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And Then I Met You 𓂃𓈒 ꨄ︎

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Series Tags • strangers to lovers • slowburn • neighbors au • hurt/comfort • fluff & smut • Chapter Tags tooth rotting fluff, tension, pining idiots, alcohol consumption Word Count: 6.2k a/n: Awwww yeah, we get relationship building. Listen, you ever make yourself giggle when you write? yeah hueheuheue. We're also gonna amp it up next chapter until it... well. You'll find out. Enjoy!

Inumaki holds the door open, a slight bow in his stance as you enter with a soft click of the door shutting behind. With the rest of the party now departed late into the night, the atmosphere shifts as you stand alone with him in his own apartment. Despite the hours shared over the evening it feels different, there’s no longer the buffer of his friends to ease the tension in the room or provide comfort in translation or transition any awkward silence. Still, despite the empty room it feels homely, Inumaki rests a gentle hand on your shoulder in thanks as you scan the room and begin a plan to clean up most effectively.

“Where are your trash bags?”

He responds by stepping in front of you with a small wave to lead you into the kitchen. Considering you had spent the entire night within the confines of his living room, it felt as though each step down the hall was a descent to peer even deeper into his life, looking around and scanning the hall and rooms was like peeling away another layer of paint in an old house, revealing past memories and personality from each year. Upon entering the kitchen, he points to the cabinet under the sink, but what grabs your attention is several jasmine plants lining the windowsill above the sink, its long long leaves fully lush and spilling over the plots with brilliant white blossoms glowing against their verdant counterparts..

There’s a soft poke against your cheek that grabs your attention.

“Mustard leaf?” Inumaki asks as his hand retreats slightly back, bent at the wrist with his finger remaining at a slight point.

The pieces fall into place. That night– the first night you moved in. A slow grin spreads across your features as if you just solved a years long cold case.

“It was you.” Is all you say, the weight of your words carrying all the evidence you’ve only pieced together in your mind. Inumaki's brows dropped into an unimpressed expression.

“Okaka.”

“You so vehemently deny it, but I didn’t even tell you what I was accusing you of!” The ‘gotcha’ moment is interrupted with a sharp pinch to your cheek brought on by Inumaki who rolls the skin in between his thumb and index finger, stretching it and wiggling with a playful scold as you desperately try to wriggle out of his iron grasp.

He’s unwavering, the shake of his shoulders gives away his amusement as he steps around to guide you in a circle. It takes a half beat to get your bearings back but if he was going to fight dirty, so were you. With nimble fingertips, you land a precision strike underneath his arms and dig, scrunching your fingertips back and forth with fervor. You can hear him mutter something sharp under his breath as he brings his arms down and jolts in a panic, bringing your cheek with him with the movement, but you don’t relent. No, you continue your onslaught as he wriggles and writhes trying to keep his strength. His step falters, falling against the countertop when he finally acquiesces and releases your cheek in order to grab your hands to pin them at his sides.

From this angle, you can feel the rise and fall of his chest as he catches his breath. You can nearly count each eyelash and see how they brush the apples of his cheeks and smell the faint lingering of his body wash. He’s warm and firm while you can feel every ridge of his torso pressed against the soft flesh of your stomach, and the way his fingers interlace with your own spark a flurry of burning embers in your gut– ‘Can he feel how fast my heart is beating?’ Is the only thought that buzzes in your mind. Inumaki looks down at you, his violet irises shine in the lowlight and beckon you closer. What was this feeling? It wrapped around you and tugged ever so slightly, as if it were a gentle coax toward the edge of a cliff.

Inumaki tries to steady his breaths– can she feel how fast my heart is beating? He feels suffocated, not just by his scarf but with how goddamn close you are, he sees the way your lips pout, the innocent quirk of your brow, how soft you feel and the way your hair frames your face like you were a centuries long painting hung in a museum. He knows he shouldn’t let himself feel this way, but it would be a lie to himself if he said he wasn’t a little selfish. Just a few more moments of contact, a few precious seconds of remembering how you feel against him before he helps you back onto your feet at a safe distance away.

