You deserve love now. Not once you lose weight. Not once you accomplish that thing. Not once you move. Not once you get on medication. Not once you start therapy. Not once you get that job. Not once you're more like them. Now. You don't have to earn the right to be loved. You deserve it right now, and always have.
Hi to everyone reading this!! Iâve been dealing with renovations, so Iâm sorry I havenât been able to upload anything. As soon as I finish translating the first chapter of my Nanami series, Iâll have it uploaded for you all <3
just added a new link to my pinned page where u can donate to support immigrant families!! ALSO if u choose to âbuy me a coffeeâ at any time for the next 6 months, i will be donating all the funds to that website!!
if u canât donate, sharing the link or reblogging this post would be helpful :3
character dynamicê«ââ husband!toji x f!reader
summaryê«ââ you weren't expecting him to react like that to the news.
content warningsê«ââ fluff, he's your husband, that's probably not how he'd react to it but fiction is fiction right, let me dream, pregnancy.
wordsê«ââ 1.5k
ÂĄ! â masterlist jjk.
Toji is sprawled across the bed, taking up most of the space. You're laying next to him, with your head on his bare arm, eyes tracing the sharp lines of his beautiful face.
It's late âreally lateâ, somewhere around three in the morning, but no matter how hard you try, sleep won't come to you.
Then, in the quiet night, your husband's voice cuts through the air: low, husky, sleepy. "Ya horny or what?"
You smile, caught off guard that he's even conscious after the heavy snore he let out just minutes ago. "No."
"Then why won't you stop staring at me?"
Before your deep silence invades the room, his throat reveals a deep but quiet laugh, leaving the trail of a little smirk on his lips.
"How'd you know...?"
"Sixth sense, ma'am. Remember? deadly hitman and all of that." He turns his face slowly towards you, eyes half closed but still burning your skin like fire itself. "So, what's on your mind? Why can't you have some rest like the rest of human beings in this house?"
"I've been... thinking." you murmur, voice low.
"Your biggest problem."
"Come on," you can't help but laugh softly, shifting into your back. "Something happened".
"You're pregnant."
"What?" You blink. It can't be.
"Just tried to be a smartass. But go on, yap about what's on your messy head, I hear ya." he yawns, while you're dead silent. Then, he adds, "Don't mind me if I start snoring. I'm just readjusting my lungs."
You don't say a single word, and for the first minute he assumes you just drifted off. That's until he glances over and sees you still, staring at the ceiling.
"Hey, you dead?"
He moves closer to your body, wrapping his big arm around you. His hand finds your stomach, and his fingertips start touching playfully the edge of your summer top. You cover them with yours, guiding him slowly towards your lower belly. Then, you lay your eyes on him again.
"Oh shit," he seems to get it, even though you think that he's asleep enough to not catch a single fly. "I am a smartass."
You nod softly, looking into his blue eyes ânow much wider than beforeâ.
"Holy fuck, really?"Â
He's almost fully awake now. The way he looks at you with surprise, love and a bit of possessiveness is making you close your legs. "No shit".
You nod again, and he sits up in bed. He's slowly running a hand through his messy hair, those dark eyes âlost on the wall in frontâ don't fully tell you if he liked the new, or hated it. But when he fully processes, he looks at you with a crooked smile, and something inside your heart melts when you see it. You return the gesture over his excitement, and you suddenly don't know why you were worried to tell him in the first place.
He leans down without warning and pulls you to him with his big, rough hands, mouth crashing with yours in a kiss that's messy, hungry, and almost desperate. His hands start tracing a circuit on your skin, from your back to your waist, and at the end one of these rests on your hip while the other finishes tangled in your hair, holding you in place as he devours your lips feverishly.
"Fuck, I love you... so fucking much." He doesn't usually talk between kisses âbecause, according to him, you shouldn't talk with your mouth fullâ, but now he needs to tell you.
"I'm gonna... be a dad again... fuck" and he's groaning against your mouth.
"I didn't think... you'd like it that much".
"You kiddin'?"
His elbow digs into the mattress as he lowers his weight over you, body half-naked just millimeters from yours. His hand doesn't stop grabbing your hip, trailing heat as it moves.Â
He pauses only to breathe, pressing your foreheads together. His voice gets lower, rough against your skin. "Megumi's gonna have a little sister."
"Or a brother." You murmur, intertwining the fibers of his hair between your fingers.
"Yeah, no. Not sharing you with another little guy. One's enough." His lips start tracing a way through your collarbone, carefully going down towards your belly.
You laugh at his words, looking at him while he starts kissing your skin once again.
"Why were you strugglin' so badly to tell me?"
"I don't know. We don't have much money, I'm not sure we can af-..." He silences you with a hand over your mouth, gaze burning from where he rests near your hip.
"Iâll take more jobs. I want that kid. The only problem would be if you donât. Do ya?"
You nod, showing a smile under his hand. He smiles back at you, nodding, whispering before kissing your belly again. "Good."
"How long have you known?" he asks after a few quiet minutes..
"About two days," you reply, with your eyes closed, and a hand over his soft hair. He was lying on your abdomen, making small circles on your skin with one of his fingers. "I was waiting for the right time."
He snorts softly, sending a chill through your body. "You mean any time when I wasnât snoring like a fuckin' bear?"
You chuckle against his skin. "Basically."
He climbs your body again, tilts your chin up with two fingers and kisses you again, slower this time.
"Not gonna lie," he murmurs against your mouth, "the idea of another baby scared the shit outta me for a second."
"I know."
"But then I looked at you. And I thought, fuck it. And now 'm... 'm fuckin' excited." A soft laugh echoes in his throat as he confesses to you.
You close your eyes as he kisses your forehead, then your cheek, then down to your jaw again. âAnd MegsâŠâ
After a few moments, he replies, murmuring "Let me be the one to tell him."
"You sure?"
He nods, more serious now. "Yeah. I want to see his face."
Heâs restful for a while after that, but his fingers never stop moving over your skin, tracing idle shapes: sometimes pausing on your hip, sometimes brushing your thigh or cupping your breast. All this until he heard your peaceful breathing.
âAt last you can sleep peacefully.â
. . .
The scent of coffee drifts through the apartment, and you feel yourself more awake as soon as you smell it. The sun hits your face âquite annoyinglyâ and you cover it with your hand, just to see him.
Toji stands shirtless by the glass-ceramic cooker, flipping something in a pan. His grey sweatpants hang low on his hips, and his hairâs still messy from sleep. Although you wouldn't mind mussing it up again.
You're now at the table, grabbing the mug he prepared for you. Not a chance youâre taking your eyes off his muscular back.
âStill starinâ, huh?â he tilts his head while he smirks. âSo you are horny?â
You roll your eyes while taking a sip of your coffee. âYouâre the one cooking shirtless, I wouldnât blame me.â
âYeah, well, gotta feed the whole damn family now.â He makes you feel loved and claimed. Flips the eggs and plates the food quickly, bringing it over to you. âYou think heâs awake?â
He takes food off your plate, and you were about to complain until you realize he had actually made enough for both of you. Toji looks up, mouth full, waiting for you to answer.
âNo idea.â But while youâre speaking, Megumi walks into the kitchen, hair a mess, shirt half tucked, rubbing one eye with the back of his hand. He freezes when he sees both of you looking at him.
