety attack. you sat up, posture fixed on instinct as you cleared your throat. you answered, âdad?â
âare you serious, y/n? i was pulled out a meeting to hear youâve been ruined by kira timurov?â his voice was stern, mixed with similar levels of rage and undeterred disappointment.
âno, itâs not like that--â you scrambled to explain yourself.
âa house pet? i mean, the lowest a l/n has ever dropped to was still in top ten, y/n. what did i tell you about messing around, hm? what the fuck did i tell you?â you could hear the grit in his teeth, the tense lock of his jaw. âto a timurov, no less.â
you swallowed thickly, shoulders tensing. ââŠiâm sorry, sir.â
âiâve told you a billion times to knock this childish shit off. you have disgraced my name in every way possible.â he scoffed, âi want this fixed by the end of the week, y/n. if i donât see your name back in top ten, fort stake will be seeing you in summer.â
your heart sunk at the name. you spent every summer of your childhood since you could form memories in fort stake.
it fostered gambling talents in you no vegas casino could.
in a way you were in debt to the place, but the measures the superiors went to break you was indescribably inhumane. and you wouldnât wish the experiences on anything that breathed.
nightmares personified, and the name itself had you shaking in your chair, eyes brimming with tears as you quivered.
ây--yes, sir.â you trembled. the house pet tag handing from your neck had never felt as dense as it did in that moment.
âfor christâs sake, now iâll never hear the end of this from arkadi timurov.â he grunted, âdonât embarrass me any further, y/n.â
before you could choke out another pathetic apology, the call tone rung. your hand didnât pull the phone away from your ear.
it was the first time you had hear your fatherâs voice in months, and it was to tell you off for messing up things as academically cardinal as your standing. he was already unsatisfied with your place in third, but this? you hadnât expect him to actually utter express dissent for your inability to live up to his reputation.
but, being the successor of a legacy as lavishing as this had its own drawbacks. even if you didnât make a choice to live it.
your door swung open, and you glanced up, blinking the tears away as a smile wiped the fright from your expression. in walked your roommate, bags strung from her arms and jagged breaths falling from her lips. you stood to help her with her bags, hearing her chuckle at your eager movements.
âwow, iâm glad you missed me, slayer.â she snorted, stretching her back after her bags were settled by her bed.
you chuckle, the overwhelming feeling from your fatherâs phone call dissolving to near nothing. you beamed, sauntering over to pull your roommate into a hug. her arms wrapped around your neck, whilst one of yours squeezed her torso tightly. âwhatâre you on about, ky, i always miss you.â
(idk if yall rmb kylieâs character but i didnât wanna make up an entirely new person for your roommate lol)
it didnât take a second after pulling apart for her to notice the tag dangling against your dress shirt. her eyes then dart to the red blazer on your chair, before a ghastly gasp escaped her.
âno.â was all she said, mouth agape. her eyes blown wide.
âyes,â you countered, sighing, âyou missed a rough week.â
âare you serious? someone took you out?â she scoffed, toying with the pet tag. âis it the new girl they said we were getting? did you lose? oh my god, what has it been, like four years?â
you gently tugged her wrist away from it, sucking in a sharp breath. âno, uhm, itâs not her. itâs⊠itâs kira.â
it fell silent for a beat, before she bursted out laughing. but when you didnât join her hysteria, her amusement simmered. you pressed your lips together. âoh my god, youâre not joking.â
âunfortunately not. but itâs whatever, iâm adjusting.â
âadjusting? what the hell happened when i was gone?â she began rambling, âi leave for a week and you lose your first game ever at st. domâs to the worldâs biggest nepo baby? you have never ever lost a game before, y/n, what the hell?â
âitâs not like that, ky. you know i donât just⊠lose.â you smirked, âitâs jus a little bump in the road for now.â
âoh mama, bet kiraâs enjoying this, huh?â she laid across her bed, arm propping her head up as she stared up at you with an amused smirk. you crossed your arms, tilting your head in question at her cheekiness. âcome on, with the way sheâs been eye-fucking you the entire semester last year, iâm surprised she hasnât tied you to her headboard yet.â
âoh my god, seriously? this again?â you scoffed.