He observes how you blink a few times before reorienting yourself. An inkling of guilt seeps into his chest. Or maybe... Maybe it’s regret. He notes the cold that fills the empty space where you once were but elects to brush it off.

“You left me those chopsticks and flowers when I moved in. I was confused at first but it was a godsend. I was having the worst day–well, the worst couple of weeks. Thank you, Inumaki.” Emotion threatens to spill over your eyes, but it’s kept in check by willpower alone. Maybe it’s the alcohol, maybe it's the hours you’ve spent getting to know him a bit more intimately, but you don't fight the urge to hug him.

Inumaki’s eyes widen at the sudden initiative to make contact, after a brief pause he melts into your touch, dragging his hands slowly from the small of your back up to the expanse of your shoulder blades before securing you tight and breathing in deeply. His head comes down to rest on top of yours, he cherishes the way you feel against him in those moments before you part again to continue your earlier assigned task, he watches you kneel to grab the trash bags and give him a sweet smile before disappearing into the living room.

Quick work is made of the stray cans lining the table, along with miscellaneous wrappers and plastic trash. Soon Inumaki appears with a few rags and a spray bottle to wipe the table and handle the little debris. There’s little jests and pokes exchanged between you two as he fluffs and readjusts the couch cushions while you idly dust various surfaces and not too long after the living room sparkles as if the past events never happened. There's a smile that burns your cheeks as you walk into the kitchen to dispose of the leftover trash, and you giggle when you realize how comfortable you feel in Inumaki’s space, especially when you mindlessly wipe down the counters of his kitchen and pick up a few stray items to put back in the fridge. Just as you open it, you spot two leftover beers sitting on the cooled shelf, the plastic ring that packaged them together has four empty holes where the last drinks were taken.

“Hey, Inumaki–” You beckon, turning your head and startling when you discover he’s merely a few paces behind you– quiet footsteps, that one.

“Oh, there's two drinks left. That’s a sign!” You free the remaining cans from their plastic rings before popping the tab and hearing the hiss of carbonation before handing him one.

His eyes look at you fondly, a low unspoken mirth shining in his eyes. He grabs the can and quickly fishes his phone out of his pocket with his free hand, quickly typing a message with a single thumb with ease. Your phone vibrates shortly after.

fish 4 brains 10:39 pm

Is this another ploy to see my face? :P ur not slick

You gawk at the text, using the open can to hide the heat flushing your face at his blatant accusation. Sure, there was that little stunt he pulled earlier, but it was easy to brush that off with some comfortable denial as it could have been a coincidence before now.

“Okay– first of all–”

“Sujiko~” Inumaki leans on the counter and rests his head on relaxed knuckles, his attention fully tuned in. You falter for a moment.

“I–” You pinch at the bridge of your nose and laugh as you attempt to defend yourself, but he has you backed into a corner. “Okay fine!” You toss your hands in defeat. “But can you blame me?”

“Okaka.” He pats your head like a stray cat.

A fond smile graces your cheeks. It truly is a wonder why he does what he does, and the evening certainly led to more questions than answers, but his friends seemed perfectly content with his situation, but it’s hard to not wonder the actual reason. Was it scars? Was he injured? Or maybe he had some sort of disability. You make a mental note to do a few google searches later, but quickly toss the idea aside as it feels like a violation of privacy. He’s shown you plenty of grace from the moment you met, and the least you could do was extend the same to him.

“Cheers!” You hold your drink out, Inumaki’s gaze flickers over you for a moment, a quiet suspicion growing quietly in his eyes before you turn around and drink slowly, letting the long gulps of alcohol coat your throat.

Inumaki freezes, a subtle breath caught within his throat. He recognizes the olive branch, but it’s the way you so easily accommodate him without a second thought that makes the hair on the back of his neck stand at attention. He was fully prepared to redirect your attention away from him, as he always did his entire life. It was a sport he came to play with ease over the years, to carve out chunks of himself and package them in a more accommodating package for the sake of others and for the sake of human connection. But he realized in that moment that it was never a chore with you, in fact it seemed to come naturally. It gave him an excuse to connect even if it was at his expense, and if he admitted it, he wanted any excuse to touch or talk to you more. But now he was standing in that room with someone that not only took it in stride, but turned around and sewed the missing pieces back into their rightful place with a smile on their face.