â...What?â
âSit.â He gets up, walking towards the fridge to take out the milk. Then he jerks his chin towards the meal. âEat. You want some chocolate milk?â
âYeah, sure.â He starts eating some of the eggs his father made. He had no michelin star, but they were edible.
âSo, kid, got somethinâ to tell ya.â
Megumi looked at him mid-bite, raising an eyebrow like he already knew something was off.
Toji brought in his chocolate milk, sliding it across the table to him. He leans forward, resting his arms on the table. âYouâre gonna be a big brother.â
Megumi freezes, and thereâs a long quiet pause. Then, flatly: âSeriously? Like a real baby?â
âNo, a metaphorical baby. It cries in Shakespeare quotes and needs diaper changes every time Mercury is in retrograde.â
You both look at him, whispering a little âToji?â so quietly you almost only hear it yourself.
âSorry, yeah, a real baby.â
Megumi just looks at him, swallows, blinks twice, and grabs his milk. âHuh. Okay.â
You stare, sincerely surprised âOkay?â
âYeah. âm good with it.â Toji barks a laugh at his response âand your shocked faceâ. âIs it gonna be loud?â
âItâs⊠a baby. So yeah, probably.â
âIâll have to buy some earplugs. Thanks for the breakfast.â
And as easy as that, he gets up and walks away. As he disappears back down the hall, your husband looks at you, grinning across the table âSee? That went great.â
You stare at him. âDid it?â
And he just leans back, coffee in hand, looking far too proud of himself. âHell yeah, it did. So, any names?â
ÂĄ! â masterlist jjk.
ÂĄ! â little note; Well not exactly how I was expecting this to turn out and it's kinda short, but I'm not complaining either. I've been kinda obsessed with toji nowadays SOOO there u go <3.
okay i'm actually starting to be o b s e s s e d with toji and i want to write smth ab him but i'm also drawing nanami and AAAAAAAA i hate loving every single jjk character
Hiii! I just wanted to say that I loved your content and watched that your requests were open so I wanted to ask if you could do something like a ring by spring au kind of thing with Keigo Takami from MHA
A breeze of wind, stronger than the others, comes from your right, flipping through the pages of the book youâre studying with careful attention. From how often this happens, you know exactly whose wings those are âand itâs not like anyone else on campus has wings anywayâ. Then, a giggle rings out beside you, just as you complain about the wind.
âNerd alert, nerd alert,â he repeats, while you look at him with your hair all over your face. He brushes it aside gently, leaving you with a⊠rather strange hairstyle.
âOkay, less nerd, more Woody Woodpecker.â He puts his wool hat on your head, which matches the reddish tone of his wings. And it smelled like him. Of course it smelled like him.
âCome on,â you complain playfully, before taking it off to fix your hair. âSkipping half your classes again, huh?â You put the hat back on, this time over a proper hairstyle.
âTss, it wasnât my fault, mom.â He leans back against the chair next to you, speaking with mock seriousness. âI was kidnapped. The sheets wouldnât let me go. It was a critical situation.â
âOh yeah? And how did you escape?â You gesture toward the seat with a quick nod, the way you always did when you wanted him to sit with you, so he does.
âWell, I thought of you, studying so hard with that <donât talk to me, I have an exam> face, and that gave me the strength to fight for my freedom.â He crosses his legs and arms, smirking. He makes a face, like heâs brushing it off. âVery inspiring stuff.â
âOkay, slow down, Mr. Darcy wannabe.â With a teasing smile, he mirrors your gesture.
âWhat? I canât say nice things to my best friend without getting accused of being dramatic?â He stretches out, shamelessly taking a sip of your coffee, as if he had ordered it himself.
âHey, thatâs mine.â
âShhh, Iâm dealing with trauma. I almost didnât make it here. I need emotional support.â
You roll your eyes, but you canât help but smile. You keep reading the book slowly, nevertheless, a feather lands on the words. When you try to grab it, it flies to the next page, and then again a couple more times, until you glance at your annoying âbut attractiveâ friend, with your eyebrows raised.
âHave I ever told you youâre the most annoying person I know?â you ask jokingly, as he looks up at the sky and whistles in an exaggerated show of innocence.
âCome on, you always review during the last five minutes before the test, but you know youâll ace it anyway.â Youâre about to argue, but you fall silent for a moment, thinking about what he just said. Wait⊠You quickly glance at the clock, and-âŠ
âFive minutes?! Fuck, fuck, fuckâŠâ You start cursing to yourself, trying to rapidly read anything from the book.
Keigo understands your stress, so he goes quiet, glancing at what youâre reading âcareful not to distract youâ. Once youâve finished your brief review, you stand up and grab your coffee, finishing it quickly. In some way, he was right. You always preferred to go over everything at the very last minute, getting nervous even though you were pretty confident from the start. Then, when youâre panicking, the one thing you didnât know would save your exam, opens his mouth.
âCome on, Iâll take you.â
âYouâre insane if you think Iâm gonna-âŠâ
And there you are, two minutes later, in his arms. Heâs flying you through the air, holding you tightly. Every now and then, he glances down at your closed eyes, hidden against his chest. When heâs not looking, you peek up gently to watch his golden hair flutter in the wind. Obviously, without letting your eyes meet âbecause who doesnât enjoy a little drama born from lifeâs âaccidentalâ moments?â.
âAll right, good luck with the exam.â He sets you down gently âbefore you throw up like the kid from The Exorcistâ and turns to walk away, but you grab his arm. His gaze follows your hand, and then meets your eyes afterwards.
âYouâre not gonna take it?â
âOh, hell nah.â
âWhat? Why?â You frown, still holding onto his arm.
âI skipped half the classes and literally just woke up,â he says, pushing his hair back. âItâd be weird if I went in.â
âOh, come on, this subjectâs not that hard.â You pull his arm, dragging him into the classroom. âWorst case, we do that trick we used in elementary school.â
âTheyâre gonna think Iâm the janitor.â
âHe hasnât seen you that little, donât be dramatic.â You burst out laughing as you pull him toward a seat.
You sit him next to you, ready to seize even the tiniest opportunity to let him copy from your exam. The panic in his eyes becomes almost tangible the moment the professor says to open your laptops instead of handing out paper sheets.
âGive me one of your feathers.â
And letâs not even talk about how his soul visibly leaves his body when the professor asks everyone to separate. Heâs done.
Or thatâs what he thinks.
âYou gonna miss me that much?â he asks while standing up, with the professor eyeing him seriously. Then he raises his hands in mock surrender, and you barely have time to react before a reddish feather lands in your hand, just as he walks off to another seat.
Once the exam starts, you canât help but smile at the brilliance âand mischiefâ of your plan. When the first question appears on your screen, you select option âBâ on the laptop, then trace the same letter with your thumb on the feather.
A cough echoes through the room, and when you turn, you spot the blond: cheeks completely red, wide smile, as he marks the answer you just gave him.
And so the exam goes on, bit by bit, calmly answering every question that shows up on the screen. When you reach the last one, you answer it and leave the classroom, slipping the feather into your pocket. A couple of minutes later, your best friend comes out too.
âRelax, I got a few wrong on purpose so it wouldnât be too obvious,â he says as the feather flutters back to his back. âWhy didnât we do this sooner?â
âBecause itâs still cheating.â After pointing out the obvious, he rolls his eyes and grins. He lifts off the ground just slightly, flying low, and places himself in front of you. He stares at you with those bright eyes and a teasing smile on his lips.
