𝜗𝜚 — does nothing meaningful with his time besides constantly playing video games and spending time with you. if he doesn’t have a headset on, he’s either within your presence or fantasizing about you.
𝜗𝜚 — has you as one of his only friends. he’s close with chota and karube, too, but he chooses to frequent your home. though, karube and chota are a tad bummed that the designated time he spent with them was now being spent with you. they love you, though <3!
whenever karube asks, “you gonna ditch us for your girlfriend again?”
arisu answers, “of course. she’s my top priority, now,”with a sly smile like the little shit he is with his friends.
𝜗𝜚 — was helplessly bitchless before he met you. women weren’t exactly willing to go out with him due to his lack of hygienic tendencies and his extremely nerdy interests. he all but gave up on finding a girlfriend until he met you at karube’s bar.
𝜗𝜚 — is the best boyfriend ever, despite what others would think. he’s attentive, there for you no matter the circumstances, and does his best to randomly surprise you with gifts, even though he lacks a job.
𝜗𝜚 — has people racking their brains on how he managed to pull you. hell, he barely knows himself. he has absolutely zero game, yet he still managed to pull a convivial, ethereal being as yourself.
𝜗𝜚 — stays glued to your side during social gatherings. he’s so socially awkward, and can do nothing by stay by your side and be the best significant other ever.
“arisu, you know you can go talk to other people, right?” you asked him during one gathering.
“yeah. but why would i wanna leave your side?” he responded, without a moment of hesitation.
𝜗𝜚 — wants your attention 24/7. it’s borderline unhealthy and obsessive how often he wants to talk to you. if you’re giving your attention elsewhere, he’d bother nonstop until you supply him with his number one addiction. you attention.
𝜗𝜚 — has his desperation evident in everything he does. his hands tremble whenever he touches you, and he’s so so distraught whenever you’re away from him.
𝜗𝜚 — is surprisingly willing to change his loser lifestyle for you. all you have to do is threaten to leave him, and he’s showering daily, filling out job applications, and selling his games (that he definitely does not need) second for a bit of cash.
𝜗𝜚 — has an “i heart my girlfriend,” shirt just for the hell of it. he only wears it to sleep, but his friends never miss the opportunity to tease the ever-living hell out of him for it.
“you love your girlfriend? how whipped are you?” chota asked him once.
“as whipped as his loser ass can be,” karube scoffed, half malice and half hilarity.
𝜗𝜚 — gets insecure more frequently than ordinary. he’s persistently afraid of you leaving him for someone better, someone more in your league, someone who actually has goals and aspirations in their life.
𝜗𝜚 — is the embodiment of a loser, but in one of the healthiest ways possible. he isn’t neglectful, he’s beginning to do something with his life, and he’s bettering himself as a person. only 4 you, though <3!
(gn reader / hurt/slight comfort / 1.3k words) while playing the subway game, arisu catches a glimpse of his missing lover (or i rewrote that one arisu and usagi scene) very slight s3 spoilers ahead!!
sunset. rays of golden light stretch across the land. hues of pink and orange decorate the cloudless sky. skyscrapers stand tall along the horizon, light glinting off their glass windows. a cool, gentle breeze blows through the air. it rustles the tips of overgrown grass in a nearby field they wander past. you would love this view.
ARISU RYOHEI unconsciously reaches for his front pocket. he had made a habit of keeping the device in the front of his jeans since he had gotten pitpocketed during a morning subway rush. you had laughed when he got home that night, promising that you would file a police report the next morning. arisu never did get his phone back but it didn’t matter when you bought him a new one a week later, wrapped in a little gift box and presented with a bright smile.
but his phone isn’t in his pocket. it’s resting on ann’s side table, face down, left in a haste somewhere in the real world. arisu’s steps falter only for a moment but that doesn’t prevent the concerned glance nobu sends his way. a pang of sadness makes his heart hurt. dread settles into his stomach. he feels sick. arisu stares at the ground sadly. one step at a time, he promises. just one more step and then i’ll find you.
arisu stops in his tracks when he sees it: a small, white sign, sitting in the middle of a nearby subway entrance. the lights in the station are off. the stairs lead downwards into darkness. written on the sign, in thick, black lettering, reads three simple words: GAME ARENA AHEAD.
“we’re here,” rei remarks from behind him. she crosses her arms over her chest, shifting her weight between her feet. arisu stares straight ahead, eyes trained on the sign.
arisu purses his lips. he swallows his fear, clenching his trembling hands into fists. fear has no place in the borderlands - especially not when he has people relying on him. instead, he pushes his anxiety down and takes a step closer. “let’s go in.”
the arena is simple enough. the subway station is identical to all the others in tokyo, save for the lack of people. if arisu closes his eyes for long enough, he gets lost in time.
it had been just after your first date. what was supposed to be a quiet dinner had accidentally become an hours-long outing. you had chatted in the restaurant until the wait staff began giving you looks and the migrated to the city streets, talking the night away beneath the moonlight. arisu held your hand for the first time that night. your skin felt warm in his as he interlinked your fingers.
the station was quiet that night. it was the early hours of the morning. night shift workers were just now returning. stars still twinkled brightly in the night sky. clubs began turning the music down as drunken crowds filtered out into the night, waiting to be picked up by awaiting taxis.
but arisu was on a subway, holding your hand. he bit his lip to hide his smile to little avail. you hid your own behind your hand, trying to avoid eye contact with the businessman judging you in the corner and the nurse resting against the window. that was the night arisu knew: he never wanted to let you go.
but that day felt like lifetimes ago. years had passed since that moment. now, arisu stood in that same, empty subway with a pit in his stomach and the promise of death awaiting.
the subway arrives quietly. it comes to a slow stop on its wheels; the machinery sighing beneath its own weight. behind him, arisu shares a nervous glance with shion. she simply shrugs her shoulders, looking towards the opened doors.
