Archive of Our Own ^beta

jean kirstein:

eren jaeger:

connie springer:

levi ackerman:

sometimes, megumi forgot you were gojo's younger sister.

the two of you were so completely different.

where gojo was sarcastic, you were kind. where he was teasing, you were gentle. megumi knes gojo cared, in his own way, but it was never hard to tell with you -- you were always just there, smiling with a warm gaze, reaching out for him.

he'd grown up beside you, went from thinking you were just some annoying girl with bright blue eyes and stark white hair that was too loud and too happy for him to thinking you were the sun above the clouds and every good thing in his life. he was in love with you, that he knew even if he'd struggled to come to terms with the realization.

in everyway you were infectious and megumi had fallen ill for you when he simply old enough to understand what crushes really were.

because you'd always been there. the second gojo had saved him from the zen'in clan and brought him and his sister home, there you were. you'd shied away from him at first while gojo had tried to coax you out, telling you they were gonna be living with you both from now on; only for you to shy awya from his hand and promptly lock yourself in your room.

a week later and you were practically clinging off of his arm. no matter how much he'd tried to pretend he hadn't liked it, he had, and no amount of him shrugging you off or glaring at you made you leave. even gojo had been shocked by your clinginess to megumi but he'd simply thought it was cute that his adorable little sister had made her first friend.

if gojo knew how close you two were now... megumi was sure he wouldn't feel the same.

"gumi," you whine, tugging on his arm to pull your attention on him and away from his thoughts. he blinks at the jeer, body jerking slightly from your sheer strength before he slowly tilts his head, letting his eyes fall on you.

you beam having his attention at you, rosy cheeks and sparkling gaze; "c'mon."

and he pauses, confused; "wha--"

"you said we'd train together, remember?"

like you needed training -- megumi wanted to snort. you didn't just look like gojo, your power was almost as powerful as his and megumi had constantly found himself amazed by the sheer pure natural talent you'd been born with.

and yet, somehow, you never seemed to recognize your own strength.

"we trained all morning," megumi reminds, quirking a brow down at you. "you should rest."

pouting, you tug at his arm; "i'm so close to nailing this new move, gumi. c'mon, don't you wanna help me?"

you knew megumi too well because the second those words leave your lips and your head tilts with that pretty little pout of yours, megumi is all but putty in your hands. he struggled to deny your wishes on a good day, but he could never deny you in the end run.

"just for an hour, okay?" he calls, glancing down at you. "i don't need you passing out again and gojo-sensei lecturing me to take better care of you."

giggling, you shake your head; "you're the best, gumi!" and without another word, you lean up to the tips of your toes, pressing a kiss against megumi's cheek that has him freezing in place at the touch. your lips are warm, slightly wet, and when you pull back from the chaste kiss, megumi swears he can still feel the kiss.

but you don't pull away completely. still leaning on your toes so you're slightly taller, you meet megumi's eyes briefly, the air turning thick in a way that has megumi choking on his breath. he watches you, watches the way your eyes flicker down before back up to his own, and then, suddenly, you're pressing your lips against his own.

it feels exactly how he'd imagined it, but megumi curses the way he's too shocked to return the kiss -- hands stuck to his sides in complete and utter shock as he feels those same warm, wet and soft lips that had once been on his cheek on his lips instead.

and when you pull back, you're grinning ear to ear; "thought i'd give you a proper thank you gift."

and megumi can't say anything. he's sure he's red in the face, can feel it in how warm he is, and he wants to say something but doesn't know what and is sure he'd make a bigger fool of himself if he tried.

but, you're unphased, taking megumi's larger hand into your own and squeezing.

"c'mon gumi," you cheer, "i feel like the today is the day!"

MIKEY:

The absolute audacity of this girl.

You’re almost positive you’re imagining this because... she couldn’t be serious could she?

“Mikey, say ‘ah’!”

With barely concealed disdain written across your face, you watch as the same girl who's been hanging off of Mikey’s arm since the both of you arrived at the shrine with the rest of your friends, proceeds to try and feed Mikey a treat. Of course, it’s taiyaki and it’s clear by the wide grin on her lips that she hopes the taunt of his favourite treat will entice him into doing as she asks.

She hasn’t left his side all night and whilst at first you’d tried to ignore the jealousy burning deep within you, it was getting harder by the second.

From pulling Mikey from your side with her arm tightly wound around his own, to making sure to keep you at a distance all night, your excitement for the night had quickly dwindled into disappointment at hurt. At first you’d convinced yourself that Mikey was just trying to be nice, but it hurt you to see him continuously let this girl hang off of him, giggle at every little thing he says and make sure to throw every flirtatious comment she possibly can.

Did he really not care?

This girl was clearly in love with Mikey, or at the very least had a big crush on him. And it didn’t seem she really cared that Mikey had a girlfriend in the first place – that girlfriend being you. You knew Mikey could be dense, but you were also positive he wasn’t oblivious enough to miss her very plain intentions and seeing him let her do whatever she wanted burned a hurt deep inside of you you hadn’t thought possible. 

It was getting hard to convince yourself that Mikey wasn’t simply enjoying her attention.

You’re too hurt to notice the expression on Mikey’s face as you frown, gaze lowering to your feet only for the hurt the resurface all over again. You’d been so excited for this evening and even more so when Mikey had personally invited you to join him and his friends to the shrine for New Years Eve. It wasn’t like you hadn’t expected to go with him, but it had warmed your heart when he’d still asked despite already being in a relationship and you’d felt a great bout of excitement when it realized this would be Mikey’s first time seeing you in a traditional yukata.

You’d had Emma help you get ready, making sure to wear a material the same shade of Mikey’s long hair and he’d barely looked at you all night since that girl had arrived.

“See, Mikey? Surely, you’d like a girl more like me, wouldn’t you?”

Her words burn, and you feel your eyes watering, turning away before even bothering to listen to Mikey’s response.

Given how he’d been acting all night, you’re sure he’d be no different now.

“Y/N-chan…”

At the sound of Emma’s voice, you simply shake your head; “it’s okay, Emma. I think I’m just gonna head home.” Sending her a small smile, you wave at her; “say bye to the others for me, kay?”

She doesn’t respond. Not at first.

Quickly latching onto your arm, Emma pulls you back, halting you from leaving. You turned to her confused, but she just points past your shoulder, shaking your head; “look.”

Despite the ever growing want to cry and practically run out of there, you listen to Emma nonetheless, slowly turning your head over your shoulder, only to catch the tail end of Mikey slapping the taiyaki out of the girl's hand. Your eyes widen, surprised, watching the treat fall to the ground and crumble apart as the girl watches on in disbelief, lips parting.

“Mikey, what was–”

“You’re such a hassle, you know that?” Mikey cuts her off, head tilting with a rather serious look on his face. “You’ve been overly clingy all night and I haven’t been able to hang out with Y/N/N-chan at all.”

The girls face twists, anger befalling her expression; “how dare–”

“How dare you,” he huffs, “as if I’d ever choose you over Y/N.”

With that, he all but rips the girl's arm off of him, turning around with hesitation. His eyes flicker across the crowd of people for a moment, before settling on you and instantly his expression brightens, eyes lighting up as he picks up his step, reaching you in seconds. You’re still too in shock to respond to his hug, catching a last glance of the girl with a flushed face of embarrassment and narrowing her eyes at you darkly.

But then Mikey’s pulling back, pulling your focus on him.

“Y/N-chan!” He whines, “I want taiyaki!”

You let a laugh out at that, shaking your head as you feel your body slowly easing.

“Come on, you big baby, I’ll get you some taiyaki then.”

He slips his hand into yours, squeezing. “And you’ll feed it to me?”

Rolling your eyes, you nod; “of course.”

DRAKEN:

“You know that Ken likes… more girly girls, right?”

Blinking at the sudden stranger standing in front of you – a girl you’re sure you’ve never seen before – you’re too baffled to even know what to say.

“Um,” you try to laugh, “what?”

“Ken,” she says, addressing your boyfriend far too friendly for your taste. “He’s your boyfriend right?”

Nodding slowly, you hum, “yeah.”

“Just surprising is all,” she shrugs, an entirely too smug look on her face. “I mean, I wouldn’t think he’d go for a girl like you.”

The words are said will barely concealed disgust. It isn’t hard to notice the way she’s eyeing you, clearly judging you as she looks you up and down, arms crossed over her chest. And you’re sure you look like a fool, lips parted in bafflement and brows furrowed as you try to make sense of just what exactly is happening here.

This girl, a girl you’ve never seen, is not only eyeing you up and down like you’re dressed in a garbage bag, but also has the audacity to tell you that Ken wouldn’t go for a girl like you?

“And what type of girl would he go for?” You question, quirking a brow at the girl.

She smiles then, expression brightening as she flips her hair back; “a girl like me, duh.”

You snort then, shaking your head; “does Draken even know who you are?”

Indignation crosses her features then, face falling as her eyes widen in disbelief. “We have the same class together!” She calls out, voice pitching as she rushes to explain herself. “We sit next to each other every day.”

“Just never heard him mention you before is all,” you nod, shrugging. “If you were an actual threat, I think I would’ve heard about you by now, don’t you?”

Her face flares, turning red. But before she can say anything, your name is called by another.

Head turning over your shoulder, your face eases at the sight of Draken. He’s making his way out of the school, a certain expression of relief painted on his feet, reminding you that you were supposed to meet him by his class after school and he’d clearly been looking for you when you’d never shown up.

He looks mildly confused by the sight of the girl before settling his eyes back on you.

“I was waiting for you, Y/N.”

Smiling sheepishly, you rub the back of your neck; “sorry, Draken. I got caught up with…” Your voice trails as you turn back to the girl, feeling the familiar sensation of Draken’s arm sliding around your waist, tucking you into his side. You’re not really sure what to say in explanation when regarding how you’d been caught up by a girl who had been by all means trying to intimidate you in your own relationship with your boyfriend.

“Who are you?”

Draken, ever the blunt man he always is, doesn’t surprise you as he turns to the girl, brows furrowed in bafflement.

You hadn’t thought her face could get more red. You’re quickly proved wrong when her face explodes like a tomato, eyes narrowing; “Ken, we-we… we sit next to each other everyday.”