âI promise Iâll catch up⊠But since when do you care about cheating?â He steps closer, grinning, and leans against the wall beside you. âAs far as I know, on a Friday, February 5th, two years ago, someone used a tiny piece of paper hidden in a pencil case for the history examâŠâ
âThereâs no way you remember the exact date,â you say, confident.
âNo. But⊠here comes that little smile of yoursâŠâ You punch his arm while doing exactly what he predicted. âThere it is. Someoneâs feeling a little aggressive today. Want me to make you some tea? Carry your bag?â
His feathers float toward your backpack, lifting it up to ease your burden. Thatâs when a tremendously sweet scent passes by your side. The long, dark waves of her hair bounce softly with each firm step. Her legs âmodel tier, reallyâ carry her body in such a mesmerizing way it feels like a hypnotism show. Even you catch yourself staring. How wouldnât he?
Especially when her hand lands gently on his shoulder, with a smile so perfectly white it belongs in a commercial. âHey, how are you guys doing?â And when she speaks, you notice itâs a genuine question. Sheâs not saying it out of politeness, or just to look good in front of Keigo. She waits patiently, with kindness in her eyes, for your reply.
âUh⊠Fine. All good. And you, Aohara?â
âWell, moving forward. Iâm glad youâre doing well.â Her pretty blue eyes shift toward your best friend, and you notice a subtle squeeze on his shoulder. âIâm sure youâve already heard, but the art club is organizingâŠâ
Hane Aohara; the walking embodiment of perfection at the university. One of those people who reaches for so much it seems overwhelming, yet somehow, her eyes never stop shining. As the head of the art club and the student council president, she spends her days running around, creating beautiful spaces that everyone enjoys. You have no idea how she finds time for it all, considering she has the best grades of her class in nearly everything.
Besides being talented and brilliant, she treats everyone with kindness and empathy. A supernova of beauty that would dazzle anyone. And no, before you ask, of course youâre not jealous. You just like to point out how magnificently perfect she is.
âSo? Will you be coming?â And⊠you werenât listening.
âOf course,â he answers for you, so you just nod slowly and smile, pretending to agree âand you do it almost as convincingly as Keigo pretends to pay attention in classâ.
âGreat. Iâm really excited to see you both there. See you!â
âBye!â you wave âwhile she winks at himâ, then turn to him. âUhâŠâ
âAre you about to ask me to go with you? Because I need to let you kn-âŠâ
âIâm about to ask what I just agreed to⊠with full awareness,â you cut him off mid-sentence, with a teasing look.
He canât help but let out a small laugh at your sarcasm, crossing his arms. âYou werenât paying attention at all, poor girl.â He sighs and rolls his eyes jokingly. âTheyâre organizing a prom. She said itâs a great chance for some ring by spring action andâŠâ
âThatâs that thing where couples propose before graduation, right? I doubt anyoneâs actually doing that.â
âWhy not?â
âBecause these people are more afraid of commitment than they are of finals. Donât get me wrong, I think itâs a beautiful gesture, but have you seen the greenhouse plants? How are they gonna take care of a relationship lasting more than three months if those petunias look like death?â
A little grin escapes his lips as he shakes his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose softly.
âSmart pretty girl shutting my mouth ahh moment.â
âShut up,â you say, laughing as you walk down the hallway. He doesnât answer, but follows you with that smug little smile that says more than words. âSo⊠you said you wanted to go with me?â Just to keep things interesting.
âNo,â he answers quickly. Maybe too quickly. So much so that your heart sinks a little. âIâm going with Hane.â
And you werenât expecting that, so you donât even try to hide your surprise. He seems to notice and tries to fix it immediately.
âBut apparently one of her friends doesnât have a date yet, maybe you could ask him.â You nod at his words, not really listening.
Of course, he knows you well enough to spot that little wrinkle between your brows, and changes the subject quickly. âWhy donât we go to the greenhouse and check on those petunias?â he asks, nudging you gently with his elbow, knowing how happy that place makes you.
You had always considered it your safe space. Flowers are one of your biggest passions, and you knew so much about them that Keigo wouldnât be the first to call you intense, overwhelming, or even weird.
But he never did. Every time you spoke, heâd get that soft little smile, nodding patiently, even leaning on his hand like he was listening to the most fascinating story. And sometimes, youâd swear there was a spark in his eyes.
Although, honestly, you knew it was probably just your heart talking.
âYou zoned out so hard I just heard the Windows logoff sound.â
âHm?â You look at him, not quite catching what he said, and then you realize youâve been lost in your thoughts again. When you look up, the large green leaves tell you youâve reached the greenhouse faster than you expected. And your friendâs smirk says everything about your current expression.
Yeah⊠Did I forget to mention how often you get lost in your head?
Your eyes catch a pair of flowers in the distance, practically screaming at you with their vibrant color, and you canât help but squeal in excitement.
âThe violets have bloomed!â
You take off running without thinking, your shoes lifting up a bit of dust as you cross the room. You crouch quickly, brushing your fingers gently over the petals like theyâre made of glass.
You inhale their scent, softly, and trust that your best friend will come the moment you call him. âCome, smell.â
As soon as he reaches your side, he mirrors your movements, slowly âthough his expression is kind of weird at firstâ. You laugh at the way his nose scrunches, and gently push the flower away from him.
âAt first, it might seem too sweet.â
âExactly what I was gonna say. My nostrils are gone.â
âDid you know violets close up when it rains?â
âLike you with sad movies?â You grab the water sprayer and aim it at him with mock hardness. His brows lift with curiosity, eyes still on the purple petals.
âGod forbid women have feelings.â
You watch as he bends down with a laugh to smell a lower flower. Then he looks up at you from below, with a goofy smileâso, naturally, you spray him with water.
âHey! Traitor!â
âYour fault.â
And although you went to the greenhouse every chance you had, weeks later the petunias still look just as dead.
You didnât have much time, due to your finals. And without care, everything fade.
The sad part is, you could say the same about your relationship with Takami.
You never thought youâd be the kind of girl who feels awkward watching the popular one laugh beside your best friend. But you do feel it: a knot in your stomach every time you see them together. And youâre not afraid to admit it, because you know itâs not jealousy; itâs just⊠disappointment.
Ever since he told you he was going with her to the party, youâve been pulling away.
And you donât want to admit it, but youâve been trying to distance yourself. To forget what you feel for him. That way, maybe itâll hurt less.
You want to hold space for yourself, to take care of yourself. And though you havenât said anything, he respects it. His schedule helps, too âapparently, heâs finally decided to start studying for the remaining examsâ. Luckily, heâs smart enough that it wonât take him much effort.
The distance does you good. You donât have to hide how you feel or pretend you donât care. You just acknowledge your feelings and trust that theyâll fade with time. When he cancels plans because of âprom prepâ or âsound checks,â you just make a mental note and move on.
But here you are, watching Hane laugh with that beautiful laugh, next to your best friend. Who, by the way, seems to have become her official accessory, despite being so busy. Like a limpet âbut with a heartbeat.
You know those stolen glances filled with secrets and sparks arenât doing you any good if youâre still hoping for him to be something more. So, you decide itâs time to move on. Or⊠try to.
And what better way than by inviting someone else to the dance?
Okay, maybe not the best idea, but itâs the only one that doesnât end with you eating ice cream at home. And after all, according to Hane, he didnât have a date yet, right?