“do we go on?” natsu asks. she glances around the group for confirmation that doesn’t come. “i mean, the doors are open.”
tetsu is the one who moves first. with a deep sigh, he warners forwards, taking a step onto the subway. “no sense in staying here,” he says. silently, arisu follows. he steps over the gap, following tetsu into the car. the others filter in as well, grabbing onto the handrails or leaning against the walls.
the game was simple enough. move between subway cars. wear a gas mask. decide between life or death. arisu bites his tongue. lets others speak. pushes his thoughts of you away just long enough to focus on the game. there has to be a way to win, after all. the creators don’t leave anything simply to chance.
it had started easy. put the mask on, insert the canister, hold your breath. arisu keeps his eyes trained on the caged canary, letting the little yellow bird confirm their decisions. it was easier than watching the newfound friends he had made. makino squeezes her eyes shut each time, clinging to the cool metal railing. rei pretends to be unaffected, but he can see how her hands tremble slightly. nobu stands perfectly still, eyes closed, but breathing steadily, as if he’s accepted his fate.
the doors fly open with a crash as the gas clears. arisu blinks. the bird lays on the bottom of the cage - dead. two more cars. one canister left. arisu waits for a few moments, then removes his mask. the others follow suit, hesitantly taking in small breaths of the air. then-
“arisu!” it’s you. your voice almost sounds foreign after days of missing you. the sound is so quiet he almost misses it. the wind beating against the subway’s doors echoes throughout the tunnel, loud enough that it drowns out almost every other noise but you persist. you yell louder now. desperate. “arisu!”
arisu’s eyes widen. his heart leaps into his throat. his breath catches as he gasps, stumbling towards the gap in the door. he barely remembers to grab onto the railing, clumsily holding it with one hand.
the wind sounds louder than ever when he leans out of the doors, desperate to be closer to you. you’re wearing the clothes you had left in that morning, though now they’re more tattered and dirty. you scramble towards the doors, mimicking his own actions. you reach your hand out, reaching towards him.
arisu blinks his tears away. he thinks of tempting fate - jumping across the gap despite everything that tells him he won’t make it there - but quickly abandons the idea. there’s no sense in being dead. especially not here.
your fingertips just barely brush against his own. after so long, your touch feels electric. and then, just as soon as it was there, it’s ripped away once again.
it happens in a flash. “watch out!” nobu’s voice rings in arisu’s ears. there’s a pair of arms around his middle, tugging him backwards. arisu only catches a flash of the pillar the subway blows past. the tracks split around it, sending your subway turning to the side whilst arisu’s continues barrelling forwards.
“no!” arisu scrambles back to his feet, but it’s too late. your subway is gone, replaced now by a flashes of the wall as it rushes past. he takes a shaky breath, leaning his head against the side of the subway doors. “no,” he whispers.
hesitantly, nobu rests his hand against arisu’s shoulder. he offers a few comforting pats. arisu appreciates the gesture despite how awkward and stilted the movement is. “it’s okay, arisu,” nobu says. “we’ll find them again.”
“he’s right,” makino is by his side now, kneeling down on her knees. she holds her hands out as she coaxes arisu back to his feet in that comforting way only she can. her hands feel warm despite the cold air. “we won’t stop looking, i promise. but we need to go, now.”
arisu’s chest tightens. he grits his teeth, standing up on shaky legs despite himself. he can’t give up now. not when he’s this close. “okay,” he nods. “let’s go.”
notes: please leave feedback if you enjoyed!! so happy s3 is finally here, kento yamazaki how i love you so, getting back into my aib phase prepare to be sick of me, title from NCT U - faded in my last song
if you enjoyed this fic, please consider leaving a like, comment, or rebloging !! and if you want to support me, check out my aib masterlist <33
Pairing(s): Inexperienced!reader x Inexperienced!Arisu
Summary: This is basically a rewrite of Season two episode six, the elephant scene, except with the reader and smut. They’re both virgins and awkward as shit but they like each otherrrrrr
Warnings: Fluffy fluff fluff, fingering, sex kinda in water (Don’t do that it’s kinda dangerous), unprotected sex (Def don’t do that, wrap it before you tap it), super soft fluffy sex.
Word Count: 3,513
“Oh. My. God.”
You couldn’t believe what you were seeing.
“Arisu!” You called out to the boy. He was a ways away from you, checking out a puddle on the ground. He dipped his hand in but then flinched back. He faced you with wide eyes, realizing the same thing as you. “It’s a hot spring!” You exclaimed excitedly. “The water’s perfect over here! It’s hot but not burning, you know?”
He smiled at you sincerely, watching as you clenched your fists to resist the urge to jump up and down in joy. Although the smell of sulfur in the air made his nose twitch, he held back any complaints to not ruin your moment. “Really? Then let’s get in!” He prompted, running toward you and taking off the flannel over his undershirt. “When’s the last time we took a bath? We can’t pass this up!”
“You want to bathe together?” You questioned, looking away in embarrassment at the thought.
“Huh? Oh,” he said quietly, realizing his words.
“It’s okay,” you reassured him. “How about I go over there,” you pointed to the part of the spring behind a rock. “And you can stay here?”
He nodded in agreement, a light hint of pink dusting his cheeks, covered just enough by the lack of light that you couldn’t see his visible embarrassment.
Walking over to the rock, you took a glance back at Arisu but quickly looked away when you saw him taking off his shirt. You scolded yourself for having feelings for him, but it was just so easy. He was so easy to fall for, with his beautiful face, high cheekbones, and kissable lips. He was kind too; always sacrificing himself to help you and others. It was rare to see him so happy, so excited; it was beautiful and you cherished each moment he shared his happiness with you.
You took off your clothes, setting them down on a piece of broken rubble near you for when you got out. Stepping into the water, you went slowly to adjust to the hot temperature until you finally settled down. You let yourself float on the water, soaking in the feeling of a bath after going so long without one and letting your head go under the water for a few moments before returning to the surface and smoothing your hand over your face to get rid of the water that collected there.
You heard Arisu let out a pleased sigh. “I could die right now and I’d be happy.”
“Don’t go dying on me just yet, we still gotta get home so I can be your friend in the real world,” you demanded, half joking and half serious.
He was silent for a moment before he replied. “Yeah, I’d like to be your… friend, too.”
