he was lying in bed while you were in the shower, his own phone dead, boredom slowly consuming him.
"love," he called. "can i use your phone for a sec? i wanna look something up."
"yeah! password's the same,” you responded.
big mistake.
he opens your phone and gets distracted by a notification from tik tok.
"edited 3h ago • kaisagi enemies to lovers."
"..."
he shouldn't. he really, really shouldn't.
5 minutes later, he's somehow on your liked videos. and he’s talking to himself like "... why is this just me with other men."
you come back drying your hair with a towel. "yoichi?"
he slowly turns the phone toward you. it's an edit. him and rin. every clip out of context deliberately looks like rin wants to eat him. caption: "he wanted that damn cookie he don’t gaf about being number one."
"is there... something you want to tell me?"
you blink. "... oh. OH. yoichi, i can explain."
"please do."
"i just think it's funny."
"you've liked 33."
"..."
"AND THEY’RE ALL IN A WHOLE ASS FOLDER NAMED ‘don’t let him find out.’"
"they're well edited..."
"is THAT what we're calling it?"
he scrolls. kaisagi. rinsagi. bachisagi. even one with barou.
"mind you, that’s the guy who called me a donkey."
"yes."
"... and you liked that one, too?"
"the editor cooked."
he spends the next 10 minutes acting like he's getting shot.
"so while i'm sending you good morning texts… you're watching me make heart eyes at rin?"
"well, TV girl was the song choice–"
he starts dramatically sighing every few minutes.
"what's wrong?"
"just wondering if i'm enough."
"yoichi."
"or if i should ask rin out."
"YOICHI."
eventually, he starts watching them with you. his mind starts changing by the 5th edit.
"... okay wait, this transition was actually insane."
itoshi rin
rin discovers it because he hears your phone. he wasn't even looking. he just hears music. you'd left your phone on autoplay while cooking.
he walks into the kitchen, looks at the screen… it's an edit of him… and shidou.
"rin, you weren’t supposed to see that," says you, who is currently hitting the standing emoji pose.
he slowly looks at you. "... why. why are you watching this."
"..."
"... it's got 2 million likes?"
"that’s not the point."
he grabs your phone and starts scrolling. you watch in real time as his expression somehow gets worse. him and isagi. him and shidou again. him and literally every man who's breathed near him.
"am i just community property?"
"RIN."
"why do these people think i flirt."
"because you glare at each other for the entire game."
"that's called hatred."
"it's got chemistry."
"IT DOESN'T."
he opens the comments.
"my divorced parents."
"they're soulmates."
"just kiss already."
you are laughing so hard you're crying.
rin narrows his eyes. “you liked these edits. AND the comments."
"the edits are really good. and the comments are funny."
he sighs. “you're unbelievable."
later that night, he catches you giggling again. "what."
"nothing nothing."
"show me."
"no."
he takes your phone. it's another edit. this time it's him and isagi standing too close during a match. slowed. zoomed in. lana as the audio for that extra devastating effect.
"... they edited the eye contact."
"IT LOOKED ROMANTIC."
"IT WASN'T."
"..."
"... the coloring's nice at least."
itoshi sae
sae finds out because he accidentally opens your twitter.
he wasn't digging through your phone. he was actually trying to send himself a picture. but, instead he sees–
❤️ liked. fanart. him and shidou. sharing one umbrella.
he blinks once. twice. three times. then calmly locks your phone.
when you come back he asks, completely expressionless, "do you enjoy fictionalizing my suffering.”
you nearly choke. “sorry…?"
he slides your phone across the table. you immediately recognize the artwork.
"... sae, listen."
"i am.”
“... the artist is really talented."
"that's your defense?"
"LOOK AT THE RENDERING."
he scrolls more. and more. and more.
"there are hundreds."
"i support artists."
"no shit." he raises one eyebrow. "i wasn't aware people believed i was romantically compatible with every striker alive."
"well..."
"don't."
"the tension."
"there is no tension."
"there's eye contact."
"that's called existing."
he keeps pretending not to care, absolutely stone-faced. until–
"which one's your favorite."
"... what?”
"which ship."
"i... i refuse to answer."
"interesting."
"sae."
"because refusing implies there IS one."
"... i gotta go..."
you never let him live it down.
nagi seishiro
nagi doesn't even get jealous. he gets invested.
he's lying on your shoulder while you're scrolling. then he absentmindedly glances down.
"is that me."
"yeah."
"... why am i holding reo's face."
"... fanart." you mumble it so quietly that you hope he doesn’t hear you. but he does.
"that’s cute."
you stop. "you're not concerned?"
"should i be?”
he scrolls. another one. another. another.
"wow, people draw really well."
"that's your takeaway?"
"yeah."
he suddenly gasps. "wait."
"what?"
"they made me taller."
"... that's what you're focused on?"
he spends the next 20 minutes rating fanart. "this one's an 8."
"why?”
"my hair's wrong."
"okay..."
"this one's 10."
"because?"
"they made me prettier. specifically my eyes."
"..."
"this one's weird."
"why?"
"i'd never wear that fit."
reo walks in. "what are you two doing?"
nagi casually answers, "looking at people shipping us. nagireo is more popular than i thought it was."
reo chokes on air. "YOU'RE WHAT?"
mikage reo
reo discovers your pinterest board. the board title? "men who should've kissed."
he clicks out of curiosity. it's literally 99% him and nagi.
and i mean fanart. edits. memes. analysis posts. the board description is literally: "your honor, they're in love."
he calls for you immediately. "baby."
"yeah?"
“... care to explain."
you look over and freeze. "... that's private, reo."
"then why is it a public board on your account??"
he scrolls furiously. "this board has 500 pins."
"..."
"LIKE 450 OF THEM ARE ME."
"...”
"... with nagi."
you nod. "the artists are really talented."
"again with the artists."
"LOOK AT THE LIGHTING."
reo pinches the bridge of his nose. "do i need to compete with my best friend."
"you already lost."
"excuse me?"
"the edits hit."
he gasps so dramatically you'd think you'd confessed to tax fraud. "wow. wow. after everything i've done for you."
"reo."
"i buy you flowers. i fly you to paris. and this is how i find out i'm in a situationship with nagi."
he refuses to let it go.
for the next week he randomly asks, "did nagi send you flowers today? did your other boyfriend remember your anniversary? should i leave you two alone?"
eventually, curiosity wins. he starts reading the comments. and actually finds them quite funny.
you grin. "i know, right?"
"... don't tell nagi."
"too late."
nagi already knows. he liked the post, too.
bachira meguru
bachira catches you because you're sitting on the couch absolutely cackling. not giggling. not smiling. crying laughing.
he flops down beside you with zero regard for personal space. "whatcha watching?"
"nothing, bubs."
"that's a lie."
he leans over your shoulder before you can lock your phone. "... oh!”
it's an edit of him and isagi with one of those doomed ship audios (ricky montgomery probably). every assist they've ever made to each other is edited like a confession scene.
"he found the monster in someone else."
"soulmates separated by fate."
bachira watches the whole thing. "awww."
you slowly look at him. "awww?"
"it’s kinda sweet. the editor really understood the emotional narrative."
"MEGURU."
"what?"
"you're supposed to be jealous!"
"why?"
"because i'm watching edits of you being in love with another man."
"mmm... but i'm not. also, they picked really good clips."
he reaches over. scrolls. there’s more edits. him and isagi mostly. him and rin. him and otoya. him and literally anyone who's smiled at him.
"wow. i'm popular."
you stare. "... that's your conclusion?"
"yeah!"
he keeps watching. every few videos, he gives actual feedback. "they should've used the U-20 match here." or "this transition's clean." or "aw, they made us blush."
“it’s an edit."
"i know. it's cute."
you eventually bury your face in a pillow.
bachira laughs. "hey."
"what."
he grins. "find one where i end up with you instead."
"..."
"those are my absolute favorites."
shidou ryusei
this man discovers your likes. and immediately assumes the worst.
"WHO THE HELL IS THIS GUY?"
"ryusei."
"WHY ARE YOU LIKING HIM?"
"... that's you."
"... oh." he squints. "why am i kissing sae."
he starts scrolling. his eyebrows somehow climb higher with every swipe.
him and sae. him and rin. him and kunigami. him and literally every player who has ever looked mildly annoyed around him.
"damn. people think i'm a whore."
"no, they think you have chemistry with everyone."
"eh, same thing."
he opens the comments.
"they flirt through attempted murder."
"enemies to lovers speedrun."
shidou snorts. "that's kinda funny."
you blink. "you're not mad?"
"nope."
"..."
"although." he suddenly wraps an arm around your shoulders. "you could've just asked."
"asked what?”
"i'll recreate the poses."
"WHAT?"
"come on." he points at a piece of fanart. "i can carry sae like that."
"RYUSEI."
"actually." he thinks. "nahhh. he'd complain."
he scrolls again.
"THIS ARTIST MADE MY ABS LOOK SMALL."
now that's the real issue.
karasu tabito
karasu catches you because you're sitting across from him on a train, smiling at your phone like somebody in love.
"who’s got ya grinnin' like that?"
"nobody."
"lemme see."
"no.”
“that's exactly why i wanna see."
he reaches over. you fail spectacularly at hiding it. and he catches one frame: him and otoya. holding hands.
"..."
"... seriously?"
you sigh. "i can explain."
"can ya?"
he takes the phone and begins to scroll.
“geez… i'm gettin' passed around."
"tabito–"
"me and otoya. me and hiori. me and shidou. me and yukimiya. hell, somebody even got me with barou."
you burst into laughter.
karasu clicks another edit. it's one of those silly overanalyzed videos with arrows, zoom-ins, and ironic captions: "notice how karasu looked at otoya for 0.8 seconds longer than everyone else..."
"... these people got too much free time."
"..."
“keep playin'."
you do. 5 minutes later–
"okay… that stare did look suspicious."
"SEE?"
he points at the screen. "that's bad camera angles tho.”
after 15 minutes of this, he shakes his head, laughing.
"can't believe my own girl ships me with my coworker."
kaiser michael
kaiser finds your secret twitter bookmark folder. its name? "yaoi national archives."
"... bitte (pardon)?"
your fight or flight kicks in. "give me my phone."
he doesn't. he does the complete opposite: he opens it. first bookmark: kaiser and isagi. second: kaiser and ness. third: kaiser and literally everyone breathing.
he looks at you. then the phone. then you again.
"... am i... the main character?"
"yes."
"... good."
"THAT'S YOUR RESPONSE?"
he sits down, crosses one leg over the other, and begins watching. he doesn't even pretend he isn't interested.
"hm."
"..."
"this editor understands my good side."
"mihya, please."