After a moment of clarity he mirrors you and turns to drink with you. The silence is loud, he wonders if he should turn back around, but then he feels the warmth of your back pressed against his. His shoulders tense, looking off to the side to see that you’re leaning comfortably against him with your eyes directed at the wall in front of you, with your drink held with a relaxed stance. He watches you take another sip before finally speaking.

“I had fun tonight.”

He relaxed into your touch, tugging down the thick layers of his scarf and taking a breath of fresh air before drinking.

“Salmon?”

“Yeah.” You giggle at the reminder of how you learned his first word.. “You’re friends are fun too.”

He pulls his phone out and types a quick message, and you pull your phone out at the sensation of the vibration that alerts you.

fish 4 brains 10:44 pm

they’re your friends now too:) I’m glad you had fun

“Am I officially inaugurated into the cool kids club? I’m honored.”

You can hear him chuckle, it’s quiet but has that same air of gravel and softness as his speaking voice, but carries a soft breeze that tickles your eardrums. It carries into your head and floats down your spine and all you can think is how you want to hear it more. So you talk, you talk and talk and respond to his little words of affirmation or negation, occasionally checking your phone for more complex thoughts that he provides. You’re still back to back, now slouching against one another sitting on the kitchen floor as you exchange easy conversation, supplying little head pats or reaching behind to poke the other side jokingly. Once the cans are empty and stray burps are exchanged with giggles you finally check the time. It's nearly midnight.

A heavy sigh exits your lungs, only slightly cringing when you realize it comes out louder than you intended, but fuck, you really didn’t want the time to end.

“Mustard leaf?” You can hear the faint shuffle of fabric as inumaki turns his attention back toward you while adjusting his scarf. That's a new one, you think, but it feels familiar, and the cadence of his voice and body language you can feel shift against you tells that he may be asking if everything is alright.

“Yeah, it’s just late. I gotta work tomorrow. But I’m having fun. I should call in tomorrow.”

Inumaki turns around, clasping your shoulders to face him.

“Ikura!” He leaves one hand clasped on your shoulder while the other wags a finger at you.

“That’s a new one.” You giggle, brushing off his chiding, “Are you scolding me?”

“Salmon!”

“Okaka!” You point a finger right back at him, the alcohol currently coursing through your veins fires a new wave of confidence in yourself, using his own vocabulary against him. Satisfaction blooms into your chest when you see him falter and look at you with a shocked expression.

“Yeah mother fucker, I speak Inumkai!” You exclaim proudly with a puff in your chest.

“Tsuna? Tusuna mayo? Mentaiko!!” A small fire burns in his expression as he matches your energy.

“Uhhh…” Well, that was all new. There's some body language and tone you can decipher but it remains muddled, and it’s not like there's a duolingo of Inumaki you could study, but nonetheless you take it in stride.

“Yeah!! …That!!”

You’re taken slightly off guard when Inumaki keels over and laughs– really laughs, from the belly. It flutters prideful butterflies that erupt from your throat in pace with him, only jumping back a pace when he once again pinches your cheek. Your hand clasps over his own when you weakly try to pry him off of you.

“Stop, you’re being mean and I’m tired! I’m about to pass out actually. What then?!” You challenge.

He looks at you with a small tilt to his head before he once again pulls out his phone to send a quick message.

fish 4 brains 11:52 pm

I’d just carry you back to your bed and tuck you in. Easy work.

“Easy work?” You parrot in disbelief. “You’re not much bigger than me, I doubt it.”

The challenge is easily accepted as he looks you up and down, almost as if he’s bargaining with himself while also sizing you up before he puts his phone into his pocket and lunges at you. In an instant, your body is freed from the ground, you can feel a firm shoulder pressed into your belly while Inumaki lifts you up with ease, he holds your arm in one hand while your torso rests across his shoulders in a fireman’s carry. He makes a show of spinning you around a few paces while you laugh and smack his chest before he nearly drops you. You shriek at the sudden gravity but firm hands come around the small of your back and thighs as he adjusts you into a bridal carry.

