; how shiratorizawa boys fell for you at first sight.
#1 ushijima wakatoshi
ushijima was mid-jog around the campus perimeter, his mind focused on his stride, until he saw you. you were standing by a duck pond, trying to explain to a group of confused ducklings that they couldn’t eat your notebook. you were gesturing wildly at the paper, your face serious and your eyebrows knit together in a way that wakatoshi found more captivating than a national championship.
he stopped running. his heart rate, usually a steady machine, spiked into a rhythm that made his chest ache. it wasn’t a slow burn at all, it was a forest fire. he watched you gently nudge a duckling away with your shoe, apologizing to it as you did. he felt an overwhelming, heavy pull toward you. he realized that you were the “strength” his life had been missing. you looked up, saw the stoic ace staring at you, and gave him a bright, unabashed grin.
“you have a very kind way of communicating with nature,” ushijima said, his voice deep and vibrating with a sudden, intense sincerity. he didn’t look away, his gaze locked onto yours with a beautiful, terrifying focus. “i found myself unable to keep running because i needed to stand near you. i’m ushijima wakatoshi. i would like you to come to the botanical gardens with me this weekend. i believe i would regret it for the rest of my life if i didn’t take this chance.”
#2 soekawa jin
soekawa was used to being the shadow, the reliable vice-captain who kept things running. then he saw you in the art gallery, standing in front of a painting of a stormy sea with a look of such profound, quiet understanding that it made his breath hitch.
he felt a deep, grounding pull in his chest. it was a slow-building, heavy devotion. he watched you reach out as if to touch the canvas, then pull back with a shy smile. you looked so humane and so lovely. when you saw him, you offered a soft, “it’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“it is,” soekawa said, his voice low and full of a sudden, intense yearning. he wasn’t looking at the painting; he was looking at you. “but i find the person looking at it to be much more compelling. i’m soekawa jin. and i’d be honored if you’d let me walk you through the rest of the gallery—and then to dinner. i have a feeling i could look at you for a long time and never get bored.”
#3 semi eita
semi was walking through the music wing, humming a tune he was working on, when he saw you through a classroom window. you were sitting on a desk, wearing an oversized band shirt and trying to tune a bass guitar with a look of pained concentration.
he felt the air leave his lungs. the way the afternoon light hit the bridge of your nose and the sheer cool-girl energy you radiated made his heart do a violent kick-turn. he’d always thought he was the one with the “edge,” but looking at you made him feel like a nervous middle-schooler. you looked up, saw the handsome guy with the salt-and-pepper hair, and gave him a playful, rock-on hand gesture. semi’s face turned a shade of pink he didn’t know he was capable of.
“that’s a half-step flat,” he blurted out, sliding into the room like he was being pulled by a wire. he looked at you with wide, yearning eyes that betrayed how cool he was trying to act. “and honestly, my heart is currently flatlining because you’re the most incredible person i’ve ever seen. i’m semi eita. please, let me tune that for you? and then let me take you to a record store? i’m desperate for a chance to know what music you like.”
#4 ōhira reon
reon was helping a freshman find their way to class when he saw you. you were sitting on a bench, carefully repairing a torn page in a children’s book with some tape, humming a lullaby to yourself.
he felt a wave of warmth wash over him that made his knees weak. you were so gentle, so kind, and your hands moved with such grace. he felt a fierce, protective need to be the one who looked after you. you looked up, saw the large, kind-faced boy, and gave him a peaceful smile. “i hate to see stories get broken,” you said.
“you have a beautiful heart,” reon said, his voice like velvet. he sat down on the edge of the bench, his gaze heavy with a deep, sweet adoration. “and i’ve just realized i want to protect that heart. i’m ōhira reon. i know we’ve only just met, but would you give me a chance to take you on a date? i’d like to hear more of those stories.”
#5 tendō satori
tendō was humming his “break their spirits” song while skip-walking to the gym, until he saw you. you were in the hallway, reading a horror manga and eating a bag of extremely spicy chips, making the most hilarious faces of terror and delight at every page turn.
tendō felt his guess-monster intuition scream at him. it wasn’t a prediction about a block; it was a soul-deep realization that he’d found his match. he watched you lick red dust off your thumb and felt a surge of adoration so potent it made him dizzy. you noticed the tall, red-headed boy staring at you and, instead of being creeped out, you held out the bag of chips with a challenge in your eyes.
“oho! a challenger appears!” tendō chirped, though his voice was uncharacteristically thick with emotion. he leaned over you, his eyes shimmering with a desperate, sweet obsession. “you’re so sparkly! your aura is like a firework! i think i’ve just decided that i never want to spend a day without seeing your faces. can we be best friends? no—can i court you? please! i’ll be the most entertaining boyfriend in the world, i promise!”
#8 goshiki tsutomu
goshiki was busy practicing his cool landing until he saw you watching from the gym balcony. you were wearing a shiratorizawa jersey that was way too big for you, and you were cheering—not for ushijima, but for him. “nice shot, future ace!” you yelled, giving him a double thumbs-up.
goshiki’s brain exploded. he felt a surge of pride and love so intense he thought he might actually levitate. he looked up at you, his eyes wide and shimmering, and felt like he’d finally found the person he wanted to impress for the rest of his life. you laughed at his stunned expression, your eyes crinkling in a way that made him feel like he was winning everything.
“DID YOU SEE THAT?!” he shouted, then immediately turned bright red and ran toward the stairs. he met you at the bottom, his chest heaving, his eyes locked on yours with a raw, puppy-like devotion. “you called me the ace! nobody does that! you’re… you’re the most incredible person in the universe! please, let me buy you a juice! and then let me take you on a date! i’ll become the greatest player in japan just for you! just give me one chance!”
#9 shibata yu
shibata was in the middle of a heavy lifting session in the gym when he saw you through the open doors. you were a manager for the kendo club, and you were currently practicing your footwork in the hallway, your movements sharp and full of a fierce, beautiful power.
he dropped the weights. the clang! echoed, but he only had eyes for you. he felt a resonant respect and a sudden, overwhelming love for your strength. you finished your set, wiped your brow, and caught him staring. you gave him a sharp, confident smirk that made his soul leave his body.
“your form is incredible,” shibata said, walking out to the hall with a look of pure, concentrated yearning. he was still sweaty, but he didn't care. “i’m shibata yu. and i’ve never seen anything as beautiful as you in motion. please, let me take you to a martial arts demonstration this weekend? i really need a chance to see more of what you can do.”
#10 shirabu kenjirō
shirabu was busy being annoyed by everyone’s incompetence until he saw you in the student council room. you were methodically organizing a chaotic pile of club applications, your lips pursed and your pen moving with a cold, efficient grace that shirabu found... devastatingly attractive.
he felt a system error in his brain. he’d spent his life looking for efficiency, but seeing you do it so perfectly made his heart hammer against his ribs in a very inefficient way. he watched you snap a binder shut with a look of triumph, and he was so hooked that he had to lean against the doorframe. you looked up, saw the sharp-eyed setter, and pushed a stack of papers toward him. “can you file these, please?”
“only if you agree to have coffee with me,” shirabu said, his voice steady but his ears turning a bright, tell-tale crimson. he looked at you with an intensity that was almost a glare, but his eyes were full of a soft, desperate hope. “i don’t usually waste my time on people, but looking at you feels like a very important use of my time. i’m shirabu kenjirō. and i’d like a chance to show you i’m as organized as you are.”
#12 kawanishi taichi
taichi was in his usual state of ‘vaguely bored’ until he saw you in the school greenhouse. you were wearing a giant sun hat and were currently engaged in a very heated argument with a venus flytrap about its eating habits.
he started feeling a spark of interest that rapidly escalated into a full-blown obsession. you were funny, you were weird, and you were breathtakingly beautiful in the humid, green light. he watched you offer the plant a tiny piece of a burger patty and felt his heart do a somersault. you noticed him standing there and sheepishly adjusted your hat. “it’s a picky eater,” you whispered.
“maybe it just wants some space,” taichi murmured, walking over and looking at you with a gaze that was uncharacteristically focused and full of quiet yearning. “but i don’t. i want to be exactly where you are. i’m taichi. and i think you’re the most fascinating person in this entire academy. would you let me take you to the cat cafe downtown? i’d really like a chance to hear more of your theories on plants.”
#13 akakura kai
akakura was trying to look tough and mature like his upperclassmen until he saw you. you were in the school courtyard, trying to teach a stray cat how to shake hands, and you were offering it tiny pieces of a sandwich as a bribe.
his brain completely short-circuited, a surge of pure desperation hitting him so hard his legs forgot how to work for a second. you were so cute, so determined, and the way you cheered when the cat finally tapped your palm made him want to follow you forever. you saw the first-year staring and laughed. “do you want to try?”
“i’d rather just watch you,” akakura blurted out, his face turning a brilliant, hot red. he looked at you with such raw, puppy-like adoration that you couldn't help but giggle. “you’re… you’re the most amazing girl i’ve ever seen. i’m akakura kai. please, can i have your number? i want to help you with the cats. and i want to take you out. please give me a chance!”
#14 yamagata hayato
hayato was messing around on a skateboard in the parking lot when he saw you. you were currently losing a battle against a large, colorful umbrella that had caught a gust of wind and was trying to take you with it.
he didn’t even think. he did a perfect save maneuver, sliding across the pavement to grab the handle of the umbrella before you could be swept away. you landed against his chest, breathless and laughing, and hayato felt his heart do a series of rapid-fire blocks against his ribs. you were so bright, and you smelled slightly like petrichor.
“gotcha!” hayato grinned, but his eyes were wide and full of a sudden, desperate yearning. he didn't let go of the umbrella, or the chance to stay close to you. “whoa, you’re… you’re actually a dream. i think i just saved my own life by catching you. i’m yamagata hayato. please, let me walk you home so you don’t fly away? and then, let me take you to a carnival. i want to see you laugh like that again.”
→ the taxi’s next route is to inarizaki high, get in!
n: i was going to exclude shibata but i just eyeballed it. also, i love akakura sm, he’s such a smartie.
can i request makoto naegi and chihiro fujisaki (separately) introducing their s/o to their family? makoto introducing his s/o to komaru and chihiro to taichi?
Makoto isn't really shy about your relationship, he may be sometimes flustered (specially by the affection or the romantic cheesy stuff) but he is more insecure about himself rather than shy, so he tent to doubt himself, still with your reasurance and affection Makoto can tell that is alright to be in a relationship with you
Makoto doesn't really talk about your relationship at all times but he has no problem with talking about it, telling his friends about how you two are doing or maybe a funny story that they may want to heard, he normally doesn't rant about you relasionship but there are times when he just can't help but talk about you without even noticing
Makoto isn't too shy nor embarrassed about your relationship so he doesn't really has problem with talking about it to his family, mainly Kowaru who's the one who actually is interested on it, however he normally dont tell much details because thats is when he think he is talking about things that are too personal (and that tent to flustered him, but Kowaru can get some details if she insist or gets his brother unprepared)
Makoto doesn't have any problem with properly introducing you to his family, however he thinks that it will make your relationship more serious (he just thinks that is just like if you two were going to live together, not that he complains)
When Kowaru gets the opportunity to finally meet you it would be a little awkward, as much as Kowaru insist that you two may be a cute couple and that she will like to meet you she just can't help but be a little intimidated by it, Makoto is his older brother and she respect him as such, so meeting his partner makes her nervous
Kowaru is totally the type to become friends with Makoto's partner but it will take her a while to get comfortable enough to just let herself be herself (the more cool she thinks you are the more awkward she will feel), but after a while and probably a little bit of assurance from your part she will become your friend and will even become supportive over you two (although, Makoto may complain sometime by how much Kowaru tends to borrow you)
Chihiro Fujisaki
Chihiro is quite flustered by the fact that he is in a relationship, he can be easily flustered and even embarrassed, however his relasionship is something that brings him a lot of comfort and even motivate him to feel more comfortable and confidence with himself, so even when he feels embarrassed when someone point it out he doesn't deny the fact nor how much he appreciate you
Actually, Chihiro sometimes just talks about his relasionship with you with his friends and even family without noticing, be by saying something you have done together that made him really happy or just expressing how much he loves you (most of the time he does without noticing, he is just too happy to don't talk about it)
It probably will take Chihiro a while to grow comfortable enough to introduce you to his family because he doesn't want to rush you or make you feel pressure, he is just trying to go slowly for the comfort of both of you
Is more likely that by the moment Chihiro feels ready to introduce you to his family he had already tell his father quite a lot about you, and, honestly, Taichi is quite happy to be able to meet that person that is so special for his son and that makes him so happy (even so, he still feels a little nervous), but at the end getting to meet him will be a quite enjoyable experience since Taichi is really kind and actually apreciate you for making his son so happy
It wont really take much time for Taichi to grow comfortable with you (unless you act rude or cold towards him), and that will make Chihiro feel not only at easy but also happy. Also, once Taichi grow more comfortable with you he will totally treat you as part of the family, even indirectly leaving clear that if you ever need his help with anything he will be happy to provide it (even if he doesn't really think he can do much for you)
Just as Taichi is with his own son, he become supportive and caring towards you, however he always tries to remember to leave the you two your own space and time to be together, he grows to trust you two that wont do anything stupid or inapropiate
Could I request Yuki and Taichi (separately) with a reader who likes fashion but gets insecure with certain clothes, thinking they couldn't pull them off? Whether it's platonic or romantic doesn't matter since either is fine ^^ Hope you have a great day Emily!! (人*´∀｀)｡*ﾟ✨✨✨ Sorry if the request is a bit vague qwq
Of course you can!! 💕 Not vague at all, it was really a really nice writing experience! I didn’t specify the type of clothes or the relationship, so anyone can go for it.
Please enjoy!
Fashion conversations (Yuki and Taichi x reader)
Yuki
“Are you going to try it?”
“Y-yuki!” You barely contain a scream, unconsciously hiding the piece of clothing behind your back. He watches you unimpressed, although you are sure it must seem off for you to act this jumpy. You had come together shopping after all. “What’s up?” you smile, and he raises an eyebrow. You know you couldn’t fool him, but appearing distracted was always an option. Lucky for you, it works.
“I’ve been calling you for a while, you know. I found the accessories I wanted.”
“Oh! Let’s go see them then.”