So you walk up to that green-eyed guy âwho, as it turns out, is the partyâs DJâ and ask if heâd like to go with you. After a few seconds of surprise, he nods quickly and smiles.
The glances have increased, unlike the words. Keigo watches you from the corner of his eye in class, in the hallways, and every time he talks to Aohara, you feel like you have four eyes on you.
And you definitely didnât expect to break the silence in such a special place, but as you step into the greenhouse, you canât ignore the large red wings at the end of the path.
He doesnât usually spend much time there, but youâve seen him wandering around to check on the flowers before. You used to think he did it to take care of them for you.
You walk closer, just in time to see him pouring fresh soil over those wilted buds.
âThey made you feel bad too?â
Youâre pretty sure that if the drama club students had seen that dramatic gasp, theyâd have given him a standing ovation, because you nearly lost your eardrums.
After a few comedic seconds, Keigo falls back onto his hands, catching sight of your legs. You watch as his eyes slowly travel upward, and he greets you with a soft smile.
âOops.â
âHow are you?â
âHuh?â He scratches the back of his neck before standing up with your help. You lift your gaze slightly, meeting those long eyes. âGood, uh⊠busy. And you?â
He takes a step back, and you realize just how cold the conversation has become. Maybe, after all, itâs better if everything stays unsaid. Confessing your feelings to someone who clearly doesnât feel the same would only make your last weeks together awkward.
âGood. Busy too.â
Behind your words hides the aching need to grab his arms and ask him not to leave, to beg him to say he feels the same.
But no, you have to stay mature. Grounded.
âUm⊠Well. See you.â So thatâs all he says before nodding with his head down and walking out of the greenhouse.
Weeks later, you donât go back there. Instead, you cross the campus toward the university gym that prom night. Colorful lights stream out the wide windows in every directionâprobably blinding some poor bird flying past.
Youâd thought about going with the DJ since, after all, he was your date for the event, but he had to be there an hour early for the sound check. And you werenât about to stand there alone, stuck between your beloved winged best friend and his beautiful date.
So, what better option than falling asleep on the couch and arriving half an hour late? Perfect.
And of course, you only realize it now when the doors are shut right in front of you.
The worst part? You know exactly who you have to call to get them opened again.
After ignoring his last five messages asking if you were coming, the shame is enough to make you want to melt into the sidewalk.
Keigo (5):
âu coming?â
âthis dj just played a song with ur name.â
âr u okay?â
âno way, thereâs grape juice.â
âitâs ur favorite, arenât u coming?â
You bite your lip and call him. One ring. Two. Three.
Your heart skips a beat when you hear his voice.
âSorry, Iâm not interested in changing phone companies.â
You roll your eyes, relieved that, after all, heâs still the same.
âKeigo?â you ask, on the other end of the line, while looking up at the moon in the sky. A silence much louder than you would like follows.
âIâm at the door. Itâs locked⊠and I need someone to let me in.â
The pause stretches on. You can hear the party in the background, distorted by the music. Then you hear that lovely voice, closer now.
âYouâre here.â
âYeah⊠um⊠sorry Iâm late, I kinda-â
But you donât even need to say anything before the sound of the music fades on the other end of the line, and you swear you can hear his smile through the words.
âIâm flying.â
And he hangs up. You stay there in silence, feeling your heartbeat in your fingers, your cheeks, your stomach... Barely a minute later, the door opens and he looks at you with a hint of surprise in his eyes. Hair tousled, wings tucked like he just landed, and that smile that knocks the breath out of you.
Heâs wearing a spotless black suit, with a small violet in the front pocket of his jacket.
âHey,â he says, as if no time had passed and as if you hadnât ignored his messages. When he notices your gaze on his chest, he follows it, then smiles nervously. âDonât worry, itâs plastic. Not from the greenhouse. Iâm not a murderer.â
He takes your hand to lead you in, but he doesnât say anything as you walk down the hallway. Only the muffled music through the walls, the lights spinning on the ceiling, and your steps trying to keep pace with his.
âSo⊠asleep, huh?â he asks, not looking at you, trying to play it off lightly.
âYeah, I⊠didnât set an alarm.â
He nods slowly, then turns to you with a teasing glint in his eye.
âAh, right. Of course. Who doesnât take a nap at seven p.m. wearing their prom dress? You look great, by the way.â
You try not to laugh, but a smile escapes the corner of your lips. Had you missed talking to him so much that you were walking slower on purpose down the tiny hallway?
âYouâre not left behind. And what have you been doing all this endless time without my marvelous presence?â
âMe?â He shakes his head like you just said something ridiculous. âPlease⊠Iâve been studying the local ecosystem. The habitat of high-heeled creatures is fascinating.â
You raise an eyebrow at him.
âIs that your way of saying youâve been checking every girl out?â
âItâs my way of saying my feet hurt from walking in circles looking for you.â
Thwip! An arrow shoots through your heart in a second âthough, thanks to him, it was already full of holesâ.
âHEEEY!! THERE YOU ARE!! I thought you were coming earlier!â shouts the green eyed DJ, walking noisily through the door.
âTakami, Aoharaâs looking for you⊠sheâs saying something aboutâŠâ
Keigo pats his pockets, a slightly panicked expression on his face.
âYes! Yes, Iâm going with her! Hey, gorgeous, have a drink for me? Iâll see you in a few minutes.â
He gives your shoulder two quick pats with a nervous smile before rushing back inside.
Youâre left staring at the door that just closed behind him, with a dull thud that feels more like a goodbye than a short break. Was he joking?
The noise of the place fades into the background as your thoughts race through your head like a Formula 1 car.
Where was Takami going? What did Aohara want? Everything feels like itâs moving too fast tonightâlike youâre the only one who has no idea whatâs going on.
And maybe⊠you are.
âUm⊠If you want to go with him, then you should.â
âSorry?â
âI mean, I donât want to butt into whateverâs going on between you two⊠but trust me, babe.â
The DJ talks. His bright smile matches his white suit, and after what he just said, his blond hair practically glows like a halo. He doesnât say it with maliceâjust with a clear, gentle honesty.
You ask something unintelligible in a voice much lower than you intended, feeling your fingers tighten around the seam of your dress. He tilts his headâbecause it was hard to catch a single word when you spoke in that tiny voiceâ but you donât need to repeat yourself, because he opens the door and lets you in.
To what could be the worst thing youâve ever done⊠or what might save this disastrous prom night.
âMaybe after this, your paths will part. It is your graduation, after all. Donât miss the chance.â
Suddenly, everything feels heavy. The jokes, the laughter, that tension thatâs always been there but that youâve always chosen to ignore. Though now, in some way, you feel more ready. Was it your foolish hope? Or that violet he wore on his suit?
Once you step through the door, you donât see the DJ sending a proud message through his phone, having fulfilled his mission.
The music is loud, pounding in your ears almost as hard as the thudding of your heart. And to make things worse, the first thing you see as you step over the threshold is Keigo, standing with Aohara. Sheâs handing him something, and he nods with a smile while listening to her, excited.
Even though the girl is probably yelling for him to hear her, you feel like you canât even hear your own thoughts. As soon as she spots you, the golden-eyed boy turns toward you âwith more nervousness than you expectedâ and she pushes him in your direction.
âKeigo, I have to-â
âWHAT?â he exclaims, frowning.
âI HAVE TO-!â
âI CANâT UNDERSTAND A THING YOUâRE SAYING!â he shouts, speaking slowly, exaggerating each word like youâre at speech therapy.