âdonât âseriouslyâ me, i have yet to meet a person who hasnât want to get into your pants once they meet you.â she scrambled to sit up. âspeaking of, chelsea said wordâs going around youâve got a date with the new girl⊠yumeko, was it?â
âitâs not a date⊠yet.â you stammered, sucking in a sharp breath. you sat at the foot of kylieâs bed, carefully lying down beside her. âitâs technically an errand i need to run for her majesty, but i might as well have a little fun with it, right?â
âyouâre crazy.â she shook her head, laughing. âbetter not be another âhouse pet chadâ situation. i donât want to see his big white as walking around this room again.â
your door swung open, both of you met with a fiery glare.
the rude interruption just stood, clearing her throat. a tiny smirk spread across your face as you slowly pushed yourself up and off your roommateâs bed. eyeing her sister behind her.
well, that wasnât a pretty face now, was it?
you grabbed your blazer, slipping it on lousily as you approached her, but kiraâs baby blues glared daggers at your fear-stricken roommate. you reached for her arm, brushing it lightly to bring her attention back on you. âeverything alright?â
she eyed you up and down, at your hair dishevelled from laying on it, the tops of your shirt unbuttoned. could anyone really blame her mind for going to a place it shouldnât?â
âi phoned you because i needed you to do something for me, but itâs obvious you were⊠preoccupied.â she spat sternly.
âiâm sorry, i was helping kylie settle in. what do you need?â
she doesnât say another world, grabbing your tag and pulling you out your door. you shot kylie one last look before you stumbled past riri standing outside your room, she closed the door behind you. before following suit.
âdidnât take you for a yanker, president.â you teased, the familiar scent of the council roomâs air freshener tickled your nose, but the harsh yank of you to your knees brought you back to your senses. you grimaced in pain, clenching your jaw to bite back a hiss. your eyes bored up at her icy ones.
âshut up.â she barked, your cheeks gripped between her fingertips. âi donât want to hear a fucking word from you.â
like a good pet, you sealed your lips; you would never disobey.
you didnât dare glance at riri, in fear of disappointing your handler. but riri was sure glancing at you, unable to process the fact someone as married to chaos and unpredictability was so eager to please--to serve. whipped into shape with one try.
âyouâve been busy, pet.â she circled around the table, leaving you kneeling at the other end. she settled in her presidentâs chair, crossing her legs. she held her chin between two fingers, looking down on you. âi let you out my sight once and you run straight into the new girlâs armsâŠâ she tutted, ânaughty.â
getting told off twice in a day, this had to be some record.
âiâm just doing what you asked, president.â you answered, expression hard. your eyes smiled at her. ânothing more.â
she paused for a moment, taking you in. you felt your breath shudder under her gaze. she scoffed, before mocking laughter echoed around the room. riri lowered her head, eyes fluttering shut to brace herself for what was to come.
âso you donât care to admit she roped you into a date?â
you smirked back, arguing, âit wasnât a date i agreed to. i simply asked for her to meet me somewhere before dinner.â
âyou are one pain in the ass.â she sneered, snarling.
you donât snap back, no smartass quip or cheeky comeback. you just cock your head aside, baiting her to make her next move; leave it to you to play your potential death like a game.
you watch her eyes dart up to riri, who was standing behind you, wordless as usual. you heard her take a step towards you, her scent hitting you crudely.
âyou donât get to make your own choices, pet. when you do something, itâs for me. when you think of something, itâs for me. when kawamoto tries to make a move on you, sheâs really trying to come after me.â she kicked her feet up onto the table, leaning back. âtime to abolish that sinful pride, l/n. itâs about control, and it hasnât really clocked to you who has it.â
you raised an eyebrow, wetting your lips. âof course, president. you donât have to remind me, i surrender all of me to you.â
âbetter safe than sorry.â you felt hands around your neck.
your instinct urges you to struggle, but the cool bits of metal around your throat jolted you to your senses.
wow. maybe you underestimated how upset sheâd be.
you tugged at the tight restraint, glancing up at riri, who just shot you a stare laced with an apologetic glint.
âyouâre⊠collaring me?â you scoffed, grinning in amusement.
for a moment, you felt the tension between you and the russian thicken. then she exhaled sharply, swinging her legs over the edge of the table to clack her way towards you. she moved to sit in the chair just in front of you, crossing her legs again to rest one of them against your right thigh.
âthink of it as obedience training.â she hummed, satisfied at the sight of your submission. âyou can play house with the new girl if it gets your work done, but you report every single detail to me until iâve decided youâve learned how to behave. no wandering, no cuddling with kylie, and no yumeko.â
you grinned despite the heat in her tone. you never realized just how much she wanted you in her hands. she was willing to do the most to make sure everyone, especially you, knew there was one name stamped into your plush skin.