The green haired boy hums, however his eyes are now fixed on the rest of the clothes hanging behind you. “That’s a good color. Are these from the new collection?” he asks, and touches their fabric.
Your nerves pick up, asking you to leave. “Seems like it!” you place the clothes you had back again on their hanger. “Too expensive though. Maybe when sales come.”
You don’t like to lie, especially to Yuki. But you don’t have the guts to say out loud what your mind told you.
That you are not fit for those clothes.
And you hate it, because fashion is... actually a somewhat comfort of yours. You love trends, talking about clothes, styling them, and using them to express yourself, and it makes you overwhelmed that for these specific clothes your actions always contradicted your thoughts. Like part of you was simply okay with having them between your hands, imagining a version of you where they actually looked good enough.
“Since when was that a problem? If you like them you should just try them now.”
"We came for your accessories though."
"So? I wouldn't have asked you to come if I were in a hurry."
You feel like Yuki is being more persistent than usual, but maybe it’s just your desire to leave. “It’s fine.” You insist and glance at the clothes. You shake your head. “In any case, I don’t think they— “
“Don’t tell me you’re going to say they wouldn’t look good on you or something stupid like that.”
You press your lips together. You adored Yuki, but sometimes he was too honest and raw with his choice of words.
“I like it.” He continues looking at the clothes, and tilts his head turning to you. “It’s different from what you usually wear.”
You don’t know where to look. “I guess.”
There’s a moment of silence, the background music feeling in for both of you. You know by now he’s picked up the situation, he’s far too smart not to. Also for best or worse, knows you too much as well.
“You know no one is going to judge you, Y/N.”
“I know.” You say that too quick. “I know. I just… still feel embarrassed, for some reason.”
This time the summer member does frown, mostly confused. “Why?”
As you watch him cross his arms, waiting for the answer, there’s a pinch of pain and annoyance rising within you. Maybe jealousness even. In any case you hate the feeling, because you know he didn’t mean it like that. “You can pull of anything Yuki.” You start talking. You open your arm, gesturing the rows of clothes surrounding you two. “And it looks great, okay? No matter what you wear. And— I’m not saying this because I’m comparing myself to you, but this?” you turn to the clothes. You pick them up and hold them with both hands again. Your voice falters as you low your head and look at them. “This” you repeat. “I feel like I shouldn’t even try.”
Yuki stares at you. You don’t say anything. A few couples and groups of friends walk by, laughing, hands with bags. “Because you’re uncomfortable?” he finally ask.
You shrug. Not really. “It… doesn’t feel right.”
“What doesn't?”
You lift your head and blink. Now you are too occupied trying to make sense without getting angry. “What do you mean what— wearing this! It would look better on you or— I don’t know! Literally anyone else.”
“So if you saw them on let’s say, someone from my dorm, you would like it.”
“Sure.”
“Without thinking anything of it.”
“Yes!” you raise your arms exasperated.
“So there are clothes made for everyone except you? Don’t you think it’s weird?”
You open your mouth to contradict him, but you don’t know how to phrase it other than what it was already said. You had never had expectations for others— you had seen people of all shapes and sizes rock the hell out of this clothe before and loved the way they looked.
But you?
“Those people... aren’t me.” You say, hoping to end the discussion. You could easily look at another person objectively and see how beautiful and stylish they looked, but your relationship with yourself regarding these particular clothes always came with complications.
“Look,” Yuki doesn’t want to argue. But this topic was too close to home for him to evade it. Specially coming from you. “I’m no psychologist. But there’s no harm in going out of your comfort zone sometimes. There are no wardrobe rules, Y/N.”
“Challenging your rules and insecurities isn’t an easy thing to do.” He continues, seeing you didn’t retort to his statement. His orange eyes speak from experience. “But if you like something hanging on a rack or hanger, instead of writing it off, try to try it on. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that the only thing you need to do to pull off a look is to wear it. Your confidence will catch up eventually.”
“Sounds easier said than done.”
Yuki shrugs. It was what it was, and he wasn’t one for sugar-coating things. “See what happens when you do, forgetting everyone else. For what it’s worth, I think you would look more than good wearing them.” The summer member turns to the formed queue for the cashier and then again turns back to you. “I’m going to grab the accessories. See you at the entrance when you are done.”
He walks away, leaving you and your thoughts alone, running back and forth for a while in your head, conflicted. Your mouth becomes a firm line as you weigh the options and his words, clenching on the clothes. You take a deep breath.
You hoped your confidence picked up speed.
.
.
.
For all the time you believe he’s been waiting, Yuki doesn’t complain about it.
He also doesn’t comment or applaud when he sees a shopping bag hanging from your arm.
“I still need to pass by the sewing store as well. That money-grabbing yakuza made me promise to wait only for when there’s a discount.” He complains remembering one of their multiple arguments. He looks to you. “Do you have time?”
You nod.
None of you say anything else, heading to the shop while making conversation about the fabrics, as usual. After a while and just before you enter the shop, Yuki suddenly grabs your hand and squeezes it.
It’s pretty quick. One small squeeze and a fast release. A Yuki way of saying I'm proud of you, by the way. The action makes your chest jump.
You hope in the future you would be too.
Because today wasn’t to say your insecurities were going to vanish when you began dressing in the clothes resting on your bag, but it was definitely a pretty big step towards feeling better about yourself.
Taichi
“Man I love thrift stores! Do you think I should take this jacket too, Y/N? It’s big but I hope I can grow— Oh wait this one’s cooler!”
You walk behind Taichi amused, infected with the enthusiasm the autumn member exuded. Of course, the fact that you had been asked to come along for your opinion regarding fashion made you feel somewhat pleased as well.
“Take both for now, we can see them better where there’s more light... and we should really have you try all the clothes you have chosen so far. We can take another look later around the shop afterward. Your arms must be getting tired.”
The redhead who was still gushing over the amount of pockets the new-found jacket had stared at his arms and blinked. Indeed, they were practically non-existent due to all the trousers, sweatshirts and jackets covering them. “Oh yeah! Didn’t even notice! Let’s see, the changing rooms were…”
Once he’s inside one of them you decide to take a small walk around the place while waiting, humming happily. You remember Yuki mentioning this shop to you a while ago but hadn’t been able to visit until now, which was crazy honestly, given how often you went shopping around Veludo. You let your hand caress distractedly the rows of hung clothes when your eyes notice a specific item. You stop and stare at it for a few seconds, before slowly taking it out of the hanger.
Your fingers dance through the fabric slowly. They turn the clothes around and you conclude it might even be your size, but that’s as far as you go. You begin to put it back into place. You would never be able to—
“Wow, that would look awesome on you!”
You find an excited Taichi running towards you from behind. He’s wearing some of the chosen clothes. “Are you going to try it?” he asks eagerly.
“Not sure yet.” You manage to say casually before focusing on him. “Turn around?”
Motivated, he proceeds to do a slow turn so you can see the back as well as the sides.
“What do you think?” he says as you both go back to the changer. He looks again at his reflection in the mirror and begins making a few poses. “I feel really cool!”
You chuckle and nod. Bright colors like the ones he had chosen were really like him. “Looks good to me too. Though the trousers look a bit short, don’t they? Do you feel comfortable?” you tilt your head.
“Yup! I saw this style on some magazines and I’ve wanted to try them for a while! I know they are not really in right now but…”
“Not at all! If you like them go for it.”
The answer makes Taichi beam. “All right, then this combo is secured!”
You both spend quite a while in the shop long afterward, and you have to commit to Taichi. You had lost count of how many things he had tried at this point. And while you look around some more, waiting for him, there are a few times you can’t help but walk by the rack where those first clothes were.
You don’t really know why you do it, since everytime feels like a pinch to the stomach.
“Are you really not going to try it? You seem to like it a lot.” Taichi suddenly asks during his last change of clothes.
“Uh?”
“You know, that?” He points with his head to where the clothes rest. “You have been looking at them all this time.”
It’s an innocent comment, but it still makes you flustered to have been this obvious. “Nah.” You dismiss the idea, heart picking up pace. “I don’t think it’s going to be good on me.” Your eyes travel through Taichi’s current sweatshirt. You hum, resting your hands on your hips. “Personally I think it’s a bit too big on you Taichi, the cut of the shoulder doesn’t end with yours and…”
“Why do you say that?”
“Well because it gives the sense that your shoulders— “
“No, I meant," he tilts his head curiously. "Why wouldn’t they look good on you? Are they too small?”
“Oh.” You blink. “No, well. It’s because— You know. It’s too good. It’s going to be wasted on me.” You try to joke. You don’t have the confidence to wear it. Never had for those specific clothes.
“Are you kidding? I think it’d look amazing!” You are quick to begin to deny it, but the redhead is a bit too set on the idea for some reason. “Come on!” he insists grabbing the clothes and pushing you towards his own changing room before you can think otherwise.
“T-Taichi!”
“You have helped me lots today, you should try something too and enjoy it!” he grins.
.
.
.
You take a long, deep sigh inside the changing room. You can’t believe you actually gave in to his pleas— or maybe you did it just to stop the uncomfortable situation. In any case, you are now wearing them and as expected, you don’t know how to feel. You haven’t even turned around and looked in the mirror.
“Are you done? Can I see?” Taichi asks from outside after a while.
Because you have always loved this type of clothes. But it didn’t feel right. Of course you know it’s your insecurities talking, but the thought of showing it to Taichi -to anyone really- made you feel embarrassed.
“Y/N?”
You groaned to yourself. Coming face-to-face with things you didn’t like about yourself always left you feeling defeated.
You sigh, counting to three before you open the curtain and bite your lip. Luckily it was a weekday, so there weren’t many clients around the shop. You shrug once you make eye contact with the autumn actor not knowing what to say. Taichi however irradiates enough energy for both of you.
“I like it!" he compliments happily. "It’s different from what you usually wear!”
Exactly. “Yeah, well— I’m going to change now.” You smile. “You can go ahead and pay.”
“What? You are not going to buy it?”
"No."
"Why? You look..."
“Taichi please stop saying that!” you interrupt. His eyes falter at your tone. You feel bad for it, but right now you just want him to quit it. To stop saying they looked on good. “I’m not... fitted for these clothes,” you mutter, and begin to head back to change.
“W-wait, Y/N!” you sigh and turn to him, although you don't know why. He scratches the back of his head. “I don’t have the sense you or Yuki-chan have with clothes but… I do I say it…” He crosses his arms and frowns in concentration. “Ah!” Suddenly his eyes snap open. “You told me the trousers I got were too short before, right?”
“Uh, yeah… but that was my opinion so…”
“And then you said if I liked them I should take them!”
“I did. But that’s because you felt comfortable with them. I don’t.”
“See but that’s because you haven’t worn them before!” he points to the clothes. “I get it! Wearing a dress and a wig in one of our first autumn plays back at the time felt weird at first, but it was actually nice the more I wore it, you know? Even the others said I passed by as a real girl!”
“Uhm.” You knew he really was doing his best to prove a point… in his very Taichi-like way. So you didn’t comment on it.
“What I mean is,” he continues. “Challenging your rules and insecurities isn’t an easy thing but if you like those clothes enough or are interested in them… who cares if you pull it off or not? I mean, you can take all the time you want to get used to them, right?" You frown a bit, processing the words.
You bite your lip and finally for the first time, look at the mirror to see yourself. You take everything. Then you turn again to Taichi. You didn't know what to do.
"Of course all that is just my opinion!" he says quickly, noticing your indecision. "I'll support anything you do. Oh, and if someone says anything bring them on! I’ll have a real talk with them!"
That does make you smile.
"
.
.
.
Before you know it, you two are leaving the shop. Taichi with hands full of bags and you with only one. You stare at it in trance.
You really had done it. Your stomach felt funny.
“You did it!” he exclaims next to you. “Man, you are so cool Y/N.”
You let out a laugh, feeling really close to crying. Taichi supporting you had been nothing new, but the situation was. He felt proud and happy for you. And if he did, maybe the choice was good enough.
“I don’t know about cool but… thanks.” You mean it.
“Of course!” He smiled happily, unaware— or maybe not so unaware. You had learned to give Taichi more credit than he gave himself. He had a way of reassuring people of their own negative perceptions like you had never seen someone do. “I know!” his voice brought your back. “We should go to that place Ban-chan told me just opened to celebrate!”
You shake your head amused. You are about to say he was making a bigger deal than what it was, but you stop yourself. Today was the first time you had actually fought back against your insecurities and won, and hopefully, that will make every battle after that a little bit easier and easier as time passed.
“Sure. Lead the way then.”
So you had all the right to celebrate and feel happy with yourself.
Summary: When all of Taichi’s plans fail, his family comes together to help him ask his girlfriend, Hidemi, a very important question.
Pairing: Taichi Yagami x Hidemi Senshi(OC)
Rating || Genres || Warnings: T. Romance. None.
A/N: This is my contribution to the prompt Adulthood and Family for Taichi Yagami Week.
"Well today was a disaster.” Hikari commented as she stood beside her brother atop the bridge that ran over the canal. A groan was her only response, and she turned to glance at her older brother who had his arms resting on the metal railing, face buried in his arms.
“Who’d have thought that they would close the beach today because of a shark sighting. Of all the random days.” Her tone was full of mirth as she tried her best to suppress her giggles at Taichi’s obvious disappointment at the occurrence.
An even louder groan sounded from the young man, as he finally lifted his head to glare at his sister. “If you’re not going to be helpful Hikari, I suggest you leave.” He sounded extremely grumpy, and judging by the frown that creased his forehead, probably annoyed as well. This time his sister did giggle. She reached out to pat him on the shoulder in a comforting manner.
“Don’t be sad, Oni-chan. I’m sure things will work out.” She did her best to sound optimistic. Taichi shook his head, his wild mane of brown hair untamed even at the age of 22. “You don’t understand Hikari! I had everything planned out perfectly. And now everything is ruined. Every plan was botched.” He looked down at the slowly drifting water of the canal.
“I wanted to surprise Hidemi so bad.” He mumbled, looking rather sad as he did. Hikari’s heart went out to him. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Glancing over his shoulder, she suddenly grinned as she caught sight of an approaching figure. “Well I suppose its a good thing I called in reinforcements.”
Her brother blinked at her.
“What?”
