So @talesofgay got me into Touken Ranbu and like the idiot I am that means I fall into the ‘ship everyone with Kanesada’ pit. Also I found about 0 Mikazuki/Kanesada fics so I had to roll my sleeves up for the first time in years to write something for it myself. So yeah. Fluffy stuff. Read and enjoy ^^
Any of you who was following me on Pixiv or Twitter will notice that I have been drawing Touken Ranbu recently.
Yes, I have fallen into the TouRabu pit. Darn.
And I fallen for Mikazuki x Izuminokami.
Bet you guys will ask me why I would like this pairing as most people will be Horikawa/MutsuIzuminokami or MikazukiNanba/tsurumaru
I blame it on my love for the Tales of series XDD
I first tried Touken when it released the phone app version. And I didn’t know any character then but only Mikazuki as he is so famous that everyone talks about. Plus he is voiced by Toriumi-san nonetheless, who is my most favourite seiyuu who voiced Yuri from TOV. So I was happy when they gave me a free Mikazuki for the launch of the app version. But I’ve stopped playing after a few months as I can’t find the mood to continue on.
As what really triggers me to like this series is of course due to the latest anime: Katsugeki Touken Ranbu. Thanks, Ufotable.
I just love the art! And especially Izuminokami! He looks gorgeous, damn~!XD I loved his design when I played the game (I just love long dark hair dudes) but to see him moving gracefully like this. I’m love struck. (Well actually, I google Kane-san’s images and it is the Shinken picture that threw the final blow at me)
Of course this was the period too that I am in love with his seiyuu, KimuRyo-san who voiced as Sorey from TOZ. When I saw Mikazuki appearing at the last part of ep5, I was thinking... “Will there be any way that there will be picture of these two together?”
And so I searched on Pixiv...and that’s history XDDDD
Two gorgeous man voiced by the seiyuu I love who voiced my favourite character from the Tales series! How can I not fall for them 🤣 And the idea of a huge age gap couple gets to me lolx! One of the oldest and one of the youngest swords. And so, when I watched the next episode which was 6, I thanked Ufotable for letting the both of them interact!!!! Plus the last episode too!!
As to why I did not put Horikawa with Kane-san... I was kind of irritated by him in the game when I first played it. “Who the heck is this Kane-san you kept talking about?! It’s getting irritating!” Everything he do is about Izuminokami, which... sounds a little scary for me, regardless of the partner thing. I like Horikawa as the brotherly bond or the Mother figure for Izuminokami XD
So yup...that should sum up about why I love this pairing. I even created a series for them on Pixiv ^^ If there are anyone out there who love this pairing too, let’s talk 😂😂 I can’t find anyone to talk about this pairing as it is too minor!!
Busy as ever, a summer festival happening close-by becomes the perfect excuse for Izumi and Mika to go on a date.
With Mika struggling to understand his growing possessiveness towards izumi,
the festival is also the perfect backdrop for Mika to finally dare to ask for that seaside hotel date...
[POV Mika x smut on chapter 2]
Pairing: Ensemble stars, Mika Kagehira x Izumi Sena
Rating: Explicit, awkward first time
Word Count: 12,344
(Part of my Mikaizu series Stupid in love, but you don't have to read the other parts to understand it. Chapter 1 is a fluffy festival date and chapter 2 is a trip to Ito that ends in smut)
AO3 Link
***
Tapping his geta together, he turned the phone in his hand to check the screen. No new messages. 15 minutes till their agreed meeting time.
The sun already low on the sky, his own shadow extended far past the entrance path - the usual silence around Seisoukan filled with the buzz of insects and the cries of cicadas.
A line of ants stole his attention for a moment – climbing along the rock wall he was leaning against and disappearing somewhere inside it.
The breeze was stifling – almost as hot as the sun and weirdly damp inside your throat.
He checked his phone again. No new messages. Still 15 minutes till their agreed meeting time.
The entrance to Seisoukan was surprisingly empty. Not a soul yet to cross paths with him.
Everyone must be busy; understandably so. There were plenty of summer exclusive campaigns and promotions, not to mention live performances… he himself had been running around the clock, even missing out on sleep, to polish a small set of summer-exclusive clothing for a popular line Valkyrie often worked with. The final designs had been passed just the day before, as he’d hoped to.
After all, today was a special day.
He reached yet again for his phone – still no messages, 14 minutes left for-
He heard the wooden click of getas against the flooring and shot a glance up to the entrance, finding a slender figure just on the other side of the glass door, wrapped in a light-colored yukata and carrying a butterfly-patterned kinchaku.
“Izu-chan!” he propped to his feet, a full smile warming his until-then listless expression.
“Huh? I thought I was early…?” Izumi mumbled, a puzzled expression in his face as he approached him. The left side of his hair was braided back gently, held together with a blue chrysanthemum hairpin, its tassels decorated with cotton butterflies in white and baby blue, long enough to caress his shoulder when he moved “Since when have you been waiting?”