Fed up with trying, you grab his arm and pull him outside the building, far enough from the music so he can finally hear you. When you turn back to him, you see a little smile playing on his lips.
âYou lasted less at the party than a commercial break. But honestly, I appreciate it, I couldnât tell if you were speaking Japanese or if I was having a stro-â
âTakami.â
And he goes dead silent, as if youâd flipped a switch in him just by saying his last name.
âLook⊠Today⊠I realized a lot of things. No, not today- every day these past few weeks. Actually- Iâm lying, Iâve known for a long timeâŠâ
You take a breath, trying to straighten out your thoughts once and for all. That happy expression on his face âthe one youâve seen all nightâ doesnât fade.
âLook, I donât want to seem stupid, or dramatic, or ruin our friendship⊠But⊠Wait, look- do you remember that day I found you in the greenhou-...?â
You pause for a few seconds, his smile starting to make you sway slightly on your heels. âWhat are you laughing at?â
âNothing, nothing, go on,â he says, folding his arms across his chest and tapping his foot lightly on the ground. âTell me how amazing I am.â
âWhatever, uh⊠when we were in the greenhouse- what are you doing now?â
He canât help but laugh. While you were speaking again, he had started to kneel down, pretending to struggle to stay upright.
âSorry, Iâm just old, I need to lean on something.â
âThis is serious, idiot,â you say, trying to keep a straight face, but itâs impossible not to laugh at his nonsense. And even more so because, through the fog of confusion and shyness, you start to feel where this is all heading.
âI know,â he murmurs, before pulling a box from his pocket.
And finally, you fall silent.
And finally, he speaks.
âRing by spring, I guess,â he says, tilting his head, showing you the ring with a false confidence on his face betrayed by his trembling hands. âYou know I really do take care of the petunias.â
âAre you serious?â
âDo I look like Iâm not?â
âYou almost never are.â
âI am now.â
âAnd Hane?â
âMy accomplice.â
âWhat?â
Okay, hold on, pause. You werenât understanding anything. Aohara was his accomplice?
And little by little, your mind starts connecting the dots. Had they been hanging out so much just to plan all of this?
âLook, the idea was to confess at the party, with your favorite song, but someone was late,â he says, raising his eyebrows as a few feathers float around your head, pointing at you. âThen I go out, thinking itâs the perfect moment, and Hane calls me to say I left the ring back there. Hey, since when do I talk more than you? Iâm not nervous, okay?â
He blurts everything out in an anxious monologue, but you still had more questions.
âAnd why didnât you accept coming with me?â
âWhereâs the surprise in that?â
You look at him with a frown. After a few seconds of total silence, you ask:
âAre you stupid?â
And his response is immediate:
âOkay, okay. Maybe it wasnât the best plan. But if I had said yes, it wouldâve been impossible to set everything up. Wouldnât you have suspected something?â
You stare at him, stunned, taking a bit longer to answer.
âUh⊠Youâre asking if I would suspect my best friend was about to propose to me? No.â
âSo⊠is that a no?â
âNo!â
âNo, as in not no? Or no, you donât want to marry me?â
âDonât say it like that, it sounds too intense.â
âWell, it is intense. So⊠is it a no?â
âItâs a yes. But only if you ask properly.â
You see the excitement return to his lips. Feathers drift from his back and land gently under your hand. They lift it softly, until itâs right in front of his eyes.
âMy dearest love of my lifeâŠâ
You laugh at how overly sweet heâs suddenly gotten.
âI want to spend my whole life by your side. I want to tell our grandkids how you used to help me cheat on exams, how I flew you across campus just to have you clinging to my chest in terror because of your fear of heightsâŠâ
And the excitement in your eyes is quite the same as it is in his.
âI donât have wings unless itâs with you. Will you let me fly by your side for the rest of my days, and take care of you like the most beautiful flower in my garden?â
For a moment, the world seems to stop. The air between you vibrates with the tenderness of his words, with that teasing tone he always has, but also with a deep sincerity. You looked at him âtruly looked, beyond his beautiful faceâ and felt as if your heart knew that, no matter how chaotic the world was, the place in front of you was home.
All that doubt you had carried vanished as you gently caressed his face and let him slide the ring onto your finger.
âIâm all yours, Mr. Darcy wannabe.â
ÂĄ! â masterlist mha.
ÂĄ! â little note; Hey everyone! I hope you're having a good day. I present to you the longest one shot I've done so far, but I had an idea that I couldn't miss, all thanks to this nice anon. I hope it reaches them and you can read and enjoy it. I'm sorry that it took me so long <3 Thank you for being so nice btw!
Hiii! I just wanted to say that I loved your content and watched that your requests were open so I wanted to ask if you could do something like a ring by spring au kind of thing with Keigo Takami from MHA
A breeze of wind, stronger than the others, comes from your right, flipping through the pages of the book youâre studying with careful attention. From how often this happens, you know exactly whose wings those are âand itâs not like anyone else on campus has wings anywayâ. Then, a giggle rings out beside you, just as you complain about the wind.
âNerd alert, nerd alert,â he repeats, while you look at him with your hair all over your face. He brushes it aside gently, leaving you with a⊠rather strange hairstyle.
âOkay, less nerd, more Woody Woodpecker.â He puts his wool hat on your head, which matches the reddish tone of his wings. And it smelled like him. Of course it smelled like him.
âCome on,â you complain playfully, before taking it off to fix your hair. âSkipping half your classes again, huh?â You put the hat back on, this time over a proper hairstyle.
âTss, it wasnât my fault, mom.â He leans back against the chair next to you, speaking with mock seriousness. âI was kidnapped. The sheets wouldnât let me go. It was a critical situation.â
âOh yeah? And how did you escape?â You gesture toward the seat with a quick nod, the way you always did when you wanted him to sit with you, so he does.
âWell, I thought of you, studying so hard with that <donât talk to me, I have an exam> face, and that gave me the strength to fight for my freedom.â He crosses his legs and arms, smirking. He makes a face, like heâs brushing it off. âVery inspiring stuff.â
âOkay, slow down, Mr. Darcy wannabe.â With a teasing smile, he mirrors your gesture.
âWhat? I canât say nice things to my best friend without getting accused of being dramatic?â He stretches out, shamelessly taking a sip of your coffee, as if he had ordered it himself.
âHey, thatâs mine.â
âShhh, Iâm dealing with trauma. I almost didnât make it here. I need emotional support.â
You roll your eyes, but you canât help but smile. You keep reading the book slowly, nevertheless, a feather lands on the words. When you try to grab it, it flies to the next page, and then again a couple more times, until you glance at your annoying âbut attractiveâ friend, with your eyebrows raised.
âHave I ever told you youâre the most annoying person I know?â you ask jokingly, as he looks up at the sky and whistles in an exaggerated show of innocence.
âCome on, you always review during the last five minutes before the test, but you know youâll ace it anyway.â Youâre about to argue, but you fall silent for a moment, thinking about what he just said. Wait⊠You quickly glance at the clock, and-âŠ
âFive minutes?! Fuck, fuck, fuckâŠâ You start cursing to yourself, trying to rapidly read anything from the book.
Keigo understands your stress, so he goes quiet, glancing at what youâre reading âcareful not to distract youâ. Once youâve finished your brief review, you stand up and grab your coffee, finishing it quickly. In some way, he was right. You always preferred to go over everything at the very last minute, getting nervous even though you were pretty confident from the start. Then, when youâre panicking, the one thing you didnât know would save your exam, opens his mouth.