He barely had time to finish voicing his thoughts when Takeru ran up, out of breath and grinning ear to ear. “Its all done Hikari. My brother, Izzy and Jo are getting everything set up, and Mimi and Sora are getting Hidemi ready. They told her it was a girls night out or something.” He added, at which Taichi raised an eyebrow. He was more then aware of how much Hidemi hated getting dressed up and wearing makeup. What were they all up to?
Hikari clapped her hands in delight. “Wonderful job Takeru.” She turned her attention to her brother, giving him a once-over. Taichi glanced down at himself as well. He was dressed rather smartly for once, in black trousers, proper shoes, a tie and a button up. Of course his hair was in disarray, but he had stopped in his attempt to tame it long ago.
“Well then Oni-chan, the rest will be up to you.” She winked at him, only adding to his confusion.
“What?” He repeated.
————————–
“No! Wait! I’ve changed my mind! Maybe it really isn’t the right time!”
“Not a chance Taichi. You’re gonna do it, and you’re gonna do it today.” There was such a determined gleam in Yamato’s eyes that Taichi was afraid his best friend would actually tie him up and leave him there if he tried to walk off.
Izumi grinned. “No backing out now Taichi! I’d say good luck, but according to my statistics, you don’t need it.” Hikari, who had been assessing the surroundings gave a grin as well. She looked like she was about to say something when Jo walked up. “Mimi says they’re almost here.” He announced.
Taichi felt a feeling of nervousness settle in his stomach as he gulped. Yamato laughed as he walked past, seeing how pale he had gotten. “Just blurt it out Yagami. You’ve always been good at that.” The brown haired 22-year old aimed to punch him, but he was already walking away.
A moment later Taichi was left alone, standing in the middle of his old High School football field. It was getting dark, the sun had already started to set. Someone had turned on a few lights around the field. Probably Izumi. Hopefully it wouldn’t attract too much attention.
Suddenly he heard voices. Three to be exact. Sora, Mimi and......
Hidemi.
His throat closed up, his hands felt clammy as his eyes traveled to the source of the sound. He watched as Hidemi was all but shoved towards the football pitch before Sora and Mimi pointed towards him. Once Hidemi caught sight of him, the two girls ran off.
It took little to catch Taichi by surprise. He was, however, struck dumb at the sight of his girlfriend.
She wore a white sweater dress with long boots to match. The only thing holding the dress up were a pair of thin straps over her shoulders, leaving most of her skin bare. Her chin-length black hair was curled inward, with a white headband fixed on top of her head. Normally, Taichi wasn’t the type of guy who would really notice what his girlfriend wore. But when she went ahead and dressed like that?
Of course he was bound to notice! He was human after all.
“Taichi!” She called out, quickly making her way over to him. As she neared him he realized she was wearing lipstick. Pink lipstick.
He wandered how she would look with it smudged around her mouth.
The thought had a fierce blush rising to his cheeks as she finally reached him.
“What in the world is going on? You wouldn’t answer my calls, and then Sora and Mimi jumped me as soon as I get off work and force me into this.” She gestured to what she wore. “And then why did they force me to come here?” Her head swiveled as she looked around at the stands and even field.
Taichi had been thinking on that as well. On the way over, he had thought long and hard as to why his friends would bring him here. And then it hit him.
“Because its where we first met.”
Her grey eyes turned to look at him, wide and full of surprise.
The realization seemed to make him recover from his slightly stunned state as he began to speak.
“You were with Dorumon, trying to teach him how to play football.” A small sad smile pulled at her lips as she seemed to recall the memory of her beloved Digimon. “And he kicked the ball too hard. Knocked you on your back. You got a minor concussion because of that.” His hand lifted to press against the back of her head, as if he could sense the bump there from so long ago. Her own hand came up to cover his.
“And you rushed over to help me.” She said with a small smile pulling at her lips. “I may have been out of it but I remember you carrying me to the Nurse’s Room. Even back then you knew how to sweep a girl off her feet.” The young woman teased, prompting her boyfriend to roll his eyes at her.
“Hardly. I also remember telling your grandfather off for scolding you for getting hurt.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Well he was being a jerk.” Hidemi recalled how the old man had told her off for playing with her Digimon when she should’ve been studying. She still remembered how Taichi had stepped in and stood up for her, without even knowing her.
Her knight in shining armor.
"Though once you realized that Dorumon could evolve into Alphamon, you did become kind of a jerk as well.” She recalled, prompting Taichi to wince at the memories, and how cold he had been to her. “Yeah, not my finest hour.” He admitted.
He had only acted like he did because he was afraid she was in league with Alphamon. “But when you saved our lives I started being nice to you.” He reasoned, prompting his girlfriend to give him a playful shove. “I would hardly call that winning me over, Yagami.” She teased. The way she was smiling at him was enough to calm his nerves and had him smiling back.
There was just something about Hidemi that helped ground him. Once she became a proper part of their little group, Taichi was made aware of just how much she helped keep him level-headed during battles and outside of them as well.
Slowly, Hidemi had integrated herself into their family, their lives and his heart.
Taichi remembered how devastated he had been when he lost Agumon. Even now, remembering how his digimon had been erased from existence caused a twinge in his heart, prompting him to wrap his arms around her waist, resting their foreheads together. Though she was surprised at first, her own arms came up to rest around his chest.
“Do you remember how we got together?” He asked, feeling her nod. “It was after Agumon.” She whispered softly, not wanting to upset him by reminding him more of his lost partner. “I was in a really bad place for awhile. And I honestly didn’t think I would get out of it.” He admitted, his arms tightening around her as he continued. “But then you nearly knocked down my door, threw a slipper at my head and told me to knock it off. That this wouldn’t be what Agumon would’ve wanted for me.” She gave a small laugh at the memory. “I still stand by the fact that I was right in doing what I did.”
Taichi chuckled. “I was angry at first yeah, but you were only trying to help. And though you left, what you said did help me. It was a couple days after, when I first met up with you that I realized that I was in love with you.” Identical blushes stole across their cheeks as they both smiled at one another.
“You’ve become a huge part of my life Hidemi. Of my family.” He knew just how desperate she had been for a family, after her own had disowned her for keeping Dorumon instead of abandoning him. To have people who accepted her for she was. And he had helped her find that in their little group. They were all misfits in some form or another, and she had fit right in.
“I never really thanked you.” She said. “For welcoming me into your family. They can get rather annoying at times, but I suppose that’s what you get for hanging around a bunch of crazies your entire adult life.” He gave a small laugh at her words, prompting her to grin at the sound.
“Well what if I asked you to deal them with me for the rest of our lives?”
For a second she seemed to freeze up against him, before her head whipped back to look up at him, eyes wide and lips slightly apart.
“What?”
He was smiling at her, as he pulled his arms back from around her waist. One of his hands went for his pocket, pulling something out. And as he did, he got down on one knee.
Hidemi stopped breathing.
“Do you think you can accept me as a part of your forever family Hidemi?” He asked, using the words she had spoken to him on multiple occasions. Her forever family. Someone she would live the rest of her life with.
A small choked laugh fell from her lips as she smiled widely, her eyes brimming with tears as she shook her head. “I don’t want you to be a part of my forever family Taichi. I want you to be my forever family.” She admitted. Her words made him smile up at her even wider as he held out the now open velvet box.
Within the soft cushion nestled a pretty silver band, with three princess cut diamonds encrusted into the shiny metal.
“Should I take that as a yes then?” He asked, his tone sounding a little cocky, at which she laughed, holding out her hand as she did.
“You haven’t actually asked the question yet, Baka.” He took her hand, singling out her ring finger as he made to slide the ring on.
His gaze lifted to meet her’s as he spoke. “Will you marry me, Hidemi?” He asked, showing every ounce of love and adoration he had for the woman in front of him, even as he slid the ring home.
In response she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing her lips to his. In her enthusiasm she nearly knocked the both of them back, though neither seemed to care as they shared a passionate embrace.
“That wasn’t really an answer.” He whispered against her lips, prompting her to smile into the kiss.
“Shut up, Yagami!” She responded before kissing him again.
The sound of cheering was what made them part, their eyes finding the figures of their friends screaming, shouting, hugging and laughing as they stood atop one of the stands. There was Yamato, who gave Taichi a two fingered salute, while he wrapped his arm around his own fiancé. Sora had tears streaming down her cheeks as she smiled at her two best friends. Izumi was trying to console a sobbing Jo, who was crying a literal waterfall. Hikari and Mimi were jumping up and down, hugging one another. Takeru was high-fiving Davis and Cody, while Yolei hugged Ken fiercely, with him wrapping an arm around her waist.
With Hidemi tucked in his arm next to him, and his friends cheering for the two of them, Taichi felt his heart swell with affection for all of them. His family. With whom he had shared so many pivotal moments in his life and so many adventures.
And glancing at his new fiancé, he couldn’t help but press a kiss to her forehead, eager to start a new chapter in his life with her.
content warning: consensual non-con, humiliation, public sex, exhibitionism, voyeurisms, degradation, bondage, sex toys, cockwarming, edging, soft priamal/prey, mentions of house break-ins, pegging, size kink, overuse of the word Daddy, face fucking, hickeys
i think thats all?
buckle up, this is gonna be looooong.
Tsukishima Kei
Degradation
This is a given, my mans has a mouth on him, AND HE KNOWS HOW TO USE IT
He says the most vulgar things in your ears (and you love it)
His nickname for you is Cum-dump, and he calls you that so much that you’ve started to respond to it. “Hey, Cum-dump! Come here” “ok Tsukki”
And when he’s cumming? A slew of insults just come out
“You whore, oh, you fucking cum-slut, you’d let anyone do this to you won't you”
And it's not limited to this!
“You're just a hole”
“You only exist for me to fuck, Right? You're just a glorified fleshlight”
“You're only good for sucking my cock”
“I should just leave you chained to the wall so I can fuck you anytime I want, that's all you're good at so you should love it”
It won’t even be only during sex
You could literally be just studying with him and he’ll just lean over and say “ you want to be fucked right now don't you? In front of all these people, I bet you’d love it Cum-dump”
Humiliation
Goes with a dirty mouth
He’ll flip your skirt while walking in front of groups of other students
He purposely sucks hickeys where your uniform does not cover and then laughs at you because you're just such a slut.
One of his favorite things to do is have you wear a vibrator in school, only on days where you have to do something in front of the class
No worries he has the remote and turns it alllllll the way up during the middle of your presentation, you just look so cute all red!
He’ll make it better!!
You can cum in front of the class, let everyone know how much of a whore you are!
Purposeful neglect
He wants you so horny you can’t think
If that means not giving you attention for FIVE DAYS so be it.
No touching yourself and if he finds out you did he’ll ignore you for longer and you don’t want that do you?
You will wait for him to touch you.
He’ll also just ignore you.
No begging, he doesn't care, he doesn't want to hear it.
Don't touch him, stop being a brat or you won’t get off for a whole week.
Bondage
It's all about control <3
Having you tied up and immobile is the best way to show how little you are.
He’ll tie you up and put you on the couch with a vibrator and just watch movies, unable to rock your hips
This seems cruel but he’ll tie your hands up and make you eat dinner with just your mouth <3
He’ll make you watch tv with a ball gag in
He’ll have a riding crop in his hands when you study and he’ll hit your little clit/silt with it every time you get a question wrong
Kuroo Tetsuro
Pet names
Literally any kind o endearment, but mainly switches between Kitten and Baby Girl/Boy(i am swooning right now)
He WILL call you these in front of people and out loud in public
He’s called you them in front of your parents in front of Kenma in the middle of the grocery store.
So you're wondering, why does that matter? People do that all the time!
Well, he calls you them so you remember how he completely ruined your little body and how his cum is still dripping out of you <3
And its cannon that he has a sexy voice, and it drops and gets deeper when he calls you them.
Thigh highs
It doesn't matter in you have the biggest thighs ever or just a bone, if you wear any kind of thigh highs (bonus points for Cat ones) he will be ready to bust a nut
It's not only him that gets off on them, especially when he takes them off
He’ll climb over you and use his teeth to pull them down to your feet and he’ll kiss and bite his way back up to do the other one.
He also will sometimes leave them on to rail you into your bed, when this happens he puts your legs over your shoulders and squishes his head between them.
(kuroo loves thighs, and that's that)
Caregiver
He's taken care of Kenma all his life, and you bet your ass he’ll do it for you
This means he gives the best aftercare you could imagine, I’m talking bubble baths
He’ll cook for you in nothing but an apron, and he’ll tease you when you get all flushed and cute!
You had a bad day? He’ll eat you out for hours until you’re all cuddly and tired.
He’ll fuck you slow where you need it and he’ll kiss all the pain away <3
He just loves having you dependent on him makes him so happy and thankful to have you!
Threesomes
Mainly for Kenma, but he let bokuto have a turn and even convinced Tsikki to give it a try!
He really just wants to show off that you’re his what better way to show you off then let some of them get a taste of something they’d never have.
Favorite position for this? Split roasting/ Eiffel towering
He's the one who you're sucking on, and he’s so far down your throat making him suck you deeper and deeper until you’re drooling all over his balls like a good Kitten
Whoever he sharing you with would be in you following whatever Kuroo tells them to do
Rub your clit? Yes Sir.
Faster. Yup
Slowdown Kittens being bad so she doesn't get to get off <3
Suna Rinatro
Purposeful neglect
Just like Tsukki, he wants you hot and bothered all the time
He will just sit around and scroll on his phone while you’re whining :(
Just let him watch this video and he’ll get you off!
Will never tell you but you just look so cute, all needy and horny for him.
Sometimes he’ll slip you a libido pill and just watch the world burn.
He will wait until you have ruined whatever shorts you’re wearing (and he’ll take them) and THEN he will help his poor needy baby
Cockwarming
Almost every time he games, he puts you on his dick
you already know it’s happening when he takes the controller out
He says it's because he doesn't want to “leave you out”
No moving on him though, if you8 move it could distract him and you do not want him to lose, losing means being pounded into the floor until you can't think, then being ignored the rest of the day “horny sluts can sit on the floor until they need to be used”.
But if all goes well, he’ll go soft in between rounds and will suck on your neck and will let you cuddle into him during the rounds
But when Suna if feeling a bit more adventurous he will put his headset on you and fuck you with all of his friends listening
And if that's not bad enough they all clearly know what’s happening id Osamus soft coo’s and Gin’s little comments (but it's not like they want it to stop anyway)
Edging
Will literally just do this out of nowhere
You thought you were finally gonna cum, then nothing
HE WILL just do things for hours to see you cry and begging or him to just let you cum
He’ll stick four fingers in you and bring you to your climax and just leave you on the edge
He won't even have a reason, you were being good, you let him play his game and he does this?