He just shrugs; “oh, sorry. Didn’t recognize you,” and a quick look at his face tells you he’s still not exactly sure who she is. He also looks mildly peeved at her familiar greeting of his name; a fact that nearly brings you into a fit of giggles.

Turning to you, Draken gestures behind him; “let’s go. We’re supposed to meet Mikey and Baji, remember?”

Eyes lighting up in recognition, you grin; “oh, yeah! I forgot!” You move to walk off, offering a small wave at the girl who doesn’t bother to return the action, obviously humiliated and with that, you let Draken turn you, leaning into his touch as you both make your way off the school grounds.

“I, uh… I didn’t recognize her,” Draken laughs once it’s just the two of you, pulling your eyes on him. You snort, shaking your head. “What did she even want with you?”

You hesitate, debating whether you should be honest or not.

Honestly though, you got your satisfaction the moment she was blatantly proved wrong right to her face that you’re hardly even bothered by her words anymore.

“Nothing,” you shrug, “don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

“Oi,” Draken grumbles, “I’m not pretty.”

But the blush on his cheeks tells you he enjoyed the compliment anyways.

MITSUYA:

Sometimes Mitsuya was too nice for his own good.

You’ve thought that plenty of times before. Mainly when he pushes himself to the point of exhaustion just to help those he cares for. You always scold him for it, telling him that sometimes it was okay to put himself before others. He never really listened, and so in the end, you helped him when and wherever you could.

But, Mitsuya also could be too nice to those he didn’t even know. And it was hard to watch.

What had started as irritation, soon turned into frustration at the fact that no matter how many times you tried to talk to Mitsuya, he’d just brush you off, confident you were just overreacting. It had hurt even more when he’d called you jealous, to which you couldn’t deny you weren’t – but this had gone beyond simple jealousy.

You’ve been watching this girl use and abuse your boyfriend for weeks on end, using it as an excuse to spend more time with him. He’d accidentally knocked into her one day after school, knowing her homework straight into a puddle and effectively ruining it – when he’d professed how sorry he was and that he’d do anything to make up for it, the smile on the girls lips had been far too wide for it to simply be innocent. It had rubbed you the wrong way then, but you’d left it alone.

Now? Now, you’re sure she’d bumped into him that day on purpose, making it seem like his fault, so she could use it to her advantage and make him constantly do things for her, hang out with her, whilst abusing the fact that he’d promised her that ‘he owed her’. 

And Mitsuya was too nice to say otherwise even though it was obvious he’d more than made up for something that hadn’t even been his fault in the first place.

Mitsuya wouldn’t listen to reason and you were beyond simply watching it happen anymore. Except, when you’d tried to tell him, tried to explain how you felt and how it was upsetting you and how this girl was just using him, he’d simply scoffed at you, called you clingy and jealous and that he didn’t have time for you.

You’d left without another word, slamming the door shut behind you, whilst only letting your tears fall when you were sure you were alone.

That was two hours ago, and you hadn’t moved from your bed since plopping on it when you’d finally gotten home.

You couldn’t understand how Mitsuya couldn’t see how this girl was using him! How he would choose to believe some random girl over his own girlfriend, going far enough to insult you while he was at it.

You’re so upset you don’t hear your front door open, or the familiar sound of your mothers voice calling out Mitsuya’s name. You don’t register any of it until you hear your bedroom door open, and turn to find him standing right in front of you, a guilty expression clear on his face while panting, chest heaving.

You stare back at him, confused; “Takashi?”

“I’m so sorry,” he cries out, voice breathless. “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.”

He’s bowing his head, and you reel to understand. “Wha-What?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you about that girl,” he explains, shaking his head. “You were right. She was just using me and I called you clingy and jealous because I didn’t want to believe it. It wasn’t right of me, and this is no excuse, but I am so sorry.”

Lips parting, you stare back at him. “Takashi…”

He steps forward then, falling to a seat in front of you on your bed. “I’m so sorry, baby.” His eyes wander from your eyes, to how red they are and the dried tear stains on your cheeks. “I made you cry…”

“Takashi,” you call out again, reaching for your hand. “It’s… It’s okay.  I forgive you.”

He shakes his head; “I shouldn’t have treated you like that.”

Squeezing his hand, you shake your head, letting a soft smile curl on your lips. “I’m just happy you realized… I was so upset at her for using you like that.”

“I knew the moment she told me I should dump you for her,” Mitsuya explains, making your eyes widen as you stare back at him in disbelief. He flushes lightly, looking embarrassed. “I should’ve known sooner and I think I did… but just didn’t want to believe it. The second she said that… I was so angry. I can’t believe she’d talk about you like that.”

It was a surprise to see that her intentions had been more cruel than you’d originally thought…

Still, you were glad it made Mitsuya realize the truth if anything.

“You’re too nice for your own good, Takashi…”

CHIFUYU:

“I think me and Chifuyu would make a good pair, don’t you?”

Hinata freezes next to you, eyes slowly flickering over to you on her left, before back at the girl standing before the both of you. “What do you mean?” Hinata asks lightly, ever the polite and friendly girl.

“Well, I just mean, we work so well together. He’s always laughing at my jokes and I’m always making him blush.”

You feel your muscles tense, hand tightening around the cup in your hand and Hinata shuffles awkwardly next to you.

“Well, I mean, Y/N/N and Chifuyu are dating, so…”

The girl's eyes fall on you then and it takes everything in you not to slap her across the face. “Oh, that’s right,” she frowns in mock pity, tilting her head with a small shrug. “I’m sorry, Y/L/N. I nearly forgot you two were dating.”

You bite your lip, holding back your anger. “We’ve been dating for a year,” you remind, “not hard to remember.”

“I hardly see you guys together?” She questions, knowing exactly what she’s saying as she tilts her head in feigned wonder. There’s a twisted expression of pity on her face that has you insides boiling and you can feel Hinata’s hand on your arm where she squeezes, both to be comforting and to try and help calm you down. “Maybe it’s because he’s always with me…” She trails off, “we do spend a lot of time together.”

The absolute gall of this girl…

“Y/N/N and Chifuyu are very happy,” Hinata says in defense of you, and you feel yourself ease slightly at the sheer determination in her voice. For HInata to get so mad makes you feel more justified in your own feelings. “I think it’s silly of you to think he’d leave her so quickly for someone else.”

“But it’s not just ‘someone else’, no? It’s me.”

You don’t even know who this girl is.

Sure you’ve seen her briefly in passing, and you’re almost positive you’d seen her leave class with Chifuyu once but you’re also sure you’d seen a rather annoyed expression on her face as he had. 

For her to insinuate… you actually can’t even believe it.

“And I mean, Y/L/N’s not even saying anything so she must agree.”

Narrowed eyes falling on her, your lips part to respond, but before you can, another cuts in; “she doesn’t have to because what you’re saying is bullshit.”

Your body eases at the familiar sound of Chifuyu’s voice, feeling all your anger wash away within seconds when you feel his arm wound around your waist and comfortably slot himself next to your side. A quick glance to your right tells you Takemichi has fallen next to Hinata, the two of them clearly having been together before, and when turning to the girl, the expression on her face is a sight to see.

Cheeks warming, she shakes her head; “Chifuyu, you-you don’t think we’d make a good pairing?”

“No,” he says bluntly. “Besides, I’m already dating Y/N.” He gestures to you, and your eyes fall on him briefly.

“Bu-But what about–”

“What about nothing,” he cuts in, scoffing. “I’ve already told you to leave me alone. You’re annoying, jeez.”

The girl’s lips part, wanting to say anything, but she ends up just looking like a fool as she stands there, silent, lips gaping like a fish. You can see her eyes watering and in the next second, she’s spinning around, a whimper leaving her lips, and running off before anything can say otherwise.

You hear Chifuyu snort, Takemichi high-fiving him behind your head before turning his focus on Hinata as Chifuyu glances down at you.

“Sorry about her, babe,” Chifuyu frowns, “I hope you know she was wrong. About everything.”

“It’s okay…” You mumble after a moment, unable to stop the frown on your lips. “You didn’t have to be that harsh though…”

Chifuyu’s eyes widen in disbelief; “the girl couldn’t take a hint. I’ve been telling her to back off for weeks,” Chifuyu explains with a simple shrug, obviously unbothered by her reaction. “Besides, what she was saying about you? No one can talk about you like that.”

You want to argue otherwise, but his words make your heart flutter and when you think about it, the girl had walked herself into her own trap trying to belittle you like that.

“You’re right,” you shrug, smiling up at Chifuyu brightly.

“Of course I’m right,” he grins, straightening his shoulders out in a way that has you giggling. “Now let’s get lunch, I’m starving.”

You let him pull you away with a bright grin, completely forgetting about the girl.

CHIFUYU wants to ask you to stay, but doesn’t know how.

The words are at the tip of his tongue, and he hesitates, eyes watching as your figure rushes to gather your things. But... he doesn’t want you to leave. That he knows, and the desperation settles in as it grows closer and closer to it being time for you to leave.

“You... You could stay.”

He’s barely registered he’s said it before he has.

And you pause at his barely uttered words, body freezing as your head turns over your shoulder so your eyes can meet his. You’ve gathered your jacket and bag, the former having only been slipped on over one shoulder.

“Sorry?”

Your voice is light, airy. A warmth to it that still, to this day makes Chifuyu’s heart flutter and his stomach to flood with butterflies because how was it possible you could sound so... inviting? So warm? He feels his insides melt when you talk to him and he just wants to fiddle away into a puddle because he loves hearing your voice so much.

“Stay,” he repeats, forcing down his own nerves and letting the word echo in the silence for a moment before adding; “I’d like you to stay.”

Your bag slips to the floor and you turn, facing Chifuyu properly. “You want me to spend the night?”

He nods, eager.

“Really?”

And there’s bright grin on your face now, slipping off your jacket as you make your way over to him. Chifuyu’s blushing while he nods, still unable to form proper words, face turned beat red at your light teasing, but doesn’t resist when you fall next to him on his bed, giggling. 

“I thought you’d never ask,” you admit. “I really didn’t wanna leave.”

Setting a hand on your back, Chifuyu hums; “didn’t want you to leave.”

