His addiction has been getting worse, the sugar, the rush, the little hit of sweetness he craves throughout the day. and well, you are sweeter than any candy he has ever had. So in his mind, that piece of candy sitting on your tongue? It's been blessed. It has to taste better than anything he could unwrap himself. Right?
A mischievous and sly man like Elias would never miss an opportunity like that.
It happened on one of those afternoons when a few students dropped by to thank you for helping them. Little tokens of appreciation: a pack of gummies here, some lollipops there. You'd dumped the haul onto your shared table, already offering Elias his share because there was no way you'd finish them all yourself.
You unwrap a small ruby candy, pop it into your mouth, and let it rest against the inside of your cheek.
You feel Elias’s gaze on the side of your face. You lift your eyes and raise your eyebrows in confusion.
“What? Do I have something on my fac-”
But before you can even finish your sentence, he’s already in front of you, his face so close that your breaths mingle. You can even smell the fruity sweetness wrapping around you that always seems to linger around him.
And then, out of nowhere, he kisses you.
You’ve gotten used to the fact that Elias always steals kisses from you left and right, completely at random. Even when you're on high alert, he still manages to sneak one or two kisses from you. What a sly man. And his kisses always taste incredibly sweet, thanks to the sugary remnants always clinging to the corner of his lips.
Just when you think this is another one of his quick, stolen kisses, his tongue suddenly slips past your lips. Before you can even react, he pulls away. You don't realize what's happened until he sticks out his tongue with that signature smug expression. There it is, your candy. That little ruby-red drop rests neatly on his tongue, as if it belongs there. As if it's finally returned to its rightful owner.
"Why did you do that?!”
He shrugged, completely unbothered. "I was just craving something sweet.”
As if he didn’t just kiss you to steal something from your lips.
You pointed at the mountain of wrappers next to him. "I gave you an entire pile of candy!”
"It doesn't taste as sweet as you(rs).”
In conclusion, you can never win against Elias Pratt ^^
Not because he's smooth, though he is. Not because he's sly, though that too. But because he is the most shameless person you've ever met.
This was written before his initial full character reveal so I apologise in advance if its ooc :( | NOT PROOFREAD!!
Shion Genkai has his own way of showing his love.
He performs in a circus, so he's all about thrill and fun — that includes his feelings towards you. Other people court someone with chocolates, music, gifts — but in the eyes of a circus performer, it's bland, boring and has no sheer thrill in it.
Whenever a deadly trick was played in the circus, the adrenaline rushes within the audience, followed by silence, then a scream. While the general students cower in fear, you, a regular customer in Dionysia, stood among the crowd, clapping with a smile adorning your face.
That's when the infamous Shion Genkai takes interest in you.
The circus buzzed in joy as Shion grabs a torch, putting it on his mouth before breathing a fire, he keeps his eyes glued to your seat and seeing your face contorted in admiration, he can't help but feel the adrenaline rush in his veins — he feels thrilled.
“eek! he's staring over here again…” a general student shivered beside you. you glanced back at the stage only to find a pair of golden eyes looking at yours.
tilting your head, you gave him a small wave. In response, Shion continues his performance until the show is over.
little did you know, that small wave would change your life.
A soft sigh escaped from the young salmon-haired man, “there he goes again…” he said, looking at Shion, who strides his way towards you.
“Do you want me to stop him? I can go.” Jo suggested,
“Stop him? but it looks like Shion is on his discovery of love” Elias said, leaning on the tree, “this is the first time he took interest with someone aside from the sinostra’s captain” he added, Mio merely clicked his tongue, grumbling how Shion doesn't share the same interest in Taiga unlike yours.
Humming to yourself, you flipped the next page of the biology book, writing whatever words you can highlight in your notebook while your friend does the same.
“Hey [Name], can you— AHH!”
flinching, you snapped your head towards your friend — only to be met by a flame.
you didn't dare to move. the fire from the match almost touches your nose, if you move, your face would be done for.
Shion keep a keen eye on your reaction, with the flick of his hand, the match turns into a beautiful rose — deep red and very thorny on the sides.
“For you, my fair lady.” he hands you the rose, which you took from his offer, trying your best to avoid the thorns. You blinked, before giving a warm smile, “Thank you, that was one of the amazing trick I've seen.” you said, glancing at his bleeding hand, “are you…”
“Freetime is up, Shion. we need to head back to the circus.” Mio’s voice alerted the male. Shion huffed before turning to follow Mio and the others.
Just as he was about to leave, he turned his head at your direction, sticking out his burnt tongue, taking out a piece of poker card from his mouth before flicking it at your direction.
“Come, take a peek behind the curtain. Dionysia’s next act was rehearsed with you in mind.”
📱 an: requests are open for tkdb! god I hope I did his personality a little bit of justice | receipts
hihi ^^ can i request a sho x reader where the mc gets pinned down? maybe if they were fooling around and fake fighting
remember to stay hydrated <3
Sho Haizono x gn!Reader
Content: fluff, Sho pins down reader, kissing? making out (not heavy), non-established relationship
A/N: my first request…! i tried! wasnt too sure if the request wanted smut or not so i just added a bit of making out only:3 also oh me goodness fluff is hardest for me, im not sure if im particularly content with this one><sorry to anyone who cringed #ididtoo (also thank you anon!stay healthy as well) Rules for Requests
“Hey,” you look up from the stack of paper to see Sho sitting at the end of the couch in Vagastrom’s dorm. “Are those the paperworks for the mission we just went on?”
Waving and giving a small smile you reply, “Yeah. Professor Dante told me to have one final look over it with you guys.” Looking around the dorm, you ask Sho, “Alan and Leo aren’t here?”
“Nah, they left. Said something about Captain and Vice-Captain duties. So, it’s only me.” Sho pats the seat beside him, “Come sit beside me, Senpai.”
Walking towards the couch, you notice how quiet the usual loud dorm is today. The couple of students you saw when you first entered seem to have left through the back door and you haven’t spotted anyone else entering the dorm. It was just you and Sho here.
Sitting down beside him, you place the stack on the small table in front of you guys. You pick up the first paper on top to start the review and turn your body to face him.
“Ok. So, since I already wrote a summary of what happened during the mission, I don’t think we need to go over that,” eyes on the paper you start reading in your head what you wrote, “let me just double check with you some specifics about the anomaly–”
Suddenly snickering into your hand as you recall the events of the mission, you lower the paper to your lap, hiding it from Sho’s view.
Sho looks over at you with a slight smile, curious about what’s making you chuckle, “What is it?”
“Oh. Nothing…I-I was just thinking about what you did during the mission,” you start to giggle harder. “Pfft…You almost got your ass beat by that anomoly…”
Sho pouts at your teasing but a smile can’t resist creeping up on his face. Even though you were technically laughing at him, you looked so cute giggling beside him. If he’s the reason that’s making you smile, he’ll put himself in any kind of situation for you. But just because it makes you laugh, he didn’t want others, especially any professors, to know what exactly happened. His embarrassing moments were for your eyes only!
“Wait, Senpai…” Sho speaks up as his face falters into a more nervous smile, “you didn’t go into full details of my, um, encounter with the anomaly in the report, right?”
“Hm…Maybe I did? Maybe I didn't? I’m instructed to explain how strong that anomaly was!” you continue laughing, lifting the paper back up so you could continue reading.
“What! You know you don’t have to go into a lot of detail. Let me see what you wrote.” Sho pleads as he attempts to grab the paper from your hands.
As you see him reach out, you lift the paper up and move it behind you. “No way. You know I'm obligated to properly recount every single detail about a mission. What if you try to change it? I can’t go against the ‘Official Darkwick Inspector Guidebook’!”
Sho laughs, you definitely just made up the existence of that book right now, “Yeah, like something like that totally exists.” He leans in closer to you, “now let me see or i’ll…I’ll just let you be eaten by an anomaly next time, Senpai.”
Of course Sho is lying. You know him and he would never put you in harm's way. So you giggle at his terrible bluff, “As if! I know how much you care about me.”
Copying your earlier remark, Sho smirks, “Hm…I don’t know, maybe I do? Maybe I don’t?”