Que pouty bby
Video/Photography
We all saw this coming-
But he takes it a step further than just having a photo collection of you
He has a personal private story with just you in it where he put videos of you riding him or sucking his dick fo you to “see how slutty you are”
that's not even it, he sends you a picture of you naked in the middle of work, with no shame either
Thus one time you were showing a coworker a shirt you had bought and he texted you and the picture showed up. It was awkward for the next few days.
But these don't even compare to how he has an entire Instagram account (private of course) of your nodes and videos of the two of you fucking.
One extra little thing is that you both watch porn together for ideas.
Satori Tendou
(i could make him a post of his own-so so many kinks for Satori)
Humiliation (mentions of pee)
This can range from calling you names to making you touch yourself in public
He’s called you a pillow princess in the middle of class, in front of your teacher
It had gotten so bad they Ushijima had to ask what a “cum-dumpster was” because Satori had called you that in front of the team.
He doesn't even introduce you as his S/O, hw=e would call you an escort or that you were just his personal fuck toy.
This kink goes so far that when you were on a double date with Semi, under the table Tendo had his hand literally in your pants.
**One of his favorite things is to make you hold your pee in until you are almost peeing yourself, isn't that embarrassing that you're a grown adult who’s about to wet yourself?
Overstimulation
He wants to see you a complete mess all over him
The main goal of all of this is to make you squirt or begin to have dry orgasms
He will not stop until he’s happy or you say your safe word (which is rare)
One orgasm just isn't enough for him :/
And it's a big boost of confidence for him!
he‘s proud to know he can make you cum so much you cant even think!
Dacryphilia
This AND overstim?
Good luck
He can't even explain why it turns him on so much.
You just look so beautiful with tears streaming down your face all fucked out
It always hits him at the worst times too, you crying over a bad grade? A pretty tear falling over your soft cheeks. Hard.
Just watched a sad movie, he’s ready to pound you into the couch.
Anal
Oh ho ho
This can be one of two things, he does it because it feels good
OR
He does it as punishment
That means no lube
No adjusting to his dick
And no extra pleasure to help you get off
He’s so mean </3
Taichi Kawanishi
This man screams pornstar
Public sex
This man is unstable
You could just be walking in public and he just decides he wants to fuck.
Who are you to stop him?
Just let him get this out real quick you can shop later.
Exhibitionism
The thought of being in the open? This man loves it
And you don't really have a choice but to love it
Every time you go to the beach he just has his dick in you, in the ocean sitting in his lap while eating lunch
He doesn't even care who sees
Children? Who cares, look away or whatever
Getting caught
It doesn't even matter who it is
If someone walks in when you're doing it he’s cumming
It's just hot
He doesn't need to explain it to you
he also makes u take nudes and had them as his homescreen for a while
Issei Matsukawa
I’d let this man kill me-
Leather/ latex
LEATHER GLOVES
He wears them when he fingers you so he can make fun of how wet you made them.
He dresses you up in these pretty little pastel dresses (gender to heel, he doesn't care, you look hot weather your a boy, girl, or not) and he wears all black (goth daddy Mattsun) and his gloves to fuck you in his leather-covered fist.
That's not even it
He has an entire bin of different colored chokers and leashes just for his pretty baby
Along with that, he has a shelf of latex thigh highs for you to wear and even has an entire outfit for you to wear and show off to him.
Ddlg/b/n-Lifestyle
This is why he has a lot of things that you wear!
He loves to take care of you all the time!
He loves to make his baby food and love to watch movies with you
And you love him so much too!
You would do anything for Daddy!
And he takes you shopping and to restaurants, and if you want literally anything big or small all you have to do is look up at him with puppy dog eyes and a “Daddy, please!!” and boom his credit card is already out.
Size kink
Big dick Mattsun-
This all comes back to the fact that you are so beautiful
And big dick little hole, who doesn't love that??
He sure does, don't worry though he always makes sure to prep you
Except if it's punishment- he doesn't like it he swears! He’d never want to hurt you!
And you’d believe it until your crying on his cock and it throbs ://
But if it still hurts, and it does, he’ll let you go your pace and sink all the way down onto his cock<3
Fun fact the first time he went into your ass he tried to with no lube and you couldn't sit for DAYS
Voyeurism (receiving)
Makki Makki Makki
I would say he was into Cuckolding but its always him doing the watching while Issei fucks you
And Makki loves it too if his constant praises and coo’s said anything about it.
And Mattsun just gets off on the fact his best friend is watching something he’ll (maybe if you're not into it) never fully have
Mattsun also likes having you tied up an watching him fuck a fleshlight of just jerking off
You look so pathetic :)
extra for big dick mattsun, he Shows all of his friends <3
I am a whore for the Seijoh 4
You bet Makki has an entire folder of pic of you, whether they are of you dripping cum or just with your legs open.
Even if he says he doesn't save them, you know Iwa has gotten off you a recording of you moaning and asking for Daddy’s cock
And Oikawa is always asking for more (the little manwhore), he says they are “references” for him, liar, he jerks off to them in his bathroom.
Takanobu Aone
It's always the quiet ones-
I just gotta get these first two out-
Consensual non-con
I can just TELL he like to pretend to break into your house
Pretend you're so scared and you don't like it
Tying you up and listening to your little cries, awwwwweeee
You were just too pretty to ignore
Just let him have a taste, stop crying he knows you want it just as much as he does
Primal/prey
He wants to feel like he earned his reward
A perfect little trophy for him to use as a toy
His dick in your tiny dripping hole is all the reward he needs
It's like you're a pretty innocent bunny and he’s a big fox just waiting for the right time to strike :)
Soft sex/ praise
I know what I said up there
But none of that means he doesn't love just setting you down on the bed with candles and rose petals and just making love
Soft music in the background and worshipping every inch of your skin
You need to be vocal though!
Tell him how pretty he is when he cums, and how perfectly his dick fits in your hole!
Tell him how soft he looks and how he is making your nipples feel like heaven.
Aftercare- bc I am also soft for aone and he is a good guy
Bubble baths and chocolate
Movies and cuddling
All of this makes him so glad that he found you
Especially when you cuddle into him all sleepily and tired.
Shoyo Hinata
oh he is so pretty-
Mutual masturbation
It's the perfect way to experience pleasure
He can see you in all your glory
All of the faces he sometimes misses when he’s fucking you!
He also learns from it!
He sees the angle your fingers go to hit that sweet spot so the next time he’s in you he knows where to aim!
(he is so precious-)
Pegging
You wanted to try it so he almost immediately agreed-
But it felt good!
The two of you reserved what one you wanted so the one he picked was almost made for him.
Plus, you look ridiculously good with the strap on-
And he voices that as much as he can!
And sometimes when he rides the strap he just watches it going in and out and in and out
(you also think this is SUPER hot but won't tell him :/)
Riding
It doesn't matter if it's you or him
Watching you fall apart on his cock without him doing a thing makes him cum harder than anything
Sometimes he gets so excited that he comes before you and makes you stay there until he’s hard again, which doesn't take long at all.
when it's him?
he’ll go for hours just to hear you tell him how good he is and how pretty he looks
Lingerie
Especially pastel babydolls
But nothing you wear could ever make you look bad in his eyes
Ok he likes it when you keep the lingerie on too like he’s fucking you and you till have a little nightgown/crop top on
Lord he will BUUUUUUSSSTTT
Lev Haiba
Size kink
Unintentionally too
He didn't even know it, but he did know that he liked that you were so much smaller than him.
He likes to put your hand to him and just look at the difference and before he knew it he was painfully hard
On the occasion, he makes fun of you saying his dick is just too big for you and you can't handle it, but then you get on your knees and he shuts up real quick
Praise kink
A given
He wants to know how good he makes you feel at all times
It doesn't have to be words either!
loud moans explanations of pleasure all drive him to move faster and faster!
Even yelling “oh god!” gets him off
He makes you feel that good huh?
Wall sex
Just playing on the size kink thing
He loves to just pick you up and fuck with reckless abandon
Gets a way better angle too- bet you didn't think he would realize that
He also likes to watch the combination of your juices drip to the floor-
Shugo Meian (MSBY captain)
Sexiest team-
Daddy/ Captain kink
Just look at him, he screams Daddy louder than you do when he’s fucking you
He takes pride in being Captain meaning he’ll fuck you for hour if the word even falls from your lips
And yes you have said it (daddy) front of the team and he did get hard, and the both of you did fuck in the locker room of the gym for an hour before you got kicked out
Even in arguments you better call him daddy, he will stop and fuck you into the ground for it
Angry or not you WILL use his title
Spanking
Will threaten you with this almost everyday
He just uses it as an excuse to touch your ass
He makes you count after each one and makes you thank him
It would look a bit like this
“Five! Thank you Daddy!” “Good Baby, five more”
But that doesn’t mean when you really deserve it that he won't unleash the wrath of god onto your poor ass
But after he’ll kiss it all better and Daddy will reward you for taking your punishment well
Controlled orgasms
By this i mean that you wont cum unless he says so
And you have to ask
Aka “Daddy please let me cum, I really want to”
And depending on what he’s feeling maybe you’ll get to cum then
And if not you’ll have to wait like a good Girl/Boy and cum when he does, which could late literally forever.
but its better than disobeying his orders, which could lead to him completely pulling out and just jerking off to cum on you :((
Deepthroating/ Face Fucking
Nothing is better to him than coming home to you on your knees and mouth open and ready
But when he’s all pent up from practice and he sees you?
Rip your throat, you aren't talking for a few days
He’ll literally fuck your face no question
He’ll put his dick so far down your throat you could feel it in your stomach
Yutaro Kindaichi
Hate sex
He just makes everyone angry
And he gets off on it
You look so fucking delectable all red faced and angry
Makes him want to just slam into right then and there
Dom/Sub
Clearly he wants to be in control
Controlling someone is just such a turn-on for him
Looking all pretty doing exactly what he wanted you too <3
Hickeys
Wants to show off that you are his
What better way than marking up your neck with pretty bruises
Plus he likes how you get all shy when people look at them
Azami, Taichi, Masumi and Juza with a clingy and affectionate S/O
request: “hi! can i request hcs of azami, taichi, masumi, and juza with a s/o that is clingy and affectionate?” from anon
a/n: hi anon^^ this request was so cute, i really enjoyed working on it;; thank you sm for requesting! since it’s so long and over 1k Taichi, Masumi nd Juza are below the “read more”!!
Word Count: 2125
— Azami
- With him... he’s okay with you being emotionally affectionate; he actually finds it kind of cute. Seeing the person he likes fuss over him and get excited, it’s one of the few times you’ll see his guard almost completely down.
- While he might deny it if outright stated, Azami is affection-starved and he didn’t really know it until you two started dating. He unknowingly sponges up all the love you give him and he doesn’t even realize the effect you have had on him until Shifuto calls him out on it, he’ll get flustered and deny it but the next time you’re together and he sees how you’re with him and processes how you make him feel and how nice it is... he can’t help the soft blush that tints his cheeks.
- He may find it embarrassing though, especially if you’re super blunt about it too - it always catches him off guard and it may lead to some teasing if you’re both alone. Don’t get him wrong though, he grows to love it a lot. He’s just not used to it and his response might be kind of stiff or may come off as him scolding you or joking, but the look of shyness and appreciation in his eyes gives him away.
- In the clingy aspect, at first he might find it bothersome, I won’t lie, but eventually your presence kind of becomes reassuring to him. It’s something he’ll need a lot of warming up to but eventually he does come to appreciate it, though it is in his nature to want to be alone every once in a while - so he might need you to step back every so often.
- The one thing he might get weirded out by is physical touch, he’d been taught that it’s something only married couples do (like: hand holding, hugging, k-kissing and stuff!) so if you’re more of a physical lover he’ll probably oppose many things at first, sorry!
- Eventually, with some time and coordination (and tons of patience) he might warm up to holding hands, mainly pinkies, and hugs. Kissing is still too much for him, and even a little peck to his hand has him blushing and stuttering, calling you a perv but he can’t hide the small smile that crawls onto his features when he looks over the area you kissed later that night. I will warn you that this stage will need a lot of work from both you and him, a lot of reassurance and understanding from your part, to get to - and he still might be kind of reserved. And depending on how much your physical affection matters, it could even put a strain in your relationship.
- Overall, Azami kind of grows fond of how clingy and affectionate you might be, especially since he often felt extremely lonely when he was younger, he’s still highly aware of what is and isn’t in his comfort zone and he isn’t afraid to let you know, don’t expect him to be very affectionate or touchy either, - but as more time goes on, he becomes more open to more types of affection.
- To him, though, he probably enjoys being able to have you around him, you’re special to him and while it is new he isn’t completely against adapting.
–– Taichi
- Oh god, he’s exactly like you! He was always kind of worried he was going to be a bit much in a relationship but after he realizes your love languages are kind of similar he’s ecstatic!
- Nano himself can be clingy, so you being clingy too really isn’t a problem at all. In his case, he’s always wanted a S/O who could make him feel cool and who he could be cool for, like he wanted someone he could protect and be there with, you know? And having you be so affectionate with him really makes him feel cool and appreciated.
- He’d been afraid that maybe his attitude might’ve been to much, he’d been told he was always so extra and loud with him emotions he was afraid it might end up creating an uncomfortable situation, Taichi is the type of person who doesn’t really like keeping his feelings bottled up (unless he deems that it may end up worsening or badly affecting the situation), and he wants to be honest with his S/O.
- So you being clingy really couldn’t be better, in a way Taichi wants to be wanted, he’d been ignored for so long that the idea that the person he likes doesn’t only like him back (to the point you’re actually in a relationship with him, something he might struggle understanding sometimes) but also enjoys his company so much they go out of their way to be with him? He might tear up a bit as he realizes you care about him so much.
- So he really doesn’t mind, if anything I can see it actively benefiting the relationship!
- Much like Azami, he absolutely absorbs all the affection you give him - it’s almost like an energy boost to him. Things like little cheek kisses or simple words of encouragement really get him pumped up, his favorite energizer would be you calling him cool.
- If you’re a physical lover, Taichi would probably short circuit, honestly, your touch - no matter how small - really ends up flustering him; he loves it, don’t get him wrong, but it’s the sort of thing he won’t get used to it no matter what or how long you’ve been together.