You were about to reply when the strangest thing in front of you appeared. You let out a small sound of surprise. Arisu started calling your name, worry in his tone, but you just were unable to form any words. He appeared from behind the rubble and his eyes landed on the same thing that captured your attention. “That’s not possible,” he breathed out softly, stepping more towards you. “They can’t be real, can they?”
In front of you were two large elephants, their feet three feet deep in the water. You were absolutely mesmerized, so much so that you didn’t even realize how close he was to you and how naked your body was under the crystal-clear water.
“They’re taking a bath too,” he said with a childlike wonder that was so precious.
“I’m pretty sure there was an animal exhibit relatively close to here. Maybe they escaped there after everyone disappeared,” you theorized.
“If we hadn’t been brought here, we’d have never seen this,” he spoke again. The thought was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. You never wanted to be in the borderlands, you were just thrown in without any explanation. But if you never made it in, you would have never met Arisu. You would have never seen the elephants in front of you; never met the friends you made through the games.
A sad smile made its way onto your face as you watched one of the elephants stick its trunk into the water. “Yeah,” you whispered.
“You know what’s kind of crazy?” He asked rhetorically. “I’m feeling emotional, and I’m not entirely sure why.”
You let out a shaky breath, feeling the exact same way. “Yeah, I feel it too.”
After a moment, you turned your head to look at Arisu only to find him already looking at you. The two of you stared at each other for a long moment, just basking in each other’s presence and the calm atmosphere. Your eyes began to travel down his face to his chest. Water droplets collected on his skin as he stood tall. The lower part of his body was covered by the water and the thought brought you out of your haze. You turned around quickly, pressing your hands to your cheeks to calm the heat collecting there at the expense of your embarrassment.
“I’m sorry!” Arisu apologized from behind you. You could practically see the awkward position he was probably in at that moment. “I didn't see anything! Just elephants! I’m only looking at them,” he reassured. “I love elephants.”
At the end of his rant of an apology, you turned back around to face him. “Arisu,” you called. He stopped in his tracks as he was walking back to his designated bathing spot. “It’s okay,” you said shyly. “I- I didn’t mind,” you confessed, cursing yourself for the lack of confidence you had in the words. They were true, you genuinely didn’t mind, but it sounded so hesitant when it came out of your mouth. “You can stay.”
He turned around slowly, looking at you for confirmation which you nodded at. He then lowered himself into the water until it met his broad shoulders. You had a small smile on your face as you watched him. He was just so beautiful you couldn’t believe it. Even if nothing came out of this, you would be happy just to stay by his side as a friend.
Arisu slowly walked up to you until barely two feet were separating the two of you. Your eyes locked and it was like the world stopped at that moment, just allowing the two of you time to look at each other without any interruptions.
That is until one of the elephants collected some water in its trunk and sprayed it over its head and back. The two of you looked over in awe, a breathy laugh leaving your lips as you unconsciously let your fingers skim against his. You didn’t even realize it until Arisu let out a soft gasp and looked down at your hands. You looked down as well but didn’t raise your gaze to meet his, too nervous to see what his expression would be. Instead, when you realized he didn’t pull away, you softly, with a barely-there touch, pressed your fingertips against his. Your lips formed a soft smile when he took the next step and interlocked your fingers.
Finally looking up, his eyes, soft and adoring, stared back into yours. His smile mirrored your own: gentle, hesitant, hopeful. It was when his eyes drifted away from yours to look at your lips that you finally saw the signs in front of you.
He liked you too.
You’d had the thought of him returning your feelings fluttering through your mind on occasion, but you always pushed it away, thinking he was just being friendly. You should have just listened to Usagi, she always knew he liked you and encouraged you to confess your feelings. She was right, as usual.
You lifted your right hand to place it on his cheek, lightly brushing your thumb along the scar on his cheek. It was one he’d gotten during the whole fiasco during the Ten of Hearts game back at The Beach. You don’t like the memory that accompanies the wounded tissue on his face, but you always thought it was beautiful.
He leaned his cheek more into your hold, letting out a deep sigh and briefly closing his eyes. When he opened them, he lifted his free hand hesitantly before placing his palm on the side of your neck, pulling you toward him ever so slightly. He gave you every opportunity to pull away but you didn’t want to. You just wanted him to close the distance between the two of you and kiss you. He stopped again when he was less than an inch away from your face, your lips brushing with each breath. Deciding to take it into your own hands despite your nerves, you pushed forward and pressed your lips against his in a soft kiss. It wasn’t a very long kiss but it felt like forever before you slowly disconnected yourselves. He didn’t let you stray far as he rested his forehead against yours with his eyes closed.
He let out a quiet laugh. “I’ve been wanting to do that for months,” he confessed.
You grinned, leaning back in to give him a short kiss and giggling when he tried to chase your lips as you pulled away. “Me too,” you admitted in a low voice.
He gently disconnected your interlocked hands and you started to pull away, thinking the moment was over until he wrapped his - now free - hand around your waist. In a frantic and panicked attempt to stop you from pulling away, he pulled you toward him with a little too much force and your bare chest crashed against his. The hand that held his cheek fell to his shoulder while your other instinctively placed your palm just below his collarbone. His eyes were wide as he gazed into your surprised ones, his body stiff as a log when your breasts pressed against him under the water. The both of you stayed still, trying to figure out what to do in the unfamiliar territory. It wasn’t until you inched the hand on his shoulder to the back of his neck that you felt him relax, your own body relaxing as a result.
You pulled him back in to connect your lips again, both of you feeling more confident with the situation. He gently started to lead you backwards until you met a large slab of slanted concrete that was halfway in the water. It was tilted just enough to make it so that you were still being caressed by the soft ripples of the water but you weren’t fully submerged as Arisu carefully lowered you onto it with a hand protecting your head. He pulled away from the kiss, looking to make sure each thing he did was wanted.
It was.
You let a finger trace over his neck, smiling proudly when you felt the high speed of his pulse and the subtle shiver that ran down his spine. He watched you with such awe as your fingers skimmed up to his jaw, then his cheek, then his lips. You traced his bottom lip with your thumb, caressing the dimples caused by the smile he was shining down on you. Pulling him down, the two of you kissed again, though this time it seemed more heated; more passionate. His mouth found its way down your neck, leaving soft pecks against your skin until he reached just past your collarbone. He leaned back to look at you as if just realizing your position.