You giggle, “I’m that great at cuddling, huh?”

And he says so without hesitance, a trace of doubt as he nods down at you; “the best.”

DRAKEN says the words plainly;

“You should just spend the night.”

And the words are so blunt, so matter of fact, that you almost give yourself whiplash as you spin to face him. Wide eyes falling on him as your lips part to say something, but hesitate because you’re not even sure what to say.

Maybe a part of you had hoped he asked, gone super slow while gathering your things, but you hadn’t expected it to be that easy.

“You want me to?” You ask softly, struggling to find your voice.

Draken nods, “of course. It’s about time.”

You were hoping for a little more but still -- was better then nothing.

“The girls won’t mind?”

He shrugs, “they already love you. It just sucks that we’ll mostly have to hang out in here.” He gestures around himself at his bedroom, a slight pout on his lips as he does.

You grin at that, “that’s what we do most of the time when I visit, Kenny.”

“Yeah, I know. Just sucks.”

Leaning forward, you grab Draken’s hand, squeezing it tightly in your own. “You know I don’t care as long as I get to be with you, Ken,” and then, you pause. Unsure. “You’re positive you want me staying? I don’t want to intrude on your--”

“Stupid,” he huffs lightly, the insult teasing as he smirks, “you’re not intruding if it’s you. Plus, I’m the one who asked you to stay.”

“I know,” you nod, “I just wanted to make sure.”

“Come ‘ere,” he urges, ushering you towards him with a wave of his hand. You listen easily, letting yourself fall into his grip as his hand falls to your back, guiding you on top of his chest as he leans back on his bed. The two of you settle in comfortably then, with Draken’s hand resting on your back. “Been wanting to ask ya for a while.”

“Oh,” you mumble, unable to fight the smile on your lips; “yeah?”

“Yeah. Last time you came over, I wanted to. Got too scared though.”

You think back to how heavily Draken had pouted last time you’d come over and eventually, had to leave. It was unlike Draken to act like that, and you remember it both being endearing but entirely too hilarious to not tease him.

Maybe if you hadn’t teased him, he would’ve asked.

“Sorry,” you offer, letting your hand fall on his chest, next to your head.

“Not your fault,” he dismisses easily, “been wanting to ask for a while. Been to chicken-shit. Glad I got the courage this time though. I... I like having you in my arms.”

“I like being in your arms, Kenny.”

HAKKAI is positive he sounds like a bumbling fool.

“Would... Would you...--I mean, you don’t have to but I would like you--don’t feel pressure though--”

Laughing, you shake your head. Making your way over to Hakkai, you set your hands on his arms, looking up at him as he finally stops his rambling to stare down at you. “Calm down,” you soothe gently, “what is it?”

Red in face and feeling entirely like an idiot, Hakkai huffs.

“I wanted to know if you’d... like to spend the night.”

And his voice is so small, so unsure that it almost breaks your heart how nervous he is to ask you something. Let alone something like that. 

Something you’d never reject.

So, smiling brightly, you grin, eyes twinkling; “I’d love to.”

He blinks at that, as if having already expected a rejection. The embarrassment wipes from his face as his lips part, staring back at you; “really?”

“Of course,” you laugh, “why wouldn’t I?”

Pausing, Hakkai hesitates at that -- because really, why wouldn’t you? It wasn’t like this was the first time you’ve come over to his house and you guys have been dating long enough for something like this to be more normal...

“I dunno,” he admits finally, “just didn’t want you to think you had to.”

“Well, I don’t,” you shrug, letting your hands fall by your side as you grin up at him. “And I’d love to spend the night. Didn’t wanna go home anyways.”

“Oh?” Hakkai frowns, concerned. “Is something wrong?”

You can’t help but feel giddy at his concern, how despite how embarrassed and nervous he was seconds ago, it all faded away the second he thought something might be wrong. It warmed your heart in a way you’re not sure you’ve ever expected before.

“Everything’s totally fine,” you assure him, “I just wanted to spend more time with you.”

And of course, Hakkai’s face goes beat red, again, at that.

HANMA finds the morphed expression of surprise and indignation on your face absolutely hilarious.

“Shu,” you say, voice firm, “let me go.”

Keeping his arms locked firmly around your waist, Hanma simply shakes his head. It didn’t help that he had such long arms, that of which could easily wrap themselves around you entirely, or the fact that he easily had the strength to keep you there as well.

Glaring up at your boyfriend, you huff; “I need to go home. it’s getting late.”

Hanma just shakes his head, a fact that causes you to growl in annoyance, before he grins wide; “just spend the night.”

Pausing, your entire body freezes in his grasp; “what?”

“I don’t want you to leave, so spend the night.”

And it sinks in then.

“This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?”

The ever say shit-eating grin on his face, Hanma all but cackles, head thrown back in amusement at the fact that you know him so well. “Of course,” he concedes with ease, “never planned on letting you leave. Even if you want to.”

“That’s kidnapping.”

“You’re my girlfriend.”

“Still kidnapping.”

Quirking a brow, Hanma glances down at you; “you don’t want to spend the night?”

Cheeks warming, you huff; “n-no, I do.” Pouting, you turn your gaze away from him, “you just could’ve asked me first.”

“Y/N/N.”

Turning back to Hanma at the suddenly serious tone of his voice, you pause, concerned.

“Would you like to spend the night?”

Instantly that concern goes right out the window.

“You’re insufferable.”

“You love me.”

“Regrettably.”

But both of you know you don’t really mean that.

MIKEY is absolutely confused when he sees you moving to leave.

“What’re you doing?”

Baffled, you turn to Mikey, head tilted; “getting ready to leave?”

And his words make him frown, that ever familiar pout falling on his lips as he crosses his arms over his chest. He slumps back against his bed like a little kid, and huffs. “I thought you were spending the night.”

It takes you a moment to process what he’s said. And the fact that he says it as if you were the one being crazy here.

Raising a brow, you glance around yourself, trying to collect your thoughts, before turning back to the child you have for a boyfriend. “You never asked me to?”

He just shrugs; “I thought it was obvious.”

“Um, no. It wasn’t.”

He perks up then, as if all was solved now that you knew you just hadn’t (somehow) caught up with the obvious.

“Oh, well, then, perfect.” Turning, he moves to grab the manga the two of you hand been reading together, before facing you once again. “Come on, I wanna see what happens next.”

Shaking your head, you jerk back; “I still need to leave?”

“You’re spending the night,” Mikey says bluntly, “I thought we covered that already.”

“We didn’t,” you huff, letting your bag fall to the ground as you turn to face Mikey fully. “I didn’t bring anything to spend the night and I’ll need to let my mom--”

“Oh, yeah,” Mikey agrees, moving to a stand, letting the manga fall back to the bed behind him. “I’ll get you something to wear and you call your mom, okay?”

He grins at you, pecking your cheek softly before moving to his closet, all whilst you continue to stand there like an idiot.

“Y/N?” Mikey calls after a moment.

“Yeah?”

“Your mom?”

When you glance back at him, he’s staring back at you expectantly.

It still doesn’t click in what exactly happened even as you fall asleep in Mikey’s arms later that night.

MIKEY:

The audacity of this man.

That was all Mikey could think.

Did he not know who he was? Did he not know who you were dating? The Invisible Mikey, Toman's Leader and the most handsome boy you knew?

Clearly not.

Frowning, Mikey watches with barely concealed disdain as your classmate (the one you’ve been complaining to him about for weeks now) follows you outside of the school. He couldn’t always pick you up from school with Toman business and the like, but today he’d made sure he’d be able to after you’d texted him the day before that your annoying classmate had proceeded to take his infatuation with you a step further and follow you out of school. It had taken you great convincing to get him not to ‘walk you home’ as he so eloquently put it – stalking more like it – and though you’d tried to play it off, Mikey knew how scared you were.

The second your eyes fall on Mikey making his way over to you, he sees the instant relief that floods through them. Despite everything, Mikey can't help but feel slightly smug at that, hands shoved nonchalantly in his pockets as he crosses the distance over to you.

"Y/N-channn!" He calls out, arms stretched out towards you and with a single brief glance at the boy next to you, you all but race towards him, allowing yourself to fall into his arms. Mikey hates the way he feels you shake slightly beneath his fingertips, and he throws a not-so-subtle glare the classmates way, who – as he figured – is glaring right back at him.

"Y/N," the classmate calls, and Mikey's eyes narrow at his familiarity when regarding you. "Who's this?"

You lean back from his hug, and Mikey can see you look rather annoyed at the question – clearly, you've told him this before.

"Mikey," Mikey cuts in dryly, "her boyfriend."

And he must really not know who Mikey is because he has the gall to laugh.

"Boyfriend?" Haru laughs, mockingly and loudly, head thrown back as you cast a quick glance up at Mikey in uncertainy, trying to gauge he's reaction. Truthfully, Mikey looks unphased. "I thought you were joking about that, Y/N."

And then Haru steps forward, moving towards you; "I mean, you and me make a much better–"

It happens in a flash. Suddenly, you're no longer in Mikey's arms and rather set gently behind him, Mikey’s body blocking your view as Haru's hand that was outstretched towards you is now tightly grasped in Mikey's fist. A quick glance at Haru's face, and you can tell that Mikey's grip is tight, his face twisting with pain.

"Did I forget to mention?" Mikey smiles, "I'm also the leader of Toman."

Haru's eyes widen and he looks scared–well, shitless.

Mikey's grip tightens, finding the way all colour leaves Haru's face rather amusing and the way the panic wells with pain as Mikey bends his arm to the point of just being about to break.

"Now, what was that about you and Y/N-chan being a better match?"

"I was wrong!" Haru cries, voice pitching pathetically, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!"

"Don't apologize to me," Mikey shrugs, "apologize to Y/N-chan for making her so uncomfortable for the past few weeks."

Slowly, Mikey takes a step back, allowing you to fall in the view of Haru again, who, near crying, falls to his knees. "I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!"

Cheeks red slightly in embarrassment, you turn to Mikey.

He lets go with ease, Haru falling to the ground with one last cry, before Mikey makes his way to you, pulling you back into his arms with a wide grin.

