in the garden [toji]
cw: sfw oneshot, sliiigghhttt angst [really nothing], smoking, tipsy!reader, mentions of drinking, ‘kid’ petname, ‘baby’ petname, unedited!!
it was dark, the party you had dragged toji to was slowly dying with boyfriends begging their sociable partners to let them drive them home, toji fit this description. the party had been a last minute idea from a colleague of yours; they figured that the office didn’t do enough bonding-like activities, hence the rushed party held in your boss's large backyard.
“you don’t even like these people, why would you voluntarily waste an evening in their presence?” the older man huffed when you asked him to attend days prior, eyes never flickering from the television screen to you who stood above his lazily spread out body on the sofa.
“it could be fun, the music, the fresh air, it’s meant to be a beautiful evening on friday” you reasoned, you never asked for too much, but this you were adamant on. you placed an open palm at the crown of the man's scalp and caressed the area with your thumb. “you’re only home for so little....”. toji heard your soft tone and looked up into your pleading eyes with a lax smile. “kid, with those eyes, you could make god cry ” he chuckled, straightening his figure so his back was pressed against the vinyl of your sofa. “if it means so much” he shrugged, his big hands smoothing over his wrinkled jeans. you smiled brightly, leaning over to press a fat kiss to the middle of the man's forehead.
“well,” toji started, breaking the calming silence the both of you had been sharing, tuning in to the lively hum of the other people attending the party. “that’s five hours i’ll never get back” he said, rummaging through the pocket of his leather jacket for his ‘emergency cigarette’, only meant to be used in the most unsalvageable of situations, much different from the full pack he brings with him everywhere. “oh please, it wasn’t so bad” you replied, your hand swirling the tropical drink you had poured from the liquor table a short while ago, your coated lips met the rim as you tilted the remains of the cup down your throat, an action that had been repeated several times that night.
“have we been at the same party?” toji asked you in sincere disbelief, eyes widened and jaw slacked, not believing you could’ve enjoyed any time spent there. you shrugged with your eyes closed, your collarbone meeting your chin as you raised your forearms in a questioning manner. although not your ideal form of socialising, the simple conversations, light and friendly jokes shared among your coworkers made for a pleasant evening, an evening spent well doing something you wanted for a change.
toji’s lighter sparked and an orange flame waved in front of the tightly rolled cigarette between the man's lips, inhaling the smoke and tilting his head up to exhale. “we would’ve had a better time staying home, maybe watching a movie or two?” toji claimed, his thumb flicking the ashes off the bud into his empty cup, “maybe you would’ve” you lowly replied, the man laughed.
“not enough for you heh, kid?” his elbow rested against the white tablecloth laid on top of the garden table, his chin being cradled in the relaxed palm.
“that’s all we ever do” you looked down into your cup for more liquid confidence, pouting slightly when remembering you’d drowned it down a few minutes ago. “and is it not fun?” he laughed, an insincere kind of laugh, in a way that suggested he was a little taken back with your responses.
“boring and unfulfilling” you rattled off before picking yourself up and taking your empty cup to your favourite table of the evening, pouring in sips of everything that looked glossy and fruity. your lips stayed attached to the cup as you swayed your way back to your seat as toji was stubbing out his cigarette and lining up a fresh one. the song shifted from mindless radio-worthy beats to stripped back and slowed melodic riffs, you watched as some of your remaining coworkers and their partners shuffled out happily to the widespread patch of grass, limbs entwined as their bodies swayed to the tune. once more, toji waved the flame in front of the roll and abruptly rose in front of you. your face rose from inside your cup and stared into toji’s eyes swelling with heat, “up” he mumbled passed his cigarette, smoke blowing past his lips as he spoke. his hand extended to you and rested your palm in it and suddenly his large frame was pulling you as you stumbled to the grass patch, your coworkers smiling at you as you joined in.
“is this more something you’d like, baby?” he asked you lowly in your ear as his calloused hands found their way to your arms, lifting them above your head to plateau on his shoulders, his hands smoothing down your torso to rest on your hips. you couldn’t help but smile, although probably only prompted as he sensed your disdain, toji showing any effort to make you happy made your heart swoon.
“very much so, thank you” you softly replied with a sickly sweet grin, your eyes twinkling so much that toji could only scoff. “yeah yeah” toji dismissed, taking another drag from his cigarette to conceal the matching grin itching to spread on his lips. toji’s fingers curled from his lips and released his cigarette, his tips moving to rest above your top lip and he smoothed the cigarette into your mouth, holding their place pressed against your mouth until your lips opened around the stick to exhale the grey smoke with a teasing smile. toji laughed a little as he returned the burn to his lips, his hands squeezing at your hips to hear you softly squeal in delight.