- Since you’re so similar in expressing yourselves, you’d actually kind of be reassuring Taichi things were going well. He really values and needs reassurance often, and it may sound annoying on paper but keep in mind he’s been ignored and pushed aside most of his life while all he wanted was to be likes, so having you be so clear - making your feelings known to him like that, in a way he really can’t deny their existence really makes him feel safe and loves. And really, that’s all he’s ever wanted. Not that he wouldn’t feel safe if you weren’t, but this type of approach is the one that Taichi is more responsive to. He can’t bring himself to doubt you knowing how upfront you are about your feelings, there’s always been a small voice in his head telling him he’s not good enough and being with you leaves him with no choice but to understand you actually love him and you won’t leave him behind.
- You really won’t ever catch him not smiling when it comes to you, just your presence alone makes him smile, especially when he knows you enjoy it too!
- Overall, he really won’t mind - it’s actually the sort of attitude that would make him feel safe and loved in a relationship. Nano really couldn’t realistically want more in a relationship.
— Masumi
- He’s naturally always melting like ice cream every time you’re near, but with how affectionate you are? He’s always a little puddle of mush on the floor.
- Much like the other two, Masumi is affection starved to the absolute max; with his parents always abroad and his grandma only being able to do so much, he can’t help but swallow every piece of attention and love thrown his way.
- It’s kind of sad, in a way, how dependent Masumi becomes of you. Your behavior is everything he ever wanted in his life, and knowing that you of all people are the one who’s supplementing the affection he so desperately wants makes him oddly emotional.
- It really wouldn’t be uncommon for him to
- He couldn’t be happier that you’re clingy, as he himself is nothing short of it either, having you around keeps Masumi energized and determined to do better. While he naturally strives to become better, knowing you’re there makes that desire tenfold. If it was up to him, you’d probably be joined by the hip forever.
- Masumi is really reliant on you when he’s feeling down, he might not show it much (and when he does it often sounds silly and people tend to laugh it off) but he’s a highly emotional kid, more often than not he finds himself feeling alone and scared, and it’s during these moments he’s grown to need you the most.
- Even simple things mean the world to him. He remembers everything, even small actions like holding your hand while walking down the street or you telling him you love him while you’re watching a movie together, you might not even realize how much all of that means to him and honestly, he couldn’t be happier if he tried.
- He’s absolutely whipped, he’d be more than happy to have you there with him forever. There really is no way to win against him, though, no matter how clingy you think you are he always finds a way to be clingier.
- He’s a natural romantic too, so even if you don’t really expect it, get ready for him to outdo you with his gestures; they might be ridiculous even for your standards but just know he’s doing his best and this is genuinely how he thinks things work.
- You’d be the couple that’s always holding hands and hugging, it’s so cheesy everyone is jealous of how in love you two are (Tsuzuru might have written a couple of romance scripts based on you two that got called out for being too cheesy by Masumi himself and no one had the heart to tell him it was literally based on him and you).
- Overall, he couldn’t be happier - Masumi loves you and the way you express yourself in the relationship and he is so, so thankful for everything, even the small things, he can’t think of anything he’d want more in the world than be with you.
— Juza
- He gets so shy, oh my god… he can’t help but ask you if you’re sure you want to be so lovey dovey with him.
- For a very long time he won’t understand why you’d want to be so openly affectionate with him, aren’t you afraid of being seen with him and someone getting the wrong impression?
- Keep in mind this is probably also Juza’s first relationship so please be patient with him, though, while he definitely loves it he needs time to get used to it (he doesn’t take as long as Azami but he isn’t as natural with it as Taichi).
- He’s very shy and kind of insecure when it comes to your relationship, but eventually he’ll get used to the fact you do love him and you do want to be with him and that you don’t intend on leaving him; Please assure him he’s not some sort of scary guy.
- While he does enjoy having you cling to him, something he often finds cute and endearing (which leads to Banri making fun of him and the two fighting) he’s a total goner for sweet words and actions.
- Especially things like holding his pinkie or tracing patterns on his hand he melts, he’s gone - you’re too sweet even for him.
- Juza isn’t used to affection or touch, so having someone like you is a very big change from what he’s used to.
- He’s totally stiff at first but he’d also like, hold your hand a bit tighter if you tried pulling away. He enjoys it but he doesn’t know what to do about it, to many people’s amusement.
- So while he might be kind of awkward at first about it, he genuinely enjoys having someone caring like you around. Makes him feel loved and nice, you know?
- He’ll also try to return your affection in his own way, which mostly translates as him trying to take care of you via protecting you from harm/people (Banri) or giving you sweets or food that reminds him of you.
- It’s very cute to see though, how such a scary looking guy seems to turn into a puddle of mush and love whenever you come and hug him; it’s a sight for sore eyes, really.
- He’s not a very talkative guy but if you stick to him enough he’ll definitely start opening up faster, think of it as speedrunning that aspect of your relationship if you will.
- He might not say it often because he’s scared he’ll sound creepy but he genuinely loves the way you are so much, it makes him feel small in a weird way but also loved. You definitely become a calming, almost down to earth presence in Juza’s life.
- While he may not be too vocal about his fondness, he quickly grows to love how much love you seem to have for him, with you becoming a rock for him to settle on when he’s feeling down. Juza really, really just loves the way you are a lot.
c4tb0y0: Ahhhhh that last masumi fic + hc was so cute and funny! I loved it so much, could I please request hcs for taichi with a gn!s/o who looks very intimidating on the outside but really they are a big softie anyways please have a nice day, eat + drink lots and please stay safe! <3
WAAAAAH ya girl just got slammed with 4 essays due this week. it’s why i’m actually writing this at 5:24 am right now, actually, i really wanted to get my ideas out for this one and get it queued so i can concentrate on my work! thank you for your patience. this reader’s personality is one of my favorites that i’ve written, and i hope you enjoy this total sweetheart and everything they fight for. 🌟
not to be one of Those Bitches™ but i love water- i don’t drink soda, only coffee when i need the rush, and juice and lemonade as a treat. please make sure to drink at least one glass of water per meal everyone! ...though i will admit i’ve only eaten one meal today, i think, i lost count. and because these essays are rocking my shit and i wanted to get beware of dog up today i’m not sleeping tonight and i’ll just take a phat nap after class and i have to type quietly so i don’t wake up my light sleeper roommate... i’m getting off topic. sleepy wave is a little silly sometimes. a lot of times, really. please enjoy yourself.
word count: 9154
tags: fic, gender neutral reader, fluff, hurt/comfort, i wouldn’t call it angst but yeah, there’s a bit of angst in there, cursing, physical violence (no weapons fistfight)
summary: As your relationship with Taichi deepens, you would go through hell and high water to protect the ones you care about, and the feeling is mutual.
Sakyo should’ve known something was wrong the second he saw Nanao on his phone.
Nanao was a lot of things; young, brash, excitable, but never inattentive. Ever since the first tech rehearsal of The Stranger, he never picked up his phone, even with all its vibrating. He said something about “getting into the zone,” and Sakyo respected his choice to avoid the distraction. Sakyo has never seen Nanao even considering going back on his word after over a year of productions in Autumn Troupe, which was something to be admired, especially with how flighty he could be off the stage.
He was so used to every other actor checking their phone, though, that when Nanao picked it up today thirty minutes before the curtain rose on Fiery Mantou Fist, he didn’t even bat an eye. Nanao’s eyebrows were furrowed together as he took a giant, puffy-cheeked breath and typed something in determination.
Then Sakyo carried on without a second thought. What, was he supposed to do something? He was a grown-ass man; it wasn’t his responsibility to psychoanalyze everyone he passed by. All he wanted to do was set the Mantou Fist scroll prop before the show. Sue him, he was focused on the wellbeing of the play.
And Nanao was in the right headspace as well during the show, but right after he thanked everyone who congratulated him, he sped through his post-show routine and went back to his phone, which is how Sakyo made the connection and put two and two together.
He loomed over Taichi’s shoulder, the younger actor still typing away with full attention on the screen. Sakyo spoke up. “Oi.”
“AAAAHHHH!”
Sakyo lurched back, ears ringing from the scream. Damn. Maybe Bon was onto something whenever he called Sakyo an old geezer; one more screech like that and his hearing would go out. Then he really was done for, and as much as the Director made him want to play for keeps, this would be one bet he’d have to tap out on.
“It’s not what you think! I promise! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m-” Nanao swiveled in his chair, his face aghast and eyes riddled with fear, until he wasn’t. He blinked and his face reset, glancing at Sakyo with boyish, though minimal, guilt. “Oh, sorry, Sakyo! I didn’t see you there. Did you need something?”
Sakyo pinched his nose. His ears were still ringing. This was even worse than the last time someone fired a gun point blank next to him (don’t ask). “What… was that? Is something wrong?”
“I get scared easily. Sorry! I was just about to go outside, actually.”
“...Right.” Sakyo’s brain was so scrambled, even his common sense eluded him. “Don’t be out too late.”
“I won’t! I’ll be back before you know it!”
Sakyo just watched him leave as he pieced his thoughts back together.
Settsu piped up during the stunned silence. “Hey, Sakyo, real quick question. What the hell was that?”
“I don’t know,” he said lamely. “Do you think he’s in trouble?”
“He seemed out of it,” Hyodo chimed in. “He looked… worried?”
“If you’re not sure, then keep your mouth shut.”
“Like you would know.”
“I sure would! I’m great at reading people.”
As Settsu and Hyodo continued to bicker- really, it was only a matter of time before they started- Azami spoke up. “Well, I’m concerned. He looked like he was about to shit himself.”
“Maybe he is in trouble,” Fushimi wondered aloud.
That was all it took for Sakyo to get his head back in working order. Fuck. Fuck.
Fuuuuuuck.
He got complacent. Even after Azami’s abduction, he got complacent. Nanao was a good kid, and athletic enough to keep up with Autumn Troupe with ease, but he was small, and honestly, a little stupid. Of course he would be the glowing neon target on Autumn.
Was someone trying to fuck with Mankai again? Worst case scenarios drove through his mind. Nanao being blackmailed. Nanao in a street deal. Nanao as leverage- fuuuuck. What if an enemy family figured out the connections between Ginsenkai and Mankai? Taichi was a member close to Sakyo and the least capable in a fight. What if this was a ploy to start a gang war?
This needed to stop. This needed to stop before it even started.
Sakyo turned on his heel, voice unemotive but blood boiling. “I’m going to follow him.”
“Call me if anything’s wrong. I’ll check on him,” Fushimi called out.
Oh, if only something was just simply wrong.
Sakyo wished something was just simply wrong.
He cased the joint branching out- and found him in an alley relatively close to the perimeter. This was good news. Staying close to home turf meant he only needed to grab Taichi, sprint back to the theater, and then the abductors wouldn’t dare try entering and exposing their identity unless they were real stupid.
He clung to the wall, watching the interaction out of the corner of his eye. Taichi’s hair made him stick out like a sore thumb, but in front of him, someone virtually unnoticeable. Average.
So why did they carry themselves like a wolf with its claws wrapped around a deer?
Young. Young like Taichi, but their presence was so much bigger. Their face tightened into sharp features sculpted by the shadows of the alley. Taichi stared up at them in reverence.
Not flighty enough to be a thief, not charismatic enough to be a scammer. Yakuza, probably. Fresh meat. Too hopped up on the movies to realize it’s not all blood, guns and girls. No self-respecting seasoned family member would pull a stunt like this right next to the theater. Dumbass didn’t even know how to carry out an abduction.
Whispering. Sharp enough to register, quiet enough to be indecipherable. The mini-gangster stepped closer to Taichi. When they approached Taichi shivered and Sakyo saw red.
Time to intervene. Sakyo crossed his arms as he strode to the opening of the alley. “You got a problem with our man?”
“Sakyo-”
But they stepped forward before Taichi could call out his name, and held a dark-sleeved arm out to block him. “The fuck do you want?”
“I could ask you the same thing. Let him go.”
The corner of their mouth rose, flashing bared fangs. “Better idea, you turn around and forget you ever saw us.”
Sakyo rolled up his sleeves. “You wanna see yourself bleed?!”
“Bring it! I’m not letting him get hurt-”
“Stop!” Taichi yelled with his whole body. He sprinted forward, past the abductor and between the two. “Please don’t fight! Stop!”
“Outta the way before you get hurt!”
“Let me handle this myself!”
Despite their protests Taichi grabbed a hand from either person and smacked them together, forcing them into a handshake. “Sakyo! This is Reader! They’re the one I’ve been talking about!”
The gangster- Reader’s- hand went from tight fist to loose. Sakyo watched their stone-cold exterior fall to just plain dumbfoundedness.
Which was perfectly understandable, mind you. Sakyo opened and closed his mouth like a fish, trying to figure out something to say.
So Taichi just threw his hands in the air in a half-hearted razzle-dazzle move. “Suuurprise?”
Sakyo settled on, “It’s a… pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise?” Reader limply shook his hand. ”I’ve seen your shows. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you. You look a lot paler in person.”
“People look different under stage lighting.”
“Sorry. My bad. Sorry.”
Reader hadn’t broken the handshake yet.
“I heard a lot about you from Nanao,” Sakyo said. “I hope you’re taking care of him. For your sake.”
“Sakyo, please don’t threaten my partner,” Nanao whined.
Reader nervously laughed. What a contrast to their demeanor. “It’s understandable. I’ve also heard about Autumn Troupe. Thank you for taking care of him.”
“You’re welcome.”
Reader still held Sakyo’s hand in theirs, but didn’t even bother to continue shaking. This had to be one of the worst alleyway confrontations Sakyo’s ever had in his career.
Nanao scratched the back of his head and turned to the other actor. “Are they looking for me?”
“Not once I get back.”
“Okay, cool. You see, I was actually in the middle of something…”
Actually, make that the worst alleyway confrontation Sakyo’s ever had in his career. Forget mortified, Sakyo felt just plain gross. Reader covered their face with their hands.
“I’ll just tell them you’re fine,” he said, then reconsidered. “You are fine, right?”
“Yes! Oh my god. Totally fine, I swear.”
“I’ll take my leave then.” Sakyo toyed with his glasses. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Reader.”
“Likewise,” Reader mumbled.
“I’ll be back soon, Sakyo.”