"they used my left profile, which is objectively correct. after all, why do you think i got my tattoo done on that side instead?"
he keeps scrolling. you slowly begin sweating. because eventually, he finds the fanart. it's him and ness dancing. soft smiles. foreheads touching. golden lighting.
he quietly studies it. finally, after a moment: "that's beautiful."
"... you really think so?"
"the composition."
you exhale. "thank god."
he looks over. "don't misunderstand. i'm complimenting the artist."
"..."
"although i do look incredibly attractive."
"you are unbelievable."
he smirks. "tell me."
"tell you what."
"which ship wins."
"... i plead the fifth."
he smiles. "good answer."
ness alexis
ness finds out. and this boy immediately enters the 5 stages of grief.
"what… what is this."
you slowly look up. "... oh. oh no."
he's holding your phone with trembling hands. on the screen? a kaisagi edit with 300,000 likes.
"... schönste, you liked this?" his tone quivers with betrayal.
"... yes."
he keeps scrolling. another. another. another.
"why."
"they're well edited."
"STOP SAYING THAT."
he looks genuinely distraught. "kaiser would never."
then he opens the comments, which is the killer blow.
"the actual look of love.”
“KISS KISS FALL IN LOVE.”
he frowns. "you should block all these accounts."
you try so hard not to laugh. he keeps scrolling anyway.
eventually, he lands on… kaiser. and himself. it’s fanart. beautifully painted with a watercolor effect. they're laughing together.
he studies it for another few seconds. "... their coloring technique is incredible."
you grin. "right?"
"... don't tell kaiser i said that."
"why?"
"because then he'll think i was looking."
“nessie bear."
"..."
"you've been scrolling for 20 minutes."
"... i'm conducting research."
"on what?"
"... the fandom."
he absolutely starts sending you fanart afterward. always with the same caption: "the anatomy here is objectively impressive. ignore the subject matter."
isagi is one of those athletes who genuinely tries to be polite to the media because he understands they're part of the sport. he'll smile, answer every question thoughtfully, thank reporters for coming, etc.. he's practically the media's golden boy... until they decide to involve you.
one reporter starts with the classic, "your girlfriend has been getting criticized online lately. do you think the attention she’s receiving is distracting you from football?"
his smile doesn't disappear, but it definitely changes. "not really."
"could you elaborate?"
"there's nothing to elaborate on."
dead silence. isagi isn't giving them anything.
"my relationship has never affected my performances. if anything, she’s only supported me."
"but people are saying–"
"people say a lot of things." he says it so calmly that it almost sounds friendly. "i don't base my opinions on anonymous comments."
the interview gets uploaded and everyone immediately notices how his expression changed the second your name came up.
"bro activated post-match interview ego 😭"
"the aura disappeared the moment they mentioned his gf"
"he looked at that reporter like they misplaced a pass"
another time, you're walking beside him after a match. cameras are everywhere. flashes nonstop. it’s all making you feel a bit dizzy.
then one photographer practically shoves a camera inches from your face while another reporter asks, "how does it feel dating someone who's clearly more famous than you?"
before you can even process the question, isagi steps between you and every single camera. he literally uses his body as a shield.
"that's enough. back up."
security immediately intervenes because even they're surprised isagi actually had to say something.
afterwards, he apologizes to you. "sorry. i should've reacted sooner."
and you're staring at him like "you just stared down 20 reporters."
"did i?"
"yoichi."
"i was a little annoyed."
a little, huh? everyone watching could tell he wanted to say about 15 more things.
itoshi rin
rin has absolutely zero respect for reporters who ask stupid questions. none.
they're already on thin ice simply because they exist. involving you makes it worse.
one interviewer smiles way too brightly. "rin, your girlfriend gets a lot of hate online. have you ever thought dating someone less controversial would make your career easier?"
rin hits him with that deadpan look. "have you ever thought asking better questions would make your career easier?"
gagged.
the poor interviewer doesn't even know what to say.
rin doesn't wait. he simply stands up. "interview's over." and leaves. that's it.
the clip reaches 10 million views in two days.
"HE COOKED THEM."
"reporter retiring after this."
"rin woke up and chose unemployment for somebody else."
another time, reporters surround the two of you outside the stadium. they're asking invasive questions, following you, refusing to move, ignoring your requests to be left alone.
rin immediately notices you're getting overwhelmed. so he grabs your hand naturally. his grip is firm enough to remind you, i'm here.
someone continues shouting questions behind you. "rin! does your girlfriend deserve all the sponsorships she’s getting?"
he doesn't even look back. "more than you deserve a microphone."
and keeps walking. doesn't break stride.
the reporters are left standing there while social media loses its mind.
later, when you're home, you quietly tell him, "you didn't have to defend me."
he looks genuinely confused. "why wouldn't i?" like the idea of not defending you has literally never crossed his mind. "you're mine. of course i'm going to protect you."
it's the closest thing to a love confession you'll get that week.
itoshi sae
sae is terrifying because he doesn't raise his voice. ever. disappointment somehow hurts more.
european reporters quickly learn that while sae tolerates difficult football questions… asking about you is dangerous territory. in fact, it’s where he draws the line. and he makes that very known.
"your relationship has become quite the headline recently."
"has it?"
"people believe your girlfriend’s popularity is benefiting from your name."
sae tilts his head slightly. "that's interesting."
the reporter thinks they're winning. then–
"because i was under the impression she’d built her own career. unless i've missed something."
the room starts laughing. the reporter turns bright red. sae simply sips his water.
at another press conference, it happens again: "your girlfriend was criticized for wearing designer clothing to one of your matches."
"okay."
"what are your thoughts?"
"she looked as pretty as always."
"... that's it?"
"did you expect me to criticize what someone i love wears?"
"... no."
"then we're finished."
every answer is somehow more humiliating than if he'd actually gotten angry.
when photographers become too aggressive, sae doesn't shove anyone. doesn't yell either. he simply walks directly beside you, one hand resting against your back, subtly steering you away from the crowd. every camera angle suddenly has him between you and the chaos.
his security team instantly understands. they create space without him needing to say a word.
later that night, you mention, "people online say you never show affection."
sae glances over from where he's making tea. "do you think that?"
"no."
he hums. walks over. brushes your hair behind your ear. and then presses a kiss to your forehead. "good."
because he genuinely couldn't care less what strangers think. only whether you know how much he loves you.
nagi seishiro
nagi hates interviews. hates cameras. hates talking. but somehow finds the energy to become unbelievably articulate whenever someone is disrespecting you.
a reporter asks, "your girlfriend seems to enjoy the spotlight a little more than you."
"mhm."
"doesn't that bother you?"
"why would it?"
"well–"
"i like seeing her happy. next question."
another reporter pushes: "some fans think she’s only dating you because you're famous."
nagi finally looks up from the table. "that's kinda rude."
everyone stops because his tone is so unusually serious.
"you don't know her. so don't act like you do."
that's all he says. but somehow it trends harder than every goal he's scored that month. because nagi never sounds upset.
another time, you're both leaving an awards ceremony. photographers are screaming. someone's trying to get you to look at their camera. another person starts criticizing your outfit loud enough for everyone to hear.
nagi immediately wraps an arm around your shoulders and gently pulls you against his side. "don't listen. they're loud today."
you mumble, "i know."
"wanna go home?"
"... please."
"okay."
that's literally his only priority – getting you away from people who made you feel small.
later, he's scrolling through comments and sees another rude post. he sighs loudly. “can i block the whole internet?"
"i don't think that's possible, sei."
“annoying."
but whenever he defends you and ignores rude press, he only earns the respect of his fans and your fans even more.
mikage reo
reo grew up around the press. he knows exactly how manipulative reporters can be. he also knows how to shut them down without causing a scandal.
someone asks during an interview, "your girlfriend’s spending habits have been criticized recently."
reo smiles politely. "is that so?"
"people think she’s enjoying your family's wealth."
"i refuse to let her pay for anything, even though she has plenty of her own money. now anything else?"
another interviewer tries: "do you think your relationship helps your public image?"
"if anything, my girlfriend’s helping mine."
cue the internet exploding.
"HE'S SOOOOOOOO."
"reo said I'M the trophy boyfriend actually."
"MIKAGE STOCKS UP."
at fashion events, galas, charity dinners, reporters constantly try separating the two of you.
"reo! one photo!"
"can we get one without your girlfriend?"
reo immediately replies, "why?”
"for the article!”
"my girlfriend is the best-looking part of the picture." he grabs your hand. "she stays."
he refuses interviews if you're being treated disrespectfully. he refuses photo shoots if they crop you out after inviting both of you. he even refuses magazine covers if they try creating fake relationship drama.
his PR team has learned not to argue. once reo decides something regarding you, that's final.
one day you apologize. "i'm sorry if dating me causes trouble with sponsors."
he looks genuinely offended. "don't apologize for other people's behavior." he cups your face with both hands. "they don't get to make you feel like you're difficult to love. you're the easiest person in my life to choose."
and if that means correcting reporters, shutting down rumors, or walking out of a hundred interviews… he'll do it every single time.
no headline, sponsorship, or public image will ever matter more to him than making sure you never have to face the cruelty of the press alone.
bachira meguru
bachira is sunshine with a microphone. every reporter loves interviewing him because he's playful, unpredictable, and somehow manages to make every press conference entertaining.
unfortunately for them… they eventually learn there's exactly one way to make bachira stop smiling.
"bachira, your girlrfriend has received quite a bit of criticism online lately."
"mm."
"people say she’s becoming more famous because of your relationship."
he tilts his head. "that's weird."
"why?"
"because i started dating her AFTER i thought she was cool."
the room laughs. the reporter awkwardly chuckles, too. bachira doesn't.
"if i wasn't famous, i'd still love her. if she weren't famous, i'd still love her. so i'm kinda confused why everyone else cares so much."
the smile never leaves his face.
but there's something almost unsettling about how sincere he sounds. to bachira, love has always been incredibly simple. if he loves you, then that's the end of the discussion.
another time, reporters swarm the two of you after a charity event. you're smiling politely, answering questions, etc.
until one photographer says, "can you move over a little? you're blocking bachira."
before you even step aside, bachira steps beside you.
"is she?"
"well... yes."
"then i'll stay here." he wraps an arm around your shoulders with the biggest grin imaginable. "we're a package deal."
"but we'd like some solo shots–”
"you already have plenty. next."
he completely ignores them after that.
he also spends the next 5 minutes making you laugh instead.
the resulting pictures? every single one has you laughing so hard your eyes are closed while bachira looks at you instead of the cameras. they immediately become everyone's favorite photos from the event.
when you apologize later for "making things difficult," he physically pouts. "difficult?" he pokes your forehead. "you're literally my favorite person. if anything, they're the difficult ones. they forgot manners."
“meguru…"
"what? my mama would've scolded them, too."
shidou ryusei
reporters love interviewing shidou because they know he's completely unfiltered. they also regret it approximately 70% of the time. as for the remaining 30%... they're regretting it before the interview even starts.
one particularly brave reporter decides to ask, "your girlfriend seems to attract controversy wherever she goes."