Suddenly, Sho further extends his arm, attempting to see what you wrote one last time. If he can’t get a hold of that paper this time, he’ll just let you submit it as it is. What’s the worst you could have wrote?
Seeing him move closer, you lean back a bit to get away from him. Without any support behind you, your back hits the soft couch. On the other hand, Sho, who hadn’t expected you to fall so flatly on your back, nearly topples on top of you. Saved by his fast reflexes, both his hands extends to the sides of your head, propping him hovering over you.
Neither of you say anything, quite surprised by the current situation, as you two stare into each other’s eyes.
Sho was always so kind to you. When you were hungry after a long day, he would always offer to bring over some warm, hearty food. His ears were always open for you to mindlessly complain about all the menial tasks Darkwick would force upon you. And whenever you went on a mission with his house, you noticed how Sho always looked out for your well-being, often putting your safety above his own.
To say you were grateful for his presence would be an understatement, and to say you only saw him as a friend would also be a lie.
You hoped he knew you were joking about your teasing. Not even wanting to entertain the possibility of this conversation impacting your friendship, you speak up first, “I-I didn’t actually–”
“Can I kiss you, Senpai?” Sho cuts off your explanation, as one of his hands goes to cup your cheek.
Eyes wide at his question, you simply nod as you close your eyes and move your head up to capture his lips. His mouth meets yours and they’re incredibly soft. The two of you quickly melt into the kiss as Sho uses his lips to gently push your head back onto the couch.
Focused completely on Sho’s touch, you’re unsure where to put your arms as they rest on either side of you. You start to feel more restless, wanting to feel him more and your hands brush against the front of his shirt.
Sho notices your fidgeting and breaks from the kiss with an exhale, “Around my neck. You can wrap your arms around my neck, Senpai.”
You do what Sho suggests and move your arms to interlock them around his neck. With this, you pull his face closer to yours, connecting your lips again. Sho lets out a small exclamation of content, enjoying the taste of you as you slightly part your lips, allowing his tongue to meet yours.
Quiet sighs leave the two of you and warmth spreads throughout your body. The lack of air was dizzying but his tempting lips consume you as you further lean into him.
After a couple minutes, Sho separates from your lips, giving the both of you some time to catch your breath. “Hah…Hah…I was just trying to protect you from the anomaly, by the way.” He moves his mouth to start kissing the side of your face, down your cheek and along your jaw.
You breathe heavily and your eyes follow his movements. Accepting his kisses, you reply, “So, what you’re saying is that I’m important to you?” Snickering as those words left your mouth, you remove your arms from his neck and move your hands to cup each side of his face making him look into your eyes.
He doesn’t respond, instead just connecting his lips to yours again. He believes this to be a sufficient answer to your question.
As you kiss him back, Sho notices the previous paper lying face-up above your head and his eyes dart towards it. No mention of his struggle against the anomaly in sight; just a simple sentence that always seems to appear in every report with Vagastrom.
YEAHHHHHHH ITS HEREEEEEEE YIPPEEEEEEE
y'all don't know how much fun i had writing this. but anyways. remember HAKU WITH A SWORD????? this is it.
tags: (samurai warrior!Haku) au, fluff, smut, some crack, slow burn, angst elements, some abuse mentioned, reader is a potter (not harry potter, but like. yk. pottery.), reader is referred to as y/n, i did a lot of research for this fic so it'd be historically accurate but uhhh i gave up on some parts because literary convenience and also i had midterms, Subaru and Zenji cameo, multiple OCs because why tf not, yandere elements
wc: 6.6k
taglist: @ox-ren-xo @sh0jun @chiyunn
i apologize for this being in two parts. but i fear part 1 and 2 combined it might go to 20k, and writing that in one go is too much of a hurdle for me 😓 also i am NOT a potter, ive tried it once and failed spectacularly, pls ignore mistakes.
ততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততত
“I need all hands at the kiln!”
“Yes, Hama-san!”
I stopped the wheel and carefully extracted myself from the stool before rushing outside through the back door, dodging customers. Kosuke was already there, his towel wrapped around his head, sleeves rolled all the way up. Daisuke was also sweating profusely, his gaze straying to Hama-san nervously.
Mari arrived behind me, breathless with specks of glaze on her apron. She looked at the hill-topped kiln and blanched.
From the entrance of the kiln, we could see the bright orange flames licking up the wood.
They were bright orange.
Bright orange.
Kosuke had already opened about half of the vents, hoping that the breeze would lower the flames, but it was not working at all.
Hama-san was squinting through one of the vents on the kiln, gauging the flames with intense concentration.
“Open all the vents! Even the ones with indicators, except for numbers two, five, seven, fourteen, and twenty-two!” he barked towards us.
Kosuke and Daisuke beelined for the vents on the back of the hill, while Mari and I leapt for the ones in front.
Knocking off indicators one, three, and four, I slid open the vents all the way, and saw the ruins of our pottery.
“Hama-san?”
The gray-bearded owner grunted in reply.
“The glaze is melting on some of the pots on the east side, and… two are warped beyond saving…”
He let loose a string of curses.
Thank the gods the customers didn’t hear him.
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“I deeply apologize for the delay in the pottery which you had requested, Lord Matsudaira.”
Haku heard his father apologize faintly from the linen closet.
“Winds have been quite strong recently,” a deep voice, presumably Lord Matsudaira, remarked. “Such exquisite pottery as the Hamayaki must take time to pursue perfection in each bowl.”
“Of course. The craftsmen at the Hamayaki-ya are passionate about their work, and as patrons, we only wish to distribute pottery of the finest quality.”
Haku rolled his eyes as he resisted the urge to scratch the itch on his knee. Both his father and Lord Matsudaira were exceptional warriors, and could probably tell a person was in here if they did something other than just breathing.
But then again, there was a reason why his father admitted, albeit grudgingly, that Haku had a talent for spying and scouting. Sly and silent like a Mamushi snake, he’d said. The way he phrased it sounded more like distaste rather than praise, though.
“I would like to go and see the kilns and workshops at the Hamayaki-ya during my stay,” Lord Matsudaira said thoughtfully. “The Shogun did ask me personally to pick out a bowl for him, after all.”
Haku could almost hear his father nodding enthusiastically to that request.
“Of course, my lord. Do you have a specific time or date in mind?”
“Would four o’clock on the day after tomorrow be inconvenient?”
“Of course not, my lord! I will ensure the shop is notified of your arrival.”
“Thank you. I will take my leave now.”
The sound of two hakamas rustled as the two lords bowed to each other, then the thin whoosh of a shouji door opening and closing reached Haku’s ears. Faint, steady footsteps walked away, and Haku heard his father exhale.
“Haku. Get out of there.”
Busted!
“Father.”
Haku slid open the doors to reveal his father’s exasperated face. The head of the Kusanagi clan rubbed his head in irritation.
“What have I told you about eavesdropping on conversations?”
“To be honest, I was practicing—”
“You’re lucky Lord Matsudaira is a good friend of ours. Other lords would have gotten you beheaded.”
“I apologize, Father,” Haku bowed, feigning sorrowful reconsideration for his actions.
His father fixed him with a stern gaze.
Here comes the lecture.
“You are a grown man, twenty-three suns old, and unmarried, which is practically unheard of in this age. You directly disobeyed my orders in the last battle—”
“But—"
His father glared at him, to which he snapped his mouth shut.
“I expect more of you as the eldest, Haku.”
“Yes, father.”
“So you will be the one who will lead Lord Matsudaira to the Hamayaki-ya, and you might as well give him a tour of the city.”
Ah… Shit.
His father gave him another stern look as if he had heard Haku say that out loud.
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Stepping into his room, Haku walked over to his desk and sat down, grabbing a few rolls of washi. Dipping his brush in ink, he proceeded to write letters of apology to two of his best friends that he was planning to meet up with the day after tomorrow.
Until his father had ordered him to be a tour guide.
As much as this would be easier to explain in person, Haku knew that Subaru was busy training at the town’s kabuki-za, and Zenji was busy writing and editing the local newspaper every day.
He also knew that the two had asked their managers for a day off, specifically on that day, so that the three of them could chill for the whole day.
