Season 3 finale SQ AU. At Midas' ball, the blonde in the red dress catches Regina's eye. And with no way home in sight, Emma decides that it can't hurt to see what the Queen has to offer. Meanwhile, Storybrooke is reeling from Emma's disappearance - especially Regina. There will be a little bit of Outlaw Queen, but it's all about the Swan Queen.
I’ve seen the paths that your eyes travel down (I wanna come too)
Title: I’ve seen the paths that your eyes wander down (I wanna come too)
Pairing: MC/Ren
Category: F/M
Tags: 5 times +1, fluff, cafes, mutual pining, shameless overuse of eye descriptors, Shun-shun is a jerk, but he’s a cute jerk, Tokiya is my tiny son and he must be protected,
Words:
Summary:
Unbidden, raucous laughter tumbles from her lips, head thrown back and shoulders shaking with mirth. Ren just stares. “Why are you laughing?” He asks finally. It’s a while before she’s able to speak, dabbing at her eyes with the back of her hand.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I’m just so happy for some reason.” His lashes closed, resting on the tops of his pale, defined cheeks as his expression softened. “Good. I like seeing you like this.”
Or five times Hanako smiles and the one time Ren smiles back.
A/N: The MC has been named Yamada Hanako, which is the Japanese equivalent of ‘Jane Doe.’
1.
The cafe is a modestly named Amai’s, a quiet little haven nestled into the third year’s building that housed many of the students of what had previously been a strict boys-only private school. Despite this there was rarely, if ever, more than a handful of students that would filter in throughout the day. Something that agreed with Hanako, who for all her good cheer was really rather timid. It was part of the reason why she’d taken the job in the first place, as the soothing atmosphere did wonders for her anxiety prone self.
That and the virtue of caffeine-driven students and their reputably large appetites.
On that particular morning however, she had been feeling a little off, something she attributed to her sleep the night before, or rather lack thereof. Not to mention the hours of intense baking and dough-kneading (overtime work she hadn’t been paid for.) So when she didn’t register the jangling of bells signaling a new customer, thus failing to greet him right away, she had a damn good reason.
A reason that whooshed out of her consciousness along with her breath when a muffled grunt bade her to turn to look straight into the greenest eyes she’d ever seen, framed by long and fluttering, dark lashes. How was it possible to have so many abnormally attractive people in one place? Surely it was a statistical anomaly of some form.
Remembering that breathing was a thing, and she had already let the silence and awkward staring stretch out for longer than was acceptable, she snapped out of whatever stupor she’d been in. Hanako put on her friendliest smile even as her hands trembled behind the counter, thankfully outside of the customer’s line of sight.
“Hello, and welcome to Amai’s Cafe! Is there anything I can do for you, uh…” “Ren. My name is Ren.” He intoned, answering the question she all but asked.
Not bothering to hide her amused grin, she watched him examine the contents of the display case with an unmistakeable gleam in his eye. Hanako smooths down the wrinkles in her apron, clears her throat, and inclines her head to get the boy to look at her again. “Well then, Ren-senpai, what can I get for you today?” She asks serenely, inordinately proud that her voice didn’t waver so much as a smidgen. She wonders if she imagines the minute quirk of the right corner of his mouth as he looks at her.
“A slice of chocolate cake and coffee with as many shots of espresso as possible would be perfect.” She merely raises a brow at his request, but doesn’t offer up any form of protest to such a large caffeine consumption, heading for the baked goods display anyway and grabbing the coveted dessert. “Do you want it to go?” “No, for here is fine.”
She sets the chocolatey goodness on a plate, sliding it over the counter, and accepts the 1,500 yen he hands her in exchange. “Alright, I’ll have the espresso ready for you in just a moment.” He tilts his head in acknowledgement, making himself comfortable on one of the couches, and closing his eyes. Turning to the espresso machine, she gets right to work, pulling a large cup to fill with one of their signature roasts. She asks, “Do you want room?”
For a moment she thinks he mustn’t have heard her because his eyes are still closed. “Hm? No, go right ahead and fill it up.” And his gravelly tone really shouldn’t have been enough to make her almost drop the thing mid-pour, but it is and it does, and she knows her cheeks are flaming when he opens an eye to peek at her.
Regaining her bearings with no small amount of embarrassment, she starts to hum under her breath, filling the cup to the brim, before slapping a cap on and walking around the island to give it to him. He takes the cup from her with a funny look on his face, eyes half-lidded. “Thank you,” he peers down at her name-tag, “Yamada-san.”
She merely grins, all sunbeams and warmth, turning away so abruptly she fails to see his jaw drop in awe or hear his sharp intake of breath, tracking her back as she walked away.
2.
7:03 AM
The dull thrum of the coffee shop has become as commonplace as the students who frequent it, or rather, one upperclassmen in particular.
The particularly haggard-looking one who is currently walking up to the counter to be exact, his dark hair tousled and clumped in a way that made Hanako have to catch herself in the midst of reaching to fix it on many an occasion. Practically everything about him was rumpled, and she had to chide herself not to stare to hard, because she was a professional and dammit, she was going to act like it too.
“Morning, Ren-senpai, what can I get for you today?” She inquires in her best, cheerful let-me-help-you tone, though she knows full well he wouldn’t notice if she spoke like a character out of The Ring so long as he was provided with his caffeinated fix. A fact proven when Ren looked up a her with bloodshot eyes, and circles heavy and dark against the pallor of his skin.