"Let's go eat!" Mikey calls out with a cheer, snuggling into you. "I want you to feed me!"

HANMA:

"I mean, you're no good for her."

There's a beat. One long, single beat of silence before Hanma can't hold himself back anymore and he burst into laughter.

You, whose stood next to him, looks at him in disbelief, eyes widening as Hanma all but cackles in response to Asahi's words. Asahi, to be fair, looks just a stunned, and with a frown, you step towards your boyfriend, tugging on the sleeve of his jacket.

"Shuji!" You hiss, grip tightening on him.

He falls quiet at that, letting his eyes drift across you briefly, taking in the worried look in your eyes and the laughter stops at that. Hanma lets his eyes fall back on this boy, Asahi apparently, and the frown deepens – you were scared of this guy? He looked like wind might blow him over.

Besides, didn't you trust him to protect you?

A single glance back at you, and you're still throwing worried glances at Asahi, shuffled close to his side.

Guess he had something else to prove then.

"That's funny," Hanma finally speaks up, letting his eyes fall on Asahi with disinterest. "Hilarious actually." But all the humour has left his body, and Hanma simply stares back at the boy with a straight face.

Asahi falters, just slightly.

"I-I mean, you're a deliquent!" He calls out, gesturning in front of him at Hanma, before his eyes fall on you. "I mean, surely you can see that being with him will be nothing but a bad influence. If you were–"

Hanma steps in front of you, blocking you effectively from him.

"You don't get to talk to her," Hanma states rather bluntly.

Asahi turns to him, lips parting.

"You're not worthy enough to talk to her, pipsqueak. So let's keep this between you and me, huh?"

The air changes, thickens, and although you can't see it, you can practically sense as Asahi grows nervous, registering the glint in Hanma's gaze as he stares him down.

"I mean, surely, if you knew I was a... what did you say? Delinquent." Hanma snorts, "you think you'd have the brains to realize I'm not someone to mess with. And I don't take kindly to idiots like you trying to tell me who my girl should or shouldn't be with."

Hanma takes a step forward then, towering over the boy whose skin has grown pale, eyes flooding with fear as he stares up at Hanma.

"I especially don't take kindly to you scaring my girl either."

"I-I–"

Grabbing Asahi by the collar of his jacket, Asahi falls silent as Hanma pulls him up until he's standing on the tip of his toes, kicking his feet beneath him.

"But it seems I screwed up too, huh? My girl shouldn't have to be afraid because she should know I'd never let anyone touch her, let alone look at her if they made her uncomfortable."

There's a pause and Hanma's gaze grows wild as his fist slowly raises beside him, Asahi's cries of panic and pleads of mercy simply a background noise.

"So it looks like I gotta show her why."

BAJI:

"You're loud."

Well, Baji guessed he couldn't necessarily argue with that.

"You're rash."

That, too... maybe.

"You're not very smart."

Uh, ouch.

"You act without thinking. It could get Y/N hurt."

Okay, well that was just rude.

You were always Baji's top priority.

Well, that and fighting. But, still.

"I think I'd be a much better fit for her."

Baji should've figured this is where the conversation was going. Letting his eyes drift across the boy stood in front of him, he takes in the sight of his Toman uniform. He doesn't readily recognize the boy, so he's certainly not in his division.

Ballsy, he'd admit.

But stupid nonetheless.

He's probably in Mitsuya's division, Baji laughs to himself.

Well, not for much longer.

"I'll take your silence as a sign you agree with me–"

"I wouldn't jump to conclusions," Baji chuckles, grinning down widely at the boy. "What makes you think you're so great for Y/N? I know she's happy with me."

Lips parting, the boy pauses; "what?"

"You listed off all the reasons why you think I'm not a good fit for her, right?" He quirks a brow, and the boy nods. "So, tell me why you think you're a good match for her. You win, I'll break up with Y/N. And if you lose... well, needless to say." With a wide grin, Baji cracks his knuckles, baring his fists down at the boy.

The boys eyes widen, and he fumbles for a second, before he steels himself, inhaling deeply.

"Well, I'm smart, for one–"

"Wrong," Baji cuts in, "Y/N doesn't like smart guys. Why else would she have gone for me?"

Faltering, the boy shakes his head; "w-well, I'm a good cook–"

"Y/N prefers cooking herself," Baji shakes his head. "It's her passion."

Cheeks redenning, the boy rushes to add; "I-I'm! I'm strong!"

Baji just laughs; "not as strong as me. You're not even a vice captain of Toman!"

Thoroughly embarrassed, the boy hesitates, face bright red.

"Looks like you lose," Baji sings, stepping towards the boy. "I mean, if you really knew Y/N, you'd know the most important thing."

"W-What?"

"That none of that matters because she loves me!"

"You can't just–"

He never finishes what he's about to say before a fist makes contact with his cheek, knocking him off his feet and sending him straight to the ground.

Baji glances down at him with a blink.

"Strong my ass."

He makes a move toward him, before;

"Keisuke!"

Eyes lighting up, Baji spins, grinning at the sight of you. "Y/N!"

You fall in front of him, eyes flickering from the boy groaning on the ground back to him, "did you get in another fight again?"

Baji shrugs; "the guy deserved it. Not much of a fight either.”

And your eyes fall back on the boy on the ground and there's a flicker of hope where he thinks you might help but, but then after a moment you follow Baji's lead, shrugging, letting him take your hand in his before leading him off.

Guess Baji was right – you really did love him.

KAZUTORA:

"I mean, didn't you go to juvie?"

Frowning, Kazutora glares at the man, Daiki as he'd introduced himself as, in front of him. He was apparently a co-worker of yours, though Kazutora's never heard you talk about him before.

Stuck at this party your work was holding for you as a celebration for the promotion you'd received and your excellent work at the company, Kazutora had gotten a whole half hour of your time before you'd been whisked off by two woman, you offering an apologetic smile over your shoulder in response.

At the time, Kazutora hadn't minded – this night was for you after all and he wanted you to enjoy it.

Now, though? He desperately wanted to leave.

"How do you even know that?" Kazutora asks, his patience thin.

"I did some research when Y/N mentioned your name," Daiki shrugs. "Of course, when she mentioned you she hadn't mentioned that."

It's obviously meant as a jab. But Kazutora knew you weren't embarrassed of him – at least, he'd been pretty sure of that.

"Well, it's not really any of your business is it?" Kazutora cuts in, barely able to contain the snide in his tone. He barely liked socializing with people anyway, especially strangers, but he'd gone for you and because he wanted to be apart of your celebration. It was the least he could do after all you'd done for him.

But now he wishes he’d stayed home if he had to continue dealing with this guy.

"Still," Daiki insists, "aren't you embarrassed? I mean, such an upstanding woman... it's a wonder why she ever chose you."

"I chose him because I love him for him," you cut in and Kazutora’s eyes widen, glancing over his shoulder to see you making your way over to him. You look absolutely stunning, dressed in a floor length Y/F/C dress and when you notice his eyes on you, you smile at him, before it falters as you turn back to glance at your coworker. "But I hardly think that's any of your business anyways."

You fall next to Kazutora, wrapping your arm around his waist as you fall into his side, and the second you do, you squeeze Kazutora's side, and he realizes you're trying to reassure him.

"Y/N–!"

"Honestly, Daiki," you breathe out, voice coming out purposely exasperated as you roll your eyes. "I've had this conversation with you multiple times. I am happily in a relationship and your obsession with my personal affairs is strange and inappropriate. Given my promotion, I could easily have you fired."

Kazutora watches as the man's eyes widen, cheeks bleeding red as he shakes his head; "my-my apologies. Please, you don't have to go that far. I'll... I'll make sure I stop."

You raise a brow, holding the man with bated breath for a moment, before you nod. "Just don't let it happen again."

Daiki scurries off without another word, desperate to get away and Kazutora watches as you let out a sigh, shoulders falling as you shift, coming to stand in front of him, hands falling on his hips.

"I'm sorry about him. He's been... annoyingly persistant about asking me out for the past bit. I thought he'd have stopped when I reported him last week but when I saw him talking to you just now, I realized he hadn't."

Kazutora glances down at you, meeting your gaze.

You understand what he's trying to say before he even does; "nuh-uh," you shake your head, tugging him closer to you. "Don't let a word that idiot says get to you. He's just a pervert anyways. He spends half of his time looking down my shirt and I would never want to be with someone like him over you."

Biting his lips, Kazutora smiles softly; "I love you."

"I love you too," you grin, before slipping your hand into his. "Now, come on, I want to introduce you to my friends."

"Do you have any friends?"

Bachira raises his head, puzzled at the sound of another's voice.

The very last thing he expects to see is you, pretty eyes staring back at his own with a twinkle that shines in the soft set of the sun. Your smile is bright and inviting, warming in a way Bachira's not sure he's ever experienced before, crouched down before him so that your head, tilted, rests on your arms.

Bachira's seen you before. The two of you go to the same school, share the same homeroom - he's walked past you more times than he count in the hallway, laughing without a care in the world at something your friends say to you. He's seen you and admired you before, taken note of those pretty eyes before or how cute you look in the school's uniform. The different ways you like to wear your hair, or the way you seem to skip with a pep in your step everywhere you go.

He's noticed you so many times. He'd just been sure you'd never noticed him.

So, he's puzzled. More than that; Bachira's absolutely baffled with the fact that you're here, smiling at him no less.

"Huh?"

"You're here every day," you explain with ease, your voice soft against the silence. Everyone else has already gone home, the sun is setting and truthfully, he should be heading home soon too (his mother will start to worry) but after he'd finished practicing, he hadn't had the heart to.

"But I always see you practicing alone," you continue. "Nobody to play with you?"

"There's nobody who can."

It hurts in a way he doesn't expect it to - saying it aloud like that.

"Nobody who will."

And then your answer comes easily. "I will," you grin, ear to ear, bright and wide eyed as you laugh.

Bachira's brows furrow; "do you even play soccer?"

He's almost positive he's never seen you play - not once out on the field, or alone otherwise. He knows you're in a club but it certainly isn't soccer, and he's pretty sure he's never even seen you near anything sports like unless it's for gym. He's seen you trip when simply walking to class, or knock something over because you're not paying attention to where your hands are swinging so he also knows you're not coordinated - truthfully, a bit of a klutz.