“...Bye.”
Sakyo couldn’t walk away fast enough.
“Haha.”
Taichi stared off into the brick wall behind him and couldn’t help but awkwardly laugh. “Hahaha. Sorry. I didn’t expect you to meet Sakyo like that…”
“It’s-it’s fine. He was going to meet me sooner or later…”
But that really had to be one of the worst ways to go about it, wasn’t it?
“He’s a good guy. Really! I know he seems scary. It’s because he is. He’s actually really scary. But only when he wants to be! Which is often, but that isn’t the point. He’s just... looking out for me.”
His gaze darted to you, teal eyes full of worry. You reached for his face and kissed him on the lips.
“I know,” you said, voice stuttering. “It’s okay. I’m okay. I… I just d-didn’t expect it. That’s all. Really.”
“I didn’t expect that either!”
“Yeah, I didn’t either.”
“No, not the Sakyo thing, I mean the… the thing that...” Taichi waved his hands around, trying to figure out the word. But it never came to him, so he just decided to wrap an arm around your neck, lead you closer, and kiss you back.
This boy really was going to be the death of you, huh?
When he pulled back, his smile was genuine. Small and sweet, cheeks flush and light with a sigh that soon escaped him. Oh, the things you would do to never let that smile falter. You’ve been dating for some time now, but the feeling’s always been there, flighty in the beginning, but easing into a comfortable, mutual love.
So you held him tight in your arms and said what was on your mind: “I love you.”
His head tilted to perch on your shoulder, and the arm that was already around your body rested along your neck. “I love you too.”
Oh, what you wouldn’t do to protect that love.
Ding-dong!
Your hand retreated the second the doorbell rang, and your mind ran through every hot romance tip you skimmed over back when you and Taichi first started dating. Your relationship started with two inexperienced people relying on teen magazines and dating advice sites, but it was awkward, and soon abandoned for the comfort of your prior friendship, but like, with kissing and flirting and stuff. Affection was casual and easily earned, and Taichi’s antics taught you long ago that you didn’t have to be composed in front of him; he loved you all the same.
But, well, this visit wasn’t exactly for Taichi’s eyes only.
Noise echoed through Mankai Company. You could hear shouts and conversations resonating through the halls and leading outside- not exactly enough to earn a noise violation, but at that volume where you know the neighbors have considered it.
Chest out, back straight, don’t fidget and don’t slouch. Taichi always insisted on escorting you home after a date, but you’ve never returned the favor. ‘It’s like meeting the parents,’ he said once on a coffee date, flustered and staring into his latte. ‘I’m sure you’ll meet them some day! But let’s not do that now!’
That was a few months ago. He requested you meet him at the dorms so he could escort you to a bowling alley arcade, but it was about the same distance from the dorms as it was to your house. Does that mean he wanted to show you off to his troupe? Does that mean he loves you? You knew that, you’ve exchanged the words with him countless times before, but is there another degree above just love? Did something shift in your relationship, and was it for the better or a step back? Did you mess up something? You hoped not. You really didn’t want to mess up with Taichi. You didn’t want to mess up in general, really, but not with Taichi, anyone but Taichi.
No one opened the door yet. You should ring the bell again.
Ding-dong!
“COMING!”
That was… decidedly not Taichi. You could hear heavy clunking against the wood floor as someone approached the door. Was the floor always that loud? Maybe these dorms were older than you thought.
“Mankai Company!” The door swung open. “Do you need…”
You stared down at a head of green hair. His chin rose as he met the eyes of an absolute beast of a person towering over him, stiff as a board and frightening as frozen hell, even with the little bouquet of flowers in their arms.
He squeezed his lips together before he finished the thought. “Do you need something?”
“I’m looking for Taichi.”
“The dumb dog?”
Ouch. You winced for Taichi. You noticed the teen in the threshold tremble, and held back a huff. Great work, Reader, you already scared one of the actors Taichi lived with before you even got his name.
He forced a stiff upper lip. “I’ll get him.”
Then he turned on his high heel- high heels indoors? Now that was extra- and shut the door. You watched him briskly walk through the window until he was out of view.
Well, you already blew it! Might as well relax.
You told yourself that, but while your body rested, your head was anything but relaxed. What if that guy was Taichi’s best friend in the whole entire company and you lost his approval just then? You didn’t want him to choose between his best friend and his partner. You’d feel awful if he had to.
You sighed, and looked down at the pansy bouquet in your arms for comfort. It was less of a bouquet and more of a bundle, with small blooms and no filler flowers, but the petals varied from bold white to crisp blue. You didn't know if Taichi had a favorite variety, but these were the brightest of the bunch, and Taichi deserved flowers as beautiful as him.
The door opened once more, and you straightened up, but dropped your gaze to meet the eyes of the boy that you scared off, or maybe even your boyfriend. After all, they were both small enough you had to lower your neck to make eye contact with them.
Instead you were greeted by a tight white shirt outlining absolutely shredded abs. You cast your eyes up and nearly balked at the glaring face that looked up at you. The man was six feet of pure muscle, still not tall enough to look down on you, but massive enough to overpower you. His stare was downright ghastly, only accentuated by the smear of black grease on his cheek, and under his fingernails, and… pretty much everywhere, actually. He smelled like smoke, sweat, and oil.
He scrunched up his nose. You felt a shiver run down your spine. “You got beef with Taichi?”
“No! No beef!” You nearly dropped your flowers, but forced yourself to be strong. “I’m here to pick him up.”
You scowled, hoping it would be enough to get this guy to step down. He scowled back. Great, now you were starting to understand what it was like to be on the receiving end of an intimidating face. You wanted to cry.
“For what?” Big Guy said. His voice was low like rolling thunder.
“A date.” You crossed your arms, growing defensive. “He told me to meet him here-”
“You’re Reader?”
“You know me?”
Big Guy averted his eyes. Was he embarrassed? “I’ve heard your name.”
“Oh. I’m his partner. How’d you know my name? Does he talk about me?”
“Uh…”
Sakyo walked back into the dressing room. They had already struck the Mantou Fist set, and in the corner all their costumes were neatly hung up on a rolling rack.
Fushimi practically pounced on him the second he entered the room. “You didn’t call me back. Is Taichi okay?”
“Settle down, Fushimi. He’s fine,” Sakyo said.
“What happened?”
Maybe in another world, he would’ve been more sympathetic. Had it been earlier, certainly, he’d try to cover for Nanao. But it was late and Sakyo was tired and Bon was going to throw a fit about wrinkles if he didn’t get his beauty rest anytime soon.
“He’s busy. He needed privacy with Reader.”
No one really broke the pregnant pause that came after. On one hand, good thing he was safe, but on the other...
“Good for him,” Settsu finally said, surprisingly quiet, like he just wanted to gloss over that fact. The others matched his volume.
“That’s good.”
“Yeah, good for him.”
“Gross, you’re a voyeur. Barf.”
“...Yeah,” Big Guy finally said.
“Huh.”
“Come in.”
“Okay.”
That’s how you found yourself sitting in the Mankai Company lounge across Big Guy, who fetched High Heels along the way, the latter incoming with a pot of tea and cups.
“I’m Reader,” you said. Someone had to start the conversation, after all. You weren’t good at it, but it was a start.
“I know,” Big Guy said.
“I didn’t. Why didn’t you lead with that?” High Heels placed one of the cups in front of you, steam rising out from the ceramic. “I wouldn’t have gotten Juza to shoo you away if I knew you were the dumb dog’s partner.”
“Sorry.” You gently placed your pansies on the table, careful not to crush any of the petals, and wrapped your hands around the cup. “Wait, I was being shooed?”
Juza raised his hand to apologize. “Yuki thought that if someone tough like me greeted you, you wouldn’t hurt Taichi.”
“But I don’t want to hurt Taichi,” you said, crestfallen. You grew up tall, big and menacing, and you knew what a mysterious (read; shy) demeanor did to already established rumors, but still, you were taken aback. “I wouldn’t even think about it.”
Yuki poured Juza some tea. “We had a scare a few months ago. Sakyo said he thought the dog got caught up in a yakuza affair. Alleyway abduction or something.”
“Was it during Mantou Fist’s run?”
Juza and Yuki traded a knowing look. The former nodded.
“That was me.” You stared at your tea. “I just wanted to say hello and congratulate him. Sorry. Everyone thinks I’m a gangster, but I’m not. I promise. I’m not a bully or a punk either. I don’t do hard drugs, and I definitely don’t deal them either. Oh, on that subject, I don’t drink. I’m not a criminal, and I don’t pickpocket-”
“Do people really think that of you?”
“Yeah,” you said, and you stared at Juza when he said it in sync with you. “You too?”
“I still get punks tryin’ to pick a fight with me.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
He waved a hand. “It happens.”
...To people with unfairly scary faces, sure, but that still didn’t mean he deserved to get caught up in fights!
Yuki sipped his drink. “For the record, If Juza has that reputation but acts like a sloth all day, then you’re probably okay with me. I don’t care about your image.”
“That’s good. I thought I scared you earlier.”
“I was not. Scared. Got it?” Yuki gave you a murderous glare that made you sink in your seat, but his ears were red. “The point is, Taichi really likes you. So unless you screw up real bad, you’re fine in my book.”
“But if you try to hurt him, you’re gonna have to go through us,” Juza said.
You and Juza were kindred spirits, you could already tell, and both suffered from being too naturally intimidating for your own good, but jeez. The way he leered at you when he said that made you feel like you were doomed to a Mankai firing squad execution if you ever made a misstep.
“Trust me. Whatever you think he’ll do, I’ll make it worse,” Yuki threatened. The dryness in his voice made Juza look like a Pomeranian.
“Okay,” you whimpered. “I will not do that. I will literally do anything but that.”
“Good.” The corners of Yuki’s mouth turned into a smile, but the way he said it made it so much more chilling.
“...Stop hazing Taichi’s partner.”
“Guhwuh,” you squawked.
Look. It wasn’t exactly a fine moment. You know this, and you aren’t ashamed to say you were scared, because really, who wouldn’t be when a strange new voice calls out from behind you and you turn around and literally not even a foot away is some rando with snowy white hair over one eye like a 2005 emo kid that somehow managed to sneak up on you despite being on edge this entire time and also up against a wall?
You digress.
“We’re just having a chat. The dumb dog said he’ll be downstairs in two minutes.”
“That’s fair. I was kind of early anyways, so it’s only natural he’s not ready yet…”
You trailed off, but the man continued. “He’s happy, Reader. He always is but he’s truly happy he met you. Don’t disappoint him.”
Juza may be a Pomeranian, and Yuki made your blood run cold, and it might’ve just been because of how caught off-guard you were, but this guy just won an Academy Award for Scariest Shovel Talk.
Then he had the audacity to yawn (rather cutely, you might add) and drink the rest of Juza’s untouched tea. “...Juza, how’s your bike?”
“Omi said there was a problem with the tank, but it’s a simple fix once he gets a replacement part. Tasuku’s driving to find a store that sells them right now.”
“How long has he been out?”
“Since noon?”
“That’s a long time.”
“Yeah. But he’s determined. Says he really wants to get this done today.”
“And Omi?”
“Trying to plug the leak.”
“That’s good.”
“Why?”
“There’s no one to stop me if I do this.”
You were about to ask what ‘this’ was when the man stuck out a half-hearted peace sign, shut his visible eye, and fell backwards. You jumped out of your seat to help him, but his back arched over the sofa and sent him somersaulting over the sofa, and he landed face-down perpendicular to the cushions.
You were speechless. “What the- oh my god. What just happened? Is he okay?!”
“It happens.” Yuki waved a hand dismissively.
“But- but he just-”
“It happens,” Juza repeated. “Hisoka does that a lot.”
“I- wh- um.” The man, Hisoka, let out a giant snore. You slowly sunk back into your seat. “...Okay.”
“Are these for the dog?” Yuki asked.
You shifted your gaze to where Yuki’s clear-coated fingernail was pointing. It was your flowers. “Um! Yeah! They are! I garden, you see, a lot really, it’s my hobby. But I’m not very good at it. They aren’t that pretty. I didn’t do a good job of fertilizing them last time I planted. You can see blemishes on this petal. And this one, too.”
“They’re his favorite flowers, you know,” Yuki said.
“Um, yeah.” You calmed yourself after your nervous rambling. “Yeah, I know.”
“Do you have any other varieties in your garden?”
“Yes! Yes, actually. I- um, he loves them, you know, so when we started… you know, being serious, I really got into pansies? Since he likes them. So I just have a lot of them now. Just a lot. My garden’s a good size so I still have a lot of diversity between plants but I have a lot of pansies. I kind of collect different species of pansies now. I’m trying to get some black devils. They’re purely black, but they have a little yellow spot in the middle. Kind of weird but in a pretty way. They don’t sell them in local nurseries since they’re so weird, even though I think they’re cool. Oh, but I have almost every other color though. But only with the black blotch in the center. Makes them look really stark and pop-arty compared to all my other flowers. The ones without the blotch are nice, too, but they just look so plain. I like raising flowers that most people think are too, oough, it’s ‘out there,’ you know? It’s like Bob Ross. Get a little crazy with it, haha. My hot pink pansies always bloom a little late compared to the others, so they’re still budding. But the others are coming along nicely. You kind of have to have yellow pansies, right? They’re a classic. I’m a really nontraditional gardener but yellow pansies are just a must. But I also have burgundy. They’re really unique and kind of tiding me over while I search for black ones. I’ve got two different purples, too. One of them is really dark, like, royal purple, but the other is lavender? Like, not lavender lavender, that’s a whole other plant, but like, the same color, lavender. Oh, and I really love these multicolored ones I have, they’re kind of a burnt red but the further away you get from the center they turn yellow. It’s so cool. They look like fire.”
“You should show him the fire flowers,” Juza said. To be honest, you really spaced out there, and totally didn’t expect either of the actors to listen to you, but sure enough, they seemed interested enough. Even if Juza made your prized plants sound like Super Mario power-ups. “He likes them.”
“You think so? That’s really convenient actually. They aren’t in full bloom yet but they will be soon.”
Juza nodded. “Taichi’ll like ‘em.”
“I’ll like what?”
“Seriously, what is up with people sneaking up on me today,” you half-hissed, half-squeaked.
“Sorry, Reader!” Taichi wrapped his arms around you in a back hug. You couldn’t resist the warm smile that spread across your face. “Yuki, Juza, have you met Reader yet? We’re dating.”