“Yamada. Coffee. Now. Big as possible, as fast as possible.” Is what he told her, slumping into the nearest arm-chair after hurriedly giving her the money, (along with an oversized tip.)
He jitters in place, hands trembling, and Hanako’s heart swells with sympathy. Putting his order under her tab, she resolves to sneak the money into his pocket somehow before he leaves. Taking his order in one hand, she set it down in the table in front of him and made herself at home in a neighboring arm-chair.
Noting he had already gone under, she went into the staff room and retrieved the blanket she’d left there after the heater broke the first time. Bringing it back with her, she draped it over his lap with care, only to scramble back behind the counter when Izumi-senpai came in. Not long after, a handful of others trickled in, leaving as quick as they came to do something or other before classes started.
When the clock struck 7:45, she got up. Brewing him a fresh cup of coffee, and bagging a muffin, she hurried over to where he was, setting it down before standing over him. Cautiously, she poked at his shoulder once, twice, until he started to twitch, blinking blearily up at her. “Time to get up sleepyhead,” she said, allowing some of the warmth she was feeling leak into her voice, knowing he wouldn’t catch it right then anyway.
Rubbing at his eyes, he got to his feet, and grabbed his things, along with the food and drink she’d left for him. He made sure to nod at her briefly, thanking her as he left, with the money in the front pocket of his bag. And when she went to go put on her apron the next morning, and found a note pinned to her hook, she couldn’t quite wipe the smile from her face the rest of the day.
Thanks for waking me up in time for class. This is such a great place to nap and the tea is really good.
- S
(She kept it in the drawer beside her bed, along with all the other things she was sentimentally attached to.)
3.
First semester passed by in a haze, and without her realizing it, Ren had become a regular staple in her life. And before long they’d built up a routine of sorts. He would come in, looking like the walking dead, and she’d greet him cheerily and describe the specials to him, even as she rang up his usual order, the same one he’d had the first day. He’d make a joke so horribly bad she would laugh in spite of herself, and respond with yet another one. He never did change his expression, but something about him seemed to soften.
Then he’d take his order and go over to what she’d taken to calling 'his couch,’ and burrow into it like a contented kitten. Sometimes though, on days like this one, he’d fall asleep to the soft hum of the coffee machines, and the muffled sound of acoustics straining through the Cafe’s speakers, and she’d have to wake him up so he wouldn’t miss his classes.
Though often she wondered why she bothered when he would probably just skip anyways. Yuu-kun had expressed to her once that it was a miracle he hadn’t maxed out his absences yet, and when she learned about just how often he had skipped class in the past, she was forced to agree.
On this particular day however, a chilly evening in early December, she had neglected to tune into the weather report like she usually did. So of course on the one day she hadn’t checked in, the door went and froze itself shut, covered in a thick lacework of ice, leaving them trapped. Cursing herself under her breath, she swept her eyes over the cafe, glad that Ren-senpai was the only other customer trapped in here with her. While it was true this was the last situation she would’ve wanted for today, at least she was with someone she knew.
But then, she doesn’t really know him personally.
Or, really, at all.
Only, that’s not necessarily the truth of the matter.
Hanako does know Ren-senpai, if only a little bit. She knows how he likes his coffee, and what classes he takes, knows he has a taste for sweet things and that he’s wicked smart and could easily ace all his classes if he only had the motivation, knows he’s prone to tapping his fingers on the nearest flat surface when he’s focused really intently on something.
Glancing at him every so often out of the corner of her eye, she picks up her phone and calls the campus security like her boss had instructed her to do, and told them about her situation. While the person on the phone, Tamaki, told her he’d get there as quickly as possible, he warned her it may take a while to get through the 5 o’ clock traffic. Thanking him for helping her even while off duty, she hangs up the phone with a sigh.
As she approaches the sleeping Ren she couldn’t help but feel envious of his content and serene expression.
Hanako had always been a sound and hideous sleeper.
She’d been prone to drooling, snoring, and fidgeting for as long as she could remember. So she found it offensive, and not to mention entirely unfair that he could be handsome even like this.
Not that she could be cross with him for long anyways.
As she stood in front of him, Hanako was tempted to let Ren be until Tamaki arrived, but she knew she’d regret it when he woke up sore and aching. The couch was hardly the most comfortable, and wasn’t very big besides; Ren’s feet were left hanging off the edge of it, and his neck was propped on an arm at such an awkward angle there was no way he wouldn’t be feeling it for a good while. There was no helping it, she had to wake him up.
Kneeling down so she was at face-level, she gave his shoulder a gentle shake. “Ren-senpai,” she breathed, and Ren jerked out of her hold with an indignant huffing noise, but she was nothing if not persistent. “Reeeen-senpai, c'mon,” she crooned, poking his cheek, stifling a snort when he lethargically swatted her finger away, still stubbornly refusing to open his eyes. “You’ve got to wake up, senpai,” she chided softly, and Ren stirred with a sleepy moan. His eyes slowly slid open, focusing on her almost immediately.
Realizing how close they were, a mere few inches apart, she hurriedly snapped back up, suddenly hot. Ren simply moaned again, moving gradually to his side. “Mmph…Yamada-chan…is it closing time already?”
The way his voice sounded, deep and hoarse, gave Hanako goosebumps. She wanted to hear her name said like that again, and as often as possible. He inhaled deeply through his nose, trying to wake himself up fully, face scrunching up in distaste. “Are you okay?” Hanako asked, concerned as she watched Ren wince when he sat up.
“Yeah, ’m fine. My shoulder’s just smarting a bit… Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked, taking note of her seeming inability to meet his eyes. He straightened up a bit more, leaning towards her.