With the placement of your body on the rock, the whole of your torso was out of the water and put on display for Arisu’s eyes to roam freely. He blushed when his gaze settled onto your breasts, still dripping from the water of the spring and with your nipples slowly becoming pebbled from the growing excitement in your core, but he wasn’t able to tear his eyes away.
“Are you just going to look at me all day or are you going to do something?” You asked him. Your tone was teasing but he caught the slight vulnerability laced beneath the words. He noticed the way your fingers twitched as if wanting to reach up and cover yourself from his judgemental - or at least, in your mind - eyes.
“You never told me you had a body built by the Gods,” he said genuinely, hesitantly tracing a hand down from your neck to your breast, going slowly in case you changed your mind. Your body continuously tensed up and relaxed in excitement as he skimmed his fingers over your right breast. You let out a soft whimper and saw his eyes dilate, lust filling them. He got more confident and wrapped his hand around your breast, squeezing gently.
“Arisu,” you moaned out softly as you grabbed the hand not fondling your breast, and moved it down your body towards your core. “Please-.”
He watched in awe as you led his hand under the water to where your cunt was slightly distorted from the water but wet for other reasons.
You moaned out and dropped your head back on the rock as his fingers swiped through your folds, bumping your clit each time he went up.
“I’ve never done this before.”
Your head snapped back up to look at him as he nervously looked into your eyes. You could see the fear of judgment and insecurity in his gaze; you could also see the confusion when you smiled at him.
“Me neither,” you whispered, bringing your free hand up to caress his cheek. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to your lips before leaving a trail of kisses down your neck.
“Do you want to?” He asked, being extra careful about making sure you wanted this.
“Arisu,” you deadpanned, but he quickly cut you off.
“Ryōhei. Call me Ryōhei, please. If I’m going to be making love to you then I want you to call me Ryōhei,” he pleaded and you had no choice but to concede.
“Okay, well, Ryōhei,” you started again and he let out a little moan of approval into your neck that made you blush. “We wouldn’t have gotten to this point if I didn’t want it,” you reassured and he raised his head to look at you. “I want you, I have since the day we met.”
He smiled at you before resting his head back into the crook of your neck. “Okay, then. Are you ready?” He asked as he lined his fingers up to the entrance of your core.
You nodded and he gently latched his teeth onto your neck, making you gasp before he slowly entered his middle finger into your wet, warm cunt. The feeling was similar to what it felt like when you played with yourself but so much better. Ryōhei’s fingers were longer and hit places you could never find. He may have been inexperienced but he was obviously naturally skilled at it.
He started to slowly pull it out before pushing it back in, rougher than gentle but not too rough. Your moans and whimpers encouraged him to continue and he did. He brought his thumb down to try and find your clit, finding it after a few seconds of effort. He was glad he at least knew a bit about the female body and how to properly please them (he partially had porn to thank for that). The choked moan you let out the moment he pressed his thumb to your bundle of nerves made him grin cockily into your neck.
“That’s it,” he whispered against your skin and you breathed shakily. When he slowly pushed his ring finger into you alongside his middle finger, your legs, which had been wrapped around his waist for the majority of your activity, squeezed around him as your moans slowly got louder and your breathing picked up. You weren’t sure how he was able to make you reach the edge so quickly but you didn’t really care either. “I’ve got you, just let go,” he reassured you, pressing kisses along your neck and shoulder. It was the needed push for you to reach your high. He kept pumping, riding you through everything and whispering sweet nothings into your ear.
Once you reached the end of your orgasm, Ryōhei slowly pulled his fingers out of your pussy and brought it over to massage your thigh as you breathed heavily. When you opened your eyes, you saw him looking at you with the most awestruck and lovesick look in his eyes, it built your confidence but also made you overly shy. You forced yourself to not look away from his intense gaze, staring straight back at him with a look that had Ryōhei grow harder than he already was.
“Do you want to keep going?” He asked you, having brought both hands down to your thighs to massage them and love on them. Your heart clenched at his sweetness and you knew this was the boy you wanted to marry someday.
“Please,” you answered in response with a nod. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him into a loving kiss. He smiled into the kiss and slowly started to readjust you so you were higher on the rock, your - still dripping - core now on full display for him to see.
When he pulled away, he immediately lowered his gaze over your body and eventually to the pussy he would be inside in a few minutes. “Fuck, you’re so beautiful. How did I get so lucky?” He asked rhetorically before letting his right hand leave your left thigh to grab his erection and drag the head through your fold, circling your clit with it every time he passed over it. “Are you ready? I’ll be gentle, I promise,” he reassured. You looked down at where he was still dragging his penis over your cunt and realized just how big he was.
And you meant it when you said it was big.
Despite your nervousness about his size, you nodded and pulled him down so this time you were hiding your face in his neck. “I’m ready.”
As soon as you said that, he slowly began to enter his dick in you, going so slowly as to not hurt you. You whimpered at the stretch, the pain mixing with the slightest bit of pleasure. When his hips pushed flush against the backs of your thighs and ass, he stayed still, reaching a hand down to rub at your clit to help you adjust to the pain. It worked. The pain morphed into a dull ache and the pleasure started to take over. “Please,” you whined and squirmed just the tiniest bit against him. He got the message and slowly pulled out until only the tip remained, only to push it right back in again. He was so deep, you swore he hit your cervix. The pleasurable pain of the feeling made your head fall back and your legs squeeze around Ryōhei’s waist. He kept one of his hands to press against your hip and keep you in place while the other rubbed tight circles on your clit.
It was such an intense feeling that you couldn’t believe it was actually happening. You were losing your virginity, but most importantly, making love to Arisu Ryōhei, the boy you’d been falling in love with since the day you met him in this dreadful world. You wished the moment would never end, but you knew it had to.
Especially since you could feel your orgasm coming up on you very quickly.
Almost like the two of you were in sync or he was reading your mind, Ryōhei said, “I won’t be able to last much longer. Fuck, you’re so tight,” he moaned out.