It’s difficult to ignore the distance, with your noses nearly brushing. But the silence is soon cut short when he nods toward the door and shifts your weight to grip the door knob and carry you across the hall. The cadence of his steps lull you into sleep, only fighting the feeling when he taps you on the shoulder to fish the keys out from your pocket to unlock the door. He kicks the door closed before carrying you into your room, grabbing your hand which was once strung across your neck and interlacing his fingers before dropping you gently onto the mattress and tucking you in.

“Goodnight Inumaki.” You whisper fondly, Inumaki ruffles your hair and lets his hand fall against your cheek before turning heel and softly clicking the door shut with his own version of a parting. Once you hear the soft echo of the front door lock rotating into the locked position before shutting, you fish your phone out to plug into the bedside charger. Hesitant fingers hover over the screen, wondering if you should send him one last text in fear of seeming overbearing or clingy, but you push that thought aside before sending one last message.

11:57pm

Goodnight:)

Almost instantaneously you see a bubble pop up on the screen, indicating Inumaki has read and was replying

Fish 4 brains 11:57pm

Good night:) I’ll make sure you’re awake tomorrow

You roll over when you read his message, gripping the blanket and pulling it over the lower half of your face to hide the giddiness that bubbles up your throat despite being alone in your room under no scrutiny. But oddly, you felt vulnerable and did it anyway and in that moment you wonder if that raw vulnerability was the reason why Inumaki covered his face for the same reason. A saddened frown tugs at the corner of your mouth as you think about the possible reasons that could of led Inumkai to the man he is today, despite him having a kind heart and jovial disposition past his indifferent facade, but you soon shake the thought from your head, not wanting to mentally pry into his possible past.

Instead you opt to send a quick thanks before finally resigning your phone to its rightful nightly pace on your nightstand before turning over and wriggling under the warm sheets, replaying the night you spent with him in your head– and maybe just maybe replaying a few of your favorite hits over and over again before letting the heavy comfort of sleep beckon you into blissful dreams.

—--- ♡ —---

The sharp ring of your alarm cuts your walk in dreamland short, jolting out of bed to quickly silence the offending sound while looking at the time. You had some to spare, your eyes heavy and head begging to split itself open. What would just a few more minutes be? Sleep beckons you back underneath the warmth of the sheets to drown into drowsiness. It's only when the vibration of your phone buzzing into the mattress do you shoot out of bed, suddenly hyper aware of how long you may have fallen back asleep.

fish 4 brains - 1 min ago

You dont sound like ur awake yet

He was a man true to his word, and he seemed to have a small grip on your morning routine which elated you, you type a quick reply while rushing out of bed and ignoring the split in your skull before you really ruminate on his words.

I am now! Thanks!

Wait, what do you mean it doesn’t sound like it?

Your finger hovers over the send button before you decide to tack on a quick to the end lol so it didn’t sound so short. As you flip the shower handle on hot and quickly strip yourself of your pajamas you check your phone once more.

fish 4 brains - 1 min ago

The walls are thin and you like loud music:p

It’s not bad though

Your finger pauses over the speaker power button, embarrassment overtaking the curves of your face. Shit, you hadn’t really thought about that, it’s not like you cranked the volume, but you hadn’t taken into account the thinness of the walls and now you're wondering just how many enemies you’ve made inadvertently. You decide to shelve that thought for later, opting out of music since you were behind schedule anyway and cut your shower time in half, moving after to dry your hair and get dressed. It may be a good idea to get something into your stomach, but exhaustion lingers behind your eyes, and paired with a low pulsing headache you decide to skip breakfast and just make it out the door.

“Oh!”

You jolt when you open the door, being greeted by the sight of Inumaki. He’s wearing baggy black cargo pants with a fitted white tee, layered with a large zip up jacket that hangs off his shoulders. A scarf is foregoed and instead the original black face mask you saw when you first met adorns his face, looping over his ears and obscuring him from the nose down to chin, but you can see the outline of his lips and nose poke through the fabric. It’s hard not to scrutinize every clue of his face in order to piece together what he looks like.

“Mustard leaf.” Inumaki greets you with a small wave as he leans against his door, was he waiting for you again?