âguess iâll be a good pet then.â you whisper, smiling softly.
her expression softened for a second, before she stepped back, regaining her composure. the cold, scary president.
she leant in, a hand gently caressing your cheek. you leant into her palm, eyes never tearing away from hers. she grinned, but it doesnât make you feel quite as comforted as it should. she pinched your chin suddenly, locking your head up.
âgood. because next time, i wonât bother with a warning.â
she pecked you on your cheek, bordering on the corner of your lips. she gently patted your face before striding past you. when you turned to look, riri was eyeing you, tailing her sister.
you let out a breath you didnât even realize you were holding; something about kira screamed your father. but you didnât fear her the way you did him, you⊠enjoyed her power. it was fun watching her try to keep calm around your annoying ass.
ryan leant against the frame, watching as yumeko brushed out her hair. he shook his head, arms crossed as he took in the japaneseâs peppy attitude. he scoffed, âyouâre seriously going through with this? dinner? with her?â
yumeko tutted, not even bothering to glare at him. she wagged a finger. âuh-uh, not dinner, ryan. a date.â
âwhy do you keep doing this? do you have a fetish for trouble or something?â he rambled, âdid you forget she lost to kira on purpose? sheâs not just another student at st. domâs, sheâs literally going to ruin you. you hear me? ruin you.â
yumeko giggled dangerously. âthatâs what makes her fun.â
âseriously? youâre just gonna let her do this?â ryan sneered at mary, who sat scrolling through her phone on yumekoâs bed. the shorter shrugged, pursing her lips.
âdonât look at me, dick cheese, iâm not responsible for this.â
âstop worrying, i just want to find some things out.â she grinned, smoothing out her cardigan. she patted his chest lightly, brushing past him. her perfume lingered light in the air. âdonât wait up, ryan. if iâm lucky, i wonât be back tonight.â
âdonât come crying when youâre back crawling on all fours!â
âiâm praying so!â yumeko called over her shoulder.
when yumeko practically skipped her way through the main doors, you were already standing at the end of the laid carpet leading to the roundabout. she let her eyes roam over you clad head-to-toe in a non-uniform outfit; something about someone so formal being seen in such a natural state was so intimate. and yumeko lapped up every drop like a thirsty kitten.
âten past,â you said, glancing down at your phone. you glanced back up, smirk evident, watching her sway her way towards you with her hands clasped behind her back. âi was beginning to think you had ditched me on a date you invited me on.â
âoh, come on, you wouldnât think iâd miss this for the world now, would you, ms. student council?â she replied, running a finger along the crease of your jacket. she hooked a finger around your chain, tugging it out from where you had so neatly tucked into. âor should i say, ms. kiraâs favourite pet?â
ânot tonight.â you pulled the tag over your head, stuffing it into your pocket without breaking from her gaze. âiâm all yours.â
the japanese bit her lip. âstarting off strong. i like it.â
âiâm glad.â you held your arm up, it didnât take long for her to get the memo of hooking hers into yours. you subtle eyed the beloved chip strung just above her chest. it was folding in and out her cardigan. a sense of excitement flushed to your chest, a feeling you hadnât felt since your âlossâ to the st. dom tyrant.âi hope youâre ready for a very tame night then.â
âhow unconventional. people usually do the most to impress on a first date, yâknow?â she teased, letting you guide her.
âcoming from the girl who couldnât ask me out herself?â you hissed, feigning hurt with a hand to your chest. âiâm sure there were better ways for someone as⊠unpredictable as you to ask me on a date than through poor mary.â
âand what fun would it have been if you saw me coming?â
âyou didnât tell me where we were going.â she said, her eyes flicking to the side of your face. âfor all i know, you could be dragging me into a dungeon youâll lock me in forever.â
âyou talk too much when you know too much, new girl.â
âand you like surprises?â yumeko laughed softly, âis that why you surprised the entire school by losing to kira?â she stroked your arm as you tried laughing her statement off. âyou and i both know losing simply isnât⊠in the cards for you.â1
you laughed, laying a hand over hers on your arm.
âyou donât waste time, do you?â you asked, leading her through the backstreets. the air began smelling of oil and soy, and not long after the street signs of crappy local businesses blinded you. you strode past a few familiar places; some of which your father brought you every first day. âhonestly, what do i need to do to keep your attention on me?â
you turned, blocking her path, brushing your knuckles against her cheek. you stayed close, eyes flickering between hers and her lips. you grinned, feeling her cheeks flush warm.
âthis is what you wanted, right? to have all my attention.â
wow. you were good at this. no wonder you were crazy at poker, the acting skills deserved an academy award.