The brush hovered over the paper.
Dear Subaru,
I fucked up.
You see, my dear old dad—
Oh, to have Zenji’s talent for words.
Haku blotted out the lines and rewrote the letter with a more appropriate tone and less accurate portrayal of his feelings.
Knowing that his friends will definitely berate him the next time they meet, he folded the papers carefully, then went in search of a messenger to deliver his letters.
Although it was May and was starting to get warmer, the castle’s halls were still drafty and had a chill in them. Haku strolled, nodding to various servants who bowed in return to the young lord.
“Ani-ue!” A familiar voice called out from across the courtyard.
“Yamato.”
His younger brother had an uneasy look on his face.
“Welcome back,” Haku greeted him with one of his signature lazy smiles.
Yamato gave him an urgent, worrying look, to which the latter nodded discreetly and wordlessly gestured him into the nearest room.
“Ichi, ensure that no one passes by here,” Yamato instructed his guard in a low voice as he entered the small room.
Haku carefully scanned the room for prying ears, then gave Yamato the signal that it was secure. For now.
“Brother, I’ve received word from one of my spies that the Arizono clan is planning to wage war on us.”
Haku gave him a questioning look.
“And apparently, they’re developing a new weapon— something called a Ryoku-kusudama. Of course, Father knows of this already.”
“A green medicinal ball, huh?” Haku mused. “Thanks for informing me, too. I’ll look into it further.”
“They haven’t declared yet, but Father estimates that they’ll start marching in about a month.”
Haku’s lips pressed into a thin line as he processed that information. Knowing his father, he would of course tell Yamato about possible battles since the second-born was better at fighting than he was, and “more equipped to be a general”. It was no use arguing against his stubborn father.
He’ll do what he always did— taking care of internal affairs and governance, advocating for a diplomatic solution, making sure that the fighting didn’t reach the civilians, and of course, using his extensive spy network to retrieve essential information.
“Thanks, Yamato.”
“Brother, I can ask father—”
“No, it’s fine.”
Haku exhaled.
“I’ll see you later.”
He paused at the sliding doors, and looked back at his little brother.
Dark cobalt eyes that took after their father, and hair the exact same shade of green, except it was trimmed short, unlike Haku. Cobalt eyes that looked calm and composed, except Haku knew the nervousness and worry that came every time a battle occurred.
“Stay safe out there.”
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The water felt cool and refreshing against my skin as I scrubbed my arms free of the infinite specks of clay that had accumulated there. Beside me, Mari was doing the same, futilely battling the glaze that had stained her hands a mosaic of ash-gray and mossy green.
She groaned and reached for the towel.
“I give up. This is never coming off.”
“You give up every day, Mari,” I chuckled. “At this rate, we should get a skin-colored glaze so you can re-stain your hands.”
Just then, Tori-san stuck her head out of the back door.
“Dinner’s ready!”
Hama-san and Daisuke were already seated, helping themselves to pickled cucumbers and steamed pork buns. Apparently, this evening’s kiln duty was Kosuke.
The first rule that every apprentice at the Hamayaki-ya would learn was that someone had to man the kiln at all times. Pottery was delicate, and flames in the kiln were to be maintained at a certain temperature and color. Too hot, and the bowls would crack, and the glaze would melt. Too cool, and the bowls would not bake properly. Every owner, from the first generation, started with manning the kiln. Every apprentice that walked over the glaze-stained floors with their arms speckled with clay first learned how to gauge the flames, flip the vents open, and read the indicators, all the while battling with the hot fumes and smoke.
It was grueling work, especially in summertime.
Luckily, Hama-san trained Mari and me to specialize in glazing and wheel-throwing, respectively. He claimed that “women have more sensitive hands”, but when Tori-san raised her eyebrows at him, he shooed her with one hand, muttering about her unconventional marketing and selling skills that somehow worked with even the most difficult of customers.
Each kiln shift lasted about five hours.
Kosuke would watch over the fires, opening vents as needed until around eight, then Hama-san would take over. Daisuke would sleep in the meantime and then change places with Hama-san at around one in the morning. He would keep watch until about six, when Tori-san would man the kiln while Hama-san whipped up breakfast for us.
As always, Tori-san prattled about the sales for today, while occasionally inserting titbits of gossip that the women had told her in the shop. Mari finished eating first, and started coloring advertising flyers for our shop, occasionally giggling at Tori-san’s impressions of the townspeople.
Daisuke was about to excuse himself for his nap when Hama-san cleared his throat and stopped him. The apprentice turned slightly pale as he thought he was about to get a scolding for the incident earlier today.
And then Hama-san dropped the bomb.
“We’re going to have very important visitors the day after tomorrow. Lord Matsudaira and his entourage are coming here to pick out a bowl for the Shogun, with the eldest son of Lord Kusanagi as their guide.”
Tori-san, unimpressed and not at all nervous, raised an eyebrow. “I gotta clean the shop then.” Then she downed her cup of sake.
Hama-san looked at me. “So I’m going to need you on the wheel all day tomorrow, y/n.”
I nodded. After today’s incident, we had to increase production. I could already imagine the ache in my arms, but it was not the time to complain. Lord Matsudaira was one of the Shogun’s right-hand men. Although we occasionally had a wealthy merchant visit us, a whole entourage of lords was unheard of.
Meanwhile, Hama-san was talking to Mari, giving her specific instructions for glazing. Though his tone was serious and strict, his beard hid an excited smile.
I smiled too, happy that all of our work was paying off, and that the Hamayaki-ya was getting the recognition it deserved.
After all, we were craftsmen, and we were all passionate about our art.
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Haku got his replies from Subaru and Zenji a day before the tour. Both of them expressed concern and sadness at him not being able to join them, but Haku could feel the slight exasperation oozing out of the papers and chuckled. Subaru suggested he could give Lord Matsudaira a personal tour of the Kabuki-za, while Zenji offered to show around the newspaper shop and its printing technology, and suggested that Haku dunk his head in one of the ink pots in the shop.
Nudging his horse to veer left into the woods, Haku tucked both letters securely in his robes. He leaned forward, urging his steed to go faster.
The wind whipped his hair as it got darker, the foliage becoming thick and dense. Horse and rider moved as one, dodging each tree, jumping over rocks and roots.
When the sunlight finally began to appear as thin golden shafts between the branches, Haku slowed his horse to a walk, carefully adjusting his hood and mask so that only his eyes were shown.
At the thick oak tree where there was an inconspicuous gash, Haku dismounted. Tying his horse to a nearby bush and giving him a pat, he ventured forward.
Ears alert, he moved soundlessly, avoiding twigs and branches as he neared the meeting place.
“My lord.”
“Glad you’re fine,” Haku muttered. “Report.”
His right-hand spy, Minato, nodded. “Arizono is planning to march in five weeks from now, towards our western border. Estimated soldier count is 700. The new weapon, the Ryoku-kusudama, is basically what seems to be a bomb that spews poisonous smoke upon detonation. The components of the poison, as well as the effects, I am not sure yet. I believe Arizono is conducting experiments in a certain building, perhaps creating a cure in case their soldiers breathe it, or perhaps making the poison stronger. The building itself is extremely well-guarded, with only one entrance, and I have not been able to breach it. The batch of Ryoku-kusudama is also guarded in this building, so I do not have a sample for your inspection.”
“How are they going to detonate the bomb? Is it activated by fire?”
“I do not know that, my lord.”
“Have you heard of a way to deactivate or destroy the bomb?”
“No, my lord.”
Haku exhaled.
“Alright. I need you to stay here and find out the components of the bomb, and bring me a sample if you can. Find out how to deactivate the bomb. Report back when you have the answers, or a week and a half before the Arizono start marching.”
“Understood, my lord.”
The black ninja bowed, then disappeared into the bushes.
Well, there goes away peace for next couple of months, Haku thought wryly. He returned the way he came, mounted his horse, and started on his way back to their territory.
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The sky was clear on the day of the tour, cirrus clouds streaking the blue. The horses stepped briskly onto the paved streets, tossing their heads as the entourage made their way from the castle to the main streets.