"No," you shrug, "but you have no one to play with right?"

He slowly shakes his head.

It's so easy the way you say it, like there had never been any other option otherwise. Voice a merry twinkle against his own punishing thoughts, and that smile still so bright it almost hurts to look at it.

"So I will."

Lips parting, Bachira sits forward; "wouldn't you rather be... doing something else? Hanging with your friends?"

Your smile fades, an almost somber look fading into your eyes as you rest your head against your arms, curled into yourself. "You seem lonely. Everyday. By yourself," you whisper, voice so soft that if it wasn't completely silent otherwise, Bachira wouldn't have been able to hear you. "I can understand that."

"But you..."

He doesn't finish his words, not sure how to. But he doesn't need to, you understand.

"They don't get me. My friends," you elaborate, "not really. I have to pretend to be someone else when I'm with them. They think I'm too silly otherwise, too... weird. You see..." And then there's this wistful look in your eyes, that same smile curling onto your lips as you look past him, as if staring at someone else entirely. "I have something inside me. Something I'm searching for."

And his eyes widen and he feels his heart start to race at your words. Words so familiar, words that he's thought and said so many times before...

You look back at him then.

"And I think you're it."

Bachira's lips part, he wants to say something but he isn't sure what. All he can manage is a simple, echoed; "a monster..."

It's no doubt you hear him - he knows that you do - but you don't say anything, don't question it.

You simply stand, brushing off your skirt as you step towards Bachira, hand stretched out towards him with a gentle smile that makes his stomach feel all funny and his breath get caught in the back of his throat.

"Let's play, Bachira-kun."

And his hand is falling in your own before he even realizes it, excitement flooding his entire chest as he meets your eyes. He feels giddy then, as opposed to how he'd felt moments ago, wanting to practically jump to his feet just to hear you say you'll play with him again. He'll do anything to hear you say the words again.

Your fingers thread through his, warmth blossoming, while an echoed voice carries behind him;

take her hand...

boyfriend!bachira who constantly makes you laugh - he’s always making funny faces at you, or telling you some stupid joke he read on twitter. no matter how dumb they are, it always manages to make you smile and that cute little giggle of yours to slip out and thus, bachira continues to do it.

boyfriend!bachira whose incredibly clingy. he always wants to be holding your hand, or is draped off of you. he likes having you close and he likes the warmth of you next to him. it makes him feel calm knowing you're there - feeling you're there - and that you're not going anywhere either. (it's also a plus that it usually wards off any potential flirts).

boyfriend!bachira who gets a little insecure sometimes. it throws you off the first time it ever happens. bachira's always confident, a beaming presence no matter where he is and seeing him quiet and shy is something that you definitely didn't expect. when you learn why, it feels like your heart'll break. almost instantly you're at his side reassuring him of every one of his silly words.

boyfriend!bachira who constantly making little gifts for you out of whatever scrap of something he can find. most of the time, his gifts look a little wonky, a little child-like, but it came from him all the same and you know he poured his heart into it so you don't really care if it's not the prettiest looking gift.

boyfriend!bachira whose so excited the first time you meet his mom. he'd known from the first moment he'd met you you were the one, but he'd waited as long as he possibly could before asking you to make that step. you were more than willing, if not a little nervous. you knew how close bachira and his mom were and you wanted to impress her so bad you practically made yourself sick the day of. (spoiler alert, she loved you.)

boyfriend!bachira who can literally never shut about you. it doesn't matter whether you're there or not - though it's usually worse when you're not because he misses you. he's constantly talking about you; "oh, yeah, y/n loves that show" or "y/n looked so pretty this morning when she woke up". honestly, his friends want to kill him but he's so happy they usually just let him.

boyfriend!nagi who basically asks you out through reo. it was a mixture of both being too lazy and too shy (really though, he was just too shy) and it takes a lot of work from reo for the two of you to finally go on a date but it works out perfectly because the second he drops you off that night, you already want to go on another.

boyfriend!nagi who likes when you sit with him while he games. you don't always have to be talking, though he'll gladly let you chat his ear off, mostly listening but sometimes zoning out as you happily chat away about your day. sometimes it's just quiet, both in your own worlds but comforted by each others company. and sometimes you'll even play with him if nagi begs enough.

boyfriend!nagi whose the best damn cuddler. he's a huge man child that practically sinks into any couch or bed he can find, too lazy to even stand half the time. but he never hesitates to pull you into his lap, letting your head rest on his chest while the both of you bask in each others warmth. you fall asleep most nights like that, his arm securely wrapped around your waist while you lazily run your fingers through his hair.

boyfriend!nagi who prefers to stay home, order in and watch movies all night then go out to some fancy dinner. but he makes it the best date nonetheless, never failing to make you feel utterly beautiful and loved. some stupid movie playing in the background that's dumb enough to make the both of you cackle, while you eat greasy junk food, bundled up in pillows and blankets -- and you wouldn't have it any other way.

boyfriend!nagi whose constantly lending you his hoodies and shirts simply because he likes seeing you wear them. he's not an easily jealous man by nature, but there's something about the sight of seeing you in his clothing, telling everyone who you're with without him having to do a damn thing that just makes him so happy.

boyfriend!nagi who becomes ten times more motivated when he knows you're in the stands watching him. he can hear you screaming his name even from the field, voice probably going raw but you never falter, and it flutters his heart in a way he's never felt. he scores double as much as he usually does when you're there.

boyfriend!isagi whose incredibly shy and awkward when you first start dating. he's not very good with people, girls even more so, and he's constantly blown away by how pretty you are that the first few weeks of your relationship is spent with his cheeks constantly flushed and his words stammering. he looks incredibly cute though, so you don't mind all that much.

boyfriend!isagi whose insanely chivalrous. he'll make sure he's always opening doors for you, pulling chairs out for you to sit in, he tucks you on the other side of him when walking down the street. it's small, subtle things that hardly anyone would notice, but it makes your heart aflutter all the same.

boyfriend!isagi who loves soccer more than anything but always makes sure to make time for you. he's got a busy schedule and it requires him to be away from home a lot, but he's always willing to facetime, even after a long day of practice when his body screams at him for sleep. and when he is home, his free time is always, without a doubt, devoted to you.

boyfriend!isagi who can barely form coherent sentences when he sees you in his jersey for the first time. he feels as if he could combust on the spot at the sight of you in the stands, proudly supporting him with his name and number on your back. it lets everyone know who you're there for and isagi feels immense pride at the thought.

boyfriend!isagi who buys you a necklace a year into dating you. a small little 'Y' pendant with the date you guys met engraved on the back. its such a small gift, but incredibly thoughtful and you refuse to take it off the second you receive it. every time isagi catches a glance at the silver, he blushes.

boyfriend!isagi who is an amazing kisser once he gets past his nerves - his lips are just so soft and plump and he knows exactly where to kiss that it never fails to send a shiver down the back of your spine. whether it's on the lips or on the curve of your jaw, the feeling is something you'll never be able to get over.

boyfriend!reo who spoils you any opportunity he possibly can. he has more money then he knows what to do with, so he simply spends it all on you. anything you want, he'll get it for you simply because he thinks you deserve it and he wants to spoil you.

boyfriend!reo who never flaunts his money in your face though. he never uses it against you or makes you feel like you're any less for not having the kind of money does. he's kind and generous with his money, more than his parents ever had been and he uses it to help whenever he can. you never have to worry, but he also knows when not to spend it. overall, he's incredibly understanding and always seems to know what's meaningful and what isn't.

boyfriend!reo who loves to take you out on the most luxurious dates. at first he did it to impress you and then was worried he maybe seemed like he was showing off. but the bright beaming smile on your lips when you got to dress up all pretty was enough for him. none of it mattered other than just being able to dress up for him in your eyes, and that's enough for reo. he loves when you feel beautiful.

boyfriend!reo whose really good with his hands. whether sexually or not, he just... always knows where to put them. his touch sends shivers down your spine and always causes a flush to run hot through your body. a simple touch to the small of your back, or his arm hooked around your waist, tight and reassuring. it's something so small, but it makes you swoon every time.

boyfriend!reo who loves calling you by 'love' or 'darling'. it could be for the most mundane things; "did you have a good day, love?" or "have you eaten yet, darling?" and yet, it sends you into a puddle of goo every damn time. the way the pet names leave his lips is so incredibly intoxicating.

boyfriend!reo who supports you undeniably with whatever you want to do. you support him in his dream one hundred percent so he wants to make sure he gives you that same sort of passion and support back. he's always willing to let you do whatever you need to succeed and never makes you feel bad for it either way.

BACHIRA MEGURU - “you’re way out of my league”

Sometimes, he could hardly believe it himself.

Sure, he heard the whispers in the halls – felt the eyes on his back as the two of you walked, always hand in hand. You were none the wiser, a constant beaming smile on your lips that hadn’t seemed to falter even a little since the two of you started dating. Bachira liked that you didn’t know, it reassured him that you didn’t feel the same even though the thought had crossed his mind plenty of times before.

Late at night, when everyone else was asleep and he couldn’t help but wonder – but why me?

Everyone else was wondering it, some people even had the guts to blatantly say it to his face. 

She’s too good for you.

You do realize she’s way out of your league, right?

How’d you even manage to get her?

Bachira had never been good with people. He’d spent most of his life alone and he’d be damned if he let random people, at this point in his life, ruin the best thing that had happened to him. You were everything to him, Bachira loved you beyond what he thought he was capable of. And he liked to tell you every day, shout it to anyone that would listen – mainly you – and he’d never once doubted his feelings for you.

But eventually it just got to be too much.

“Why do you even like me?”

The words slip past his lips before he can stop them, his mind too slow to register what he’s said until you’ve heard the words. He mentally cringes at the look on your face, watching as your eyes widen and your lips part. There’s this expression that flickers onto your face, you almost look hurt?

“What do you mean, ‘Guru?”

“I mean,” and he hates the way the words get stuck at the back of his throat.

What does he mean?

“Why me?”

Your head tilts to the side, eyes blinking, and Bachira can’t help but notice just how adorable you look in that moment.