“Me too,” you whined, bringing him down to your level again so you could messily slam your lips against his. The kiss was little more than the two of you breathing heavily into each other’s mouths until you could feel the warm feeling of Ryōhei’s cum painting the inside of your walls. Him cumming triggered your own orgasm and the two of you moaned into your interlocked lips.
He continued to thrust the two of you through your highs until he slowed to a stop and gathered you in his arms for a cuddle session. You laughed under your breath and wrapped your arms around his as well to return his affection.
“I’m in love with you,” he confessed into your ear from where his head was resting against your temple. His lips traced against the shell of your ear as he spoke and it made a pleasurable shiver run down your spine. You smiled at his confession of love and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
“I am so in love with you, Ryōhei.”
You were quietly grateful for those elephants because they ended up being the whole reason you and Ryōhei found your way to each other, this time as lovers instead of friends.
༉‧ .| synopsis: a struggling mangaka crosses paths with a barista who turns his life upside down. pre-borderlands alternate au. he's a massive loser.
˖ ִ𐙚 | warning(s)— tooth rotting fluff, very brief angst, suggestive theme towards the end, sexual implications.
mangaka! arisu who struggles to make ends meet. the living expense in Shibuya only seems to be rising higher and higher. staying up late nights to scrape his brain for any bits of creativity, anything to fill the plot hole in akari's adventure. be it an action sequence, a fight scene, or a seamless transition into the next arc. he needs something, and soon. With the deadline for the first volume looming just a few months away, the pressure grows unbearable. hiring an editor is a luxury he can’t afford, leaving him alone with his story, his exhaustion, and the fear of failing a dream he refuses to let go of.
mangaka! arisu who wakes up spontaneously at 6am, running on less than 2 hours of sleep. anxiety chews at his nerves, and all he can think of is finishing up his sequence. if his one-shot wins the newcomer’s award, it could change everything—recognition, stability, and maybe even the chance to finally see his story serialized. he hopes a change in scenery would help. a new cafe had opened up a few streets down, he needed a cup of strong black coffee and lo-fi in his system urgently.
mangaka! arisu smiles at the you. his gaze lingers for a beat too long before quickly looking away. he found you pretty, too pretty. when you asked him what he'd like to order, he was almost taken aback by how fluent you were. your voice soft and your pronunciation almost native.
"good morning! what can I get for you today?' Your hat is secured in place, your apron all tied up. you were sure you looked like a mess, freshly rumpled from bed. today of all days, a handsome customer had to grace the shop. hell, he looked pretty low on sleep as well.
he stammered over his order, shaking his and muttering a stumbled apology. "black coffee, thank you, s-sorry."
mangaka! arisu wants nothing more than to burry his head in the flower bed right outside the cafe. he was an utter mess, no wonder his dating life looked much worse than whatever he tried to make of his amateur manga. he thought coming to a cafe for a much needed change in scenery would help. turns out the decision only lead to his mind being occupied by your presence, rummaging behind the counter and preparing his bitter morning brew.
mangaka! arisu finally manages to finish a rough sketch for a panel, finally, his thoughts drift back to his work. that is until your presence looms over him, your voice gently calling out. his hand freezes immediately, forgetting all about tracing the faint outline of akari's silhouette.
"i'm so sorry to interrupt but your order is ready." you smile, and he instantly folds. god why did you have to be so pretty?
"ah y-yes, sorry..my order..." his face is uncomfortably hot as he wraps his hand around the paper cup. "thank you." he bows his head. incapable of looking you in the eye.
you only smile, gently setting down the tray on the far end of his table. "ah. no problem." your vision quickly darts to the giant canvas sheet filled with soft pencil outlines of the most beautiful panels you'd seen. a little girl with wide eyes holding a cat and a magical wand.
"awh, wait are you a children's mangaka?" the question slips past you too quickly. he looks away, embarrassed.
"someday. hopefully."
mangaka! arisu watches you take a seat on the opposite end of the table. it seems that since he was the only customer here, you took the chance to chat for a bit. his hands nervously fiddle with the pencil, answering all your questions as best as possible, without stumbling over his words, or sounding too quiet.
mangaka! arisu explains how akari was inspired by his late younger sister who passed away when she was seven. he notices the way your entire demeanor changes, how your eyes soften and the small gasp that leaves your lips. the way you apologize for his loss and sympathize.
"i'm sure akane would love your work." you gently reassure him. "you draw so beautifully, I can see that it takes a lot of time and dedication."
mangaka! arisu nods because he's not used to people being so sweet and reassuring. nobody ever really praised him for his work, if anything, he never even told anyone about his dreams of being a mangka and getting past the serialization processes. yet here you were, listening as he spoke about his ambitions. you were actively listening to this seemingly reserved man ramble on about his work.
mangaka! arisu exchanges numbers with you, a bright smile on his face as he watches you slip away behind the counter, getting back to work. he's surprisingly more motivated to write, your praise doing a number on him, and encouraging him to continue working on his one-shot.
mangaka! arisu manages to finish sketching three panels before rushing off to his evening shift at an internet café. the pay is just enough to keep the rent covered, thanks to his extra work troubleshooting software issues and fixing computer glitches.
mangaka! arisu who much like a loser, anticipates your late night texts and phone calls. the two of you had very busy lives, and often only spoke during the late hours of the night. he always looked forward to hearing about your day, and listening to your soft voice on the other end of the speaker.
"arisu, how's the one-shot going?" you'd perk up, excited to hear about his progress. he sinks deeper into the mattress, his face already heating up at the fact that you cared enough to ask.
"u-uh, really good. great progress! akari and misho are leveling up to fight the magikais, they're like evil trolls in the next sequence, she's undergoing training from a witch."
he sounded like a total nerd, and you loved it. he was so passionate about his work it was adorable. you wished you could squish his cheeks through the phone.
"that's so cool!" you gasp, invested in every bit of lore he shared with you. "i feel like your writing is so studio ghibli codded, you know?"
he hums, a soft laugh echoing into your ear. fuck that sent a shiver down your spine.