"yeah."
"doesn't that bother you?"
"no."
"why not?"
"controversy's hot."
everyone blinks. "excuse me?"
"means she’s interesting." he shrugs. "boring people don't get talked about."
another reporter jumps in. "people think she’s hurting your brand."
shidou laughs so loudly security looks over. "my brand?" points at himself. "have... have you met me? i'm literally ryusei shidou. my brand is causing problems."
the room erupts. even the moderators are trying not to laugh.
later, someone crosses the line. you're walking through the mixed zone when a reporter loudly comments on his appearance and blames it on you.
"you look exhausted today. is your girlfriend struggling to keep up with your lifestyle?"
shidou stops walking immediately. he slowly turns around while smiling. that's even scarier. then he hits them with the: "say that again."
the reporter suddenly isn't nearly as confident. "... i..."
"nah, go on." he takes a step closer. "you were real loud a second ago."
security is already moving because they know exactly where this is headed.
you gently tug his sleeve. "... ryusei."
he looks down and immediately softens. "yeah?"
"let's just go."
"... okay."
he doesn't even spare the reporter another glance. because the second you asked him to leave… everyone else stopped mattering.
on the drive home, he's still grumbling. "swear they got microphones instead of manners."
"you almost fought someone."
"almost?"
"okay, maybe definitely."
karasu tabito
karasu is incredibly good with words. it’s exactly why reporters hate arguing with him. they never realize they've lost until the interview's already over.
someone decides to be bold and asks, "your girlfriend receives criticism for attending so many of your matches."
"yeah."
"is she doing it for publicity?"
karasu raises an eyebrow. "mate."
"yes?"
"she’s attendin’ my matches. that's... what partners do. unless yers doesn’t."
clocked.
the interviewer coughs awkwardly. "moving on–”
"nuh uh." karasu smiles. "finish that thought."
"well..."
"because if support suddenly became controversial..." he leans forward. “football's gonna have a real problem."
every clip from that interview goes viral.
people in the comments keep saying, "he debates reporters like he's writing a dissertation” or "bro got cross-examined."
another day, someone corners you alone while karasu is finishing sponsor photos. they keep asking increasingly invasive questions. you're visibly uncomfortable.
karasu notices from halfway across the room and immediately excuses himself from the photoshoot. he walks over, sliding seamlessly into the conversation, one arm resting around your waist. "everythin’ alright?"
the reporter brightens. "perfect timing! we were asking–"
"was she answerin’?"
"... well–”
"didn't think so." he smiles politely. "conversation's over."
then he quietly asks you, "ya okay?" when you nod, he kisses your temple. "good. now c'mon."
later, he tells you, "ya never owe anybody yer time just because they have a camera."
it's something he reminds you of often – fame shouldn't mean strangers are entitled to pieces of you.
kaiser michael
kaiser has spent years dealing with tabloids. he's been criticized, idolized, torn apart, praised. almost nothing surprises him anymore.
except seeing someone aim that cruelty at you. that's the one thing he still hasn't learned to tolerate.
a journalist smirks. "your girlfriend seems to be benefiting greatly from dating the world's best striker."
kaiser smiles calm, yet dangerous. "is that so?"
"wouldn't you agree?"
"nein."
"why not?"
"because she was already extraordinary before she met me." he folds one leg over the other. "if anything… i simply have the privilege of standing beside her."
every headline the next morning focuses on that quote instead.
another reporter refuses to let it go. "surely the criticism affects your relationship."
"not particularly."
"how can you be so certain?"
"unlike strangers..." he smiles faintly. “i actually know her."
interview over.
when photographers become pushy, kaiser doesn't lose control. he takes control.
he'll quietly move you to the inside of the sidewalk, away from the crowd, and rest his hand against the small of your back to subtly guide your pace.
if someone tries cutting between the two of you, they physically can't. kaiser positions himself with practiced precision until there's no opening.
every movement is intentional, protective without making a spectacle of it.
one night you admit, "sometimes i wonder if everyone's right."
he immediately looks at you, genuinely confused. "about what?"
"that i'm too much."
he walks over and gently lifts your chin. "lie."
"what?"
"that's not your voice. that's theirs." his thumb brushes your cheek. "don't confuse the two."
then he kisses your forehead with a tenderness almost no one else ever gets to see.
the world may know michael kaiser as arrogant. but you know the man who quietly pieces your confidence back together every time someone tries to break it.
ness alexis
ness is painfully aware of how cruel public attention can be. he knows what it's feels like to have thousands of strangers decide who you are without ever speaking to you.
because of that… he notices the moment you're uncomfortable. before you even say anything.
during interviews, he'll keep subtly checking on you from across the room, making eye contact every few minutes. silently asking, you okay?
if you smile, he relaxes.
if you don't… he's already finding a way to end the interview early.
one reporter decides to push. "your girlfriend has become quite the controversial figure."
ness nods slowly. "... and?"
"do you think the criticism is deserved?"
his expression immediately falls. "no. of course not.”
"why?"
"because i know her. the internet doesn't."
the reporter presses further. "but surely thousands of people can't all be wrong."
ness actually frowns. "thousands of people have been wrong before. history proves that quite often. next question."
another time, someone rudely interrupts you while you're answering. they keep talking over you over and over.
ness finally speaks, firmly enough that the entire room goes quiet. "she was speaking. please don't interrupt her again."
it's such a simple sentence, yet somehow everyone immediately apologizes. it’s the fact that his disappointment is palpable.
afterwards, when you're alone, you sigh. "i feel bad."
"for what?"
"everyone always asks about me instead of football."
ness stops walking. he turns toward you completely. "listen to me." he waits until you're looking at him. "you never have to apologize because someone else chose to be disrespectful. that's their decision. not yours."
later that evening, he notices you've been reading comments again. so he quietly takes your phone, sets it face-down on the table, climbs onto the couch beside you, and wraps both arms around you without saying anything for a long time.
eventually, he mumbles into your hair, "they only know headlines." he squeezes you a little tighter. "i get to know your heart."
to ness, there has never been a fairer comparison than that.
me in the corner collecting dust as i wait for a gaku oneshot
“𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨”
a/n: i did it. he's sauurrrr fine i need that bro
ac goes to mimeonsemi
synopsis: gaku hates how you keep beating him at his favorite arcade game.
the first time it happened, gaku barely cared.
he walked into the arcade after finishing a job, pockets heavier than they should've been, still wearing the bored expression of someone who'd seen far too much blood to be impressed by flashing lights and prize counters. he wandered from cabinet to cabinet until one machine caught his eye.
tekken 8.
easy. he cracked his knuckles, shoved a few coins into the machine, and played.
perfect accuracy. ridiculous speed. a score high enough to knock every other name off the leaderboard. it’s like he knew every combo of every character after the first try, aware of every move that could deflect an attack and land a harder hit in return.
he smirked.
gxku. first place.
"nice."
he left.
the next week, he came back. his name was second. and above it sat three stupid little letters. letters from your name.
"who?"
he stared at the screen for a long moment before quietly inserting another coin.
five minutes later – gxku. first place again.
he walked away feeling strangely satisfied.
the week after that – your initials again. first. again.
he frowned. that was more annoying than sakamoto or nagumo.
the fourth week became personal.
the fifth week became insulting.
by the sixth, he was timing his visits around the machine's maintenance schedule because maybe, maybe, someone was cheating. there was absolutely no logical reason his score kept getting beaten by someone whose initials looked like they belonged to a middle school honor student.
he even tried different machines. same result. your initials. every. single. damn. time.
his competitive streak (normally reserved for killing other assassins before they killed him) had somehow transferred to a fighting game tucked into the corner of a shopping mall.
he started optimizing. different grip. different finger placement. less blinking. he watched tournament videos online. he practiced on his phone. he spent so much time in the arcade that one employee started greeting him with, "welcome back." he didn't even know the employee's name.
something had gone terribly wrong. then one rainy friday, after finally reclaiming first place by a measly 43 points, gaku leaned back with a quiet sigh. "finally."
he left.
he came back the next morning. his score had been beaten. by 44 points.
there was no way. that wasn't coincidence. that was mockery.
he looked around the arcade for the first time in weeks instead of immediately sitting down. whoever you were… you had to be here. nobody normal played this much.
he crossed his arms and waited. 10 minutes. 20. 30.
and then you walked in carrying an iced drink, wired earpods around your neck, completely oblivious to the assassin currently watching you from across the room.
you smiled at one of the employees.
they smiled back. "morning."
"morning!"
you wandered directly toward his machine.
gaku narrowed his eyes. no. there was no way. you looked... painfully ordinary. you wore a cute outfit like you had come back from a hangout with your friends. your shoes were clean. you were humming some pop song under your breath. this couldn't be his rival.
you casually set your drink down. inserted a coin. selected expert difficulty. and absolutely annihilated his score.
his eye twitched. you didn't celebrate. you didn’t react at all actually. you simply nodded once, satisfied, grabbed your drink, and turned – only to nearly walk into someone.
you blinked. a very tall man was standing directly in front of you.
“oh, sorry.”
he stared.
you stared back. "can i help you?"
another long silence. then–
"hey."
"yeah??"
"you're the one."
"the one what??"
he pointed at the leaderboard without breaking eye contact. "the one ruining my rankings."
you looked at the screen. then back at him. and laughed. "that's what this is about? i thought someone was specifically trying to beat MY score."
"i was."
"oh."
another awkward silence.
you scratched your cheek. "well... i guess we've been ruining each other's rankings."
"... huh." that... hadn't occurred to him.
you tilted your head. "wait. are you the 'gxku' guy?"
"yeah."
"you're insane. do you know how many hours i've spent trying to beat you?"
"how many?"
you looked genuinely embarrassed. "too many, to be honest."
"same..."
the employee behind the counter nearly dropped the plushies they were organizing. they had spent 2 months watching the leaderboard become a battleground between two anonymous psychopaths. and apparently, neither of them had realized the other was doing the exact same thing.
you smiled. "want a rematch?"
gaku looked at the cabinet. then at you. "best out of 3."
"that's it?"
"best out of 5."
"confident."
"i'm winning."
you grinned. "that's cute.”
"... then best out of 10."
"you're on."
3 hours later, neither of you had left. your drinks had melted. the employee's shift had ended. a crowd had somehow formed behind the machine. people were placing bets. children were chanting whenever one of you hit a perfect combo.
at one point, someone actually whispered, "are they dating?"
"no," another answered. “worse."
you won the 10th game by 2 points.
gaku stared at the results screen as a man who refuses to ever accept defeat. but finally, he sighed. "rematch next week?"
you laughed so hard you had to grab the cabinet for balance. "you know..." you wiped a tear from your eye. "most people ask for my number first."
he considered it. "give me your number then."