“Just a bit, was hopin’ ya’d be early too” he chirped, reaching up to inspect Izumi’s hairpin a bit better, fingers catching on a single white butterfly – the gesture must have been unexpected, because Izumi jumped slightly, cheeks turning pink “So pretty-”
“Hmmn… you don’t think its too girly for me?” Izumi observed with fake nonchalance, lips pursed cutely.
“Mnwha? Of course not! Beautiful stuff like ‘tis suits ya perfectly” he admitted sincerely, both hands raised up defensively “Yer way too beautiful to limit yerself by stuff like that. Anyone that dares to say otherwise oughta be a philistine.”
“Pfft, haha!” Izumi suddenly let out a laugh full of mirth, a hand reaching up to cover his glossy lips from sight as he did.
“Ngha? Did I say something weird?”
“Hahaha, it’s just, kind of amusing how much you sound like Itsuki sometimes” Izumi explained, eyes crinkling with genuine amusement “He said pretty much the same thing earlier.”
“Earlier?” Mika tilted his head to the side, eyes wide in surprise.
“Yeah. He stopped me when I was about to leave to put this on my hair” Izumi explained, passing his long fingers through the long tassels, his lips curled in genuine amusement “I tried to stop him, since it is clearly a women’s accessory but he insisted. Said you would appreciate it -which, to be fair, was true. Then, went on a whole tirade about how I’m so ethereally beautiful and what not”
The soft cadence of the words made him feel just a bit bothered: the thread of Izumi’s clear voice tangling itself tightly around his ribcage, digging somewhere weird inside of him.
There was nothing strange about the small vignette of daily life.
Shu and Izumi were roommates, so it made sense that Shu would have been present while Izumi got ready for their date.
He clicked his tongue.
Not only that, but Shu was always drawn towards beauty - from which Izumi had plenty of, as anyone with eyes to see and a functioning brain would agree. It made sense that he’d try to further highlight that beauty with an accessory – and that Mika would feel so drawn to it was only logical; his own sense of aesthetics strongly inspired off Shu’s.
Yes, there was nothing weird about it. Nothing except the small twisting feeling inside his stomach.
“…does he tell ya stuff like that often?” he found himself asking.
Izumi’s smile gave way to a slightly puzzled expression, an almost feline tilt of the head as he responded.
“Mnnn… sometimes? He was a lot more intense in high school, would go on about having to protect my beauty or something” he rolled his eyes a bit at the memory “I’m glad he’s gotten less intense, but it still feels weird to be spoken of in such a way.”
…Shu said that to Izumi… when they were still in high school?
Before they started dating…?
The weird feeling spread a bit further, a bit thicker, a bit heavier…
“…can’t…” Mika found himself mumbling, his hands reaching forward to hold the white softness of Izumi’s.
“Huh?” taken by surprise the model gazed down at their now locked hands, then back up at him, questions overflowing the icy pools of his eyes
“I know Oshi-san is real cool!” he started far louder than he intended, his bubbling feelings making it extremely hard to control the volume of his voice “He’s way taller than me, and has a real nice face. He sings super well and can make the most beautiful thin’s ever! He is super-duper talented”
“…r-right…?” Izumi agreed half-heartedly, an eyebrow crooked up.
“H-he, has a real knack with words… while I struggle to even connect a couple words like this” he insisted, his fingers trembling slightly as he clasped Izumi’s hands tighter “He knows a lotta things about a lotta stuff and he is very very kind too…”
Izumi tilted his head, looking even more puzzled now. His soft lips remained pursed together as if he just didn’t know what to say to all that.
Mika himself wasn’t sure what he was trying to say. So, he just kept going, exposing the awkward feelings spinning inside his belly one word at a time-
“He is… way better than I am… I could be… b-but…” he bit slightly on his lip, desperate eyes gazing into Izumi’s surprised look “But ya can’t fall in love with him!”
“…huh?” Izumi seemed even more surprised now, long eyelashes fluttering beautifully.
A warm breeze sneaked past them, shaking the trees along the door.
“…you’re jealous?” Izumi finally asked, voice almost lost in the wind
And yet, the unexpected word reached Mika’s ears just fine. His back stretching tall and his hands tightening their grasp on Izumi’s as he chewed on it…– was he?
Jealous?
Maybe he was. Maybe he wanted to be the one to understand Izumi’s beauty the best of all- to be the one to offer little presents to enhance his outfits, to bring attention to the perfect symmetry of his features…
“Pffft!” Izumi let out a small chuckle before Mika could even form a response, probably reading a confirmation in his expression “I don’t think you have to worry about me stealing your beloved mentor away. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t see me like that at all. And I mean, isn’t he with-”
Ah… Izumi didn’t get it at all…
He released the white hands he’d been holding to, instead reaching up to cup soft cheeks; slightly warm against his still shaking fingers.