âCome on, Iâll take you.â
âYouâre insane if you think Iâm gonna-âŠâ
And there you are, two minutes later, in his arms. Heâs flying you through the air, holding you tightly. Every now and then, he glances down at your closed eyes, hidden against his chest. When heâs not looking, you peek up gently to watch his golden hair flutter in the wind. Obviously, without letting your eyes meet âbecause who doesnât enjoy a little drama born from lifeâs âaccidentalâ moments?â.
âAll right, good luck with the exam.â He sets you down gently âbefore you throw up like the kid from The Exorcistâ and turns to walk away, but you grab his arm. His gaze follows your hand, and then meets your eyes afterwards.
âYouâre not gonna take it?â
âOh, hell nah.â
âWhat? Why?â You frown, still holding onto his arm.
âI skipped half the classes and literally just woke up,â he says, pushing his hair back. âItâd be weird if I went in.â
âOh, come on, this subjectâs not that hard.â You pull his arm, dragging him into the classroom. âWorst case, we do that trick we used in elementary school.â
âTheyâre gonna think Iâm the janitor.â
âHe hasnât seen you that little, donât be dramatic.â You burst out laughing as you pull him toward a seat.
You sit him next to you, ready to seize even the tiniest opportunity to let him copy from your exam. The panic in his eyes becomes almost tangible the moment the professor says to open your laptops instead of handing out paper sheets.
âGive me one of your feathers.â
And letâs not even talk about how his soul visibly leaves his body when the professor asks everyone to separate. Heâs done.
Or thatâs what he thinks.
âYou gonna miss me that much?â he asks while standing up, with the professor eyeing him seriously. Then he raises his hands in mock surrender, and you barely have time to react before a reddish feather lands in your hand, just as he walks off to another seat.
Once the exam starts, you canât help but smile at the brilliance âand mischiefâ of your plan. When the first question appears on your screen, you select option âBâ on the laptop, then trace the same letter with your thumb on the feather.
A cough echoes through the room, and when you turn, you spot the blond: cheeks completely red, wide smile, as he marks the answer you just gave him.
And so the exam goes on, bit by bit, calmly answering every question that shows up on the screen. When you reach the last one, you answer it and leave the classroom, slipping the feather into your pocket. A couple of minutes later, your best friend comes out too.
âRelax, I got a few wrong on purpose so it wouldnât be too obvious,â he says as the feather flutters back to his back. âWhy didnât we do this sooner?â
âBecause itâs still cheating.â After pointing out the obvious, he rolls his eyes and grins. He lifts off the ground just slightly, flying low, and places himself in front of you. He stares at you with those bright eyes and a teasing smile on his lips.
âI promise Iâll catch up⊠But since when do you care about cheating?â He steps closer, grinning, and leans against the wall beside you. âAs far as I know, on a Friday, February 5th, two years ago, someone used a tiny piece of paper hidden in a pencil case for the history examâŠâ
âThereâs no way you remember the exact date,â you say, confident.
âNo. But⊠here comes that little smile of yoursâŠâ You punch his arm while doing exactly what he predicted. âThere it is. Someoneâs feeling a little aggressive today. Want me to make you some tea? Carry your bag?â
His feathers float toward your backpack, lifting it up to ease your burden. Thatâs when a tremendously sweet scent passes by your side. The long, dark waves of her hair bounce softly with each firm step. Her legs âmodel tier, reallyâ carry her body in such a mesmerizing way it feels like a hypnotism show. Even you catch yourself staring. How wouldnât he?
Especially when her hand lands gently on his shoulder, with a smile so perfectly white it belongs in a commercial. âHey, how are you guys doing?â And when she speaks, you notice itâs a genuine question. Sheâs not saying it out of politeness, or just to look good in front of Keigo. She waits patiently, with kindness in her eyes, for your reply.
âUh⊠Fine. All good. And you, Aohara?â
âWell, moving forward. Iâm glad youâre doing well.â Her pretty blue eyes shift toward your best friend, and you notice a subtle squeeze on his shoulder. âIâm sure youâve already heard, but the art club is organizingâŠâ
Hane Aohara; the walking embodiment of perfection at the university. One of those people who reaches for so much it seems overwhelming, yet somehow, her eyes never stop shining. As the head of the art club and the student council president, she spends her days running around, creating beautiful spaces that everyone enjoys. You have no idea how she finds time for it all, considering she has the best grades of her class in nearly everything.
Besides being talented and brilliant, she treats everyone with kindness and empathy. A supernova of beauty that would dazzle anyone. And no, before you ask, of course youâre not jealous. You just like to point out how magnificently perfect she is.
âSo? Will you be coming?â And⊠you werenât listening.
âOf course,â he answers for you, so you just nod slowly and smile, pretending to agree âand you do it almost as convincingly as Keigo pretends to pay attention in classâ.
âGreat. Iâm really excited to see you both there. See you!â
âBye!â you wave âwhile she winks at himâ, then turn to him. âUhâŠâ
âAre you about to ask me to go with you? Because I need to let you kn-âŠâ
âIâm about to ask what I just agreed to⊠with full awareness,â you cut him off mid-sentence, with a teasing look.
He canât help but let out a small laugh at your sarcasm, crossing his arms. âYou werenât paying attention at all, poor girl.â He sighs and rolls his eyes jokingly. âTheyâre organizing a prom. She said itâs a great chance for some ring by spring action andâŠâ
âThatâs that thing where couples propose before graduation, right? I doubt anyoneâs actually doing that.â
âWhy not?â
âBecause these people are more afraid of commitment than they are of finals. Donât get me wrong, I think itâs a beautiful gesture, but have you seen the greenhouse plants? How are they gonna take care of a relationship lasting more than three months if those petunias look like death?â
A little grin escapes his lips as he shakes his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose softly.
âSmart pretty girl shutting my mouth ahh moment.â
âShut up,â you say, laughing as you walk down the hallway. He doesnât answer, but follows you with that smug little smile that says more than words. âSo⊠you said you wanted to go with me?â Just to keep things interesting.
âNo,â he answers quickly. Maybe too quickly. So much so that your heart sinks a little. âIâm going with Hane.â
And you werenât expecting that, so you donât even try to hide your surprise. He seems to notice and tries to fix it immediately.
âBut apparently one of her friends doesnât have a date yet, maybe you could ask him.â You nod at his words, not really listening.
Of course, he knows you well enough to spot that little wrinkle between your brows, and changes the subject quickly. âWhy donât we go to the greenhouse and check on those petunias?â he asks, nudging you gently with his elbow, knowing how happy that place makes you.
You had always considered it your safe space. Flowers are one of your biggest passions, and you knew so much about them that Keigo wouldnât be the first to call you intense, overwhelming, or even weird.
But he never did. Every time you spoke, heâd get that soft little smile, nodding patiently, even leaning on his hand like he was listening to the most fascinating story. And sometimes, youâd swear there was a spark in his eyes.
Although, honestly, you knew it was probably just your heart talking.
âYou zoned out so hard I just heard the Windows logoff sound.â
âHm?â You look at him, not quite catching what he said, and then you realize youâve been lost in your thoughts again. When you look up, the large green leaves tell you youâve reached the greenhouse faster than you expected. And your friendâs smirk says everything about your current expression.