"so you can text me?"
"so i know when you're coming."
you snorted. "to prepare?"
"to beat you."
"that's somehow less romantic."
"... was it supposed to be romantic?"
you looked at him for a long second before smiling to yourself. "you're kind of hopeless, man."
"... next saturday?"
you handed him your phone instead. "put your number in."
he frowned. "why?"
"because if i'm going to have an arch-nemesis, i at least want one i can bully over text."
he took the phone, typed his number in, and handed it back.
"i'm still winning next week."
you looked down at the contact he'd saved.
gxku (loses at tekken)
you locked your phone before he could see what you added in parentheses.
"yeah?"
"yeah."
"see you next saturday, loser."
for the first time in months, gaku walked out of the arcade smiling. he'd finally found the idiot responsible for destroying his rankings. unfortunately for him though, he’d also found something else – a feeling. specifically, attraction.
a/n: i have no idea how old his sisters are, but happy birthday king!!! 🥰
ac goes to offkichizaemon
synopsis: where he sees you getting along with his two little sisters super well and it's got him considering kids with you… (aged up! AU)
barou always claimed he wasn't good with kids. they were loud, messy, and asked too many questions. the only exception was his two younger sisters, who, according to him, were "different."
so one saturday, when you came over for the afternoon while his parents ran errands, he didn't think much of it at all.
the second the front door opened, his sisters flew past him.
"nii-chan's girlfriend!"
they wrapped themselves around your legs before you could even take your shoes off. you laughed, crouching to hug them back, asking how school had been and complimenting the ribbons in their hair. barou stood behind you with a quiet huff.
"they've been talking about you all week," he admitted.
the rest of the afternoon quickly stopped being about the two of you.
his sisters wanted you to braid their hair, read stories, color with them, and help decorate cookies. somehow, you happily agreed to everything. barou expected you to get tired eventually, but you never did. you listened to every dramatic story, praised every crooked drawing, and even let the younger one fill your hair with glittery butterfly clips.
"don't say anything," you warned when you caught him staring.
"... wasn't planning to." he absolutely had been.
later, the four of you baked cookies together. barou handled the recipe while you helped his sisters crack eggs and stir batter, gently stopping one of them from sneaking a spoonful of raw mixture. when frosting somehow ended up on your cheek instead, you simply laughed as his little sister dissolved into giggles.
"you know she just made a mess," barou muttered.
"i know."
"you're smiling."
"because she's cute."
he looked at his sister, who now had frosting on her nose. "yeah… she is.”
afterward, the girls insisted on building a blanket fort. barou complained the entire time, but still found himself holding blankets while you directed construction like it was the most important project in the world.
once it was finished, everyone crawled inside. one sister rested against your shoulder while the other curled up in your lap, absentmindedly playing with your fingers as you read another story.
barou sat across from you in silence. you fit there so naturally. his sisters looked completely comfortable around you, and somehow... so did you. the thought slipped into his mind before he could stop it.
our kids would probably be like this.
he blinked. where the hell had that come from?
he tried ignoring it, but it only grew louder. he imagined little footsteps running through the house, tiny voices calling for you, children with your smile and his stubbornness. the image settled somewhere deep in his chest before he could push it away.
his older sister suddenly looked up. "nii-chan."
"what."
"you're making the face dad makes when he looks at mom."
“...”
“...”
"okay, i'm going outside now."
you found him a few minutes later in the backyard, handing him a glass of lemonade.
"they sent me to check on you," you said with a smile.
the two of you stood together in comfortable silence before you nudged his shoulder.
"what's on your mind?"
"nothing."
"sho."
he sighed. "you looked happy."
"i am happy."
"with them."
your smile softened. "they're easy to love."
the words escaped before he could think them through.
"you'd be a good mom, you know."
that definitely short-circuited your brain big time. his ears immediately burned.
"forget i said that."
instead of laughing, you simply looked at him with that gentle expression he loved so much.
"have you been thinking about the future?"
he looked away. "... maybe."
you reached for his hand, lacing your fingers together. "i have, too."
his eyes met yours.
"if it was with you," you whispered, "i think i'd really like that future."
his heart stumbled. "... dammit."
"what?"
"... now i'm actually thinking about it."
you laughed softly before leaning against his shoulder. then the back door suddenly burst open.
"EWWW!" both sisters pointed at the two of you. "they're being all mushy!"
barou sighed dramatically. "i'm an only child."
you laughed so hard you had to wipe tears from your eyes, and despite all his grumbling, he never let go of your hand.
for the first time, the future he'd imagined wasn't filled with trophies or victories. it was filled with laughter, a noisy home, and the family the two of you might one day build together.
a/n: this is for my funny, lovely friend @lylisimps!!! HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO YOU MA (IT’S STILL JUNE 24TH HERE SO IT COUNTS), meeting you on tumblr has been one of the best things that ever happened to me since i started my blog. thank you for all of the fanarts and funny ass blue lock memes that have me laughing to myself at work because they randomly pop in my brain again. my favorite ones are the “isagi ripping one out in front of kaiser” and loki jumping so high that he goes to space. you’re the best and i hope that this is one of your best years yet and bring you everything you desire 🤍🤍🤍
also for anyone who doesn't know, the disco pang pang ride is basically a south korean social experiment designed to ruin lives :D the floor slides and everyone gets launched into each other because there’s no seat belts, so crushes either begin or get exposed immediately yayayayay
synopsis: riding the disco pang pang with them. you either know them already or are complete strangers!
(you already know each other, and unfortunately for him, he's been crushing on you for so long that his teammates are sick of hearing about it.)
the entire disaster starts because isagi spends more time watching you than he does listening to the ride operator explain the rules.
"you have to brace yourself when it moves."
"got it." he doesn’t
the second you sit down across from him, his attention span immediately packs its bags and leaves.
reo, who is also conventionally on this ride, catches on instantly. "you're staring."
"i'm not."
"you've been looking at her for three minutes."
"i'm analyzing the ride."
"it’s a carnival ride?"
"i'm analyzing strategically. gotta make sure i don’t fly into some random dude’s lap, you know. i’d never beat the gay allegations."
the ride starts moving before reo can call him out any further.
at first, everything is fine. people are laughing, sliding around, bumping shoulders, and trying not to fall over. isagi is having a great time… until he makes the fatal mistake of looking directly at you while you're laughing. because now he's distracted.
and then the operator decides happiness is illegal 😀
the ride suddenly jerks sideways so hard that half the passengers scream.
isagi barely has enough time to think, wow, somebody's about to eat floor– before he realizes that somebody is you. and that somebody is rapidly approaching him.
you basically launch across the ride in the blink of an eye and land directly in his lap.
isagi's brain immediately enters cardiac arrest. not metaphorically. literally.
he can feel his heartbeat trying to escape through his ribcage all the while you're laughing so hard you can barely apologize.
"oh my gosh, i'm sorry!"
"no! i mean– yes! i mean–"
reo watches the entire thing happen. "he's so cooked…”
isagi is so flustered that he completely forgets how human conversation works.
every time the ride throws you back toward him, he catches you automatically and then spends the next 10 seconds wondering if his face is visibly red. it is.
by the end of the ride, he's sitting there looking like he just played 120 minutes of overtime soccer.
reo later asks if he enjoyed the ride. isagi stares at a wall for 30 seconds.
"i don't think i experienced the ride."
"what?"
"i was focused on other things."
itoshi rin
(you already know each other, and rin's crush is so painfully obvious to everyone except him.)
rin agrees to ride the disco pang pang under protest. after all, he takes one look at it and immediately decides it's stupid.
"people pay money for this?"
"people pay money to watch you kick a ball for over an hour."
"that's different."
he spends the first few minutes sitting with his arms crossed while everyone else is having fun.
then the ride starts speeding up.
maintaining his mysterious aura becomes significantly harder when he's being thrown around like loose change in a washing machine. he's already annoyed.
then you accidentally fall into his lap!
now he's experiencing a brand new emotion: pure, concentrated panic.
you’d be surprised since rin can handle world-class defenders. he can handle media pressure. he can handle thousands of screaming fans. he can handle more than the average person basically. but apparently he cannot handle you sitting on his lap for 3 seconds.
he’s just frozen while you're trying to get up. the ride refuses to let you. every time you attempt to move away, another sharp turn sends you right back into him.
"sorry."
"..."
"rin?"
"..."
"did you die?"
the worst part is that his face remains completely blank. from the outside, he looks calm. inside, however, his thoughts have become the audio equivalent of somebody screaming into a microphone.
at one point, you grab his shoulder to stop yourself from sliding away. rin nearly ascends.
he spends the rest of the ride staring straight ahead like he's witnessing classified government information.
afterward, he walks away without saying a word.
"wow," bachira says. "he looks traumatized."
"i'm not."
"your ears are red."
rin leaves.
itoshi sae
(complete strangers.)
sae gets on the ride because he's curious. that's it. there’s really no deeper reason.
so he certainly doesn't expect his entire afternoon to get derailed by a random pretty stranger.
then the ride starts.
you seem to be having the time of your life. unfortunately though, your balance is terrible. sae notices this almost immediately. mostly because every sharp turn sends you sliding halfway across the platform to the empty space next to him.
"you okay?"
"absolutely not."
he actually laughs. which is already shocking.
then comes the turn that changes everything. the operator hits the controls with the enthusiasm of a man purposefully trying to launch passengers into orbit. you lose the battle against physics horribly.
and end up falling directly into sae's lap.
the silence afterward is deafening. now you're horrified. and sae is just staring, like his brain is wondering how did this become my problem?
"i'm so sorry."
"it's fine."
the ride is not done humiliating you tho. every attempt to move away immediately fails. one turn sends you right back. another sends you into his shoulder. a third nearly throws both of you sideways.
at this point, you're laughing from embarrassment. sae finds himself laughing, too. that should be the most shocking event of the day.
when the ride finally ends, you stand up and brush yourself off. "well, thanks for letting me use you as a human seatbelt."
"you didn't exactly ask."
you grin. sae thinks that might be his problem.
then you wave goodbye and start walking away. for about 5 seconds, sae lets it happen. then he gets up and follows you. because unlike certain people he knows, he's not letting an opportunity walk away.
"hey."
you turn around.
sae pulls down his mask and lifts his cap a little. "look, i wasn't planning on introducing myself today."
"oh wow. clearly."