“Well, we’re kind of shut in.” If it were in any other context she would have found the little confused head tilt he did adorable. “What?” She fidgeted in place. “The door is frozen shut, and I’m not seeing any way we’re going to get out until security comes.”
He regarded her for a long moment, as if deep in thought, before saying, “Okay. What would you like to do to pass the time then?” She froze for a time before daring to ask, “Wait, you’re not mad?” He shrugged, “No, I have no reason to be. Why?”
He gives her a pointed look. “Do you want me to be?” She shakes her head fervently.
Parting his lips, he gestures for her to sit across from him, and she complies.
“Alright senpai, tell me something about yourself.” Hanako doesn’t know where the words came from, but there they are, and he looks different, dare she say amused.
“I think you’re going to have to be a bit more specific than that.” She brings her knuckles up to her mouth to hide her grin. “Dreams, motives, hobbies. Likes, dislikes, blood type.”
He pulled a face, incredulous. “Blood type?” She continued to beam at him until he caved. “Alright, but you’ve gotta tell me something too. Does that agree with you?”
“Yep,” she chirruped.
He kept steady eye contact, and she had to keep reminding herself to take a breath ever so often. “Well, where to begin. I’m in my third year of high school.” Her brows rose to her hairline. “Wow, that’s incredible. Really, I’m stunned.”
He nudges her side playfully, “clearly.” He purses his lips.
“Let’s see, I like napping. And that’s about it.”
“Oh-ho! I knew you had some charisma hidden in there somewhere underneath that lone wolf I-couldn’t-be-bothered persona!” She exclaimed, eyes widening and the corners of her mouth turning up in a grin that is only slightly malicious. “Oi!” He growls half-heartedly, “I’ll have you know I am the definition of a social butterfly.”
Hanako sends him a meaningful look. “Fine, I lied,” he acquiesced, putting his hands up in a pacifying gesture. “But you’ll at least admit to my charm and roguish good looks?” She continues to stare at him. “Just the charm, then?” He asked, unusually persistent.
“Just the charm.” She echoed agreeably, tongue unconsciously wetting her lip.
“Wow,” Ren says, staring. He looked oddly pained.
Hanako shoots him a quizzical look.
“Sorry,” he says hastily, shaking his head, “actually I’m a bit more interested in what you have to say.” At her apparent bemusement, he added, “I just, I’m curious about a lot of things. There’s so much I don’t know about you.”
“Hanako,” she says. He narrows his eyes. “What?” “My first name, it’s Hanako. Yamada Hanako.”
“Hana-chan, then.” He says, decisively. There’s this pulse in her body, vibrating every pressure point as she lazily glances at him from under her lashes. “Well then, Hana-chan, what do you like to do in your spare time?”
Hanako thought for a moment. “I like gardening and reading, for the most part.” “Is that all?” He wondered aloud.
“You caught me,” she stated. “I’m a drug dealer on the down low.” Ren fixed her with an intense stare. “I knew it.” She nodded sagely, “indeed,” and simpered.
Ren peered behind her. “Oh, it’s snowing.” Hanako turned around and, sure enough, it was. Flurries were falling steadily from the gray sky, covering the ground in a blanket of pure white. Hanako had to admit, it was extraordinarily beautiful.
Though it would’ve been far easier to enjoy if it wasn’t the very thing that had them stuck in the first place. The thoughtless brush of his arm against hers had her wondering if they’d gotten closer to each other somehow. They huddled together inside and watched the snow fall deeper and deeper in the fading daylight, thick and heavy. Just as her eyelids are starting to get heavy, there’s a hand resting on the top of her head. Too out of it to think about anything other than, this feels nice, she nuzzles into his palm with a disconcerted mumble.
He doesn’t pull away immediately like Hanako had anticipated he would, instead smoothing down the stragglers that had fallen out of place. It takes her a moment to realize he’s petting her, and another to feel anything akin to curiosity or bewilderment. Still, there was something so intimate about the gesture that she’s rendered immobile, afraid to move for fear the touches would stop.
He had nice hands, she mused delightedly, having admired them before. They were thin and spidery, a pianist’s hands. She noticed he had a scar on his left palm, running up from the base of his palm to the junction of his thumb. Perhaps she’d ask him about it, after he was done massaging her. Yes, she thought as he combed through the soft peach fuzz at her nape, later was definitely good.
Later, Hanako would wonder if she imagined the light pressure on the top of her head, the texture somehow different from the hands that had caressed her so tenderly, carefully.
When the massaging eventually stopped, she decided to keep her eyes shut for a little longer, too blissed out to do much of anything for a spell. Still, she couldn’t resist pulling her lips up at the corners, into what was undoubtedly a dopey grin.
The next time she opened her eyes, it was to greet a ruffled Tamaki, who cracked open the door within a matter of minutes. And maybe it was a trick of the light, but she thinks Ren’s ears and neck are tinged with red as he bids her a quiet goodbye, disappearing in the streets before she could return the sentiment.
4.
What had started as a minor cough the night before, had by morning evolved into a full blown fever, nausea and all.
But Hanako rallied, stumbling into the cafe with a bag full of supplies including gloves and a surgical mask.
By the time 5’ o clock rolls around she’s about ready to throw in the towel and collapses on the freshly sweeped floor behind the counter. Her duties are done though, and all things considered she still feels pretty pleased with herself. It is only when she discovers that she can not, in fact, get to her feet that she starts to panic. If this was the universes way of paying her back for not taking the day off, it was working. Opening her mouth to call for help, she realizes she can’t speak.