“Mustard leaf!” You yelp while mirroring his greeting motion, silently cursing yourself. “I mean, good morning! Sorry, I'm a bit tired.”

Nervous laughter escapes you at the mishap, which is soon soothed by a comforting ruffle of your hair by Inumaki. He holds out a water bottle and a few pills you recognize as headache medication– he came prepared. Relief washes over you, a hidden savior hidden in the form of hydration and little compressed terracotta-colored pills.

A wide smile overtakes your cheeks, it’s useless to try to bite it back.

“You’re so good to me.” You take his offerings and toss your head back as you swallow.

A gentle pinch to your cheek is given by Inumaki as he looks at you with warm half lidded eyes.

“Salmon.”

Your fingers itch to touch his, giving into the feeling and letting your hand rest against his own against your cheek. It’s comforting, like a heavy blanket laid across your chest on a crisp winter day, it’s heat ghosting over your cheeks as you lean into his touch, soon giving the back of his hand a friendly jostle to disguise your longing as platonic.

“Thank you. I can now get through work because of you.” You offer a parting goodbye wave as you begin to step away from him when all of a sudden he begins to match your rhythm.

Your heart rhythm begins to quicken in pace as his footsteps begin to match pace with your own down the hall. Is he walking you to work? Surely not, it's the weekend and if you remember correctly he worked a regular teaching job and should be off work on a saturday. Perhaps he was going the same way. All the possible scenarios simmer in your mind, curiosity thrums in your spine trying to justify his presence because surely he wasn't there just for you. How could he be? You were just some ex-corporate jockey freshly laid off and trying to rebuild your career and find your place in the world, someone of little importance.

It’s all too much, the what ifs and various scenarios, anxiety begins to beg an answer.

“Are you going the same way? You don't work today right?”

Inumaki briefly glances at you, his lavender eyes scanning over your face before focusing back on the scenery in front of you.

“Tsuna mayo, tuna tuna.”

Right. The intonation was there, so was the context. But it wasn't nearly enough to decipher a complete sentence. But it’s like he anticipated that, because he’s pulling out his phone and typing a quick message.

fish 4 brains - 1 min ago

It is my day off, i dont have anywhere to be

Another buzz vibrates your hand as you read his next message

i figured i’d walk you to work, after all im the reason why ur late to begin with

Another message graces your screen before you can reply, as if he can sense your hesitation.

Plus, I want to:)

He wanted to. He wanted to spend time with you, there was no denying that fact as he so bluntly proclaimed. There was no room for justification or minimizing your presence next to him; still, caution whispered in your ear when you were ready to accept the fact that he wanted to be around you as much as you wanted to be around him. So with a warm smile you fall in stride with him, down the hallway and around the stairs until the fresh morning breeze dances around your hair.

Inumaki is relieved when you accept his self-invitation. Doubt had begun to dig into his mind when he awoke that morning and checked his phone first thing, it was early, and his finger hovered over the keyboard wondering if he was being too much at once. Sure, the alcohol had made him confident by the end of the night, and you had seemed to warm up to him as much as he had you, but that could also be chalked up to liquid courage, and now that it had faded over the night he worried you would have a change of heart. He had argued with his friends on the way home from that fateful coffee shop meeting, but only half-heartedly since he longed to see you in more than passing flashes past the hallway. Shit, he didn’t even have the courage to come collect you himself, ultimately leaving Maki and Yuuji to do the work.

But it had worked out in his favor, the simmering anxiety that had signed his nerve endings when you first walked past the doorway and settled in was soothed by the safe buffer his friends had provided. A safety net really, and now that they were gone and he was an unchaperoned 28 year old man without a translator the growing silence made him more uneasy with each passing step. He knew what he was getting himself into when he readied the care package of hydration and pain management, but still, his feet carried him with a mind of their own, selfishly wanting to test the waters now that you were more acquainted and aware of his… quirks.

That doesn’t solve the problem presented to him at this moment, though. Walking down the sidewalk wasn’t much different than the once or twice-off times you had gone the same way but yet it felt different. New, a step closer than passing neighbors, a budding relationship with an undefined form that beckoned a higher expectation than mere comfortable silence.