Yeah⊠Did I forget to mention how often you get lost in your head?
Your eyes catch a pair of flowers in the distance, practically screaming at you with their vibrant color, and you canât help but squeal in excitement.
âThe violets have bloomed!â
You take off running without thinking, your shoes lifting up a bit of dust as you cross the room. You crouch quickly, brushing your fingers gently over the petals like theyâre made of glass.
You inhale their scent, softly, and trust that your best friend will come the moment you call him. âCome, smell.â
As soon as he reaches your side, he mirrors your movements, slowly âthough his expression is kind of weird at firstâ. You laugh at the way his nose scrunches, and gently push the flower away from him.
âAt first, it might seem too sweet.â
âExactly what I was gonna say. My nostrils are gone.â
âDid you know violets close up when it rains?â
âLike you with sad movies?â You grab the water sprayer and aim it at him with mock hardness. His brows lift with curiosity, eyes still on the purple petals.
âGod forbid women have feelings.â
You watch as he bends down with a laugh to smell a lower flower. Then he looks up at you from below, with a goofy smileâso, naturally, you spray him with water.
âHey! Traitor!â
âYour fault.â
And although you went to the greenhouse every chance you had, weeks later the petunias still look just as dead.
You didnât have much time, due to your finals. And without care, everything fade.
The sad part is, you could say the same about your relationship with Takami.
You never thought youâd be the kind of girl who feels awkward watching the popular one laugh beside your best friend. But you do feel it: a knot in your stomach every time you see them together. And youâre not afraid to admit it, because you know itâs not jealousy; itâs just⊠disappointment.
Ever since he told you he was going with her to the party, youâve been pulling away.
And you donât want to admit it, but youâve been trying to distance yourself. To forget what you feel for him. That way, maybe itâll hurt less.
You want to hold space for yourself, to take care of yourself. And though you havenât said anything, he respects it. His schedule helps, too âapparently, heâs finally decided to start studying for the remaining examsâ. Luckily, heâs smart enough that it wonât take him much effort.
The distance does you good. You donât have to hide how you feel or pretend you donât care. You just acknowledge your feelings and trust that theyâll fade with time. When he cancels plans because of âprom prepâ or âsound checks,â you just make a mental note and move on.
But here you are, watching Hane laugh with that beautiful laugh, next to your best friend. Who, by the way, seems to have become her official accessory, despite being so busy. Like a limpet âbut with a heartbeat.
You know those stolen glances filled with secrets and sparks arenât doing you any good if youâre still hoping for him to be something more. So, you decide itâs time to move on. Or⊠try to.
And what better way than by inviting someone else to the dance?
Okay, maybe not the best idea, but itâs the only one that doesnât end with you eating ice cream at home. And after all, according to Hane, he didnât have a date yet, right?
So you walk up to that green-eyed guy âwho, as it turns out, is the partyâs DJâ and ask if heâd like to go with you. After a few seconds of surprise, he nods quickly and smiles.
The glances have increased, unlike the words. Keigo watches you from the corner of his eye in class, in the hallways, and every time he talks to Aohara, you feel like you have four eyes on you.
And you definitely didnât expect to break the silence in such a special place, but as you step into the greenhouse, you canât ignore the large red wings at the end of the path.
He doesnât usually spend much time there, but youâve seen him wandering around to check on the flowers before. You used to think he did it to take care of them for you.
You walk closer, just in time to see him pouring fresh soil over those wilted buds.
âThey made you feel bad too?â
Youâre pretty sure that if the drama club students had seen that dramatic gasp, theyâd have given him a standing ovation, because you nearly lost your eardrums.
After a few comedic seconds, Keigo falls back onto his hands, catching sight of your legs. You watch as his eyes slowly travel upward, and he greets you with a soft smile.
âOops.â
âHow are you?â
âHuh?â He scratches the back of his neck before standing up with your help. You lift your gaze slightly, meeting those long eyes. âGood, uh⊠busy. And you?â
He takes a step back, and you realize just how cold the conversation has become. Maybe, after all, itâs better if everything stays unsaid. Confessing your feelings to someone who clearly doesnât feel the same would only make your last weeks together awkward.
âGood. Busy too.â
Behind your words hides the aching need to grab his arms and ask him not to leave, to beg him to say he feels the same.
But no, you have to stay mature. Grounded.
âUm⊠Well. See you.â So thatâs all he says before nodding with his head down and walking out of the greenhouse.
Weeks later, you donât go back there. Instead, you cross the campus toward the university gym that prom night. Colorful lights stream out the wide windows in every directionâprobably blinding some poor bird flying past.
Youâd thought about going with the DJ since, after all, he was your date for the event, but he had to be there an hour early for the sound check. And you werenât about to stand there alone, stuck between your beloved winged best friend and his beautiful date.
So, what better option than falling asleep on the couch and arriving half an hour late? Perfect.
And of course, you only realize it now when the doors are shut right in front of you.
The worst part? You know exactly who you have to call to get them opened again.
After ignoring his last five messages asking if you were coming, the shame is enough to make you want to melt into the sidewalk.
Keigo (5):
âu coming?â
âthis dj just played a song with ur name.â
âr u okay?â
âno way, thereâs grape juice.â
âitâs ur favorite, arenât u coming?â
You bite your lip and call him. One ring. Two. Three.
Your heart skips a beat when you hear his voice.
âSorry, Iâm not interested in changing phone companies.â
You roll your eyes, relieved that, after all, heâs still the same.
âKeigo?â you ask, on the other end of the line, while looking up at the moon in the sky. A silence much louder than you would like follows.
âIâm at the door. Itâs locked⊠and I need someone to let me in.â
The pause stretches on. You can hear the party in the background, distorted by the music. Then you hear that lovely voice, closer now.
âYouâre here.â
âYeah⊠um⊠sorry Iâm late, I kinda-â
But you donât even need to say anything before the sound of the music fades on the other end of the line, and you swear you can hear his smile through the words.
âIâm flying.â
And he hangs up. You stay there in silence, feeling your heartbeat in your fingers, your cheeks, your stomach... Barely a minute later, the door opens and he looks at you with a hint of surprise in his eyes. Hair tousled, wings tucked like he just landed, and that smile that knocks the breath out of you.
Heâs wearing a spotless black suit, with a small violet in the front pocket of his jacket.
âHey,â he says, as if no time had passed and as if you hadnât ignored his messages. When he notices your gaze on his chest, he follows it, then smiles nervously. âDonât worry, itâs plastic. Not from the greenhouse. Iâm not a murderer.â
He takes your hand to lead you in, but he doesnât say anything as you walk down the hallway. Only the muffled music through the walls, the lights spinning on the ceiling, and your steps trying to keep pace with his.
âSo⊠asleep, huh?â he asks, not looking at you, trying to play it off lightly.
âYeah, I⊠didnât set an alarm.â
He nods slowly, then turns to you with a teasing glint in his eye.
âAh, right. Of course. Who doesnât take a nap at seven p.m. wearing their prom dress? You look great, by the way.â
You try not to laugh, but a smile escapes the corner of your lips. Had you missed talking to him so much that you were walking slower on purpose down the tiny hallway?
âYouâre not left behind. And what have you been doing all this endless time without my marvelous presence?â
âMe?â He shakes his head like you just said something ridiculous. âPlease⊠Iâve been studying the local ecosystem. The habitat of high-heeled creatures is fascinating.â
You raise an eyebrow at him.