"in a way." he agrees.
mangaka! arisu who's nervous about your date. after frequently stopping by early in the morning just to see you at the cafe and memorizing your schedule, he can hardly wait to see you. he made sure to shower not once, but twice, spray on almost half a bottle of his favorite scent, and style his hair so it wasn't an awful mess like it usually was. he would've gotten a hair cut, but you once threatened that you would hide every last pair of scissors on earth if he touched his hair. afterall, he only ever wanted to please you.
mangaka! arisu who's breath stops short in his lungs at the sight of you. the way your hair brings our your features just right, the adorable black shirt with bow knotted at the front, and your shiny jewelry. he almost forgets he's holding a bouquet of flowers, that he nearly drops.
mangaka! arisu wraps his arms around your waist when you pull him into a warm hug. his limbs stiff and awkward, he wasn't very good at this, hell, he never even had a girlfriend, or his first kiss, or anything for that matter.
"you smell so good!" you beam, looking up at him. he nearly chokes on his own saliva, before nodding. not sure if he could trust his own speaking abilities at the moment. your smile brighten when he nervously holds up the soft white roses.
"awh, arisu." you gently cup his cheek, pressing a soft peck to his lips. "thank you...these are so beautiful."
mangaka! arisu who blinks at you in utter shock, his cheeks a bright rosy hue, before nodding like an idiot, going entirely non-verbal. before feeling your fingers entwine with his own. he's very still for a few seconds, afraid of ruining this moment, before feeling your warm body lean against his own.
mangaka! arisu who adores when you talk about your interests, almost as much, and if not more than when you listen to his ramble about his own. he memorizes every little detail about the things you like, makes sure to work a few extra hours just so he can buy you things you adore like a tomodachi life game for your nintendo ds, or a cute keychain of kirby, or a hello kitty lip gloss set. anything so that he could see your smile.
mangaka! arisu who loves when you teach him new slang phrases in english. his favorite being "high-key", "low-key" and "that's fire." he could listen to you talk in english for hours, even though he would only end up understanding a couple words here and there.
mangaka! arisu who loves when you fall asleep all curled up on his bed because he's taking too long to finish up a sketch. he can't help but feel his heart melt into a giant puddle at the sight of you curled up with his rilakkuma plushie, your soft breathing echoing through the quiet room.
mangaka! arisu who finally submits his one-shot for the contest, he's beyond anxious but appreciates that you took a day off just to be with him on that day.
"baby, don't worry you did amazing! the judges will love it!" you reassure him so sweetly he can't help but feel a little more at ease.
"i hope so...i put in a lot of effort." he mutters, feeling your hand gently rub his back.
"i know you did baby." you give his hand a small squeeze, before looking up at him.
"how about some coffee? on the house?"
he shook his head, he refused to ever let you pay for anything. the whole 50/50 thing was always a load of bull-shit to him, no matter how much you insisted.
"please let me do this for you." you were pleading with him, usually he could muster up some strength to resist the way your eyes softened so sweetly when you begged him, but today, he fell victim. completely helpless and weak.
"just this once."
mangaka! arisu who's anxiously waiting for weeks, checking his email daily for any updates or news. until one afternoon he nearly falls off his chair, he reads the email once, then a second time just to make sure he wasn't losing his mind.
Arisu Ryohei,
Thank you very much for your submission. After careful review, your work has been selected to join the newcomer section of ‘Weekly Star Comics.’ Your assigned editor will contact you soon regarding preparations for future publication and meetings. We look forward to creating something wonderful together.
– Weekly Star Comics Editorial Department”
mangaka! arisu who rushes to the front door when he hears your frenzied knocking. his arms quickly looping around your waist when you tackle him, legs wrapped tightly around his lower half as he spins you around. he can hardly believe he made the cut. you on the other hand, had full faith in him.
"I told you! I freaking told you!" you laugh, peppering a rampant of kisses all over his face. "you should give karube and chota a call!" you squeal knowing how over-joyed his best friend's would be. at some point after dating you, you were the one who encouraged him to tell his friends, knowing they would be nothing but supportive and happy for him.
"I-I will." he smiles, pressing an array of kisses to your lips. "i'm so happy." he attempts in english, making you grin from ear to ear.
"oh, I can tell." you tease, gently brushing a few strands away from his brow. "i'm so happy for you."
mangaka! arisu who is over the moon, surrounded by his favorite people. karube called drinks on the house, his arm looped around his tipsy fiancé. chota was flushed, he clearly had one too many shots, swaying from side to side, and singing some off-key tune. beneath the table, you felt arisu's fingers tightly intertwined with your own.
"how many rounds do you think we can go for tonight?" you cheekily whisper. he looks confused.
"o-oh of drinks? I can go for a couple more." he suggests, his bottom lip slightly jutting out and his cheeks mildly flushed.
"no arisu. in bed." you giggle, a little tipsy.
"A-Ah." he stammers, eyes shooting impossibly wide. "u-uhm...i-i don't know..." he whispers, messing with your sleeve.
"how about four?" your fingers teasingly slide up his tee-shirt, trailing over the downy hairs down his navel. he stiffens, his face heating up even deeper.
"m-mh...maybe..." he mutters, before taking another shot. you only grin, knowing damn well it was going to be a long night.
mangaka! arisu who wakes up sore, head pounding and limbs locked with your own. you're still knocked out cold, your head buried against his chest, an arm loosely looped around his waist, your skin warm and bare. he winces at the sight of the discarded condoms, at least 3 scattered around the trash bin. clearly you two had a long night celebrating in more ways than one. afterall, he was officially a rising mangaka.
A/N:lmao this is nearly the end of the first season yet I've been writing this story for YEARS???
Prev | MasterList | Next
Neither of you stopped, weaving in and out of burnings, over and under rubble as your feet carried you as far away as possible. Ignoring the chance you were dragging yourself into more danger, you let Chishiya guide you.
“In here!”
It was a small hardware store, the windows were already broken and the shelves raided, no doubt for weapons but luckily hidden behind the counter was a set of stairs. You tripped up them still holding each other's hand. As much as you desperately wanted to slump against the floor and let your lungs replenish the mass amounts of oxygen that you had depleted due to your impromptu sprint you knew that safety wasn’t guaranteed.