"but it'd be kind of stupid if i let you leave without getting your number."
for the first time since meeting him, you're the one who freezes. and sae has to hide a smile when you take the phone from his hand.
nagi seishiro
(mutual crushes, neither of you has done anything about it because that would require effort.)
nagi doesn't want to ride the disco pang pang. he doesn't want to stand in line. he doesn't want to walk to the ride. he doesn't want to leave the house. in fact, if given the option, he'd prefer to become one with his mattress permanently. reo drags him there anyway.
then you show up. only NOW nagi becomes significantly more cooperative and curious. very curious, actually.
the ride starts moving. within 2 minutes, nagi discovers an incredible pattern: every time the ride throws everyone sideways, you somehow end up next to him.
what a beautiful coincidence. what a miraculous event. surely, fate itself is at work (reo thinks he's delusional).
then the biggest turn of the ride happens. you practically get launched into his lap. nagi catches you automatically. and then makes absolutely no effort to let go.
"sei."
"hm?"
"you can release me."
"why?"
"because i'm sitting on you…?”
"doesn't bother me."
reo has never considered jumping off the ride more.
the funniest part is that nagi isn't even flustered. no, he's thriving. if anything, you are the one overheating. every time you try to scoot away, another turn throws you right back.
eventually, nagi gives up pretending. "you should probably stay here."
"why?"
"safer."
unbelievable liar.
reo spends the entire ride watching this train wreck unfold.
once you’re all back on ground again, he immediately tells you both to either start dating or stop making everyone else (him) suffer.
mikage reo
(he has the biggest crush imaginable and everybody knows except you.)
reo is excited for the ride. he's excited for the carnival. he's excited for breathing. that's just how reo operates.
unfortunately, being excited becomes a problem when the person you like suddenly falls into your lap. now he's experiencing approximately 18 emotions at once.
the ride starts normally enough – you're sitting nearby, reo is already trying to act cool. emphasis on the word trying.
then the operator spots you both and senses weakness. i don’t know, carnival employees can smell crushes from a mile away...
the ride suddenly speeds up. you lose your balance. and next thing you know, you're landing directly on reo.
"OH.” that's all he says. it’s all he can say because his soul temporarily disconnected from his body.
"sorry!"
"NO, IT'S FINE!"
why is he shouting? nobody knows, not even reo himself.
he becomes increasingly flustered every time the ride throws you back toward him. at one point, you accidentally grab his arm. reo nearly gives away a million yen on the spot.
his body enters fight-or-flight mode. except neither fighting nor fleeing are options.
then comes the true nightmare. the operator notices. and decides to ruin his life.
"LOOK AT THESE TWO!"
the entire ride turns. people start cheering.
reo immediately covers his face. "i'm moving countries."
"reo, relax."
"i can't."
"it's not that serious."
"for you maybe 😭”
by the end of the ride, everyone is laughing at him. including you– no, especially you.
somehow that's the exact moment reo realizes he's never recovering from this crush. ever.
bachira meguru
(you already know each other + he's had a crush on you for so long that everyone around him is exhausted.)
taking bachira to a disco pang pang ride is like handing a toddler a monster energy drink and hoping for the best.
before the ride even starts, he's already standing on the platform, waving his arms around, challenging random strangers, and acting like he's about to enter the world championships of getting thrown around by carnival equipment.
"meguru, sit down."
"why?"
"because that's how rides work?”
"but that's boooring."
he only listens because you physically grab his sleeve and pull him down next to you.
but that turns out to be your first mistake. how come? bachira spends the next 3 minutes sitting way too close.
every time the ride jerks, his shoulder somehow ends up touching yours.
every time you move away, he somehow ends up next to you again. you're starting to suspect he's cheating.
then the operator decides everybody's having too much fun. the ride suddenly swings sideways with enough force to make half the passengers scream.
and before you can react, you're sliding directly toward bachira. hard. you basically crash into his lap.
for one glorious moment, bachira's entire personality disappears. there’s no jokes. no teasing. no laughing. complete system failure.
yes, he's imagined this before. frequently, actually. but usually those thoughts happened at 3 in the morning when he couldn't sleep. not in broad daylight with 20+ witnesses.
"OH MY GOSH, I'M SORRY!"
girl. bachira is staring at you like somebody just handed him a winning lottery ticket.
"this is crazy."
"meguru."
"this is actually crazy."
"MEGURU."
then the ride throws you back into him again. and this time he starts laughing. not a normal laugh tho. i mean the kind of laugh where he physically cannot stop. tears are forming. people are staring. but who cares? he's having the best day of his life.
"why are you so happy?"
"because every time you leave, the ride gives you back."
"and?"
"it’s a sign!”
by the end of the ride, he's completely unbearable. he spends weeks mentioning it at every opportunity. you'll be discussing groceries. somehow he'll bring it up. you'll be talking about soccer. somehow he'll bring it up. eventually, isagi threatens to throw him into traffic if he mentions it one more time.
bachira still brings it up.
shidou ryusei
(you already know each other + the universe made a catastrophic mistake by letting this happen.)
the moment shidou sees the disco pang pang ride, his eyes light up. finally, a chance to become a public nuisance.
"this looks dangerous."
"that's exactly why you shouldn't be allowed on it."
"too late."
from the second the ride starts, he's causing problems. he's laughing at strangers. he's intentionally letting himself slide around. he's somehow making friends and enemies simultaneously.
then karma finally catches him. but except instead of punishing him, karma rewards him. how? the sharpest turn of the ride sends you directly into his lap.
"OH WOWIE."
that's all he says at first. then a grin slowly appears. and your stomach drops. you know exactly what's coming.
"well, this is definitely the best carnival i've ever been to."
"don't."
"don't what, hm?"
"whatever you're thinking."
"i wasn't thinking anything." he absolutely was.
the ride keeps moving. every attempt to get off him fails. every turn sends you right back. every single time, shidou becomes more entertained.
"you keep choosing me."
"I'M NOT DELIBERATELY CHOOSING YOU."
"that's not what the universe says."
the worst part is that people nearby start noticing. and once shidou realizes he has an audience? it's shidover. he starts waving, posing, acting like he just won the world cup. you're debating whether prison would be worth it.
then the operator notices. and loudly shouts: "AWW, LOOK AT THEM!"
shidou sees god. "SEE? HE GETS IT."
"I'M GOING TO PUSH YOU OFF."
"that's basically flirting."
the ride only lasts 5 minutes. somehow it feels like 5 years.
afterward, shidou spends the rest of the day introducing you as "the love of his life."
you spend the rest of the day threatening him.
karasu tabito
(strangers + immediate chemistry through mutual annoyance.)
karasu notices you before the ride even starts. not exactly because he's interested, but because you're arguing with the employee running the ride.
"there's no seatbelt?"
"no, ma’am."
"that feels unsafe."
"i promise that you'll be fine."
"that wasn't very reassuring."
karasu laughs.
you hear him and turn around. "what's so funny?"
"nothing."
"you were laughing."
"that's unrelated."
from that moment onward, the two of you are already annoying each other.
then the ride begins. and somehow your ongoing argument continues… right up until the platform suddenly jerks sideways. you completely lose your balance and end up landing directly in karasu's lap.
the silence lasts approximately one second. i say one second because karasu starts smirking immediately.
"damn."
"don't start."
"buying me dinner first would've been polite."
"i regret surviving that turn."
that only makes him laugh harder.
every time you attempt to leave, the ride sends you right back. every single time. without fail.
at one point, you're literally halfway across the platform. then one sharp turn later you're sitting on him again. neither of you can stop laughing.
"this thing has favorites."
"don't flatter yourself."
"too late."
the funniest part is that karasu doesn't even seem flustered. he's way too comfortable, like this is just another monday and the two of you aren’t spending the entire ride exchanging sarcastic comments, making each other laugh, and accidentally learning way too much about each other.
by the time it ends, you're both smiling. then karasu stands up, looks at you, and says: "well, since you've already sat in my lap, i feel like we're past introductions."
somehow that line works. and he never lets you forget it.
kaiser michael
(strangers + unfortunately for you, he's having the greatest day of his life.)
kaiser gets on the disco pang pang ride with the confidence of a man who believes the universe personally revolves around him and him only. and well, after 5 minutes of watching him, you're not entirely convinced he doesn't.
while everyone else is nervously gripping the railings and preparing for disaster, kaiser looks like he's posing for a photoshoot. his hair still looks perfect. his posture is straighter than a ruler. he's treating a carnival ride like a runway. it's irritating.
then the ride starts moving.
at first, it's manageable. people slide around a little. a few screams. nothing too big of a deal.
then the operator decides peace was a mistake. the platform suddenly swings so hard that half the passengers lose whatever dignity they had left. you are one of them.
one second, you're trying to stay upright. the next second, you're sliding directly across the platform directly into kaiser's lap. the impact nearly knocks the breath out of you.
kaiser looks down at you. then up at the sky. then back at you. and starts laughing with his head tilted back. like this is the funniest thing that's ever happened to me.
"mein gott, seriously?"
"I'M SORRY."
"why are you apologizing?"
"because i just crashed into a complete stranger."
"but he’s okay with it because you’re a very pretty stranger, apparently."
you immediately wish the ride would launch you into the sun. he says it so casually like he's commenting on the weather and not like he didn't just make your brain short-circuit.
unfortunately, things only get worse. every time you manage to move away, another turn immediately sends you right back.
after the third time, kaiser is openly amused. after the fourth time, he's resting his chin against his hand like he's watching his favorite show. after the fifth time, he's convinced fate is personally doing him a favor today.
"you know," he says, "most people usually introduce themselves first."
"most people don't get launched across a moving platform."
"fair point."
then the ride throws you into him again. and this time, even you're laughing. because at this point, what else can you do?
every single attempt to escape fails. every single turn ends exactly the same way. the two of you have become the ride's favorite joke.
you eventually find out that kaiser is ridiculously easy to talk to. like you expected him to be arrogant, and he is, but he's also annoyingly funny. the kind of funny that catches you off guard. you're both sitting there laughing while everyone else is still fighting for survival.
"this is embarrassing."
"for you maybe."
"what's that supposed to mean?"
kaiser glances at you and smiles. "i'm having a fantastic time."
"of course you are."
"a beautiful girl keeps falling into my lap."
"you are impossible."
"so i’ve been told."
by the time the ride starts slowing down, neither of you wants the conversation to end, which is ridiculous considering you've known him for approximately 9 minutes.
then the ride finally stops. people start standing. everyone begins filing toward the exit.
you brush yourself off, still laughing from the absolute disaster of the last few minutes. "well," you say, "sorry again for repeatedly falling on you."
kaiser stands up completely unbothered like he didn't just spend the last 9 minutes enjoying himself far more than he should have.
"don't be."
"don't be sorry?"
"if anything, i should thank the ride."
"the ride?"
"i got your attention, didn't i?"
you stare at him. this man cannot be serious right now. but he’s grinning. and that grin gets even worse when he realizes he's making you laugh.
then he pulls out his phone and holds it out with the confidence of a man who has already decided how this conversation ends.
"go ahead."
"what?"
"put your number in."
"that's awfully bold."
"i know."