Lord Matsudaira and Haku were at the head of the group, with Lord Hirose, one of his father’s lords, and five guards trailing behind them.
Haku and Lord Hirose had already planned the day’s route. As much as Lord Matsudaira and his father were friends, Lord Matsudaira was still one of the most important Lords within the Shogun’s territory. And with their lands being on the border, Haku understood the importance of showing them how much their lands were full of culture. Wealth. Importance.
And worth protecting when they got invaded.
The sound of voices bargaining, bells ringing in advertisement, and the lively chatter of the Main Street became louder as the entourage made their way towards the market district.
Turning the corner, Haku nudged his horse closer to Lord Matsudaira’s steed.
“The market district, my lord. Many of our people call it Main Street, as this street features every kind of shop and store imaginable. We have fishmongers, vegetable stalls, incense vendors, silk merchants, tea sellers, and kimono shops which also do custom orders,” Haku explained, gesturing to some of the shops. “Over there, we have a ‘Rare Item Shop’, where they sell goods straight from the international ports in Nagasaki.”
Lord Matsudaira hummed in approval. “I am glad to see that your townspeople have access to overseas products.”
Their horses clopped down the center of the road. People on either side gave them a respectful bow as the entourage made their way further.
“And here, my lord, is our famed printing workshop and newspaper stand.”
They dismounted, giving the reins to two of the guards.
“I am very interested to see the technology here,” Lord Matsudaira remarked. “The Shogun highly encourages innovation.”
The printing workshop/newspaper stand smelled like ink and fresh paper. It was quiet inside, with no customers. Zenji, who was writing something behind the counter, probably his new novel, leaped up at the sight of them. From the back, the owner of the shop came out, wiping his ink-stained hands on his apron.
The owner and Zenji bowed deeply.
“Lord Matsudaira, Lord Kusanagi, Lord Hirose. It is an honor to have you in our humble shop.”
After exchanging pleasantries, the owner excused himself to work, while Zenji offered to show them around the workshop.
He led them to the backroom, where there was a large table with a big press, thousands of metal kanji letters, bundles of paper, and large pots of ink. Two men were hard at work, one inking the letters, once, twice, three times, with a roller, then the other placed a large paper on it. The former grabbed a lever on top of the press and pulled it, pressing down for a perfect three seconds. Lifting the press up, the other man peeled off the paper with ease, placing it carefully to dry on the drying rack full of this week’s papers.
The whole process took only about thirty seconds, both men moving with perfect efficiency and ease.
“This is quite impressive,” Lord Matsudaira remarked.
“The printing process does not take much time; however, the rearranging of the metal letters is the most tedious part. We have three letter sizes: small, medium, and large, for the body and headings, respectively. Our ink recipe is the shop’s secret recipe, and it stains the paper easily and dries fast,” Zenji explained.
“You are the clerk?”
“No, my lord. I am the editor, and I also do interviews if needed.”
After Zenji gave them a thorough tour of the workshop and explained the printing process, he offered to give Lord Matsudaira a copy of this week’s paper, to which the Lord gladly accepted.
The sun was high in the sky when the entourage made their way to the town’s one and only Kabuki theater. There was a line of townspeople at the ticket booth for tonight’s performance, who bowed at the Lords.
“Haku-sama, the entrance seems to be closed— are you sure we can get inside the theater?” Lord Hirose muttered to him.
Just as he was about to reply, the wooden doors opened to reveal Subaru. He was wearing a beautiful gray robe with lilac flowers embroidered on it. The crowd lining up at the ticket booth and nearby passerby’s chatter grew excited, pointing at the handsome young kabuki actor-in-training.
Haku nodded to Subaru in greeting, then led Lord Matsudaira to the entrance. Subaru bowed elegantly at them.
“I am Subaru Kagami, a kabuki actor-in-training, and I would be honored to give my lords a tour of our theater.”
তততততততততততততততত
The inside of the theater was quiet compared to the din of outside, window shades open, letting in the sunlight in bright rectangles as Subaru led them to the main stage.
Stagehands were sweeping among the seats, fluffing up the zabuton that were placed in neat rows from the front of the stage. They could hear the faint sound of shamisen and drums as the musicians practiced their notes.
Subaru explained the albeit short history of the theater and the art, adding that the creator, Okuni-san, was currently traveling east to further expand the art of kabuki.
“I heard that kabuki is primarily acted by women.” Lord Matsudaira raised an eyebrow, looking at Subaru cynically.
“Yes, but we believe that with enough training, men can also embody the complex characters and express their emotions,” Subaru replied steadily.
He led them into the narrow hallways of the theater, wood creaking under their feet. Subaru stopped in front of what seemed to be a dead end, until he turned sideways, pushed a cleverly hidden lever, and opened the wall.
“This is the backstage area.”
Inside was bigger than Haku thought. He had been to the theater a couple of times with Zenji to see some of Subaru’s performances, but this was his first time seeing the backstage area. Audience members were not allowed in there.
Subaru led them to a series of boxes in the back.
“These are the masks we use in some of our performances,” he said, opening one box and taking out a fox mask. It was white with slanted gold eyes.
“Do actors normally put on masks?” Lord Matsudaira asked, carefully holding the mask and inspecting it.
“No, only for specific roles, such as the fox spirit, demonic women, and spiritual monkeys,” Subaru replied, now taking out a grotesque mask of a woman who seemed to be, in Haku’s opinion, severely constipated.
Or mad, he thought again as Subaru shot him a look as he tried to maintain a calm composure.
Haku bit his lip as he tried to resist laughing out loud.
Imagine you’re trying to take a shit and from the women’s stall next door you hear a demonic growl—
Haku managed to successfully rein in his thoughts for the rest of the kabuki theater tour, nodding along to Subaru’s explanations.
After mounting their horses and getting bowed from everyone in the vicinity, they spurred their horses towards the outskirts of town, towards the famous Hamayaki-ya.
“Not only do the craftsmen create the Hamayaki, pottery with their signature refined wave patterns, they also provide the townspeople with functional bowls at an accessible price. Currently, the store is managed by the fifth-generation owner, Hama-san, and four apprentices, and one primary assistant.”
Lord Hirose explained as the landscape around them became scattered with rice fields and farmers hard at work, who tipped their straw hats at them. Haku waved in reply with an appreciative smile.
“They are also one of the biggest taxpayers in this town, as their customers not only include people from this town, but also people from other regions.”
“Mmm, the Shogun was remarking the other day about the foreign dignitaries asking about the pottery,” Lord Matsudaira replied.
A couple minutes later, they saw the line.
Lord Matsudaira slowed his steed down to a walk and blinked in slight surprise.
Going further, they saw white smoke rising from behind the store, and the voices of people admiring the pottery and merchants haggling prices reached their ears.
Near the front of the store, there was a woman with short hair and an indigo apron, gesturing and arguing with a merchant about prices. Between them, on a cloth to avoid damaging them, were six beautiful tea ceremony bowls, deep blue swirling in a mesmerizing pattern on white.
The woman looked up at the sound of hooves clopping, her hawk-like eyes registering them, then stopped the merchant with a hand. Excusing herself as she weaved between customers and rushing towards the entrance, she stuck her head inside and shouted, “HAMA-SAN!! THE LORDS ARE HERE!!”
A deep voice bellowed back over the chatter of the customers.
“ALL HANDS AT THE ENTRANCE!! EXCEPT YOU!! YOU STAY AT THE KILN!!”
“…he’s got lungs,” Haku muttered.
Joining the woman with short hair at the entrance, a short, stout man who seemed to be about 50-something years old came out from inside the shop first. He had a gray beard, muscular arms, and large hands that were weathered with bits of clay all over. He hastily rubbed his hands on his apron as three more people came out.
The first one was a boy, about fourteen, his eyes widening at the sight of the samurai lords with fascination and slight nervousness. He had brown arms tanned from the sun, and a faint scar on his left arm.
The second one was a young woman with her hair in a low ponytail. Her sleeves were rolled up beyond the elbows, and specks of glaze dotted her hands and arms. There was a particularly large stain of glaze on her apron. She took their attire in with calmness, but the slight trembling of her hands showed her nervousness.
