Streetlights flicker softly above, casting pools of golden light across the sidewalk as the two of you walk side by side. The distant hum of traffic blends with the low buzz of cicadas in the warm night air. A cool breeze brushes past, tugging at your clothes and whipping your hair into your face. Beside you, Nanami’s usually pristine hair, always neatly slicked back at work, is mussed slightly by the wind, a few strands falling loose across his forehead. It’s strange, seeing him like this. Less buttoned-up. More… human. Gentle.
“You really didn’t have to walk me home, Nanami,” you say softly, glancing up at him. There’s a hint of guilt in your voice, though you’re secretly grateful. It’s rare to have time alone with him like this.
He glances at you out of the corner of his eye, his hands tucked neatly into his coat pockets. “It’s really no problem,” he says, and a small, genuine smile appears, subtle, but unmistakable. “It wasn’t all that much trouble.”
You smile too, looking ahead again as the two of you slow your pace. “Still… I know you’ve been working non-stop lately. You could’ve gone straight home.”
“I could’ve,” he replies, calm as always. “But I didn’t want to.”
That quiet admission makes your heart skip. It’s simple. Honest. You don’t reply right away, unsure how to answer something like that without sounding like a schoolgirl with a crush. Which, unfortunately, you sort of are.
Nanami stops at the curb as you reach your building. He turns slightly to face you. “I know you’ve had a hard week. Between the mission and all the reports piling up… I just thought you might want the company.”
You glance at him again, the way his eyes soften when they meet yours. He always speaks so plainly, so carefully. Like every word is chosen with purpose. You admire that about him—his control, his composure. He never lets anything slip… and yet here he is, letting his guard down just a little.
“I do want the company,” you admit quietly. “Especially yours.”
For a moment, the air between you shifts. Something unspoken hovers just beneath the surface—warm, uncertain, but full of potential.
He exhales softly, almost like a sigh of relief. “That’s good to hear.”
You glance at his hair again, a small laugh escaping before you can stop it. “Your hair’s all messed up, by the way.”
He raises a brow, bringing one hand up to smooth it back with his usual precision. “Is it that bad?”
“Not bad,” you say, still smiling. “Just… different. Kind of nice, actually.”
He lets out a quiet hum, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, but the corner of his mouth quirks up again. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
You linger at the entrance of your apartment building, neither of you making a move to leave.
“Do you want to come in for tea or something?” you ask before you can talk yourself out of it. “Only if you’re not too tired.”
There’s a beat of silence, and for a second you think he’ll politely decline, like he usually does. But then he nods once, slowly.
“I wouldn’t mind tea.”
Your heart does another flip, but you manage to keep your face calm, at least on the outside.
You push the door open and hold it for him. He steps in beside you, and for the first time in weeks, something feels a little easier. A little lighter. You’re not sure where this is going, or what it means, but for tonight… it’s enough.
@bbyg4rlhelps for the beautiful dividers! | some nanami content bc he’s genuinely my man