“Do you have any plans today?”

Inumaki looks at you, you’re wearing a curious and relaxed smile, not a hint of awkwardness or pity in sight that he was used to back in school during the sister school exchange programs. He looks around at the sky a moment in thought before humming.

“Salmon, tsuna mayo.” He gestures his thumbs as if he's holding a controller, then changing pace to mimic a running motion right after.

“Games? That sounds fun, I never had time with my previous job. Now that I've been demoted to a lowly barista, and you all graciously helped me unpack my entire house… maybe I'll teach myself to play a few.” Your tone is playful with the self depreciation, but Inumaki doesn’t take kindly to it.

“Okaka.” He chops a hand on top of your scalp with a scold before he pulls out his phone.

fish 4 brains - 7:16 am

All service jobs are important

Everyone needs coffee… especially the desk jockeys. Or did you forget about that looking so high up from your throne lol

“That’s!” You flounder for a moment. “That’s not what I meant.”

You can hear a quiet but amused chuckle that was muffled by his mask that you’re almost willing to be annoyed about, if it didn’t sound so goddamn entrapturing. God, with how little you hear his voice you feel like a Victorian man seeing an ankle for the first time.

“Anyway–” You feign annoyance as the coffee shop sits in front of you. “Care for a coffee? It’s on me, it’s the least I can do.”

Inumaki stares at you a moment, a hard to read expression, ever the stoic half covered man.

“Let me send you on your way with a little treat.” You open the door and hold it open for him. “You deserve it.”

And so you did, sending him off with his usual drink you embarrassingly remembered from the morning before with a friendly goodbye. You still remember your coworkers teasing you later on that day for being spaced out and checking your phone more often than usual before quickly denying any change in routine while turning around to hide the burn gracing the tips of your ears. In fact, you had sent him a quick picture of a latte art you did later in the afternoon that you were fairly proud of, having practiced the simple skill over the time you had worked, perking up minutes later when you feel your phone vibrate in your apron when he replied back with a amused ‘oooooooh shit leonardo davinci who??’

Over the next weeks the texts become more frequent, and your routine of walking to work is almost always paired with Inumaki in tow right behind you. What began with shy peeks through the peephole to time a sudden coincidence became deliberate texts morning and night, with sparse ones in between the high hours of afternoon when both of your schedules were the busiest. It was second nature to know each other's routines with the close proximity and budding friendship, texting a quick ‘nice run, you look like shit’ to Inumaki when you looked through the peephole on schedule and saw him arrive at his door in a huff laced in sweat, to which he would toss back a quit witted ‘How was Mr. Yagami today?’ That one cut deep, the bane of your existence, the old man that came in the same day of the week and always complained of his drink being made wrong. You’d get him back later for that.

Except you didn't, instead taking more of his teasing in jest, even going so far as to give him the same cheek pinch he always gave you paired with a few lasting touch filled swats to his chest and shoulders. He had become a constant in your life, a confidant on bad days and eager ear on your good days. Busy schedules didn’t mean a lack of communication, instead little texts were exchanged daily, half of the time not even carrying a true conversation but instead would include random pictures of scenery, packed lunches, and other random encounters throughout the day. Sometimes he would tell you about his students, and you would tell him about the crazier interactions in customer service. The morning walks continued on days where your work schedules intersected, and on his evening runs you would ask him to pick a missing ingredient up on his way back since you were familiar with his route, considering you tried– and failed– to accompany him one week… yeah, you never did that again.

Another Friday shift comes around before you know it, the weeks blending into each other as routine continues. High noon shines brightly through the windows of the cafe while the crowd dies down considering most people are at work. While cleaning the coffee machines and restocking you glance at your phone, no new notifications. Maybe you’ll find something to send to him, you find yourself looking for more excuses to talk to Inumaki lately, even jumping at any vibration that graces your thigh. You go to pocket the device back into your apron when all of a sudden it buzzes, ignoring the way you jump and snatch it back into view to see what it was.