Great, all that coughing had made her lose her voice, on top of everything.
Ten minutes go by and still no one has come into the shop. She’s just starting to resign herself to somehow dragging herself over to the phone, when the bell chimes. But as it turns out she still lacks the energy to move a muscle.
“Hello? Is anyone here?”
Her heart leaps into her throat as she recognizes Ren-senpai’s voice, part joy part dread. Because of course he’d be the one to find her like this, of all the people in the building. Hanako tries to say she’s right behind the counter, but as she opens her mouth she finds her words only come out in a wheeze. However, that seems to be enough, for not long after that there’s a pair of feet in front of her eyes, and Ren is tsking worriedly.
“Hana-chan, this is hardly the best place to take a nap.”
Angry that she can’t even muster the energy to tilt her head and glare at him, she tries to growl, but only manages to imitate a dying whale.
“Alright, alright.” Ren relents, hoisting her up by the backs of her knees and into his arms. Hanako internally screams, because she feels like the creature from the lost lagoon and probably looks like it too, and never would she ever have wanted him to see her in such a state. He on the other hand, is so criminally gorgeous she’d be tempted to punch him if she wasn’t so utterly helpless at the moment. To her dismay, she realized that she had landed herself in a pitiful damsel in distress situation, something she’d promised herself would never happen when she had first gotten into this school.
But admittedly, a far larger and unashamedly gleeful portion of her mind is memorizing every aspect of this moment to store away for future use. She’d been focusing so intently on Ren-senpai, that she almost doesn’t notice they’d entered the nurses office, vision already starting to blur as she’s lowered onto a cot.
A hand that she figures must belong to Ren brushes her hair out of her face, pressing a cold packet to her forehead. And she doesn’t even pretend not to melt a little bit inside when he doesn’t show so much as a smidgen of disgust at her sweat-soaked self.
“Your lack of self-preservation instincts are incredible. I didn’t even think it was possible to be this careless.” As if you can talk, buddy. “Why would you work yourself into such a state, isn’t it better to just take the day off when you’re feeling sick?” He’s stroking her forehead now, and she hears him sigh.
“I really don’t understand you, but I’d like to try. You know, Hanako, you’re really-” he stops suddenly, and she has to resist vocally expressing her disappointment when he didn’t continue. “Hanako, are you asleep?” His voice is hushed now.
“If so, I hope you sleep well. Recover quickly, okay?” He cups her cheek in his palm, “I want to see this face smile for me again soon.” Shallowing out her breathes, she carefully allows a smile to bloom on her face. “Good, just like that.”
He lingers on her skin for a long moment before moving away. “Get some rest, Hana-chan.” And it has never been in her nature to deny him.
5.
It’s the coldest day of the year, freezing Hanako to the bone with a chill she can’t quite shake off even as she opens up shop, goosebumps trailing up her bare arms. Finally, she gives up and grabs a couple of blankets from the back room, wrapping one around her torso, wearing the other around her shoulders like a cape. Shun-senpai cackles at her when he walks through the door, and she finds she’s too tired to so much as growl. He tells her she looks like a human-sized burrito.
And you know what? He’s absolutely right.
It didn’t stop her from throwing an empty coffee cup at his head, though. Because hey, it was 6am, she was entitled to it. Especially after he’d attached that God-awful John Cena pop-up to the cafe’s computer. He was still refusing to tell her how to fix it. So yeah, he definitely deserved it.
Even though she did feel kind of bad when he squealed upon impact in full view of the upperclassmen from the Drama Club. Though to be honest it was his own fault for never being able to talk to him without turning fire-truck red and running for the hills, leaving the poor, confused, Tokiya-senpai behind.
Still, she’d definitely find a way to make it up to him at some point in the foreseeable future, since she was nice like that.
Apparently that opportunity couldn’t come soon enough. Because one moment she was being called over by a distraught-looking Tokiya-senpai, and the next she was sitting down with him as he made her aware of his plight.
“Yamada-san, I have reason to believe Shun-kun dislikes me.”
What.
“What?”
To her shock, he was dead serious. He truly believed Shun-senpai didn’t like him. Him. The one the gamer swore hung the sun and the moon thought he wasn’t liked. Realizing he was awaiting an answer she quickly composed herself.
“What makes you think Shun-shun feels that way about you?”
Tokiya fidgeted uncomfortably in place, his characteristic confidence gone. “Well, uh. Normally people don’t actively avoid people if that wasn’t the case. And when I try to talk to him he acts like he doesn’t hear me, or he runs away.” His brows furrowed, “I just can’t figure out why, I don’t think I did anything that would constitute such behavior.”
Jesus Christ, Shun.
Hanako’s shriveled heart wept rivers for this sweet, bemused boy. She had no choice, she had to fix this fuck-up of Shun’s somehow. “Tokiya-senpai, I don’t know how to say this, but I’m going to try.”
He nodded rapidly, so obviously hanging on to her every word.
“Shun-senpai doesn’t dislike you. He just has a hard time talking to you, so he gets nervous and that’s why he avoids you.” Tokiya swallowed hard, looking down at the countertop.
“But that doesn’t make any sense.”
Honey, you have no idea.
“Yeah, Shun’s a bit… unconventional when it comes to expressing himself. It takes him a while to warm up to new people,” she says, allowing a bit of fondness to trickle into her voice as she remembered what he’d been like when they first met. He barely said two words to her beyond his order for weeks, barricading himself in a corner with his portable game consoles.