Izumi sucked a breath, big eyes wide open and words cut in half-
Closing his eyes, Mika leaned in with purpose.
Soft. Tender. Needed.
Their first kiss in a long while –
How many months had it been since they met in person? Since they touched? Since they kissed…?
When he pulled back, Izumi’s face was bright red– perfect blues half-hidden under long eyelashes, slightly damp with need.
“…yer datin’ me” he hushed against those soft lips, giving them a small warning bite as to make his point “I’m the one that likes ya best… that knows yer beauty best. I ain’t ‘bout ta let ya fall for someone else…”
Izumi remained still, like a deer on highlights; big blue eyes shining brightly and cheeks completely red. His expression begging for another demonstration of adoration.
And who was he to deny him that?
So, he leaned in for another kiss. His free hand tight on Izumi’s small waist as to bring him closer, his heart thumping loudly as he allowed himself to linger; to savor the tenderness of plump lips. To lick and suck and nibble on the inviting flesh-
It tasted like peaches.
When he pulled back, Izumi’s breath was slightly rushed, a pink tongue barely visible between his lips–
He was about to dive in a third time, when a white hand stopped him – pressed cutely against his mouth.
“S-stop it, idiot… I get it!” Izumi complained, his voice too sweet to sound bothered “S-saying embarrassing shit out of nowhere…then lapping at my mouth like a damn dog! Dumbass!! You ate a bunch of my goddamn gloss!”
“Oh… m-my bad” he apologized awkwardly, reluctantly releasing his hold on Izumi’s small form… his eyes following him still as he shuffled through his kinchaku for his gloss and a compact mirror – fixing up what Mika had messed up with his tongue.
…the image kind of sexy.
Izumi popped his lips cutely a couple of times before finally returning both pieces to the kinchaku, a faint turn towards Mika making their eyes meet; an embarrassed pout marking his features.
“…didn’t expect you to be the jealous type…” he mumbled, voice so low Mika almost missed it
“Eh? I… um… s-sorry?”
“I don’t mind it, actually~” Izumi offered, voice sweet an maybe a bit playful. A small smile gracing his features “So? Don’t just stand there… we’re going to the festival, aren’t we?”
“Uh…? A-ah, y-yeah!” he jolted up slightly, the whole conversation almost making him forget about their plans for the day.
Izumi started walking, so he jogged up to him, easily matching his pace so they could walk side by side-
Their shadows, sharp and ever growing forming a single line –
…
Despite being a relatively small festival in a local shrine, the usually empty streets leading to it were bustling with visitors – the actual festival grounds filled with the booming of drums and the laughter of children; families, groups of teenagers, and plenty of couples filling in every available space between stalls, and all the way to the shrine.
With little space to maneuver in the crowd their bodies naturally came closer together as they avoided running children and rowdy teens.
“Ugh, festivals are always so damn noisy” Izumi complained, his shoulder pressed slightly against Mika’s, his hand brushing against his slightly.
“R-right…” he mumbled, intentionally brushing his own hand against Izumi. The lack of any negative reaction giving him enough courage to grasp at it, gently enough Izumi could pull back if he so wished “We should hold hands- W-wouldn’t wanna be separated”
“…I guess…” Izumi pursed his lips slightly, as if unconvinced, but gently returned the gesture – his fingers slowly tangling themselves with his in a lovers’ hold.
His heart was thumping loud.
Trying not to get swallowed by the sensation – or the pervasive desire to taste more of Izumi’s peach gloss – he thew a glance around at the grounds, his eyes suddenly finding something of interest.
“Ah, look Izu-chan! Candied apples!” he called, pointing towards one of the first stalls in line. “Let’s grab one!”
“Hah? No way in hell. I refuse to eat such calorie heavy stuff, much less this late in the day” Izumi hissed a bit, tugging from Mika’s hand as to stop him.
As if that would work!
“Eh? Don’t say that~ Eatin’ is half the fun of a festival~” Mika insisted, pulling him towards the stall, undeterred by his sharp tone “And candied apples are a staple!”
“No way! Do you want my skin to break out? L-let go!” Izumi whined, trying and failing to fight against Mika, his resistance dwindling the closer to the stall they got. “I’m serious! I’m not eating!”
“Ehh? Why? I just wanna enjoy the festival with Izu-chan~” He insisted, pulling him hard enough to clear the final couple of steps left for the line…
Izumi stumbled ever so slightly on the geta he wasn’t used to, bumping onto Mika’s shoulder – and remaining there. Long fingers clinging to his wine-colored yukata as he offered him a defensive frown-
“Because! Since when do you need to eat to enjoy a festival? Huh?” He insisted, his expression far cuter than it had any business being.
And well. He wasn’t wrong, was he?
They could still walk around the grounds, play some of the games and chat until the fireworks show. He’d done that before, a couple years ago; side by side with an uninterested Shu who refused to eat anything or participate of anything, acting like a chaperone to Mika’s excitement.