And then the last one came out, hand wiping away the sweat on her head and leaving a smudge of clay above her eyebrow.
Her sleeves were rolled up too, but instead of glaze, her hands were caked with clay, and specks of gray were all over her arms and apron. Her hair was messy, tucked into a bun that seemed to barely be holding up.
And then she looked up, and met Haku’s eyes.
Beautiful brown eyes stared into his gold ones unflinchingly. She didn’t seem impressed or nervous at all; slightly annoyed, Haku decided, studying her expression.
There was a smudge of clay on the curve of her neck, and she rubbed that part absentmindedly as the owner introduced themselves. Haku was entranced by her— her lean arms with defined muscle, the small beauty mark under her eye, and the strand of hair that flew into her mouth because of the wind, which she spit out rather undignifiedly. The young woman on her left, Mari-san, as the owner called her, shot her a look that screamed GIRL WTF!!
“—and this is y/n-san; she is in charge of the wheel and throwing the clay,” The owner explained.
Y/n…
The voices of the owner, Hama-san, and his primary assistant, Tori-san, only faintly registered in his mind as they led the lords in their shop and started explaining the whole process.
“If you’ll come with us to the back, we will show you the kiln—Mari and y/n, you guys can go back to your stations now— please, come this way,” Hama-san said.
Although Haku’s feet carried him outside, he couldn’t help but glance back at the young woman.
God, she’s beautiful…
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“I swear Lord Kusanagi was staring at you.”
“Nope. No. Don’t even start,” I retorted, scrubbing my arms more aggressively than usual.
“He was looking at you like you were the moon~” Mari sang, dodging the water I tried to splash on her.
Unfortunately, the teasing continued through dinner.
“So, y/n,” Tori-san casually sipped her sake, fingers tapping her knee. “What do you think of that handsome young Lord Kusanagi?”
I groaned.
“I’m pretty sure he’s a pompous ass that plays with women. At least, that’s what I heard from Kiriko.”
I looked pointedly at Kosuke. As I had expected, Kosuke blushed at the mention of his crush.
“See?” I gestured at him. “That’s what people look like when they’re in love. You see that look on my face? No. End of discussion.”
“He was drooling over your hands as you sculpted the clay,” Tori-san pointed out.
“He was stealing glances at you every minute or so,” Mari added.
“Look, he’s a Lord. He probably has some princess lined up for him, ok?”
“Still, wouldn’t it be so romantic?” Mari swooned. “A samurai lord and a commoner girl… eventually ending up together against all odds…”
“…I’m going to bed,” I stomped away.
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Uppity Lord Haku Kusanagi came to visit me at least three times a week after that.
“Lord Kusanagi, you are in the way.”
“Aw, come on. I’ll go away if you give me a kiss.”
“No. I will throw you in the kiln.”
“I’ll go in the kiln myself if you peck me on the cheek.”
I threw a chunk of clay at him.
He dodged it with that signature smile of his, a smile that spoke of warm lamplight during festivals, naps in the sunlight in early spring, cozy evenings while rain pattered on the roof.
After giving him one last glare, I put myself behind the wheel, and resumed my work.
For a while, I was concentrated enough to forget about his existence.
Water.
Clay.
Water.
Pushing with my fingers, upward and out.
Lowering the speed of the wheel, using a tool to carve minor ridges on the pot, adding a handle.
Making the lid.
And finally, shaping the spout. Using both my hands, a carving tool, and a bit of water, I finished the water jug.
Using a thread, I detached the jug from the wheel, and carefully carried it to the airing rack.
Slow applause rang out behind me, and I sighed.
“That was impressive, princess.”
“Lord Kusanagi, this is like the fifteenth time you’ve seen me make a jug. Also, please stop calling me ‘princess’. And, this is my job.”
I looked at the young lord pointedly, who was leaning against one of the pillars in the shop. His red earrings swung with the breeze.
He raised his hands in mock surrender.
“Well, you’re very good at your job.”
“Of course I am,” I muttered under my breath. It was still eleven in the morning, and I still needed to make five more jugs, ten plates, ten regular bowls, and five tea ceremony bowls. Those would take the longest. Tea ceremony bowls had to be more than perfect to sell. Especially with our reputation.
“I should get going soon.”
The green-haired man stretched, then took a sip from his water skin.
“Oh.”
“You sound disappointed,” he smirked.
“That was a sound of relief, my lord,” I rolled my eyes, carrying the next batch of clay to the wheel. “ ‘Oh’ as if in ‘Thank the gods you’re gonna be gone’.”
He chuckled at that, golden eyes crinkling. He turned to leave and raised his hand in the air as he always did.
“Take care,” he called.
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Back in the war room of the castle, the air was thick with tension.
Lord Kusanagi, both of his sons, and their generals sat around a map.
“Yamato. Tell us your plan,” Lord Kusanagi’s voice rumbled.
“Judging from the information from our spies, the Arizono clan will attack us in two weeks, right after they have their annual Dragon Boat Festival. Their main fleet will most likely come in from the west, coming from the Asai River on boats. Land soldiers will probably come through the forests near our southwestern border towns. I propose that we place archers on the three bridges we control, and place small groups of troops scattered within the southwestern forest. Evacuate the townspeople temporarily to the castle and its surrounding area, and put our main forces there.”
Lord Kusanagi nodded in approval. Then he turned to his eldest son.
“Haku. What have you found about the Ryoku-kusudama?”
“It is a bomb that spews poisonous gases upon detonation. The gases cause nausea and breathing problems, leading to fainting and loss of consciousness within 5 minutes. Detonation requires the handler to insert a pin in the bomb. My spies saw the enemy troops being trained to throw these devices, both by hand and by slingshot. When handling the bombs, enemy soldiers had a cloth on their face; however, some did faint after holding the detonated bomb for too long.”
The generals exchanged uneasy glances.
“The fumes extend in approximately a 5-meter radius, and the smoke is heavier than air; it creeps down when the bomb is detonated from a high place. If there is strong wind, the fumes may travel farther than the estimate I just gave.”
Haku took a deep breath.
“I agree to Yamato’s plan, but I propose that a squad be sent to set fire to the bombs before they get detonated. The fumes are also flammable, and that could pose a high chance of defeat if the Arizono manage to detonate them among our troops.”
Lord Hirose nodded. “I agree with Haku-sama’s plan, my lord. Those Ryoku-kusudama are a serious threat.”
“Haku.”
“Yes, father.”
“You said the gases are flammable,” the samurai lord said, voice hardening. “But are the bombs themselves flammable? Are the shells flammable?”
“I don’t know, father. My spy was unable to get a bomb to see for himself, as they were contained in a highly guarded building,” Haku replied honestly, preparing himself mentally.
His father closed his eyes in irritation. As much as his father’s disappointment in him was a well-known fact among the generals and in the castle, he at least did not berate him in front of others.
“Very well.” Lord Kusanagi’s clipped voice rang out, and all the generals suddenly avoided meeting Haku’s eyes in unison, as they always did when this kind of thing happened.
Are you okay?
Haku answered Yamato’s unspoken question with a slight nod, face neutral.
Yeah.
…I’m fine.
তততততততততততততততত
“Tori-san, what’s that stool for?” I asked, carrying a bucket of today’s clay.
Tori-san, although being Hama-san’s first apprentice, was in charge of the register and sales. Somehow she knew everyone, and all the delicious gossip in town. Her short hair was sticking up behind the towel she wrapped around her forehead. Today was going to be hot, with summer coming up ahead, and the inside of the shop was humid.
“Oh, it’s for your boyfriend,” she replied nonchalantly.
“I— WHAT?”
“Yeah, I heard there might be a war soon? Talk to him and see if the rumor’s true; I gotta adjust our sales estimation if there’s gonna be one, so.”
“He’s NOT my boyfriend!” I yelled back.
How could Tori-san go back to work and start thinking about mathematics on the morning after she had drunk sake the night before, I would never know. We all joked that Tori-san had the highest alcohol tolerance in town. The woman never got drunk.
Anyways.
Back to work.