But when she recognized one of the games he was playing one rainy morning, it was like a switch had been flipped. She was blown away by how animated he became talking about all the different routes and quest options. It became clear to her then, it wasn’t that he was antisocial, he just had a very set list of things he liked to talk about.
“It might take a little time, but I think if you gradually engage him in conversation, bit by bit he’ll open up. He just needs to get used to you is all.”
And in that moment Hanako had an idea so amazingly brilliant she swore she heard angels singing from the heavens.
Jolting to her feet and barking a rapid, “Stay here,” at the bewildered Tokiya, she stalked over to the baked goods. Grabbing what she wanted, she went back to Tokiya and thrust the plate into his hands. “Take this to him. Ask him about this month’s special events for the game he’s playing, and good strategies for each of the bosses.” An adorable flush was starting to creep up his neck.
“Bu-but, I don’t play video games.” He allowed her to pull him out of his chair anyways. “Doesn’t matter. He does, and he would love to talk about it with you.” She shoved him over in Shun’s direction, hovering awkwardly in place a bit before resolutely squaring his shoulders and setting the bowl of sherbet ice cream down in front of him.
It took a second for Shun to look up, but when he did he immediately looked away and right into Hanako’s wicked sneer spread across her face. In that instant the gates of Hell opened up behind her, releasing a flaming gust that whipped her apron around her body. Demons came forth dancing around the flames, promising his demise if he messed up again. Hanako loved Shun dearly, he was the closest thing she had to an older brother in this world. But if he continued to make this precious angel suffer with his cowardly ways, she would def start putting estrogen shots in his tea.
But by the time Tokiya turned around to see what could have made the gamer so pale, all he saw was Hanako humming cheerfully as she wiped down the tables. When he turned back around to ask what was wrong, the demons were back, but this time Shun was more exasperated than anything. “No, I’m fine… It was just.” He sighed, dismissing it with a wave of his hand.
He nibbled on his lip thoughtfully, before gesturing to the ice cream. “Is that for me?” He asked, fiddling with the controls on his ps4. “Yeah, it’s for you. And also I,” he caught himself looking for Hanako, but she had disappeared. “I was wondering what the special events were for-for…”
Shun blinked.
It wasn’t until Tokiya gestured meaningfully at the screen that his eyes lit up with understanding. “Oh, for the game I’m playing!” The drama club president sighed, relieved. “Yeah, could you show me?” Shun beamed, looking ready to combust with excitement as he nodded, gesturing for him to sit down beside him.
Tokiya’s own grin threatened to split his face in two, turning around briefly to offer Hanako a thumbs up she enthusiastically returned. Ren-senpai appeared by her shoulder. “Well, you look awfully pleased with yourself, especially considering it’s so early in the morning.”
Hanako hummed out a hello. “Oh, so bitter is your soul, young padawan. Need I remind you, all that’s needed to remedy that is to go to bed at an earlier hour.” There’s no hiding her grin at his scoff. “Sleep is for those who haven’t spiraled into a life of chaos.”
“Oh?” She cooed innocently. “Is that why you’re napping every chance you get?”
“Oh no, I’m just always tired,” he replied blandly. "Why am I always tired? I’m too tired to explain it.” He said brusquely, cutting her off before she could so much as open her mouth to speak. She whistled lowly, “Smooth.”
“I don’t know why you insist on torturing me so.” He said dully, immediately snapping around to look at her when she started to shake, head bowed. Unbidden, raucous laughter tumbles from her lips, head thrown back and shoulders shaking with mirth. Ren just stares.
“Why are you laughing?” He asks finally. It’s a while before she’s able to speak, dabbing at her eyes with the back of her hand.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I’m just so happy for some reason.” His lashes closed, resting on the tops of his pale, defined cheeks as his expression softened. “Good. I like seeing you like this.”
The blush on her cheeks didn’t die down even long after he was gone.
+1
Ren was lying down on the couch again, curled up in a ball. Oddly, he was tossing and turning. Usually it only took seconds for him to fall asleep. Hanako approached him and asked, “What’s the matter, Ren-senpai?” Even after all this time, she was still too shy to call him anything else.
Straightening up into a sitting position, he made room for her to sit beside him. She did her best not to wriggle around, but it wasn’t easy when his unwavering gaze had her pinned. “I can’t sleep.” He said finally, looking away. “I can’t find a comfortable position and I need something to cushion my head.”
She started to get up to grab a pillow for him, when her movements were halted by him lying down once more, this time with his head in her lap. Hanako was ashamed to say she let out quite the undignified squeal, hands hovering awkwardly in front of her. Ren however, looked the embodiment of content, hand reaching up to fix the hair falling over his face. With no small amount of amazement, she realized his cheeks had pinked.
“There, that’s perfect.”
This time she was able to hold back any more embarrassing sounds when he shifted slightly, the moist warmth of his breath soaking through the fabric of her shirt. “You know,” he began, bringing her attention back to him. “I couldn’t stop wondering about why I keep coming back to this cafe. I walk here from my dorm everyday to get coffee.” Hanako found herself wondering as well.
“I usually find routines like that quite troublesome. I could’ve always just made instant coffee in my room, thus saving myself the effort.” She muffled a giggle behind her hand, only he would say something like that. “Then I slowly figured it out.” She peered down at him through her lashes, fearful of what he’d say next for reasons she didn’t understand.