Yuki scoffed. “We’ve already introduced ourselves, made plans to go out for brunch every day of the week, and shared all our embarrassing stories about you.”
“Yuuukiiiii. Don’t make me look uncool in front of my partner. We’re dating.”
“You just love saying that, don’t you.”
“Of course I do! We’re dating!” Taichi spun on his heel to approach Yuki and clapped either of his hands on his shoulders. Yuki smacked them off and dusted off his blouse. “This is Yuki! He’s super cute and younger than me but he’s my mentor! I help him sew all of our costumes!”
“You saying cute people can’t master their craft, intern?” Yuki said, the humorous lilt in his voice betraying the sharpness of his words.
He slid beside Juza next. “And this is Juza! He’s a total man’s man! He’s everything I want to be when I grow up!”
“Hey,” Juza said, like he hadn’t just spent the last ten minutes talking to you. Then he pushed Taichi away. “Don’t get close to me. I smell like a garage gym.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, buddy!” Taichi snapped and finger-gunned in one smooth motion, then held out a hand for you. “See you guys! I’ve got places to be with Reader! We’re dating!”
You took his hand, and he led you out of the lounge. “It was nice meeting you two.”
“Yeah, yeah. Hurry up and get out, I don’t like rom-coms,” Yuki teased.
“Have a good time,” Juza said.
“Gsnrk,” Hisoka snored.
Metal met soft earth, and cracked the layer above it.
Your shovel was firmly planted in the dirt, but you kicked your boot along the edge to really sink it in, and heft some soil out of the ground.
Wheeew. Your backyard looked like a flower prairie in a neighborhood pocket, with cobblestone pathways to traverse between flowers, fruits and veggies, and- you know you might be biased here- it really was one of the most beautiful things you’ve ever seen. But man, keeping the yard in tip-top shape was hard work.
You rolled your shoulders and stretched, taking in the not-too-searing sun. It was late morning, and you really wanted to get things done before the day grew much longer and you had an afternoon sun beating down on you as you worked. It would be best for Taichi, too.
You’re not totally sure why he was so interested in helping you garden. Not even thirty minutes after he arrived, he already threw his shirt off to cool down, and was currently inside the house so he could make you some lemonade. He said it was so digging wasn’t as much of a chore to you, and joked about something like ‘being a malewife,’ but you were pretty sure he just needed a moment to recollect himself in the air-conditioned home.
Well, no matter, these cherry tomatoes weren’t going to plant themselves. You brushed your hand over your forehead, wiping off the sweat that pooled along it, and shook your head to flick back your damp hair. As you pushed it back, you noticed Taichi standing smack dab in front of the door, a tray with glasses and a pitcher of lemonade in his hands.
“Hey!” You waved at him. The shovel was still set under the earth by your boot. “I’m gonna take a break. Let’s chill out for a second.”
He nodded, and you led him to one of your favorite places in the garden: the trellis bench. It seemed sparse when you first bought it, forged with thin cast iron bars that kept two seated and not much else, and a sweeping arch above the bench fortified with extra iron bars. Not that long ago, your parents once dragged you along to a winery. You couldn’t drink any of the wines, but you explored the vineyards instead, and were greeted by pergolas everywhere, with curls of grapevines along the wooden shaft. They inspired you to start your own little grapevine, and now, your grapes had already gone through two or three harvests as they tangled and twisted through the bars of the trellis. Right now, there were a few tendrils of flowering buds, but you could see the beginnings of grape bunches along the vine and metal, bright green and small.
And, as mentioned earlier, the bench kept two seated and not much else. You slid a nearby iron table by the bench, and gestured to Taichi to place the tray down. He did so.
When you sat you brushed against Taichi’s thigh, and huffed out a sigh. “I work out here all the time but I keep forgetting how easy it is to get winded.”
“Yeah,” Taichi said. He took a big gulp of lemonade.
“Tough work, right? It’s really not as fun as it looks. You know you don’t have to garden with me. I’m sure it’s not much of a fun date idea, and I’m kind of gross right now but if you just want to hang out inside-”
“Nope! It’s fine! I’m totally fine!” He finished the lemonade and immediately started pouring himself another serving. “I can handle it! Yep! No issues here!”
Your eyes lowered as you looked down at a cobblestone path and the greenery rising from between the cracks. “Okay. But you’d tell me if you don’t like it, okay? You’re really quiet today.”
“D-don’t worry about it! It’s not that important...”
“But you know me. I’m horrible at not worrying.” You held the hand resting in his lap. “Whatever it is, I’ll help you through it. I promise I won’t judge you, and if you just need to talk about it, I’m available too-”
Taichi blurted out, “It’s because you’re hot.”
Whatever you were thinking, it dissolved into nothing as your mind went blank. Taichi slapped a hand over his mouth and averted his eyes. You stared at the ground harder.
“I’m what?” You finally asked, still in disbelief.
Taichi’s voice was muffled through his hand. “‘S b’cus mure hot.”
HUH??? You thought.
“Huh?” You said.
“You're hot! I’m sorry!”
Your face blossomed bright red. “Th-th-thank you? I- um? Thanks? Er, why are you apologizing? Did I do something wrong-“
“No! No! You’re fine. It’s me. That was weird, I’m sorry-“
“It’s alright, I’m…” you smacked your mouth, hoping the dryness would fade and you’d make a coherent sentence. “…Just taken aback?”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. That was really out of line-“
“It’s okay? I’m not against it. I’ve just never… thought of myself as…” You cleared your throat. “No one’s ever told me that.”
“But you are.”
“I mean, not really. Not compared to other people.”
“Really? Never? Reader-“ Taichi grabbed your hand with both of his. “Reader, you definitely are.”
“But I scare everyone I meet.”
“But you’re the sweetest person I know.” He squeezed your hand. Your heart jumped. “You’re so pretty. I love you.”
You turned to face him, your head still spinning. “You’re serious? You really mean that?”
“I mean it.” He closed the distance and pressed a kiss to your hair. “I love you.”
Another on your forehead. “I love you!”
Nose. “I-“
Cheek. “Love-“
And Taichi held your warm face in his hand with an even warmer smile, and the last word, your name, on his tongue until you took it from him with lemon on your lips.
You were no good with words, but touch made it easier. Your hand trailed along his shoulder, barely hovering over bare skin brushing, shiny and sticky under the sun. Quiet support; I trust you. His lips moved in tandem with yours, soft and fond and appreciative. Tart, but traces of sugar clung to his breath. Poetic, hm? He was sweet on you, so open to everything that made you his Reader from your flaws to your strengths, and the type of person to welcome those attributes without question.
You took his bottom lip between yours and gently nibbled as he ran his hand through your hair and brought you closer. You continued wrapping around his lip and his hand tightened, clutching onto you like you were all he needed, and you fell in love all over again. I couldn’t have done it without you.
When you ran out of breath, you rested your forehead against his, eyes still closed.
“Thank you,” you whispered, so light and quiet, like simply speaking would break the calm. “Thank you for letting me love you.”
It’s late when you leave the karaoke club, red-faced with exertion and your hoarse voice begging you to stop, but your smile stretches to either side of your face, constantly trying to widen more than it can as you laugh.
Because it’s late, and karaoke gets you in a devil-may-care state of mind, and, well, Taichi is holding your hand, with your palm untouched but his fingers laced between yours, loose between the knuckles but refusing to break away.
It’s so amazing that he still makes you feel like this. Time has passed. The novelty of a relationship must’ve died down long ago, you’re sure of it now, and it’s no secret your feelings are reciprocated, but it’s something in the bounce in his step and the sunshine underneath his voice and the glitter in his eyes that makes your breath threaten to hitch every time he calls your name.
You’ve said it so often, but it never ceases to amaze you. This is love. This is love!
“It’s love!” You tug Taichi close to you, and bump against his arm with your own. “I love you.”
“Wh-! You can’t just say things like that out of nowhere, you’re going to make me blush!”
As if he wasn’t already. The lighting is dim on this street, but his voice is slightly shaky. You can tell. You drown in it every day you see his face.
Unfortunate, really. If you weren’t so immersed in it all, you would’ve noticed them approach before the leader did.
A young man stood before you, maybe a year or two older than you. His pullover hoodie covered his hair and left his face in a dramatic shadow. Classic look, but frankly, you thought, if you’ve seen one delinquent in a hoodie, you’ve seen them all, and yes, these were delinquents. You can tell by how he looked you up and down with a smug leer.
“Oi, it’s the giant from O High,” he called out. You instinctively moved one foot forward, and held an arm out to block him from Taichi. “You got some nerve stepping on our turf.”
“I’m going home,” you said.
“Should’ve gone a different route.”
“I go where I want. Leave us alone.”
“Look, we’ve got a tough guy!” The leader threw his head back like it was a joke. The hood slipped off his head. “I’ll leave you alone if you pay for trespassing on our territory. Sound good?”
You scanned the street with the corner of your eye. It was a small gang of delinquents, an even five including the leader, all eyes on you like a rat in a cage.
Taichi murmured into your ear. “Are you okay with this, Reader? What do you need me to do?”
“Nothing yet. I’ve got this. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Shut the hell up already. Give me your money, or it’ll go to your hospital bills once I’m done with you.” The delinquent sneered, black hair falling into his face, and then looked down at Taichi. “I’m talking to your little boy toy too.”
You didn’t even think as your gaze went dagger-sharp and steely, and stepped forward once again. “Don’t you talk to him like that.”
He shoved you back. You stumbled. “Awww. Did I hurt your feelings? What’re you gonna do about it-”
Taichi dropped low and swept the fucking leg.
While you regained your balance, the leader sure as hell didn’t. His ankle buckled and sent him to careening to the pavement while Taichi rose. “Reader, behind you!”
Your body moved before your mouth did, and you smashed a fist into one of the goons now approaching. “Taichi, what the fuck.”
He sent another kick up to the sky this time with a loud smack of rubber against flesh. You dodged the delinquent that staggered from the blow and toppled right next to you. “I learned kung fu for Chan in Mantou Fist!”
Goon #3, an ugly dog with chapped lips, tried to take advantage and hit you while you sidestepped, and you went on the defensive. “Taichi, what the fuck!”
“It was for acting!” Goon #3 landed a blow to your shoulder. A heavy thrumming pain spread across your arm as you hissed through clenched teeth. “I have an excuse!”
He dove to avoid a tackle from the biggest punk, then stuck a foot out to trip him. Hilariously, it worked. You swiped Goon #3 into Goon #5 and they both floundered as they smacked into each other. “That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it!”
You spun on your heel to watch Taichi knee his opponent, and the leader slam you down. You sprawled onto the pavement, fresh blood searing against your back. Strands of black hair broke your vision as he pulled back and punched, over and over again, as you grappled and tried to throw him off.
You flung yourself to the side, disorienting him enough to kick him in the shin just before he shoved you aside. While you regained your bearings and stood, he did as well, and spat on the ground.
Wordless punch to his face. You didn’t like to fight, and maybe everyone kept challenging you because you aimed for the face, but nothing quite gets the point of ‘leave me alone’ across quite like a crushed moneymaker.
Someone behind you grabbed at your hair and sent you teetering back like a chair on its hind legs. You thrashed, but long nails kept you restrained while he charged a punch. “Get away from me!”
A flash of red and royal blue crossed your sight and twisted the bully’s arm. With his free hand, Taichi swiveled. Quick backhand to the face, hard chop to the hip, then he threw another kick, this one a blow against the leader’s stomach that knocked the air out of him. He bought you enough time to finally break free, and you threw a hook to your assailant. She held the nose you struck, and gave you the opportunity to fling her into the pile of Goons #3 and #5 just as they were reorienting themselves.
You ran to help Taichi, currently in a heated dodging stalemate with the leader, before the big guy threw himself at you. You cried out as he pinned you, and kneed his groin just as you fell to the floor. You swallowed down the stinging of the cuts on your knuckles, and slammed two punches to his chest, hoping it was enough to keep him down as you returned your focus to the lone bully remaining.
The leader huffed as he shot one, two punches out, retract, one, two punches. Taichi found himself in a pattern- left, right, sidestep, left right, sidestep, left, right, sidestep. He was getting tired, but so was the punk. It was stamina. He wasn’t muscular or beefy or really all that tough, but he was athletic, he’s worked hard, he can do stamina.
“Guhh,” Taichi gasped, pain blossoming from his side.
The wild look in the leader’s eyes went bloodthirsty, but he was slow returning his fist, and in a rush of now-or-never Taichi drew forward and shoved him away-
Just as Reader body-checked him into the bush on the other side of the sidewalk.
Taichi slapped a hand over his mouth on instinct. The shock was starting to set in as he watched you stumble to your feet, shaking out your head and bouncing on your feet as you stood tall.
A groan sounded from the hedge, but you snatched his hand before he could ask any of the questions spinning through his head. “We need to go.”
“Wo-rd?” His voice cracked. Damn. The most cinematic moment of his life and his voice cracked as he started to run.
“We’re going!” You broke into a sprint, and led him away from the faded light of the street.
You only stopped running when you ran into a gas station door. Literally. Like, you ran into the door expecting it to be a push, and nearly fell over as you realized moments too late it was a pull when you crashed into the glass with a hefty thump.
Taichi squeaked and pulled the door open as you shook off the incoming bruise. His breath was short and heavy, and you couldn’t blame him even if you wanted; your adrenaline was dying down, and the blunt soreness was already starting to set in. The clerk at the counter cast a strange look at you and Taichi as you held onto each other like crutches, and likely with a few bruises formed.
“What?” Taichi asked, his voice spacious and confused. He followed you as you strode down the first aid isle like a lost puppy. “What just happened?”
“I-” You grabbed a pack of band-aids and some painkillers. “It was self-defense. Either we defended ourselves or they beat and steal from us.”
“I know that! I know that. But what-” you ordered two all-day breakfast tacos, one Icee and one Coke. He continued as you paid. “Does that happen to you often?”
“Yeah,” You said. Forlornness settled in your face as you ordered an Uber on your phone. “It does. People think I’m some wannabe delinquent because I’m so big and tough and because I’m such an introvert.”
“Was that what happened?”
“They jumped us.”