âIs that your way of saying youâve been checking every girl out?â
âItâs my way of saying my feet hurt from walking in circles looking for you.â
Thwip! An arrow shoots through your heart in a second âthough, thanks to him, it was already full of holesâ.
âHEEEY!! THERE YOU ARE!! I thought you were coming earlier!â shouts the green eyed DJ, walking noisily through the door.
âTakami, Aoharaâs looking for you⊠sheâs saying something aboutâŠâ
Keigo pats his pockets, a slightly panicked expression on his face.
âYes! Yes, Iâm going with her! Hey, gorgeous, have a drink for me? Iâll see you in a few minutes.â
He gives your shoulder two quick pats with a nervous smile before rushing back inside.
Youâre left staring at the door that just closed behind him, with a dull thud that feels more like a goodbye than a short break. Was he joking?
The noise of the place fades into the background as your thoughts race through your head like a Formula 1 car.
Where was Takami going? What did Aohara want? Everything feels like itâs moving too fast tonightâlike youâre the only one who has no idea whatâs going on.
And maybe⊠you are.
âUm⊠If you want to go with him, then you should.â
âSorry?â
âI mean, I donât want to butt into whateverâs going on between you two⊠but trust me, babe.â
The DJ talks. His bright smile matches his white suit, and after what he just said, his blond hair practically glows like a halo. He doesnât say it with maliceâjust with a clear, gentle honesty.
You ask something unintelligible in a voice much lower than you intended, feeling your fingers tighten around the seam of your dress. He tilts his headâbecause it was hard to catch a single word when you spoke in that tiny voiceâ but you donât need to repeat yourself, because he opens the door and lets you in.
To what could be the worst thing youâve ever done⊠or what might save this disastrous prom night.
âMaybe after this, your paths will part. It is your graduation, after all. Donât miss the chance.â
Suddenly, everything feels heavy. The jokes, the laughter, that tension thatâs always been there but that youâve always chosen to ignore. Though now, in some way, you feel more ready. Was it your foolish hope? Or that violet he wore on his suit?
Once you step through the door, you donât see the DJ sending a proud message through his phone, having fulfilled his mission.
The music is loud, pounding in your ears almost as hard as the thudding of your heart. And to make things worse, the first thing you see as you step over the threshold is Keigo, standing with Aohara. Sheâs handing him something, and he nods with a smile while listening to her, excited.
Even though the girl is probably yelling for him to hear her, you feel like you canât even hear your own thoughts. As soon as she spots you, the golden-eyed boy turns toward you âwith more nervousness than you expectedâ and she pushes him in your direction.
âKeigo, I have to-â
âWHAT?â he exclaims, frowning.
âI HAVE TO-!â
âI CANâT UNDERSTAND A THING YOUâRE SAYING!â he shouts, speaking slowly, exaggerating each word like youâre at speech therapy.
Fed up with trying, you grab his arm and pull him outside the building, far enough from the music so he can finally hear you. When you turn back to him, you see a little smile playing on his lips.
âYou lasted less at the party than a commercial break. But honestly, I appreciate it, I couldnât tell if you were speaking Japanese or if I was having a stro-â
âTakami.â
And he goes dead silent, as if youâd flipped a switch in him just by saying his last name.
âLook⊠Today⊠I realized a lot of things. No, not today- every day these past few weeks. Actually- Iâm lying, Iâve known for a long timeâŠâ
You take a breath, trying to straighten out your thoughts once and for all. That happy expression on his face âthe one youâve seen all nightâ doesnât fade.
âLook, I donât want to seem stupid, or dramatic, or ruin our friendship⊠But⊠Wait, look- do you remember that day I found you in the greenhou-...?â
You pause for a few seconds, his smile starting to make you sway slightly on your heels. âWhat are you laughing at?â
âNothing, nothing, go on,â he says, folding his arms across his chest and tapping his foot lightly on the ground. âTell me how amazing I am.â
âWhatever, uh⊠when we were in the greenhouse- what are you doing now?â
He canât help but laugh. While you were speaking again, he had started to kneel down, pretending to struggle to stay upright.
âSorry, Iâm just old, I need to lean on something.â
âThis is serious, idiot,â you say, trying to keep a straight face, but itâs impossible not to laugh at his nonsense. And even more so because, through the fog of confusion and shyness, you start to feel where this is all heading.
âI know,â he murmurs, before pulling a box from his pocket.
And finally, you fall silent.
And finally, he speaks.
âRing by spring, I guess,â he says, tilting his head, showing you the ring with a false confidence on his face betrayed by his trembling hands. âYou know I really do take care of the petunias.â
âAre you serious?â
âDo I look like Iâm not?â
âYou almost never are.â
âI am now.â
âAnd Hane?â
âMy accomplice.â
âWhat?â
Okay, hold on, pause. You werenât understanding anything. Aohara was his accomplice?
And little by little, your mind starts connecting the dots. Had they been hanging out so much just to plan all of this?
âLook, the idea was to confess at the party, with your favorite song, but someone was late,â he says, raising his eyebrows as a few feathers float around your head, pointing at you. âThen I go out, thinking itâs the perfect moment, and Hane calls me to say I left the ring back there. Hey, since when do I talk more than you? Iâm not nervous, okay?â
He blurts everything out in an anxious monologue, but you still had more questions.
âAnd why didnât you accept coming with me?â
âWhereâs the surprise in that?â
You look at him with a frown. After a few seconds of total silence, you ask:
âAre you stupid?â
And his response is immediate:
âOkay, okay. Maybe it wasnât the best plan. But if I had said yes, it wouldâve been impossible to set everything up. Wouldnât you have suspected something?â
You stare at him, stunned, taking a bit longer to answer.
âUh⊠Youâre asking if I would suspect my best friend was about to propose to me? No.â
âSo⊠is that a no?â
âNo!â
âNo, as in not no? Or no, you donât want to marry me?â
âDonât say it like that, it sounds too intense.â
âWell, it is intense. So⊠is it a no?â
âItâs a yes. But only if you ask properly.â
You see the excitement return to his lips. Feathers drift from his back and land gently under your hand. They lift it softly, until itâs right in front of his eyes.
âMy dearest love of my lifeâŠâ
You laugh at how overly sweet heâs suddenly gotten.
âI want to spend my whole life by your side. I want to tell our grandkids how you used to help me cheat on exams, how I flew you across campus just to have you clinging to my chest in terror because of your fear of heightsâŠâ
And the excitement in your eyes is quite the same as it is in his.
âI donât have wings unless itâs with you. Will you let me fly by your side for the rest of my days, and take care of you like the most beautiful flower in my garden?â
For a moment, the world seems to stop. The air between you vibrates with the tenderness of his words, with that teasing tone he always has, but also with a deep sincerity. You looked at him âtruly looked, beyond his beautiful faceâ and felt as if your heart knew that, no matter how chaotic the world was, the place in front of you was home.
All that doubt you had carried vanished as you gently caressed his face and let him slide the ring onto your finger.
âIâm all yours, Mr. Darcy wannabe.â
ÂĄ! â masterlist mha.
ÂĄ! â little note; Hey everyone! I hope you're having a good day. I present to you the longest one shot I've done so far, but I had an idea that I couldn't miss, all thanks to this nice anon. I hope it reaches them and you can read and enjoy it. I'm sorry that it took me so long <3 Thank you for being so nice btw!