Seeming to sense her fervent anticipation, his face pulled into an almost-smile. “I come here to see you.” He looked straight into her eyes, “I would do anything to see you everyday. As long as it’s for you any amount of work feels effortless.” She was trembling now, and she was having trouble remembering how to breath, but she somehow managed to brush her fingertips against his wrist.
They both jolted a bit at the contact, but she mustered up what little confidence she had built up, loosely clasping his hand in both of hers and bringing it to her lips. Shaking fiercely, she pressed a tentative kiss to his wrist, moving up to his palm. Her heartbeat sounded so loud in her ears, she had no doubt he could hear it as she caressed his skin, peppering each and every one of his fingers with soft pecks. Finally she brushed her mouth over the top of his hand, before resting her cheek against it, still too nervous to see what kind of expression he was wearing.
Still, she had to tell him. “Ren-senpai… R-Ren, I really like you.” She squeezed her eyes shut, mortified. After all, he hadn’t actually told her he liked her.
A hand on her cheek had her flinching in surprise, but she didn’t pull away. “Hana-chan…” His voice was hushed, and he cradled her face in his hands. “Hana,” he
cooed, clicking his tongue softly as her shaking worsened.
“Hey, hey, hey… Hanako. Yamada Hanako, please won’t you look at me?” When she at last opened her eyes, it was to his smiling face, “There we go. Now, isn’t that better?”
She fisted her hands in his hair, puffing out her cheeks indignantly. “That’s not fair, Ren. You don’t get to do that.” He twisted around, pulling her in and burying her face in his chest. “That’s my line, dammit.”
Moving her hands from where they’d been squished awkwardly between their bodies, she hugged him back, nuzzling into him. Hanako almost didn’t catch what he whispered into her ear, but she was glad she had.
Fandom: Fairy Tail Rating: G Category: F/M Pairing: Gajeel Redfox/Levy Mcgarden Summary: In which off-screen, everyone knows Levy and Gajeel are dating except for, well, Levy and Gajeel. Or maybe Levy's already in the know and she's just biding her time. Aka. The one where writer-chan, realizing her recent neglect of her hetero-ships, pays homage in the only way she knows how besides staring mournfully at raw scans of recent chapters- crying into her bowl of cereal. __________________________________ Not much changed when Levy and Gajeel started dating. Except, that wasn't entirely the truth. For one thing, they saw each other more, and for that matter not just at the guild. There were even times when Gajeel would let Levy drag him along to browse through one bookshop after another, though never without a small string of halfhearted complaints on his end. (Because “Seriously, Shrimp. You already have well over two dozen books on Latin history.” “Yes, but I don't have this one.”) And so they'd go on until Levy had more bags than Gajeel had piercings, much less arms to carry them all. When that happened, Levy would take Gajeel back to the dorms for a meal well deserved. (Levy manned the grill, and Gajeel made a mean apple tart.) Tonight happened to be one of those nights. By this point Gajeel must have read over the same sentence half a dozen times (Levy had insisted he at least try to read some of the paper work they were supposed to fill out, but his eyes just couldn't seem to focus on the words), and judging by the squirt's dazed expression she wasn't faring any better. Which was why he all but launched off of the couch when she jolted to her feet. Gajeel looked up when Levy didn't move. She stood there, head inclined to one side, considering him with her papers still clutched firmly in her grasp. “Shrimp?” He asked after a beat, trying to figure out if he'd done something or if she was just existing in a space of her own. “Do you know what Roman physicians recommended to treat fertility?” He didn't. “I have no idea, no,” he says carefully, gently. She hums, rocking back on the balls of her feet. He's starting to think she's going to fall when she catches herself. “Gladiator's blood,” she said, voice dreamy though her eyes were clearly focused on him. “Interesting?” He said, more a question then a declaration, her intentions lost on him. Her frown visibly deepened and she looked from the book to Gajeel quizzically. “Then, did you know that purple clothing was a symbol of wealth? It was a color associated with social status, and only emperors and senators could wear it. If anyone else did, it was considered treason.” He stared at her for a good deal longer, before exhaling loudly in defeat. Clearly her sleepless nights had finally caught up to her, and it's not as if they could've gotten anything done to begin with, least of all when she was this out of it. Even after all of these months and months spent in each other's company, there was still the feeling that the vast complexities that made up the Mage would swallow him whole before he learned so much as half of her secrets. He shifted his weight over, patting the empty space on the couch, motioning for her to sit beside him. The frown on her face remained, head tilted to one side, even as she moved forward, leaving the book open on the tabletop. However she did not make herself comfortable at his side like he'd expected, instead choosing to drop straight into his lap with a huff. As it was she had her face buried in the crook of his neck, and he went rigid in spite of himself as her breath warmed his skin, suddenly feeling hot all over. Still, he couldn't deny this was far better than what he had been expecting. With an abundance of nervous tension, he gradually, cautiously wrapped her up in his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder. The documents were to be left on the arm of the couch, (he refused to call it a love-seat) temporarily abandoned. He held her for what must have been several minutes, before she started to draw away from him, much to his dismay. “We really should get back to what we were doing,” she said, then snorting indelicately when he drew her back into his embrace, nuzzling into her hair. “What was it that we were doing anyway?” He hid a grin into the crook of her neck when she started to laugh. “Nothing important, I'm sure.” She mused, reaching up to cradle his head in her arms, only to find that even from this angle she still had to stretch up to so much as rest her hands on his shoulders. “All the more reason for it to wait, then.” She murmured her agreement into his chest, and he took the opportunity to pull her flush against him, enjoying the sensation of her in his arms. Yes, it could definitely wait. ~ Brownie （＾∇＾）
Type: Drabble Status: Completed Words: 100 Fandom: SPN Characters: Sam and Dean Winchester Sam found himself breathing, and was honestly very surprised by that fact. He didn't need to look at his clothes to know they were ripped beyond repair, and most likely soaked through with blood too. Falling back against the Impala's leather seats, he struggled to regain his regular heartbeat, Dean clearly not faring much better. Finally, “Well, that's the closest I've ever come to a heart attack. Let's not do that again.” Sam let out a laugh that he realized too late sounded more like a wheeze. His brother grinned at him regardless, in that wide, goofy way he had.