I cut off a large chunk of clay to knead and prep for the wheel. Picking out dead leaves and small sticks, I kneaded the slab over and over, trying to make it smooth for shaping.
Although Tori-san was right, in a sense. Our shop was located on the outskirts of town, and that was because we sourced our clay from a natural clay deposit near the Asai riverbank. Some merchants said that the reason the Arizono clan kept attacking us was that they believed they should get a portion of the profits from our shop, because our clay was sourced from the riverbank.
But many agreed that claim was bullshit because we sourced our clay from the Kusanagi clan’s side, not the Arizono clan’s side. Once a month, Hama-san and I would go to the river to harvest fresh clay. About three years ago, when we were out on the harvest, he told me that many years ago, when the Kusanagi clan and the Arizono clan were friendly, he’d been to the Arizono side, and attested that the clay was the same, if not even slightly better than the one on the Kusanagi side.
But still, I preferred my clay blood-free. It would be convenient to know when the war would start so we could harvest the clay in advance.
I was so consumed in my thoughts, my hands moving on autopilot, that I didn’t notice the shadow before me until its hand reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
“YOW!”
“Are you hurt somewhere, princess?!”
“No?! Stop surprising me, Lord Kusanagi!”
I had flinched and jerked back at the proximity he and I were in. His slanted golden eyes had gazed down at me with fondness, and his rough fingertips with his soft touch—
“You’re blushing,” he observed.
“The temperature is high today, my lord,” I retorted.
“You know, you can call me Haku.” The lord in question stepped back to lean against the same pillar as before, watching me as I resumed kneading the clay. “My friends do.”
“Thank you for the offer, but I will decline. Also, your lordness can sit on that stool.”
“You offered me a stool to sit on, and you still claim we’re not friends?” He put a hand on his heart dramatically. “I’m wounded, princess.”
“I just feel that it feels improper to address you without your proper rank.”
Hearing no response, I raised my head to look at him.
“Well,” he said slowly, gold eyes locking onto mine, sunlight wrapping him in a gold halo and accentuating the metal accents on his garb, “you can start by calling me Haku-sama if you want.”
I hesitated, then shrugged.
“Fine.”
“Really?!”
“But remember it’s because I’m running out of polite insults, Haku-sama.” I jabbed a clay-smudged finger at him.
For a while, a comfortable silence settled in between us that was only split by the sound of clay being slapped and kneaded. Later, as I moved to the wheel and grabbed the bucket of water and my tools, the humming of the wheel filled the air.
“I heard there’s going to be a war,” I spoke suddenly, not looking up. “Tori-san overheard some rumors about it.”
“…She’s not wrong.” The voice that answered me seemed heavy, unlike his usual tone. “We still have about two to three weeks, though.”
I answered him with a hum, trying to be neutral.
“I… apologize.”
My face whipped up. “What?”
His expression was somber, and his eyes had a darkness in them, a heaviness coupled with guilt. He turned away to look at the curtains.
“As a samurai lord, our main job is to ensure peace for our people. And use diplomatic solutions instead of physical ones that destroy people’s homes and lives. At least that’s what I believe, considering the political situation of this country in recent years, with the Shogun ruling over half of Japan.”
I paused my hands.
“…I feel pretty safe right now, you know.”
He turned his head to look at me. I met his eyes steadily.
“I may not know much about warfare, but I do know there’s some crazy people out there, people that inflict violence voluntarily, and there’s nothing you can do to stop that.”
“But it’s my job to prevent that from happening.”
“Exactly, Haku-sama. And so far, you’re doing a great job. Because last time we fought against the Arizono clan was when I was five, and I could barely remember the fighting.”
তততততততততততততততত
I smelled smoke.
Which was not uncommon, considering I used to have dreams of tending the kiln when I was on kiln duty, but this was different.
Kiln smoke wasn’t supposed to smell this acrid.
So where was the smoke coming from?
My eyes snapped open.
I heard screams outside and running footsteps.
Leaping out of my futon, I grabbed Mari’s shoulder and shook her.
“MARI!! GET UP!!”
She rubbed her eyes groggily until she noticed the off smell of smoke, then she jolted awake.
We ran together to the next room, where Tori-san should have been. Her futon was pushed away, and her pillow was askew.
Eyes wide, Mari and I exchanged looks of panic. We grabbed each other’s hands, then ran out into the hallway, then outside, where a shocking sight met our eyes.
The rice fields were on fire.
Some of the farmers’ houses were on fire, including the one nearest our shop; however, the biggest flame was the one on our roof.
Hama-san, Tori-san, Kosuke, and Daisuke were hurriedly carrying buckets of water from our well to try to extinguish it, but the straw and wood burnt bright orange in the night.
As Mari and I ran forward, Tori-san turned around, and her eyes focused on something behind us, her expression turning into one of slight recognition, disbelief, and cold, calculated anger.
She opened her mouth.
“Hit the deck!”
The last thing I saw was red tendrils of fierce fire engulfed in green smoke.
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a/n: and this is part 1!! part 2 will have all the smut. and swordfighting. yk, Haku looking hot af while swinging his sword around to protect us... 🤭 also do u guys want like a notes/translation post??
Soooooo uhhhhhh idk how to begin this so I’m just going to get to the point. First fic of the series! So excited to let you guys down 🫶
How To Lose A Ghoul In 10 Minutes
Featured ghoul: Jo Kongoza
Question of the day: “do you like me because I’m pretty, or do you think I’m pretty because you love me?”
Tags: might be ooc?, idk Jo so it’s lwk ass, romantic relationship, go with the flow im begging you
Series link: HERE
🎪 ————————————————— 🎪
Jo was, by all accounts, impossible to rile up.
Patient. Kind. Understanding. The type of person who could diffuse an argument before it even started, smile through insults, and somehow make everyone involved leave feeling better than when they'd arrived. If someone had a problem, they went to Jo. If someone needed advice, they went to Jo. If someone accidentally set half of Dionysia's tents on fire—
Actually, that had happened before.
Jo had still somehow stayed calm. So naturally, you decided to test him.
"Hey, Jo?” You said casually one afternoon, your chin resting against his shoulder as he sat cross-legged on the grass repairing one of the circus props, "Can I ask you something?"
"Hm?" His attention remained on tightening a loose bolt. "'Course."
You smiled.
Perfect. The bait was set.
"Do you like me because I'm pretty..." Jo looked up. "...or do you think I'm pretty because you love me?"
Silence.
He blinked.
Once.
Twice.
The wrench in his hand stopped moving.
"...Huh."
That wasn't the immediate answer you'd expected. He actually looked like he was thinking. Very hard.
"...That's..." he murmured slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "...That's a really good question."
You had to bite the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from laughing.
Oh, he was thinking. He was trying to answer it correctly. This was going to be fun.
Jo looked toward the sky as though the clouds might contain the solution.
"I mean..." Another pause. "I noticed you were pretty before we started dating."
You nodded.
"Mhm."
"But..." He frowned thoughtfully. "...I also think you're prettier now. So..." he continued, completely oblivious to the trap waiting beneath his feet, "I guess..." You watched him carefully. "...I liked you because I thought you were pretty?”
Your smile disappeared.
"..."
"But." He held up a finger. "I think you're even prettier now because I love you. So…” He smiled, clearly believing he'd solved the impossible question. "...Both?"
You stared. “So…” You lowered your voice. "If I wasn't pretty..."
Jo blinked.
"What?"
"Would you still love me?"
His smile faltered.
"Well—"
"So you did fall for me because of my looks."
"...No?"
"You just said you noticed I was pretty first."
"I-I mean..." He immediately sat up straighter. "No, that's not—"
"So if I wasn't attractive… I'd have had no chance?"
Jo's eyes widened in horror.
"No!"
"You literally just said—"
"I didn't mean—"
"So you only gave me a chance because you thought I looked nice."
"No!" He looked genuinely distressed now. "I—I noticed you were pretty, but that's not why I fell for you!"
You folded your arms.
"Really?"
"Really!"
"Then why'd you mention it first?"
"Because… that was the question?"
A pause.
“...Oh."
He realized it.
His shoulders slumped.
"...I walked right into that one, didn’t I?"