fish 4 brains 12:43pm

photo

It’s like he senses you, surprised at his text that graces your screen when he’s normally quiet. With excited fingers you press on the photo to open it larger across the screen. You gasp when your eyes land on it. It’s him– a selfie where he’s looking at the camera with unimpressed eyes that contradict his peace sign that touches his cheek, in the background you can see chaos unfolding; in the far background you can see an unnamed student lying on the ground with a pained expression, his limbs sprawled out as he lays on his stomach and Maki of all people stands on his back with a long poled weapon touching the back of his neck. She wears an expression of irritation and scolding while Yuuta is seen off to the side with a worrisome expression and placating hands raised as if he was trying to mediate a peaceful resolution. Next to Inumaki and slightly off camera you recognize Yuuji who looks at the camera with his signature bright smile and thumbs up, and off to the side cut off from the camera you peek at someone you don't recognize; a short ginger bob graces the camera, only her desaturated indigo uniform cladding shoulder and arm is in frame

The restocked items are abandoned off to the side as you lean against the nearest wall and stare at your phone, it feels like an intimate glance into his life, as if you were standing right next to him and submerged into frame. All the sparse pictures that were exchanged previously were simple things taken from the capturers perspective; food, scenery and the likes but never from the onlookers perspective. It was like there was a new invisible boundary that you had just crossed unexpectedly. Your eyes stick to the picture, glazing over each detail over and over and giggling to yourself. Excited fingers hover over the text keyboard as they hastily type a reply.

You - 1 min ago

What the hell are you subjecting that poor student to!!

What are you even teaching in this school?!

fish 4 brains - 12:45pm

Training exercises! Physical education or whatever:)

hang on

Ominious, you think. Judging by the contents of the photo you wouldn’t be surprised if another tussle broke out, but you also giggle to yourself thinking of scenarios. Maybe his student tried to sneak attack him while he was distracted on his phone talking to you, maybe he was busy pulling Maki off the poor boy or even instigating another round. After all, he did seem the type. You’ve learned over the weeks Inumaki is actually a bit of a menace. He’s funny, energetic, and more athletic and quick witted than you would guess upon first meeting. Truly, he’s the exact opposite of the quiet and reserved introvert you pegged him for long ago. But above all, he’s caring, and extremely observant.

He talks about his friends a lot, mentioning picking stuff up for them because they mentioned something off-handedly, there was even the time you had walked home together and he picked up on some very upset vibes from an awful work day, despite your best efforts to mask them. He didn’t say a word, just simply offered a gentle hand on your shoulder to reassure you before procuring some sweet treats from his work bag, placing them into your open palms and then pressing his thumbs into your cheeks to make you smile like one would with a child.

Six minutes later, your phone buzzes once more, pulling you out of your stroll down memory lane.

fish 4 brains - 12:51pm

Sorry, my student tried to get the drop on me

Like an idiot

Now im sitting on his back while he tells me what he's learned

A loud, boisterous laugh leaves your lips before you can catch it, jolting at the decibel range that you just discovered you're capable of. You look over your shoulder to scan the near-empty cafe and shrink a bit when all eyes are on you. You bow awkwardly in apology, ever so slightly before turning around and going into the back where the pastries and extra stock were kept, away from prying eyes. Anxious fingers fiddle with the hem of your shirt, picking it between your thumb and forefinger to bring it in between your teeth to chew idly while you reply quickly.

You - 1 min ago

Well if you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

fish 4 brains - 12:52pm

Sounds like Yuuji:p

He says hi

You laugh once more, imagining his sunny disposition leaned over Inumaki and reading his phone and eagerly requesting he tell you he says hi.

You - 1 min ago

Hi Yuuji!

Your eyes glance up to the time at the corner of your phone, silently cursing at the time passed. It would be too easy to shut yourself away and talk to Inumaki all day, and even though it was slower and the idea itself was tempting, it’s better to listen to the rational adult brain that sits in your skull no matter how much you want to abandon it to chase the butterflies that fluttered around your ribcage whenever you got to talk to him. With a huff, your fingers make work of sending one last text before reluctantly pocketing the smooth glass back into the safe confines of your apron and walking back to the counter.

You - 2 min ago

I gotta get going before your distractions get me in trouble, keep me updated though!

#i mean--

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#i mean--