This a song fic I started to write a million years ago and just now finished, so sorry if it seems a little off base at the end. This is my first OHSHC fanfic. R&R!
Rating: K
Trigger Warnings: a kiss...
Ship: Haruhi X Tamaki
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the song.
Song: Keep Holding On: Avril Lavigne
~ Cinnamon
“What!?” Haruhi exclaimed as she held her phone to her ear. This could not be happening.
“I can’t make it tonight, Haruhi. My flight was canceled!” Tamaki said in his defence.
“Why does something always come up when you come see me? Business trips, emergency meetings, presentations, school board meetings! Tamaki, why?!” Haruhi cried as she collapsed on her bed. There were tears in her eyes as she looked up at the promise ring on her finger. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could take him being in America for school.
“I’m sorry, Haruhi,” She heard him say quietly over the phone. Haruhi instantly felt guilty.
“It’s okay Tamaki. Text me when your next flight is.” Haruhi hung up her cell, not even waiting for a reply. She texted Hunny-Senpai.
Haruhi: Hey
Hunny-Sempai: Hey Haru-Chan! What’s up?
Haruhi: Tamaki’s flight was canceled. He’s not coming. Again.
Hunny-Senpai: I’m sorry Haru-Chan. I have an idea that might cheer you up!
Haruhi: What?
Hunny-Sempai: Karaoke!
Haruhi: I’m not so sure about that, Hunny-Sempai…
Hunny-Senpai: Oh come on! It’ll be fun! I’ll get the others, you go to our regular karaoke bar. I’ll have Kyoya meet you there!
Haruhi: I don’t really feel like going out…
Hunny-Senpai: Please?
Haruhi: Fine… let me get ready. I’ll text you when I get there.
Hunny-Senpai: Yay!!
Haruhi glared at her phone. Why did she agree to that? She sighed, then got up to change into something more appropriate.
~at an airport~
Tamaki hung up his phone as he walked down the jetway and entered the terminal. When he entered, he immediately saw Hikaru, Kaoru, Mori, Kyoya and Hunny waiting for him. Hunny was texting someone on his phone eagerly.
“Hey guys! Is the plan ready?” Tamaki asked once he reached them.
“Kyoya needs to go meet Haruhi at the Karaoke bar, then we are all set! Come on Tamaki!” Hunny said with a bright smile. Tamaki looked at everyone for a moment. Then he smiled too.
“Let’s get this thing started!”
~at Karaoke bar~
Haruhi waited in the doorway of the building as she waited for Kyoya. She had texted Hunny-Senpai a when she had arrived. It was pouring rain as she waited. She shivered in the cold, and then saw Kyoya’s lean figure down the sidewalk.
“Kyoya!” Haruhi called, waving her hand in the air. He waved back.
“Hello Haruhi. You look cold. Shall we go inside and wait for the others to arrive?” He said when he was in front of her.
“Yeah. Let’s do that. I hope you guys are paying, because I’m broke.” Haruhi laughed as she opened the door and walked inside. A hostess greeted them.
“Hello. How may I help you?” She asked in a clear voice.
“We would like to reserve a karaoke room please. A big one.” Kyoya said. The hostess nodded and typed something into her computer.
“What is your name, Sir?” she asked.
“Ootori Kyoya.” He said. She typed the information into her computer then handed him a key.
“Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoy your visit!” The hostess said as we walked to the room. We filed in and waited for the others to show up. Soon enough, a set of very soaked twins stumbled through the door.
“Haruhi!!” The said in unison.
“Hello boys.” She said as she hugged them hello. Hunny-Senpai came in next, instantly followed by Mori.
Once everyone was seated, we decided to start singing.
“Haru-Chan should go first!” Hunny said suddenly. Haruhi looked surprised.
“Why don’t you go first Hunny-Senpai, I’m sure you sing better than I do.” protested Haruhi.
“Come on Haru-Chan! I always go first! It’s your turn.”
“How about someone else…”
“I don’t give up my first place spot to just anyone Haru-chan!” Hunny-Sempai protested. He then pulled out the puppy dog eyes. Haruhi rolled her eyes.
“Just once, Hunny-Senpai.” Haruhi sighed.
Hunny-Senpai and the twins cheered, while Kyoya smiled and Mori sat there silently. Haruhi pulled over the book that held the available songs and leafed through it. Haruhi took so long that the group decided to order some appetizers. Hunny-Senpai knew she was procrastinating like a boss and was getting tired of it. He kidnapped the book from her hands and flipped through the pages. He picked a page and randomly chose a song then showed it to Haruhi.
“Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne?” Haruhi asked, and eyebrow raised.
“The book decided! That is the song you shall sing!. No fancy fish until you sing it!” Announced Hunny-Sempai. Haruhi instantly started drooling at the thought of the fish. She snapped out of it and made her way up to the stage. She imputed the song and waited for it to begin. She started to sing.