You had to look away in case you laughed. Instead, you let out the tiniest, most dramatic sigh imaginable.
"I see."
"No, no, no." He immediately scooted closer on the blanket. "I answered it wrong. You asked me if I liked you because you were pretty."
"Mhm."
"So I started at the beginning."
"Mhm."
"I shouldn't have."
"Mhm."
"...You're enjoying this."
You kept your face perfectly serious.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You absolutely do."
"I've never been more serious in my life."
"...Liar." He laughed softly despite himself before reaching over to poke your cheek. "You've got that look."
"What look?"
"The one you get right before you cause trouble."
"I would never."
"You absolutely would."
"Prove it."
"Gladly." Jo set the wrench aside entirely now, giving you his full attention as though this had suddenly become the most important conversation of the day. "I noticed you were beautiful." You nodded once. "But..." He reached over, taking both of your hands into his without hesitation. "I've met beautiful people before."
"..."
"They didn't make me stay." The teasing smile on your face faltered ever so slightly. "You did." His thumbs absentmindedly brushed across your knuckles. "I fell in love because you're kind. Because you laugh so hard you snort and then pretend you didn't."
"...Jo."
"Because you always feed the stray cats before you eat. Because you remember everyone's birthdays. Because you cry during sad movies even after you've already seen them. Because you worry about people before yourself. And because somehow..." His smile softened into something impossibly gentle. "...every ordinary day feels exciting if you're in it."
Your ears burned.
"As for whether you're pretty..." He chuckled quietly. "I genuinely don't think I can answer that objectively anymore."
You blinked.
"What?"
"When I look at you," his shoulders lifted in a tiny shrug. "I don't know where 'pretty' ends and where 'love' begins. So maybe… I think you're beautiful because I love you."
Your heart skipped.
"But..." He tilted his head. "I probably would've called you pretty even if we'd never met. Because you are."
Silence settled between you.
"..."
"..."
"...Damn."
Jo blinked.
"Hm?"
"...You weren't supposed to recover."
He stared.
"Recover?"
"I was trying to start an argument."
"...You what?" You burst into laughter, nearly falling sideways into the grass. "You were messing with me this entire time?!"
"I really thought I'd get you!"
"I was apologizing!"
"I know!"
"I was trying to figure out where I went wrong!"
"I know!"
"You looked so disappointed!"
"I practiced that face in the mirror!"
"You practiced?!" You couldn't breathe from laughing anymore. The Dionysia captain covered his face with one hand, groaning dramatically. "...Unbelievable."
"I'm sorry!"
"No, you're not."
"I'm a little sorry."
"Not even a little."
"Okay, fine. Not at all."
He sighed, shaking his head before pulling you against him anyway, wrapping an arm securely around your shoulders.
"...You're trouble."
"You still love me?"
"I ask myself why every day."
You gasped dramatically.
"Wow."
"I didn't finish."
"Oh?"
He smiled into your hair.
"Then you smile and suddenly it doesn't matter how much chaos you cause."
You grinned victoriously against his shoulder.
“So…”
"Hm?"
"I didn't lose you in ten minutes?"
Jo laughed, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. "...Nice try. But if that's your best attempt..." His grin grew impossibly smug. "You're gonna need a lot more than ten minutes."
Sometimes, the only motivation you need to have a perfect attendance is to be seatmates with your crush. But the question is, would it turn into something more? Or would it remain a buried secret for all eternity?
Pairing: Rui Mizuki x F!Reader
Genre: Fluff
A/N: A non-angst Rui fic that's not an OC x Canon fic written by me??? Shocking :0
Just kidding XD. This was based on the dream I had that I mentioned earlier. I thought it's finally a sign that I'll get his summer card but alas....
The dream's too cute for me to be upset about it though so I'm turning it into a fic instead. Happy reading!!
Other notes: Based on my experiences of having a long-time crush (please don't judge me ahshjsda 🙃); fishing out my mathematical knowledge just for this fic lolol
» Braided updo inspo
» MASTERLIST
People have reasons why they go to school every day.
Some go because it's their responsibility as students to attend classes daily.
Some genuinely enjoy the classes and learning things.
And others go for the sake of getting their allowances.
But you? You had a different reason.
And that reason takes the form of one Rui Mizuki.
You had a crush on the guy since you were first years. And this year, by the grace of whichever god or angel or some other heavenly entity watching over you, he became not just your classmate, but your seatmate as well.
If you had already used up all of your luck in life because of this, you certainly didn't mind.
"Good morning!"
You greeted your classmates as you entered the classroom. Some of them returned the gesture by greeting you back or waving at you.
Your eyes zeroed in on a specific seat. Sitting there was the sole subject of your daydreams.
"Good morning, Rui!" you say, taking your seat next to him.
"Y/N! Morning!"
He grinned at you and you tried to ignore the way it made your heart do somersaults in your chest.
Okay, Y/N, keep it cool. Keep it calm. Absolute zen.
You took a deep breath to calm yourself as quiet chatter filled the air.
Soon, the bell rang and the classes began.
"........"
"........"
"........"
How on earth did you find yourself in this situation??
You glanced discreetly at the person in front of you.
Across from you, Rui was busy with his own work, while you were at your wit's end trying to comprehend what's happening.
Is this a dream? Are you actually having a library date with your crush right now???
You pinched yourself in the arm. It hurt.
Yep, this is definitely not a dream.
You swallowed dryly as you thought back to what had happened earlier today that brought you here.
"Y/N~ can you help me with this question?"
You raised a brow at your friend as she pointed at the equation written in her notes. It was lunch break, and you were busy scrolling on your phone when she tapped you on the shoulder.
"Isn't this supposed to be due today? Why are you only doing this now?"
Your friend scratched her neck sheepishly. "I fell asleep while I was doing it last night. But...! This is the only question left that I need to answer, and you're better at explaining these things than our teacher."
You sighed. "Fine. Go bring your chair over here."
"Yes! You're the best, Y/N!"
.
.
.
"...divide both sides by 4, and you'll get the answer. Did you get it?"
Your friend's eyes widened. "Oh my god, I actually got it."
You could only shake your head at your friend's bewilderment. You were by no means a top student. But that doesn't mean you were bad at studying too.
"Wow, you're really good at tutoring, Y/N," Rui's voice chimed in which made you flinch in surprise.
A sudden compliment?!
You almost clutched your chest.
"She totally is!" Your friend put an arm over your shoulder, pulling you close.
"Oh, I didn't do much. I only taught her what I know," you spluttered.
Rui smiled sadly at you. "Oh, come on. You're not giving yourself enough credit."
He then leaned closer to you.
"Say, Y/N. Do you mind if I ask you a favor?"
"A favor?" You blinked.
He nodded. "I was wondering if you could help me with studying later after school?"
You couldn't remember what happened next after your brain short-circuited, but you must've said yes considering the two of you are now in the library, sitting across each other.
"Y/N?"
"Y-Yes?" you squeaked.
Rui pointed at one of the equations in the textbook. "Do you know what formula to use for this?"
You looked to where he was pointing. A quadratic inequality problem.
"You should factor out the equation first before trying to solve it."
Grabbing a pen and paper, you wrote down the factors of the equation.
"Then you need to get the critical values. It's usually the reciprocal of the constant if your factors are binomials, like in this case."
You then drew a graph beside the factors you wrote.
"Since this is supposed to be less than zero, the values we're interested in are here," you pointed at the part of the parabola dipping below the x-axis. "The values located between the two critical points."
"You can write the answer down like this," you added as you wrote down the answer before circling it.
Rui nodded at your explanation. "I see... So like this?"
He showed you his worksheet.
"Yeah, like that."
He pumped a fist. "Nice! You really do have a knack for this, Y/N."
You can feel your cheeks warm up at his compliment. "T-thanks..."
"So..." you cleared your throat. "Is that all that you need help with?"
"Yeah," said the blond as he began to tidy up his things. "Your explanation was really easy to understand. Would you mind if we do this again same time tomorrow?"
Tomorrow?! We're doing this again tomorrow?!?
"S-sure..." was all you could say at the sudden request.