"what if i say no?"
kaiser shrugs. "then i'll be forced to spend the rest of my life wondering about the girl who got launched into my lap 6 separate times."
that might be the most honest thing he's said all day.
and judging by the smile on his face when you take the phone from his hand, kaiser knows he's already won.
ness alexis
(strangers + somebody please save him.)
ness boards the ride completely normal. he leaves the ride a changed man. cuz unlike kaiser, who immediately thrives under these circumstances, ness completely falls apart.
everything is going great at first, right? he's balanced, calm, collected.
then the ride suddenly jerks sideways. you land directly in his lap. the poor guy nearly experiences a factory reset.
"OH MY GOODNESS, I'M SORRY."
"I'M SORRY, TOO."
"WHY ARE YOU APOLOGIZING?"
"I DON'T KNOW."
he really doesn’t know. the poor boy’s brain has stopped working because of one reason and one reason only: you're pretty. ridiculously pretty.
and now you're close enough that he can notice little details – your perfume, your eyes, the way you're trying not to laugh at his panicking.
every time the ride throws you back toward him, ness loses another piece of his ability to function.
eventually, he's struggling to maintain eye contact. struggling to form sentences. struggling to remember his own name. struggling to remember the ABCs.
"you okay?"
"yes." he's lying terribly.
then the ride hits another sharp turn. this time, he's the one who almost falls. you instinctively grab his arm as a result. ness shuts down. now you are helping him. that's even worse.
by the time the ride ends, he's already accepted that he'll never see you again. tragic. heartbreaking. devastating. he's mentally composing a eulogy for the relationship that never happened.
then as you're about to leave, you smile and ask for his number.
ness stops. he doesn’t do anything for a solid 30 seconds. doesn’t breathe, blink, talk.
then he immediately fumbles his phone so hard that it bounces off the floor. you have to help him pick it up. the whole interaction somehow flusters him even more. but now he has your contact info and a crack in his screen protector!
later that night, kaiser is forced to listen to the entire story 6 separate times. and every single retelling starts with: “okay, but you don't understand how pretty she was."
chigiri hyoma
(you already know each other + he has a crush that he manages to hide surprisingly well... until today.)
chigiri actually thought this ride would be fun. after all, he saw people laughing and sliding around. it looked like harmless chaos.
then he got on it and immediately realized he'd made a mistake.
"this thing is trying to kill me."
"you're an athlete.”
"exactly. i value my knees."
unlike certain idiots around him, chigiri is actually trying to stay balanced. he's doing a pretty good job, too… right up until you lose yours.
one particularly aggressive turn sends you sliding across the platform directly into his lap.
and chigiri discovers that there are, in fact, things more dangerous than the ride. namely you. because you're currently sitting on him. and you're way too close.
"help i'm so sorry."
"it's okay."
his voice sounds normal. but internally? internally he's fighting for HIS LIFE.
every time you try to get up, another turn immediately sends you back.
eventually you give up and just grab his shoulders. this is worse. now you're laughing directly in front of him. close enough that he can see every detail of your face and be suddenly very aware of where his hands are on your hips.
"this ride hates me."
"i don't know." he smiles. "i think it likes me."
for the first time all day, you're the one who gets flustered.
afterward, bachira swears he caught chigiri smiling to himself.
chigiri denies everything.
barou shoei
(you already know each other + absolutely nobody is prepared for how possessive this man becomes.)
barou already hates the ride before it starts. well, he hates everything. he hates the noise. he hates the crowds. he hates the fact that random strangers keep bumping into him. honestly, he probably hates gravity, too.
"why am i here?"
"because you agreed to come."
"clearly i wasn't thinking."
the ride starts moving. barou immediately plants himself in one spot like a king defending his throne. it works at first. everybody else is getting tossed around. barou barely moves.
then you get launched directly into him. and the immovable object meets the unstoppable force.
you land squarely in his lap. barou stills. for about half a second. then his hands automatically move to steady you before you can fall.
"watch it."
"I'M TRYING."
(un)fortunately, the ride keeps deciding otherwise. every attempt to leave immediately fails. every turn sends you right back.
and while you grow increasingly embarrassed, barou starts looking increasingly pleased. not that he'd ever admit it.
"this is humiliating."
"for you maybe."
"what does that mean?"
"nothing." liar.
the worst part is that anybody who looks over immediately assumes you're together. mostly because barou looks like he's daring people to say something.
one guy accidentally stares too long. barou stares back. the guy immediately looks away (out of fear).
afterward, when you apologize again, barou rolls his eyes. "you've apologized like 20 times."
"because i spent 5 minutes sitting on you."
"and?"
if that response isn’t more dangerous than the ride itself, then i don’t know what is.
yukimiya kenyu
(strangers + this man turns every interaction into a romance drama.)
yukimiya notices you before the ride starts, mostly because you're standing nearby taking selfies with your friends. and also because you're gorgeous. he's only human.
then he gets on the ride. then you get on the ride. and fate decides to start acting suspicious. why? within 3 minutes, you're sitting in his lap.
"oh my gosh."
"well."
"WELL?"
"this is one way to introduce yourself."
he says it with such a warm smile that you immediately start laughing. yukimiya has the unfair ability to make everything sound charming.
every time the ride throws you back against him, he somehow manages to make you feel less embarrassed. it shouldn't be possible.
"i promise i'm not doing this intentionally."
"that's a shame."
"wait what?"
"nothing."
he's smiling. you're smiling. everybody nearby is rolling their eyes. the chemistry is becoming obnoxiously obvious.
by the end of the ride, it feels less like two strangers awkwardly sharing a seat and more like the opening scene of a romance film.
afterward, yukimiya asks for your number with the confidence of a man who already knows the answer. it works.
otoya eita
(strangers + professional flirt meets unfortunate victim.)
otoya notices you immediately. i mean of course he does, noticing pretty girls is basically his only hobby besides soccer 💔
the problem is that he wasn't planning on talking to you.
then the ride starts. and you accidentally get launched into his lap. and that makes talking to you very easy. wayyy too easy.
"wow."
"i'm sorry."
"don't be."
"don't be?"
"i've definitely had worse people fall into my lap."
"that's… not reassuring."
otoya laughs. flustering you is already becoming fun.
every turn sends you bouncing right back toward him. every turn gives him another opportunity to flirt. and unfortunately, he's very good at flirting.
"you know, most people usually ask for my number first."
"can you shut up?"
"make me?"
despite your best efforts, he's actually funny, so by the end of the ride, you're laughing more than you're panicking.
afterward, otoya offers his phone. "go ahead."
"what?"
"put your number in."
"you're awfully confident."
"wouldn't be offering if i wasn't."
annoyingly enough, that confidence works.
aiku oliver
(strangers + this is basically his dream scenario.)
aiku spends the entire wait in line chatting with random people, making jokes, making friends, somehow learning everybody's life story.
then he notices you… and immediately decides you're pretty. that's it. simple.
eventually, the ride starts. within minutes, you're accidentally thrown into his lap.
aiku doesn't even look surprised. if anything, he looks delighted.
"well, hello."
"i hate this ride."
"personally, i'm starting to love it."
"of course you are."
every attempt to move away ends exactly the same way. another turn. another collision. another amused smile from aiku.
he's making conversation like this is the most normal situation in the world. asking questions. making jokes. getting you to laugh. turning an embarrassing accident into an actually fun conversation.
at one point, you're laughing so hard that you accidentally grab his shoulder. he notices. and oh boy, the smug smile afterward tells you everything.
"having fun?"
"i hate to admit it, but yeah."
"that's all i needed to hear."
by the end of the ride, the two of you are talking like you've known each other for hours instead of minutes.
when the ride fully stops, aiku stands up. stretches. and immediately hands you his phone. "here."
"what's this?"
"’m saving us both time."
"you're ridiculous."
"yet you haven't said no. so?"
he's lucky he's handsome.
hiori yo
(you already know each other + he has a crush that absolutely nobody notices because hiori is physically incapable of being dramatic about anything.)
hiori agrees to ride the disco pang pang because you asked. that's literally the only reason.
if anybody else had invited him, he would've politely declined and found a quiet place to sit while playing games on his phone. but you wanted to try it. so now he's here.
unfortunately, hiori quickly discovers that the ride is basically controlled chaos. people are screaming. people are sliding everywhere. somebody nearly falls over within the first 3 seconds.
hiori watches all of this happen with the same expression he uses when his game glitches – mild disappointment.
"this seems unsafe."
"you're still here."
"because ya are."
the answer slips out so casually that it takes both of you a second to process it.
hiori immediately looks away. you pretend not to hear it. everybody survives (barely).
then the ride suddenly jerks sideways. hiori manages to stay balanced. you do not. one second, you're sitting across from him. the next, you're landing directly in his lap.
the funniest part is that hiori actually catches you completely on instinct. one arm quickly wrapping around your waist before you can slide right off the platform.
for a moment, neither of you move. but that means now you're both painfully aware of how close you are. and hiori is suddenly very aware that you're sitting in his lap.
"sorry."
"it's okay."
"i'm crushing you."
"yer really not."
sadly (or not), every attempt to move immediately fails. every time you scoot away, another turn sends you right back. eventually you just give up. hiori does, too.
it feels more dangerous because now you're sitting there talking, laughing. hiori is left looking at you with that soft little smile he gets whenever he's genuinely enjoying himself. a smile that's incredibly rare.
"you know," you say, "you're taking this surprisingly well."
"i play online games."
"what does that have to do with this?"
"nothin’ that happens here can hurt me anymore."
you laugh so hard you nearly fall over again. hiori catches you a second time.
for the rest of the ride, his hand never really leaves your waist. purely for safety reasons, obviously. but absolutely nobody believes him.
nanase nijiro
(you already know each other + he's had a crush on you for ages and is the worst person imaginable for this situation let’s be so fr.)
nanase is already nervous before the ride even starts. yes, he's scared of the ride. but also you are sitting next to him.
he's been crushing on you for months. maybe longer. and despite his best efforts, he becomes a complete disaster whenever you're involved.
"you okay?"
"yeah!" he's not. his voice just cracked.
the ride starts moving. nanase gets even more nervous. every turn keeps bringing you closer. every bump keeps making your shoulders brush. every accidental touch adds another 10 years to his lifespan.
then comes the worst turn imaginable. the ride swings sideways. you lose your balance. and oh! you're sitting directly in his lap.
nanase completely stops functioning. genuinely. he looks like somebody unplugged him.
"nijiro?"
"..."
"hello?"
"..."
"did i kill him…?”