~
You're not alone
Together we stand
I'll be by your side
You know I'll take your hand
When it gets cold
And it feels like the end
There's no place to go
You know I won't give in
No, I won't give in
~
Outside the door, Tamaki listened to Haruhi’s singing, looking through the door to wait for Hunny-Senpai's cue to enter.
~
Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you
I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through
~
Hunny-Senpai could see Hauri was getting into the music, so he discreetly signaled Tamaki to come in the door quietly.
~
So far away
I wish you were here
Before it's too late
This could all disappear
Before the doors close
And it comes to an end
With you by my side, I will fight and defend
I'll fight and defend
Yeah, yeah
Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you
I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through
~
At this, Tamaki slipped through the door and sat in the corner of the room, watching Haruhi sing the song. Haruhi didn’t notice his presence in the room as she continued to sing.
Hear me when I say, when I say I believe
Nothing's gonna change
Nothing's gonna change destiny
Whatever's meant to be will work out perfectly
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
La da da da
La da da da
La da da da da da da da da
Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you
I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through
~
Tamaki could hear the song wrapping up, so he slinked around, successfully staying out of sight as he went and sat in front of the stage with his back to So she couldn’t see him. He smirked. Best. Idea. Ever.
~
Keep holding on
Keep holding on
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through
We'll make it through
~
Haruhi sang the last note and panted a bit. Boy that did a number on her lungs. She heard clapping and cheers from her friends and she looked up to smile at them, but her plan was botched by Tamaki entering her vision. She screeched, thankfully not into the microphone and fell backwards.
“I’m hallucinating! Hormones suck!” She cried to the ceiling. Her view was interrupted when Tamaki entered her vision again.
“You are not hallucinating, Haruhi.” He giggled. “Surprise?”
Haruhi looked up at her boyfriend in shock. She then poked his face.
“You really are here…” She breathed. Haruhi then gave him a sideways glance, and then smacked him in the face.
“Not cool.” She glared. Tamaki laughed nervously, but before he could back away, haruhi tackled him into a hug.
“I missed you.” She said. Tamaki laughed and held Haruhi close. I missed you too.”
There moment was interrupted by Hunny-Senpai and the twins making gushy faces faces and screaming the occasional “kiss!” at them. Haruhi laughed as Tamaki helped her up and off the stage. Just as they reached their friends, Tamaki spun haruhi around and planted kiss on her lips, to which she happily returned. There was collective sound of “ewww!” and “awwww!” from the group beside them. They sat down and continued the night with Tamaki by Haruhi’s side, just as it should be.
➸ Pick-up Lines and Mistletoe by dauntlessblackhawk (ff.net)
Warnings: none Characters: Clint, Natasha, Barney Barton
Genres: humour, romance | Smut: no
Word count: 1335 | Status: complete
My comment: Short and sweet Clintasha AU one-shot just in time for Christmas!
When Clint Barton was a kid, he never really celebrated Christmas. Every other house in his neighbourhood would be beautifully decorated with red and green lights, with grand Christmas trees that sat in corners of living rooms, and stockings that hung neatly above warm fireplaces. But his house was always dark and gloomy. Clint lost his mother when he was five and his brother, Barney, six. Their father was the one who had driven her to the edge of insanity, which was what made her end her own life, leaving two sons (who were too young, really) to fend for themselves. Their father drank, a lot. He gambled, often. Every time he lost money from gambling (which happened really frequently), he'd get himself drunk and start hurling heavy objects towards the brothers.
That was an everyday occurrence until the day Barney turned fifteen. Barney had been unwrapping his only birthday present (something Clint got him that's really not worth mentioning) when they heard two clear raps on their front door.
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The first time that Clint had pinned Natasha had been nothing more than an accident brought on by some turbulence. They were in the back of a quinjet after evac when the craft hit an air pocket. Clint had been going through a bag of gear across from where Natasha stood, and then he was suddenly on top of her, pressing her against the metal hull. Surprised, Natasha had stared at him and found he looked just as shocked as she felt. The discomfort of the hard wall behind her was muted by the residual pain the rest of her body was in from the fight on the ground, but she discovered that Clint’s solid body quickly made her forget all about it.
Apologizing, Clint made sure she wasn’t injured before he moved away to finish what he had been doing. She stood there a moment, wondering what that odd feeling had been, and then secured herself into one of the seats. The thoughts remained with her for the rest of the flight home.
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➸ Icarus (In My Veins) by shadows of a dream (ff.net)
Warnings: none
Characters: Clint, Natasha
Genres: angst | Smut: no
Word count: 1781 | Status: complete
My comment: A story of Clint's past and how the Black Widow who never loved him back, was his light at the end of his tunnel of sorrows and despairs.
The twin graves are cleanly craved of sheer white stone, their edges smooth beneath Clint Barton's shaking hands. Eyes leaking, he lays a bundle of mismatched flowers between the headstones. He swallows a sob as he traces the engravings of their names (in his heart, they will always only be Mother and Father).
When he tips his head back to the sky and looses a shriek - such an awful, barbaric sound - the sky is idyllic, blue and cloudless. The sun turns the edges of his vision red, red, red, and as more tears come (from the heat or his sorrow, and don't they both burn just the same?), he vows he'll catch the light someday, and maybe it doesn't make sense, but he's only an (orphaned) child, after all.
Clint screams until his throat is raw. As he turns away from the graves, he repeats his promise to himself (to rise and rise until he catches the light that laughs at his plight, that shines above such pitiable mortality,) a silent swear.
It is the quiet things that kill.
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