Back then, even that felt like more than enough. More than he could ask for, and surely more than he deserved.
And yet…
Holding onto Izumi’s hand, he couldn’t help but want… more. To share his favorite festival food, to play every single game around, to drag him back and forth until he complained about his feet hurting…
Why?
…what was so different?
He was getting greedier. Needier. More demanding…
Maybe it was a side effect of becoming human…
To yearn. To want. To need.
“I’m not eating” Izumi reminded him when the line moved forward – tightening their held hands as to call for his attention.
He paused, biting down on the many words he wanted to say, on the many things crossing his mind.
“…not even one bite?” he dared to insist, returning the gentle squeeze as a last, desperate plead
“…puppy eyes? Really?” Izumi huffed “…is it really that important to you that I ruin my diet eating junk food today?”
“…kinda?” he admitted, suddenly feeling really bad about how demanding he was being. Izumi did care quite a bit about counting calories “I uh…Can help ya burn the calories? Like, we can go for a run later! Or tomorrow? Together!”
Izumi blinked for a bit, and then chuckled again.
“That’s not where I thought that sentence was going” he admitted in a slightly sultry tone, his body weight leaning a bit harder on Mika “But fine. I haaate sweating in this goddamn heat, but I guess we can go for a jog together… and I can spare one bite of stupid junk food, just for you~”
He felt his heart soar at the offer; uncontained excitement having him almost bouncing in place as he bought the candied apple.
They were barely out of the way when he gave the apple a big chomp – the sweet and sour flavor, juicy and sticky, bringing a big smile to his face.
“Here” he offered right after.
Pulling his fringe out of the way with a hand, the other gently keeping the sleeve of his Yukata out of the way, Izumi leaned in- his tiny mouth taking a bite from the exact spot Mika had bitten from, probably trying to get the fruit with none of the candy.
He really had no business being so cute.
…
After that, Izumi became far more agreeable, easily going along with Mika’s little whims, now stopping here to try and grab some goldfish, then over there to pick up water balloons - he even agreed to take a single bite from every food stuff he bought, from Takoyaki to cotton candy, passing through chocolate bananas and corn dogs. His tiny mouth leaving impossibly adorable marks in every piece of food-
With each new stop – here to the shooting range, there for a bite of something sweet – the small fabric pouch he’d brought full of coins grew lighter, and the sun went lower-
Soon, only the warm light of paper lanterns kept the grounds illuminated – the sound of drums booming over the chatter of the crowd, announcing a prompt start to the fireworks.
Sitting on a small wooden bench at the further end of the festival ground, Mika opened the last meal of the day. A single serving of yakisoba with a fried egg on top, the crinkly plastic box almost threatening to spill from his fingers.
On his side, Izumi sat quietly, lap occupied by a rather sizeable bunny plush they had won on the shooting range – and just as Mika had grabbed the first bunch of yakisoba with the chopsticks, he leaned forward. Lids low on pretty eyes and mouth open gently, right hand gracefully keeping the tassels back, it seemed more than obvious that he was expecting to be fed-
Mika smiled to himself, gently guiding the little bit of noodles to Izumi’s tiny mouth.
He blew on it a couple of times before closing his mouth on it – sluuurp. The perfect painting was broken cutely by a bit of soy sauce splashing on Izumi’s cheek as the very end of the noodles hit his upper lip.
“Hold still” he requested, reaching forward to wipe the sauce with his thumb. Izumi’s soft skin all too tempting under his fingers “’issit good?”
“I guess… for junk food” Izumi half-conceded, gaze following Mika’s finger as he brought it up to lick the sauce from it.
“Good” he smiled, now moving on to eat the yakisoba himself.
The salty, oily flavor was irresistible – and he found himself slurping it a tad too fast.
“…I guess, I understand a bit of the appeal.” Izumi suddenly mumbled on his right, hands busy playing with the bunny’s ears, gaze soft on Mika.
“Mnhw?” he made a sound, his mouth to full with food to actually make a question.
“Of festivals… I never really cared much for them. Too hot and crowded and full of junk food.” Izumi explained, pulling the bunny’s ears in opposite directions before folding them over the plushie’s face. “But it was fun spending it with you.”
Mika blinked, mouth full of yakisoba he was forgetting to swallow-
“I like seeing you have fun” Izumi admitted, voice a bit shakier as he clearly grew embarrassed by his own words “Makes me think it might not be too bad to come again… maybe… next year? I-if you want…”
He tried answering, his words lost in the mouthful of yakisoba still there. So, he forced himself to swallow it all down in one (slightly painful) gulp before trying again
“I-I’d love to! Next year we can go watch the fireworks in Yokohama!” he offered, a big smile filling his face.
Izumi blinked a bit, then smiled.
“Sure…”
…
He had barely finished the yakisoba when the first fireworks filled the sky. Their position by the temple made it a bit hard to watch them properly, so he threw the sticky trash to the closest bin and pulling from Izumi’s free hand (his other one busy hugging the plush close to his chest) he led them towards the tree line.
The normal paths were far too full of people for them to reach a good spot quickly, so he stepped right into the overgrown grass –
Izumi seemed a bit reluctant, but eventually he followed suit – two pair of getas clacking along long grass, overgrown roots and unknown bushes…
It took a bit of effort, the booming sounds of the fireworks spurring Mika into faster movements, but eventually they reached a small clear. The suddenly open sky full of gold and green –
“Wow” Izumi let out
“Ain’t it quite the spot?” he boasted off with a cheeky smile, getting a sly grin in return.
“Yeah, yeah. Though I still didn’t like wading through the grass in the dark” he chastised gently, squeezing Mika’s hand gently.
“Haha, my bad…”
Another colorful flower filled the sky, its booming sound swallowing Mika’s apology as its red sparkles sizzled out gently into the night.
Then a triple boost of blue and green and yellow filled every single spot in the sky above. Oohs, and ahhs from the crowd not so far from where they stood filling in the consequent silence.
A sequence of golden fireworks followed suit – then a few more loud ones, exploding colorfully at regular times.
Izumi’s silver hair and blue eyes shined beautifully, reflecting every single flashing color.
“… yer gonna stay in Japan a lil’ longer this time, right?”
He found himself asking, his words only barely catching a moment of silence between the fireworks.
Izumi’s blue eyes shifted slightly towards him, a small nod, shining gold and green under the fireworks, his answer.
“…a-and… ya said…”
A loud boom cut his words in half. Izumi squinted as if straining to hear…
He gulped, all his courage draining from his body as the inevitable approached- his heart beating even louder than it ever had, sweat drenching his palms.
Hands cold and trembling, he leaned in a bit closer to Izumi, enough for his breath to caress the beautiful ear of the model
“…ya said ya were free for a few days…?”
Izumi nodded again – the red sparkles from the fireworks above painting the enticing lines of his neck.
“…like… T-Thursday…?”
“…our anniversary?” Izumi asked. The gentle whisper of his voice against Mika’s ear giving him goosebumps.
Feeling his ears burning, he rushed to nod. Above them another fire flower exploded, blue and green this time around. The air smelled of gunpowder-
“…yeah, I’m free.” Izumi added, fingers closing painfully tight on Mika’s hand “…are we going somewhere?”
“…Ito, if ya’d like…” he explained “ya’ve been all stressed out lately, I thought ya’d like to relax on some onsen…”
There was a small pause… his heart threatening to escape through his mouth as he waited for an answer.
“…a one-day trip?” Izumi finally asked.
He gulped, feeling caught- his true intentions apparently out on the open.
He cleared his throat, his fingers shaking in Izumi’s strong grip.
“I… ha-have reservations for a… a hotel … if ya want of course! W-we don’t have to but-”
Izumi’s grip on Mika’s hand got stronger.
“I want to”
Mika gulped down, body pulling back slightly to finally get a good look at Izumi. His embarrassed face, the hopeful tug of a smile on plump lips and the almost needy dampness of his gaze making his own heart do flips-
The sky was full of blue and red when he leaned down for a kiss –
It's come the point were there's so many moving pieces that every new chapters becomes a bit more complex and I find myself worrying about how to bring it all together.
I knew things were about to go south, since there's still a lot of unresolved issues on both sides, but I wanted to keep some of the light hearted, hopeful and warm feelings at the start. Izumi acting like a girl in love over Mika adding him on LINE and Mika losing his train of thought when he sees Izumi at school are some of my highlights of 'oh they are really in love love now'.
There's also finally a proper conversation, woohoo! It's pretty short and full of silences, since they aren't that close yet, and I think you can tell they're still nervous around each other. Can you believe they've been circling each other for months and this is still the first time they are /properly/ talking. Insanity. What is this fanfic.
About that conversation, Izumi has a secret agenda throughout it. The conversation with his mom at the start of the chapter sets it up and a few of Izumi's thoughts/fantasies along the chapter emphasizes it. He needed a 'proper alpha', and a part of him was starting to see Mika as that. He wanted to know if he could fill the boxes on his mother's checklist... too bad Mika isn't secretly from a super wealthy family, huh?
Still, I think he might have tried to ask Mika to 'fake date' him if it wasn't for the whole little ramble about how MUCH he LOVES Shu, and he is THE MOST IMPORTANT to him and HE'D DO ANYTHING FOR HIM. I think Izumi's heart broke a little there (insert: you can actually pinpoint the exact moment his heart breaks in two meme here haha)
I pondered quite a bit on whether that part should be on Mika's POV or Izumi's POV. In the end, I felt like Mika blindly (and gleefully at that) putting his foot in his mouth and not knowing why Izumi suddenly seems so sad felt more heartbreaking so I went with that.
There's something so sad about Mika being so excited and happy about things going well, just for everything to fall apart for no reason (at least in his head).
Finally, we had the Shu-Sena catfight. It was originally meant to happen at the start of the chapter, but it just didn't fit well with the rest of the scenes, so I reworked it to be at the end and I feel like it worked a lot better!
I find their argument so interesting - they are having two completely different conversations and neither of them seems to realize it. On one side, Izumi feels like the mistress being called out by the official wife. On the other side, Shu is like a (possibly over-protecting) mother evaluating a possible daughter-in-law. No wonder they just ended up more confused at the end!
I do think it makes sense for Izumi to be dead set on not admitting to his relationship with Mika. Not only does he feel like he's intruded in a perfectly good relationship (Shu and Mika), but now that he caught feelings, he inevitably falls in his usual self-sacrificing mentality. He wants Mika to be happy and figures their relationship (which he sees as Mika cheating on Shu) will only be a hindrance to that, so he is trying to erase. To make it seem as less important, even if it means hurting himself.
By the way, Sena was at the rooftop because of the scenting from Tsukasa. The argument is meant to happen a day or two after the engagement ceremony, which is why the smell of Tsukasa feels so fresh on him. I figure, since he isn't a fan of the scent, having it around him at all times must be quite annoying - and so he would go somewhere with fresh air!
Talking of which, I tried to give the engagement ceremony a traditional feel since Tsukasa's family has such strong ties to tradition on the original story. I think its also just a really fun way of exploring some more 'old-fashioned' concepts on omegaverse. And the idea of Izumi wearing a pretty omega collar just makes me so happy! Such a beauty! Too bad Mika didn't get to see him like that ToT
There's a few lose ends I still have to tie and I'm racking my head on how to do it. It somehow feels like a lot of things are going to crash together pretty soon...
But also, since the flow of the story doesn't really allow me to stray too far from the main plot, I'm considering making a tiny KuroShu oneshot to explain their relationship a bit better - or maybe I'll just add it at the end of the fanfic as an extra. But then again who even knows when the fic will be over, Cheval live was supposed to be only one chapter and it ended up taking 3 whole chapters! From 9 to 11! Insanity!
I have really lost all control of this fanfic.......
Also this has nothing to do with anything but... Mika on a horse, dressed in white AND BLUE and with A whip? IzuMika Graceful Punishment? Hello? Was this made specifically for me? Is Hapiele after me?? They'll probably won't exchange a single line in the story but God can a girl dream...
Anyway, thank you for reading my ramblings! Hope to see you for the next chapter (whenever I manage to publish it).
This one took me quite a bit to write... and that's with me having a general idea of what I wanted to write. Actually, I had planned to include Cheval Live in the fanfic from all the way in chapter 1! It is one of the few instances of Izumi and Mika ever meeting in canon, even if they barely talk to each other, so I just had to.
My first idea was to hammer on the canon interaction of Mika panicking about waiting for the bus alone with Izumi and Tsukasa ("what should I do? it's so awkward!! They aren't even talking with each other? Is it my fault?"). I thought it'd be really funny to add an extra layer of 'they actually know each other but can't act like they do' and make everything more tense and awkward. However, as I wrote chapter 8 and introduced Izumi's mom, along with the whole matchmaking thing, Tsukasa passed from being just an ignorant bystander to someone who actually wanted to get in the way!
Which made things a bit harder for Mika, changing the situation from funny to kinda sad lmao. I'm sorry bby (pats him)
This happens quite a lot with If fate is a mistake. Since the story has developed in a much angstier direction than expected, a lot of the ideas I originally had, had to be reworked.
All in all, it was a bit hard to bring it all together in a way that I found satisfying and so... it took a long while.
So, what's the purpose of chapter 9 in the current story?
My goal was to make both Izumi and Mika ponder about their feelings for each other when faced with a third party. A point of reference for them to compare. In this occasion that measuring stick happens to be Tsukasa.
To Mika, Tsukasa appears as a particularly tough 'rival'. They are both alphas, but Tsukasa's education (and a childhood surrounded by nothing but alphas) has given him all the confidence, aggressiveness and poise Mika lacks. He is, in many ways, the very example of what an alpha should be (to the point he's one of the 'desirable' marriage partners Izumi's mother found) and as such, it highlights Mika's own insecurities and feelings of 'not being enough'. It also presents itself as a contrast to Shu's (and by extension Mika's) idea of what an alpha is - as someone brutish, violent and dominated by inferior instincts.
Being surrounded by betas in his childhood, and then raised by Shu and his strong anti-alpha sentiment, Mika has come to feel that being an alpha is 'wrong'. In his head, being an alpha means to hurt and to take. Which adds to why Mika doesn't 'want' to be an alpha.
Tsukasa's presence is then a new image of alpha - elegant, well-mannered, and 'perfect for Izumi'. I hoped that seeing Tsukasa with Izumi would awaken some feelings in Mika - jealousy of course, but also a sense of 'I'm an alpha too, so I could also be a perfect match for him'.
On Izumi's side, Tsukasa is... annoying. lol. In this fanfic, Tsukasa's background as 'old-money' has an added flavor of 'thorough-blood alpha'. Being raised as the alpha heir for a very traditional alpha family, means that Tsukasa holds very traditional values, specially around secondary genders. While he still greatly respects Izumi as a senpai and leader, and isn't purposefully trying to diminish any of Izumi's accomplishments, he can't help but see him as an omega - someone that needs protection and care. So while Tsukasa isn't romantically interested in Izumi, being a 'gentleman' includes being chivalrous towards the 'fairer sex' - in this case omegas- and so, Tsukasa keeps trying to 'protect and care' for Izumi.
Which is not well received.
As someone who was both originally raised as an alpha, and stubborn enough to prove himself as capable as one, Izumi finds Tsukasa's chivalry to be annoying, misguided and somewhat offensive.
The comparison here lays in what Izumi might want in a partner. Since they met, Izumi has been rather dismissive of Mika - to him a disheveled, awkward and clumsy alpha as Mika is hardly worthy of his gender (something Izumi wanted for himself). However, when faced with an actual 'ideal alpha' he dislikes that even more. He feels patronized and babied and looked down on.
To further emphasize the difference (and Izumi's feelings about it) I used the towel!
Tsukasa who is a confident alpha, scents a towel before handing it over to Izumi. A dominant behavior, which intents to protect Izumi from other alphas - but that fails to consider Izumi's own thoughts/wants.
Mika, on the other hand, hands him a completely scent-free towel. His intention is purely to be helpful, while keeping a respectful distance. While Izumi finds himself annoyed by it at the moment, it's because of Mika's attitude that he feels able to be vulnerable around him.
It's also a fun highlight for how Izumi is actually seeking dominant behaviors from Mika! Specially in this scene, where he is longing for Mika's scent.
Talking of scent, that's another part I wanted to really pin down.
In this version of omegaverse, alpha and omega scents are like perfumes, with different notes and bases. This allows for a wide arrange of possibilities, and for some changes depending on their humor/feelings.
Mika mentioned it in chapter 8, but there's an idea that 'fated pairs'* should have matching scents. My reasoning for it is the simple biological concept of scents allowing us humans to find compatible partners irl (of course it's not as verbose or conscious as in omegaverse). As such, in this universe, similar or complementary scents would mean a higher level of compatibility.
Mika's rather loud and messy 'summer-like' scent and Izumi's calm and elegant 'winter-inclined' scent are opposites and as such would appear to be 'incompatible'. This is part of Mika's reasoning in chapter 8 for his relationship with Izumi being 'impossible'.
However, in this chapter, after intimately scenting each other, their scents didn't clash. They didn't override each other or become unreadably messy. Instead it became a completely new scent that has hints of both! That means they ARE compatible! (That's what Mika is thinking in that infirmary bed lmao)
*As mentioned by Mika in chapter 4, the idea of 'fated mates' is something akin to a fairy tale in this rendition of omegaverse. There's no clear way (natural, magical or scientific) to determine who can be a 'fated mate'. Still, there is a fated mate out there...
Immediately, he felt like curling into a hole in the ground and just dying.
But that was it. The last thing he had to do to erase his mistake.
And then, everything would be back to normal.
Or so he hoped.
Izumi Sena loses to his heat and accidentally mates with certain 2nd year student he knows nothing about - despite his best efforts to the contrary, they get to know each other and eventually fall in love.
Pairing: Ensemble stars, Mika Kagehira x Izumi Sena
Other characters: Shu Itsuki, Arashi Narukami, Tsukasa Suo, Ritsu Sakuma
Rating: E, slow burn, omegaverse, ! enstars era
CW: Dubcon (mildly in chapter 1 bc of the heat), omegaverse, some angst with a happy ending, extreme slow burn, mutual pining, lots of character introspection.
Word Count: 72,462 (ongoing, currently in chapter 12)
AO3 Link
***
Both his harsh panting and the sound of a metallic package breaking open were hidden with the roar of the open faucet. Body slack, he was barely able to stay up by pushing his whole weight onto the wall – the cold wall that felt so refreshing against his feverish skin.
Fucking hell. Who the actual FUCK makes these packages?
He cursed inside his head, poorly coordinated fingers having a hard time with the package of the suppressants.
Shouldn’t these be easy to open in case of emergencies like this?
He huffed, biting the inside of his cheek. His mouth felt unbearably dry, even though he’d been gulping on water until just a moment ago, and his sight was getting blurry. He could feel his knees buckling… that spot between his legs calling for some sweet, sweet attention.
“Sena-senpai!”
A loud bang on the door came right along the high-pitched call, making him jump in place- the pill he’d just managed to get out of the package slipping between his fingers and falling, unceremoniously, in the floor.
No way he was taking that now.
“Is everything alright? Are you perhaps unwell?”
His underclassman called from the other side of the door, still banging on it like his life depended on it. That kid; he wasn’t too bad of a student, a bit too strait-laced sometimes, but God… he could be so…
“Do you need anything?”
The young alpha came even closer to the door – Strawberry frappé, condensed milk – the smell was thick and sickeningly sweet, seeping under the door, crawling all the way into his body, and sticking to the inside of Izumi’s lungs.
He heaved, barely containing his desire to throw up.
Not even an attempt on the side of the alpha to suppress the ferocity of his pheromones, blissfully unaware of its effects.
That’s why he hated thorough-blood alphas – never socialized outside of their own little circles.
“Get out of here. If you have time to concern yourself with me, shouldn’t you be practicing your steps? You still haven’t done them properly, have you? Stop loitering around and do something, for once.”
He squeezed every bit of determination to spit those words – harsh thorns in every corner.
The last thing he needed right now was for an alpha to barge into the pheromone filled bathroom and go berserk on him. Much less his own underclassmen.
“Ah… you’re right, but… without the leader there’s just so much we can do…”
The banging stopped. But the presence didn’t leave the door.
“Well, as the leader” a temporary one, in any case, Izumi thought to himself vaguely through the mist of his own growing heat “I’m telling you to fuck off. Go practice or go bother someone else.”
The presence held onto the door just a bit longer – the young alpha leaning in closer for a second, before finally stepping out.
Thank GOD.
Returning his full attention to the silver of the package between his fingers, he struggled for a moment to pop the very last pill out, dropping it unceremoniously into his mouth and crumbling the damning evidence in his hand and into his pocket.
They had lasted fucking nothing.
Could he even get any more this month?
He could already see the damning glare of the doctor – it’s not good for your health to take this many suppressants, he would say.
But what else could he do? It’s not like he could stop going to class. Like he could give up on Yumenosaki – not right now, not until Leo came back.
Shaky fingers tried -and failed a couple of times- to close the faucet, before finally managing to do so.
He gulped down, saliva still pooling unnaturally on his mouth… his heartbeats were still raising, his body was still pleading…
It always took a bit of time for the pill to work. Lately, it took even longer… when they worked.
This was bad… he could feel his thoughts getting fuzzy, the boundaries between an idea and the next diluting like salt in water. No, like acrylics being mixed. No, like…
Like what?
He shook his head, trying to recover his train of thought.
It wasn’t there.
It felt hot – burning even. He pulled at his shirt, trying to get some air into it.
There were still small hints of strawberry and cream left in the air… his mouth opened and closed a couple of times, as if trying to taste its flavor.
Ah… he snapped his eyes open. Right, his heat. He was… he needed… he…
He felt a warm sting in the lower part of his body… an instinct taking root on his body, pulling at his muscles… the hints of strawberry left in the air felt like a path of crumbs leading to a perfectly good alpha.
He shook his head again, coming back to right as he was opening the door to the bathroom. And by miracle almost, he managed to stop his feet from trailing after Tsukasa- instead doing a sharp left out into the hall.
The pills weren’t working. That much was clear.
His heat was about to reach its peak, uncontrolled. He could barely keep a coherent thought at once…
There was only one thing to do at this point.
He had to get to Sagami. He was one of the few people that knew Izumi was an omega – and as a bonded alpha, he was safe. He would let Izumi stay in the infirmary until he calmed down – maybe give him a stronger suppressant and get him home.
Quick.
Powered by little more than his own stubbornness, Izumi rushed through the halls, as fast as his shivering body would allow, fighting a time trial against his own pheromones.
Forced to avoid the usually crowded halls that lead to the infirmary, what could have been a brisk 5 min walk turned into an intricate puzzle – he went up and down stairs fleeing the boisterous laughter of alphas, and even ventured into parts of the school building he wasn’t all too familiar with; unknown doors and halls making him feel terribly lost.
He staggered, head light and body burning.
He felt parched, yet his mouth was full of drool… he mouthed air, almost by reflex, and each time, lines of saliva dripped from the corners of his mouth every. Assaulted by the gross sensation of his own warm drool dripping from the corners of his lips, he rushed to clean it with the back of his sleeve.
He came to a halt in the middle of the hall, warm sunlight slashing through the clouds and past the window, all the way to him… A small breeze brought to him the scent of old fabrics, wet dirt and…
Before his eyes was his hand, half-covered by the sleeve of his school blazer, damp where he’d used it to clean his mouth.
…where was he?
Any sense of purpose gone from his movements, he weakly slumped onto the closest wall.
Even through the tarnished windshield of his mind, he realized being out in the open wasn’t safe. The self-preservation tactic of an omega engraved deep into his mind.
If he could at least lock himself up somewhere…
He forced himself to walk forward, only stopping when he found a door - shaky fingers struggled with it for a second before managing to slide it open, tripping his way inside and almost clinging to it as he fought to lock it for a few moments too long.