“Help me get this across the door.” You gesture to a solid filing cabinet. Mustering up the last of your shared strength you locked yourselves in. Bullets wouldn’t get through metal that thick.
The windows thankfully hadn’t been smashed but there was no heat.
This wasn’t like the home Chishiya had made.
“Did you get hit?” Chishiya asked through a pant. “How is your arm?”
“Fine.” You check to make sure. “What about you?”
He lifts his shirt before nodding. “It didn’t reopen, it’s okay.”
“What the fuck was that.” You drop your head against the wall. “How did he find us.”
Chishiya pulled off his backpack, handing you a bottle of water. “I think he knew people would be heading there to join the game.”
You stilled, the bottle clutched in your hand. “The game Kuina and An left to join?”
“Yeah probably.” He takes another swig of the water before recapping it and putting it back in his bag. “Why?”
“What if they got shot?”
He shakes his head. “Trust me Kuina is like a leech, she won’t die.”
“But what if-“
“Stop worrying about them.” He cuts you off. “They weren’t the ones that just nearly got shot to death, it’s okay to care about them but you have to prioritise yourself. Stop being irrational.”
“I’m not being irrational, I'm worrying about a friend.” You explain through gritted teeth.
He stares at you blankly. “Do you think Kuina would want you to worry in this way?”
You hate how he makes a good point.
Kuina would be angered at the thought you were worrying about her when your own life had been in danger. “No, she wouldn’t.”
“Then forget about her for a while. It’s okay to do that. It’s okay to care for yourself.” He assures you. “We need to figure out where we are.”
You peek out of the window, dropping back into your previous position when you see nothing. “I didn’t see any signs as we ran, it’s too dark.”
He agreed. “We will have to wait until the sun comes up but whatever is going on, I think this is coming to an end.”
“You think the games are nearly complete?”
He sounds sure. “I think that we have nearly won every card we need.”
“I hope so.” You wish. “I don’t think either of us will fare well against another game.”
“We should rest.” He manages to find a blanket and a cushion, laying them down on the floor. “You sleep first we can take it in turns, I’ll wake you up in a little so we can switch.”
“Are you sure?” You eye the makeshift bed. “You’ve just come out of a game one that was no doubt exhausting, mentally if not physically. I’m okay you want to sleep first.”
“No, it’s okay.” He declines the offer. “You get some sleep, I'm going to try and see if there is anything useful here, just let me know if I make too much noise.”
“Okay.” You agree, laying atop the blanket. “Goodnight.”
“Mhm.”
Despite his warning about making noise you don’t hear anything, it was hard to drift off at first. Your mind ran a world of its own as it had you picturing the masked gunman shooting down the door any second but eventually, the adrenaline you’d worked up burned out and you were left depleted and exhausted.
This time there were no dreams, just a void.
“Hey.” You felt yourself being sat up.
“What?” You grumbled, still disoriented from your nap. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s been a few hours.” Ah, it was time to switch.
You sit up, huffing as you brush the stray hairs out of your face. “Okay you sleep, I’ll take watch.”
“Okay.” He agrees, slipping onto the mat you’d just moved from. “I found a spare wrench, it’s against the wall.”
“Oh that’s good.” You yawn, leaning against the wall opposite Chishiya. “Sleep.”
“Goodnight.” He mumbles.
It didn’t take him long to fall asleep, it made sense though. He hadn’t exactly had time to rest after his game and it was unlikely he had managed to eat anything.
That was another pressing matter - food.
You quietly looked around, sifting through drawers and cupboards. Most of it was no good, perishable foods that were so rotten they looked as if they had been there for a millennia.
At this point they probably could have been.
It was hard not to wonder what was happening in the real world, if time passed different here then how long had you been gone? Years? Months? Days? It felt as though you’d been here for at least a year but it was probably something more like a few months.
The sun was already rising, it seemed as though some days night lasted forever, an unending darkness accompanied by a few hours of dull sunshine but some days it was the opposite, a hot sun with little reprieve found in the minimal hours of darkness that coats the city.
Today seemed like the latter.
You peered over the windowsill, the city as always was dead but you took that as a positive rather than a negative, you dropped back to the floor with a thud.
It was probably weird to watch Chishiya sleep but it wasn’t as though you had a variety of things to keep you entertained, you missed the small house and all of its perks. You forgot, even for a few days, what it was like to have absolutely nothing in a world where there was no permanency.
Your life in the real world - if it could be called that - had grown dull. There wasn’t much variety in the things you’d do, you were lonely and had grown accustomed to living alone but you missed how permanent things were. You had a home you could return to, you had a job, you had people you’d interact with, the sun rose and set at a normal time, you could go to stores and not worry about the shelves being empty.
Nothing here was permanent, not even the people, that’s what hurt you the most.
From the corner of your eye you saw an object stutter in the sky, you scrambled up, your heart racing in preparation to run.
Only to see something that, for once, provided you comfort.
“Chishiya wake up!” You slap his chest.
He jolts up, body rigid. “What?!”
“Look!” You point out the window at the mass ball of flames falling upon the city.
“Is that the blimp?” He squints. “It’s the king of spades. If I’ve worked it out correctly and I’m sure I have, that means after Kuina and Ans game finishes there’s just one game left.”
“What one?” You ask, a part of you relaxing at the blimp crashing into the ground.
“The queen of hearts.”
“We should go.” He stands, brushing his clothes off.
You quickly pack up, both taking a few sips of water and halving an oat bar before setting off.
The journey to the final blimp was thankfully a short one, the game stationed relatively close to the hardware store you'd hidden in the day prior. It made sense, you were practically in the heart of the city.
“Is that-“ You were shocked to see so many familiar faces. “Arisu? Usagi?” You called out.
They both turned to you at the same time, eyeing Chishiya cautiously before approaching you. “You’re alive?”
“Clearly.” Chishiya scoffs under his breath before turning to you. “I’ll be over here.”
You nod as he walks away. “How are you both?”
Arisu smiles although it’s strained. “As well as can be, are you going to play?”
“No.” You shook your head. “I have enough days on my visa.”