âmmh, i knew i was gonna have it one way or another.â
you stepped backwards, shrugging. you took her by the hand, leading her towards a small deli wedged between a laundry shop and a newsstand, its faded red awning fluttering.
âwell, better enjoy it wisely then.â you smirked. âhere, new girl, is the best food in the city. and no one will bother us here.â
inside, the fluorescent light was bright and eye-pricking. the place was empty except for an old man behind the counter, who looked up and smiled at you. âi was wondering when youâd be back. the shop was falling a little too quiet.â
you inclined your head, letting yumeko brush past you as you held the door open. âforever charming, gus.â
âyour usual? breakfast for dinner?â he asked, already reaching to grab the ingredients before you answered. a nod from you sufficed, before you lead yumeko over to the standing tables by the windows in the front. you leant over the table.
âfunny. i canât picture you being a casual at a place so--â
âanti-preppy?â you finished, glancing out the window at the few cars speeding by. âyeah, my father hates it.â
âreally?â she furrowed her brows, resting her chin on her hand. âyou said nobody would bother us here. does that mean youâve brought someone here you didnât want to be bothered by?â
like dangling bait in open waters, yumeko was hopeful.
you glanced up, eye holding hers. the corner of your lips quirked upwards, taking sight of the hook peeking from under its bait. âit means i wanted to see what youâd do when you werenât performing for anyone. yâknow, figure you out a little.â
she blinked, slow and deliberate. âwho am i then?â
you shrugged, chuckling hollowly. âa girl who loves playing games. but for someone who doesnât know the rules quite yet, sheâs treading the borders of this game really close.â
âthen teach me the rules.â she asked, hand falling against the table as her finger inched its way towards you.
âi can.â you said, reaching over the deli counter and thanking gus before taking the tray of food. you laid it on the table, watching the japanese take a big whiff of the aromatic spices leaking from the breakfast sandwiches. she squealed, clasping her hands together. âbut i doubt youâd like my rules, new girl.â
âyouâre right. i think iâd love them.â she purred.
you let your gaze linger on her lips for a moment, a quiet challenge sparking there. you reached for one of the sandwiches, peeling back the papers wrapped around it. âthen i think you should eat first. might need your energy.â
she perked at the statement, raising an eyebrow. âforâŠ?â
âtrying to cheat at this game.â you said, âitâs a longer shot than you think, and i know you love to make things interesting.â
âthen tell me, ms. house pet.â her grin sharpened. âwas folding a godly hand in front of kira part of your game too?â
you raised an eyebrow, and for a moment, your jaw slacked. then, just as quickly, you dove in for another bite of your sandwich. âhave you ever heard of manners, new girl? for someone coming from such conservative culture, you sure have a knack for disregarding the decency of being polite.â
she tilted her head. âiâve been curious.â she traced a finger around the rim of the tray, not touching her food just yet. âi like disorganization in games, but i prefer patterns in people.â she dragged a finger down from your collarbone, both your gazes fell to her milky hands. âyours donât make sense.â
âwhy should it?â you leant forward, setting down the sandwich. âiâm a gambler. iâm not supposed to be predictable. you of all people should be familiar with that, new girl.â
âyou donât throw a game for fun,â she interjected sharply, âyou had the winning hand, but you chose to lose everything.â
you chuckled, low and smooth. mocking her determination.
âyouâre bold, iâll give you that.â you backed away, the air around her suddenly felt cool, the charge between the two of you falling absent. âbut you havenât earned answers like that yet.â
âi thought you liked bold.â she teased, tugging at the collar of her shirt so the skin underneath would be exposed.
you shook your head, chortling at her attempt at seducing you.
âyouâre just married to trouble, arenât you?â you said, âsee, every step you make may be unpredictable, but honestly, that means nothing when your opponent--â you held a hand up, and in between two of your fingers was her chip. she snapped her head down instantly, hands frantically pawing at the bare chain. the smile on her face instantly wiped to make place for one burning with dismay. â--knows how to pivot.â
she doesnât move, scared something would happen to the only living memento of her parents if she did something erratic.
âyouâre right, new girl. i love playing games.â you tossed the chip in air, catching it upright on the back of your hand, letting it role to the tip of your fingers before knocking it back up into the air again, letting it fall into your palm. âbut if you let yourself get lost in trying to win, the rules will bend. and you--â you do a classic magic trick, the chip disappearing from your hand. you lean back over the table, grinning in her face. â--donât even realize youâre playing my game.â
àż an: hereâs the long awaited part 3, iâm working hard guys