"I'M ALIVE." he practically shouts it. now everybody nearby is looking.
nanase is red. ears. face. neck. all of it.
every time the ride sends you back into him, he apologizes. nobody knows why, not even him.
soon enough, you're laughing so hard that tears start forming. meanwhile nanase is experiencing the most intense emotional event of his life.
afterward, he spends the entire day replaying it in his head.
when somebody asks why he's smiling at nothing? he walks directly into a wall and gives himself a concussion.
iglesias bunny
(strangers + he thinks he's smooth until you accidentally ruin his composure.)
bunny gets on the ride completely confident and relaxed. he’s charming so he’s convinced he's going to have a fun afternoon.
then he notices you. and all of a sudden, the ride isn't the most interesting thing there anymore.
you're gorgeous. annoyingly gorgeous. the kind of gorgeous that makes even him look twice.
still, he's got this. he's bunny iglesias. talking to pretty people is practically second nature.
then the ride starts. you accidentally get launched directly into his lap within the first 5 seconds. and he does not got this anymore. at all.
why? the one thing bunny wasn't prepared for was having the prettiest person he's seen all week practically fall out of the sky and land on him.
"oh geez, i'm so sorry."
"wow."
"pardon?"
"nothing."
"why did you say wow?"
"because this is probably the best thing that's happened to me today."
"you don’t even know me???"
"i'd like to fix that."
he says it so naturally that you start laughing. and that's when bunny realizes he's in deep trouble. your laugh might actually be his favorite sound.
every failed attempt to move away becomes another conversation. another joke. another excuse to keep talking. by the halfway point of the ride, you've gone from strangers to teasing each other like you've known each other forever.
"be honest."
"about what?"
"did you secretly pay the operator?"
"to throw me into your lap?"
bunny grins. he’s enjoying every single insult and conspiracy.
by the end of the ride, getting your number feels less like a possibility and more like a requirement.
for once, he's not being cocky. he just genuinely doesn't want the conversation to end.
hugo vivian
(strangers + one unfortunate ride becomes the start of a very expensive crush.)
hugo originally comes to the carnival because he's curious. that's it. there’s really no other reason.
he sees a crowd gathered around the disco pang pang ride and decides to see what all the fuss is about.
then he notices you. and immediately forgets why he came. standing a few meters away is quite possibly the prettiest person he's ever seen.
how unfortunate. he's supposed to be minding his own business. guess fate decided subtlety is overrated.
the ride starts. a few minutes pass. his eyes remain on you almost the entire time… so he watches in full focus you flying directly toward him.
despite being a pro soccer player, hugo barely has time to react before you land in his lap. the impact nearly knocks the breath out of both of you.
then comes the silence. you're horrified. and hugo is staring. he’s not being rude or annoyed at all, no. his brain has temporarily stopped processing information. all it sees is: “error! error!” bzzt zzzt.
"i'm so sorry."
"don't apologize."
"i literally fell on you."
"i survived."
that makes you laugh.
now hugo immediately becomes obsessed with making you laugh again.
every time the ride throws you back together, he finds another joke. another comment. another reason to keep you smiling.
he quickly realizes that talking to you is ridiculously easier than it should be and easier than talking to most people.
by the end of the ride, he's genuinely disappointed when it starts slowing down. it means the conversation is ending.
then the ride stops completely. people start standing up.
you thank him for putting up with the accidental lap invasion and begin walking away.
hugo lets you get about 3 steps. then immediately follows you. there is absolutely no universe where he's allowing the most interesting person he's met all year to disappear.
"hey."
you turn around. "yeah?"
"i think we've reached the point where i need your number."
you raise a brow. "need?"
"need."
"that's a strong word."
"i sat through 10 minutes of emotional turmoil."
"emotional turmoil?"
"you fell into my lap and then laughed at all my jokes."
"that was turmoil?"
"for me, yes."
by the time you're entering your number into his phone, hugo is already planning how he's going to convince you to go out with him.
knowing hugo? he's probably already picked the first date location, too.
HIIII KURAAA HOW'VE YOU BEEN AND HOW'S PREPARATIONS FOR MOVING TO JAPAN GOING???
i've been catching up with your hcs and oneshots because i'm free tomorrow, and once again remembered why i love your works sm, ilysm
a little update about myself- busy as usual with classes, lab reports and tests, and life in general (slightly burnt out but can be managed). my semester final starts from 6th august and would most probably end in early september, hopefully i'll get a small break then before the new semester and the extra internship i'm taking T_T ALSO, i got another tuition offer two days ago (it was a good one ngl) but that student's house is quite far from mine and would've been a bit risky so i had to unfortunately refuse. other than that, i'm alright and free till tomorrow because we have a seminar. aaanddd i haven't been able to watch any fifa matches but i do try to keep up with the results (and memes lol). mainly waiting for wimbledon to start next week cuz tennis is my sport obvi but i probably won't be watching it much as well *insert multiple crying emojis*
ps. for the last three days, three girls from different faculties coincidentally asked me the same thing, "are you on a relationship?" and i had to clarify every time that i'm not asjhsjkfhd no idea why this happened
anyways love you and take careeee <3333
HIIII FAIII I'VE BEEN GOOD AND PREPARATIONS FOR JAPAN HAVE BEEN UH... I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT!!! but it is SO HARD to find an apartment, i can't lie 😅
but you are sooo sweet, thank you for choosing to spend your free time reading my works, it means so much to me and ilysm too ❤️❤️❤️
WOW, you sound BUSY. best of luck tho with your finals and enjoy your breaks while you have them, you really deserve them 😭 i will also be keeping up with the world cup match results and memes as it's been hard to find the time to watch the matches 😔
as for the ps note: ooooh teaaa, maybe they sense that you're glowing even more??? 🤭
i sense my goat aleks le voicing someone in bluelock or gachiakuta soon BRO I JUST KNOW IT ITLL HAPPEN MY GOAT WILL COME THROUGH
what if he voices ness 😭😭😭
okay wait, who do we think aleks le would voice in blue lock and gachiakuta???
me personally, i think he could do ness. ness is a major character in blue lock season 3 + if aleks le voiced zenitsu from demon slayer and nagumo from sakamoto days, then he can pull off ness.
for gachiakuta, i could imagine him with fu, but someone else is already voicing fu, so therefore, i say RUDO'S DAD (canis surebrec) 🌚 or maybe gountess? am i pulling things out of my ass rn
hi kura!!! how are you? i hope you’re doing fine ٩(˶´༥`˶)و
it always brings me so much joy whenever i read your drabbles i swear! HSHAHAHJSKS first thing i did after my last exam was read your recent works as well as the works of other authors and catch up on any updates related to bllk
anywho, that was such an eventful college semester aside from preparing for the oral defense of my group and I’s undergraduate research and case presentation related to a communicable disease, but during all of that i genuinely felt like i was going out of my mind since there were so many quizzes on top of other quizzes after clinicals although i am of course still grateful that my friends and i managed to survived third year of college
so sorry for my rambling! anyways don’t forget to take care of yourself and always hydrate! especially in this fuck ass heat amidst the global warming. this goes to all the othet anons in here as well! i don’t want you guys suffering from a heat stroke
— clinical anon
hi clinical anon!!! OH MY, HOW I'VE MISSED YOU 😭😭😭
i am doing well, hanging in there for the most part as i've been so busy, but i hope you are doing well!!!
THANK YOUUU FOR ALWAYS COMING BACK AND READING MY WORKS! IT LITERALLY MEANS EXTRA TO ME BC I KNOW YOU'RE BUSY AND STUDYING HARD AT THE SAME TIME 😭🫶🏻
and reading fanfics after exams is the BEST kind of reward 😼
but i am genuinely so proud of you for continuously pushing through after each semester, assignment, project, exam, etc. it takes a lot of commitment to stick to your kind of studies (research and the medical field are super hard) and i really respect that about you 🤍
don't forget to take care of yourself as well and hydrate extra!!! stay cool, use fans and AC (especially if you have the latter), and enjoy a break from school :)
im genuinely curious as to know how many followers u have 😭😭
i hope ur doing well, take care of urself queen!!
i have 8K followers!!! i am so happy and so appreciative for each and every single one of you, i am truly filled with joy that i get to interact with people that share the same hobbies and interests as me + let me write my silly little delulu drabbles in my free time 🥹
i am extremely really really really grateful for every follow, read, like, reblog, share, everything, but most of all, for the fact that you're just here. it means a lot that i get to share what i love with so many people from all over the world 🤍
i am doing well anon, i hope you are too and that you are taking care of yourself too!!!
a/n: if there’s one trope that i could pick to have, it’d be this one! there’s just something extra cute about best friends to lovers i’m dreamily sighing…
title inspired by the song want to want me by jason derulo!
synopsis: best friends to lovers trope with them!!!
isagi is the king of accidentally acting like your boyfriend years before either of you are dating.
your friends are constantly staring at the two of you like you're the world's slowest burn romance.
"you guys are literally dating." "we're not!"
but he's carrying your bags, buying you snacks, remembering every random thing you've ever mentioned, and texting you the second he gets home.
the worst part is that neither of you even realizes how ridiculous you look.
if someone flirts with you, isagi gets weirdly competitive. like all of a sudden, he’s sitting closer, making you laugh harder like he’s become the funniest man alive.
then he spends the whole night wondering why seeing you talk to someone else felt like getting tackled or losing a goal (with a wide-open shot).
the confession takes forever because he overthinks absolutely everything.
he has approximately 12,000 internal monologues.
"what if she doesn’t like me back?"
"what if i ruin everything?"
"what if our friendship changes?"
you're thinking the exact same thing though.
but when you finally get together, literally nothing changes.
except now he gets to hold your hand. and he's obsessed with that privilege.
you're walking somewhere? hand.
sitting together? hand.
watching a movie? hand.
isagi spent years wanting to do this. he's making up for lost time.
genuinely believes he won the lottery because he got both his favorite person and his best friend in one package 🤍
itoshi rin
rin is the most obvious person alive.
unfortunately, he's also rin. meaning he doesn't know how to communicate a single emotion without acting like he's being held hostage.
you've been best friends so long that you're one of the only people he voluntarily spends time with.
everyone notices. everyone. except the two people involved 💀
rin's version of affection is quietly existing beside you.
if you're studying, he's there.
if you're shopping, he's there.
if you're bored, someway somehow he's there, too.
he doesn't even realize he's built his entire routine around you.
that’s why the thought of ruining the friendship genuinely terrifies him. because you're not just someone he likes – you're his person.
you've been there through everything. victories. losses. terrible days. family conflict. every ugly part of life. risking that feels impossible.
the confession only happens because eventually the feelings become too obvious to hide. but it was a success!
after getting together, rin becomes ridiculously attached. like "why would i spend time with anyone else when you're right here?"
you're still best friends. you still insult each other. you still annoy each other.
except now he'll casually pull you against his shoulder while continuing the conversation like nothing happened.
he loves that you're both: lover and best friend. favorite person. all at once :)
itoshi sae
sae's entire relationship starts with mutual respect.
you've known him long enough that his reputation means absolutely nothing to you.
everyone else sees the prodigy. you see the guy who occasionally forgets where he put his phone.
that's why he likes you. you treat him like a normal person.
your friendship is comfortable, easy, mature. the kind where silence isn't awkward or uncomfortable. neither of you feels the need to constantly talk. you can just exist together.
sae realizes he likes you sometime during a completely ordinary moment.
you're laughing about something stupid. sunlight's hitting your face. and suddenly he thinks: "oh… that's a problem."
but losing you isn't an option. he'd rather keep you as a friend forever than risk never having you in his life again. so he says absolutely nothing. for months. maybe years. the tension becomes unbearable.
eventually, one of you finally cracks.
and now, after dating, sae is probably the person whose relationship changes the least. you're still best friends first. you're still the person he tells things he doesn't tell anyone else.
except now he gets to kiss your forehead before leaving.
he genuinely loves the fact that romance never replaced the friendship. it just added to it.
in his mind, that's exactly how lasting relationships are supposed to work.
nagi seishiro
nagi falls in love by complete accident.
one day, you're his best friend. the next day, he realizes he'd rather spend time with you than literally anything else. including video games. which is TERRIFYING to him.
"reo."
"yeah?"
"i think something's wrong with me."
"what happened?"
"i miss [name]."
reo rolls his eyes because he's tired of this nonsense.
nagi is actually scared to confess. like he's lazy about most things. just not you.
you're one of the few things he genuinely values. he doesn't want to lose that.
you've been his safe place for years. the person he calls first. the person who understands him best. risking that feels awful. unbearable even.
so instead, he spends months following you around like a giant cat.
eventually, everyone gets tired of waiting. including you.
after getting together? nagi is thriving. absolutely thriving.
his favorite person now comes with kissing privileges. KISSING.
he'll literally mumble things like: "you're my best friend."
"yeah?"
"and my girlfriend."
"yeah?"
"that's kinda crazy."
every single time, he sounds genuinely amazed, like he still can't believe he got both.
mikage reo
reo secretly loves the best friends to lovers trope. if his life were a movie, this would be exactly how he'd want it to happen.
you've been together through every stage of life. embarrassing phases. achievements. failures. growing pains. rejections. everything.
the problem is that reo has way too much to lose.
if a random crush rejects him? whatever. if you reject him? no. that's devastating.
you're his best friend. his favorite person. the first person he wants to tell good news to. the first person he looks for in a crowd. he can't imagine not having you around.
so he buries the feelings. horribly.
absolutely everyone notices. except you.
the confession is emotional because years of feelings come spilling out at once.
and once it's over? reo is so genuinely relieved. now he doesn't have to pretend anymore.
he's always loved spoiling you. now he gets to do it openly.
he's always wanted to hold your hand. now he can.
he's always wanted to call you beautiful, amazing, incredible, and the best thing that's ever happened to him. now he doesn't have to disguise it as "best friend appreciation."
his favorite thing about the relationship isn't even the romance. it's that nothing important changed. you're still the first person he calls. still the person he laughs with until 3 in the morning. still his partner in crime. still his best friend.
the romance is wonderful. but the friendship is the foundation.
and that's exactly why he believes the two of you are going to last forever 💜
bachira meguru
bachira falls in love with his best friend so naturally that he genuinely doesn't realize it's happening at first.
because of course he wants to spend every second with you. of course you're the first person he calls. of course he saves the funniest videos specifically for you. of course you're his #1 person.
that's just what best friends do, right? right…?
the realization hits him like a truck one random afternoon. you're laughing, head thrown back. and then he gets that weird feeling in his chest. the one that makes him stare a little too long. the one that makes him think you're the prettiest person he's ever seen.
and bachira, for once in his life, completely shuts up. this is bad. this is very bad.
you've been his best friend forever. you're one of the most important people in his life. losing you was never in the books.
so he spends months trying to convince himself he's fine. he's not. everyone can tell. especially because bachira is usually so honest about everything.
but the second it comes to you? now he's nervous. now he's overthinking. he's staring at the ceiling at 2 in the morning wondering if holding your hand would feel different now.
after you finally get together, he's absolutely insufferable. affectionate. clingy. constantly smiling.
"you're my best friend."
"i know."
"and my partner."
"i know."
"that's sooo cool!!”
he says it like he won some kind of contest. but he technically did.
bachira loves romance, but what he loves most is that you're still you. still his favorite teammate in life. still his favorite conversation. still his favorite forever person 💛🐝
shidou ryusei
shidou figures out he likes you because one day somebody flirts with you and suddenly he wants to launch them into orbit.
which is weird. normally he doesn't care. at all.
but seeing someone make you laugh? seeing someone get your attention? suddenly, he's sitting there like: "ugh. i HATE that guy."
"you literally met him 30 seconds ago."
"yeah, and that's 30 seconds too many."
the worst part? he's best friends with you.
you've seen every version of him. every stupid decision. every ridiculous idea. every moment he wasn't cool. that time he almost got arrested. that time he did get arrested and was taken to the police station only to be let go by luck.
and somehow that's exactly why he falls so hard. you've never asked him to be anyone else.
shidou acts fearless about everything. except this. he knows getting rejected by you would actually hurt. and he hates that.
eventually, he gets tired of suffering and blurts out his feelings. like literally blurts them out with no plan, no speech, no strategy. just: "i'm in love with you."
"what?"
"yeah. anyway."
after dating, he becomes ridiculously proud.
every conversation somehow circles back to you. every story starts with: "so me and my favorite person ever–"
he loves that your relationship never loses the friendship.
at the end of the day, his dream relationship is someone he can kiss one minute and then immediately start arguing with over something stupid the next. he feels more than lucky to have exactly that.
karasu tabito
karasu absolutely knows he's in love with you long before he says anything. that's the problem. he's too aware.
like isagi, every risk has already been calculated. every possible outcome analyzed. every worst-case scenario considered.
and unfortunately, most of those scenarios involve losing his best friend.
so he keeps his mouth shut for a very long time. even though he's suffering bad.
you're already his #1. you're the one he seeks out first. the one he wants to tell everything to. the one who understands his humor perfectly.
honestly, you two already act married. everybody says it constantly. and every single time, karasu pretends not to care. internally? he's dying.
his biggest fear isn't rejection. it's distance. the idea of you becoming awkward around him. the idea of losing the easy comfort you've always had.
after finally getting together, karasu relaxes more than anyone. the waiting is at last over.
now he can throw an arm around your shoulders without pretending it's casual.
now he can tell you you're beautiful without disguising it as a joke.
now he can love you openly.
and lowkey? his favorite dates are still the simple ones.
because before you were lovers, you were best friends. that's still his favorite part.
kaiser michael
kaiser never intended to fall for his best friend. in fact, he specifically tried not to.
unlike what everyone assumes, he knows exactly how much it would hurt if things went wrong.
you know him too well. that's the issue. you've seen the parts he doesn't show anybody else – the insecurities, the frustrations, the moments when he's exhausted and tired and doesn't feel like being the michael kaiser.
and somehow you stayed. that's what gets him. not your looks or your charm. not even your kindness. it's the fact that you stayed and remain loyal time and time again.
kaiser spends years convincing himself friendship is enough because having you as a friend is infinitely better than losing you completely.
but eventually, the feelings become impossible to hide. especially when he catches himself imagining a future and you're somehow in every version of it.
after dating, kaiser becomes unexpectedly soft. not publicly. god forbid.
but when it's just you? he's different. like calmer. happier.
his favorite thing isn't even kissing you. it's coming home and immediately calling you. it's hearing your voice. it's telling you about his day. that's what you've always done.
the romance is amazing. but what really matters is that his favorite person is still his best friend 💙
ness alexis
ness has the most painful best friends to lovers experience imaginable.
why? he falls first. and he falls hard. catastrophically hard.
the kind of hard where your contact photo makes him smile. the kind of hard where hearing your laugh instantly improves his day. the kind of hard where he starts associating random things with you.
flowers? you. songs? you. food? somehow also you.
the problem is that you're his best friend. and ness values that friendship more than anything.
you've always been there – through bad days, through doubts, through moments when he didn't believe in himself.
so he keeps quiet. because friendship is safer. friendship guarantees you'll stay. confession doesn't.
but ness becomes the king of yearning. absolutely tragic. people from the victorian era would be jealous.
so after you finally get together, he's so happy it's almost embarrassing.
he smiles more. laughs more. for the first time in forever, he doesn't have to hide how much he loves you. it’s so freeing.
surprisingly, his favorite moments aren't the romantic ones. they're the same moments you've always shared – staying up too late talking, sending each other nonsense at midnight, laughing until your stomach hurts.
when people ask what the best part of dating you is, ness always has the same answer: "she’s still my best friend."
i worked today and some asian kid was reading blue lock on his mom's big ass ipad with full brightness on and i got so excited because blue lock is my favorite thing in the entire world, if you couldn't tell.
also at work, some little boy came in wearing a brazil jersey (and i am rooting for brazil in the world cup, too) so i complimented his jersey and he got all excited. him and his dad started asking me who i was rooting for in the world cup and i said "japan, brazil, argentina, spain, germany, and france." and the kid proceeded to tell me that argentina and france had won their matches today (i didn't know because i'm not on my phone all day at work + we have no TVs in the store lol) so i was extra happy.
THEN "daddy's home" by usher started playing on the speaker and it brought me back to summer of 2023, which was one of the best summers of my life so far hands down because YOU JUST HAD TO BE THERE. I WAS IN JAPAN, JUJUTSU KAISEN SEASON 3 WAS KICKING OFF, TEENAGE GOJO AND GETO WERE BEING ANIMATED, WE WERE GOING TO SEE TOJI + GOJO WAS UNSEALED FROM THE PRISON REALM IN THE MANGA AND "DADDY'S HOME" WAS EVERYWHEREEE.
old jjk fans were returning to the manga to catch up on the culling games arc and see how gojo was unsealed, and yes, i am talking about me and my best friend when i say "old jjk fans" 😭 BUT IT WAS JUST SO PEAK YKWIM???
and then that fateful day: september 25, 2023 🙂 my best friend texted me a picture of the panel and said that gojo died. i literally did not believe it. i was in denial. my man was just off-screened??? that is literally so disrespectful gege 😭 and yes, i was one of those people that was liking every post of gojo coming back with the theories and manga art (that looked way too accurate to gege's style) and coping with lobotomy kaisen to the point where i couldn't tell what was real and what was fake.
ON TOP OF THAT, I HAVE TO RELIVE THAT SHIT WHEN IT DOES GET ANIMATED BY MAPPA.
also side note: that panel of him going "it makes me wanna die! <3" really reminds me of nagumo from sakamoto days, but that's just me... they should have the same VAs (aleks le do you hear me rn...)