Usagi shrugs. “We played a few, I think we all just want this to be over.”
“You can say that again.” Arisu laughs. “Heart games are never good.”
“They aren’t.” You agree, the memories of your own horrifying experience with the card were always on your mind. “Have you seen anyone else?”
“Like who?”
“ An? Kuina?” You ask.
“Not for a while.” Usagi answers. “I saw them both after we split up at the train station they were doing okay.”
“We were staying together.” You explains. “Only for a few days but they both had to leave to join a game.”
“The Queen of Clubs?” Arisu questions.
You make a noise of affirmation. “How did you know?”
“I saw the blimp pass over, I also saw it crash.”
If the game was over and they weren’t here that could mean….
“Didn’t you say you were staying together?” Usagi seems to notice your train of thought and intervenes. “Did they know you were coming here?”
“No.” You purse your lips. “We were hiding out at a small house type hut but the king of spades turned up and quite literally blew it up.”
“I’m sure they are fine.” Usagi rubs your arm. “They probably went back there first.”
You truly hoped that was the case.
“Thanks.” You smile at her. “Is there anyone else here?”
The atmosphere around you turned into something solemn.“Tata…he passed away during a game.”
“How?” You weren’t close with him but he wasn’t a bad person.
Arisu looks at you with unbridled guilt. “He died helping us win.”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t regret that choice.” You reassure him, it was never easy when you were the reason for someone’s death even when you weren’t directly involved in it. “I’m glad you’re both okay.”
“Likewise.” He doesn’t make an attempt to smile, you can understand why. “I think the game is starting.”
You look back to find the gates surrounding the large building open, something they hadn’t been when you arrived. “I’m gonna go get Chishiya.”
He seems to have the same idea as he walks towards you. “Happy?”
“Just peachy.” You retort sarcastically. “Let’s go.”
“Without us?” You could scream as you turn back to see Kuina and An walking towards you, both worse for wear with various cuts and bruises littering their pale bodies.
“Fuck.” You curse as you run towards them, your arms wrapping around their waist as you help them stay upright. “Chishiya!”
He understands and wraps Ans arm around his shoulder. “You owe me, both of you owe me.”
“Stop complaining.” You hiss at him. “What happened to you two?”
“We won our game but it was hard.” Kuina says tiredly. “I need to sit.”
“Here.” You help them both slump down against the set of stairs beside the building. “You’ll be okay, you will. Chishiya do you have anything to help?”
He looks at the pair before grabbing your hand and pulling you aside. “I’ll be honest. I don’t think they are going to make it.”
“Don’t say that.” You felt the colour drain from your face. “You can help them.”
“There’s too much blood.” He shakes his head. “It will be pointless.”
“Chishiya please.” You bat away your tears. “I can’t lose them.”
He groans but pulls the bag off his back. “What one first?”
“Her.” An nudges Kuina. “She has it worse.”
“Take this.” Chishiya shoved a small bottle of cleaning alcohol into your hands. “Clean as much as you can. I’ll deal with Kuina.”
“What happened?” You glance at Arisu before tuning back to An.
“They were in a game.” Your voice wavers as you carefully dab at the large gash on Ans leg. “We need to finish this and get out of here, they need a hospital.”
“Usagi and I have decided to play.” He informs you. “I’ll do my best.”
You hear him turn away. “Arisu?”
He turns back to you. “Yeah?”
“I know you can win this.”
You watch as he and Usagi disappear inside the building, both of them limping as they go, clearly sustaining their own injuries.
“Hey?” An croaks.
You turn your attention back to her. “Yeah?”
“It’s okay.” It takes her far more effort than it should to brush the tears away from your cheeks. “It’s okay.”
I saw you opened your inbox🙏 I love your hatter hcs so I was wondering, could you make short relationship hcs for more of the characters? Like niragi or chishiya? Thx much
AHSHSHSH YESSS OFC
I present to you all
Alice in Borderland character relationship Headcanons
Part one
Warnings: possible Alice in Borderland spoilers ⚠️ mentions of death/blood (GN READER)
as sweet as he is, so are arisu's kisses. his lips are shy at first. he doesn't really know where to put his hands so most likely he'd wait for you to place them on your body. or not. maybe you didn't want that. oh, that was okay with him. and when you press your hands against his chest or cup one of his cheeks, he can't help but open his eyes during the kiss in surprise. but he's soft, and gentle, really careful with every move his lips make.
he never kissed anyone before yet when chishiya kissed you he seemed to know what he was doing. he doesn't need his hands to be on your body to show dominance. at first he might seem to be a little motionless, but he's just analyzing your pace, your intensity, how you like to focus on his lower lip, and how your hands want to touch him but did not dare to do it, so he'd be the one taking your hands and placing them on his chest. he matches your kisses so well. if he's feeling frisky he'd take one of his hands out of his pocket and caress your cheek with his thumb while kissing.
kuina knows how to give a good kiss. maybe a little shy using her body but she knows how to do it. her lips taste like cherry thanks to the gloss she uses, and they're always so soft and ready for yours. she loves having her hands on your neck, not choking you, just resting there. lip bites. oh yes. she'd do it to break the kiss and catch some air and in the middle of the kiss just to trap your lips with hers again the second after.
kyuma's kisses are slow but passionate, very sensual. he knows what he's doing, he knows where to put his hands, he knows where to touch you. his kisses are really wet and there's a lot of tongue in them, but he knows how to use it to not make it awkward. his hands would be on your cheeks, helping him to deepen the kiss if that's possible, his body really close to yours.
niragi is rough. a lot of tongue in his kisses as well. his hands all over your body but one of them always ends up squeezing your cheeks during the kiss as a gesture of dominance, or pinching your chin with his thumb and his index finger. he doesn't care if you can't keep up with his lips, because the kisses he gives you are for his personal pleasure.
she's such a cutie. usagi closes her eyes before you kiss her, just waiting for your lips, and she's nervous but the moment you kiss her it's all gone. slow kisses in which your breaths mix easily, and her hands look for a place to rest. it could be either on your chest, enjoying your heartbeat against them, or tugging at the root of your head. she'd apologize afterward if she had gotten carried away and was too rough.
