Polycule!Tokoyami x reader x Shoji playing UNO together.
Shoji's seated right behind you with you perched right on his lap. He claimed he didn't know how to play, so he proposed he'll have you and Tokoyami play a round first and he'd start playing along with you in the second round once he understood the game.
But the entirety of the first round is you and Mezo giggling because you have about three cards to block Fumikage with, which the bird boy only rolls his eyes quite too dramatically at, calling you "renegades" as he watches you place down a bunch of cards while he waits, time and time again.
Tokoyami keeps sending Dark Shadow to catch a glimpse of which cards you have, and Shoji has to block the quirk's view with his extra limbs while you shoo him away.
When Mezo finally gets the chance to play with the two of you, he's a total menace. He keeps sneaking dupli-eyes behind you and Fumikage to see what cards you have, somehow manages to shuffle all the cards without looking but keeps constantly landing +4 and block cards.
It's worse when you and Tokoyami team up against him. It feels like trying to disarm a bomb — one wrong card and Mezo will already be putting 27 different cards on the pile and shouting "UNO!". You argue with Fumikage and Dark Shadow about which card you should use first while the multi armed boy just sits there with a knowing smirk on his face. Humming happily and staring down at his own cards, completely unbothered.
Tokoyami never liked playing cards, and Shoji never got to play them with other people growing up. But they love it when it's just the three (four) of you having childish fun. <3
Day 23: "Your hands are freezing!"
Fandom: My Hero Academia
Pairing: Mezou Shouji x Reader
It was one of those bitterly cold days when the chill seemed to seep into your bones, even when you were wrapped in layers of clothing. The wind howled outside, the snow falling heavily, covering the ground in a soft, white blanket. You had just finished a mission with the class and were walking back to the dorms when you realized your hands were practically numb from the cold.
You had forgotten your gloves at the last moment, and now your fingers ached as they stiffened in the freezing air.
“Your hands are freezing!” Mezou Shouji’s voice was soft, but there was a sense of urgency behind it as he stepped in front of you. He had noticed your discomfort immediately, and though you tried to brush it off, his worry was palpable.
“I’m fine, really,” you protested weakly, shaking your hands a little to try to warm them up.
Shouji wasn’t convinced. Without a word, he gently took your hands in his, his multiple arms coming to life around him as they wrapped around yours to shield them from the cold. You shivered at the sudden warmth that spread through you, feeling his warmth seep into your frozen skin.
“Don’t lie to me,” he said, his voice low, a softness you hadn't expected in his words. “I can feel how cold you are.”
The act was so simple, yet so intimate. He wasn’t just offering warmth; he was offering care, an unspoken promise to protect you, and it warmed your heart more than you could explain.
“Thank you, Mezou,” you whispered, the gratitude evident in your tone. You could feel the warmth spreading from his hands, slowly starting to ease the cold tension in your own.
“You don’t need to thank me,” he said, his voice quiet but sincere. “I’ll always take care of you.” He smiled softly, a rare and genuine moment from the usually stoic Shouji.
As you both stood there, huddled together against the cold, the world around you seemed to fade away. For just that moment, all that mattered was the comfort of his touch and the warmth of his care.
tokoyami and shoji both had clear similarities, like their mutant quirks or their desire to become a hero, but when it comes to showing their affection, they're quite different
shoji and tokoyami both care a lot about you, but shoji struggles to be affectionate towards you, at the start of your relationship
he struggles to fully open up to you, despite how close the two of you are. he's worried that you wouldn't like him if you got to see all of him. the biggest example being his face…
affection comes much more naturally to tokoyami however! he's the type to write you poems, buy you flowers and hold your hand when you're walking to class together
there isn't a lot of jealousy between the three of you, but shoji envies tokoyami for how easy affection seems to come to him
as much as you try to assure shoji that you love him no matter what, it's tokoyami who manages to get shoji to open up and confess why he struggles so much
after that point, shoji manages to open up more. he occasionally holds your hand in public and when it's just the three of you, he'll even take off his mask…
while shoji and tokoyami aren't dating each other, they are very close friends and only want the best for each other!
they would never fight over your love, as they are mature enough to talk about any problems that might come up
For the dark ask game: somnophilia w Shoji, perchance? Thank you for your time!
Thanks for the ask! I love all the love Shoji is getting in my inbox lately
You'd fallen asleep waiting up for him again, ever since he'd started a team up with Tokoyami's agency he'd been having more late night patrols.