“Because you’re you, Meguru,” you say simply, shrugging your shoulders as if the answer was plain as day. Like there wasn’t even a doubt in your mind. “Because you’re sweet and really handsome. You constantly make me laugh, and you’re so warm and inviting. You make my insides feel like jelly because I can barely contain myself around you. You never fail to make me feel loved, and I love how cuddly you are and–should I go on?”

Bachira doesn’t fluster easily, but the bright red of his cheeks in undeniable.

“No, no, that’s enough.”

Frowning, you reach across the table, taking his hand in your own. “What made you think that?”

Shrugging, Bachira uses his free hand to scratch at the back of his neck, suddenly feeling entirely too bashful. “Dunno,” he mumbles quietly, “just think you’re too good for me sometimes.”

“Well, you’re wrong.”

Blinking, Bachira glances up at you at your words, a small smile curling onto his lips as you shuffle in your seat, shaking your head. “If anything, you’re too good for me.”

His eyes widen, lips parting for emphasis; “absolutely not.”

“It’s true!”

“Is not!”

“Uh-huh!”

“Nope!”

“Then, I’m not too good for you either, kay?”

Smiling softly, Bachira lets out a quiet laugh. “Yeah, sure,” he grins, “okay.”

NAGI SEISHIRO - “i can’t stand you.”  “i want to kiss you.”

You couldn’t stand him.

God, he was so… annoying!

Standing there with that stupid lazy grin of his, entirely too happy about the situation you’d been forced into. If you’d known that volunteering for an after school project would involve being forced to spend the next two hours with him – you never would’ve done it. You would rather d*e before being forced to simply be in the same room as him.

But the matter of the fact is you didn’t really have much of a choice.

You’d left it to the last minute and you knew your teacher wouldn’t let you back out of this. Especially since you couldn’t really afford to given you needed the credits.

You’d just have to suck it up for the day.

It was only one day.

“Just… you stay over there and I’ll stay here, okay?” You huff, brushing a strand of hair out of your face angrily as you turn, practically stomping over to the corner of the library to get started on the pile of books that first needed to be sorted. Nagi doesn’t say anything in response, but he’s a man of few words anyways so you don’t really think anything of it.

Except when suddenly there’s a shadow next to you.

“Nagi,” you sigh, “did I not just tell you to stay over there?”

He simply shrugs; “got bored.”

You narrow your eyes, lips parting to say something until you notice the fact that he’s literally not doing anything. He’s just… standing there. A quick glance behind you to where he’d been tells you he hadn’t really started anything over there either.

“You can at least help.”

“Don’t wanna.”

Body tensing, it takes all of your will not to strangle him then and there.

“We’re supposed to be tidying up the library,” you remind, quirking a brow at him.

“It’s more fun watching,” he says plainly. “Besides, it’s too much work.”

“I’m going to kill you.”

He simply grins at you.

Sighing, your shoulders fall with defeat. “Just… stay out of my way, okay?”

He just nods.

It goes on like that for the first twenty minutes before Nagi suddenly decides to no longer simply be quiet and unhelpful, but just unhelpful. A moan of boredom leaves his lips almost every few seconds, your name falling from his lips every few minutes, whining at you for ignoring him.

“Y/L/N! Y/L/N~!”

Slamming the book in your hands down on the table, creating an echoing thud, you turn to him. “What?”

“I’m bored.”

“Then leave.”

“I can’t. I need the credits.”

“Then help me.”

“Too much work.”

“Nagi, I swear to God, if–”

Your words come to a sudden halt when you turn, prepared to tell him off, only he’s not sitting in the chair across from you anymore and instead directly in front of you. He’s close, incredibly close, you can feel his breath on you as he stands chest to chest with you. It feels like you can’t breathe, him being this close, a flush flooding to your cheeks as you move to stumble back, only to feel the back of your legs hit the table.

There’s nowhere for you to go.”

And he’s entirely too close. You don’t like having him this close.

Nagi being this close means you can smell his cologne, that’s entirely too sweet to you, and can feel the warmth radiating off of him. If you just reached out, you could grab him and that brings a flutter to your chest at the thought.

You don’t want to even dare look up – because if you did, you’d see how inviting and plump his pink, perfect lips look and–

“I have an idea of what we can do instead.”

Eyes focused on his uniform jacket, you let out a shaky breath.

“W-What?”

The tips of his fingers fall under your jaw, guiding your gaze up and on him. You can feel your heart pounding against your chest as you meet his eyes, usually so dull and bored-looking, suddenly looking entirely too lustful and invested. 

There’s a moment of pause before suddenly his lips are pressing against your own.

It’s warm and it’s nauseating how good it feels to have his lips pressed against your own. It’s everything you’ve spent the good chunk of the past year trying to avoid thinking about because you were supposed to hate Nagi and yet, you feel like putty in his hands right now.

Then, as he pulls away, his lips curl into a knowing smirk as your eyes lazily glance up to meet his.

“That.”

ITOSHI RIN - “i mean, it’s not all bad with you.”

“This is your fault.”

Rolling your eyes, you scoff at Rin’s monotone tone.

“Sure,” you roll your eyes. “It’s my fault we’re trapped in the janitor's closet.”

“It is.”

Huffing, you glare up at him. “How exactly is it my fault?”

“If it wasn’t for you, this never would’ve happened.”

“Because the great and mighty Itoshi Rin would never be caught stuck in a closet, correct?”

“Exactly.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“And you’re an idiot.”

Scoffing, you cross your arms over your chest, pressing your back further into the wall to greaten what little bit of space there is between you and Rin. You’d texted Isagi a minute after the door had locked shut behind you, so you only hoped that it wouldn’t take him much longer to get here and set you free. You could barely handle being this close to Rin on a regular basis and being forced into such a small space with him was making it harder to think.

You’d had a huge crush on Rin since the moment you met him. His suave, cool-headed and somewhat emotionless behavior had caught your attention almost immediately. Over time, you’d gotten to see the small bits of Rin that he kept protected behind that wall of his, slipping in the odd and rare few moments the two of you had shared.

You knew Rin liked you, more than he liked more. You knew he thought of you as a friend.

But you knew he didn’t like you.

You’d sworn to keep your feelings to yourself, refusing to let them ruin the relationship you’d worked hard to build with the reserved boy.

Which is why being stuck in a very small, very cramped closet was not ideal.

There was barely a breaths away between the two of you. You could feel his chest pressing into your own, and if you simply glance up you’d see every little detail of his face that you loved so much. Simply looking from a far was hard enough, you didn’t think you could last much longer in here.

“Ugh, where’s Isagi?”

Rin’s eyes snap to yours. “You texted him?”

“Yeah,” you nod, “he said he’d let us out.”

Rin frowns, and your brows furrow in confusion.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

Shaking his head, Rin avoids your gaze; “nothing.”

“No, there’s something–” You pause in revelation, “oh, I’m sure it’ll be fine. Isagi won’t say anything if you’re afraid of him embarrassing you. I won’t either.”

Licking his lips slowly (a sigh that has your heart racing), Rin sighs; “that isn’t it.”

“Then what is it?”

Pursing his lips, Rin hesitates; “I… there’s no rush.”

“No rush to get out of the closet?”

He shrugs. 

“I mean, I’d rather not be stuck here all day and–”

“It’s nice… to be here with you.” If it wasn’t so dark, you’d see his cheeks are bright red. “I’m okay if it’s with you.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

“Oh.”

“That’s it?”

You don’t know what to say!

“I-I mean,” you stammer slightly, almost positive Rin can hear the hammering of your heart in the quiet of the closet. “I like being in here with you too.”

The corner of his lips curve upwards ever so slightly, and in the next second, the touch of his fingers hitting your own registers in your mind before he threads his fingers through yours, squeezing your hand.

BACHIRA MEGURU:

NAGI SEISHIRO:

ITOSHI RIN:

bachira meguru:

nagi seishiro:

itoshi rin:

mikage reo:

isagi yoichi:

“you’re beautiful, you know that?”

his voice is a light whisper against the silence that surrounds the both of you. his words gentle against the racing of your heart and the pang in your chest as you stare back at him.

fingertips ghost across your skin, trailing from your cheeks to your collarbone, dipping past your breast, to your stomach where he hesitates for just a second before reaching for you. you could blame the way you inhale sharply and breathe in — tucking the fat of your stomach in instinctively — on how cold his fingers are, but the both of you would know that’s a lie.

“stop that,” nagi whispers, frowning as a pout curls onto his lips.

“i’m sorry,” you say back — because it’s all you know what to say. “it’s just… well, you know… i’m—it’s—“

he shakes his head, pout ever so present on his lips as he shifts. nagi pulls you towards himself, gripping you by the hips before lifting you onto his lap. you tense on him, fearing you’re too heavy, but he just tuts at you when you try to get up.

“you’re beautiful.”

he pushes the words, saying them with such care and love that it’s enough to make your eyes water.

“you’re too good for me,” you cry, feeling utterly incapable of doing anything else, “i don’t—“

“i don’t deserve you,” he assures, “we both know that.”

you frown, eyes flickering up to meet his as his hand moves to brush away the tears streaming down your cheeks. his touch is as tender as it always does, melting you into as you press your cheek to his palm, blinking away the tears as you watch him smile.

“c’mon, baby. let me show you how beautiful you are.”

ISAGI YOICHI - “i’ve felt this way about you for years.”

This was absolutely your worst nightmare.

Really, The universe must have some sort of personal vendetta against you because the secret you’ve spent years keeping a secret was now revealed to the last person you’d ever want to know the truth.

What’s worse?

He hasn’t said anything.

Not a single word.

Since he’d found out -- regrettably from your own stupid lips -- he’d stood there in complete silence, some sort of dumbfounded look on his face with burning red cheeks that ran down to the back of his neck. He hadn’t even moved. Entirely too still and silent for someone who’d just found out that girl he’s been friends with since the both of you had been in diapers was entirely and irrevocably in love with him.

Oh, and that you couldn’t stop staring at his lips without wanting to kiss them -- that had slipped out too.

“Well?” You huff, finding the silence unbearable. It was unbearable! Seriously, who just didn’t say anything after a confession like that? Especially to a life long best friend. “Say something.”