“Honesty, Reader. Please. I recognized them from O High.” You and Taichi leaned on a wall as you gave him one of the tacos and the Coke. Dead fluorescent light highlighted the shadows on his face and the scrapes on your knuckles. “I see them skipping class all the time. Were they trying to mess with you?”
“...I didn’t recognize any features. But you’re sure? They must’ve followed me.” Your face fell. “I’m sorry about this.” You reached a hand out to hold him, but the overhead lights highlighted the not-quite-dry blood on your hand.
So you retracted it. Touch was easier than words, but- but- but you didn’t protect Taichi. How do you apologize for something so horrible?
“I’m sorry,” you said, voice wet. Tears prickled in your eyes and caught onto your lashes, but didn’t give you the solace of falling. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I-I’m sorry.”
You returned home quietly, Taichi in tow, and led him to your bed while you gathered more first aid supplies and ice packs.
“It’s not that bad- ah!” You placed an ice pack over the bruise on Taichi’s side. “Cold!”
“It is that bad,” you said. “Ignoring even minor injuries deteriorates your health.”
“I can take care of it myself. You haven’t even looked at yourself, but you’re way more bruised than me.”
“But this is…” You licked your lips, hoping it’d rehydrate your dry mouth. “It’s normal for me. But was this your first fight?”
“Yes,” Taichi said.
“Don’t make it a habit.” You held his face, searching for cuts. “It’s not good for you. You see someone roll up their sleeves to fight you, you turn around and run. You understand me?”
“But they were going to hurt you.”
“But I don’t want them to hurt you.” Your lip trembled. “I don’t want anyone to hurt you. You haven’t done anything to warrant that, and you don’t deserve to get hurt, and no one is allowed to hurt you.”
“But what about you?” Taichi countered.
“People’ve wanted to punch me out for so long now. I’m used to it.”
“But you don’t deserve that either!” Taichi cried, then hushed after he remembered the late hour. “It doesn’t even matter that I don’t want to see you get hurt, because you as a person don’t deserve to get hurt.” He took your right hand off his cheek, looked at it, and reached for the box of band-aids. “You do this thing where you constantly put yourself down for the sake of following what everyone else says, even though the ‘everyone else’ that you listen to are all just bullies and deadbeats.”
He dug into your box of medicine, and fished out a bottle and some cotton. “You fell on concrete. Let me clean your scratches.”
A single nod from you, and he went to work wordlessly, the quiet only interrupted by your occasional hisses as the alcohol sunk into your tissue.
Then he dug into your box of medicine and pulled out an ointment buried deep within. “This prevents infections.”
“You know a lot about first aid,” you observed, not quite courageous to say anything else.
It was the first time since the fight that you saw him smile, small but focused, as he held your hand and lightly applied the ointment along the web of scratches. “I don’t act like it often, but I’m still a big brother. I take care of people.”
“That’s kind.”
“I guess it is. I spend so much time caring for other people that it becomes second nature.” He wrapped gauze around the hand next. You didn’t even know you had gauze. “Wait, first nature. I get it mixed up all the time. But the point is that if I see someone I love in trouble, I want to help, simple as that.
“Researching kung fu was for role study, really. But really learning the techniques and moves, and then putting them on stage, it was…” He struggled to find the word. “It felt like what I was doing was right. You know? I’ve spent so much time surrounded by my friends who are the toughest guys I know, and my siblings who are learning to stop crying when they get hurt, and you, someone who is so strong and patient, that I realized how out of my league everyone was compared to me.
“I didn’t realize until after learning how to fight that it made me feel like I can help people before they need it. It’s prevention.” He tied off the gauze, and inspected your hand. When he couldn’t identify any more cuts, he pressed his lips to your fingers, careful not to touch the injury, and started the process all over again on your left.
“Fighting isn’t something to look forward to.”
“It’s not like I want to. I was scared when that guy was getting up in your business. And when I realized you were about to throw hands? Terrified. I realized then and there they were going to hit you if I didn’t hit first.”
“So you hit first,” you said.
“Well, I say first, but it was really second.” He laughed a broken little laugh. “I know you don’t want to see me in danger, but the feeling’s mutual. I know I can’t always be there whenever someone tries to fight you- and it was my first fight- but it still hurts me to see you hurt.” He held your fingers to his lips again, and kissed properly this time, a small chu as he parted. “So if I can ever be there when you need me, I’ll help you. Because that’s love, and- and that’s because I love you.”
“Okay.” Your voice broke. Taichi was about to let go of your hand, but repositioned to squeeze. “Okay.” Impossible tears ran down your face, and you squeezed your eyes shut. “Taichi?”
“I’m here,” he said. His voice was quivering, too. “I’m here. I’m here.”
For the first time ever, you let your guard down in its entirety. You let out an ugly sob. Two arms wrapped around you tight, and when you hiccupped you could feel his body gasp and weep, and so you only sobbed louder. “I love you.”
❖ bonus ❖
“Thank you for watching!”
You’ve heard of thunderous applause, but this had to be a hurricane. Was it the audience size? Was it truly such a brilliant play? Both, probably. You settled on both, but if anyone asked, it was the latter.
The point was, even after the audience filed out of Mankai Theater, the clapping trailed behind you and through your head as you fought the current of people.
You were big, of course, and usually all these people would make you anxious, but you were more nervous about the bouquet in your hands staying safe than anything else as you held it over your head and weaved through the playgoers.
Taichi gave you instructions on where to find the dressing room, and you internally recited it like a pledge. Back wall, left corridor, turn left and it’s on your right. Back wall, left corridor, turn left and it’s on your right. Back wall, left corridor, turn left and it’s on your- found it!
You knocked on the door a healthy two times. Normal people knock twice, right?
You twitched. Fixed your jacket. Then stood up chest out and back straight, refusing to fidget and refusing to slouch.
Then you knocked one extra time. No one can blame you, okay? Three is a round and nice number.
But doesn’t it just seem like two knocks and one weird knock? There were zero signs of the door opening. You cleared your throat, fixed your jacket again, and knocked three times.
Just as you lifted your hand from the final knock the door swung open, and you yelped a little bit.
“Mankai Company! Who am I…”
The woman on the other side tilted her head up slowly. Her big pink eyes went even bigger. “Can I. Um. Do you need anything?”
You bowed way deeper than you should have, and shouted, “Hello, I’m Reader, I’m here to see Taichi and congratulate everyone on a show well done!”
You rose with a bit of an embarrassed blush, but simply refused to be apologetic about your fast speech. Not right now, at least.
“Alright? Um. Be right back!” The lady slammed the door.
You wondered if this was another Yuki situation. What if that lady was Taichi’s best friend in the whole company-
You lightly smacked your cheek with your free hand. Dammit, Reader, you’ve already gone through this once! If you can handle a judgmental middle schooler you can handle a grown woman!
…That still didn’t prevent you from being a nervous ball of tension all the way until the door opened.
“You got beef with Mankai Company- oh. It’s you.” Juza, still in his stage costume, stood in the threshold. “Good to see you again, Reader.”
“The- the pleasure is all mine!”
“I like your flowers.”
“Thank you! I grew them myself!”
“Come inside.”
At least it was Juza on the other side of the door. You might be treading into unknown waters, but his familiar face made you feel a little calmer.
He led you through a turn in the corridor to a combination green room and dressing room area. A swathe of people- actors, you presumed- congregated here. You recognized Autumn Troupe in their costumes, and Yuki in the corner, but you could already place faces you’ve never seen to stories Taichi loved to tell about his family, the bleached blond guy next to Yuki being one of them, and another, the foreigner in the middle of a strangely captivating dance.
Then you made eye contact, and you could see Taichi’s gaze melt in real time.
“Guys.” Juza cleared his throat. “We have a guest.”
You placed your bouquet on the table beside Taichi, the glass vase lightly clunking against the surface. Your autumn harvest has been kind, and rows of various blossoms poured through the vase, all in shades of red, yellow, and orange. Sweeping stems of fern divided the tiger lilies from snapdragons, but most notable of all were the pansies that lined the majority of the arrangement, all in blended shades of wildfire red and yellow.
You met Taichi’s eyes again. His pinky wrapped around your hand, an unspoken I’m here.
So you breathed in, exhaled, and spoke. “Congratulations, everyone, the show was great. I’ve been told you’ve heard a lot about me? My name is Reader.”
You scanned the room, and wrapped your pinky around Taichi’s.
And then, you didn’t even think about it, but your smile shined. “It’s a pleasure to meet everyone!” 🍒
(PSA: this one’s a little self indulgent since I can’t sleep tonight so apologies if the headcanon’s inaccurate to the character ^^’)
Juza
Juza’s one to hide whatever gets him down because he doesn’t want to burden those around him.
He wants to be a good influence for Muku and Kumon and he tries not to rope them into anything negative that he has going on.
He tried to have a positive impact on you, too, so most times he doesn’t know how to express or want to express his vulnerabilities to you.
It was inevitable the night he had a nightmare, unfortunately it was you turning your back on him and was suddenly scared of him and thought of him as a monster.
Juza woke up in a cold sweat next to you, and he had no time to panic as he quickly rose up, reaching the air in front of him in a frenzy.
It would be best to hold him and/or reassure him. He needs to know that he isn’t alone and that it’s safe to open up to you, he will melt and quickly try to forget what happened in his dream.
He won’t tell you much about the dream, he won’t resist your efforts of getting close to him. In fact, it’s all Juza would have ever wanted. The love and care of someone that would accept him for who he is.
He’ll silently accept the love you give him, holding onto you tightly to steady his shaking and reassure his head.
Banri
Banri didn’t care much about nightmares, it never really bothered him and he kind of blew it off as some meaningless sign to ignore.
He never read much into things and didn’t see the need to start now. He was just rolling through life without a care in the world.
That was, until you came into his life.
He cared for you greatly and the feeling of putting in time and effort into someone that wasn’t his own self was almost foreign.
You had genuinely supported Banri throughout acting and everything he did, and he returned the favor which he had never thought he ever would.
Every bit of affection, every compliment he’d shrug off from literally anyone else meant more to him than anything.
To the point where waking up from a nightmare felt different when you were involved.
He was terrified that this meaning that he found in his life was gone, he woke up trying to laugh it off but saw his hands shake from the after math.
Just a simple “I’m here, I’m here” would ground him and bring him back to reality. Your voice was like a song to Banri, one that he would never get tired of.
He’d laugh still, but in a more genuine manner, tease you and asked if you actually worried about him.
Inside, he was grateful that you affirmed you were there with him, but it’ll take a while for him to admit it.
Omi
This boy has a lot to unpack.
He’s riddled with nightmares ever since his best friend had died. Despite all the changes in his life it still comes back in his sleep to bite him in the back.
He convinces himself that he’s gotten used to the nightmares and accepted it all as what he has to live with, but it deeply bothered him.
Despite this Omi tends to put a strong face for everyone; his brothers and father, the Mankai company, and for you, too.
Initially, he saw his weak points as being a burden to you, so Omi likes to perform acts of service to you like making you food before he goes to work or to rehearsal, get groceries with you, and of course also make sure you get a good night sleep before he would have to leave to run errands of his own.
He rarely takes rests and keeps himself busy a lot, he loves to help the people he cares about, but at the same time he will over work to avoid the nightmares that come late at night.
It was bound to happen that he would knock out fast asleep next to you. He had a whole day of errands, photo shoots, a lengthy practice and cooking for both you and the troupe. Omi deserved a rest.
However he started twisting and turning in his sleep frantically and you woke him up in fear of what was going on.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you” he immediately goes, rubbing his eyes to hide the clear discomfort, stretching to get up and make himself some tea.
Refuse his offer to do anything, right now it’s best for him to recover, and even without any cooking skill, offer some calming tea and some snacks or comfort food from the fridge or pantry.
He’ll be endlessly grateful, laughing as he constantly reassures you that he would have been perfectly fine getting it himself, but still thank you in the process.
“I know you’d do the same for me, it’s time I help you, too”
Those words hit him in realizing how much he has already done the whole day, and how acts of service doesn’t need to be a one-way path. Showing how much you cared for him gave him a sense of trust and security with you almost instantly.
Taichi
He admired you so much, and he would desperately try to hide anything that made him seem uncool.
He still fears being alone more than anything, despite wanting to stand out, he hated the feeling of isolation.
Often times it comes in his nightmares ever since he left the God Troupe, he had been scared of being singled out as a traitor and left neglected.
He woke up in tears that he sobbed out, carelessly forgetting that you were sleeping right next to him, but were awoken by his cries and immediately got up to go to him.
“Taichi, are you okay?” “Yeah! Yeah I’m perfectly fine-“ “Taichi.”
You sounded stern but he was still stubborn and tried to convince you that he was in top shape.
“See? I got all my fingers and everything! Still the same-“
You didn’t believe him but instead pulled him into your arms and his tears bursted out even more, taken by surprise of the overwhelming affection and support that he loved from you so much.
He shamelessly cried in your arms and soaked your shoulder, apologizing for his uncool he looked, but you not caring made him cry even harder.
After that nightmare he was truly happy to show this side of himself, even if Taichi had thought of it to be shameful in the beginning. He felt that you would stay at his side even with his true colors, he was open to accepting his own self as much as you accepted him with open arms.
Sakyo
In comparison, Sakyo handles nightmares as if they were nuisances like a fever. He still has difficulty sleeping after them so he lies awake just staring at the ceiling for a while to let it fade away.
In his past he was not able to have a lot, and often times because of his past affiliations he did not have much room for error.
As much as possible he did not want to mess up anything with you as well. Upon meeting him, he did come off as cold, and it took a while for him to warm up to you and was careful when talking to you about his previous encounters with the yakuza, as much as what didn’t scare you off.
When realizing you had done more than stay, but instead support him with being the actor who Sakyo was trying to be today, he was thrilled.
As much as he’d lecture you about running water and spending on groceries, it was his own way of trying to be helpful and caring.
In a way it showed that he knew what he was doing, but when it came to seeing him in shambles after waking up after a nightmare of his ugly past, he froze.
You were lying right next to him and he didn’t know how to cover up his own tracks of vulnerability. The ice he encased himself in melted away when you crawled up to him and asked him what was wrong.
He never wanted to involve you in the dangers of what his line of worm was before, realizing how much he wanted you in his life, but you still being there after learning all about it was reassurance to him.
With that he was able to go to bed easier, knowing that act of his life was over, and he was able to start fresh with a life with you, in an arc that he hopes to never call the curtain on.