But you were a stubborn little thing. You wanted to welcome your boyfriend home after a long day of work with affection.
So you'd made a deal.
Shoji slowly pulled the sheets off your sleeping body to find you completely naked, your signal that you'd prepped yourself and you were more than ready to let him have his way with you.
It made him crazy knowing you trusted him this much.
His many hands and mouths latched onto your body, easing you onto your back while one mouth sucked and licked at your clit. You moaned softly but still didn't wake. His main hands cupped your breasts easily, and your breath hitched slightly.
The thrill of wondering when exactly you'd wake up and realize it was him made his thick cock ache. He couldn't fuck you without waking you up immediately with the stretch, so he focused on using his hands and his mouths. Sliding his thick fingers into your clenching heat and groaning as he lowered his mask and started nibbling on your neck - the soft spot that always made you wetter for him.
"Sho..." You whimpered sleepily as your head tossed from side to side for a moment before you woke up, getting close to cumming as the mouth on your clit sucked hard. "Fuck."
"Hey baby, missed you." He murmured in your ear as your stomach clenched, your orgasm washing over you with a cry as he licked and cleaned up your juices from your thighs and folds.
You blinked slowly, a smile spreading across your lips as you woke up fully. You reached over to stroke his cock through his hero costume as you murmured,
contains: mention of sucky parents, shoji's horrible village, scars, CUTENESS, FLUFF, shoji being a cutie patootie, mwah mwah kissy kissy
ENJOY!
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
The rain poured down onto the pavement as I trudged across the grounds. I had forgotten my umbrella once again, and I hadn't expected it to start storming just as I was heading home. Well, as much as a home it could be.
I had no money for the bus or train, my phone was dead, and even if I could call my parents I knew they wouldn't come to pick me up. They had never cared much for me, even once I got accepted into UA, they gave me the cold shoulder.
The sound of feet slapping against the wet pavement pulled me out of my pity party. I glanced up to be met with black eyes. Shoji. He held out an umbrella, covering my trembling form, "want me to walk you home?" His deep voice startled me, my eyes widening slightly. "Oh no, you don't have to..." He shook his head, his gaze searching for mine, "I don't mind."
Turning to the side, I averted his gaze, "my house is pretty far, I don't want to make you walk so far." I stepped closer, "again, I really don't mind. I could use the walk anyway." His eyes were piercing, and I looked away quickly, nodding slowly. "Alright..." The silence was thick and tense, one of his arms holding the umbrella over me, the other two resting idly at his side. His firm but gentle voice dragging me out of my thoughts, "Are you... scared of me?" his voice trembled ever so slightly. My head snapped up, "scared? Of you? Why would I be scared?" He shook his head, "Sorry that was stupid... it's just, you always act so nervous, I was worried it was because of me."
My cheeks darkened as I realized what he was talking about. I had had a crush on Shoji ever since I met him. His strong form, and gentle words always managed to put me at ease. "I could never be scared of you, Shoji." His gentle gaze met mine, and I swear I could see hints of red peaking out from his mask. He cleared his throat, looking back down to the pavement. "I'm glad."
It was silent again, save for the splash of our feet hitting the ground, and the thoughts racing in my head. Why would he ever think I was scared of him? Who could ever be scared of such a gentle person like Shoji? These questions tore against my mind, and before I could stop myself, my lips were moving. "Why would you think I'd be scared of you?" He stopped dead in his tracks, and I turned to face him, my hands fiddling nervously in front of me. His dark eyes met mine slowly, before swerving away.
"Most people are. Or disgusted." His voice was low, wavering, and my hand involuntarily reached up to grab at one of his free hands. Our fingers laced together, his eyes meeting mine once again, an unsureness I had never seen before settled in his dark gaze. "I could never be disgusted by you, Shoji," I spoke quietly, tentatively. "Mezo. Please." I smiled gently at his words, "Mezo." I tried the name out, it sounded foreign yet somehow... right, on my tongue. "Thank you..." He spoke lowly, almost nervously.
My eyebrows scrunched in concern as he didn't meet my eyes. Something was still wrong, and I was unsure what to do. "What's wrong?" He shook his head, "nothing." "I know you're lying, Mezo." I could feel him shiver slightly, and whether that was due to the cold or my words, I would never know. I looked up at the sky, the rain still poured down, and we were still quite far from my home. I looked back to him, his face hung low, his silver hair sweeping over his eyes, the pale blue mask covering his other features. I had never asked why he wore the mask, but suddenly, I had the strong urge to know what lay beneath it.
I stepped closer, his form looming over mine, my free hand moving from my side to his face. I gently trailed my fingers over the edge of his mask, his face jerking up to see me better. "Why do you wear this mask?" I questioned, my voice holding only curiosity. His eyes held a slight fear, so I retracted my hand. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—" "No, please, it's... I... don't mind." His voice quivered, and held an emotion I couldn't quite place. Longing? I didn't know.
I rested my hand on his shoulder, waiting patiently for his answer. "It's... it doesn't really matter..." I shook my head, "please, I want to know." His gaze uncertain, his shoulders tense. He sighed, "my village... doesn't exactly like heteromorphs. You don't need to hear my sob story but... people were afraid of my face, so I covered it. Hoping people would be less afraid of me if I wasn't so scary looking." His hand that was interlaced with mine trembled slightly, I rubbed my thumb soothingly against the back of his. "You're not scary," he chuckled humorlessly, "You wouldn't say that if you knew what I looked like." I took a breath, "then show me."
His eyes widened, "w—what?" "Show me, Mezo, I want to know what you look like. Then I can determine how scary you really are." I grinned slowly, he shook his head, "no—no I don't want to lose you—" I laughed at the thought, "Lose me? That will never happen. I swear by it. Even if I'm frightened, I won't leave you, ever." His gaze was wide, unbelieving, hopeful. He looked away. "Are... are you sure?" I nodded.
His hand dropped from mine. He wordlessly reached his hand up, hesitating over his mask, before hooking his finger in and pulling it down. My jaw fell as a small gasp escaped my lips. Scary? He was beautiful. His lips were long and thin, scars trailed over just about every inch of skin I could see. Once again I wondered how anyone could be scared of him, and for the first time I wondered, 'What happened to him?' He looked at me nervously, his hand fiddling with the fabric of his mask. I was snapped out of my daze as he opened his mouth to speak, scarred skin pulling at his lips, and revealing his perfectly white teeth, "Y/N...?" He had never said my name before. He had never spoken to me with his actual mouth. I felt a sudden surge of affection for him, my heart twisting painfully.
Suddenly I was moving, wrapping my arms around his neck and crashing my lips into his. He startled, dropping the umbrella, causing the rain to hit me once again, drenching our bodies. I pulled away, "I'm sorry—I—I shouldn't ha—" He cut me off, his lips crashing against mine once again. All of his 6 limbs wrapped around my smaller form, his main two coming up to my neck, holding me gently to his face as his lips moved against mine. Another pair wrapped around my back, hands caressing and tugging, at my hair, on my back; the last pair fit snug around my waist, his thumbs gently brushing against the skin of my stomach that had been revealed.
It was overwhelming, yet oh so wonderfully him. I melted into his touch, my fingers entangled in his hair, running across the scars on his neck and his face. He hummed against my lips, his touch gentle and yet bruising at the same time. I tilted my head to the side slightly, his lips moved feverishly against mine, the kiss deep and warm. We pulled away from each other slowly, gasping for air. I rested my head against his chest, his strong arms pulling me flush against him.
I was suddenly aware of the rain pouring down, my hair and clothes soaked through. "My apartment is right around the corner, stay with me? At least until the rain stops." I nodded, grinning up at him. His face turned red as he pulled a hand from where it rested on my neck to cover my head from the rain. I ran my hand through his soaked hair, and our lips met again. Slow and gentle, nothing like the first one which was hot and quick. I smiled against his lips, pulling away slightly. "You could never be scary, Mezo. You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen."
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
1.4k words
i am a FIRM mezo shoji lover, he has my heart forever and always. he doesn't get enough love (cept for you blair-vvitch, ily) so I HAD to write something for him. everytime I see his little face I get horrible cuteness aggression so I attempted to showcase that in this. hope you liked it heehee
The type who would lose their train of thought and ability to speak when you’d come too close to them or make eye contact for more than 5 seconds.
— Asahi, Midoriya, Iida,
The type who would start interacting with you more be it about school or asking to hang out. He invites you at least once a week to check out cafes or other stores with him.
Straight up told you he likes you and is pursuing with making you his s/o in mind. Reminds you every once in a while when he thinks you've forgotten that he likes you.
Long time no see, I know, I'm sorry!!!! Hope you still like this chapter!
- Shouji -
Come out, come out, where are you hiding?
Now, we all know that only those with something to hide keep secrets.
How interesting, therefore, to find our dearest Tenta-lover gone from her apartment, gone from her job, gone from her usual neighborhood.
Thanks to our dear subscribers we know she left with Jet-Black Hero: Tsukuyomi. Is he the newest Heteromorph she’s set her eyes on?
Shouji watches as Shouto’s lawyer Murakami reads through the posts.
“I agree that we can sue, but it would work better for us if we could sue the actual person behind it. If we report them as a company, they’d be out of the country before any of it took effect.”
“So we take them down,” Shouto declares cooly. “No problem.”
“One problem,” Shouji points out. “We don’t know who they are or where they are. They use their subscribers to get the pictures and videos they need.”
“All of it?” Murakami asks. “An empire like that has to grow from somewhere. That picture of you and her, did you notice someone on that street back then?”
“No,” Shouji hesitates. “You’re right, we were alone.”
“We could let Mei analyze it,” Shouto offers. “She might have an idea.”
“We still need to lure him out of the shadows,” Shouji points out. “I have an idea.”
-
Shouji finds you at your new workplace, cleaning up a deserted meeting room.
“Need a hand?” He offers gently, but you still jump in surprise, your smile growing when you recognize him.
“Shouji,” you rush over to grab his hand and shake it. “I- Thank you! So much! I don’t know how I can repay you for any of this!”
“For what?” He asks calmly. “I’ve done nothing so far.”
“But Tsuyu-chan! A-and Tokoyami-kun! Oh, and Aoyama-”
“What have they done that you have me to thank for?”
Your eyes widen and you take a step back, pushing your hair behind your ear in a self-conscious manner.
“But they’re so nice to me,” you whisper before returning to your work at hand.
“I’ll be done in a minute,” you promise, “Or, I mean, you can go on, Tsuyu-chan is in her office. I’m sure you need to speak to her.”
“Actually, I’m here for you,” Shouji admits. “If you have the time, I need to ask you something.”
“Oh, of course, just a minute,” You stumble on the way out, almost dropping the tray with discarded glasses and bottles. Shouji steadies you with a helping hand, unable to keep from smiling at your clumsiness.
“Take your time,” he points out, pulling back, suddenly too aware of how close you are. “I’ll wait here.”
-
“A live interview?” You look at him with horror in your eyes. “I can’t do that! I’d make a fool of myself! And you.”
“Nishimoto-san is a nice person. The nicest interviewer I know, to be honest. She’s going to help you out in every way she can, but we need it to be live to get the leverage on News Daddy. These would be the questions she’d ask you.”
Shouji hands you the printout. “You don’t have to agree to this. You can also think about it some more. You’re safe here. If News Daddy doesn’t get more information on you, it will soon become a boring story, and something new will arise.”
“But you could put them away for good, right?” You ask, fiddling with your hands in uncertainty. “And you’re a Hero. That’s what you do.”
“I care about people. That’s what I do,” Shouji corrects you, feeling a little unsure about his wording, but the damage is done already.
Your eyes are warm as you take him in and he has to look away, refocus.
“You should know,” he clears his throat awkwardly, “That News Daddy has made you out as some kind of Heteromorph hater. Since he’s made racist remarks about us in the past, I doubt he’s got a lot of Heteromorphs following him, or at least following him with that intensity you’ve seen, but the thought has spread a little. I’ve been approached twice so far.”
Your eyes widen. “What did they do?”
“Nothing much,” Shouji swallows. “They talked bad about you, but at least the people who approached me would listen to my reasoning. You could be faced with backlash in the future, though. I want you to know that.”
You sigh. “Nothing new there.” You’re quiet for a while, and Shouji knows, he should get up and get going. He’s got places to be, especially if they want to catch News Daddy as quickly as possible, but he can’t just let you sit here, lost in your thoughts.
“Hey,” he reaches out to pat the back of your hand awkwardly. “Everything will turn out okay, I’m sure of it.”
“I’ll do it,” you tell him, clearly not hearing his words. “The interview. If it helps you, I’ll do it.”
“You should think about yourself, too.”
You shake your head. “No, I mean, sure, I’ll do that, but I’ll do the interview. I’ll be fine.”
-
Nishimoto-san does not exist in the same sphere as News Daddy, but she’s well-known and kind enough to take the job. Shoji waits until the interview is announced before he makes his next move, calling the number he got handed all those months ago. His memory is coming in handy again.
“News Daddy here, how can we help?” A friendly female voice answers.
“This is Tentacle Hero: Tentacole. You might have noticed that my so-called lover is about to give an interview to a respectable News Source. I wanted to give News Daddy a chance to interview me first. He offered.”
There’s Silence on the other end of the line, then some distant noise. Finally, a deeper voice answers.
“Tentacole, my friend-”
“We are not friends,” Shoji points out cooly. “Do not call me that.”
“Of course, of course. So Tenta-lover is giving an interview… interesting. Are you afraid of what she might have to spill?”
Shoji thinks of you, the softness of your smile, and how you tend to drop everything you’re holding at his sight. “I wouldn’t call if I didn’t,” he lies instead. “But I’m not going to talk to any of your henchmen. Meet me in person or don’t meet me at all. I’m sure I’ll find someone else willing to interview me.”
“Wait!”
Shoji smiles into his mask. This was easier than he thought.
-
- You -
Aoyama insisted on accompanying you to the interview, but now you wish he hadn’t.
He’s lovely, yes, and has become something like your best friend overnight, but he seems even more anxious than you in the face of what’s to come.
“Don’t look directly at the cameras,” he reminds you. “A-and don’t stutter.”
“C-can you quiz me again?” You ask, hoping it will calm him down if he’s got something to do. “Ask me t-the questions I’m going to be asked?”
“Absolutely,” Aoyama pulls the page from your hands with more force than necessary. There’s the sound of paper tearing, and you stare at him with wide eyes.
“I can fix that,” he insists. “Don’t cry, it will mess with your mascara!”
Your name is called before you can react. You cradle the ripped-up answers to your chest and throw one last look at Aoyama.
“You’ll do great,” he insists, though he looks just as unsure of it as you feel.
His phone rings. Your name is called again.
“I’ll see you on the other side,” you press through your lips, trying not to cry.
The last thing you hear from Aoyama is his voice as he picks up the call.
“Oh, hi Shoji!”
-
- Shouji -
His heartbeat slows to a stop as he listens to Aoyama’s bubbly voice on the end of the line.
“What do you mean she just went in?” He asks, looking down at the miserable guy sitting in the dirt. “I texted her. We have News Daddy, she doesn’t have to give the interview.”
Tokoyami looks up at him. “Go,” he insists. “We can deal with this guy.”
“Good lu-” Dark Shadow knocks out the guy before he can finish what he was trying to say.
-
Shoji is fast, but he’s not Iida.
His phone pings with notifications as he runs and when he has to stop at a traffic light, he pulls it out to check.
Yes, he’s too late. You’re already live.
Sighing, he opens the stream, unsure if he should run to get you out of this or run away from you instead.
Nishimoto-san, an elderly woman who interviewed him when he got the Peace Prize, smiles softly into the camera.
You look like a nervous wreck next to her.
“Oh dear,” Nishimoto-san takes one of your hands in hers and squeezes it. “No need to be nervous. What are you afraid of?”
“I tend to put my foot in my mouth,” you blabber. “Not literally, of course. I just don’t say the things the way I mean them.”
Nishimoto-san laughs. “Tell me about it. When I was your age, everyone told me I was too blunt. It’s hard, right?”
You let out a shaky breath of relief. “Yeah, absolutely.”
“Tell me a little bit about yourself.” Nishimoto-san hasn’t let go of your hand yet. “You’re from the countryside, right? My grandmother came from a small village, you might not know it-”
Shouji breathes a little easier as he listens and watches.
Your eyes sparkle as you reminisce about the wonders of your childhood. The dark forests, the warmth of your parents' love, and the curiosity that drove you to the city.
“And what do you like about our city?”
“Oh, it’s…” You hesitate, look up into Nishimoto-san’s eyes as if looking for the answer there, “I like how everybody can be themselves here. And I-I don’t mean just Quirkless or Heteromorph, but, like, if you want to dress completely in pink, no one bats an eye as long as you don’t hurt anybody, right? Or if you want to take a pottery class at midnight, you can find one. There are so many possibilities here I haven’t yet seen.”
Slowly, the interview moves from the city to the things you’ve experienced in the last few days. Shoji wonders if you notice. You seem calm, chatting like you’re talking to an old friend.
He reaches the studio, lingers around the back door.
Should he go inside? Or not.
“Not many of us get a chance to be saved by a Hero. Not that we want to get into danger for that, right?” Nishimoto-san laughs. “But what was it like? Can you tell?”
“I-” You look away, bite your lip in embarrassment. “I was really scared. I thought people had forgotten about me, that I-” You hiccup and wipe your nose before you force yourself to smile. “But then I heard a voice and I was so relieved, like you wouldn’t believe. I only realized the next day who it was that saved me, but from the moment I heard his voice, I knew I was safe.”
“Wow. And how did you feel when you realized it was Tentacole who saved you?”
You blink. “What do you mean?”
“Were you disappointed? Did you think it was someone else?”
“Disappointed?” You gasp. “Shoji’s the… I mean, Tentacole, he’s the best person to get saved by, I’m sure. Why would I be disappointed?”
Nishimoto-san waits for a second before she smiles. “It was just a question, dear. I can tell that you like him very much.”
You bury your head in your hands. Shoji wonders if you have forgotten that you’re on live television. You probably have.
“You can tell?” You ask, your voice almost like a sob. “I’m acting like a fool when he’s around. But who wouldn’t? He’s so-” You gesture helplessly and laugh. “Right?”
“Right,” Nishimoto-san laughs quietly. “I heard there was some ruckus, though. Someone called “News Daddy”?”
You tell her the story like one would tell a friend. Shoji slips quietly inside, your voice in his ear.
He’s not sure what will come of this interview. But his heart warms when he thinks of your face, trying to explain how you feel about him.
-
- You -
“And that’s it,” Nishimoto-san leans back in her chair, laughing softly.
You blink. She leans in to pat your hand. “You’ve been great. Like a natural.”
“Like a-” You look around, slowly registering all the cameras and lights and people looking back. You’re not sure how or when, but you’ve forgotten all about them, too focused on Nishimoto-san and the story you’ve told her.
“Oh god,” you groan. “What did I say? I said something embarrassing, right?”
“No,” Nishimoto-san laughs and pats your hand once more. “You’ve been perfectly natural. It was lovely. I wish I could interview you every day.”
She seems to spot someone in the crowd and giggles. “But it’s time for you to get out of the chair. Someone’s waiting for you.”
“Aoyama?” You get up, expecting to find him somewhere in the crowd, sparkling away.
Instead, you find Shoji, two arms crossed over his chest, the others relaxed.
Your heart leaps into your throat.
“Hey,” you hiccup as you approach him. “How bad was it?”
“Did you mean what you said?” He asks, his deep voice low, almost inaudible.
“I don’t remember everything I said,” you admit sheepishly, “but I’ve never been a very convincing liar, so…”
He nods, takes a breath. “Come,” he puts one hand on your shoulder, “you deserve to rest.”
“What about News Daddy?” You ask as he guides you outside. “A-and-”
“Everything’s fine,” Shoji says, his voice level, though his thumb rubs a comforting circle into your shoulder blade. “Everything’s just fine.”
- - -
Months later
- - -
You take the late-night train home, hoping to catch some sleep, though you stay awake, breezing through the romance novel your mother lent you.
They both watched your interview, and although they’re still a little wary of life in the big, bad city, they can tell you feel at home in Musutafu now. More than you ever have in the countryside.
“Hey,” someone approaches you as you walk up the stairs, “You were on TV, right? There was something about a fire and stuff…”
“Uh,” you nod, a little flustered, “I guess?”
The woman smiles. “You were so cute. My daughter was born heteromorph. She insisted we move to the city when she saw your interview. She’s not going to believe me when I tell her I met you.”
“Oh,” you beam back at her. “That’s amazing. Tell her I said hi!”
“I will and-” She stops before breaking into a bigger smile, nodding at something behind you. “But you’re being picked up, I see. I work at the City Library. Come say hi when you have the time.”
“I will,” you promise, before turning to where she’d gestured.
Sure enough, Shoji’s waiting by the coffee shop at the corner, his tall figure looming.
“Hey Stranger,” you approach him, “You won’t believe what just happened.”
“Hm?” He leans in, slips his mask off just to kiss you. “Are you going to tell me or do I have to guess?”
You take one of his hands in yours and squeeze it. “I’ll tell you,” you promise. “But don’t tell Aoyama. He loves to guess.”
“I’d never,” he slings one arm around your shoulders and pulls you in.
Just like that first night that he held you, you feel just one thing: safe.