It’s unconscious the way your body curls into itself, arms coming up to hug your body as you glance down at your feet. You can barely look at him without feeling yourself cringe in embarrassment. 

Sure, you’d known eventually he’d have to know; especially since you’d planned to have him in your life for a long time, even if platonic. He’d have to know eventually, you’d known that but this? This was not how you’d wanted him to know. From your lips, yes, but while practically screaming the words in frustration at your own mother as he walked in your house, unfortunately catching every last bit of embarrassing thing you’d confessed.

“Look, you don’t have to return them, okay?” You add when he’s still not said anything. “I never expected you too either. I get it’s weird and you probably think of me as a sister or something, I dunno. But, just... please don’t let this ruin our friendship. I mean, I’d understand if you’d need some time or--”

Your endless rambling is cut short by the sudden feeling of someone’s lips against your own.

Your entire body freezes, Isagi’s hands moving to awkwardly grab your own arms, fumbling for a moment in the sort of way someone does when they have no idea what they’re doing. The kiss isn’t much different either. His lips really just press against your own more then either of you actually kiss, and it might last a second longer then it should but still, it takes your breath away all the same.

“Yoichi...” You whisper as he pulls away, your hands falling to your lips as you stare up at him in disbelief.

His eyes are wide and it’s like what he did slaps him in the face with a sudden realization.

“I-I’m so sorry...”

Shaking your head, you fumble for words; “you’re.... Yoichi, why’d you just kiss me?”

“You were rambling so much,” he huffs exasperatedly, “I couldn’t listen to you say stuff that is so entirely wrong. I mean...”

Words fading, he turns back to you.

“You mean...?” You echo, head tilting as hope flutters in your chest. “You feel the same?”

Isagi nods all too eagerly. “I’ve liked you for as long as I can remember,” he confesses with a whisper. “I mean... I was so sure you didn’t return my feelings.”

Letting out a light laugh, you can’t help the smile that curls onto your lips; “so we were both just hiding our feelings for each other, huh?”

“Seems so.”

Eyes flickering down, you reach forward, slipping his hand in your own with a light pink dusting your cheeks. “Well, I guess...” You hesitate a moment, meeting his eyes to make sure this is okay -- it’s easy to tell that it is. “We don’t have to any longer, yeah?”

REO MIKAGE - “i can’t help the way i feel about you...”

“My parents would never allow it...”

“I know.”

“They’ll want me to marry someone rich, someone beneficial to the company, to my career.”

“I know.”

Swallowing thickly, Reo shakes his head. “But I don’t care.”

You knew the words were coming, had seen it plain as day on Reo’s face. Felt it in the way he refused to let go of your hand or stop the small traces he left on the back of your hand, somehow soothing the rushing pounding of your heart against your chest. You’d been nervous, everything was happening so fast and you knew what Reo was going to say -- even if it was wrong.

“Reo,” you sigh, “I don’t want to be the reason you and your parents don’t get along.”

He shakes his head, lips parting but you’re quirk to interrupt him.

“Every get together, I’d be the one they’d blame for stealing their son away,” you explain desperately. “Every single memory of me would be tainted by the fact that you chose me instead of them. I love you. I love you so much... but I think maybe it’s time--”

His presses a finger against your lips, gently hushing you as he pulls you closer, pressing his chest against your own with a shake of his head. You sigh as he does, shoulders falling but unable to stop him or argue otherwise anyways. You’ve never been able to argue with Reo anyways -- because every time you went to, you’d meet his eyes and you’d fall in love all over again and then... then all the words would just die on your tongue, unheard.

Plus, you’d be lying if a part of you didn’t really want to argue this, either.

“Nothing has ever stopped my from disobeying my parents before,” he smiles lightly, grinning when you roll your eyes at his words. “I mean, my soccer career? They’re furious. I still don’t even plan on taking over the company. And I love you, Y/N. More than anything.”

Biting your lip, you glance up at him.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Sighing, you shake your head, raising your hand to grasp Reo’s own tightly.

Meeting Reo had been chance. It had been a simple coincidence. Simply bumping into each other on the street, you’re bag had fallen and everything in it had tumbled out -- Reo had of course helped you pick everything up and then you’d met his eyes, and everything had just happened from there. 

He’d never once kept who he was a secret from you. It was easy to know the Mikage name and Reo quickly proved that he liked to spoil you any opportunity he could.

You just hadn’t known it’d be a problem until you met his parents.

What had been a long day of nerves and making sure you looked every bit presentable, had ended in barely concealed tears from you and scream from Reo as he cursed his parents. They’d been less impressed to learn that unlike Reo, you weren’t so well off and were still currently in school. Hateful things had left their lips, insults so cruel you’re not sure you’d ever forget them.

Reo had not once hesitated to defend you, which had made everything ten times harder.

“You know they’ll hate me, right?”

“I know,” Reo nods, “but I don’t care. And neither should you. You’re my priority, my family, okay?”

And the thing is, the answer comes so naturally that there was never any denying it.

“Okay.”

CHIGIRI HYOMA - “and then i saw you...”

You’d been on your way home from school.

The train was pack tightly, and unfortunately you hadn’t been early enough to catch a seat; so, you held tightly to the handle above your head and tried not to fall every time the train jerked to a sudden stop.

You’re about halfway home when you’re rudely shoved to the side by a man whose clearly in a rush to get off, barely paying you any mind as your grip slips from the handle and you find yourself tipping backwards. A yelp of surprise leaves your lips, unable to do anything but let yourself fall until there’s an arm pressed into your back, stopping you from making a complete fool of yourself.

It takes you half a second to gather your bearings, before your head turns only to see the most beautiful pair of eyes you’re sure you’ve ever seen.

“Are you okay?”

The man who caught you -- and whose lap you’re currently sitting in -- looks genuinely concerned as he asks. His head is tilted cutely to the side, and his voice is soft as you stare back at him, lips left parted.

You can’t help but stare. His eyes are one thing, a pretty, twinkling pink staring back at you. But his face is another; soft and inviting, with pink hair to match his eyes that is so cutely tied back into a ponytail. You’ve never seen someone so... beautiful.

But it isn’t just that...

As you stare back at him, you suddenly feel warm, shivers travelling down the back of your spine as your heart starts to pound.

You’re... enamored.

“Ma’am?”

You blink as he presses, shaking your head to snap yourself out of your stupor. Suddenly realizing that you’re still sat in his lap, you quickly push yourself to your feet; the train is luckily a little emptier, allowing you to bow slightly at him. “I’m so sorry,” you rush out, bright red. “Thank you for catching me. I’m okay.”

He’s holding his hand up, shaking his head. “It’s perfectly fine,” he laughs lightly, “it was that man’s fault. For pushing into you like that.”

Biting your lip, you try to ignore the fluttering feeling that erupts in you, twisting your stomach into knots. “Yes, well...” Voice trailing, you realize your stop is approaching, blinking the clear you’re oddly frazzled mind. “My stop is next so...”

“Mine too,” he says.

It’s a silent agreement as he moves to a stand, weaving in front of you to create space in the crowd as the train comes to a stop. You step out behind him, and the doors shut behind you, the train moving off to the next stop a moment later but neither of you move to leave.

He’s the first one to speak.

“I don’t know if this is pushy of me and I know we just met... but would you like to join me for dinner?”

Eyes widening, you can’t stop the burst of excitement that courses through you.

“I-I’d... love to,” you all but beam, a smile curling onto your lips. Then, you remember the fact that while you’re entirely too happy your, while odd and sudden, feelings aren’t one-sided; you don’t even know his name. “I mean... that would be wonderful...?”

“Chigiri,” he smiles, “Chigiri Hyoma.”

“I’m Y/N Y/L/N.” You bow slightly, “it’s wonderful to meet you, Chigiri-san.”

“Please, just Chigiri. Hyoma if you’d like.”

There’s a small blushing dusting across his cheeks you notice faintly. 

“I can’t explain it,” you shrug, “but just seeing you makes my heart flutter, Hyoma.”

And it’s almost like he seems relieved as you say it, shoulders falling with ease and a grin spreading across his lips as his eyes twinkle in delight.

“I feel the same actually.”

“b-but… it’s his body…”

“y/n—”

“no. you… you can’t expect me to be okay with this.”

“…we’re not asking you to be okay with it.”

you’re not sure who says it but your heart sinks at the words.

they’re all surrounding you but you can’t see them through the tears. you know shoko’s there, yuuta too—but… but that’s only because he’s the one who’s…—

you can’t even say the words.

“he deserves peace,” you argue, words choked and raspy. “he’s at peace. it’s—it’s not right to just use his body like this… like a weapon!”

“he agreed. you did too.”

“i thought he’d win!”

and the words wretch past your lips, ripping every bit of shield you’d built up to protect yourself since this godforsaken battle had begun. you hadn’t been okay with gojo fighting sukuna, not by himself, but it hadn’t mattered because he was the strongest and the decision was out of your hands.

you’d been comforted by that fact, though, all the same. gojo was the strongest, so you hadn’t doubted his ability to win.

but he hadn’t. gojo lost, as sick as the words seemed to even think, and you’d been forced to watch the man you love die right in front of your eyes.

and now?

now they wanted to use his body as a weapon.

hands fall on your shoulders and you blink through blurred vision to see shoko staring down at you. her eyes are distant and cold but there’s a frown on her lips and you know she’s trying to comfort you in anyway she knows how to.

it doesn’t help.

“y/n-sensei.”

it’s yuuta calling for you.

“i promise i’ll treat his body with care.”

and his words pull a sob from your lips. it’s beyond your ability to stop it or at least hold it back. through the silence of the room, your sob sounds like a scream as you collapse within yourself, falling to the floor pitifully.

because yuuta was just as much a victim now as gojo was and yet, here he was comforting you. you’re supposed to be the adult and the one guiding him and yet it was kids fighting this war and paying the consequences for the actions of adults.

and there’s nothing you can do to stop this. not for yuuta, yourself or for gojo.

gojo. the man you love, a man whose been used as a weapon his entire life and you’re powerless to stop it from happening even in his death.

as you sit there, crumpled on the ground, crying and sobbing in front of everyone—shoko’s hand squeezes your shoulder and yuuta is smiling at you but everyone else just stares—you think that maybe geto was right all along.

and the thought comes with a burning hatred for those who’ve made it this way.