He beamed at your answer. "Sweet! Well, I'll see you tomorrow then."
"O-okay! See you tomorrow...!"
"Mom, I'll be going now!" you said as you rushed outside the door.
Shit shit shit! Why, oh why did you have to stay up so late last night?!
One of your favorite series just had a new episode and you got so caught up with it, you didn't notice that it was already past your bedtime.
Your mom said something on your way out, but you didn't quite catch it. It's probably just her nagging again, you thought.
Oh well. You'll just deal with it later after school.
"I... I made it..."
You were out of breath when you finally reached your classroom.
"Y/N, what happened to you?" asked one of your classmates.
You slumped on your seat. "One thing led to another and I missed my alarm, so I woke up late."
You ran a hand on your head and froze.
Your hair is a total mess right now.
Oh god... You've got to be kidding me.
You cursed yourself internally, mortified at the fact that you ran all the way here looking like this.
You tried to detangle your locks but it was proving to be difficult.
"Y/N... do you need help with that?"
You look up with a start. Rui was looking at you with a hint of concern.
"O-oh, um thanks, but I'll just ask [friend's name] instead—"
You paused, looking at the empty seat behind you. Your friend was out sick yesterday and she still hasn't recovered.
Just your rotten luck, you thought.
"If you're worried about me pulling your hair accidentally, I promise I'll do my best not to," Rui raised both hands as he tried to assuage you.
Your attention snapped back at him. "That's not what I— well..."
A beat passed before you looked away, feeling a blush creeping in. "I-if you don't mind..."
I can't believe this is actually happening right now...
You sat rigidly as Rui worked on detangling your hair. You tried your best not to squirm, especially whenever his fingertips made contact with your scalp.
You're absolutely certain you look like a ripe tomato right now.
"And... done! Do you wanna see?"
Rui handed you a compact mirror and with shaky hands, you took it.
Your eye widened when you saw your reflection.
Somehow, he had managed to fix your hair up into a braided updo coupled with a rose headband.
You looked up at him, dumbfounded.
He shrugged. "I just thought you'd appreciate it, since you seem bothered with your hair getting in your face."
You weren't able to say anything as the bell had rung in that moment.
"Rui! Do you wanna grab some burgers with us after school? We're planning to hit up a new joint that just opened."
A group of girls had crowded around Rui's desk during lunch.
It wasn't a rare occurence—Rui is pretty popular with the girls, after all.
You'd be lying if you say you weren't jealous. But you can't exactly control whoever he interacts with, and you're not his girlfriend so you doubt you even had the right to feel jealousy.
"Oh, hey!" Rui greeted the girls with his usual breezy tone. "Sorry, but I already got plans."
He glanced at you.
"Again?" one of the girls whinged. "That's like, what, the fourth time this week?"
"Fifth, actually," you mumbled thoughtlessly before catching yourself. You just hoped none of them caught that.
"Ahaha, really sorry about it," Rui smiled apologetically. "Maybe some other time, yeah?"
"...That's a promise, okay?"
"Yep!" he answered, before turning to you. "Well, Y/N? Shall we go?"
"R-right!"
You swiftly gathered your things into your bag and hurried after him, pointedly ignoring the burning stares of the girls you left behind.
"Y/N, will you check this for me please?"
Rui handed his worksheet to you. After a while, you handed it back to him.
"You answered them all correctly," you say.
"Really? That's great!" he sighed in relief. "I'm sure it's all thanks to your tutoring that I'm able to get the answers quickly."
You shook your head. "It's not just me. You're a pretty fast learner too, you know. It's kinda satisfying to watch you quickly absorb the lessons, to be honest."
Rui narrowed his eyes at your words. "Hmm... getting praised by you feels nice. Maybe I should aim for the top spot in our class next?"
You blushed. I-is he flirting with you right now?!
You internally slapped your cheeks. There's no way, you thought. Rui's like this to all your female classmates, not just you.
"You could try if you want to. I'm sure you can do it," you cheered him on, ignoring the way your chest had tightened.
"......."
A palpable silence permeated the space between you after that—it made you wonder if you had said the wrong thing.
"Y/N."
Your eyes flicked over to him.
"Are you free after this?"
You raised a brow at his left field question. "Yeah, I am. Why?"
He smiled, resting his chin on his hand. "Then, wanna hang out with me after this?"
You blinked, not processing the words you just heard.
"Why?" you ask dumbly.
Rui sighed, exasperated. "Do you really want me to spell it out for you? Will you go out with me on a date after this?"
A beat has passed, then another before you shouted, "WHAT?!"
"Shhh!"
You immediately clamped a hand on your mouth before quietly repeating yourself.
Rui only smiled at your baffled expression. "Ahaha, was it really that surprising?"
"It's just— I...!"
You took a deep breath to compose yourself.
"The question came out of nowhere! How do you expect me to react?!"
Rui chuckled and you pouted.
Is he seriously laughing right now after dropping such a huge bombshell on you?
"Sorry," he said as he wiped a tear from his eye. "I've been wanting to ask you out for a while now, but I couldn't find the right timing. So I asked you to tutor me to find the opportunity."
You gaped at him. You did get the feeling that he really didn't need the help with studying, but you pushed it down, wanting to spend more time with him alone.
"...Since when?"
"Hm?"
"Since when did you started to, you know..."
"Ah." Rui exclaimed in realization. "Since when did I start to like you?"
You nodded, unable to speak or look at him in the eye after hearing the word "like" from him.
"Hmm... let's see..." Rui paused in contemplation before continuing. "Probably around April this year?"
You remained silent as you digested the information down. So he liked you since this academic year started?
"You still haven't answered my question though."
You looked back up at him. "Question?"
"Yeah," Rui flashed a tired but soft smile. "Did you already forget? I asked you out on a date?"
"Oh!" your eyes widened as you remembered. "Yes, I would love to!"
Rui's smile morphed into a triumphant one as he rose from his seat. He held out a hand to you. "Let's get going then?"
You gingerly placed your hand on his. "Okay!"
You kept glancing back at your crush who is now holding your hand as the two of you made your way outside the school's premises. You still can't wrap your head around what had happened.
Wait... since you guys are dating, does this mean he's your boyfriend now?!
You felt yourself blush at the thought.
A car's honking jolted you out of your stupor. You looked up and paled in horror.
"Y/N?" Rui looked at you with concern.
You stared at the car in front of you. "That's my mom's car..."
Rui glanced at the vehicle then back at you. "I guess the date's canceled, then?"
You looked back at him apologetically. "I'm sorry. I didn't know she'd come by..."
Rui shrugged in response. "Don't worry about it. There's still next time. See you later?"
You nodded. "See you later."
You bid him goodbye and went straight for the car waiting for you.
"Mom, I didn't know you were coming!" you say as you closed the car door.
"I told you earlier this morning I'm picking you up," your mother scowled.
"Well, I didn't hear it," you retorted.
"Wow, who did your hair?" another voice asked from the passenger seat.
You jump with a start. "Sis, you're back?!"
Your older sister flashed you a grin. "Sure did! So, who did your hair? [Friend's name]?"
You shook your head. "No. It was... one of my male classmates."
You were uncertain if you should refer to Rui as your boyfriend.
"Male classmate... you mean that guy who was with you earlier?"
You nodded.
"Who was that? Your boyfriend?"
This time, it was your mother who asked the question.
You flinched, unsure on how to answer her.
Your sister grinned mischievously at you from the rearview mirror. "You got a boyfriend? What's his name?"
"Sis!!"
"Well, did you even thank him for fixing up your hair?" your mother glanced at you.
You paused, realizing that you had, in fact, forgotten to thank him for it. You immediately opened the door. He wasn't too far away yet.
"Rui!!" you shouted.
You saw him turn around.
"Thank you for doing my hair earlier!!"
He smiled and raised a hand, probably to say "No problem!".
You waved him goodbye and entered the car once more.
"So... Rui, huh?" your sister teased.
You groaned. "Stop it. Mom, please start the car."
"Yeah, yeah."
You leaned into the car window, watching as the view started to shift. You thought back to today's events and smiled.
If you had already used up all of your luck in life because of this, you certainly didn't mind.