Kaveh:

You try to sneak in without being noticed, but it seems the fates are against you.

The door squeaks loudly the second you push it shut, a grimace falling on your face as you let out a soft curse. There's instantly a distinct sound of footsteps heading your way, so you give up trying to be quiet and let the door slam shut behind you.

Not without childishly sticking your tongue out at the inanimate object though.

"Darling?" Kaveh's voice carries through the house, soft and light with that twinge of warmth that's always there when kaveh is speaking to you. "Are you home?"

You brace yourself mentally for what's about to happen, back turned towards kaveh as he reaches the entrance.

You can feel his eyes on you and his growing presence as he steps towards you, still oblivious to anyhting wrong as his hand falls on your shoulder.

"Y/N? Is everything okay—"

With a gentle tug, he turns you to face him. not one to ever be able to deny kaveh of anything, you easily let him maneuver you, meeting his eyes apprehensively as you try to attempt to smile up at him.

His face instantly falls. "What's wrong?" He rushes, hands reaching for your cheeks where he cups them, gently, brushing the stray tears from your eyes as he takes in your puffy, red eyes and paled complexion.

You wrap your hands around his wrists; "nothing, Kaveh," you assure gently, finally finding your voice. It's still hoarse from the crying you'd been doing before, cracking at the end which mentally makes you wince. "Just a rough day."

"Did something happen?" He rushes to ask, shaking his head. "Did someone do something to you?"

You swore to yourself you wouldn't tell Kaveh – it wasn't that you didn't trust him, but when it came to anything concerning you, Kaveh tended to get overly protective. It was endearing, honestly, but you didn't want to dump all your problems on him. Especially something as silly as this.

At least, that was the plan. The second Kaveh asks if someone upset you, you're reminded of events that happened just minutes prior and kaveh's always been good at understanding you without you even having to say anything.

Your face twists, just faintly, and Kaveh's eyes harden.

"Who?" He asks, voice uncharacteristically low and sharp. "Who did this to you?"

"Kaveh—"

"Y/N," he cuts in, not leaving any room for you to argue. It stuns you, pulling your eyes on him with a blink as you take in the serious expression in his eyes. "What happened?"

So, you explain. you explain how awful work had been that day – how your boss had had it out for you all day, berating you and borderline harrassing you. How you'd tried to be strong and not let him see how much his actions and words were effecting you, but you'd ended up leaving work early because it all became too much.

By the end of it you're a sobbing mess once more, incoherent and deeply upset.

Kaveh holds you through it, brushing your tears and rubbing your back and not once interrupting you or making you feel silly for how upset you'd gotten.

You ask him not to do anything, especially because it seems it's taking everything from Kaveh not to – and he promises, says that he won't and instead gently shushing you with the promise that he'll get you a hot bath and some dinner and the two of you can spend the night together doing what you want.

And he means it. Kaveh won't do anything.

Tonight, at least.

Diluc:

"M-Master Diluc!"

The distressed voice of one of his maids gives Diluc pause, halting in front of the door to his home only to see Adelinde rushing towards him. There's a wild, panicked look on her face and instantly Diluc is turning towards her.

"What's happened?" He asks, "are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine," she breathes, out of breath from racing down the stairs the second she'd heard Diluc making his way in. "It's Mistress Y/N!"

That's all Diluc needs to hear. Adelinde lips part to explain more, but before she can even get a word out, Diluc is already at the top of the stairs and quickly making his way to your shared room. There's the distinct feeling of his heart racing madly with worry against his chest and Diluc's vision closes around him, focused on only you, until he finally reaches you.

You're sat in the bed, propped up by a couple of pillows but Diluc's attention is quickly shifted to your leg; more specifically, your ankle. It's wrapped up in bandages and propped up by a few more pillows.

The second you meet Diluc's eyes, you're sighing; "honestly, Diluc, I'm—"

Diluc is beside you in seconds.

"Who did this to you?"

The question is uttered with a sharp, dark tone and you blink, lips left parted as Diluc reaches for you. His heart is still poundly madly against his chest and it physically pains him to see you in any sort of discomfort or pain.

The only logical thing he can thing is that someone hurt you. One of his enemies, maybe... Diluc was careful about keeping his life private, especially when it concerned you, but he supposed villains had their ways and he absolutely crushes his heart to think you'd been attacked because of him—

He's pulled from his thoughts at the feeling of your hand in his, your fingers threading through his own as you squeeze reassuringly.

"Diluc, honey," you call softly, a smile on your lips that confused Diluc. "No one did anything to me."

Frowning, Diluc eyes your ankle and then meets your gaze. "Then...?"

"I tripped," you explain with a slight flush, obviously embarrassed by your own clumsiness. "I was helping Adelinde with something when I tripped over my own feet. We were walking down the steps so I sort of tumbled down... I think I sprained my ankle. I told Adelinde not to bother you with it because really, I'm fine."

Diluc hesitates; "no one hurt you?"

"No one," you smile, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I promise."

Relieved, Diluc feels his body ease at the assurance that you weren't attacked. Still, he sees your wrapped up ankle and frowns. "Still," he calls out a moment later. "You're hurt."

"A little," you shrug, glancing at your ankle. "The throbbing has stopped. I just can't walk."

"Then I'll carry you."

You let out a soft giggle that flutters Diluc's heart; "I don't need to go anywhere."

"When you do."

Alhaitham:

"Who did this to you?"

You're surprised by how angry Alhaitham sounds. A quick glance in his direction tells you he looks just as angry, and you have to pause for a moment, trying to think about just what the hell he was talking about.

Conclusion? You have no idea.

He's looking straight at you — practically burning a hole through you with his glare. But you have no idea what he's staring at.

"Haitham..." You mumble apprehensively, baffled. "Who did what to me?"

"That," he presses, stepping towards you and nodding.

Just... nodding.

"What?" You ask, exasperated as you try to glance at yourself and see just what Alhaitham is talking about.

Huffing, short of patience as always, Alhatham grabs you by the wrist, grip gentle but pressing as he shifts so your palm is upwards. Then, his thumb swips lightly across a long, red and somewhat angry scratch across your inner forearm.

"That," he repeats, frowning at you.

"Oh," you calls with a laugh, stunned for a brief moment before a smile curls onto yourself. "I found a stray cat yesterday on my way home. It looked hungry so I fed it and then, I thought that it deserved a home so I tried to take it with me..." You grimace faintly, rubbing the back of your neck bashfully. "The little guy didn't seem to like that idea as much."

You expect Alhaitham to... well, not laugh, because he rarily did that, but you expect him to at least ease somewhat. But he doesn't. The frown remains heavy on his face, eyes set into a nasty glare as he stares at the scratch.

"Where?"

"Hmm?" You call, raising a brow as you meet his eys.

"Where was this cat?"

There's something about the way he asks it that makes you hesitate. "...Why?"

Alhaitham just lets your hand go, huffing as he crosses his arms across his chest. "So I can teach it a lesson for hurting you."

He says it so seriously because it's Alhaitham, but it's still the most ridiculous statement you've ever heard so the laugh that bursts out of your lips is truthfully beyond your control.

"Haitham!" You giggle, "it's a cat!"

"And?" He raises a brow, looking at you like you're the crazy one. "The cat hurt you. That's not okay."

You bite your lip, holding back your laughs as you take in how serious Alhaitham is — he looks genuinely bothered and upset that you were hurt. And honestly, despite the fact that his anger was now directed towards a random stray cat, is care for you is endearing.

Stepping towards him, you press a kiss to his cheek.

"Thank you for defending me," you say genuinely. "But it's just a cat. I shouldn't have tried to pick it up."

Alhaitham frowns and it looks like he wants to argue, but he lets it go. "Fine," he says, "but if you see the cat, let me know."

You let out a snort, nodding up at him; "I definitely will. I promise."

Childe:

"Who?"

"Ajax—"

"Who did this to you?"

Sighing, you try to turn your face away, finding Childe's never wavering gaze intimidating but his grip on your chin keeps you in place. His face is inches away from your own, eyes narrowed and face set with barely contained rage as he waits for you to answer.

You don't even know why you were arguing. Maybe it was because you were jsut tired and wanted to sink into your bed and forget any of this had even happened. But it was impossible with Childe.

The second you'd come home with a black eye, bruised cheek and over all just dishevelled, Childe had been on you. He'd been his usual happy self up until he saw the state you were in, taking in your ripped clothes and injuries.

"I don't know," you sigh, sinking into his touch as he reach for him. Your body hurts and you're exhausted; honestly, you're still scared. "It all happened so quick. There was a whole group of them and they came at me, pulled me into this alley or something and just..."

Your voice trails, hands shaking.

Childe lets go of your jaw then, arms shifting to wrap around you as he pulls you into an embrace. He holds you tight, pressing a hand to the back of your head as you let yourself break a little in his grasp.

"I was so scared, Ajax..." You breathe, pressing your face into his chest so your words are muffled.

"I know, Y/N," he calls softly, voice gentle and soothing. It had lost that dark edge it had had before, Childe finally coming to his senses and realizing how you needed him more than he needed to get revenge for you. That would still come, of course, but right now he needed to be here for you.

Pulling back, Child pulls your eyes on him; "where does it hurt?"

"...Everywhere," you whisper, wincing as a shoot of pain travels across your body. "I think my ribs might be broken."

Childe's heart breaks and he swears he see's red, but the pressing matter is you. He can find the idiots who hurt you later and he'll make sure they pay in full for what they did to you. Right now, he needs to help you.

"Here," he calls gently, "we'll get you in the bedroom."

You nod up at him, weakly, letting him wrap his arm around your waist and the other under your knees to bring you into his arms. The movement jostles you slightly, and Childe lets out an apology but you brush him off, knowing he didn't mean to.

"I'm sorry," you whisper a moment later, head bowed into the crook of his neck.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Childe shakes his head adamantly. "I'm gonna take care of you. And I'll make those bastards pay for ever laying their hands on you."

MIKEY:

physical touch:

CHIFUYU:

quality time:

MITSUYA:

giving gifts:

DRAKEN:

attention: