Tumgik
#wild. but anyways i think i’m gonna lean into this a bit more now lol i should have the villain keep shouting about how he is a good person
adrift-in-thyme · 8 months
Note
Not sure if you keep taking prompts, but if you do:
Boys visiting Malanya? You can make it really angsty if you know what I mean but it's optional.
Thanks for the prompt!! <33 I put all my Malanya headcanons in here lol. I hope you enjoy it!
Fic beneath the cut (also on Ao3)
Cw for animal injury
—————————-
Twilight bites out a curse. “Ilia’s gonna kill me.”
His fingers ghost Epona’s leg, following the trail of her wound. The gash is deep and jagged, an angry line of crimson.
“How bad is it?” Wild asks from just behind him. Twilight can feel his eyes upon him — his and those of the other heroes. All watching, all waiting to hear the damage.
Twilight chews his lip. “It’s bad.”
Lizalfos are not beasts to be trifled with, especially those with The Shadow’s blood in their veins. And the one that had sliced Epona’s leg had seen fit to make that fact even more clear.
He had cut it down seconds later, but the deed was already done, the injury carved in a river of red upon his loyal steed.
Epona whinnies mournfully and he looks up at her.
I’m sorry, girl.
“We’re out of fairies.” It’s Warriors now, all business despite the blood trickling down his side, and the way he leans against Time’s arm, just a bit too heavily to raise suspicions.
“Potions too,” Legend chimes in, voice hoarse and lacking its usual sharpness.
They have all come away from this latest battle worse for wear. Alive, yes, but wounded and exhausted. It was a surprise attack and a large one at that. Fighting it back had taken more energy and resources than they had had available.
Twilight closes his eyes for a moment and inhales through his nose. They’re in desperate need of healing. But with Hyrule injured as well, he can’t possibly ask him to tend to any of their little party…not even Epona. The traveler is hardly standing as it is.
“We need a Great Fairy,” Time pipes up. He turns to Wild. “Are there any near here?”
The champion thinks for a moment.
“No Great Fairies. But…there is someone similar.” He points to where a path winds between the mountains. “They’re not far from here. Just down that trail.”
A spark of hope alights within Twilight and he grasps it for dear life. “They’ll heal Epona?”
“And us?” Wind asks.
“I can’t promise they’ll heal us, but Epona?” A small grin tugs at Wild’s lips. “Definitely. They’re the Horse God, after all.”
Legend raises his eyebrows. “The Horse God?”
“Yup. The patron God of Horses. They protect them, heal them, and” —Wild swallows and averts his eyes slightly— “Sometimes they revive them. Anyway, their name’s Malanya.”
“Malanya.” Time says the name slowly, letting it roll over his tongue. “That’s an interesting name.”
There’s something strange in his voice, but Twilight doesn’t have time to unpack all that at the moment.
“Take us to them, cub,” he says, rising. He runs a hand over Epona’s muzzle and grasps her reins. “Epona can make it, right girl?”
She bumps her nose against his head in reply, warm breath blowing through his hair. A small smile sneaks onto his face.
You’re gonna be alright, Epona, he promises both her and himself. We’ll get you fixed up. Just hang on a little longer.
True to Wild’s words, the journey is a short one. But between Epona’s injuries and their own, Twilight feels like it’s drawn out into eternity. Every step is agony, every movement another chance for his steed to crumple or someone to collapse.
The monsters they meet along the way do little to help matters. Wild is quick to draw his bow, however, and he takes them out in no time. Still, it seems a miracle when at last the fountain comes into sight.
The heroes come to a halt right before the large flower bud.
“It looks like a fairy fountain,” Hyrule says, frowning. “But the magic feels different.”
Wild grins. “Oh, it’s much different than a fairy fountain, believe me. Now, you guys wait here. I just need a minute to wake them up.”
Epona lets out a small whinny and Twilight rubs her shoulder.
You did it, girl. You made it.
He watches as Wild walks onto one of the large flower petals and stands, hands on hips, waiting. For a moment everything remains the same. Fairy dust floats, and butterflies flit, and silence reigns in the clearing. Then, there’s a sound of rumbling thunder and suddenly the water in the fountain flies into the air, raining down in shimmery droplets upon the group. And from within its sparkling torrents, something large and colorful erupts.
Twilight cranes his neck, following the being as it rises higher and higher. It towers over the heroes, a strange form with the head of a horse and disembodied hands that wave to and fro. Part of him wants to be afraid, but…
He steps closer, tilting his head. There’s something interesting about this deity, something that almost draws him to them. Yet, he can’t decide what.
“Oh, it’s you again,” Malanya says, lilting tone echoing throughout the space. Their voice brings to mind the feel of riding across the plains of Hyrule, the wind in his hair, and the smell of fresh rain and spring grass in his nostrils. “Why have you come to visit? Please, do not tell me something dire has befallen another of your loyal steeds.”
Wild clears his throat. “Well, no one died this time, if that helps you feel better. But Epona” —he steps aside so the horse is in full view— “she’s hurt.”
“As are we,” Warriors pipes up from behind. “So, if you would be so kind…”
Malanya isn’t listening to him, however. They rise impossibly higher, water droplets raining from their adornments. In the next second, they’re leaning forward, trembling fingers reaching for the champion. The heroes step forward, hands flying to their weapons, bodies tensed and ready.
“You test my patience, boy!” Malanya says, and their voice booms now. “Anyone who mistreats their horses so shall feel my wrath!”
Out of the corner of his eye, Twilight sees Time go abruptly still. He shifts slightly, battle stance relaxing just a bit. And when the deity suddenly bursts out into hearty laughter, a strange expression comes onto his face.
“Come now, sheath your weapons.” A hand waves dismissively, their tone what Twilight thinks is meant to be reassuring. “I only jest.”
“We both know you’re not joking.”
It’s Time’s voice now, clear and strong, yet oddly tentative. But when the deity turns to him in a whirl of color and water, he doesn’t budge.
“What did you say?”
A smirk plays on his lips despite the strained situation.
“I said we both know you’re not joking.”
There’s a beat of silence in which the other heroes look between their unofficial leader and the deity, breath held in anticipation. And then something seems to shift in the air, a tension lifted, and Malanya laughs once more.
“You have heart, my dear hero. But, really, who asked you?”
For a split second, something like a smile enters the deity’s pupil-less eyes. It’s gone as soon as it comes, however. With another dismissive wave of a hand, they turn back to Wild.
“I sense no foul play nor evil intentions in any of you…though” —A quick glance at Time– “some among you are filled with mischief. I will heal your loyal steed, and—just this once—your own wounds.”
Malanya lifts their hands, as though preparing to conduct a concert, then sweeps their delicate fingers down and over the heroes. Twilight finds his eyes slipping closed as a breeze washes over him, born upon the wings of fairy-blessed water. Pain he hadn’t even truly registered enduring disappears like a weight leaving his shoulders. And when he opens his eyes once more he can see similar relief displayed on his brothers’ faces.
Ducking down, Twilight runs a gentle hand over the sides of Epona’s leg. But rather than the edges of a gash, his fingers brush unmarred flesh coated in a healthy layer of auburn hair.
She nickers as he rises, already nosing at his forehead, and he allows himself a smile.
“Your friendship with your horse is a strong one.” Malanya’s voice reaches him and he turns to meet their eyes. “It is a precious thing, to share such a connection with the noblest of animals. Remember that it is a two-way road. Your steed trusts you to keep her safe.”
Twilight nods, somberly. Guilt still tugs at him like a leaden weight. Too many times, he has allowed Epona to suffer. Too many times, he has failed to protect her.
I’m so sorry.
Epona nudges him, gently, and the deity chuckles.
“Your horse wishes you to know that she understands…and that all is forgiven.”
A wavering grin tugs at his lips. Twilight presses his forehead to Epona’s for a moment, then drags his gaze back to the deity.
“Thank you.”
They nod. “Now, go, continue your adventure.” Abruptly, they turn to Wild. “I hope to not see you again for a long while.”
“Rude,” Wild grumbles as he hops down from the petal and comes to stand by Twilight’s side.
Twilight pats him on the shoulder, both a comfort and a thanks. Then, he prepares to follow the other heroes as they file back onto the road.
Time lingers, however, the same odd look on his face. And when Twilight pauses to reach out to him, he realizes it is one of pain.
“You coming, old man?” he asks, gently, placing a hand on his mentor’s arm.
Time doesn’t meet his eyes. Instead, he looks upward to where Malanya still looms over them, gazing down at him almost expectedly.
Strange that they stayed, given how Wild claims the gods and fairies always retreat into their buds as soon as their jobs are complete.
“Before we go, I must know,” he says, and there is something in his voice Twilight seldom hears. A vulnerability reserved for moments of anguish or great joy, of bonding with his brothers or embracing Malon. "Are you…her?”
The smile enters the deity’s eyes once more, though this time there is sorrow in it.
“I was once, though only in spirit. So long as you were not at rest, neither could she be. Hence, she asked the gods for this fate, and they bestowed it upon her.”
Twilight watches Time’s face, trepidation rising fast within him. But the old man’s expression has turned steely and he can decipher nothing past the steadfast walls he has erected.
“She is gone now, however,” Malanya continues, gently. “Her spirit has faded, or perhaps merely been set free. And though parts of her remain with me to this day, I am no longer the Malon you know and love. I am merely myself – Malanya, protector, and patron God of Horses. Nothing more, and certainly nothing less.”
For a long moment, silence hangs heavy. Then, right when Twilight is certain they will all be smothered beneath it, Time steps back and nods.
“Thank you,” he says, tone clipped, professional.
He is no longer Link, now. No, that barrier is back, the one even Twilight struggles to bypass, and he is the Hero of Time once more.
“We greatly appreciate all that you have done. Farewell.”
If he mourns his wife as he turns away, if he ponders the mysteries behind Malanya’s words as he begins to walk, he gives no indication. But Twilight can hear it on the breeze as they start along the path, a whisper, a cry.
“Farewell, my love. Farewell.”
And when a tear trickles down Time’s cheek, he sees it.
Even so, Twilight would never dream of saying a word.
97 notes · View notes
patchesnpins · 2 years
Note
cld u please do the "can you hold my hand" prompt with a steve and a gn!reader ? (preferably somewhat masc leaning but like. dont worry about it lol)
congrats on the milestone !!
ᴄᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴏʟᴅ ᴍʏ ʜᴀɴᴅ? (ꜱ. ʜᴀʀʀɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ)
☾⋆*:。 a/n: thank you dear!! I hope you enjoy this <33 I thought it came out cute
☾⋆*:。 details: SFW//w.c: 0.9k//warnings: alcohol and Steve being drunk
come join the event!
Tumblr media
Steve Harrington was drunk. You’d never before thought you’d see this sight and frankly, you thought he had the tolerance of a god, leaving you in the dust as you carefully pace yourself with small sips.
But you could probably blame it on the highschool party, hosted by meatheads who hadn’t the slightest clue on how to balance alcohol with any other liquid. The minute the insanely bitter liquid touched your tongue, you knew you’d be sticking to the half full cup you made yourself for the rest of the night.
Steve, on the other hand, promised you he could handle it. And from his rosy red cheeks and the way he kept folding at the knee, he certainly couldn’t handle it. Everyone was cackling at his sorry state while you were struggling to get him back on his feet, feeling like you were tussling with an oversized toddler. 
“Steve, stand up. I’m bringing you home.” You bite out, exhaustion evident in your voice.
He finally looks up at you, a wild look on his face and you brush his hair back so that he looks a bit less obviously drunk. “You don’t know where I live.” He says it like a statement, like he’s so sure of himself.
“Steve, I think everyone knows where you live.” His previous popularity didn't buy him privacy. Anyways, you both had literally walked from his house to the party (a poor decision in hindsight because you hadn’t the faintest idea how you’d get him home in this state). “Now come on, say goodbye to everyone.”
Finally, giving in to your constant struggles and tugging at the sleeve of his shirt, he clambers to his feet and gives a weak wave to the crowd you both had drawn. Robin pats you on the back in a sign of solidarity, silently telling you to get her if you need help bringing him home. You give you your own goodbyes and wave Steve over, feeling like you’re calling a slightly disobedient dog over.
With a bit of a struggle down the stairs, you both finally begin the walk that you hope to get over with quickly. Steve insists that he can stand on his own and not one to argue, you let him. There’s an uncertainty in each of his steps but he seems to be getting from point A to B much better than you expected, gracing you with a bit of relief.
“Y’ wanna know something funny?” He asks playfully, shoulder bumping into your own as he tries to keep pace with you. 
“What?” You ask, a bit unsure of what may spill from his mouth in his drunken state. 
“The last time I felt like this, I was on drugs.” You snort, not entirely shocked considering his newfound friendship with the Munson kid. Still, you jokingly spit out “liar” at him, prodding for more. “I’m being serious! There were these crazy Russians and they gave us these weird drugs that made us talk a lot. Pretty crazy.” He trails off a bit.
You roll your eyes. “You sure you just didn’t take anything weird?”
“No! You can ask Rob, she’ll tell you.” His face is in your face, grinning wide and the smell of alcohol is too much of a reminder that he’s not thinking straight.
“I’m gonna leave you here on the side of the street,” You moan and Steve looks like he’s ready to keep arguing, completely forgetting about the edge of the road and slipping. You launch yourself forward, grabbing onto him to keep him from rolling into the dark ditch on the side of the road. His eyes are wide and his unsteady legs fold under him once again.
“Woah,” he smiles. “You’re my hero, that could’ve been game over for me.” You help him back onto his feet and away from the edge of the road, holding back your own laughter as he sprinkles you in praise that you’re not sure you deserve for something so simple. It would’ve been much harder to drag him out of the ditch.
But soon enough it’s back to walking, Steve is pressed more against your side like you’re the only thing keeping him steady. His hand keeps brushing yours, fingers lightly catching on each other but neither of you point it out. Until Steve breaks the heavy silence of the night. “Can I… Can you hold my hand?”
You nod open mouthed, reaching down and carefully lacing your fingers together in a gentle grip. Almost immediately he squeezes your hand tight in a grip that tells you he refuses to let go. He’s a bit steadier, occasionally bumping into you or swaying but there’s a bit of confidence restored in his step as he holds onto you. Laughter bubbles up from his throat, soft and sweet. “I feel like a kid again.”
You nodded, remembering the memories of wide eyed and worried toddlers on the playground, hands interlocked in a tight grip with friends because the sense of familiarity was safe. And the feeling of Steve’s sturdy frame and warmth pressed against you was safe, you hadn’t even noticed the eerie darkness shrouding you two till the sense of relief flowing through your body when your boyfriend took your hand in his.
You nodded and squeezed his hand, something he reciprocated a few seconds later. “It’s better this time though,” he laughs and you’re confused for a moment before realizing he’s still on the topic of his story. “Because this time you’re here. You’ll get me home nice and safe, like you always do.”
You hum, shoes scraping against the gravel road. “And there’s also no crazy Russians involved?”
“Y-yeah. That too. But mostly because of you.”
75 notes · View notes
dammarchy211 · 2 years
Note
I think your Homestuck stuff is really neat, especially the Hauntswitch posts. I would love to know more about Jude's friends if you don't mind sharing :D
Oh yeah of course!! I’ve been waiting so long for someone to ask me about them tbh LMAO
OKAY SO idk how to really format this in a concise manner so I’m just gonna ramble about them
So right off the bat, their names are
Rome Foster (white hair, orange sign)
Rita Valentino (black hair, glasses, yellow sign)
Noah Sanvick (white hair, glasses, red sign)
Aaand Mike Morris (black hair, blue sign) !
They don’t have official god tiers right now, as I just kinda wanna write them with god tiers in mind, and see where that takes their characterization in the end but the ideas for them are Rome is a thief of probably hope, Rita is either a sylph of time, a maid of void, or a sylph of void (leaning towards time bc time player lol), Noah is a prince of space, and Mike is an heir of mind. They’re all pretty snarky with each other, especially Rome and kinda Noah but with the exception of Rita as she kinda feels a bit outcasted from the group anyway. Throughout hauntswitch I feel like they would get into a loooot of arguments, including Jude. Just conflict of ideals tho stuff y’know. They each have their own “gimmick” type thing though! Based around Jude’s interest in aliens and cryptids n such. Noah’s whole thing is local missing and homicide files in and around hauntswitch as I’m sure the town probably has some deep and wild history like that, as well as any other true crime and mystery type stuff. Which is funny because of how easily freaked out he is, especially with fictional stuff like horror movies. Mike’s is ghost hunting, but the more technical kind. Think like those real life ghost hunting shows type stuff. He’s also the group skeptic and is big on ttrpgs and is in the robotics club with Jude. Rita’s is also ghosts! But less hunting and more of the séance Ouija board kind of ghost stuff. She the muppets/Jim Henson fan ever, and is kinda miffed by all of the creepy or gross stuff the others like. She’s also a fan of storybooks and folk tales. Rome doesn’t consider himself “as much of a nerd” as the others, despite definitely being a nerd. He tries to be a cool guy but kind of just ends up bullying his friends lmao—. He loves horror movies and urban exploration, and is more than happy to go poking around some abandoned place in the name of ghost or cryptid hunting. He definitely definitely still believes in aliens n ghosts n such though.
They’re also all in the middle school band! Except Rome bc he got kicked out for getting in trouble too much. Jude plays the trombone, Mike the clarinet, Noah the trumpet, Rome was in percussion before he was kicked out, and for Rita I haven’t really decided what yet but some contenders are oboe, violin/viola if it’s one of those bands that have a string section, or saxophone. They have a d&d session going right now, it’s 2e bc that’s what would be the most recent edition for the time period iirc! Jude is the dm, Mike is the magic user, Rita is the cleric, Rome is the thief, and Noah is the fighter. All themed around their god tier ideas lol. They also have code names, though the only 3 I really like are Jude’s, Rome’s, and Rita’s
Jude’s is Jay-Bird, which was a nickname given by Rome that much to Jude’s dismay became his codename (Jude is the object of ridicule a lot sorry</3) Rome’s is Foxtrot, which is the NATO phonetic alphabet for F, since his last name is Foster, and Rita’s is RVal which is just a throwback to RoLal from homestuck proper. The what I’ll call placeholder code names for Noah and Mike are John Doe and Winchester respectively, I’ll assume u get the John Doe one but Winchester is specifically referring to the haunted Winchester house lol. They just always felt too long to me, and like the code names themselves would need nicknames, which defeats the point of code names lmaoo.
I’m starting the run out of things I wanted to say about them but please feel free to ask more questions! I’ll definitely probably have an answer to whatever u ask lol. I do wanna just throw in that Rome chronically gives people nicknames, and will usually call Jude ‘juice’ or Noah ‘sandwich’ referring to Noah’s last name lol (or Sanddick if he’s feeling exceptionally mean). They all also have very polarizing opinions of Christmas movie Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas and if u know the movie you can probably just guess what Rita thinks of it lmaoo.
14 notes · View notes
barry-j-blupjeans · 2 years
Note
They all sound so interestinggggggg ugh how do I choose????
Okay okay, obviously Magnus Talks to the Red Robe AU because I have been so so SO excited for that one since the first tiny snippet you've posted about it
Angus/Annie AU my BELOVED, I absolutely ADORED Annie growing up, and I just have a need now to know more about this deep within my soul omg
Barry's sad ): fic is a hilarious way to name a fic and is interesting, but if you don't want to answer anything about that one because I already said two of them, that's okie lol
magnus talks to the red robe au is a mess but it's my mess and i love it. i think the name is pretty self-explanatory but just in case- magnus decides to actually COMMUNICATE like a NORMAL PERSON to red robe barry bc he's confused n lucretia isn't giving him any straight answers. im kinda stuck on a bit rn so it's a heavy wip but! it's almost done? a hesitant almost done on the first draft at least sldfsd. i love seeing barry n magnus interact so it's good 👌
a bite-sized snippet:
--
“There has to be a way to stop it, though,” Magnus said and the Red Robe grimaced.
“We… we tried, Magnus.”
“Well, then you try again!” Magnus said. “I’m not gonna just let the Storm destroy this world, I’m- this is my home!”
“I know,” the Red Robe said quietly. There was a pain in his voice and Magnus couldn’t comprehend why. “I’m… I’ll try my best, bud.”
“Promise me,” Magnus said. He held out his hand. “Shake on it. Anything. Just promise me you won’t let the storm get this world.”
“I- I can’t shake your hand, Mags, I’m like, a ghost, but I- I promise. I don’t like seeing a world get gobbled up just as much as you don’t. Now, uh, did you have any questions? For me?”
--
rest of the answers are below the cut bc this is getting long sdlkfsd
the annie/angus au is so underdeveloped still sdlfsd. im basing it off the 1999 annie bc that one's my favorite tho :O angus, ofc, would be annie. Taako is Warbucks, Kravitz is Grace, and i cannot describe how happy i was deciding that edward n lydia would be miss hannigan/rooster bc it's a golden idea sldfjsd. unsure about lily yet but im heavily leaning towards sazed or brian tbh. i feel like brian would fit the role better tho!
(again, vv underdeveloped, i barely have anything written down for it lsdfkds)
barry's sad ):!!! i have depression, now barry has depression! that's how it works baby! that's pretty much the plot sddfjsd. just,, barry coping w the fact that he was alone and ostracized for 12 years and then suddenly being shoved back into a family situation where the whole world is grateful for him? that's gotta be rough. n it's like,, the anger that can come w that disconnect and the sadness of even having to go through it at all.
again, as with most of my fics, this one is Primarily Vent Based. i see a lot of ppl talking about how ptsd/other mental health issues can make you sad and tired and stuff, but not nearly enough about how angry it can make you? especially towards ppl who are just trying to help. this is me trying to explore that side of myself (and barry) in a way that won't necessarily hurt anyone u know 😔 trauma can get u REAL fucked up and then ur just not supposed to talk about it w ppl???? it's wild
anyway slkdfsd- snippet again :O
--
“That’s not it at- at all,” Barry said, pressing his hands into his face. The pressure felt nice. “I know that you didn’t care and that everyone outside of- of us, you still don’t really give a fuck about. Like, I get that. But I spent so long depending on others because if I didn’t have hope in y’all, what did I have, y’know? Literally, if I gave up, what would I have?”
“Outta control lich,” Taako said. “Fantasy Christ, Barold.”
“Yeah,” Barry said, taking his glasses off. He pressed his head against the pod. It was disgustingly warm. He didn’t really mind. “I wish I could not care, like you. I wish I could just say fuck everyone else, but I can’t. I feel bad, T. I wanna fuckin’ stop feeling bad.”
Taako was silent. Barry felt tears bubble up. His throat felt like chalk and his whole body was tense. He was so tired. He was so tired. He couldn’t take a break until things were fixed. Like when you’re running a marathon. You can’t sit down or you might not get back up, because your legs are so sore. Except Barry’s entire body was sore. Everyday. The deep ache in his chest, the pull of gravity throwing him down. As a lich, things were easier to ignore. As a human, in a living body again? Gods…
“I think you need to go to bed,” Taako finally said.
--
9 notes · View notes
welkinsky · 3 years
Note
Congrats to 100 follower ✨💖 you really deserve it. You constantly put quality content out there 🥺
As for your celebration, what about the alphabet for Kakashi? 🥰
Kakashi X Reader | A-Z Headcanon
Tumblr media
Masterlist
A-Z Headcanon
Warning: 18+ Content
A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)
Once you two are done and tired, he's gonna take a moment and then turn over to you to smile and adore how flushed you look. He usually kisses your forehead and then pulls you into his chest. Once you two are all calmed down. "You want to hop in the shower baby?" Still running his one hand through your hair. If you say you want to rest a bit more, he gets up to get you water and towels, or if you say yes then expect a "Round 2?" joke on your way, which wasn't actually a joke.
B = Body part (Their favorite body part of their partner’s)
Your thighs! Doesn't matter if you have thick thighs or not he likes to grab them while you're on top or you two are just chilling and he is running his hand through them and they slip certain places "by accident"
In a non-sexual way, it is your hair, for sure. He likes to bury his face in them because the scent of the fresh shampoo is relaxing to him. If you change your shampoo he'll notice it right away, expect a new bottle of the same shampoo on the shelf next to your new one the next day.
C = Cuddling
Cuddling with this man is a dream! He likes to be all over you with one leg over yours and your face buried in his chest. Even if you are being the small spoon, his one leg will be over you and your head resting on one of his arm and his other arm over your shoulder pulling you closer to his chest.
Whenever you two are on a nap date, his hand is always resting on you. He becomes restless when he can't find you but calms down after finding you on the other side of the bed. Then just keeps his palm on you rather than pulling you in and waking you up.
D = Dirty Secret
This one time, you two had an idea of taking some nudes together just for fun to see whose turns out to be the better one. You both set a rule to get rid of them after the winner was announced, which never happened since you two were so turned on in the process that you two ended up doing it. You forgot it but he still has your photo with him. Shut up, it helps him on long missions.
E = Experience 
He was not a virgin, but he wasn't much experienced either. If you want to know more about this scenario find it here.
In starting he kept things vanilla, he didn't want to freak you out. But you wanted more but that was the case with you too so this one time you stole his Itcha Itcha to read what type of stuff he was into. AND YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. You had to read it as fast as you can because he'd notice that it was missing.
And when you suggested something, it was a shock to him because he knows exactly how to do it but to ACTUALLY experience it and that too with YOU? The guy was in actual heaven that day.
F = Favourite Position 
It depends, he is a tease so he likes when you do all the work but just wait till he has your image of having one leg over his shoulder while he's pounding into you and you're all flustered, aaaaand the guy is pinning you down and going at it.
Or if he is IN THE MOOD he's gonna start with you on all fours and will end up having you burring your face in the pillow.
G = Goofy
Hehe he is the best type of goofy. He says the jokes with a straight face while everyone is on the floor dying. He only lets out a small laugh when you are laughing your "so-called ugly laugh" in front of others too.
But sometimes he starts laughing even before cracking the joke because it was that funny, "Oh boy, naah it's nothing" he says wiping a tear, off his one eye. You all will beg him but according to him "the moment is gone" lol he IS a tease.
H = Hair 
His hair is sooooo fluffy! And after how little he looks after them? It is almost a joke on you. You take care of your hair a lot but this guy probably washes it with body wash and still has such good quality. He always says that it is a good diet to trick you into healthy eating too. This guy never misses a chance to do that.
I = Intimacy 
Your emotional intimacy is something that is beyond this world. You both never knew that you were capable of feeling emotions so strongly.  You're hurt? He feels this burning feeling in his heart that he can't get rid of. He is having a nightmare? It breaks your heart that you cannot do anything about what he had to go through.
Not for once have you two felt any sort of negative emotions to one another but just love and CARE! You love your people but for the first time, you've felt that "care" not from the words but actions. 
For the first time, you two have felt that you don't have to do everything on your own, you can divide it and let your guard down for a moment because you know that other one will be there if something goes wrong.
J = Jack Off 
He does it normally when he is out on a mission or away from you for a while. One thought of you can turn him on in that case.
K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)
Ohohoho where should I even start? He LOVES to handcuff you because that just gives him more power over what he wants you to feel. Which is why he likes blindfold too.
As your relationship grows he likes the risk factor too so he likes to do it in a tricky place. But while making sure that your reputation doesn't get compromised at any cost.
L = Location (Favourite places to do they do)
Umm isn't it obvious? Anywhere? Literally. But he loves to bend you over the kitchen counter and take you then and there as he enters the house and finds you cooking or just having a drink or something.
M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)
He will do anything you ask for while doing it to make sure that he will be able to see that face of yours when you have just let go and you're too flustered to even care. It shows him that you are enjoying it.
Or if it is just you pleasing him and you look up to him with "puppy eyes" heh don't blame him for what is about to happen to you.
N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn-offs)
You risking your reputation for the "risk factor". See, everyone sees you highly in the village and he loves the respect that they give you. He WILL NEVER ruin it just because he is feeling it right now and won't let you do the same too.
O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc)
It may not seem like it but he LOVES to give it to you. Actually, if this time it is more of a sensual one then he always starts with eating you only. It is his way of showing that you're his priority.
He has long fingers so umm ya. You're overstimulated most of the time. As much as he loves seeing this, he holds your hand with one while the other one is pumping in and out of you as he plays with your clit with his tongue.
He loves to hold one hand with you even while he is eating you out. Wow.
P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)
He starts with "slow as death" ones and then once you're begging to him theeen he goes fast and deep. You ARE lucky to have him honestly :')
Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)
You don't even have to say anything? You are looking good before you two go out? You'll be doing it before leaving the house.
It's not his fault! You look too good, it's your fault.
And sometimes these quickies turn into something more and you two end up staying home.
R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)
Risk who? That's all I'm gonna say.
S = Stamina 
He can go for a lot of rounds. But if he is just back from the mission or has been busy all day and now he is tired. Please don't push him. Not because he is a "poor guy" or something, nooooo, this idiot will get horny and do it anyway. But regret in the morning because he didn't take enough rest.
T = Toy
He bought it only when you two started experimenting so you both have handcuffs (used for you only he doesn't like to be a sub that often), a blindfold, and a vibrator for sure. This fucker likes to edge you a lot.
U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)
Heh isn't it clear already? This guy is the definition of being unfair. As you start to get a little annoyed and turn to him and catch him smirking, all that "annoyance" turns into "lust" lol you simp! But can we really blame you?
V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)
If you are doing it somewhere out? He'll keep shut and even cover your mouth to avoid getting caught. But if he is at home, he will grunt a lot but will let out a loud moan once he reaches his high
W = Wild Card (Just a random headcanon because I cannot think of anything starting with W)
He cooks for you in the morning. That is the only time he can make sure that you have a good healthy meal since he is not there for lunch and you make the dinner.
If he is cooking in the morning then expect your lunch prepared for you too.  *and meal prep for dinner* bro he wants to make sure that you are taking care of yourself because you work too hard okay? Shut up and have your fruits and drink some water as you read this...... Go now, sip some water.
X = X-Ray
He has a lean physique but specifically, his arms are muscular and they are getting buffer after you mention that you like buffed arms. Hehe being slick, okayyyy.
Also, he has long slim fingers, umm good for you.
But you like to draw in his hands too sometimes. Just some little things. He smiles at them as he looks at them later.
Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)
He kind of has a strong sex drive. Most of the time if it is because of the fact that he is too excited to try new things on you.
Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterward)
He doesn't sleep until he knows that you are sound asleep. He likes to take in the scent of your hair and just run his fingers through your hair to calm you down a bit. Do it back too, please. He loves it a lot! If you stop and start doing something else, he'll bring back your hand to his hair and make you do it for as long as you don't fall asleep. In any case, he is sleeping once you're asleep.
____________________________
Shikamaru is my favorite character but ya’ll are making me change my lane with how many posts I’ve written for Kakashi XD
Thanks For Reading and for the ask!
If you liked it you can check out the masterlist too!
539 notes · View notes
penrose-quinn · 2 years
Text
Couldn’t Tell
Tumblr media
“You know,” you smiled. “Keep this up, and he’ll start to think I’m gonna replace him.”
It’d just been a casual joke. Even if it wasn’t, Wakasa doubted that, but he still asked.
“You think so?”
pairings: wakasa imaushi/reader ❁ background (oblivious) shinichiro sano/reader 
content tags: companion piece prequel to green light. tokrev manga spoilers. first gen black dragons ultraviolence era. gender neutral reader. reader is a bit of a menace and so is wakasa. growing up together and growing apart. oblivious mutual pining. denial of feelings. blood and injury. mentions of violence and shady gang behavior. mostly friendship. the ambiguity of teenage crushes. 
a/n: can't believe i'm really expanding on that one brief mention of wakasa, but here we are lol. this is mostly platonic!first gen black dragons x reader but more waka, and shin's the center of everyone's world so yeah. heads-up, tw for underage drinking. they’re minors in that one scene, but in the next one they’re at least 18-19 but still.
green light ❁ read on ao3
Tumblr media
“Don’t tell Shin about this . . .” his brow crept up slowly where you trailed off, only to interrupt yourself with an awkward cough. “He’ll freak out.”
Wakasa said nothing, about to clean the cut on your cheekbone with a washcloth, and you leaned back out of irritation. Sitting on the floor with him, you still attempted to put up a bluster of stubbornness, but your injuries didn’t let you, wearily slumping you back against the wall.
That didn’t mean you didn’t have your wild eyes on. You probably didn’t mean to look so dangerous – just a last, exasperated aftereffect from the heat of that scuffle earlier – but you fought for his attention. He’s a bit convinced you’d even claw for it.
“Imaushi-san.”
He thought you’re in no position to make demands, though you framed his name in the tone of an earnest request, so he’d shrug, maybe threaten another second more.
Maybe Shinichiro had rubbed off on him, scraping away the edges that made him ruthless, unchallenged.
But then again, it wasn’t like you cared who challenged you. Even that monster Tobe.
“Stay still.”
This time, he dabbed the washcloth on your cut without warning, though he made sure to not press too hard, which baffled you with a blink.
“I won’t tell him,” said Wakasa, and your mouth no longer hung open in protest, resigning to a sigh instead, as you angled your face for him in compliance the moment he began to wipe the streak of dried blood that ran down the side of your face.
You observed him, but whenever your gazes met, you’d pore your attention on something else.
Christmas in Ginza was rather eventful.
Wakasa thought about the gang fight they had with the Roppongi Blue Devils earlier, and then back to you, ambushed right after.
“What do you have against Tobe anyway?”
“He had a score to settle with me,” you shrugged, but you didn’t elaborate further. “You know him?”
“He used to be a member of Kodo Rengo,” Wakasa answered, pausing to linger on a reflective, “before I . . .”
“Black Dragons,” you finished with a nod, and then you scratched the back of your neck, eyes lowered down bashfully. “Oh. Um, sorry?”
He faltered in his ministrations for an interval, hand hovering above your wrist, waiting.
“He must’ve been your friend, I guess. I sort of dislocated his shoulder,” you explained, as if he wasn’t with you to witness it all himself. You’re mangled now, but you didn’t really need his help back there. “I don’t regret it. I mean, he did some damage on me too, but well . . .”
Wakasa huffed out a chuckle, resuming to apply salve on the hideous gash on your right forearm, and you tensed from the brush of his fingertips, more from his reaction than the mild sting of the antiseptic.
Even so, he took it upon himself to be gentle on the raw skin from the jut of your elbow; in his opinion, a tad indulgent from the last swipe there, though you didn’t comment on it nor did he on the manner your throat bobbed, swallowing on nothing. He assumed that you’re just mulling over his slip earlier, and then proceeded rolling the gauze around your forearm.
“That’s between the two of you,” Wakasa replied, bearing no ill will, as he tied a knot on your palm. “It’s none of my business.”
“Thank you,” you murmured after he’s done treating your wounds.
“Sure.”
Your fingers lightly touched the bandage patch on your cheek, and Wakasa tried not to dwell on the warmth of your skin, almost close to burning. He thought of abrasion, and then back to your gaze wandering around his room until it was fixed on the trophies gathering dust on the mounted shelf above his study table.
“You competed,” you said in awed realization, even though he was indifferent about it nowadays when the last time he joined in any of those martial arts tournaments was before he got himself thrown in juvie. “Explains a lot. The way you fight.”
“So you trained too?” He didn’t exactly take up karate, but he recognized the form in your kick.
“Yeah, back then. At the Sano family dojo.”
“Sano, huh. Why does he still suck at fighting then?”
“Beats me. He always bailed training,” you recalled, lips curving up in nostalgia. “Said he’d rather go off be a delinquent.”
There’s a question that sat quietly between his lips, but he figured it’d be too obvious and there wasn’t anything much to pursue about it now.
Wakasa reclined back against the wall next to you and pulled out a lollipop from his pocket, which you stared at intently.
“Do you have more of those?”
“What for?”
“I gotta bribe my niece.” When he regarded you with confusion, you tilted your head at him, tacking on a question. “No little sister?”
“No. What does bribing have to do with that?”
You lifted a shrug. “Easier to talk to girls.”
Now, that intrigued him. Perhaps, in a curious sense whether you had more of a shot with them than your best friend because he wasn’t going to be that surprised if you did have a few admirers.
Perhaps, if you’re reputation didn’t precede you and that you could tone down the harsh reservation you built around you like a cold wall. Like right now, offhanded and a bit curious, and even though you still acted like a stiff, you looked more like you could breathe a little better, smile a little wider.
Wakasa wondered if Shin was actually trying to hoard this side of you all for himself.
“And they’re better at keeping secrets.” Then your voice was softer, more than you’d probably admit: “Me and my niece have a pact, you see. Gotta honor that.”
Wakasa snorted. “Over candy?”
“Keiko has a sweet tooth,” you reasoned. “She’s also the one who unlocks the door for me when I sneak out this late.”
Then your hand slid in your pocket, rummaging for something. “I’ll pay up, if you want.”
Although Wakasa already repaid you for backing him up from the previous fight, he humored you anyway when he fished out his least favorite lollipop from his desk drawer. Sure, he found you amusing now, but you weren’t worth losing any of his lemon lime and sour apple ones.    
You bartered two sticks of gum and a fifty yen coin.
Wakasa considered it with a wry glance before just taking the gum in exchange of a lollipop.
Unwrapping one, he stuck it on his mouth. Spearmint. "Fifty yen can't buy you shit."
You shrugged. "Not when you have another fifty."
"Might as well give me a hundred then."
"Too late. You chose the gum."
Well. It wasn't like he was planning to give it back.
Tumblr media
Arashi Keizo was easier to read.
For all their disparities and long-standing disputes, they were delinquents through and through.
Wakasa could say the same for someone bullheaded like Takeomi, and to an extent, Shinichiro, even if he’d been an enigma more than anything.
Then beside him was you, and as astute as he was in his observations, he couldn’t quite figure out where you exactly fall under when everyone else held a different kind of disaster to them. It wasn’t like you weren't, though he couldn't fathom why you wanted that part of you to be subdued.
It's what made you into such a walking contradiction.
You didn't look like a delinquent, but you felt like one. You’re also determined to amend that in the manner you spoke and the way you dressed.
Though it would only take a glimpse of your torn knuckles, the jut of your chin, and the insolence that had one charging forward with a raised fist, wild and half-crazed from adrenaline.
There’s a kind of vagrancy to you that no one saw closely. Perhaps, Shin had, but that's just how he was, and Wakasa wondered if this was what intrigued him about you, framed behind your glasses.
He didn't like them the first time.
It's what got him fooled about you. They’re fake, and you wore them for some reason. He wouldn't tell you that they never suited you; a second too distracted with the clarity that you looked more like yourself without them.
After he had crushed them under his heel.
Even he'd admit now that was a dick move at the time. Though he returned to this memory with a rather dull realization that you weren't upset at him because he stepped on your glasses.
It didn't exactly hit him at first. More like kick.
On the same, sore place he'd sent Sano Shinichiro to the hospital that day.
After all that, Wakasa wouldn't have thought that he could still find a place in the Black Dragons. Like how you did in your persistence to be set apart from them.
“Here,” you said behind him, and he nodded before parking at the side of the path.
Your house was smaller than Shin’s, ordinary and conforming within an equally ordinary and conforming neighborhood; a little far-off from what he’d known in the city, too quiet for his liking.
However, something about the potted plants at the front of your place set off a kind of sweetness from the others. It looked more lived-in, modest but in a charming way. He wasn’t sure where he drew that out from, though he wondered if it revealed something about you. He couldn’t quite see you as the type that watered geraniums in the morning.
You dismounted from his motorbike, making a poor attempt to appear unaffected by your wounds. Then unclipping the chain strap, you returned back his helmet, which he accepted but wouldn’t wear on his ride back. “Thank you again, Imaushi-san.”
Wakasa drawled out your name, lacking an honorific for emphasis. “Told ya to not be so formal.”
You considered it for a long moment. It made him a little impatient.
“Okay. Just don’t tell about tonight, all right?”
“Thought you and Shin-chan were close. Why’re you keeping things from him?”
You shrugged. “He doesn’t always have to know everything.”
That didn’t really answer why you’re so hellbent on hiding it.
“But I’d know.”
A soft pause. “Yeah, you’d know.”
And that’s how this friendship began between the both of you.
It’s uncalled for, and Wakasa still thought of you more like a case study for acting the way you did around him.
You grinned at how perplexed he was about this. There's a hint of blood on the slits of your teeth. You looked messed-up, and he’d like to think there’s just some stale gum stuck on his molars when he felt a tug from the corner of his mouth.
Tumblr media
"Oi. Aren't we minors?"
Wakasa figured you'd be the kind of person to bring up something like that after going through the trouble stealing beer and snacks from a shop owner in Shinjuku, who to everyone's disgust and indignation owned child porn.
No one had qualms roughing him up and raiding his shop. The bastard deserved it anyway.
Yet for some unspoken reason, Wakasa could tell that everyone in the room had seen worse.
"Go be an uptight ass somewhere else," retorted Takeomi.
"Want me to kick yours?" you returned back.
“Bet I can—”
"All right! You two, cut that out."
Shinichiro would intervene as usual.
Wakasa wondered how long Shin had been putting up with this shitshow – when those two likely occupied a space in his heart for the longest time, any fool would notice – and although he really wasn’t that sentimental, it rewound glimpses of another time. It wasn't that long ago, just a year or so, and it wasn't pretty like this either, not that this garage should be with all this clutter and camaraderie.
There were boxes of junk and a poster of a Yamaha FZR1000R EXUP bedecked on the wall like a shrine. There's a garden outside that his grandfather tended to with such great care and everyone was still mindful enough to not step on shrubs or flick away cigarette butts like they'd been scolded little kids, scared shitless of the delicate mundanity of something they weren't apart of. Something Shinichiro welcomed them in because he'd been that guy to just stomp his foot stubbornly and say, why the hell not? 
Wakasa wanted that kind of simplicity for himself or perhaps had lost it because the gutter of city streets weren't suburbia and between survival and criminality, those two often blurred if you didn't give a damn. Turf wars only brought out the worst in people; each vendetta brutal and blood-soaked just to best the other until nothing else mattered anymore. 
How amusing, he thought anyway, calmly sitting side by side with his one and only rival in Shinichiro’s garage.
"Just take the beer," Benkei cut in, reaching a bottle to you. "Or not."
You blew out a sigh, accepting the beer, but Wakasa was the one that got the grunt of your temper.
The truth was he didn't mind at all. He'd rather you be like that.
"This ain't a show."
Wakasa shrugged. "I beg to differ."
Then you opened a bag of chips, helping yourself with a mouthful, and then you offered it to him as to make up for snapping back earlier. His hand stretched forward to reach.
Tumblr media
You aspired to be a boring person.
Shinichiro would mock your resolve by unintentionally sabotaging you from that path in life. Takeomi settled with just calling you both dumbasses. Benkei would still puzzle over your words, still coming out blank, though Wakasa thought that anyone who made a promise out of them must be the most miserable people for making themselves appear more interesting than they actually were.
He was right, of course.
Because as it turned out, you were just weird.
Shinichiro laughed at that. Must've known deep down that anyone who was close friends with him was in some way.
For one, you wanted to look like a valedictorian, but you're lousy with algebra equations. Wakasa was no better when he hardly remembered anything in his classes or had attended them in awhile. Though he couldn't help but watch you when he caught you finishing it before a meeting. It looked doomed from the start, but you’re studious when you'd get it right after three flustered attempts and a bottle of roasted barley tea. He rewarded you with Mitarashi dango from the stall he frequented in Ameyoko, and you ate the rest of it even though he would learn later on from Shin that you disliked dangos.
You’re unfairly good at memorization. You read a lot too, but that’s because you preferred short stories over novels. You didn't have much patience for the latter, as you did with most things.
He knew you liked that book about a psychiatric patient meeting kappa people because you thought it's bizarre – in a comforting way, like reading your first ghost story. You had a small collection of Akutagawa's works, and you liked manga that was similar to Junji Ito's, with the exception of Ranma ½.
Your sister got you into it. That's the only time you spoke about your family, albeit everyone knowing who your brother was.
The slightest mention of him had people shuddering the moment you were there within earshot because your brother was a delinquent from a fearsome generation, and if he was still anything like the stories, then mouths were better off shut – unless they'd be sealed for good, six feet under.
You, however, didn't waver like them. The mere thought of him always made you livid like a bruise, angry and aching.
Wakasa never knew what happened, and perhaps, it's for the best that the past remained unearthed in lieu of the mildness Shinichiro had brought out of you.
You shared everything with him: childhood, cigarettes, and all.
There's really something between the two of you that no one could put into words.
The worst one that had ever been mustered up was from a snide remark about him sucking you off so you could win his fights for him and the unfortunate bastard was battered up so bad he coughed blood and teeth. Shinichiro had to stop you himself.
The both of you were open about the fact that you didn't even see each other that way.
You're more vocal about it and other things about him.
Like going on a tangent about being a firm believer that Shinichiro must've been a single auntie in a past life because he doted on little kids, he always had candy that he gave away, and he gossiped a lot more than any other teenage boy. His cooking was below average, but he made sure no one ever starved around him. He was warm.
It wasn't as if Wakasa didn't believe you, but there's a deep fondness in your eyes whenever you spoke about Shin; eyes that were intense and strong and vivid with emotion; eyes that were looking at him.
He wondered what you saw.
"You're more like a bird than a big cat."
Benkei guffawed.
That earned him a kick on the shin, and he retaliated with a swing of his arm before chuckling under his breath. "Fucking big cat, I swear. Why's he a bird then, eh?"
Wakasa sent you a stare that dared you, and you stared back unfalteringly with a smile.
"I've never seen anyone kick as high as that. Looks more like he's flying."
"Well, would you look at that. You're being praised, birdie."
With a block, Benkei dodged the following kick. It's slower than the last time.
Wakasa didn't break eye contact with you, but he didn't say a word.
Tumblr media
The only time he did was when you were finally alone with him.
"You," Wakasa said. "What else?"
"Huh?"
"What else do you have to say about me?"
"Look, I'm not mocking you when I compared you to a bird, but I meant what I said. You really do look like you're flying," you clarified before opening up again, more passionate about it this time, "it's cool. You're cool."
There's something else stuck inside your mouth. It lingered in the silence; your eyes averted, abashed.
Wakasa wanted to tug it out of you, but he found himself too fixated over your words. Something about them made him want to soar.
"I think you're cool too," he told you this with an honesty that had taken him aback more than you had. It lacked the usual, lackluster drawl in place of something softer, close to a whisper, but he figured you'd be the only one who got to hear it. He'd rather it just be you.
“You don't mean that," you replied, making him raise a brow at you.
"What makes you think so?"
"You're just being nice," you sighed with an uncertain gaze. "I don't know why. But you're always nice."
"I'm not,” said Wakasa. He and Benkei just beat up an entire gang; the leader had his jaw broken from the force of his foot. You covered for him so he could go for the finishing blow, even though you took more damage from it. All of you probably weren’t nice, though that didn’t matter to him. “But I meant it."
Then he threw back your words at you with a sly bend of his lips.
"You don't have to fly to make me say that."
Tumblr media
“You look like you’ve just woken up.”
You were about to wave your hand at him, though it stopped midway only for your arm to fall back and prop against the leg that’s crossed against the other, palm bent by your chin, shoulders slouched.
There’s a soft languidness in your stare, but that didn’t make you any less awake, peeved, after huffing a little. “You’re not wrong.”
Wakasa stared at the coffee can beside you, and then back to your face, the slight ruffle of your hair.
“Why aren’t you in uniform?” he asked.
“Still in the wash,” you slurred a bit after a yawn. “I kind of forgot we had a meeting today. Told Shin I should just skip it, but he insisted.”
You're in a t-shirt and a pair of joggers, though what really caught his attention was the sandals and the inked head of a dragon slithering on your right ankle, partially hidden under the cuff of your pants. If you weren’t so discreet about it, everyone would've known by now that your tattoo spiraled up to the length of your calf. Honestly, why get one if you're just going to hide it in the first place?
“You should’ve worn something warmer,” scolded Wakasa, starting to unbutton his gang jacket. “It’s cold out.”
You quirked a brow at him at first before abiding with a shrug, standing up to put it on you but somewhere along the way, your hands must’ve missed and his acted on their own when he draped it on you.
There’s an obscure point where your shoulders eased and his thumb brushed on your collarbone.
Wakasa wondered if he’s crossed the line, though he was quiet and distracted when he watched you slip your arms into the sleeves of his jacket.
Then you sent him a funny look in return when you stared at his sweatshirt paired with his boots and boiler pants, and found how terribly mismatched the both of you were, like a myriad of complicated things trying to figure each other out, and he thought that it wasn’t that farfetched.
“Shouldn’t you be in uniform? You’re a captain.”
Didn’t make him any less, so he shrugged, hand on his pocket. Perhaps from negligence, there’s still a candy wrapper inside; his idle fingers clutching onto it, not knowing whether it’s a gum or a lollipop one.
“You know,” you smiled. “Keep this up, and he’ll start to think I’m gonna replace him.”
It’d just been a casual joke. Even if it wasn’t, Wakasa doubted that, but he still asked.
“You think so?”
You didn’t exactly give an answer, but you weren’t looking at him anymore. “Can anyone really replace him?”
Then his eyes followed after yours, on the stone platform where Shinichiro made his grand entrance.
Everyone stood upright from his presence alone. The meeting was about to commence.
His lips curled up. “Guess not.”
The both of your gazes weren’t without respect and admiration for him from this distance; the solemn flap of his gang jacket spreading out behind him like the cowl of the night, emblazoned in gold.
Even though Wakasa agreed with you that it probably hadn’t been washed and it stunk of cigarettes. Benkei chided the two of you after clearing his throat, which suspiciously sounded more like a snort of amusement than anything else.
“I like yours better, though,” you whispered, still clad in his jacket, and a little lost from your words, Wakasa didn’t tell you that you shouldn’t forget yours next time.
Tumblr media
But next time had become your last time when you made the decision to quit the Black Dragons.
Posture proud and rigid and arms tucked behind your back, you bowed at them to your waist, with the last, flaming blaze of the sunset falling over your shoulder. Some would like to believe it was the early twilight of an era when your shadow had appeared taller that day.
“Thank you for having me!”
Wakasa couldn’t even find it in himself to badger you for the formality.
Later down the line, Shinichiro would disband the gang and the few remnants would take over after them, like the passing of another day, and whenever Wakasa looked back to it now, his commander had eyes set at looking forward, even if the brighter times must come to an end.
Tumblr media
“Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t hang out,” said Shinichiro, resolute as ever.
“Didn’t think I was so missed,” a handful of snorts, and then you sighed. “All of you didn’t have to scare off my seniors, though.”
“That’d be Kei’s ugly mug.”
“You’re the one who threatened the teacher!”
“He was pissin’ me off,” Wakasa said insouciantly before twirling the lollipop in his mouth. “How’s cram school by the way?”
“Boring.” You frowned with a hand under your chin, no longer telling them that you’d also been occupied prepping up for college entrance exams for weeks. “Well, seems more like I’m the one that missed out. What are you all up to?”
“We put some punks from Kichijoji in their place for trying to mess with us,” Takeomi bragged. “Ain’t that right, Shin?”
“Yeah, yeah, anyway,” dismissed Shinichiro with a wave, and something about his disinterest hurt Takeomi a little. “I’m taking an apprenticeship for the summer. Yoneda-san’s gonna have me in his motor shop.”
Shinichiro was excited about it because everyone knew how much he dedicated himself into gaining his knowledge on motorcycles. He was already somewhat of a mechanic in a way when he'd volunteer to fix their bikes if they broke down, wrecked, and he'd tinker on a dead engine for hours on end.
It's one of those moments where his passion shined through when he really didn't seem to have as much motivation being in school and whatever it offered there.
All of them were aware that Benkei was working in a small gym from Nishi-Azabu, though what surprised them was that Wakasa had been referred by him to take the job opening for full-time assistant trainer. Shrugging, he planned to start next week.
Takeomi was blatant about wanting to be rich a long time ago, maybe own a club in the future.
Talks of dreams and stories went about over pizza. They were drinking Coca Cola awhile ago until someone snuck alcohol in there, mixing it in their glasses in small doses.
They were careful to never let it anywhere near Mikey who joined for pizza slices and listened in the conversation with curious eyes. The moment he drifted away to watch TV back in the house was when all the recklessness began after the suggestion of beer pong because first, there was no beer; second, one of them brought up the psychotic idea to let the loser down a cocktail of Coca Cola, gin, and hot sauce; third, it devolved into chaos when it turned into a competition.
Backs were stabbed, curses were thrown. Benkei flipped a stool. You slipped on an ice cube. Takeomi accidentally spilled gin on Wakasa's hoodie. Shinichiro was probably crying at some point. Everyone was getting sick of junk food. There's a mess on the floor of the garage. It was just two in the morning.
It was stupid fun. 
Despite it all, you're the first one to pass out. Not really from the alcohol, but you’re quick to doze off after you still had the stomach to finish the leftover pizza. Everyone stared at you curled up on the floor, mumbling in your sleep.
Shinichiro would speak on your behalf that you were probably tired, but Wakasa was already on the move to carry you to his bedroom once he began lifting you up, unconcerned whether he roused you awake. He’d rather you be, but you’d always been such a heavy sleeper.
There’s something off about how Shinichiro assessed this, however.
Perhaps, he was just a little stunned that he hadn’t done it first – or someone else had done it for you – though he nodded it off, instructing him where the extra futons were in the house, and simply smiled. It’s too smooth, lacking that playful crookedness, when he noticed your arm resting on his shoulder.
His eyes lingered a second too long just before Takeomi pulled him into his stride with a rag, doing something responsible for once.
Benkei watched them, but he didn’t ask him if he needed help with you, concerning himself with a trash bag.
When you were settled on the bed, it’s starting to dawn on him why you thought he’d overreact on certain things – were you aware or were you just as oblivious? – and while Wakasa couldn’t brush aside the way Shinichiro looked at you, he couldn’t help but feel selfish about this, like he’s trespassing on something that he shouldn’t.
Like he’s trampling it all down, and he’d done it before without remorse to enemies, to weaker people, but he liked Shin.
Then he stared at you and sighed.
Wakasa gently removed your glasses, untucking a few strands, and he would brush them back from your face, soft from sleep and the subtle, ambient glow of a lamplight from the window, passing through the blinds. The both of you were striped in white against the indigo shadows of the room, and there’s a part of him that thought it’s nice that you almost looked the same.
He felt like he could reach you like this. He wondered if he could. If he should.
Tender from the pads of his fingers.
The glint of silver helix studs distracted him, twin stars on your ear.
Wakasa remembered complimenting you, searching for the expression of your face. The day was an October gray, and the wind was harsher on your hair, tousling it all over the place. He couldn’t take you seriously when you gave up keeping it still until it compelled his hand, pushing them back behind the curve of your ear.
Nice piercings, he told you back then, and something about your hair and words tangled from that, lips slightly agape. He leaned closer for a better look.
There’s a strand at the corner of your mouth, though a name curled along there now, barely a whisper, and he didn’t want to know whose it was. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to know at all.
Tumblr media
"I kissed someone," you said in the middle of the crossing. "It didn't feel right."
Silence fell for a long, stagnant moment, yet the both of you kept moving, and so did the words that didn't make sense to him.
"No one gets it right the first time," was the only thing he offered, and as your eyes wandered to the madding crowd, a little disheartened, it's all what he could think about that afternoon.
Tumblr media
“You’re moving to Nagoya,” Wakasa repeated, letting the thought sink down and drown him.
“Yeah . . .” you said as if you’re still taking it all in yourself; your smile thin, but you’re sucking on sour candy and he understood you with his own, slowly starting to unravel behind his teeth.
"Meidai's a good university," you made it sound like you're trying to convince yourself that, and he went silent for a minute. Something awful dangled on his mouth.
“That’s pretty far,” he mused, drawing in another breath.
“Not that far.” But far.
“How did Shin-chan take it?”
“Well, I guess,” you lowered down to a pensive mumble.  
There’s a stillness to both of your hands; not meeting to touch but close.
“Then—” Wakasa caught himself before the words slipped, cloying and sour on his tongue.
Don’t go.
“I’m happy for you.”
Tumblr media
All five of you gathered at Shibuya station.
Shin insisted, though it was Benkei who swooped you up for a hug, making you breathe out a surprised laugh.
Benkei would always charge forward with how he expressed himself, whether from a fight or fondness, and it nearly had you in mid-air but you weren't one to back down either, clinging back to him.
Then an exchange of encouraging words and a few dad jokes, and that kicked off a trend that had all of you making such a small scene in public. Even so, they didn't care if they were.
Takeomi only relented after Shinichiro pushed him and he began to uncross his arms, sighing from his nose. The hug was stiff and awkward that it had the rest of them grunting out a chuckle at the sight.
Takeomi had too much pride to show affection, but he did make an effort with a lean and three pats on your back. The moment his hair splayed on your face, you jolted back petulantly. "Cut your damn hair."
"Fuck off," retorted Takeomi.
You were grinning at each other, all harmless profanity instead of best wishes.
Then you walked up to him. You still had your glasses on, but there’s a meaningful look in your eyes.
Before Wakasa could take a step forward, you didn't wait for him as you wrapped your arms on his sides. He froze at first, though something about your warmth thawed his initial shock from the embrace, and he felt himself loosen for a long, wistful moment where he could slide his arms around you, nestling his chin on the curve of your shoulder.
You harbored so much brutal strength though you felt delicate, bird-boned. He wanted to trace out your wings with a fingertip.
You likened him to a bird once, but you were the one that was about to take flight and disappear.
Wakasa was uncertain whether he wanted this to last or not, though he was sure that this was the only time he'd hold you like this. He whispered your name and you whispered his back, unspoken words lost to each other's hair, but the sentiment was all soft and well-meaning, quieter than a farewell. The two of you were a little older now to understand what this meant.
Then he lingered for a heartbeat before he unwound himself, thinking this was enough.
“Okay, that's about it,” you stated.
“Oi.”
“Bye, Shin.”
Then his hand hooked on the hood of your jacket. You let him drag you back to him like an idiot.
That’s right. The both of you were idiots, and Wakasa smiled.
You tilted your head at him. “What? No tears for me?”
Then Shinichiro embraced you, like he could engulf you within his arms.
You looked like you’re about to give in to a cry.
“You're gonna come back anyway,” he said stubbornly, sniffling. You didn’t complain that you’d get snot on your collar.
Shinichiro held you tighter, half-buried by your hair. He had a place in the space where your jaw met your throat, perhaps warm with tears.
You stared at all of them from his shoulder, but you were smiling sadly for him.
You didn’t want to let go of him the most.
“Take care of him.”
Tumblr media
Shinichiro cared so much about you.
He wouldn’t admit it, but he didn’t have to.
He searched for you in gazes, in the vacant seat next to him, in every little, insignificant thing. He’d always try to bring you up in conversations, as if to keep your presence near and important, and recount how you were based from your calls and messages. However, the following months took a toll on him when you got busier, more distant now than ever.
Because there’s this miserable truth about him.
Shinichiro was open to talks, to friendships, to shedding his tears for the smallest of reasons, though for someone so ardent and emotional, he didn’t let himself truly be vulnerable around anyone. Except you.
But you weren’t here. Wakasa wished you were, melancholic over your absence and the gap it left between them.
“You could trust me,” he said; the last trace of sour-sweetness on his lollipop stick was an afterthought, and bereft, he still tried, “Shin, what’s wrong?”
“Don’t tell anyone . . .” Shinichiro sighed, and it felt as if you never left at all.
Tumblr media
“We’ll all hang out together again someday,” Wakasa reassured him, even after being weighed down over what he knew for the longest time.
He wasn’t in school anymore, but the feeling was awfully similar, like how one passed notes in class, all the while carrying the sentiment that he was in on the secret that wasn’t much of a secret at all.
Tumblr media
Senju wasn’t all what he expected as Takeomi’s little sister.
There’s a fierceness in her eyes that he hadn’t seen anywhere else.
“Fight me!”
Bullheaded too, like her older brother.
Who had apparently shirked his responsibilities as one for spending the rest of the night in Kabukicho.
Wakasa couldn’t remember when he had agreed to babysit a demanding child, though Benkei was opposed to leaving her alone with a hungover Takeomi back at home. He also couldn’t remember when he began to enjoy his sessions with said demanding child, who’d been exuberant in her potential, her high kicks unmatched in the training grounds. He never doubted that she would soon be a force to be reckoned with.
He could say the same for Mikey, though he liked Senju more.
Instead of sweets, Wakasa traded tact and blows in the gym. He’s better at this than he thought.
Guess we have a pact now.
Tumblr media
“—hey, don’t hang up just yet!”
Shinichiro exclaimed from a private room of the motor shop, making Seishu raise his head a bit from the couch, and Wakasa and Benkei mirrored the boy with as much inquisitiveness.
Then he barreled out of the door with a broad grin. He looked younger again, hollering out your name.  
“Benkei and Waka are here. Greet ‘em,” said Shinichiro, gesturing them to come closer. Then he reached out the phone, waiting on his palm.
Benkei nodded off to Wakasa to take it, and regarding his friend with mild annoyance, he did with a sigh.
Reluctantly. “Hi.”  
Then a second of static.
“Oh. Hi Waka,” you said. You almost sounded like a stranger at first, but you got his name right.
Wakasa would say yours back, not meaning for it to roll off a little foreign out of his mouth. He hoped you could hear that he was smiling, though there’s no way of telling on the other line.
“How are you?”
Tumblr media
87 notes · View notes
yellowsuitcase · 3 years
Text
Intertwined // Draco Malfoy
Request:  Hi, can i request an imagine where Y/N and Draco has been together for a long time but one time, Draco forgot to use protection and didn't care for Y/N in the next morning so she got reallll upset. At first Draco don't understand why Y/N acted like that so he gets angry back at her but then he realises the reason and they make every thing up. Start with rough smut, angst in the middle and end with fluff pleaseee. I'll patiently waiting for you sooo take your time and don't force yourself too much ❤
A/N: I don’t have much to say about this one, I really liked the request, I thought it was really real. Also this takes place after Hogwarts and Y/N + Draco live alone.
Summary: Draco is inconsiderate towards his girlfriend and Y/N is n o t happy about it.
Warning(s): SMUT!!! Unprotected sex, choking, swearing, angst, couple verbally fighting, fluff.
Word Count: 2k
Masterlist
Tumblr media
{Not my gif also it’s so dramatic for this lol}
“That’s it, baby girl, ride my cock,” Draco purred as he gripped his girlfriend’s hips, slowly lifting her up and down on his dick. Y/N whimpered, they’d been at it for nearly thirty minutes now, and her pussy was painfully sensitive. Draco had already eaten her out as well as edged her with his fingers. But there she was, bouncing on his cock, wanting to please him. However, after a few more minutes of her riding him, Draco’s grip grew tighter, and he began slamming his hips upwards, pounding himself deep in her pussy.
“Fuck, Draco,” Y/N moaned as she let her legs go limp. Draco flipped them over and was now on top of her. His hand found her throat, and he held it firmly as his hips snapped into her mercilessly. He grabbed her legs and rested them against his shoulders. Y/N watched as he shut his eyes and let himself go, his pace getting even quicker. Loud squelching noises filled the couple’s bedroom, and Y/N could tell he was getting close.
“Such a good girl for me, my perfect little slut,” he grunted, making Y/N whine. She clenched her fingers in the bedsheets and warned him of her approaching orgasm. “Gonna cum again?” he teased. “Go on then, whore, cum on me,” he coaxed. Y/N closed her eyes and focused on the building pressure in her abdomen. But then, she felt Draco slap her clit and found herself cumming instantly from the stimulation. Draco laughed as she tightened her walls around him and scrunched her face in pleasure. He fucked her through her orgasm as his own was advancing. His thrusts became sloppy. Just as Y/N was beginning to whine about the sensitivity, Draco came inside her with a loud groan, his hips pressed flush against her ass. 
When he pulled out, Y/N quickly realized that Draco hadn’t used a condom. “Fuck baby girl, you look so pretty with my cum dripping from your cunt,” Draco breathed, his breath fanning over her swollen pussy. She wriggled her hips to get away from the cool air emerging from his lips, but then he yanked her close and licked a long stripe up her slit, pushing the semen back inside her with his tongue. A guttural moan left Y/N as she arched her back, the overstimulation sending sparks through her body. When Draco pulled away, Y/N expected him to help her into the shower, but she was wrong. Instead, he patted her pussy and flopped onto the bed beside her. 
“Goodnight darling,” he murmured before slipping underneath the covers and turning away from her. Y/N was shocked. This was rather uncharacteristic of Draco. Not using protection and now going to sleep right after sex. Quite frankly, it made her heart clench, and not in a good way. 
Slowly, she scooted herself off their king size mattress and trudged to the bathroom; the soreness between her legs made this a difficult task. Eventually, though, she got inside and immediately sat on the toilet. After she used it, she turned on the shower and sat back down, waiting for it to heat up. She couldn’t shake the confusion and the hurt from her mind. But ultimately, she decided to push those thoughts away and instead focused on cleaning her sweaty, bruised body. Draco’s always quite rough with her during sex, and she enjoyed it, but he had really done a number on her tonight. Maybe when he sees that tomorrow, he’ll apologize, she thought to herself as she rubbed the loofa up and down her arms.
When she eventually slid back into bed with Draco, she couldn’t help but lay her arm over his waist. Sure he’d been a bit inconsiderate tonight, but Y/N still wanted him close. So she stroked his stomach with her thumb as much needed sleep overtook her.
-----------
{The next morning}
Y/N’s eyes fluttered open as she yawned; the bright sunlight streaming from their windows was right on her face. She quickly shielded herself and looked to her left. Draco was still fast asleep. Y/N made sure not to wake him as she got up. Once on her feet, the memories of last night returned thanks to the pain between her legs. She hobbled down the hallway and stairs and made her way to the kitchen. She and Draco had no house elves per Y/N’s request, so they had to make their own meals. Y/N decided that today would be an omelet type of day. So she gathered all the necessary ingredients as well as a pan and began crafting the dish. 
While she was flipping the omelet, she heard Draco coming down the steps. She glanced over at him and watched as he settled into the cozy armchairs in their living room, not even bothering to greet her. Anger began to stir, but Y/N shoved it down and returned her eyes to the omelet, which she found was currently burning. “Shit!” she cursed as she quickly transferred it to a spare plate. 
The sound of a soft laugh caught her attention, and she turned her head to see Draco’s smiling face. Usually, this would amuse her, but not that morning. “Shut your trap,” she muttered as she started making a second omelet. 
“Excuse me?” Draco bellowed. Y/N instinctively tensed but held her ground. 
“You heard me. Shut up.” She heard Draco get to his feet and walk into the kitchen. Y/N’s anger was becoming unignorable now. But she kept her lips shut as he leaned on the counter beside her.
“What’s got you in such a foul mood?” he questioned. Y/N snapped, dropping her spatula on the marble countertop. Her head whipped towards Draco and his eyebrows jumped at the fury visible on her face.
“Why don’t you take a wild guess, Malfoy?” she spat, crossing her arms over her chest. Draco gave her a look of confusion. 
“Or you could just tell me what’s wrong,” he replied.
“Haha, no, I want you to figure it out.”
Draco couldn’t understand what his lover was getting at, and it was making him grow frustrated. “Y/N, I don’t have the patience for this bullshit; just spit it out,” he argued. Y/N shook her head in disbelief and flipped her omelet. 
“The fact that you won’t even stop and think for a second just proves how selfish you are.” This comment made Draco’s blood boil. He stood up straight and clenched his fists at his sides.
“Well, at least I’m not a fucking bitch like you,” he sneered. Y/N gasped, and Draco immediately regretted his words. He could see shiny tears in her eyes as she hurriedly turned off the stove and transferred the omelet to a plate. “Y/N, I didn’t mean that.” She shook her head and fled the kitchen, not even glancing at him as she stormed away. 
Draco kicked the cabinets, enraged with himself. He’d really done it now. And the worst part was he still couldn’t put his finger on why Y/N was so upset in the first place. Surely it wasn’t because of his laughter when she burnt the omelet. But if not that, then what else? Draco ran his hand through his hair as he began to pace in the kitchen. Eventually, though, he stopped himself, grabbed a plate, and started eating. The burnt texture was pretty awful, but Draco forced it down his throat anyway. 
Now with a full stomach, his head felt clear. He retraced his steps in his mind. He had come downstairs, then sat in the living room; that was it. But then he thought farther back, back to the previous night. And that’s when it hit him. “Fuck,” he muttered, dropping his face into his palms, feeling utterly terrible. Could he genuinely have just gone to bed right after sex? Now that he was thinking about it, Y/N’s neck was littered with love bites this morning, and she had looked exhausted. Yet he had done nothing for her, nothing at all. Draco felt sick to his stomach, and not because of the omelet. Without wasting another second, he jumped to his feet and hastily ran upstairs, but not before taking the second dish with him. 
A knock at Y/N’s door halted her tears. She sighed, not really wanting to face her boyfriend right then, but she still wiped her face and opened the door. There stood her blonde-haired boy, a guilty look on his face. “May I?” he asked. Y/N nodded and stepped back, allowing them into their shared bedroom. He set the plate in his hands on his desk and took hesitant steps towards her. It felt as though remorseful tension was in the air, and for a few moments, neither of them said a word. But then Draco lifted his hand and gently cradled her face, making her look up at him.
“I’m so sorry, love. I should have taken care of you last night instead of just falling asleep. And I shouldn’t have called you a bitch or been rude to you this morning. It was completely uncalled for, and I...I feel like an absolute dick, and I’m just really, really sorry.”
Y/N remained silent, simply letting her head rest in his hands. She could tell he was sincere. “I forgive you. But Draco," she started, "I could hardly hold myself up in the shower, and I really needed you. I wanted to cuddle with you like we usually do. And not to mention the fact you didn’t wear a condom, I could get pregnant…” she trailed off. Y/N wasn’t sure if she wanted a family so soon, or even at all. She didn’t think she nor Draco were even close to being ready for such a huge responsibility. But she was pulled from her thoughts by Draco stroking her cheek.
“Y/N, I promise you it will never happen again. You’re everything to me, and I will always take care of you and be there for you whenever you need me. I know I wasn’t last night. Last night I was reckless and a fucking git, but from now on I won't be, I swear it,” Draco declared. His eyes looked fearful as he waited for Y/N to reply. And she did, just not with words. She took a step forward and nestled herself against his chest. Draco immediately wrapped his arms around her and breathed in her scent, feeling at peace, knowing things were okay again. 
“I believe I am due for a cuddle appointment, Dr. Malfoy,” Y/N stated, breaking the silence with her playful tone. She giggled as Draco let her go and dragged her towards their bed. He then scooped her up, making her squeal, before he dropped her onto the bouncy mattress. Her bright smile was irresistible, and he scrambled onto the bed, smashing his lips onto hers. She kissed him back, passionately, happy to be reconciled. 
“Dr. Malfoy shall provide you with the necessary amount of cuddles to cure your ailment,” Draco stated in a funny voice, playing along with the bit. Y/N giggled and reconnected her lips with his, bringing his body close to hers.
And as the sun rose higher and higher into the sky, the couple remained on the bed, legs intertwined with legs and fingers clutching palms. Their hearts were content. All was forgiven. And even when the moon took the sun’s place, they still hadn’t detached from one another. They ended up falling asleep like that. And in the morning, Draco carried his girl to the bathroom, pledging to never let her wash alone again. 
Taglist: @beiahadid @pastelpuffbar @cutie1365 @dracoxmgg @lumlfy @sambucky8 @emilianamason @raplinethereal @dracosdeathmark @xoxohollands @prongsandprancer @ch0kemedracomalfoy @avlauriaa @purpleskymalfoy @mariah-can-dream @drxcomvlfx @sydnee-kom-spacekru​ @dracosgoodgirl @voilawind @gloryekaterina
947 notes · View notes
sup-hoes-its-me · 3 years
Text
Skinny Love (Kakashi x Reader)
A/N: hello again. I'm in love with Kakashi this mans makes me heart go wild I swear. Hope you like seeing him on ur dash lol. Shy reader who is too afraid to confess how she feels to Kakashi. This is only part one and is essentially just fluff. The second part will be all angst and sadness so beware.
Ps. It took me so long to get this one done. I was struggling to find the right words.
Word count: 4000
"Come on, sensei. You like him," Sakura laughed, poking her superior in the arm. The group of women stood outside the training grounds after a day of hanging out and working on their jutsu. On occasion Y/N enjoyed taking the girls out and spending time with them. It was a relief to be away from all that testosterone. If only for a short time.
She just shook her head, smothering down the embarrassment she felt creeping up her neck. Her stomach churned whenever she recognized her feelings for the man. It was just so intense. "I would never feel that way about a coworker, you know that, Sakura."
"But he's not just a coworker to you, is he? He's also your close friend," Ino hummed.
"Perhaps, but haven't I taught you that it's bad to let emotions get in the way of work?"
The blond rolled her eyes, turning to fully face one of her sensei, who she would argue was deeply in denial. "Seriously why does it even matter? Kurenai-sensei and Asuma-sensei literally had a baby together. You should definitely tell Kakashi you like him."
Y/N tossed her head back against the wall, sighing. "Girls, I really don't like him. He's just my friend. He's nice to me and I appreciate that, but that doesn't mean I want to date him or anything." Her voice shook and clearly she had been caught.
She was always so bad at lying.
"Whatever you say, Y/N."
"It's just something I'd rather not dwell on, Sakura. I'm sorry for being so private about it, but it's a sensitive subject for me," the woman confessed, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly.
"It's okay! You don't have to apologize. We get it! Feelings can definitely be complicated."
"I-I," she started, about to explain herself, but instead she rethought what she was about to say. There was no reason to actually reveal how she felt about the man. These times were tough, and there wasn't any room for making things even more messy with relationship drama. Y/N was more than happy just pretending they were friends and nothing more. As long as she had him just to talk to, she would be fine. As long as he always made it back alive, there was no reason to complain.
"You're right. Feelings are too complicated," she muttered, feeling herself practically deflate as she did so. Y/N was beginning to think she was just the one making everything complicated when it didn't have to be. Skipping around and lying about her feelings. Kakashi wouldn't ditch her if she just said something, she was sure of it.
Just as Sakura was about to reply, the voice of the man in question chimed in from down the path, "Y/N, we were looking for you."
"Yes, the third wheel to our tricycle of youth!"
Y/N felt a smile grow on her lips at the sounds of those voices, especially Gai's exclamation of youth. He was awfully weird, she thought, but that was what kept him so interesting. She turned to face the men walking in her direction. "Kakashi, Gai! What's up? The girls and I were just finishing our training."
"We're going out for drinks and thought you might like to join."
"Sounds great. It's been a long time since the three of us went out. For some reason we never have off at the same time anymore."
"Yeah, it's a shame. Missions have taken over our lives lately," Kakashi said tiredly. It was true. They really never had a second to rest. It was beginning to take its toll. Those were the consequences of war though. "How have you been?"
"Good, I, um..." she began, her eyes trailing up to Kakashi's. He watched back intently, patiently, and she felt something in her chest flutter up. He was always so handsome, she wondered how she could go so long without seeing his face. She just wanted to leap forward and give him a hug, wrap herself up in his warm arms for just a little while. That wasn't an option though, so she settled on some simple words. "I've missed you."
His eyes softened barely enough to be noticeable but she saw. Her heart continued to flutter up in her chest and she sighed, clutching her hands tighter behind her back. No doubt the girls standing just behind her were hyper-analyzing all their interactions, especially after revealing they held an interest in the pair's relationship.
He didn't have the chance to reply though, as Gai was the one to chime in. "Why thank you. I have to say, I've missed you as well, my kunoichi friend."
"Thanks, Gai." Even if the statement wasn't exactly pointed toward him, she was happy she had been missed.
"No problem! Now I hope you young ladies don't mind if we take L/N off your hands."
"No no. It's not a problem, Gai-sensei. I'm sure our moms want us home for dinner anyway. It's getting late after all."
"Yeah, we'll see you later, Y/N-sensei." The pink haired girl waved ss they started to make their way in the opposite direction toward town. Ino paused for a moment though.
"Don't forget what we talked about. You really shouldn't be so shy; it's gonna be okay," she said softly. Y/N sighed, nodding her head as if to say fine. In reality, she wouldn't do anything different. She wasn't feeling very open to changing herself or facing any of her fears. "See you around."
It was kinda sad that Y/N found comfort and support in a bunch of 15 year olds. She was an adult, couldn't she talk to other adults about her problems. These girls were just so accepting and she didn't feel awkward talking about immature things like crushes. Any other adult would just be too wrapped up in their own lives to care too much anyway.
"What was that about?"
"Nothing, Kakashi. We were just talking about random stuff. You know how curious they can be."
"You go out there and fight rogue shinobi every week. How could you be shy?" The green beast asked.
"It's really nothing. They're always assuming things about me. I'm reserved, but I wouldn't say I'm shy, per se…" She stopped to think for a quick second, tapping her foot on the ground. "Actually, I would say I'm just more conscious of the things I say and do than most other people. Not a bad thing at all."
Kakashi nodded. "It's good to keep a level head."
"Exactly. I'm Level headed. Thanks, Kakashi."
"Now let's head off to the bar! Sake for everyone!" Gai cheered, throwing his fist up in the air. She nodded, walking up beside the pair as they started off toward the restaurant of their choice, which she hoped was her favorite one with the tastiest fruit juice drinks. She was willing to put out good money to have one good, tispy night of drinks and snacking. It had already been weeks since she had a night off, one time wouldn't break the bank.
She stood to the right of them, just beside Kakashi. Every now and then she found herself drifting just a bit too close to him, her natural gait leaning toward the left. At one point, she found her hand skim dangerously close to his and she snatched it away to keep herself in check. Holding his hand perhaps was a dream of hers but she wasn't going to actually try anything.
It wasn't that she was afraid of Kakashi. Quite the opposite actually. She cared for him so deeply it sometimes made her stomach churn when she thought about it. He was her friend for ages, ever since she could really remember. He was one of the only people she could sit with and feel completely enveloped in a warm comfort, free of judgement and deceit. Gai as well, but Kakashi was different.
Maybe he could be a bit of pervert, and even sarcastic at times, but he was never rude. He had changed over the years from being a know-it-all, little jerk to someone everyone liked and admired, a kind and brave soul.
Unfortunately, it took bouts of death and loss to come about this change, but she wasn't going to ignore it. He was the best man she knew, and it only seemed natural she fell in love with him. He would probably never feel the same way. He had better things to worry about and other women to long for. He didn't have his entire life to wait around for a shy woman like herself. That was okay.
As long as he was alive and well, she would be happy.
Maybe one day she would gather the courage to grab his hand, to run her thumb over his knuckles and feel the callouses against her skin. Maybe one day she would have the courage to confess how she felt. Not now, but one day when she was comfortable.
"You okay?" He asked, pulling her out of her deepening thoughts. "You're walking really slow and uh, your hand…" The man motioned to where she was clutching her wrist against her chest.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just uh, my wrist is sore from training." She worked her hand in a circle, pretending to stretch it out. He rolled his visible eye, knowingly.
"Sure. Always skipping around the real issues."
"I'm really okay. I was just thinking hard about something."
"Anything to do with what you, Sakura, and Ino were talking about?" he suggested, raising a brow.
She groaned. He always knew what she was thinking. It was definitely one of his best and worst qualities depending on the situation. In this case, she felt awkward as she was so lost in thought about him. She felt like a fool. "Maybe it was. But that was girl time and now it's drinking time. Different topics of discussion."
"Well, mind telling me what's got you so caught up? It's gotta be important."
"It's personal."
"Ah, I see. Well, that's fine. When you want to talk about it, I'm always around."
There was silence for a moment, her thoughts running wild in her head. He was so kind, it wouldn't be bad to tell him how she felt. He would let her down easy, surely. And Gai would be there to cushion her embarrassment, no doubt. He would make things less awkward somehow. She was sure of it.
It was crazy. No way she would say anything. Definitely not.
"I'm interested in someone," Y/N found herself blurting out before she could stop herself. She just felt so much pressure building up in her chest and the only way she could relieve that feeling was to tell him something, anything about the predicament she was in. She wouldn't tell him exactly how she felt and about who, but she could vent.
Damn, all this and she didn't even have her first drink. That man really did something to her.
The men stopped in their path, their heads turning their attention solely to her. She felt her neck and cheeks begin to heat up and her palms start to sweat. Why would she say that? Dammit. She really was a fool.
"Really? Who?" Gai asked. "He'd be a fool to reject you, of course, beautiful flower of the leaf! You do not have to worry!"
"Gai...it's really not that simple. He is, um, out of my league, I guess you could say," she muttered nervously, rubbing her palms together to ease her anxiety. "He's just well, I don't know, the perfect guy ever."
She could feel Kakashi tense at her side, and her eyes scanned over him. He didn't look out of the ordinary but his energy had definitely changed. Strange.
"No one is out of your league, don't you dare say something like that! If he doesn't let you down easy, I will use my fists of justice to defend you! Tell me who this mystery man is."
"This is what Ino meant when she said you were being shy. You aren't going to tell him, are you?" Kakashi asked, and she noticed the bit of annoyance in his tone. She wondered if he was just upset she was talking about such silly things when they were ready to start drinking. She felt embarrassed. They were adults. Adults don't talk about this kind of thing. He doesn't want to hear about the guys she's interested in, or how she feels about them. Maybe Gai would be interested in it, but not a cool guy like Kakashi.
"Of course not. Like I said, he would just reject me anyway, there's no point," she told them. "And Gai, I can't just tell you who it is. You know you're a loud mouth; you'd go around telling everyone." She really didn't believe Gai would do that to her. He was far too conscious of others feelings for the most part. She just couldn't risk Kakashi knowing. She would keep it a secret from him.
"Oh come on! Just tell us! I'll help you out, be your wingman!"
"Maybe I'll tell you another time. When I'm more confident in myself."
"Well, what is it that has finally caught out dear friends heart in a web of love? Tell us!" Oh man. He really was nosy sometimes. He meant well, but occasionally he just didn't know when to stop. Kakashi kept his mouth shut because he understood she was getting uncomfortable, that or he was growing annoyed as she suspected.
Regardless, it was nice to get some of this off her chest, even if it was risky business.
"I don't really know. He's smart and considerate, and very brave. He's handsome as well, that's a plus," she smiled, listing off the things she liked about the man standing right in front of her. It felt so exhilarating, talking about her feeling so openly. It was terrifying and relieving at the same time. Y/N exhaled as she thought about him again, "He just makes me feel happy when I'm in my worst moments, that's all. I mean, what else could I ask for?"
"I see! He sounds like a good guy. Can't wait to meet him," he laughed until his eyes widened and he leaned in a bit closer to her face. He pointed his finger at his chest and questioned, "Unless of course, I already know him. It's not me, is it?
She found herself smiling just a little, her lips curving up at the absurdity of it all. "No definitely not. You don't have to worry about that."
"I'm wounded, but I understand. My youthfulness is just too strong for you."
As she thought of something to say, she began to question just why Kakashi hadn't said anything really at all. It was strange of him, letting the other man do all the talking when normally he asked her questions and at least tried to engage. Maybe he was feeling tired or bored with the conversation. She had to change the subject.
"So uh, let's get a move on before all the good booths are taken, yeah?"
"Actually, I'm getting tired. I think I'll just head home for the night, get ready for my mission in two days," the white haired jounin sighed. They both looked over to him, surprised, but Y/N knew why he needed to go. She had upset him somehow. So much for a fun night between the three of them.
"Kakashi, come on! Don't bail on us now!"
She took a step back and her eyes trailed up to his, which were narrowed, not angrily just as if he had been hurt or confused she couldn't tell which. "Oh, are you sure?" Her heart was sinking in her chest seeing him so conflicted.
"Yeah. Got a headache, too."
"Ah, okay. Well, I'll see you around sometime?"
"Yeah."
"Goodbye, rival. Hopefully you are feeling better tomorrow and we can have a real night of drinking indeed!"
And with that, he left to his apartment, leaving the other two behind. She felt her stomach begin to turn uncomfortably, sick from the thought of Kakashi just leaving them like that. He seemed so angry, she couldn't help but think it was all her fault. It wasn't in his nature to act that way.
They had already spent so much time apart already that it was tugging at her heart strings. She felt like they rarely saw each other anymore. For him to be angry at her and leave, that meant they would just see each other even less than before. It seemed like a nightmare come true. She really did miss him, like she had said. She missed the fun they would have together and the conversations they shared. She just missed him and there he went, gone off again without so much as a real goodbye.
The woman clutched at her stomach, feeling the tossing and turning overtake her sense with nausea.
Suddenly, before she could contain herself, tears began dripping down her cheeks, and she sucked in her breath. Hot tears warmed her cheeks, and frantically she wiped them away from her cheeks. Her arms wound around her waist and she hugged herself tightly inward, almost as if she would turn into a ball if she could.
"Y/N, what's wrong?! What happened?"
"It's Kakashi," she whispered, trying to keep herself from crying anymore but it only got worse.
"Kakashi? Because he left? It's okay, we can go drinking another night or-or you and I can just go alone. No problems," he tried to say but it wasn't going to work. She didn't want to go to dinner with Gai and she didn't want to wait until tomorrow, or whatever the next time they would all be together. She was being stupid and selfish, acting like a spoiled little baby with all this crying. She just couldn't stop herself.
"It's not that. There's something I haven't told anyone. I don't know what to do."
"It's gonna be fine whatever it is. Just calm down."
"No, I can't. It's so bad, Gai. I'm in love with him, it's him, and now he's mad at me and I don't know what I did wrong," she confessed, feeling all the words slipping out so easily. How is it that such strong emotions could just cause her to think so irrationally and just let something like this happen? A bout of confessing every feeling she had to her friend who may or may not go and relay all this information to Kakashi. It was stupid. She was just being stupid and reckless.
He nodded carefully, moving to take ahold of her shoulders to steady her. "It's gonna be okay. He's not mad at you, I promise. I know Kakashi and I'm sure he really was just feeling sick."
"Gai, I just...I don't want him to ever leave me, even over something stupid like this."
"Trust me, you don't have to worry about Kakashi leaving you. He would never do something like that. You are one of his closest friends. There's almost nothing you could do to make him do that, especially if you always have good intent at heart. Trust me, you really don't ever need to worry," Gai explained trying his best to reason with her. "You two do everything together. He never stops talking about you! He would never let you go."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am one hundred percent sure!"
"I-I need to go find him. I need to make sure he's not upset with me," she said as she pushed herself away from him. He waved to her as she started in the direction of Kakashi's apartment.
"Goodluck on your mission, Y/N, not that you'll need it."
______
Kakashi was just about to enter his apartment when she dashed up the stairs and turned the corner, going so fast she nearly slid into the wall. His eyes widened when he saw her, and he froze in his spot, not turning the key to the door just yet. Her face was flush and chest heaved. He could tell she rushed on her way.
"Y/N, did you run all the way here?"
She stood, catching her breath after just having run all the way across town to find him. Her heart raced as she looked up at him, and she clutched at the railing of the stairs for support. "I wanted to say sorry for whatever I said to make you angry with me. I didn't know I was being insensitive."
"I told you I was sick," he replied, but she knew better. And he knew she did. He wasn't dumb. They knew each other better than that and there was no pretending.
"I could tell that was a lie. I know you were angry and I felt terrible."
"Were you just crying?"
She exclaimed back, holding a hand over her heart to maybe try and ease the racing heartbeat, "Maybe. What about it?! I was hurt that I'd offended my friend, isn't that tear-worthy?" She took a few more deep breaths through her mouth, letting the air fill her up and calm her down. "Why were you so upset?"
"It's not important."
"No, no. It's important to me!"
The man paused, thinking over his next words carefully. He very well knew the real reason he ran away from their conversation like a coward. He actually thought it was obvious. It wouldn't hurt for her to know. He sighed, "If you really want to know. It's because I was tired of hearing about your love life. It's not exactly an entertaining subject."
She knew it but admittedly she would be lying if she said she didn't feel her heart break a little at those words. He didn't care about her feelings enough to just sit there and listen to her talk for a couple minutes? Was she that annoying? So many thoughts ran through her head, and each one made her sad. "I just didn't want to go a whole night with Gai talking about it," he added. "It's nothing to do with you."
"I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have brought it up."
"It's fine," he brushed off her apology. "I'm the one who asked about it in the first place."
"Why- why wouldn't you want to hear me talk about other men? Why would that be a sore subject for you?" She asked, her curiosity spiking up through the roof. It was strange, the whole situation. He had never backed down from a personal chat before, only this time.
He felt like a deer caught in the headlights suddenly. How was he supposed to reply to that without blowing his cover. "I just don't like the whole romance thing."
But they both knew that was a lie. He read romance for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But if he wanted to keep his secrets, she would let him. There was no need to pry. She just hoped he would trust her enough in the future to explain what he meant. Secretly, she wished that it was because he was jealous. That he didn't want to hear about another man because he wanted to be that guy, her lover. It was a wild thought, a hopeless theory meant to be thrown out, but she could fantasize.
"Kakashi, we're still good? As friends and all? You'll go out with me and Gai another time then?"
He nodded, his lips quirking up into just a tiny smile. It was characteristic for her mind to go straight to the worst case scenario. He replied, "Of course. Like I said, it's not that bad. Don't worry about it."
"Okay. I'm glad. I really thought I messed up this time."
"I don't think there's anything you could do to make me hate you," he sighed, leaning his shoulder against his door frame. "The day I let you go is the day I die, Y/N."
She smiled, closing her eyes and finally taking a relaxed breath. It was done. He wasn't angry at all. He still cared for her and everything else she could hope for. As long as they could remain friends, it was all gonna be okay. She laughed, "That's what Gai said. Should have listened to him, huh?"
The both nodded and suddenly they were enveloped in a peaceful silence for a while. She stared down at her feet and he watched her quietly, admiring the way she could be so miserably shy yet so adorable at the same time.
"Do you wanna go catch dinner? Or uh, just drinks like we originally planned, if you want," he asked, running his hand through his hair. Her eyes brightened at the question, and he'd be stupid not to notice the new shine in them.
"Do you want to go find Gai first?"
"Actually, how about it just be you and me this time? We'll catch Gai tomorrow morning for breakfast instead."
"Two meals in two days...I'm not made of money."
"It's on me. Don't worry about it."
"Oh, jeez. So nice of you, Kakashi. Thank you! Where are we going?" she asked happily, walking up to him and rolling back in the balls of her feet.
"Wherever you want to go."
"I feel like I'm getting the special treatment. I'm so excited," she cheered, pulling him in the direction of the stairs by the edge of his sleeve.
He just smiled. It was all he could do. He had the most beautiful woman in the entire world in front of him ready to go on a not-exactly date. They were only friends, and she reaffirmed that today when she mentioned she was interested in someone else.
But for now he could pretend they were a thing. That they were dating and that she loved him and he could openly love her back. He would take her out to dinner and kick at her ankles under the table just to annoy her. And he would take a sip of her drink and pretend it was too sweet for him and watch as she struggled to drink a sip of his liquor.
And after he walks her home that night, he would hug her tight to his chest and he would think about kissing her, to pull down his mask for just a split second and press his lips to hers, but he would refrain. It just wasn't the right time. Maybe there would never be a right time either, and that was okay.
As long as they could have nights like these, as long as he would feel her in his arms, he was more than happy. He was in love.
Part Two is up.
205 notes · View notes
g4rous · 3 years
Text
Sunlit memories (Garou x Reader)
tags: slight mentions of blood, no warnings really
words: 1.5 k
notes: this one is slightly longer than the two before bc I had to put in a lot of stuff here lol but anyways aa here it is finally! Tried making it a bit lighthearted <3
series masterlist
previous chapter
Tumblr media
Chapter three
After lazily opening your eyes, pain spread through your head. The blackness from your vision cleared away, leaving a fog in your mind and the painful sensation was the first thing you could register before you felt the cold brick wall you were leaning on.
What just happened? Trying to recall how you got in that position, your eyes trailed to the opposite wall, now realizing you didn’t even remember being in this alley in the first place.
“Yo, you’re awake.”
Looking over at a few large wooden crates, your focus now shifted to the silver-haired teen sitting on top of them. You didn’t even make out a response upon witnessing the injuries behind his torn, black shirt. The puzzle was coming together.
Last sight you remember before going unconscious were the heroes from that mini-market fighting the same person right in front of you now. For a moment you almost thought you were being delirious, yet those wounds only proved your suspicions. Was he the self-proclaimed “Hero Hunter” everyone has been wild about recently?
“So…” he looked at you with an awkward expression, “ you gonna go now or?”
Slightly flinching as you snapped back to reality, now you were left completely perplexed on what to do. On one hand the realization made you feel quite uneasy, but on the other you were safe for some reason, despite getting caught up in the ruckus from before.
“What happened to those guys earlier..?”
“Oh, their bodies are probably still lying face down right around the corner,” he grinned, “if no one found them already, that is.”
However after picking up your distraught expression that boastful tone faded in an instant.
“Hey, hey they’re not dead, jeez quit freaking out.”
You only frowned after giving him a small glare. Your head still ached, although not as strong from a few minutes ago. How long have you been out? Judging by the still-sunset sky it shouldn’t have been more than fifteen minutes, much to your relief. The street was still deserted and silent as well.
“Well, thanks for saving my skin back there I guess…” you looked over at his injuries, staggering for a moment after standing up.
“However, you should definitely get those injuries checked out. I think I saw a hospital or something around here somewhere.”
A few seconds passed as he looked at you with a blank stare.
“Nah, I’m good.”
“Dude you’re literally bleeding all over.”
“I said I’m fine!-“, he exclaimed only to flinch in pain. “-why are you so worried anyways? Just go home.”
“Talk about stubborn,” you thought to yourself.
Though, on second thought you do see a good reason why he shouldn’t. It’s almost as if you had forgotten that you witnessed him straight up thrash some A-classes. That and all the other questions that piled up still haven’t left your mind, but be as it may now wasn’t the time for overthinking. People must be pursuing him everywhere now, huh?
You leaned against the wall, still contemplating the situation. Water droplets from the roof were the only thing breaking the silence as you both stood there quiet. That is, until you got an idea.
“I don’t plan on talking you into it anymore…” you spoke with a tinge of nervousness, “but I do have some bandages at home. It’ll just be ten minutes until we get there, I give you them and you can leave. I don’t think sitting on those crates until you bleed out is really practical.”
The teen almost reflexively wanted to protest but not a single sentence came out. He really couldn’t think of anything that made your idea sound regrettable, and as much as he hated to admit it he wasn’t in the best shape. You on the other hand felt almost obligated to help him out. Putting aside that shocking realization from earlier, he did watch over you after you got KO’d.
After finally jumping off the crates, he shrugged and put both hands in his pockets.
“Eh, sure.”
You gave a relieved smile before taking a look at the still empty street you were both heading for. The sky turned into shades of amaranthine and bit by bit street lights began illuminating the path. The streets nearing your house weren’t as deserted as the one you woke up in, and occasionally you had to move to a more hidden route. Fortunately you’ve been greeted by your neighborhood cat soon after, indicating the destination- your safe home.
“I don’t think you told me your real name yet, if I may know? I’m y/n by the way.”
“It’s Garou,” he responded after looking around, almost hesitantly.
“So… Why were you doing that today?” you spoke as you reached out for your keys.
“Why does it matter to you?”
“Dunno, you don’t see someone beating up heroes every day.”
Taking a quick glance around your surroundings, you opened the door at last.
“You sure like answering questions with a question, huh?” you gave a tired smile, “ah, I won’t force out any answers from you I guess.”
The lights in the hallway were already open, illuminating the other rooms, some half empty. After all you still had some work to do in the house. Making your way to your room, the bag of trash next to the wall caught your attention briefly. You couldn’t remember the reason you left off in such a hurry, not even throwing it away.
“Well, come in!” you shouted from the other room, “just don’t get any blood on the carpet please.”
But much to your amusement the on-the-outside intimidating man just stood there with a blank expression ever since you stepped into the apartment. You weren’t sure was it politeness or just plain awkwardness but it made you cackle internally.
Even so, after your call he cautiously stepped out to the living room, actually being careful not to dirty the carpet as you told. The room was pleasingly decorated, and even if he didn’t know you it simply radiated with your energy. It was oddly comfortable.
And as you finally stepped out of your room with that first-aid kit, a ring on your doorbell caught you both by surprise. You almost asked yourself whether that’s a hero in front of the door, before your memory got jogged again.
“Well shit.”
You gestured an already alert and intense Garou to step away from the door, to which he only raised an eyebrow.
“Ah…” you whispered, looking over to the side, “I kinda forgot I called a friend over.”
“You remembered just now!?”
“I was knocked out!” you complained, much to his discontent.
What were you supposed to do now? You thought to yourself as your eyes trailed from the door to the teen. The doorbell rang once again as to make the atmosphere grow even more unsteady.
“Guess we have to improvise…”
“You’re joking right?”
“If she saw a beat-up guy jumping out my window I wouldn’t hear the end of it.”
He only rolled his eyes as you went to the door to finally greet your friend, adjusting your shirt along the way.
Frankly, you felt somewhat guilty for roping him in, all bloody and bruised to socialize with your rather concerned friend. Well, who wouldn’t get a little suspicious to see a strange man in their friend’s living room. To make things even more awkward he hadn’t said more than two sentences in the past hour, not that it’s surprising.
“So-,” your friend smiled, desperately trying not to glare at the man’s injuries, “- how did you two become friends?”
“Ah, it’s from that monster incident I told you about earlier,” you smiled back.
“So that’s why he’s so bruised,” she glanced over at him sympathetically, to which he only glared at you deadpan.
“Nothing special.” He spoke in a bluntly before yawning.
“Oh, how come?”
“He delivers stuff!” you exclaimed before any other thoughts came to mind, “sometimes he comes across them there too unfortunately. Poor guy.”
As if his deadpan look couldn’t get any drier.
It was crystal clear he hates being pitied, and you desperately tried not to let out a chuckle because of the ridiculous situation. Truthfully you weren’t even nervous anymore since you let out so many laughs. And your constant teasing only made him talkative since he just had to drop something even more embarrassing for payback, making the evening even more amusing. You didn’t even notice the clock struck midnight already from all the banter.
After saying farewell to your friend, you came back to your living room to see Garou already at the window.
“Looks like you really don’t wanna use the door today huh? Well, way better now than having to explain why some bloody dude jumped out my window earlier,” you grinned, to which he scoffed.
“Pfft, yeah, yeah. Don’t drag me into any more of these things though.”
“Aw, it wasn’t that bad.”
“Well, it better not happen anymore,” he rolled his eyes before flashing a small grin.
“See ya.”
You only gave your small wave before finally closing the window. The apartment was now rather serene, contrasting all the playfulness from earlier. Yet still you couldn’t help but notice that smile caught you by surprise. Nothing like that cocky smirk in battle- this was genuine.
66 notes · View notes
this might be a weird thought but the way jensen performs masculinity (and i KNOW it’s a performance cause like, have you SEEN the mockumentary?) is just.... so inherently queer to me lmao
ok. okokokokokok. you asked for this. i have a LOT of thoughts on this. it’s gonna be under a cut because i’m gonna be annoying and psychoanalyse a celebrity i’ve never met(and hope i never do) but trust and believe when i tell you i know what i’m talking about so
Tumblr media
you want my opinion? here goes. there is absolutely no way jensen ackles is straight. i hear you, ‘how do you know that he’s bi? that’s invasive and creepy’ but may i counter that point by saying how do you know he’s straight???? why is the default for everyone heterosexual? that’s a toxic mentality to have; ‘oh you don’t know for sure so just treat him like he’s 100% straight just in case’ like....what? heteronormativity drives me wild i’m sorry
and also, um, just to, um, prove my point that this man is decidedly not straight™(i really don’t want to do this but like it has to be said) we KNOW he’s not straight because his d*ck has spoken for itself around misha, like, four times. I HATE SAYING IT!!!!!!! but, um, straight men don’t get aroused by men. ...do i really need to explain myself further???? that’s what i thought(and don’t give me the ‘it could have been for unrelated reasons’ or ‘that wasn’t a boner!’ crap because um good lord yes it was and misha caused every single one so no it wasn’t a coincidence i’m gonna move on before i collapse into myself like a dying star)
anyway, on to the topic at hand which is jensen and his performative masculinity. and it’s a juicy one.
after the unconscious amount of hours i’ve put into watching and subconsciously judging jackles, i have come to the conclusion that like, 90% of how he presents himself and talks and even moves is an act. it’s a facade. it’s a shield. he is not that person. it actually seems exhausting, because he tries to compose himself in this macho, manly, confident and effortlessly cool way, but he’s not that person he desperately wishes he was and wants to be perceived as. he’s on guard every second, even the slightest tilt of his head is like, pre-meditated in some way? if i’m going FULL body language analyst mode, i’ve noticed he has a certain posture he always shifts himself into, and it’s very ‘pursed lips, stoic faced, gruff voiced, square-shoulder, broad and manly’ but, not to be rude jensen, it kind of reads as a little kid imitating the adults he thinks are cool? oof i am going IN huh(it’s out of love though i promise)
he is trying to be this person at every second:
Tumblr media
because that’s who he wishes he was, because that’s how he gets validation from the people around him that he looks up to; straight white guys. but to me, who he presents himself to be at conventions is just as much of a performance as this whole eye of the tiger bit is.
oh i should mention i know his body language isn’t naturally like that because how he naturally carries himself is actually pretty flamboyant? like he seriously must be toning himself down HARD
examples:
Tumblr media Tumblr media
there’s no tension in his body here as opposed to the eye of the tiger gif. i’d describe it as...generally loose and free? he’s at ease when he moves like that and you can see it.
oh and dude!!! DUDE!!!! how could i not mention the fucking SPECTACLE that is his voice??? jensen. i watched season one. i know where your voice naturally sits. THAT IS NOT WHAT YOU SOUND LIKE. and there have been so many accounts of fans visiting jensen in his trailer and being surprised that his real voice is two octaves higher. again, his performance of masculinity is all encompassing. he can’t even talk normally because, in his mind, that’s a chink in his armour.
and, like you said, anon, this whole smokes-and-mirrors gong show of ‘i am the cool texan man’ is inherently queer. who are you trying to impress??? guys??? that’s pretty gay dude.(btw: gay[honorary])
i feel like i’ve already read this man for filth but i have to keep going bc i have so much to say
ok next thing i’m gonna talk about is how jensen says one thing but everything else about him tells us the exact opposite. another HUGE element of performative masculinity, ONE THAT DEAN WINCHESTER IS A MASTER OF. have i mentioned how dean and jensen are like mirrors of each other when it comes to their sexuality and queer identity??? because it is fascinating how everything i say about jensen also directly applies to dean.
allow me to introduce the grumpy face™. as in, the face he glues on when he’s enjoying doing something but doesn’t want to let anyone know it. and it’s ALWAYS when he’s doing something that could be seen as unmanly in any way. (and when i say manly i mean the ‘ideal’ version of manhood that doesn’t really exist but that jensen seems to be striving for[and dean too])
prime example is this video he did with daneel. the grumpy face™ doesn’t budge the whole time as he’s like,,,,playing an instrument and acting like he doesn’t want to bc i guess that’s too girly??? but i also find this video fascinating because the joke IN it is kind of that they’re both poking fun at him for being so insecure about playing a freaking flute. because, i mean, he gets into it, but he wants you to think he is not.
also this picture.
Tumblr media
what is this. i hate them. jensen is smushing himself into misha’s forehead but noooo his face is telling us ‘i hate this’ because CLEARLY he does. also misha’s so happy ew gross
he does that face in photo ops with misha ALL THE TIME but how many times has he also literally asked the con goers if he can also have those photos on his phone too? because of course he actually loves touching misha and is actually a sentimental fool but he tries so hard to hide it and fails so spectacularly.
oh and this. and of COURSE this. actually let’s talk about the hitch kiss for a hot minute because it’s a perfect example of exactly what i’m talking about
(he is so transparent guys. he tries so hard but he’s so obvious.)
1. misha was never supposed to be onstage with him. so it’s a boldface LIE and OBVIOUS PLOY TO GET MISHA TO KISS HIM when he says ‘they’d like us to make out now’. but of course the way he says it is ‘oh my god can you believe what these crazy panel people are making us do haha but i mean what they say goes amirite’. same energy as ‘oh my god did you just dare us to kiss rn???’ ‘....no i didn’t’ ‘oh my god i can’t believe you’d ask that haha but i can’t say no to a dare lol’ it’s the SAME THING
2. the fact that he was in the worst mood before misha came onstage and FAKE KISSING HIM made him feel...SO?? much better? like not just a little better a lot better like, again, that says a lot, because if they weren’t dating he would not be in a better mood if misha kissed his cheek unprompted. bc that cheek kiss wasn’t a joke it was a genuine sign of affection and AHHHH
3. after the kiss happens. you know, the one that jensen actively leans into and is smiling like an idiot the whole time through and is quite clearly having the time of his life during....he says ‘well, that was uncomfortable’. .......my guy. um. i don’t know how to tell you that i do in fact have eyes and you are NOT pulling the fast one you think you are
like i’m so sorry jensen but i have you pegged. it’s literally no use.
god there’s so many instances of him doing this with misha specifically. the whole ‘ew gross lol’ but then everything about him tells us the exact opposite. like this(i hate this. how dare he say ‘he has though, hasn’t he?’ LIKE THAT?????)
so yeah my point with that is he really wants us to think he is one thing when he is the antithesis of what he’s trying to be. he really likes those things that he talks down about, and everything he’s loudly projecting is all to hide how he really feels. he went to a gay bar with daneel, for crying out loud. he wants to play a role in drag. he’s queer and he likes it. pov: you’re jensen ackles train of thought: ‘ok so i really like this thing that people might make fun of me for or call me gay for liking so if i just say ‘lol as if’ and make a grossed-out face they will be FOOLED. i am a genius. hey misha wanna blow on my ear lol i meAN GROSS EW’
i have two more things i want to talk about when it comes to this topic so PLEASE bear with me anon this is why you took so long to answer clearly lmao
ok so we’re now going to go over my favorite hot take of all time. which is ‘how do we know dean’s performing masculinity? because sam isn’t.’ only replace dean with jensen and sam with jared and oh my god do we ever have a case
jared is as STRAIGHT as they come. he is secure in that knowledge. and that’s why he is perfectly comfortable treating misha like this:
Tumblr media Tumblr media
and not try to scream ‘i am not enjoying doing this!!!!!!’ at us. because he doesn’t care what we think of his sexuality like jensen does(because he has nothing to hide whereas jensen DOES)
something i found the other day that no one has brought up but i SCREAMED upon finding it is this one clip THAT I CAN’T FIND OH GOD but i promise i’m not making it up. i can’t believe i can’t find it guys it is gold. i need need NEED to talk about it. and if anyone knows what i’m referencing and can apply links in any way i will love you forever but here’s what happens off the top of my head:
ok so i’m a bit too braindead to explain it perfectly but um basically it’s a j2 panel and someone brings up magic mike and i think jared says ‘yeah i didn’t watch it’ and then jensen says ‘all the way through’. stupid joke. whatever. the joke is that jared is gay for watching magic mike.
and then i literally kid you not. jared gets this like ‘jesus christ ok dude? lol’ look on his face and then goes ‘projecting much, mr. ackles?’ and jensen gets a guilty look on his face and walks away. and jared did not say it as a joke. he was being dead pan and earnest. and jensen knew it too, he knew he was projecting. i wish i could show you guys the clip i promise if i ever find it i’ll link it but IS THAT NOT SO DAMNING FOR JENSEN????? like come ON. also proves my point that when you compare how they feel about watching magic mike. jared doesn’t care bc watching it just doesn’t interest him, but he also thinks that just watching it in itself doesn’t make you gay. jensen however.......has a different mindset, clearly.
‘projecting much, mr. ackles?’ is actually a great title for my next and FINAL section(we’re almost there folks) which is how jensen projects his insecurites about his own sexuality and relationship with misha onto misha.
i hope by now we’ve all seen this video of jensen impersonating cas. it is a blatant microaggression on his part. and like obviously homophobic. it’s like in his mind if he makes fun of them for being gay it makes them both less gay somehow??? it’s self-deprecation in a way??? let’s just tell it like it is: that impression was just jensen’s overt internalized homophobia rearing it’s ugly head. he does it a LOT too when it comes to misha.
i mean:
Tumblr media
and that whole mess where he’s making fun of misha for being a bottom in their panel in 2016? ‘so you’re saying, like with football terms, there’s a handler and there’s a receiver heheheehe’ jensen you’re not exempt from being gay just because you know football terms lmao
oh and his OTHER impression of misha where he mocks him for...bicycling...because it’s not a manly enough sport??? jensen NO ONE else has ever thought this hard in their lives about what constitutes as masculine enough to be a sport before. that’s all you bud. we don’t find those jokes nearly as funny as you do. you are reaching, sir
the good news is that misha thinks it’s hilarious and knows it’s projecting on jensen’s part and will tease him endlessly for it. many stories come to mind, like that one photo op story where they’re literally dressed in rainbow banners and pride stickers but when misha goes to hold his hand jensen said something like ‘no way’ and then misha stepped back, put his hands on his hips and went ‘that’s the part that’s too gay for you???’ and jensen LOST it
or when that whole underwear thing happened(messy messY MESSY BTW) and then a fan asked a question about what dean and cas would do in rome and misha just said ‘when in rome’ and jensen makes a face like ‘are you serious’ and then misha says ‘you can’t look at me like that anymore, because of what you did!!!!!!’
OH and that whole story about when misha suggested they put jensen in the closet for that cat video....yeah um
and then when jensen was asked to do bisexual finger guns for a photo op and the con goer said ‘he looks bisexual here’ and misha literally said ‘oh he definitely looks bisexual here. i would say he’s actually closer to the gay side of the spectrum’ so..um...make with that as you will
OH MY GOD i’m finally done. wow. WOW. that was a lot. i hope i’ve blown your minds. ty anon i really wanted to talk about this and i hope you’re happy with the outcome!!!!!!
297 notes · View notes
deniigi · 3 years
Note
my supervisor fucked me over with all my other coworkers present. can I request a one shot from you to cheer me up featuring Sammy?
Did I give y’all the fic about the hotpot?
Well if I didn’t, I’m giving it to you now.
Title: hotpot
Summary: Ganke checks the comments for the Blindspot comic daily and there’s this one asshole anon who keeps talking shit about BT.
--
The Blindspot comic went live in the fall and Ganke couldn’t stop checking the hit count every five seconds. All night there had only been ten hits.
He told himself not to be disappointed. The only person who really mattered had read and loved the comic.
Miles said that BT had even forced everyone on the team to read an abridged version of Journey to the West, and had gone as far as to make a quiz to determine everyone’s character.
Miles refused to disclose who he’d gotten.
BT had clearly rigged the game to make himself Sun Wukong and Ganke was proud of him.
That kind of enthusiasm was exactly what he’d been hoping for, anything else now was just icing on the cake.
Even though it would be cool if it wasn’t just BT reading his own comics.
That would be pretty cool, right? Like. If people online all started reading BT’s comic. That would be sort of amazing.
Kind of excellent.
Definitely worthy of an A+ and double pats on the back.
Right?
The hit counter didn’t think so. But hey, five more people had opened the page since last night. That was something, wasn’t it?
 MM: dude why not just ask Sam to tweet out the link?
 How dare you, Miles Morales.
How dare you waltz into this place with logical thought.
GL: I can’t do that. That’s like. Idk. Inflating the views.
MM: okay yeah explain to me how appealing to the person in control of the largest part of his own fandom is inflating the views
GL: I see your logic and I’m banishing it
MM: I’m messaging him
GL: DON’T
MM: too late
MM: he says ‘gimme link’
GL: asdksjsjdks
--
 @blindspot: hi I know y’all can’t get enough of me to the point of asking shockingly invasive questions and for you I say good news! Some amazing folks have gone through the trouble of making a Blindspot comic. it’s good guys check it out [link]
--
 It helped.
A lot.
It helped a lot.
--
 People, on the whole, had great things to say. The panels were screenshotted and tagged and sent all over social media and even though Miles was pretending to be chill and aloof about the whole thing, Ganke could imagine him smiling big and bright and white at his phone non-stop.
Mom and Auntie saw a few of the bits on Twitter and tittered over them in the kitchen like pigeons.
The pride rose like a wave. Ganke kept waiting for the crash.
--
 It came two days later in the form of a comment that read ‘Christ, look at all this fuss. BT is fine. I hate his brother.’
It felt like someone punching the wind out of Ganke’s lungs.
He took comfort in the handful of people who leapt in to shout down the commenter. They emphasized that if the anonymous commenter didn’t like the story or the characters, then they didn’t have to read it and they, especially, didn’t have to say anything about it.
Ganke appreciated those guys. He got the feeling that a lot of the people on there knew that the whole thing had been done but a couple of kids.
Not that Anon cared.
Anon replied to all these comments ‘No, I’m gonna keep reading, thanks. Anyways, the brother is lame. The smart part is cool, but why’s it always gotta be a guy?’
The part that haunted Ganke even after he’d shut his laptop and had gone to stick his head out the window for some big breaths of cleansing air was that Anon was kind of right.
--
 GL: should we have made Guotin’s brother a sister?
MM: no
GL: why not?
MM: cause BT’s always wanted a brother
 Oh.
Okay. Then it was fine?
 MM: yeah man ignore them. it’s chill.
GL: k thanks my ego is huge and fragile
MM: trust me I know
 Asshole. Fine, moving right along.
--
 It didn’t stop. Anon commented on every page. Every. Single. Page.
Ganke didn’t know what to do or say. On the one hand, clearly this person was dedicated and deeply engaged with the comic, on the other hand, they needed a Rude Alert button. Ganke wondered if Ned could code one for them and them only.
The latest of their fury was directed at the big reveal in the second issue—BT’s face.
Having now met Sam, BT, Blindspot, Ganke’s whole image of him had changed.
He was not conventionally attractive as far as like, K-Pop idols and famous Chinese dudes went. His eyes were puffy and narrow and his face was round everywhere but the jaw. He leaned more towards ‘cute’ than ‘sexy,’ which Ganke sort of loved about him.
He was friendly. Stressed and grumpy and feisty as hell, yeah, but first and foremost friendly.
Miles claimed that he called it his ‘number one asset in employability.’ Which was wild because hello, Blindspot.
Obviously, BT couldn’t help his face. But Miles and Ganke could help Guotin’s.
Ganke had sent Miles about fifteen different images of Chinese celebrities and had told him to do his worst. They’d reviewed the final few drafts and had picked one that was most like a young Chen Kun. His face was more oval-shaped than BT’s. His chin and lips were slimmer but more defined. He was pretty, but not so pretty as to be called ‘feminine,’ which Ganke thought was a solid compromise between ‘handsome as sin’ and ‘looks like he’s got a quirky sense of humor.’
Anon hated him.
Anon thought that he looked like an idol, and they were not here for it.
They told ‘the artist’ to give him a mole or something, anything to make him look ‘less pristine. God, I can smell him from here and he smells like Dior and staph habitat.’
Ganke had to look up what a staph infection was. He regretted it. He asked Miles if they should censor Anon.
Miles said ‘mmmmm, idk it’s not like they aren’t saying anything that isn’t true.’
Ganke resented that. Clearly this was defamation of BT. This person hated him and was taking their feeling out on the comic.
 MM: I mean yeah but it’s not like they’re talking about the comic, man. They’re talking about the style and like, thinking about it, a mole or smth to help you tell him apart from other folks would kind of be helpful. Like, especially if we ever put him in a crowd, you know?
 HHHHHH.
Fine.
Anon could stay. But they were on thin ice.
--
 It was hard not to be bitter about Anon’s comments, especially when they arrived daily, as though Anon knew exactly what they were doing and which page they’d left off at. They couldn’t possibly be reading the comic one page at a time, this was intentional.
Ganke’s jaw hurt from all the tooth grinding he’d endured as of late.
This latest one read ‘yo, has BT ever mentioned fighting with a sword? I don’t recall him mentioning. Someone should take that thing away from him before someone loses an eye—or maybe even two.’
That felt like a pointed jibe.
That turned the churning irritation in Ganke’s gut into something much, much colder.
Did Anon know about BT’s black and blue eyes? How could they know? Was it a coincidence? It seemed to be more than a coincidence.
The pile of critiques was growing bigger and bigger, and now that Ganke thought about it, they all seemed to take issue with things that didn’t match the real Blindspot’s personality.
It was as if they knew him.
 GL: miles did you read the new comment from AnonTheAsshole?
MM: lol yeah
GL: tell me if I’m talking out my ass or whatever but like
GL: you don’t think they could be Muse, could they?
 Silence.
 MM: oh no
 Yeah. Fuck.
 MM: chances are low.
GL: they know so much tho??
MM: might be stalker? Maybe someone who’s over-invested in BT’s social media pages?
GL: maybe.
MM: hold on let me ask Spidey to screen it
GL: does he know Muse?
MM: no, but he’s paranoid and he’ll get Wade to be paranoid with him, and then they can decide whether its worth giving to DD for verification. He knows Muse.
 Ganke’s head was spinning. His fingers shook with guilt and the thought of Muse’s pale body hunched over a secret, cracked cell phone in a high security prison who knew where.
In Ganke’s head, he smiled wider and wider, until the skin on his cheeks cracked. He dug out scraps of paper and redrew Blindspot—Sam—with gaping holes for eyes and a screaming mouth and he drew dismembered corpses in black lakes and he laughed.
He just kept laughing.
 MM: hey ganke
MM: it’s going to be okay. It’s just a comic. I’m sure AnonTheAsshole is a stalker. They’re not threatening anyone.
MM: Sam can deal with a stalker. And we can too, okay?
 There was a reason that Miles was a hero. Ganke wiped at his eyes and swallowed.
 GL: okay. Thanks for doing that.
MM: 👍🏾
--
 It took a few hours because Spidey and Deadpool had lives outside of being Spidey and Deadpool, but not so long that Ganke ran out of nails to chew.
Miles messaged him back and said that Spidey had read through everything and ‘escalated it.’ This meant that whatever he’d seen had caused him enough concern to take it to DP.
Miles said that he’d get back to Ganke with DP’s verdict as soon as he had it. In the meantime, he’d run the comments by the other Spideypeople and they thought that it most likely wasn’t malevolent but was maybe something to keep an eye on in the meantime. He tacked onto all, somewhat stiltedly, that he had a weird feeling all of the sudden. The pink Spidey’s tone had changed. She’d shut down and gone cagey, which allegedly wasn’t like her at all. Then she’d told the taller guy to DM her and they’d vanished from the chat. Miles wasn’t sure what was going on there or if maybe they knew something about stuff going on that he didn’t, but he wasn’t super comfortable with it.
 GL: crossing my fingers its nothing?
MM: same man, same.
--
 DP escalated it.
Ganke couldn’t stay still in his room. There was no comfortable place to sit or stand or lay. There was nothing to do that would make him stop thinking about everything.
 MM: It’s gonna be fine, man, DD always knows what to do.
 Miles kept saying that for every step of the way, and yet here they were. Double escalated. Ganke wasn’t so sure he even knew what was happening anymore.
That was scary. Miles was supposed to be part of the in-crowd.
 MM: Wade doesn’t think it’s anything that can’t be nipped in the bud.
 That was easy for a contract assassin to say, wasn’t it?
 MM: he says that you and I are fine. Doesn’t see any links there. Waiting on DD for confirmation of tone.
 Hurry up, Daredevil. Your apprentice’s life might be about to take a nosedive into a heap of trash.
--
 Two hours. One text.
 MM: >:/
 Ganke couldn’t contain the bubble of laughter.
 GL: good news?
MM: [image]
 He opened it.
 SC: HANNAH YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE. STOP BEING A BITCH ON MAIN
HC: You can’t tell me what to do
SC: I CAN
HC: Mom he’s being MEAN
SC: Mom she’s scaring children online
HC: I scare children everywhere I go why are these ones special???
SC: Because I said so
HC: that doesn’t fucking work Samuel you’re not her
SC: I am your older brother
SC: your ELDEST brother
HC: YOU AINT SHIT
SC: THEY DON’T COUNT
SC: HALFSIES COUNT
 What.
 MM: so.
MM: she’s not Muse.
MM: Red’s laughing his ass off at all of us for taking this to a level three
GL: wait I don’t understand
MM: Hannah is Sam’s little sister. She’s found a new hobby in our website.
 Blindspot’s little sister was reading the comic??? Holy shit.
 GL: she hates him?
MM: no I’ve been informed that they would literally commit murder for each other but this is how they express love.
 No way. Siblings were wild.
 GL: so we’re good?
MM: [image]
  SC: apologize 🔪
HC: eat my ass
SC: apologize or else
HC: or else what? You gonna come in here and sit on me? Huh? Huh????
SC: I know your email password. All 3 you cycle through. What was his name? Uuuuuuuuuh Jing?
HC: you fucking bastard
SC: Hi Jing, it’s me, Hannah. I’ve been in mad crush with you since sophomore year. Please notice me senpai 😖
HC: Die
SC: kill me
HC: I will.
 The giggles that came this time were a mix of relief and genuine intrigue. This lady read the comic every day. She took the time to scroll through pictures of her brother being an absolute lunatic and fighting with a huge monkey. Then she hopped into that comment box and took him—not Miles, not Ganke, specifically Blindspot--down a peg.
She must miss him a lot. Ganke wondered if this was her way of keeping him in her thoughts.
 MM: I don’t think we’re getting a sorry, man. DD says Sam’s been at this all morning and has been tricked into apologizing himself twice
GL: so you’re saying that she’s an evil genius
MM: idk but she’s def Sam’s main nemesis. I always thought that older siblings got like, rights or something over younger ones, but idk anymore. Angel says this is normal.
GL: do you think she misses him?
 Miles took a long time to respond.
 MM: yeah
 Yeah, Ganke thought so, too.
 GL: should we change Guo tin’s brother’s name to ‘hamish?’
MM: ASDLDSDSFKdsjf
MM: one moment.
MM: sam says yes. Hannah says that she thinks our comic is shit and we need to draw everything uglier
GL: she’s kind of funny
MM: 👀perhaps she would like to be a consultant?
GL: 👀👀👀👀
MM: brb asking
MM: sam says no. Hannah says she’s got better things to do than proofread comics on the internet. She’s also not sorry. She wants that to be clear. DD says that the conversation has moved from English to Chinese and to maybe duck and cover for now. He says all is good tho. Thanks for checking in.
MM: Muse doesn’t use punctuation and talks in riddles, so if we get any of that, we’re supposed to send it to DP right away.
 Oh, nice. That was a relief.
 MM: oh
MM: sam wants to put us in a chat. Can I give him your number?
 Uh, only if he wanted Ganke to hyperventilate.
 GL: sure
 --
  [GL has been added to a Secure Chat]
 It was a page of characters and emojis that were somehow more menacing than Ganke had ever seen them before. Miles popped a little waving hand into the fray, as though testing the waters, but the characters just carried on scrawling around it.
Ganke wasn’t quite sure what to do.
 GL: hi? Are y’all okay?
 There was finally a pause. Then a few shorter lines of characters. And then finally, Blindspot switched from Chinese to English.
 SC: yes we’re FINE. We’re GREAT. Aren’t we, sibling from hell?
HC: who’re you? Why are you in our family chat? This is a family only zone, can’t you read?
SC: God Hannah he’s Korean don’t be a dick
HC: I can’t not be I learned it from you
SC: fair but pretend in the face of company
HC: okay fine. Hello losers.
MM: adksadfadsdfldfsldf
MM: hi
GL: hi?
SC: go on
HC: UGH
HC: fine
HC: I didn’t mean to shit talk your creation. Only my brother.
SC: also a sin, we’ll get to that later
HC: no one cares about you Samuel, stop spreading lies
SC: you first. We both know this is no lie, my white dad cares about me a whole lot
HC: well we can’t all have white dads now can we
SC: don’t be jealous
MM: lol you really call Matt your white dad??
HC: who is this person and how do they know our mutual parent’s name?
SC: this is not a mutual parent situation how many times have we been through this. He’s mine. Get your own.
MM: hi! 👋🏾I’m Bitsy! Spidey no. 4
GL: I’m his friend. He draws the comic. I write it.
HC: oh. nerd children x2
HC: anyways yeah Matt is our dad
SC: ffs
MM: he’s sort of dadly ig.
HC: ?? oho
SC: mind your face. Think about your face. Think about how much you like your face.
HC: little spider, did you not hear?
SC: kay everyone out. We’re done here
MM: hear what?
HC: lol Sammy you didn’t tell them about how Matthew Mcconaughey adopted you in all ways but paperwork?
 Ganke held his phone away from his face as far as it would go.
 MM: …wait are you for real?
SC: no. okay out.
HC: awwww Sammy so shy now. What are you embarrassed about? It’s cute.
SC: Hannah literally shut up I’m not playing
HC: damn okay sorry
MM: can I be honest?
SC: no
MM: I’m going to be anyways: I think we all sorta knew.
SC: …
HC: right?
SC: what does that even mean?
MM: idk, it just felt right, you know? You two are always fussing at each other and red lost his shit that time you got shot. He doesn’t treat you the way he treats the rest of us and we’re his teammates. He doesn’t even treat spidey like he treats you. So like, yeah. It fits.
MM: I’m really happy for you guys.
MM: is there a reason it’s a secret?
 Ganke eased himself back down onto the mattress. This was real. This was like, actual, real information. Something that he and like, four other people in the world now knew.
He kind of wanted to forget it. It didn’t feel right to know.
 SC: I dunno.
HC: if sam has an honest emotion towards anything he has to calculate its weight so he can make space for it in his collection of satellites.
MM: wh
SC: you’re so not funny.
HC: it’s called emotional repression, darling. It’s all the rage in this family.  
MM: oh
MM: so that’s why you and Red get on so well
SC: HHHHHHH
HC: HA
SC: okay but listen his is different, I’ve only seen him cry at his wedding. I cry at least 4 times a week. Obviously under the bed, but that can’t be emotional repression. That’s expression. That’s clearly expression
HC: I can make the old man cry watch me
SC: please don’t I’ll die
MM: awwwww
SC: shut up it doesn’t even matter.
MM: AWWWWWW
SC: LEAVE ALREADY
MM: no I like it here. I want to hear you talk about how much you love your white dad
SC: I don’t. He loves me. I’m fine with this because it results in food, shelter, and continued employment.
HC: uh huh
SC: I’m using him
HC: yeah because you’re like the most manipulative person I know.
SC: thank you
HC: /sarcasm
SC: I know I ignored it.
MM: so wait why do you actually pretend like you hate him tho?
SC: wh
SC: what the fuck am I supposed to do? Just go on up for a cuddle? Have you met Matt? The second someone starts crying, he finds trash to take out to the bins. Hell no. Life is easier for everyone if I stab him with a stick and he kicks my ass in training. It’s fine.
HC: Sam is learning how to be a Manly Man. This is step one.
SC: I’m plenty manly
HC: you’re what mom imagined as manly
SC: which is perfect. That’s all I need.
HC: mama’s boy
SC: must suck to suck, no one’s kid.
 Wow. Ganke had never been more glad that he didn’t have a sister.
 GL: That’s kind of cool, though.
GL: that you and DD are close like that I mean.
GL: Its different from all the other mentor/mentee superheroes we see who like, sort of hate each other.
SC: wh
SC: OH. you mean Peter and Kate. Peter doesn’t actually hate Stark, fyi. And Kate calls Hawkeye the Old bi-weekly to make sure he’s still breathing. It’s actually pretty normal.
MM: he doesn’t mean like that Sam. I mean, like those guys don’t associate with their Olds now that they’re grown up and stuff, but you and DD stick together. It’s like you’re family.
MM: and that’s super cool. Idk if Spidey would ever consider me family. I don’t think he wants that for us.
SC: I?
SC: oh shit
HC: CLARITY ON THIS FINE DAY. What was your name again, tiny spider?
MM: miles
HC: PRAISE BE TO MILES
HC: AN EMOTION WAS HAD
SC: get fucked
HC: An epiphany was obtained!
SC: would you shut up
HC: Something has finally permeated that non-porous, two-inch thick skull of my esteemed eldest brother
SC: I’m your only brother
HC: you’re not
SC: they don’t fucking count
HC: now will you FINALLY invite our mutual dad to hotpot?
SC: Hannah he doesn’t want to come to hot pot we’ve talked about this. it’s too spicy for him.
HC: I’ll make it 1/3 less spicy
SC: that’s still too spicy
HC: I’ll make it 2/5 less spicy
SC: 3/5
HC: listen
HC: I have all this fucking equipment that SOMEONE left here callously
MM: what’s hotpot?
SC: 👀
HC: 👀
GL: 👀
SC: well fuck
HC: EYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
GL: have we never taken you with us for hotpot???
MM: no?? is this the sticks?
HC: can be. Where do you live?
SC: Hannah no
HC: Hannah yes. We’ll make one here. You’ll make one there.
SC: do you know how much shit I’ll have to buy? Where are we gonna put it?
HC: this wouldn’t be a problem if you’d taken your goddamn inheritance with you to SF
SC: HHHHHH
MM: you guys are actually being serious?
HC: I am. I am here all on my lonesome. Abandoned by my only kin. I require enrichment.
SC: try doing your fucking homework
HC: did anyone hear something?
MM: lololololol I like you
HC: 😊
SC: wh
SC: oh no. No no no.
SC: you two don’t get to be friends
HC: come here bb pspspspspspsps
MM: I’m here
HC: got ‘im. Let’s have hotpot. Sammy send me resippy. We’ll do it together over video so I don’t fuck it up.
SC: I’ve got to go. This has been traumatizing.
HC: byeeeeeeeeeeee
HC: is he gone? Hell yeah, he’s gone.
HC: hey thanks for making that comic thing. It’s hella rad. He loves it. Mom used to call him Monkey when he was little.
GL: omg aw
HC: ikr? P cute. He misses her a lot so I think it brought back good memories. Anyways, I’m actually going to make hotpot. Come over and have some with me, it’s more fun with more people.
MM: you’re not joking
HC: nope, it’s been ages since your whole team has gotten together, right? Ask them to do it. I’m a shit cook, but Sam’ll show us how not to screw it up. And he’s playin’, he’s totally down to hang out with us. We never had more than three people. It’ll be new. Exciting. Enriching even.
MM: are you secretly a nice person, Hannah?
HC: the fuck do you mean ‘secret’??? I’m a delight.
MM: Okay I’ll ask the team and my mom
MM: ganke?
HC: 👀
 That—
Sounded kind of nice?
 GL: I’ll ask my mom.
HC: nice. You can tell them that it’s a friends dinner or whatever. Idc. I promise I’m not going to kidnap and murder you. I’ve got like, class and work and shit. I don’t have time for that.
MM: 👍🏾
GL: 👍🏼
HC: great here I’ll message you my number. This is legit our sibs chat so Sam’ll freak if you’re still here when he gets back.
MM: thank you! And sorry for thinking you were muse!!
GL: yeah that too
HC: lol np ttyl                                    
 That…had really just happened, hadn’t it?
Ganke needed to sit down even though he was already sitting down.
 GL: they’re so nice???
MM: ikr?
GL: are you actually going to ask your mom?
MM: Im gonna ask BT if its cool first. Then yeah. Why not? Our team really hasn’t gotten together in a minute. Everyone’s been super busy. It would be a nice change of pace, and if everyone brings smth then Hannah doesn’t have to pay for anything.
MM: ah, Sam says it’s okay. He says sorry his sister is weird and that he’ll make sure she doesn’t poison us.
GL: I kind of love her
MM: same
MM: okay will check in with the others. Talk to you later.
GL: yeah see you later
 Damn, at this rate, Ganke’s family was going to triple in size, and all thanks to a comic.
Before he left for downstairs, he made a note to make Guo tin’s brother snarkier.
189 notes · View notes
whatifxwereyou · 3 years
Text
The Oncoming Storm Part 17: Blackout
Liu Kang x Reader and Kung Lao x Reader (gonna do both, two paths!)
Oh no, you made things complicated. Lol. I'm having more fun writing Kung Lao than should be allowed. Hopefully you guys enjoy! And yes, I know this is tropey but I also don't care LOL, it's a fun trope.
Part 16 Part 18 Chapter Index
The hotel was surprisingly crowded. You weren’t sure what you’d expected but you hadn’t expected it to be bustling with tourists. There was a festival happening, you should have expected this. A bit outdated, the hotel was still clean and inviting. A welcome reprieve from the stone walls of Raiden’s Temple. You’d arrived early and still had to wait in line. Raiden had ‘transported’ you there which had been a wild experience in and of itself. You’d walked into a bolt of lightning and had come out in a quiet alley unseen.
It had been so long since you’d walked amongst the average civilian that it felt straight up bizarre to be walking along the streets of the modest city, especially in your hanfu. It was all you’d had, after all. No one looked at you twice other than to greet you politely. Most of the other folks staying at the hotel for the festival were couples on a romantic getaway which had made it instantly weird to be waiting in line with Kung Lao to check into your respective rooms.
Thankfully, the line moved quickly and once you’d checked in, you dropped off the few belongings you’d brought with you. The room was tiny with a single bed, a desk taking up nearly the rest of the room. Atop the desk was a television and beneath that was an old, ancient mini fridge. It would do well enough. This was the most technology you’d seen in weeks. Afterwards, you’d found Kung Lao and told him that you would meet him in an hour. You’d made note of a clothing store down the road and wanted to see if there was anything worth buying.
He, of course, decided to join you. No one trusted you alone anymore. He didn’t say it like that, but you knew that Raiden had told both him and Liu to keep an eye on you. You felt like a ticking time bomb.
Once at the shop you were disappointed to find that it sold mostly yukatas and kimonos. You supposed it was better than the flowy hanfu. At least you could pick out something that would be your own rather than something that had been handed to you.
Boy, you missed the internet.
You picked out a few pieces that you could work with a bit easier. Most of the hanfu were dresses or long flowy robes. Here you’d been able to find a few women’s kimonos that had hakama pants as an option. You had never been so excited to see pants in your life. You didn’t need the whole kimono, just the pants. Some constricted around the ankles while others were left open. You grabbed both and were extremely pleased.
“Sometimes, you’re a very simple woman.” Kung Lao had patted you on the back when you’d showed him the pants in excitement. You had to agree. In that moment you were very simple. Pants had brought you joy. You’d wandered away from him after that to find a few tops, belts, and jackets. Thankfully, you’d had your wallet on you when this had all begun so you had some money on you. In Raiden’s Temple, money hadn’t been necessary, so you were happy to spend it on the few things you did need.
They weren’t jeans and a t-shirt or even cute dresses, but it felt like a step in the right direction toward feeling like yourself again. You hadn’t realized how much it had bothered you until then.
Kung Lao had purchased just enough for the day in flattering red and black. That seemed to be his aesthetic though you could picture him in blues too for some reason. Then you made your way back to the hotel and to your rooms on the top floor. You had gotten rooms next to each other. You went to get changed and were happy with what you saw even in the half mirror on the desk. You stood on the bed to get a better look. Black hakama pants and a grayish-lavender and black top with a white sash tied around your middle. You then pulled your hair back in a ponytail and admired yourself in the mirror. Even though your hair was a mess you looked much more like yourself.
Your white roots had grown out a couple of inches now. It didn’t look bad, but it definitely didn’t look like it was on purpose either.
Oh well! You jumped off the bed and then left the room to find Kung Lao waiting for you, leaned against the wall next to your door. He had one foot propped against the wall, arms folded across his chest, hat obscuring his face as it often did. The clothing he’d bought wasn’t too terribly different from what he usually wore with the notable exception that he had sleeves which was truly a shame. He tilted his head up just enough to greet you before stepping away from the wall. You hadn’t left him waiting that long and yet he acted as though he’d been there for ages.
You noticed the jade ring from his usual outfit was woven into his outfit with the sash around his waist laced through it. It was kind of sweet that he always seemed to have it on him.
“Is that significant in some way? Special?” You asked, gesturing to the ring. He looked down at the ring in surprise and then nodded down the hall. You walked slowly through the hotel toward the stairwell.
“It’s a relic from my ancestor, the Great Kung Lao.”
“Oh, wow. About that, though… I’ve heard people mention him, but I had never heard the name before you. I know that he’s of some importance which has made you important…”
“I am incredibly important, thank you.”
“Yes, very. Keep talking.”
“He was the first champion of Mortal Kombat who had come from the Shaolin Order of Light. He defeated Shang Tsung and won the tournament.” Kung Lao seemed as though he had told this story a hundred times but was still proud to tell it. It was oddly sweet. “He was champion of Earthrealm for fifty years before the tournament was corrupted and he was killed. Even so, he is held in great reverence. He was a remarkable warrior.”
“Is that why you have a dragon mark?”
“Yes, that is why I have the mark. It’s also why I was sent away so young. I’d already been training long before I’d met you. When I left it was because it was time for me to go live at the temple.”
You stopped walking before the stairs and he stopped just in front of you and turned to face you. “Then why were you so bad when we would pretend to fight?”
“I held back. I wanted you to have fun too. Besides, it felt nice to be normal back then.” He laughed and you caught up to him and started down the stairs. “I was thinking that we should come up with a story as to why we’re here.”
“Should we?”
“Obviously. We need a reason to be here.”
“Other than the reason we actually have?”
“And when a bunch of strangers ask you why we’re here, are you going to tell them the real reason we’re here?”
“Point taken.”
“We need a cover.”
“Do we really though? I don’t remember ever having to justify my actions that intensely to strangers before. We can just be visiting.” You jumped down the last two stairs to the landing between flights. Pants felt great. Kung Lao seemed to either be overthinking your trip or grasping at straws to get to some end point. Or he was going to cause trouble. You would never forget the look that both Raiden and Liu had given him on their way out.
“I’ve been asked three times what brings me to Mount Osore during the festival. I came up with a lie on the spot but I’m no terribly proud of it or anything.”
“And what is this lie you came up with?”
“I said I was here on a date. Everyone else seems to be here on a date, so it was the first thing that jumped to mind.”
You rolled your eyes at him and he laughed in surprise, waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs. You caught up to him. “Really, Kung Lao?”
“What? It’s the first thing I could think of! The people asking me were on a date and so I stuttered that I was too.”
“Kung Lao, no.”
“Come on, Y/N.”
“Can’t we just say we’re visiting and that it’s no one’s business?” You walked into the lobby and he hurried in front of you and took your hands, clasping them between his. You sighed. “Would you…” The lobby was very crowded.
“I hate you so much right now.”
“Would you,” he continued, talking over you, “do me the honor of going on a cute little pretend date with me so that we can sneak into an ancient Buddhist Temple built within the caldera of a volcano so that we can uncover an ancient and possibly cursed artifact together?” You stared at him in disbelief, but it was taking every ounce of your energy not to burst into laughter. He was such a dork. “I will get down on my knees and ask you again if you don’t answer me.” He got down on his knees and you broke. Laughing, you pulled your hands free, grabbed his arms and tugged.
“Oh my god, get up, Kung Lao.”
“It’s a great cover, Y/N.”
“It is an exactly okay cover. But fine. I haven’t done something terribly embarrassing in a while, so I guess I’m overdue for this.” You agreed at least. He was right. It was a good cover considering this whole place was filled with couples. Besides, if it got Kung Lao to drop the subject then you would be happy to agree. The whole display had made your cheeks burn.
“Embarrassing, huh? Come on, Y/N. It’s not such a bad thing, is it? Could be worse looking guys to end up with, right?” He walked at your side again, making a teasing kissy face and leaning close to you. You leaned away with an awkward and nervous laugh.
“If you keep doing things like that then you are going to get smacked.”
“Worth it.” He held the door open for you and together you left the hotel. Outside a bus waited to take tourists to the shrine for the festival. People were already loading onto it. Kung Lao offered you his hand and you looked to him skeptically. He grabbed your hand anyway and then you walked onto the bus. “You’re going to have to get better at pretending.” You found seats near the back of the bus and even as you sat, he didn’t let go of your hand. You felt incredibly silly. Yet, it also made your heart flutter. As much as you had given him a hard time, you also happened to think it was an incredibly sweet and kind of wholesome idea.
Funny enough, you had thought of this moment before but in a much different context. Maybe in a life where your childhood together hadn’t ended so traumatically. Where you’d stayed close friends and he’d have asked you out when you were old enough. In a way, you felt like a silly schoolgirl, something you hadn’t felt in years.
If he hadn’t died then this was exactly where you would have wound up. Somehow that made you feel much less silly and you finally relaxed. Kung Lao pointed out several interesting things on the side of the road through the window and you listened to him chatter on until the bus was pulling up to the shrine. You waited for the others to get off the bus and then you walked ahead of Kung Lao and stepped off it.
The shrine was huge and it took your breath away.
So much so that it made you dizzy.
A river flowed before you then beneath a red bridge. To the left of the bridge there was a white beach lining the bluest and most artificial-looking water that you had ever seen in your life. Rocks were piled alongside the shore in strange formations. Beyond the bridge there was a stone path that led to the shrine in the distance, and it was lined with old lanterns. You walked to the edge of the stone path where the bus had dropped you off to try and get a better look at the water.
That was a teal color you had never seen before in nature. In your mind’s eye, you recalled your vision and it made your stomach drop. You took a step further and were suddenly grasped around the waist and pulled away from the edge of the stone. Then Kung Lao looped his arm in yours. “You looking to take a dip?”
You hadn’t realized that you had almost walked right into the river. You hadn’t been thinking. The water had bewitched you, it seemed. You needed to get a closer look at it but now that you’d been turned away from it, the feeling had gone. From there you could smell the acidity in the humid air. That was likely why it was so blue. “Pay more attention, okay?”
You weren’t sure what to say to him. It was surreal being there. This place was exactly the same as it had been in your vision but also years, possibly centuries had passed since then. The shrine buildings themselves were much larger than they had been then. They were even a different color. Your head was spinning as you tried to take in everything at once. It was an overload. You grabbed Kung Lao’s arm to try and ground yourself. You felt as though you were floating and the wind would take you away.
Kung Lao led you onto the bridge and at its apex you sat and watched the water trickle beneath it. He helped you lean your elbows against the railing and then placed a supportive hand on your back.
“It’s okay. Take a second.” He seemed to realize that you were having a difficult time. How could you explain that you were struggling to wrap your mind around being in a place where you’d had such a vivid and violent vision? You were grateful for him. Your heart was racing and you watched the water flowing beneath the bridge, over the rocks. Your stomach had dropped. It felt as though you were intimately familiar with this place, as though you had spent years there, but you had never once seen it before. At the same time, everything felt completely new. Your brain was waging war with itself. “You okay?”
“Yeah, this is just… surreal.” You were finally able to collect your thoughts enough to talk.
“You went a bit gray. Figured you needed a minute.”
“I appreciate it.”
“So, where do we go?”
“There’s a well inside one of those buildings.” You nodded to your right where the shrine was at the end of the stone path.
“Vague, but okay.” He peered to the right and then pointed. “It’s off limits.” From there you could see a series of ropes that blocked off the building from visitors. “Great.”
“It’s crowded enough here. I’m sure we can sneak in just fine.”
“Of course.” He leaned next to you on his forearms, hands clasped together. “This place is a little spooky.”
“It is. I read a brochure from the hotel lobby. The monks here believe that it’s the gateway to hell. The river beneath us is supposed to represent the Sanzu.” You pointed below you. It was a little spooky, you supposed, but it was also incredibly beautiful.
“I read about that. I also read that there are holy water bathhouses and volcanic cauldrons with crazy colored water.”
“Yeah, and a lake of blood.”
“I hate that, Y/N.” He stuck his tongue out at the idea. You laughed. He was too funny. He had this way of making you feel at least even about the big and often uncomfortable things sometimes. Other times he drove your anxiety through the roof. Thankfully, this wasn’t one of those moments. “What do you say that we get to sneaking in and find this thing so that we can have a bit of fun for the rest of the day, huh?”
“That sounds nice.”
He took your hand once again and you walked over the bridge and along the stone path. The lanterns were decorated for the festival along with the rest of the shrine. Monks walked about, greeting visitors and answering questions while explaining various attractions. Most visitors, and there were many, were straying from the temple in favor of the white sands or the volcanic cauldrons. You and Kung Lao walked until you reached the ropes before the shrine. You stood there for a time in the shade, waiting for your moment to sneak in unseen.
“Coast is clear,” you whispered and turned to keep watch while Kung Lao snuck into the shrine. Once inside, you waited for your opportunity and followed him. Inside, the building was ancient but to you it seemed oddly brand new. It wasn’t the same shrine that you remembered from your vision. Much had changed since that wicked man had been there.
No one was waiting for you inside the small entryway or in the room beyond. That seemed like the central room, with space for prayer and a dip in the center for dining. The floor was lined with tatami mats and the ceiling was high, windows on the second floor spattering sunlight throughout the room. Halls branched off in each direction and you suddenly felt overwhelmed with choice. It had seemed so much simpler in your vision.
“Lead the way but be cautious. We’re not alone.” Kung Lao spoke in a hushed tone, staying close to you but alert.
“Yeah.” You started through the room and down the closest hallway, checking to see if it was empty first. Kung Lao took your hand and you urged him along with you. Your stomach was in knots and his hand there continued to keep you grounded. Several times you encountered monks going about their business and you had to duck into other rooms or sneak back around corners. You somehow managed to remain unseen, having to huddle together in strange spaces and hide in enclosed areas. It would have been fun had it not been so damn frustrating.
None of it made sense! As you turned down another hall, you sighed in frustration. You’d wound up there twice already. Your gut kept sending you there and back to the central room but there was no indication that it was the same place that the vision had taken place in. Kung Lao suddenly pulled you back into the side room and held you against the wall near the door. There were footsteps in the hall, and you held your breath until they had passed. You made to go back into the hall, but Kung Lao pinned you in place.
“You’re leading us in circles.”
“I know. It’s hard to explain. It’s like someone’s moving everything around while we’re walking. It doesn’t make any sense. I think I’m going one way and then we’re back to where we started.” It was making you sick to your stomach, as a matter of fact.
“You can do this. Just focus.”
“Kung Lao, you have no idea what’s going on in my head right now. I am focusing.”
“You’re right I don’t. So, tell me.”
“I’m not sure that I have the words to explain that the room we’re looking for should be right around the corner but then it isn’t.” It really was disorienting to expect to be in one place and end up in another. “It shouldn’t have been this far back but also this place is ten times bigger than it had been in my vision.”
“I need you to try still.”
You were mixed up. It was like someone was moving rooms in your head and before you knew it, you had once again led him back into the central room which made both you and Kung Lao groan in annoyance.
“Oh good. We’re back. I was worried.”
“It should be right here, but everything looks so different!”
“It’s okay, Y/N. We’ll figure it out.”
“It’s not okay, Kung Lao. It should be right here. I wish I could just show you.” The frustration was radiating off you, you were sure. “I can’t-”
“Is someone there?” A voice from somewhere down the hall called and footsteps approached from a distance.
“Fu…” Kung Lao whispered and then grabbed you and searched for somewhere to hide. The closest hall was too far. You were caught. “Don’t panic.” He urged you to the wall with surprising care and you made a sound of surprise. What did he mean don’t panic? You were instantly panicking. Don’t panic? What was wrong with him? He leaned against you and tilted your chin up and his head toward you like he was going to kiss you, obscuring you both with his hat. “Act natural, Y/N.” His lips brushed against your cheek, just next to your lips. “I swear, you’re terrible at this.” You were stiff as a board, so he had every right to scold you, but also he was pretending to kiss you so what the hell were you supposed to do with that? What was natural in this case?
You gave him a swift but soft punch in the gut and he laughed against your cheek in return. That made you feel a bit better. He lifted his head just enough and you peered toward the door nearby, waiting for the monk that would inevitably kick you out. You could have had time to hide at this rate. Kung Lao’s lips were pressed against your cheek and they were soft even if it was just in a mock kiss close enough to your lips to look like you were sneaking a private moment.
You peered around the corner, thinking maybe you were in the clear. Kung Lao did the same and when you turned back to tell him that maybe the monk had decided to turn away, you found him extremely close to you. Intimately so. His dark eyes were serious and that always scared you for whatever reason. He tilted your chin toward him and all other thoughts slipped out of your brain.
What were you doing there? Where were you anyway? And why? Did it matter?
Not right now it didn’t.
His hand was on your chin, thumb brushing just below your lip, urging your lips to part just enough. You dared not breathe to break the tension of the moment. The sneaking and searching were gone completely from your thoughts. All that was left was the boy that you’d so admired in your youth grown into a handsome man with his hand against the wall at your side, the other inextricably lost below your lower lip.
His eyes were searching you, but you dared not look back into them for fear of what you might find, for fear of what it might reveal to you. His breath warmed your lips before they were on yours, parting them like a blossom in a soft and singular tender movement. A far superior kiss than the one he’d pretended to give you for the sake of saving your skin.
His lips were sweet. Not like sugar or candy, but sweet like the lingering taste of honey at the bottom of a cup of tea. It was a feeling of sweetness rather than a flavor. The moment was still and soft, his lips treasuring yours as though they were something sacred and special. They pulled back just enough from yours that you could feel your lips resisting to part as if they had minds of their own. His eyes were searching you still for answers and in wonder, but you didn’t dare meet them. Yet, you could feel his gaze and beneath your fingertips, that had betrayed you and now rested on his chest, you could feel his heart beating almost as hard as yours.
His breath graced your lips again, but you dared not breathe. You wanted to say something, even just a whisper of his name, but no words would come and you sat there, lips parted in waiting, avoiding his eyes, hand clutching the cloth at his chest, unsure of where you even were or why. This was Kung Lao.
Your Kung Lao.
A soft sigh escaped his lips as they were on yours again, but the softness was gone, though there was something about them that was still sweet even so. The force of his kiss pressed you against the wall, leaving you no escape- not that you wanted to escape. This was a moment that the ten-year-old inside your head had both longed for and not understood. You would have been a fool not to return his kiss, to taste and experience his lips the way that he was with yours and so you did. You kissed him and it was like a storm inside you beyond your control, building with electricity with every moment that passed.
There was a tender moment of acceptance where it felt as though time stood still. The soft moment faded quickly to frenzied desperation. There was no space left between you. Kung Lao was pressed against you, body warm and strong, hat nearly pushed back off of his head as he favored kisses over his possessions. Your hands moved up his chest, to the sides of his neck, fingertips then tangling in the short, messy tendrils of his hair at the base of his hairline. Your heart was doing flips, brain completely turned off to anything that had happened before this, even if somewhere in the distant reaches of your mind you could hear your instincts telling you that you had to stop. Whatever muting effect had been triggered in your brain had seemed to impact Kung Lao as well.
In one swift motion, fluid and strong, his hands were at your thighs and he had lifted you and pressed you against the wall, urging your legs to wrap around him. Your arms slipped naturally around his shoulders, pulling him closer between hot and increasingly sloppy kisses.
“Excuse me?”
Ah, yes. The monk. That was right.
You stopped kissing him.
Kung Lao’s lips finally pulled from yours and you could feel that your own were left slightly swollen from the desperation and passion of those precious few moments. When had you gotten so tangled up in each other? His chest was rising and falling against yours quickly and even though he’d pulled back his lips lingered close to yours as if to consider defying the monk further.
“My apologies.” The monk sounded embarrassed and bowed multiple times. “This area is closed to the public for the festival.”
You finally managed to regain your thoughts and untangled yourself from Kung Lao. You placed your feet on the ground and cleared your throat though your face was likely as red as his robes. He released you from his grip though he made no effort to step away. You swallowed the lump in the back of your throat and forced your brain to work.
“Is it?” You sounded surprised and were grateful that you had. You hadn’t expected to be a very good actor after all that, but you had been surprised to be interrupted and also confused as to where your mind had gone. It was more feigning innocence than lying. The monk nodded and looked as though he sincerely felt bad for interrupting you. “I’m sorry. We had no idea.”
“It’s no worries. I will happily escort you back to the festivities. Follow me.”
“Sorry about that.” Kung Lao, who you had never seen at a loss for words, seemed to finally regain himself. Just like that, he was back to the goof he’d been when you’d first arrived. “We were just sneaking off to have a private moment. Didn’t realize it was off limits.”
“It happens all the time. You’d be surprised.” The monk led you back through the central room and into the entryway. You elbowed Kung Lao as you followed the monk and he laughed beneath his breath. Once outside the monk bowed to you and then left you alone. You leaned your head back and stared into the sunny blue sky with a sigh. You needed a new plan. That one had gone off the rails in a way you hadn’t expected.
78 notes · View notes
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Alright another compilation headverse post bc the week long blackout through me off more than I thought and I still haven’t done a finalized version of Roy, so here’s a blitz through a bunch of ideas under the cut
The Golden Age Red Hood, now a composite character (I guess?) with Arthur Fleck. Not much of a stretch since Pre-Joker Red Hood’s whole deal is just being an anonymous schmuck in a bad position and becoming the worst guy in the world, but I see this version rifting a bit on Phoenix’s Freddie Quell performance, that sense of displaced/misplaced “chaos” that’s still sort of playing into the system that allows it to exist and thrive...anyway next is Ghost-Maker
Nothing to say here really. I’m not really keeping up with Tynion’s run and I don’t want to get too in the weeds with my opinions on it, which is maybe overly evident in how unpolished my take is. If anything, I was mostly struggling to draw the character at all. He’s got a needlessly busy design that Jimenez commits to and Ortiz does some really fun stuff with, but my first batch of takes all came out like Deadpool. This version...still does? I played with the idea of making him into an identity for headverse!Lincoln March as a big Racer X joke, but who knows.
Pivoting off that, I’m much happier with the new World’s Finest piece. Early career Superman, who’s a pretty standard Clark but I was really happy with the linework for him, and I think the first image I’ve posted of the setting earlier, major OC: Aloysius Fox, Lucius Fox’s father, and the secret First Batman. So, full disclosure, Aloysius’s earliest versions were essentially Luke Fox in the original purple gloves costume bc I love that first costume, with the “grandpa was a secret OG superhero” angle kinda transparently lifted from Lindelof’s big Hooded Justice retcon. All of THAT is then filtered through all the weird mid-late 80s attempts to “fix” Golden Age continuity by subbing in characters like Flying Fox and Iron Munro in place of Batman and Superman. Aloysius will be more fleshed out when I get into Gotham’s headverse history and the Coney Island Justice Society stuff, but for now he’s just a cool design I like to tinker with.
Teth Atem, the Black Adam of Kahndaq, Ancient Champion of Shazam, Lost Master of the Lightning, Cream of the Garden of Eternity’s Corp, Theodore Adams of Fawcett and general multi-hyphenate. Again, I think making him bald is maybe leaning too hard into the live action version wrt The Rock (oh wait, The Rock, Rock of Eternity, that’s funny actually lol). His story role in the headverse is gonna wait until I loop back around to the Shazam Family and Thunderworld, but I love Teth and he’s definitely making into the next edit of the JL group shot lol.
Another weird re-work in the vein of FleckHodd: KRONA AS THE SPECTRE. This one I actually really liked as a concept (illustration is...fine considering I was flying through these), with the basic idea going back to Hal’s Spectre days (and partially his DKSA portrayal) combined with the Spectre’s own history of choosing hosts and turning it into a more generally cosmic entity that the weird superhero interpretation of Christian Mythology it functions as now. I kinda see the Spectre in the headverse as a step between Ion and Aya as a living expression of Willpower “energy” and Krona using his position as a host to develop the mass-produced Krona Gauntlet and later Green Lantern rings, as opposed to Spectre’s overwhelming possession aspect (and death/resurrection aspect, natch). Krona at this point in the time has probably just met or is about to meet Volthoom, so hasn’t totally wilded out, but there’s a reason Spectre still becomes known as “God’s Vengeance” in this canon.
Finally, Cor-Vex! No meta here really, Krypton retconning Jor-El’s birth name is just fascinating (and kinda funny) to me. The “II” being the giveaway that this version isn’t Jor-El, but Kal, in an alternate timeline where Jor kept the name but also has an adult son who went to Earth got superpowers. Cor-Vex II isn’t headverse canon, but Jor-El being named Cor-Vex in other realities and universes will be, with a totally original homebrew alt being the setting of a major Superman story that will let me use Mr. Oz without getting kinda weirded out that Lara was already having a bad day when her husband spontaneously transformed into an old, old man and she just died bc for whatever reason no one wants to write about Lara beyond being the tragically faithful wife and mother.
...this post is already too long (idk how much of this to even tag, it’s sort of all over the place) but Lara Lor-Van’s personal history is a particular fascination of mine too, so she’s getting some development eventually too. (Probably after I finally do that Wonder Woman post I keep mentioning and putting off)
Anyway, sorry this is a mess, been a weird week, but hopefully have more soon!
39 notes · View notes
tuanyiems · 3 years
Text
To Tango
Tumblr media
Yugyeom x Fem Reader Genre: fluff, a little angst, smut Words: 12k [Masterlist in blog description] Plot: Sequel to Take Two (Arranged Marriage AU) Part of the Marriage Life AU series. You and Yugyeom have decided to take things slow now that you are starting over on the right foot. This proves to be more difficult when your insecurities about your virginity grow larger and Yugyeom’s dance partners get prettier and sexier with each routine. Warning: gyeom and reader need to work on their communication lulz, loss of virginity, fingering, oral (f receiving), penetrative sex, unprotected sex, riding, creampie, a brief moment of unintentional cockwarming lol
-
“Oh, and the sex, Y/N!” Anna let out a dreamy sigh, plopping her head against the couch cushion dramatically, her third glass of wine swirling dangerously in her hand. “I thought we were great in bed before, but engagement sex! Y/N, it’s absolutely mind-blowing!”
You giggle in response to your best friend, lips on the edge of your own wine glass as you nursed your first cup.
Anna reaches out her left hand, eyes crinkling at the sparkling ring on her finger. “I can’t wait to get married and have newlywed sex! Is it even better, Y/N?”
You cough in surprise, mouthful of wine spilling back into your glass.
“Oh dear, are you okay?” Anna reaches over, patting you on the back. She glances over cautiously. “You know, I heard most couples need time to learn each other’s bodies. Not all men can be like Jungkook. It gets better, don’t worry!”
“No!” You looked up in surprise, cheeks heating up. “It’s not that it’s bad. Yugyeom isn’t bad…or well, I don’t…he’s probably not.”
“Wait!” She shakes her head in disbelief, slamming down her wine glass on the coffee table. “I thought you and Yugyeom were getting along! It’s been a whole year, Y/N!”
“W-we are,” you stutter, looking away.
“But you’re still a virgin?” Anna asks slowly. You gulp down the rest of your glass, squeezing your eyes shut in embarrassment as you reluctantly nod.
“Aww, it’s okay…sex isn’t even that…good.”
You roll your eyes, giggling at the obvious lie. “Stop Anna, you looked like you were in actual pain just saying that.”
She grinned, flashing a row of plum teeth. “Sex is amazing, Y/N, I’m sorry.”
You shrug your shoulders, pouring more wine into your glasses. “I’m sure I’ll find out eventually. Yugyeom and I are just taking things slow.”
“Of course, there’s no rush!” Anna smiles reassuringly.
“Right, no rush.” You agree, nodding your head with conviction. Deep down though, you’re worried. After the two of you finally cleared the air of your misunderstandings last year, you both agreed to take things slow, get to know each other as friends first. Of course, this was more for Yugyeom. You had already been head over heels for him two years prior to him ever knowing your name. As time passed, your feelings for Yugyeom only grew stronger, but you weren’t sure you could say the same for him.
It took months for him to come to terms with you being his wife, you didn’t want to scare him away by asking for anything more. But a whole year has passed since then and the two of you hang out more like roommates than a married couple.
The first time you went on a real date, it got so awkward that Yugyeom literally called up Bambam to break the silence. The last time you tried to hold Yugyeom’s hand he flinched like you were going to chop his fingers off or something. Ever since then, you’ve given up, relishing instead on your casual nights in watching k-dramas and weekly grocery store runs. Those count as dates, right?
“Everyone has their own pace Y/N,” Anna adds, as if she could hear your worried thoughts. “There’s no order to when you’re supposed to get married or have sex. Don’t worry about it.”
You look at her with a pout. “Even if we’ve never kissed?”
“YOU’VE NEVER KISSED?!”
You laugh, half at her reaction and half in agony as you nod.
“What the hell is wrong with Yugyeom?” Anna yelled out indignantly. 
You smile sheepishly, brushing your fingers through your hair in defeat. “Maybe he doesn’t want to kiss me. We hang out like bros. I think I’ve been friendzoned.”
“Nonsense! There’s something wrong with that boy if he doesn’t want to kiss you. Even I want to kiss you sometimes! That’s how hot you are!”
You laugh, collapsing into the couch cushions at your friend’s bug-eyed expression. “Anyways, it’s not that big of a problem. In his defense, he’s only just gotten to know me. I’m not as outgoing as you Anna, my charms are a little harder to see.”
“No way, Yugyeom’s just blind. That, or he’s a coward! You need to grab that boy by the collar and show him exactly what he’s missing out on. Just grab him and plant a wet one on him!”
You chuckle, shaking your head. “I think that’s called assault, Anna. We’ll get there in due time. No rush.”
“No rush about what?” Yugyeom interrupts, entering through the front door. He had just come back from the dance studio. You avert your eyes. Even after a long day of dancing in track pants and a plain white tee, hair stuffed into a black cap, Yugyeom still looks irresistible. 
“Are you two drinking again?” He asks after no answer, approaching the two of you on the couch.
You smile sheepishly, twirling the red wine in your glass.
“Yes we are! Have to get rid of our frustrations somehow!” Anna barks back, pouring more wine into both of your glasses.
“This is my second glass,” You tell him quietly when he glances from Anna back to you, questioningly. 
Yugyeom raises his brow skeptically, leaning over the couch to get a closer look. You gulp, eyes trailing the tip of his nose and the curve of his cupid’s bow. He’s so close; you could smell the lingering scent of the outside air mixed with his faded cologne. 
“Your second glass?” he asks, eyes trained on yours like he could read your thoughts if he stares hard enough. You pray that isn’t true.
You nod quietly.
“Then why are your cheeks so pink? I think you’re already drunk!” He declares, standing up straight. Anna laughs, looking at you with a knowing smile.
“Did you eat dinner yet?” You change the subject quickly.
He smiles down at you before stepping away. “Yeah, I’m gonna go shower and then head to bed. Don’t keep her up too late, Anna!”
“That’s your job, Mr. Hubby,” Anna mumbles under her breath, snickering when your eyes widen, and you turn back to check if he heard. Yugyeom is already down the hallway though.
You pout, sinking into your seat. “Don’t say it!”
“You’ve got the hots for your husband!” Anna sings with excitement, nudging you teasingly.
You can only groan into the couch cushions because you know she’s absolutely right.
Of course, by now everyone knows you’ve had the hots for your husband ever since you laid eyes on him as a freshman in college. You were like the Cinderella of arranged marriages on campus. You agreed with it yourself. It wasn’t every day that parents matched their daughters up with their longtime crushes.
But that was a sweet and innocent time in your life, when you’d have daydreams of cooking dinner with him and he’d help tie your apron from behind. Maybe even tuck a stray hair behind your ear. Now your daydreams are far more…mature.
So, when you send Anna on her way and turn around to see Yugyeom stepping out of the shower, striped pajama pants on, and only striped pajama pants on, you are a bit breathless, to say the least. 
“Jungkook picked Anna up?” he asks nonchalantly, water droplets dripping off his wet hair and falling down his chest.
You beg your buzzed brain not to follow the wet trail. Your mouth waters anyways.
“Mhm,” you manage out after a pause.
He chuckles, his hands coming to cup your cheeks. “Are you sure you only had two glasses? You seem out of it.”
“I’m fine,” you laugh nervously, shuffling out of his grasp. “Anyways, aren’t you tired? You should head to bed.”
“I am,” he smiles. “You too? Do you have a long day tomorrow?”
“I’m gonna be in the kitchen all day. I have to practice a couple recipes.”
“I’ll help!” he grins, shoulders squeezing together happily.
You scrunch your nose, landing a soft punch on his bicep. “I sense ulterior motives. I’ll take it though!”
He laughs, patting your head good naturedly. “Then it’s settled. Just wake me up when you start.”
You smile, watching as Yugyeom turns towards his bedroom, fresh muscle relief patches stamped across his back. He had been in the studio nonstop all week. Ever since changing his major, he’s been overworking himself to make up lost time. And now he’s spending his day off to help you.
You are grateful that he no longer gives you the cold shoulders. In fact, you have a gut feeling he’s been trying to make up for his past behavior by doing favors for you. You keep telling him that everything’s been forgiven, but the boy doesn’t listen.
He’s truly been nothing but sweet.
So, it should be okay that you two sleep in different beds at night. Lots of arranged couples do. You should just be happy you got to marry such a kind man. It’s okay that he doesn’t love you, you’re lucky nonetheless. Eventually, you two will become best friends. 
Best friends last longer than lovers, you’ve been told.
But when you tuck yourself into bed that night, you can’t help but feel a little bit colder than usual. 
-
“So, how can I help?” Yugyeom asks, hands on his hips as he sports your far too small, far too pink apron.
You giggle at the sight, sliding the cutting board towards him. “Can you dice the veggies, please?”
“Yes Chef!” he salutes you playfully.
You chuckle, bringing out the other ingredients for your recipe. The sleepyhead woke up at noon and insisted on helping you before even brushing his teeth. Of course, you ushered him into the bathroom soon enough, but it was harder to kick him out of the kitchen. 
You glance at the back of his hair, strands curling up in opposite directions like wild flowers. You’d think the image of Yugyeom looking the very opposite of his appearance in the dance studio would damage your infatuation with him, but instead you found his clumsiness endearing. 
There are a lot of cool bad boys out there. You’re glad Yugyeom is one of the good ones. Sometimes you fear he’s too good. Like maybe he’s being nice because he feels guilty still or maybe even sorry. You bite your lip. You would hate it if he were only acting this nice because he felt sorry for you. 
“Oh my god, Y/N!” Yugyeom yells, breaking you out of your thoughts. “You’re gonna cut yourself like that!”
You look down at your chopping board, fingers dangerously close to the knife. “Oh.”
“And you tried to kick me out of the kitchen. I should be the one nagging you!” he chides, taking the knife away from you. “I’ll finish up the chopping, you can start cooking.”
You nod, feeling your cheeks heat.
“How are your classes going?” he asks, popping a slice of carrot into his mouth.
“Pretty good. I just can’t wait to graduate.”
Yugyeom lets out a soft chuckle. “Same.”
“Extra year was worth it though, wasn’t it?” You grin, filling a measuring cup with water.
He answers with a wink. It makes your stomach flip.
“I never said thanks,” he starts, going back to chopping vegetables. You look at him curiously, waiting for him to continue. “For convincing me to change my major. And supporting me this whole time. I don’t think I would be here without you.”
You shake your head, busying your hands as your cheeks flush once more. “It was all you. I wouldn’t invest in something I didn’t believe in. You had it in you the whole time.”
“Ah, stop it,” he bumps shoulders with yours gently.
You couldn’t help the growing smile on your face as memories from last year floods you.
Yugyeom looked like a nervous puppy in front of his father. You were sure if he had a tail it would be tucked between his legs right now.
You never thought of the Kim family as intimidating. Although the first time you met your in-laws they were angry whispering to each other with Yugyeom over the arranged marriage, they have always been nothing but kind to you. And when you and Yugyeom started getting along, they became even more jovial, showering you with household gifts and random text messages of affection. 
However, Yugyeom’s respect for his parents was immeasurable and in front of his father, he became a little boy.
So here he was, face as pale as snow, about to break the news to his father.
You reached out to him, taking hold of his hand quietly. He flinched at the touch before offering you a nervous smile back. You squeezed his clammy hands in yours. 
It was the first time you truly felt like Yugyeom’s wife. The two of you were in this together and you were going to support your husband’s happiness even if it meant going against his parents.
As it turned out, Yugyeom’s parents were more than understanding. Disappointed, yes, but after you gave your reassurance that you supported his decision, they were all on board with him pursuing dance. 
You chuckled to yourself, remembering how Yugyeom’s frightened face had melted back into his usual boyish excitement. There was something very pure in the way he expressed himself. It was part of the charm that drew you in, in the first place.
You glance his way, catching him bouncing his shoulders up and down to a beat only he could hear. Sometimes you wonder what goes on in that brain of his. 
Yugyeom’s knife stops midair. He turns to you abruptly with arched brows. You blink back nervously. But instead of saying anything, he breaks into a big smile before returning to the vegetables, his body grooving back and forth in a little jig. You chuckle softly, shaking your head. Whatever’s in that brain of his, you don’t have to worry about it. 
“Wow, this is delicious!” Yugyeom exclaims, taking another big bite of your dish. You smile, placing your hands on your hips with satisfaction. “You deserve an A++!”
“You say that about all my food,”
“I mean it this time! It’s so good.”
“Oh, so you didn’t mean it the other times?” You give a playful pout, pushing the plate closer to your side. “I’m eating this alone!”
“Aww, hey! You know what I meant,” he whines, scooting closer to get another bite.
You laugh, taking the dish into your arms as you swat his hands away. He only pushes closer, wrapping his arms around you.
“Just one more bite!” he whines, squeezing you against his chest.
“All mine!” You grin, grabbing another spoonful. You swirl the spoon around teasingly before aiming for your own mouth, but before you could bite down, Yugyeom squeezes you closer, sticking his head cheek-to-cheek against yours and successfully steals the bite.
You gasp, face flushing at his close proximity and then watch as the plate slips from your nervous hand. Almost as if in slow motion, you see the contents of your dish spill onto Yugyeom’s grey sweatpants. Your eyes double in size the liquid sinks into the fabric of his pants and the rest falls to the floor in thunderous claps. 
You blink, frozen, until you take in a sudden breath and collapse to your knees.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” You immediately apologize, wiping at his pants hastily.
“Oh, hey hey hey!” Yugyeom grabs at your hands, flustered. “I-I can wipe myself. Don’t worry about it.”
You look at the red flush across Yugyeom’s face, reaching towards his ears and all the way down his neck. Your palms go clammy in his as you realize your precarious position. You glance at the wet spot near his crotch and then back at his wavering pupils.
“I’m so sorry!” You apologize again, for different reasons this time, as you fumble back to your feet.
He only shakes his head vigorously, unable to meet your eyes as he lets go of your hands. 
“It’s my fault,” he says, rushing to the kitchen counters to grab a kitchen towel. “I was playing around too much.”
 “Yeah, you were,” you agree, taking the towel from him with a sympathetic smile. He looks at you with a pout. “I’ll clean up the mess, you should go change.”
He lets out a sigh before consenting, heading towards his room with his head low. In the privacy of his bedroom, Yugyeom lets out a deep exhale, his heart thrumming in his chest. He hopes you hadn’t noticed.
He looks down, pulling his sweatpants off. Please go down, but instead thoughts of you return to his mind. If he is being honest, it isn’t the first time he’s imagined you in that kind of position, but to have it actually happen—you, on your knees, right below him—and the way you looked up at him with your big, shiny eyes. All you had to do was lick your lips and he would’ve came in his pants.
“Fuck,” he whispers, looking back down. “Go down, go down, go down.”
-
You sit in Jungkook’s apartment, watching beside Anna as the two boys bicker about the latest trendy dance on TikTok. You laugh, watching as your husband grows red in the face from laughing so hard. He didn’t even drink tonight.
“What are you grinning about, huh?” Anna teases, refilling your glass with more sangria. 
You point at Jungkook just as he begins rapping nonsense to the cellphone that is leaning dangerously against a half empty water bottle, off the edge of their coffee table.
“That’s the guy you’re about to marry,” you deadpan. “And that’s the man I’m married to.”
You look solemnly at Yugyeom who is now flailing tissues around as he hypes Jungkook up in the background.
Anna chuckles, clinking her glass against yours. “A bunch a fools, we are.”
You gulp down the fresh glass before breaking out into a grimace. Anna definitely put more brandy into the second pitcher of sangria. You look back at your friend with a frown.
She only laughs in response. “What? It’s not like you’re driving yourself home, that’s what the husband is for!”
“True!” You laugh, drinking more. 
Yugyeom scowls, giving Anna a reprimanding click with his tongue. “You’re such a bad influence, Anna!”
She feigns offense, turning to him with her mouth wide open. “Excuse me? Who’s the one that brought you guys together, hmm?”
“Our parents,” Yugyeom retorts, a pleased grin on his face. You chuckle, earning yourself a glare from your friend.
“But I was the one that brought Y/N to the dance studio and stopped you two from divorcing each other,” Anna pouts, squeezing your arm for backup. You only giggled more, sipping on your glass of sangria.
“Speaking of the dance studio,” Jungkook starts, breaking the little spat between Anna and Yugyeom. “You’re working on that new routine with Lisa, right?”
You let out a sigh that only Anna notices. She gives your arm another squeeze, well aware of your concerns.
For the past couple of weeks, you had been complaining to Anna about Lisa. In all honesty, there was nothing real to complain about. Lisa was one of the sweetest girls you have ever met, and her dancing was some of the best you had ever seen. But that was exactly what was wrong. Lisa wasn’t just perfect, she also went perfectly with Yugyeom. The two shared an unrivaled chemistry on the dance floor and that did nothing to curb your own insecurities over your relationship. 
It doesn’t help that Yugyeom is spending hours of his day to perfect his new dance routine with her.
But how could you even tell Yugyeom this? You were the one that pushed him to pursue dancing!
You stretch out your legs on the couch, wiggling your toes with a frown on your face. You really shot yourself in the foot this time around.
“Bro, don’t remind me,” Yugyeom sighs, much to your own surprise. You perk up, turning your attention to him and ignoring the snort from Anna. “I’m going to kill Bambam.”
“Why, what happened?” Jungkook asks.
“Yeah, what happened?” you insist, a little too eagerly.
Yugyeom turns to you with a frown. “Bambam took Lisa ice skating and she sprained her ankle.”
“Oh no,” you mutter, pressing the wine glass back to your lips to hide the smile spreading across your face.
You feel Anna’s elbow dig into your side.
“Aww, go Bambam though,” Anna cheers. “Hasn’t he been in love with her for forever?”
Yugyeom rolls his eyes, walking over to plop next to you on the couch. His arm naturally reaches overhead, leaning on the cushion just above your head. You swallow, overly aware of his body next to yours.
“It wasn’t even a date, Anna,” he sighs, shaking his head in disbelief. He looks at you then before adding, “That’s why I’ve been at the studio longer than usual. Learning the routine with a new partner is so stressful.”
“Who’s your new partner?” Jungkook asks, squeezing himself next to Anna.
“She’s an underclassman. I don’t know if you know her. Does Chungha ring a bell?”
You watch Jungkook’s expression remain unimpressed as he shrugs. “Nope.”
Pleased with his response, you relax your shoulders and unintentionally lean into Yugyeom. If it weren’t for the alcohol and your slow reflexes, you would’ve sat back up, but Yugyeom presses back into you before you can move. When you feel his hand slide around you, you tip the rest of your glass into your mouth.
“You guys wanna come watch us practice?” Yugyeom offers, seemingly unaware of your wildly beating heart. 
Jungkook and Anna agrees quickly, leaving you with no choice but to watch another woman dance with your husband. The only thing that was making you feel better though is the fact that she isn’t Lisa and of course, the additional helping of sangria from your best friend.
When it is finally time for you and Yugyeom to head home, you are completely drunk. You have no idea how he was able to get you to and from the car but when you are finally sober enough to open your eyes without feeling like the world is spinning, you find yourself sprawled on your living room couch. 
“One day I’m gonna get Jungkook shitfaced and toss him to Anna. See how much she likes it,” he grumbles under his breath as he approaches you. “Oh, you’re awake.”
You giggle, still drunk enough to ignore your usual nerves. “They’d probably just have drunk sex, Yugy.”
Yugyeom blushes, sitting next to you on the couch. “Let’s wipe your makeup off Y/N,” he replies, ignoring your comment.
You turn to him with your eyes closed, laughing when the cool towelette touches your skin. He chuckles against you.
“Stop laughing.”
“It tickles!”
“Just a little bit more,”
You sigh in relief, opening your eyes again to see Yugyeom tossing the dirty wipes into the trashcan. 
“Come on, let’s go brush our teeth,” he beckons.
Your lips jut out instinctively as you cross your arms defiantly. “Do it for me!”
Yugyeom lets out a sigh but a smile quickly breaks onto his face anyways. He always complained to Anna about getting you drunk, but the truth is that he could never get truly mad. How could he when your drunken self becomes a cute little monster? 
You are annoyingly adorable.
Even during the early months of your marriage when Yugyeom was adamant on hating you, he could never get over how cute you became when you were drunk. While he found your normal self already quite endearing, it was a different pleasure to see your guard slip down.
Grabbing your toothbrush and spreading a pinch of toothpaste over the bristles, he smiles as he walks back over to you. Your eyes open again, feeling him approach. You flash him a bright smile, showing off your wine-stained teeth. 
Chuckling in defeat, he pushes your toothbrush against your smile and begins brushing. You watch him with lazy eyes, smile still adorn on your lips. It makes his skin flush under your gaze. Maybe you are still very drunk, but time feels like it stops. 
It’s not often that Yugyeom gets to see you with your guard down. You are always a little shy and always put together. Whether it is helping him talk to his own parents or waking up early to make him lunch, you are always the one helping him and rarely is it ever the other way around.
It’s why times like these, Yugyeom takes his time memorizing your features.
On normal days, Yugyeom already thinks you are perfect.
On nights like tonight, he thinks you are perfectly imperfect.
And that makes you all the more beautiful.
All too soon, it is time to put you to bed. He is surprised you’re even still awake. It’s way past midnight, which is way past your usual 10PM bedtime.
“It’s time to sleep now, Y/N. Can you walk or should I carry you?”
You glance at him, fiddling with your thumbs. “Can I sleep with you tonight?”
Yugyeom chokes on his own spit. “Y-you don’t want to sleep in your own bed?”
You shake your head with a pout. “I wanna stay with you.”
He lets out a breath before taking a seat next to you on the couch. It shouldn’t be a surprise that your drunk self is being clingy, but Yugyeom can’t help his thoughts from wandering to the other day when you spilled food all over his pants.
You pat his thigh, leaning closer. He gulps, feeling nervous suddenly.
“Yugy, what’s your ideal type?”
The question catches him off guard. It’s not until you squeeze his thigh again that he remembers to answer.
“I-um...”
He glances down at your wide eyes. The anticipation in your gaze is evident.
“I like someone who makes me want to know more about her,” he finally answers.
His answer is almost sobering enough. You feel your heart dropping. 
“What type of wife do you want then?”
Yugyeom wants to laugh at your sudden interrogation but you look so serious. He looks away, pretending to think deeply about your question. The truth is though, he can barely think with you so close to him. The only thing he can think to respond with is you. Of course it’s you. It could only be you.
Before Yugyeom could even accept the idea of marriage, he had already fallen for his wife. Against his will and against his pride, you had snuck into his heart.
When he looks back at you, you feel a flutter in your chest. You wonder if your buzz has gotten to your head. Hope rises in your heart the longer he stares.
“I want a wife who doesn’t like wine so much,” he lets out a small laugh when you immediately frown. If only he could kiss the pout on your lips.
Yugyeom sits up, thinking you’ve finished but you’re quick to keep him seated. With the last bits of alcohol giving you courage, you throw your leg across his lap and straddle him, palms flat against his chest.
“I want a real answer, Yugy,” you pout, too involved in your own questions to see the way Yugyeom’s entire face has gone red. “What’s something I can do that you find really charming?”
He looks at you like a deer caught in headlights. The longer it takes for him to answer, the more you begin to question whether you’ve crossed a line. But Yugyeom is just trying to form a coherent sentence in his mind, anything to keep you from pressing further into him and realizing that you’ve given him a semi.
When he doesn’t answer, you bite at your lip, crestfallen.
You know you should have seen this coming, but it still hurts. He couldn’t even think of a lie to tell?
The next question leaves you in a whisper, “Why aren’t you attracted to me?”
Yugyeom’s eyes grow big with alarm. The sadness on your face is so apparent and it makes his stomach ache with guilt. Why would you ever think this? He is literally hard right now because of you!
“I am!” He shouts back immediately.
You look back at him, but your eyes say you don’t believe him. 
“I am, I really am! Why would you even ask?”
“Then,” you sink into him, shoulders slouching. “Why won’t you kiss me?”
Yugyeom looks at you, then your lips, and feels the heat rise to his cheeks. He wants to kiss you right now. He has never wanted to kiss you more than now, but you’re drunk. What if this is just the alcohol talking?
Before he can say anything though, your arms are wrapping around his neck and pushing him against you. Your lips are soft on his and you taste minty from the toothpaste.
You feel a shiver in your spine when he starts to kiss back. Soft at first, and then his arms are squeezing around your waist and you’re running your fingers through his hair, pulling him closer until it feels impossible to breathe.
It doesn’t matter. You decide kissing Yugyeom takes priority over breathing.
You moan against him when he slides his tongue into your mouth. When you rut against him, you can feel his hardness through his jeans. It sends a thrill through your body. You rub yourself harder against him, savoring the way he muffles a groan against your lips.
But when you slip your hands underneath his shirt, feeling his hot skin, Yugyeom pushes you away.
“Wait,” he mutters, catching his breath. “Y/N, we can’t.”
“What are talking about? Who’s going to stop us?” You chuckle, trying to sneak your hands back onto him, but Yugyeom is quick to grab your wrist.
He inwardly curses himself, cringing at the tightness in his pants, but he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he took advantage of you while you were drunk. He is not going to share your first time together when you aren’t fully sober. It is wrong no matter how much you insist on it.
With a sigh, he lifts you off of him and stands up.
“We can’t, Y/N. Come on, let’s go to sleep.”
You feel a wave of heat rise to your face as your eyes fill with tears. You stare at Yugyeom’s feet, too embarrassed to look him in the eyes. 
“Come on,” he beckons, reaching for your hand.
Pulling away, you get up on your own. Without a word, you walk into your bedroom and slam the door shut.
And as you lay in bed, hot tears spill out endlessly.
-
You stand at the entrance of the dance studio, a sick feeling in your stomach. Yugyeom left early this morning so you were never able to talk about what happened last night.
“Are you going to open the door or what?” Anna looks at you sternly. “What happened between you two? Why are you acting so weird?”
“Yeah, did you lose your virginity or something?” Jungkook jokes.
“Anna!” You yell out, appalled. 
She looks back at you with wide eyes, putting her hands in the air. “It wasn’t me, I swear!”
“Yeah, Yugyeom told me months ago,” Jungkook chuckles, a pleased smile on his face.
“Okay, I’m going home.”
Before you could march away and find a cliff to jump off of, Anna and Jungkook are pulling you by the arms and into the studio.
“Hey, you guys made it!” Yugyeom greets you cheerfully. He glances over to you and a pink hue dusts his cheeks. He rubs at the back of his neck awkwardly, unsure of what to do until a girl approaches him. You blink, breath caught in your throat when you see how beautiful she is. “Oh um, this is my new dance partner, Chungha!”
You bite at your lip, noticing far too quickly how Yugyeom’s mood changes at the sight of her. But could you blame him? In just a basic pair of black leggings and sports bra, you could see how toned her body was. Her big, bright eyes blink back at you, and you could see the fluttering of her long lashes. She looks flawless.
And then she smiles.
To think, you had been relieved Lisa was no longer his dance partner. No wonder he isn’t attracted to you. You wouldn’t be either if you were surrounded by women like Lisa and Chungha all day.
“It’s nice to meet you all!” she greets cheerfully. “I can’t wait to get your feedback.”
“Same, Yugyeom said you’re a great dancer,” Jungkook adds.
She smilsd shyly, sharing a look with Yugyeom. “That means a lot. I don’t know if I can meet those expectations though.”
“Nonsense,” Yugyeom rolls his eyes, pushing her shoulder playfully. “Stop pretending to be humble.”
As the two laugh in their own world, you finger at the end of your t-shirt uncomfortably. They have only been practicing the dance together not too long ago but they already look so close.
“Oh!” Yugyeom looks back at you, almost like an afterthought. “This is my wife by the way!”
“Oh!” Chungha exclaims, eyes wide as if she were seeing you for the first time. “It’s so great to finally meet you! When Yugyeom said he was married I was so surprised, but you are so cute!”
You force out a smile, accepting the compliment—though, you wonder if it really was. It sure didn’t feel like one. 
“Well, we won’t hold you up anymore!” Anna interrupts, rubbing your arm comfortingly. “We’ll go make ourselves comfy while you two get ready.”
“Hey, it’s our sister-in-laws!” Bambam and Taehyung welcome you from their seat by the mirrors.
“Soon,” Anna grins coyly, sharing a look with Jungkook.
Ignoring the two lovebirds, Taehyung grabs your arm, ushering you to take a seat between him and Bambam.
“I haven’t seen you in forever,” he pouts before flashing his iconic square smile. You answer with a weak one of your own.
“How long have you two been here?”
“Since the morning. We had to practice our routines too,” Taehyung answers.
“Yeah, and those two have been at it since we got here. I think knowing there’d be a live audience today made her nervous,” Bambam adds, referring to Chungha.
“It’s just us though,” 
“Still,” Taehyung shrugs his shoulders. “This is her first performance since starting uni.”
You glance at the two who are currently crouched over a tablet and reviewing a video of their practice. She is giggling over something Yugyeom had said and is slapping his shoulder playfully.
You frown. “Doesn’t look nervous to me.”
Taehyung smirks, bending his head to meet your eyes. “Is someone jealous?”
You frown even more, lip jutting out in a pout.
“Aw, poor baby, it’s okay Y/N,” Taehyung chuckle, patting your head. “She’s harmless.”
“Tae!”
You both look over to see Yugyeom staring from across the room. His eyes meet yours briefly before he averts his eyes to Taehyung.
“Can you come over for a second? We need a second opinion,” he says. 
“We do?” Chungha asks softly.
You sigh, hugging your knees. 
Bambam chuckles beside you. “It’s hard work liking someone, isn’t it?”
You turn your head, giving him an empathetic smile. “You of all people should know.”
You watch Bambam’s shoulders slump, slightly regretting your comment when you see the look on his face. But Bambam is quick to recover.
“Yugyeom cares for you more than you think.”
You have a hard time believing that, memories of last night’s embarrassment resurfacing again. Instead, you cross your arms and turn your whole body away from the three across from you towards Bambam.
“She called me cute,” you pout.
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
You sigh. “Not when it’s coming from someone who’s drop dead gorgeous. Cute sounds like an insult.”
Bambam shakes his head in disbelief but doesn’t try to change your mind. 
“Sounds like insecurity to me.”
You feel a flush across your cheeks. “Yeah well! Maybe I wouldn’t be if…”
“If?”
You bite at your lip. If Yugyeom had continued kissing you last night? If you went all the way with him? If you hadn’t spent an entire year essentially being friendzoned by your own husband?
You sigh. “I don’t know.”
Bambam gives you a pat on the back. “I’m sure whatever it is, it’s just another misunderstanding. Just talk it out.”
You nod, not wanting to talk about your relationship problems anymore.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” Taehyung announces, jumping to the center of the room like a TV host. “May I introduce to you, for the first time ever! Yugyeom and Chungha!”
You clap along weakly as everyone cheers. But the sick feeling in your gut only grows once the performance starts.
The dance is a passionate one. Their bodies are constantly tangled together, Yugyeom chasing after Chungha. You dig your nails into the flesh of your palm as Yugyeom presses himself into Chungha’s back side.
But more than the touching, what hurts the most is the way he looks at her. He looks like he wants her. You knew what you were signing yourself up for when you pushed Yugyeom to pursue dancing, but when did he become such a good actor too? 
He’s never looked at you like that before.
It takes a room full of clapping to get you out of your thoughts. You wish you hadn’t though. Chungha is beaming up at Yugyeom and he is looking back like she is the only girl in the room.
“How were you able to watch Lisa do this dance with Yugyeom?” you mutter to Bambam, looking away from the two on the dance floor.
“Trust,” he answers easily. “Besides, Yugyeom’s too dorky for Lisa. She would never fall for him.”
“Hey,” you scold lightly.
“You can either be mad at him or defend him, Y/N. You can’t choose both!”
You roll your eyes, heat rising to your cheeks. “I’m not mad at him, he didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Then why does Yugyeom keep looking at you like he’s sorry?”
You only sigh, too afraid to say out loud the answer you hold in your heart.
That maybe, he is only sorry because he can’t love you back.
-
You sit on the couch of your living room, absentmindedly spooning your ice cream that is now soup. A couple days have passed and you and Yugyeom are back on good terms. At least on the surface. Silently, the both of you seem to have agreed to pretend what happened the other night on this couch had never happened.
You decided to stop thinking about the way Yugyeom looked at Chungha or how she was so much better than you. Again, you do what you are good at, using your blind optimism to mask the hurt you are feeling inside.
“I’m back!” Yugyeom calls out as he steps through the entrance. He spots the back of your head from the living room and glances at the TV only to find that you are staring at a black screen.
“Hey,” he calls out again more softly, approaching you on the couch.
“Oh, Yugyeom!” You startle, before offering him a smile. “Back from practice?”
“Mhm,” he returns a hesitant smile.
“Aren’t you early? What time is it?” You glance over to the clock on the wall only to find that it is already 9PM. “Oh wow, look at the time! Did you have dinner yet?”
Yugyeom shakes his head, observing how your eyes never quite focus, glancing at his torso briefly before darting back to your bowl of melted ice cream and then the clock on the wall.
“I left some dinner for you in the kitchen, you just have to heat it up.” You place your bowl on the coffee table. “Want me to get it for you?”
He places a hand on your thigh, stopping you from leaving your seat. “I got it.”
He rises to his feet before pausing. Yugyeom looks at you, his eyebrows arching with concern. He stares for a moment. Ever since you guys came back from the dance studio together, you had been quiet. Everything you did and said felt a little too robotic. A little cold even, like you were keeping him at a distance. And then he thought about your lips. The way they felt against his that night—cool from the aftertaste of toothpaste, but hot against his tongue. 
“Yugyeom?”
He swallows. “N-Nothing.”
You look at him for a moment longer before forcing out a smile. “Let me just heat up your dinner and then I’ll head to bed!”
Yugyeom watches as you hastily leave him for the kitchen. It is obvious that you are still bothered and this time around, Yugyeom is sure he knows why. But he doesn’t even know how to start talking about it. He can’t even think about the other night without feeling like a flustered mess.
And by the way you are smiling at him, it feels like you don’t want to talk about it either.
Were you embarrassed about it? Was he right and it was just the alcohol talking? Maybe you were regretting it now.
“It’ll only take another minute and you can take it off the stove,” you smile up at him, giving his arm a pat before you walk away.
“T-Thanks,” he mutters. “Good night.”
You smile weakly before closing the door.
Yugyeom sighs, staring at his dinner on the stove. Even when you aren’t feeling your best, you still take care of him. He wonders how he can make you happy.
His thoughts wander to Taehyung. What if it was him you had walked in on at the dance studio during your freshman year? Would you have fallen for Taehyung instead?
He had seen the way Tae looked at you the night of the party. It was the first night since the wedding that you had gotten all dolled up. He saw you as soon as you stepped through the door. He was sure everyone had their eyes on you.
Even with his own stubbornness back then, he couldn’t stand watching everyone eyeing you at the party. Although he had been determined to avoid you that night, it was the look Tae gave you that drew the line for him.
Since then, you and Tae have become close friends. It annoyed the hell out of him especially when Tae was blatantly flirting with you just to get on his nerves, but he couldn’t even complain. It was karma. He deserves it for the months of hell he put you through.
You may have liked him first, but Yugyeom wonders if you’d still like him for long. With the way things are going, it seems like you are going to realize how subpar of a husband he is and leave him for someone better.
The very thought makes Yugyeom want to hurl. 
He shuts off the stove with a sigh. Why is he so bad at communicating with you? 
Despite being tired from practice, that night, Yugyeom couldn’t sleep. His thoughts keep going back to you and the sad smile on your face tonight. He did that.
And now here he was, hiding in his bed like a coward. Sitting up, Yugyeom turns on his lights with a sigh. This was not okay. He was not going to repeat the same mistake again. He had to talk to you.
With a renewed purpose, Yugyeom marches over to your room, but when he stops at your door, he freezes. What is he doing? You’re probably asleep by now. He glances at the clock down the hall. It’s almost midnight.
Maybe he should wait until the morning instead.
Just as he’s about to turn on his heels though, your door opens. You both jump in surprise.
“You’re awake!”
“Yugyeom?” You rub at the sleep in your eyes. “What are you doing out here?”
He shuffles awkwardly. “Oh, I uh…”
You stiffen, anxiety creeping up your spine as you watch him fidget in front of your doorway. For you, there can only be one reason for Yugyeom to be coming to you in the middle of the night.
He must have come to his senses.
Yugyeom takes in a sharp breath, steeling himself. “Can we talk?”
Your stomach sinks. You want to tell him no.
Instead, you quietly step aside and let him through. He sits on the edge of your bed nervously. You stare at him from the doorway still.
“I-” his voice trails off before it can fully start. He bites at his lip, pulling at the chapped skin until it is wet and raw. “I…”
When no other words come, you let out a tired sigh. “Gyeom,”
He looks up at you and you can see the worry digging creases into his forehead. You wish you could push him out of your room. You aren’t ready for this conversation to happen. But Yugyeom looks at you so helplessly, you don’t have the strength to deny him.
So, with a pang in your heart, you speak. “You never answered my question the other night. Not seriously anyways.”
He looks at you curiously and you approach him. “Will you answer me now?”
“I-sure.”
You take a seat next to him, tucking your hands beneath your thighs. “What kind of girl do you actually like?”
Yugyeom turns his head your way, looking lost. “But I did answer you. Someone who makes me want to get to know her.”
You squeeze your shoulders together, staring down at the floor. “So, someone with stories…someone with experience?”
Yugyeom swallows, feeling himself fall deeper into a hole. “N-no! Not necessarily…”
“What about your exes? What were they like?” you glance at him, wanting to watch his face but scared of the honesty you’ll see.
Yugyeom’s face flushes red. “W-what? Where is this coming from, Y/N?”
Your face falls before you drop your head once more. “Nothing, it’s stupid. I just thought…maybe if I changed? Do you think we could ever be more than friends?”
Yugyeom chuckles softly. It feels unnatural in the tense atmosphere though. You wonder if he’s laughing at you. You wonder if the very idea is that absurd to him.
“Y/N, you’re my wife.”
“On paper,” you mutter. You shift on the bed, wringing your hands together. “But you don’t even want to hang out with me much, let alone date.”
“That! That’s because I’m shy!” he blurts. He tugs on your hand to look his way, but you’re too ashamed to look him in the face.
You wonder if you’re being selfish by putting him on the spot like this.
“You don’t have to lie to me,” you resign, pulling your hand out of his grasp. “I know this arrangement was never your choice. And well, you can’t control who you’re attracted to.”
“I’m not lying though. I really like you, Y/N, I’m just…I’m just really shy.”
You frown at his insistence. “You aren’t shy around Chungha or Lisa.”
Yugyeom looks at you surprised. “Chungha and Lisa are just friends! I don’t think of them like that!”
“That’s impossible! Chungha and Lisa are both so pretty and charming and sexy! They’re the whole package!” You glare at him angrily.
“Yeah, maybe for Bambam!”
“I bet you’ve talked to Chungha more times than you’ve ever talked to me,” you grumble, crossing your arms.
“Yeah, well, I could say the same for Taehyung,” Yugyeom blurts, mirroring your posture.
You raise your brows in surprise. “Tae?”
“Don’t play dumb, he was obviously flirting with you at the party.”
“What party?” you turn to him confused. “Wait, are you talking about the party where I first met him a year ago?”
“Yeah, and I bet if you met him any earlier, you would’ve liked him instead!”
You frown, sitting cross legged on the bed so you could face him fully now. “I’ve liked you for two years before you even knew I existed. Don’t try to change the subject when you were flirting with Chungha right in front of me just a few days ago!”
“That was not flirting!”
“Not saying it’s a bad thing! You can flirt with whoever you want because you’re allowed to like whoever you want. Clearly, it’s not me!”
Yugyeom guffaws in exasperation, cupping his forehead with one hand. “Goddammit, but it is you. It’s been you this whole time.”
“I’m a big girl, Gyeom, you can give me the hard truth.”
He straightens, glaring back at you. “You want the truth?”
“Yeah, I do.”
Yugyeom scoots closer to you. “Remember when you and Anna had that bachelorette party?”
You pause, frown deepening. “It wasn’t really a bachelorette party, it was just the two of us drinking wine.”
“Nope, you insisted it was a bachelorette party,” he argues, chest puffing out. “I know this because when you got wasted over a bottle of wine, it was me you called to come get you. It was me who carried you back to your apartment and tucked you into bed, but not before you tried to strip down to your underwear while announcing your virginity to the entire complex.”
You gape at him, horrified. “I did what?”
“And I have liked you ever since,” a small smile stretches across his face. “I found out the perfect, goody two-shoes girl was masquerading as a terrible lap dancer by night and ever since then, I’ve wanted to get to know even more sides of you.”
You close your eyes, pressing a thumb to your temple. “Wait, back up, Gyeom, I gave you a lap dance?”
“Yeah, and a terrible one at that,” he laughs. 
You falter, anger dissipating quickly. “I don’t remember this.”
“That was only the first time, you know,” he looks at you with a small, teasing smile. 
You cringe. “How come you never told me?”
He shrugs. “It happened during the time I was trying really hard not to like you. Anyways, I didn’t think it was something you’d be proud to learn.”
“After seeing all of that,” your voice comes out small, like you want to make a joke, but your tone doesn’t quite match, “wouldn’t you rather someone like Chungha?”
Yugyeom sighs loudly. “What’s with you and Chungha?”
“You two have chemistry,” you admit, lips pouting.
“Because we’re friends,” he explains.
“Then what are we?” You look up at him nervously. He meets you with an equally anxious gaze.
Without answering you, he puts his hands out towards you, palms facing up. When you tilt your head curiously, he takes your hand in his.
“You make me nervous,” he mutters, and you can feel the clamminess of his hot palms against yours. Your brows raise in surprise and you watch as a flush of pink rises to his cheeks. “You think I’m flirting with Chungha, but actually I’ve been trying to flirt with you this whole time. I guess I’m just terrible at it.”
You swallow, not sure what to say to this confession. From the way he looks at you, you know he’s being sincere, which only makes you more confused.
“And I’m terrible at it because,” Yugyeom pauses, face tomato red as he tries to compose himself. He looks away and you grip his hand tighter. “I think you have this idea about me, like I’m cool or something. You’re always saying I inspired you to pursue your dreams, but I think it’s the other way around. And it’s…it’s just a lot of pressure.”
“I-I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to make you feel this way.”
“I know,” Yugyeom looks at you softly, “because you’re you, and you see the good in everything—even me. But if I’m being honest, that cool guy you had a crush on at the dance studio? I’m not sure I’m him. I’m clumsy and childish and always cause accidents when I’m around you. The closer we get, the more I worry you’ll figure this out and regret liking me.”
You thread your fingers through his and pull his hands to your chest, shaking your head adamantly. “That will never happen!”
He chuckles, but the laughter doesn’t meet his eyes. “You can’t promise that.”
“Yes, I can,” you tell him stubbornly. “I moment I said, ‘I do’ I promised just that.”
“Can you say that after my next confession?” he scoffs.
Your brows furrow, but you don’t let go of his hands.
“Do you really want to know who my first love was?” he asks quietly.
You nod, heartbeat thrumming in your ear.
“It was dance,” he sighs, looking down. “It’s always been dance.”
You look at him confused, trying to process this information. “You mean…”
“I’m a virgin, too,” he mumbles, the tips of his ears glowing hot red. When you don’t say anything, he looks up with a small frown. “Still think I’m that cool guy?”
You can’t help the smile that stretches across your face. Without thinking, you spring from the bed and pounce onto him. Yugyeom catches you by the waist easily, his eyes wide with shock at your sudden actions, but he holds you tight in his arms anyways. You shake in his arms, giggles erupting from you and tickling the crook of his neck.
“Why would that ever make you uncool?” you laugh, fingers combing through the back of his hair.
Yugyeom relaxes into your touch, resting his chin on your shoulder. “But, what if I’m not good at it?”
You pull away to look at him. He chews on his lips timidly. 
“Well, it’s not like I have anything to compare you to,” you chuckle, rubbing gently at the nape of his neck. “We can take our time, learn together.”
Finally, Yugyeom smiles, relief rushing through him. “It’s not that I don’t want to, just so you know. I just want to make sure you have a good first experience too. What if I hurt you?”
“It hurt more thinking you didn’t like me.” 
He sighs softly, pressing his forehead to yours. You can feel the ghost of his breath on your lips. “Trust me, I like you a lot more than you realize.”
“Oh, I’m starting to realize,” you roll your hips tentatively against him and his lashes flutter in surprise as you feel the outline of his semi hard on through his pajama pants. His grip on your waist tightens.
“W-what are you doing?”
You can feel him shiver against you and probably for the first time in this relationship, your chest inflates with confidence. 
“Starting lesson one,” you whisper into his ear as you press your core harder against him. The feeling of his hardness blooms excitement throughout your skin. Never has anyone been this close to you in this way. The thought used to scare you, but right now, you’ve never been more thrilled.
“Are you sure?” the words barely make it out of his throat as you press a kiss to his neck. You can feel his breath hitch at the slight graze of your lips, and it urges you on. And despite Yugyeom’s cautious words, his arms pull you closer and he tilts his head, giving you better access.
“The surest I’ve ever been,” you reassure him before sucking on the skin of his jugular. His pulse beats against your lips and you’re happy to know you aren’t the only one whose heart is racing.
“You’re…How’re you so good at this?” Yugyeom mumbles, squeezing his eyes shut in agonized pleasure as you roll your hips against him once more.
“I’ve thought about this a lot,” comes your breathy confession. When he doesn’t say anything, you glance at him. “Is that strange?”
He breaks out into smile, shaking his head. “I’m glad it wasn’t just me.”
You smile, “Really?”
Yugyeom nods, lips chasing yours. “You don’t know how many boners I’ve had to hide from you.”
His hot breath fans at your lips before he is pulling your bottom lip between his teeth. You can’t help the moan that muffles against his mouth as his tongue explores your mouth. When he pulls away, you are gasping to catch your breath.
Contrary to the kiss, Yugyeom looks at you with the softest gaze and wipes at the wetness of your lips with a gentle thumb. He lingers at your bottom lip for a moment longer.
Yugyeom sucks in a breath, eyes dilating when you take his thumb into your mouth. You meet his stare with hooded lids as you suck his entire thumb into your mouth, swirling your tongue around the digit. When you release him with a pop, you can feel him twitch underneath you.
There is a hunger in your core that you’ve never felt before. Your entire body aches for Yugyeom in its most primal form. You want him. The thrumming in your chest only further confirms this. 
You clutch at his plain tee, heat rising to your cheeks, “Can I taste you?”
Yugyeom groans, throwing his head back. You can’t help salivating at the sight of his Adam’s apple bobbing. When Yugyeom looks back at you he almost looks pained.
“I don’t think I’ll last, Y/N,” he mutters, ears reddening. 
His confession makes your heart inflate and you press a kiss to his jawline. 
“It’s okay, I won’t time you. I don’t know if I’ll be any good anyways,” you smile to lift the mood, but Yugyeom shakes his head.
“No, let me make you feel good first,” He presses a kiss over your smile. “I want to take care of you this time.”
You swallow, heart thrumming in your ear. “Well, what if I don’t last?”
He chuckles, kissing down your throat. You shudder, skin prickling at his breath. 
“Oh, I’ll make sure you don’t,” he mumbles, sucking at the sensitive skin. You groan, threading your fingers through the back of his hair. “I’m no quitter, Y/N, and we’ve got all night.”
You shiver, stomach twisting with excitement. Not knowing what else to say, you can only nod when he sinks his thumbs into the waistband of your shorts.
But Yugyeom doesn’t move further. Instead, he looks at you again, eyes serious. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? We can stop if it gets too much.”
And although your cheeks heat up at just the graze of his fingers at your hips, you nod without hesitation. “I want you, Gyeom. I’m ready.”
He sucks in a quiet breath. “Lay down for me?”
His request is a whisper, barely audible, but you scramble to the pillows. Yugyeom follows right behind and when you sink your head into the pillows, he meets you, right above, lips finding yours once more. As his tongue explores your mouth, his thighs press between yours, spreading your legs apart. You can’t help being hyperaware of the dampness of your underwear as he does this.
But the thought quickly leaves your mind when he places a hesitant palm to your chest. To your embarrassment, your nipples are already hard with arousal when his fingers graze against them. He groans against your mouth, fingers rubbing rough circles around the peaked buds.
You find yourself already breathless at the sensation, the sensitive skin sending tingles straight to your core. You moan when he slips his hand underneath your shirt, the pleasure growing ten folds with his warm hands on your bare skin.
“God, you’re so soft,” Yugyeom groans, squeezing your breasts in his palms. “Can I take this off?”
You nod quickly, hands already coming to the ends of your shirt to help him slip it off. Yugyeom leans back on his heels, eyes eating you up while you laid topless in front of him, chest heaving from just his small touches.
“Gyeom,” you mutter, feeling self-conscious when he doesn’t move.
There’s a glint in his eyes as his fingers meet your waistband again. You suck in a breath, nodding silently for him to continue. He licks at his lips, pulling the flimsy fabric of your shorts off of you.
You cringe at the sight of your yellow cotton underwear, the pink heart patterns looking suddenly very childish with Yugyeom’s eyes on them now.
“I-I have better underwear-” you rush to cover yourself but Yugyeom moves your hand.
His palms squeeze your thighs, and he looks at you with a reassuring smile. “It’s cute. You’re cute, and beautiful and charming and sexy. The whole package.”
You blush, hearing your words said back to you.
“Plus,” he grins, hands sliding up your thighs and you shiver. “These ones are soaked, just for me.”
Your breath catches in your throat when he runs a finger up the wet cotton. He chuckles darkly at the sound of your whimper when he circles around your clit. It’s just a whisper of a touch and yet you find yourself careening.
Your heart feels like the wings of a hummingbird, flapping against your chest. Never have you laid yourself out, so bare, for someone. It’s scary, being so vulnerable, and yet you find yourself wanting to jump into the darkness of the unknown.
The way Yugyeom looks at you is dark and heavy, like he is trying to swallow you whole, hungry to take in every piece of you. And maybe with anyone else this would frighten you, but it’s Yugyeom, and so you are excited. Excited and eager to give all of yourself to him.
“Can I?” he asks, pulling at the edge of your underwear.
“Please,” you consent, lifting your hips.
Yugyeom groans helplessly at your bare sight, dripping wet just for his eyes to see. He lifts at his t-shirt, skin already hot. You swallow, eyes traveling down his bare torso, to the tattoo stretching across his rib cage and then the growing bulge his thin pajama pants does very little to hide. You clench around nothing, just imagining what’s beneath.
Yugyeom catches the movement and curses. You don’t even know what you do to him.
Your eyes shudder close when you feel his fingers back on you, spreading your slick in circles around your clit.
“Does that feel okay?”
You answer with a whimper, arching into his touch.
He bites at his bottom lip, watching you squirm beneath him. You are so sensitive and so eager. Nothing he could have ever imagined could measure up to this view. He could probably cum to this sight alone. The strain of his pants warns him of the very possibility.
“More,” you barely manage to croak out between a moan but Yugyeom hears you and without hesitation, he dives into your heat, eager for a taste.
Your eyes flutter open at the new feeling, hooded eyes staring down at his head between your thighs. You moan, embarrassment heating your cheeks, but your fingers thread through his hair and push him deeper. 
The sting of his scalp only drives him on, lapping at you hungrily. When he moans into your folds, you find yourself vibrating with him. His tongue feels so soft and delicious against you and when he sucks on your clit you tremble at the sensation shooting straight to your core.
Sweat glazes your forehead and you strain to keep your eyes focused on Yugyeom. You can’t even see his face, but you can’t pull your gaze away. The top of his head bobs eagerly and from behind, you can see him thrusting into your sheets.
You whimper, feeling your abdomen tighten when he rolls his hips extra rough.
“Gyeom,” you squeeze around his hair strands.
He looks up at you, eyes glazed over with lust, tongue still swirling around you at an agonizing pace. Squeezing your thigh, he presses a finger to your entrance. He presses, barely entering but you find yourself clenching already.
“Gyeom,” you whine, head falling into the pillow in frustration.
You feel him chuckle against you. A soft kiss to your clit. And then he slips a finger into you slowly. You’re so wet, he slips right in easily. You close your eyes, savoring the unfamiliar feeling. Unfamiliar, but not unwanted. Your body hums for more.
He dips his finger in and out, enjoying the way your body arches, trying to chase after his finger each time he pulls out.
“More?” he asks, teasing two fingers at your entrance. You nod eagerly, squirming at his touch. 
Yugyeom dips two fingers into you, dick twitching at the feeling of your tight walls squeezing around his digits. When he curls his fingers, you let out a loud moan, eyes fluttering shut. He reads your body easily, mouth back on your clit as he repeats the motion of his fingers over and over. 
Your body tightens, heating up quickly. There’s a burn in your abdomen, a fire that flickers every time he sucks around your clit and curls his fingers against your flesh. You clench your fists around your sheets, feeling your heart pound faster against your chest.
Your whole body trembles, toes curling and abdomen squeezing until it feels like your soul lifts from your body and everything goes white.
When you come to, chest heaving like you just ran a marathon, Yugyeom is back on his knees, looking at you in awe. His lips are red and chin, wet with your arousal. 
“Was that okay?” he asks, a boyish smile on his lips.
You chuckle, eyes rolling to the ceiling. “That was amazing.”
“Good.” You feel him lie on the bed beside you, arm coming around your waist. 
You turn on your side, meeting his gaze. “Now it’s my turn.”
His eyes widen and the confidence from before quickly fades behind pink flustered cheeks.
“I-Are you sure? You don’t have to.”
Your hands travel down and land on the tent in his pants, straining to be released. You lift a brow at him, but he only gets more red.
“I want to,” you tell him. “I want to feel you inside me. I want this.”
He gulps and you feel him twitch against your palm. “I-I might not last long.”
You kiss his worries away. “That’s alright, you said we had all night, didn’t you?”
You pull at his waistband and he sighs at the release of his cock. You sit up and Yugyeom kicks the rest of his clothes off before helping you straddle him.
You look at him with wide eyes, before looking back at his cock. His tip is red and shiny with precum. Your eyes follow the vein that travels down the length of his cock. You can’t even help it, your mouth waters.
Your stomach flips nervously. Yugyeom seems to sense your worries when his hand rests over yours.
“You really don’t have to. We can wait.”
“I do!” you say quickly. “I just-,” you blink, swallowing thickly. “Will you fit?”
Yugyeom groans, hands squeezing around your thighs roughly. “Are you trying to make me cum before we even start?”
“I-no,” you feel your cheeks grow hot. “It’s a legitimate question!”
He chuckles, until your hand comes around his shaft. Yugyeom sighs at your touch, your soft, small hands feel like heaven compared to his own. Though you don’t intend to tease him, your hand rubs him agonizingly slow as you feel the smoothness of his skin and the ridges of his veins pulsing in your palm. You watch in awe as you squeeze up and a small clear bead of precum buds at his slit.
Yugyeom’s breath hitches when you dip your head down and lick at his slit. Your brows shoot up at the taste. He’s salty, but it’s Yugyeom and you find that you don’t mind it. Instead, your mouth waters for more.
“Fuck,” Yugyeom curses, stopping you when you try to dip your tongue down again. You look at him in surprise, but he’s quick to reassure you. “Next time, baby, I really want to last.”
You nod, flushing at the pet name.
You rise onto your knees, hands coming back down his cock to align him to your entrance. You shiver, feeling his tip between your folds. Yugyeom looks just as nervous, the heat of your entrance making his heart race.
It takes a few tries, his cock teasing between your folds, before he enters. Barely there, but you feel the stretch. He’s much bigger than his fingers, but the stretch isn’t the pain you always imagined. Unfamiliar, maybe a little uncomfortable, but nothing scary at all.
This realization fills you with a newfound courage and you sink down onto his cock with an extended sigh. 
“Fuck,” Yugyeom whispers a strained curse, a devil’s grip on your hips as he squeezed his eyes shut. 
Sweat beaded on his forehead and slips down his face as his jaw clenches. You’re so fucking tight and warm around him. When your cunt clenches, he groans, balls tightening. “Fuck, don’t do that.”
You still, falling onto his chest. You can hear his heart thrumming wildly in his chest.
“Sorry,” he heaves, hugging you tightly against him. “Just, I need a minute. You feel like fucking heaven, baby.”
You smile, pressing a kiss to his chest. When his cock twitches inside you, you shiver. To be honest, you’re no better either. You feel so full with him inside you. This feeling is so new, but so right. You can feel your walls pulsing around him. Or maybe it’s his cock pulsing against your walls. Probably both. 
You close your eyes, savoring the feeling before Yugyeom finally let’s out a soft breath. And then, he is lifting his hips. You moan, the movement pushing him deeper into you. You place your palms on his chest, sitting up.
He looks at you with hazy eyes as you lift off his cock before sliding back down his length. Yugyeom’s moan is load and uninhibited. The sound sends another wave of arousal straight to your core.
“Oh god,” he moans, hips lifting to meet yours every time. “Fuck!”
You strain to keep your pace, his arms helping you out as you gave into the wave of pleasure each time his thick cock slide into you. Already, your whole body was buzzing with pleasure.
“Fuck, fuck,” Yugyeom’s desperate moan meets your ears and then you feel his arms wrapping around your waist, pulling you to his chest. He groans, teeth digging into your shoulder.
And then you feel it. Hot cum shooting into the deepest part of you, flooding you with warmth. The sting of Yugyeom’s teeth sinking in your skin, the sound of his heaving breath and heart beat against your ear, the pulse of his cock thrusting into you as he rode out his high—you feel like one body against his and the feeling makes your eyes wet.
You smile, pressing a kiss to his jawline as he softened inside of you.
He let out a satisfied sigh as his cock slipped out and you felt his cum slide out of you. “I’m sorry,” he finally says. “I told you I wouldn’t last long.”
You shush him with a kiss.
“I couldn’t have asked for anything better,” you smile.
His hand on your waist tightens. “You’re really the best thing to ever happen to me.”
You giggle, tension breaking. “I could get used to this Yugyeom.”
He smiles, hand coming to your cheek. “I mean it.”
He looks at you quietly. It’s a fleeting moment, but the feeling lingers. You feel warmth blooming in your chest.
You kiss him again, “I know, Gyeom. This time, I really know now.”
167 notes · View notes
Text
My Favorite Smile
By: SassyShoulderAngel319
Fandom/Character(s): DC/BatFam - Jason Todd/Red Hood
Rating: PG-11/T- (this one has a couple ✨swear words✨ in it lol. I don’t usually write them out, but sometimes you just gotta say what you mean)
Original Idea: X (Obsessed with this channel right now)
Notes: (Masterlist)(By Character)(About Me) 2,182 words... it’s a longer one again. I casually wrote this in, like, two hours. @welovegroot @jason-redhood @jason-todd-squad
^^^^^
Holding his coffee and croissant, Jason looked around the crowded café for a place to sit. Every table was occupied by at least one person, and the rules of personal space in public said the couches were full, with one person sitting on either end.
His eyes fell on a table with a single occupant.
His heart stuttered to a stop. Wait… is that her? Damn, she looks good this time. He scoffed at himself. Who am I kidding? She looks good every time. Should I talk to her? Should I tell her? She didn’t believe me last time… and I don’t know if I can stand another lifetime without her… but last life we didn’t meet till I was almost fifty. I really wasn’t expecting to find her this early.
He straightened up and strode over to her table. “Excuse me, is it alright if I sit here? The café’s pretty crowded and the other tables are full.”
She looked up and Jason’s brain stopped working as she met his eyes. She was just as incredible as she always was. Thousands upon thousands of years, and he still never got over how beautiful she was. “Sure, go ahead,” she said with a smile before going back to her phone.
“I’m Jason, by the way,” the man said, sitting down.
I glanced back up and gave him my name in return.
He smiled. He had a handsome smile. Just looking at him… something tugged in the back of my mind. “That’s a pretty name,” he said.
My ears warmed and I looked away. “Thanks,” I muttered. I looked back at him. “Sorry if this sounds… weird—but have we met before?” I cringed but smiled. If we had…oh it’d be so embarrassing if I’d forgotten him. And a man as handsome as him—how could I have forgotten?
But a look of delight crossed his face, before being replaced by one of neutrality. “Not in this lifetime,” he replied.
“Kind of an odd way to word it,” I remarked before I could overthink whether that sounded really rude or not.
Jason’s ears turned red. “Well… yeah I guess so. Sorry.” He looked down at his coffee cup and croissant and chose to take a sip of his drink. After swallowing, he looked back up at me. “This is probably gonna sound really creepy, but please just hear me out for a few minutes. Do you believe in soulmates?”
I reached up and scratched an itch just behind my ear. “I mean… kind of? I think maybe they exist for some people, and other people could be matched equally well with multiple potential partners,” I said.
His shoulders slouched with a sigh of what might have been relief. “Thank goodness,” he said. He met my eyes. “Because… we’re soulmates. You and I. Sometimes—very rarely—two people are so destined to be together, that they’re reborn over and over to stay together throughout thousands of years’ worth of lifetimes. Sometimes we both remember, sometimes only one of us does. I don’t think there’s ever been a lifetime where neither of us remember. Besides the first, I guess. Back when we didn’t know we’d be reborn. We never look the same twice—different bodies, different backgrounds. But we always have the same soul.”
A reasonable person would have thought he was making up a really long, bad pickup line. But I stared at him with rapt attention. Like some missing puzzle piece I’d been looking for my entire life fell into place. It just sounded… right.
“How do we find each other, if we look different every time?”
He took a deep breath. “Well… when one or both of us remember, we can… kind of sense it? Kind of see it? Like, right now, I see you, but I also see every face of yours that I’ve seen across every lifetime.” He cleared his throat. “Sometimes we don’t. Find each other, I mean. The distance between where we’re born or the timing of our rebirths keep us apart. But there’s only been… three of those, if I remember right.” He laughed. “So glad you believed me this time. It would have sucked if you got a restraining order—because those are a thing now—and I had to spend this life without you.”
I leaned forward, shoving my phone in my pocket. “Tell me more,” I said.
“Where do you want me to start?”
“Um… I don’t know. The beginning? Our first life?”
He nodded. “Ancient Greece,” he said. “Like, really early in Ancient Greece’s history. The gods blessed us. Bound our souls for eternity. Your hair is actually the same color now as it was back then. Kind of a… nostalgic favorite of mine. You’re absolutely stunning every time I see you, but I have some favorites. You do too.”
I snickered. “Oh really? Like what?”
“Well… I always think you’re adorable with dimples or freckles. Green eyes are a favorite of mine too. And your current hair color is my favorite. There were also a few times where you were a little taller than me. Those were nice. You’re most comfortable to hug that way. But, without fail, every single lifetime I see your smile and I think, ‘That one. That one’s my new favorite.’” He chuckled. “As for you, you’ve told me that you like me best with brown eyes—even though you don’t like brown eyes normally. Um… you also like it when my hair is curly.” He gestured to his black hair, slightly curled, with two white curls arcing down the center of his forehead. “You told me… seven lifetimes ago? That you like me best with piercings and tattoos, but when I brought it up last lifetime you said even when I have them I still look like, and I quote, a ‘giant nerd.’”
We both laughed. Jason sighed and shook his head.
“Then again, you said that was your favorite during our pirate lifetime. And I can also say hot damn you looked good with tattoos and a big hat.”
I gasped out a laugh. “We were pirates?”
He laughed too. “Yeah. Well, you were. To start with, anyway. You and your crew were visiting my town and you, absolutely drunk, stumbled into my house. I was a carpenter that time. Thank the gods we both remembered that lifetime or I probably would have shot you. You spent half the night drunkenly blathering about how much you hated my hair when it was long the way it was and that you’d cut it off if I didn’t. The next morning, when you’d sobered up, you apologized. And I’d said it was fine. And… you asked me to come with you. I’ve spent dozens of lifetimes endlessly in love with you. So, like the lovesick fool I am and was, I said yes.
“It… was not a long lifetime. Pirates rarely made it to old age. We were both killed when a Royal Navy ship attacked us. I went down first. You told me in our next lifetime that you single-handedly killed half of that crew’s sailors in revenge even though you knew you’d see me again—because you’d been having so much fun that life and they ruined it. Eventually their captain killed you himself.” He took a bite of his croissant.
It was certainly a lot to take in. But everything he said was so vivid… I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination coming up with the images or… memories that had merely been locked away somewhere deep inside. The sea. The deck of a ship. An octopus tattoo on my left forearm, tentacles reaching to the back of my hand, a similar one on his tanned, scarred neck. Curly auburn hair, a scruffy beard. Brown leather coat and blood under his nails. Pierced ear and eyebrow. A tattoo of a mermaid with a face and wild hair that I knew must have been mine on his right thigh as we found alone time together in my cabin—a pile of leather clothes in a heap on the floor, topped by a big hat with a big feather.
I met his eyes again. “Tell me about another one.”
He smiled. “Well… there was another time I was a soldier. You remembered. I didn’t. I passed through your town on my way to report for duty, and the weather got bad. Your family owned a tavern that doubled as an inn. So, that was where I stayed. You didn’t tell me. I fell in love with you anyway. You would tell me stories and sing for me and make me food in private. When the weather improved, I went off to war and, miraculously, I survived. Even though I spent most of my time that fight thinking about you. I came back to your inn and asked you to marry me. You said yes. We were married soon after. I had to leave a lot. Fighting battles I didn’t care about. Eventually, I came home injured and dying. You held my hand and promised you’d see me soon. I thought you meant heaven or just said it to comfort me. You never told me we were endlessly-reborn soulmates.
“When I was about fifteen my next lifetime, all my memories came back. We both remembered that time, actually. When we ran into each other again we got into such a big argument about you not telling me. Literally picked up right where we left off. Two twenty-year-olds bickering like the old married couple we were. The life after I don’t remember is always a bit of a wild ride as all my memories come back. I imagine it’s similar for you. It’ll be similar for you.”
He reached across the table and took my hand. I squeezed his fingers. Our hands fit together perfectly. I wondered why I’d told him I liked him best with brown eyes when his blue eyes were absolutely gorgeous. “So… what now?” I asked.
He made a face. “Beginnings are always hard when one of us doesn’t remember. Because I have thousands of years of love for you, and you don’t even know me.” His fingers tightened around mine. “I’d like to take you out on a date, if you’ll let me.”
“Does it count as a first date?”
He smiled. It was a sad smile. “It can. It does for this life.”
“Have we… ever had children? Together?”
Jason regarded me thoughtfully. “We have,” he said. “But our bloodlines never last long. Usually we’re lucky to get great-grandchildren. We’re blessed to be together forever, but our families die off quickly. You speculated once that it’s the blessing’s attempt to make sure we’re not reborn into our own bloodline.”
“So we have no living descendants.”
“No. It’d be a little weird if we did. Like ‘Hey, kiddo, you’re our great-great-great-grandson! I know we’re younger than you but trust us!’” Jason laughed.
I could get drunk on that laugh. “I’d… I’d like to go on that date.”
He looked elated—and relieved. “Me too. I’d like to get to know you again.” He glanced around the crowded café. “What do you say we get out of here and go somewhere quiet and I can tell you more stories about our lives? You’ve always been the far superior storyteller, but I learned from the best.”
I smiled. “Yeah. Let’s get out of here. I want to hear everything.”
He helped me to my feet. I gathered my jacket, cup, and phone. “Great. I can’t wait to tell you about the time I was a magician.”
I giggled. “My place or yours?”
“Mine. I have a memento from our most recent past life that I tracked down. I’d like you to have it.”
“What is it?”
Jason didn’t answer immediately. Just held my hand as we left the café. Gotham’s overcast autumn sky was chilly. “I… I want it to be a surprise but I’m also too excited to tell you.” He bit his lower lip, staring at me. “Gah. Fine. It’s your wedding ring. I found it at an antique shop not far from where our oldest niece lived. We didn’t have any kids, last life. We didn’t meet till I was forty-nine and you were forty-three. We both decided it was too late for kids. But I had a few nieces and nephews. Our oldest niece was in charge of our estate. We died in the eighties. But I found your ring. You can use it again, eventually, if you want. Or we can get you a new one.” His face reddened. “I don’t mean to presume. But I don’t know if I can live without you this lifetime after having you for such a short time last life.”
I squeezed his hand. “Let’s try that first date first. I feel this pull toward you I can’t explain, but we’ll build up to the soulmate thing. Okay?” I smiled at him.
Jason couldn’t help but stare at her. Those eyes, that stunning face. This one, he thought. This smile is my favorite.
45 notes · View notes
smmahamazing · 3 years
Photo
Tumblr media
There's been a pep in my step today because......
It's MirSan day!!!!!
I'm so excited to finally share with you guys a fic that I've been working on since last October. It's gone through some big changes, but I'm proud of it. And EVEN BETTER is that I've teamed up with @eliza-faust-diary, who has created an amazing piece of art to go with it! I'm itching for y'all to see it! So I'll get off my soapbox LOL. Make sure you guys check out the MirSan Collection on AO3 and everything posted from @dayofmirsan​! 
Thanks to the mods for setting this up!
Summary: Miroku Kibe has been irrevocably in love with Sango Tanaka for years. His fear of rejection has always kept him from attempting to get to know her, but when he finds her all by herself at an engagement party, will Miroku take the chance he's given and talk to her?
Read on AO3 and FFN
"So anyways, we didn't find our way back home until the next morning, and we still never found her shoes again!"
Miroku attempted a heartfelt chuckle. Apparently, the last bit of her story was supposed to be some big finale, or a play on words, or an inside joke that he wasn't part of? To be honest, he hadn't been paying all that much attention. He had been trying to find a way out of the conversation for quite a while, but the girl in question ('Is her name Yuki? No….Yuca…..or is that the vegetable?') seemed to talk a mile a minute. And there had been no shortage of stories to tell, much to his disappointment.
"Well…" Miroku stuttered, trying to spit out a sentence that didn't involve trying to figure out her name. "I think I see….I'm just gonna….head over there."
It was probably the flimsiest getway he had ever used on a girl, but his brain felt like mush after sitting through too many of her idiotic stories, and Miroku desperately needed to isolate himself. There was only so much socializing he could do in one night and he didn't want to use up all the energy he could spare for some random girl he cared nothing for.
Miroku walked over to the kitchen and pulled out a fresh beer from the fridge. After taking a generous first sip, he lightly leaned back on the countertop and looked out into the living room. The kitchen was designed with an open room concept, with only a small bar separating it from the living room. From his spot, Miroku could oversee the rest of the party guests mingling throughout the apartment.
He recognized a couple of faces that he might have seen around campus over the years, but for the most part found himself amongst a crowd of people of which he didn't have an inkling of who they were. It didn't bother him much though, not when he could hear Kagome's boisterous laugh from across the living room. He let a small smirk don his face as he once again raised his drink to his lips for another sip.
Today was Inuyasha and Kagome's engagement party.
Miroku normally didn't go to shindigs like this, but over the past couple of years, Kagome had grown to be a very good friend of Miroku's, and he wanted to support her in any way he knew how. That, and Inuyasha practically begged him to come.
Engagement parties were not Inuyasha's thing. Parties in general would tend to put him in a foul mood, and Inuyasha did whatever he could to worm his way out of attending one. But all Kagome needed to do was give Inuyasha those big, soulful, puppy dog eyes of hers, and the next thing you know, he was front and center for the biggest event of the year - until the wedding that is.
Inuyasha didn't have many friends, at least not friends that he could proudly call his own. Most of the partygoers were mutual friends of both Inuyasha and Kagome, but Miroku knew that they only came to be on friendly terms with the surly hanyou because of his bubbly, outgoing fianceé.
Miroku's friendship with Inuyasha also fell under that category. He met Kagome during his  internship at her family's shrine a few years ago - even though they all went to high school together - where they became fast friends due to Kagome's friendly personality, which of course led him to also becoming friends with her boyfriend-now-fiance - but Miroku could say with confidence that his friendship with Inuyasha had grown to something bigger than just being acquainted through Kagome.
Which was still a wild concept for Miroku to grasp. Miroku wouldn't say he was introverted, but he mostly liked to keep to himself. He was an only child to a set of parents who died when he was young, putting him under the guardianship of an old family friend - Mushin. Mushin did his best to raise Miroku, but he didn't really have a great idea about what it was like to raise a child, and Miroku learned early on it was better to grow up than just acting like the child he was.
In the end, Miroku had a hard time relating to most kids his age. He didn't watch the same type of television shows, play games, or collect action figures like the boys he grew up around. Others found him...intimidating, which led to a lonely childhood. But as the years went by, Miroku found that he began to care less and less about the whispered gossip that followed him as he grew up.
Miroku knew Inuyasha also had a rough childhood; perhaps that was the reason they gravitated to each other so easily. Not that they talked about it all that much. That was the great thing about their friendship, it didn't require a lot of talking.
His friendship with Kagome gave him enough of that. That girl really knew how to talk.
Miroku was shaken from his thoughts as Inuyasha sidled up to him, jabbing his fist into his shoulder lightly before leaning up against the countertop beside Miroku, his own drink in hand. "So, have you grown the balls to go talk to her yet, or are you gonna hide in my kitchen all night?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, my friend," Miroku answered, keeping his eye contact on anything but the hanyou beside him.
Because it was a lie. Miroku knew exactly who Inuyasha was talking about.
Sango Tanaka.
Miroku had been in love with her for years. Practically all his life if he was dramatic about it.
Miroku first met Sango when they were in high school. She was a "rough and tough" type of girl, known to play a variety of sports, depending on the season, and trained in a number of martial arts. Her family came from a long line of tajiya, and that was a title she wore proudly. Sango was loud, and opinionated, and didn't take anyone's shit. She never failed to go after what she wanted, and she gave it her all every time.
She was everything Miroku wasn't, and funnily enough, she was everything Miroku ever could have wanted.
He still remembered the first time he had ever laid eyes on Sango. It was the first day of high school, and Miroku had just walked into his history classroom. There had still been ten minutes before the bell was scheduled to ring, signaling everyone to start making their way to their first class of the day. Miroku always liked getting to his classes as early as possible so he could get the best seat.
When he was in middle school, he would always be the first one to enter the classroom, but not this day. Sitting in the front row was a girl, enraptured in a small paperback book. Long, velvet brown hair that went halfway down her back. She wore a faded pink long sleeved shirt that accentuated the natural muscle of her arms, and when she turned around to stare him down with those hazel eyes, Miroku was sure he stopped breathing. 
She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Miroku didn’t know how long he had been standing there staring at her. It wasn't until she gave him a simple greeting that Miroku snapped himself back to reality. He responded with a small greeting of his own, choosing the seat right behind her. At that moment, Miroku knew she'd be the only girl for him.
They spent the rest of the time together in companionable silence. Soon enough, the bell rang and slowly students started trickling into the classroom. She didn't seem to have any friends in this class, which was all the better for Miroku. It felt like he could have a part of her without having to share with anyone else.
She didn't speak to him again after that first day. Several times, Miroku had attempted to work up the courage to talk to her - about anything - but he chickened out every time, and his fear of her reaction to him only grew worse as the years went by. The more he looked on at her life from the background, the more intimidated he was of her. Yet, it only made his fondness for her grow.
She was spunky. By the time they ended their first year, it was known throughout the school that Sango was not a girl to be trifled with. The biggest factor in that perception of her was the fight that year between Sango and another girl - Aki was her name? The girl in question was a real piece of work; generally thought of as "popular", but really, that was just a code word for the term "bitch". Miroku hadn't been there to personally see it, but the rumor was that Aki had been bullying another girl - a transfer from a religious school in the next city over - and ended up in a fist fight with Sango. Aki threw the first punch, but Sango made sure she'd throw the last, while simultaneously making sure everybody understood that bullies at Hiro High wouldn't be tolerated. 
She was given a week's suspension for her part in the fight, but she ended up making a life-long friend in the girl she had defended, Kagome Higurashi. They were inseparable ever since.
Sango's sense of loyalty was both something that Miroku had a hard time grasping, yet something he desperately wanted from her. Despite his sometimes asocial mannerisms, Miroku hadn't been a loner in high school; he had his own small group of friends he would sit with at lunch, or work with on group projects. The term 'friends', though, seemed a little much to define the relationships he held with those people. 'Acquaintance' was a better term. They might all shoot the shit together every now and then, but he never let his guard down around any of them.
The Miroku Kibe that they knew was a fake, hidden by a well tailored mask. His friends were nice enough people, and it wasn't lost to Miroku that they trusted him enough with some of their deeper thoughts. But no matter how much he wanted to let them into his own heart, he always managed to pull back at the last second, placing another wall between himself and the world.
Miroku fantasized about letting Sango be the person to break all his walls. He was certain if anyone could do it, she could.
But there had never been a chance for them, Miroku's own cowardice made sure of that. Instead, he sat on the sidelines, watching Sango and Kagome grow into close friends. Eventually their group of two turned into three when Kagome introduced Sango to Inuyasha. He was the "new kid" their second year of high school, and Kagome had been tasked with showing him around and making sure he felt "welcomed".
Of course 'welcomed' meant showing the new kid where the lunchroom was and where the best junk food machines were, not getting caught making out in the janitors closet, but to each his own, you know?
And yet, here he was, almost eight years since their sophomore year, attending Kagome and Inuyasha's engagement party. Honestly, it had been of no surprise to Miroku to hear about their engagement. Inuyasha and Kagome were your textbook definition of "high school sweethearts". If Miroku believed in the whole "soulmate thing",  he’d describe them as just that. They were polar opposites, like fire and ice. Inuyasha, the grumpy hanyou, and Kagome, the sweet girl next door.
Sometimes, Miroku could just gag from the cuteness of it all.
The couple that had been conversing with Kagome in the living room finally moved away, giving both Miroku and Inuyasha a clear view of the sliding glass doors that led out to the patio. Standing by herself, gazing out at the city below, was Sango. She was wearing a striped magenta shirt, the same color she wore on the day they met, with a pair of forest green pants. Even without all glittery jewelry or immaculate dresses, Sango was still the most beautiful woman at the party.
It was the perfect opportunity for Miroku to finally talk to her. All he had to do was walk up to her and start a conversation; nothing flashy or flirty, just small talk. He'd been doing it all night with random girls who felt the need to invade his personal space, so this should be easy.
The golf ball lodged in Miroku's throat said otherwise, as Miroku nearly choked on the beer he was drinking at the mere thought of trying to talk to her.
"Dude, you're being pathetic," Inuyasha said. Miroku finally turned his way to glare at him, but Inuyasha merely scoffed at him. "Don't give me that look, you haven't heard a single word I've said, too busy in la la land thinking about Sango."
"And how long did it take for you to propose to Kagome?" Miroku tried to circumvent the conversation away from himself, but Inuyasha was far too stubborn to let Miroku off the hook.
"Nuh uh, don't even try and compare us, it's not the same thing and you know it."
"Inuyasha - "
"Look, we both know that Sango is going to end up being Kagome's maid of honor, and if I'm being honest, you're the only person I would trust to be my best man."
Miroku was taken aback by Inuyasha's statement. Being a best man….It was a role he didn't think he'd ever really get to play. He never let anyone in deep enough for their first thought of the person who would play a pivotal role in something as important as a wedding to be Miroku. Inuyasha refused to look at him now, obviously embarrassed at such a display of emotion.
"I...would be honored to be your best man, Inuyasha," Miroku said slowly, almost in a hushed whisper. This felt like such an intimate moment for them, and Miroku did not wish to share it with anyone who could easily eavesdrop on their conversation.
"Keh, whatever." Miroku wanted to chuckle at his abrupt change in demeanor. Perhaps this is why they could work so well as friends; while others might be put off by Inuyasha's rough temperament, Miroku was always able to let his constant mood swings slide right off his shoulders.
"Anyways, with that being said, you and Sango will have to see a lot of each other to help out with this damn wedding, and I need you with your best foot forward," Inuyasha stepped around him to grab two unopened beers from the fridge. He took the half empty drink currently in Miroku's hand and replaced them with the unopened beers.
"Don't fuck this up," was the last thing Inuyasha told him as he turned away from him to walk back towards Kagome, leaving Miroku to stand by himself in the kitchen holding two cold beer cans. The cans began to sweat from the change in temperature, causing Miroku to grip them tighter so that they wouldn't slide right out of his hands.
Miroku could feel his body start to perspire. He could only hope that the purple t-shirt he donned for tonight would be dark enough to hide the sweat stains that he was sure would start to show up under his arms. Miroku swallowed the lump in his throat, and after a deep inhale and exhale, started making his way across the apartment.
'Hello, my name is Miroku? And you are?' No, that's too forthcoming, he could be more suave then that. 'Ahh Sango. It's such a beautiful night out, would you care for a beverage?' Ugh, somehow that almost sounded worse than the first one. 'I love you, please bear my children!'
Miroku stopped just before the sliding glass doors and mentally slapped himself. He needed to keep his wits about him! Miroku was a handsome, cool guy; talking to a beautiful woman like Sango should be as normal as breathing. He could strike up a simple conversation with her, right?
For Inuyasha. And Kagome.
And for himself.
Miroku could feel and see the slight trembling of his hand as he used the two pointer fingers of his right hand to slide the door open. It was a cool night, and Miroku was greeted with a crisp breeze. He greedily inhaled the clean breeze that carried wafts of patchouli to his nose. Gods, she was his favourite scent.
Sango didn't seem to hear him enter the balcony, or at least if she did she had yet to make a move to see who was disturbing her peace.
'Oh god, what if she wants to be alone and I'm just here to annoy her?' 
Miroku shoved his negative thoughts aside, determined to give her a good impression of himself. He stretched his neck from one side to the other, cracking it a little to release some tension as he took that one last step towards her, his back straightened but not locked up, his head held high in an attempt to look calm and aloof.
And then he fell.
He fell. 
A weirdly high pitched yelp erupted from his throat as his feet twitched and scuffed across the cement floor of the balcony, pushing his body too far forward for his feet to catch. What sort of loser trips over his own feet? All he had to do was take one small step and he would have been golden. Instead, he was slowly tripping over his own two fucking feet, still keeping hold of the two beer cans, as if their presence was actually important in the grand scheme of things. The only thing that could have been worse would be to face plant right on her bountiful breasts.
Which he fucking did.
Miroku was sure he had never been so embarrassed in his entire life. It wasn't as if Miroku hadn't dreamt of this moment - nuzzling his nose in the warmth of her soft skin, peppering her bare chest with tiny butterfly kisses. But this wasn't a dream, it was reality, and Miroku's reality included him basically motorboating a woman who he didn't know personally and didn't know him on a very public apartment balcony.
'Just fucking kill me now…'
Miroku tried to lift himself up as quickly as he could. He really did, but for some reason he just couldn't let go of those damn beer cans. He clutched them as if they were his lifelines, putting more and more of his full weight on the woman under him. Luckily, due to all her training, Sango could probably lift two of Miroku, and was able to help steady him.
"Oh my gosh, are you okay?!" She exclaimed, unfazed by where his head had been and more concerned about his own wellbeing. She had taken his face in both hands, trying to assess if he had taken any injuries.
"Uhhh…" Say something you fool! Miroku's head felt fuzzy with her face so close to his. He tried to tell her he was okay, perhaps impart a most fervent apology on landed directly on her chest, but he couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence no matter how hard he thought about it. He had never been so close to her to take in the gold flecks that made her cinnamon eyes sparkle, and he was quickly becoming lost in them. 
Instead, he belted out a cracked, "Beer?", still holding on to those damn cans.
Miroku hoped the ground would open up a portal to hell and drag him into it at this point. There was no way she'd want anything to do with him after this fiasco of a first encounter. Well, technically their second encounter. Either way, Miroku was fucked.
He thought that anyways, until he heard her chuckle, her lips turned up in a soft smile. She acted like he said something funny, not in a 'I'm laughing at you' way, but a 'wow you're funny' kind of way.
It was like music to his ears.
"A beer sounds good right now, thank you," she said, taking one of the beer cans out of his hands once he was steady on his feet. Miroku couldn't believe it, he was doing it! He was actually having a conversation with her! She wasn't rejecting him and accepted his offering of having a drink together! Even though he made a total fool of himself, nearly launching himself and the drinks off the balcony…..launching the drinks….The drinks….
THE DRINKS.
"Wait, Sango don't - "
It was too late. Miroku had been too far in his own thoughts to think about the fact that he had shaken up the carbonated alcoholic beverages quite a bit during his tumble, and Sango had already flipped the tab into the aluminum can. The next few seconds felt like forever, played in slow motion. The can let out a faint hiss before a small geyser of beer exploded upward, the can continuing to overflow with foam. Sango let out a small shriek, covering her face as best she could as she became drenched in beer.
Miroku stood there, still as a statue, as he watched streams of beer slowly trickle down her face. Their movements had a soft quality to it, as if they were caressing the soft lines of her cheek, gliding down the line of her nose and outlining her plump lips.
It was downright cruel how turned on he could get in a situation that was probably embarrassing for Sango. He should be doing something, like running inside to grab her a towel or asking her if she was okay. Instead, he was staring - no, leering - at her like some kind of pervert.
The thought was enough to break Miroku from his thoughts. He had a reputation for being a lecher amongst the ladies, but that was a persona he didn't want associated with Sango. After all, she wasn't just any woman; she was someone he could see spending his life with. Which he actively did.
He lurched forward slightly, still unsure of exactly what he should be doing for her, but unwilling to just stand there. There was a small table with a couple of chairs pushed to the right side of the balcony. Miroku threw the arm that held his own beer in that direction, intending on setting it down to cover all his attention on her. Unfortunately, he wasn't paying enough attention to the can to make sure it was set on the table properly. 
The can slipped from his hands, slowly making its descent, past the edge of the table, and straight for the ground. 
Miroku barely heard the plonk of the can hitting the ground, nor the hissing that came right before the can exploded, twirling along the ground at their feet, covering them both with the sticky liquid.
In a feat that would have made the soccer team at their high school proud, Miroku used the side of his foot to kick the can straight through a gap in the bars of the balcony. The can continued to spew beer through the air as it made its descent onto an unsuspecting car parked on the opposite side of the street, the sickening crunch of the can cracking the windshield echoing off the walls of the buildings on either side of the road.
He didn't know what would have been worse, letting the can continue to douse them with beer or vandalize an automobile. Either way, he only hoped some God would have pity on him and allow the Earth to swallow him whole. 
Of course, he could never be so lucky.
"Oh my...I am so sorry, let me get you a towel!" He said, spinning in place and practically barrelling through the sliding glass door.
It seemed like no one else in the apartment had any clue what transpired outside, too busy with the jovial nature of celebrating the engagement of two young people in love. It gave Miroku a small bit of relief, knowing that Sango was free from the embarrassment that came with the snickers and stares of being laughed at. 
It wasn't enough to steady his shaking hands as he began rummaging through Kagome's kitchen cupboards, trying to find something big and deep enough to fill with water. Three cupboards in, Miroku found a large mixing bowl and began filling it with water, searching through more drawers to find the kitchen towels, practically grabbing the whole stack once he found them. Once he had everything, he carefully made his way through the crowd of people. By now, he started to receive a few weird looks from anyone who bothered to look towards him as he passed by, but no one tried to stop him or ask about what he was doing.
He ignored it all in favor of the woman standing outside. She was fiddling with the ends of her blouse that now clung to her form from the stickiness of the beer. He awkwardly pinched his knuckle before reaching for the door in an attempt to keep his eyes looking anywhere but her body. This was absolutely not the time for his philandering ways to make this woman hate him more than she probably does already. He could see the small movements of her shoulders as she shivered when a quick breeze hit her, and any lecherous thoughts he might have had drifted away as guilt began to constrict his chest.
This was obviously a sign that they were never meant to be. How could a sophisticated and beautiful woman like Sango be interested in a schmuck like Miroku? The man couldn't even do something as simple as handing her a can of beer, how was he supposed to take care of her?
Not that she'd want him to take care of her, or needed anyone to do so. She was strong, and smart, and so fucking talented; she could do anything she set her mind to. Miroku could only hope to be even half the person she was, and a woman like Sango didn't mingle with people as lame as Miroku.
He carefully made his way through the back door, immediately set the bowl of water and towels onto the small table sitting off to the side and pulled the chair out for Sango to sit in.
"I-I brought a bowl of warm water and some towels to wipe the beer off with. Here, you can sit here. If you want to anyways, or you can stand if that makes you feel more comfortable or…." Miroku turned his body away from hers, grimacing as his tongue continued to word vomit in front of her. He couldn't believe he was still finding new ways to completely embarrass himself in front of her.
But instead of a stern glare or a heated comment about him, he was greeted with a small but warm chuckle.
"Thank you," she smiled at him, taking the offered seat and one of the dry towels, submerging it into the water and wringing it out.
He couldn't stop from staring at her, watching the way the muscles in her hands grew taut as she squeezed the towel, or the way a few errant droplets of water would cascade down her arms as she rubbed the towel into her skin.
She was truly gorgeous. The setting sun made her positively glow, her freshly cleaned skin gleaming when the light hit it just right. She sighed contentedly as she continued to wash away the sticky substance, paying extra attention to her face and chest. Miroku pulled up the other chair and fumbled with one of the dry towels, keeping himself too busy to notice the way she ran the damp towel over her collarbones. The towel wasn't squeezed out as much this time around, and it was almost painful for Miroku to watch as several small rivulets of water ran down her shirt, molding around the tops of her breasts.
The sound of the water splashing as she dunked the towel back in acted like a slap to the face, reminding him he needed to keep his eyes to himself. Instead, he submerged his own dry towel halfway so that he could wipe off his own beer soaked skin.
"You seem familiar,"
Miroku paused. Despite the fact they were both sitting together, he hasn't expected her to want to talk with him. It was a question disguised as a statement, one that he wasn't quite sure how to answer. Not in a way that wouldn't make him seem like a stalker, anyways.
"I believe we went to the same high school,"
"You went to Hiro High, too? What a small world," she chuckled as she continued to stare at him. Her eyes widened slightly as a thought seemed to pass by the forefront on her mind. "Wait...didn't we have a class together?"
'Several,' was the first response to come to mind, but he didn't want to make it seem like he was keeping any sort of tabs on her over the years.
"Yes, I believe so. That's where I recognized Kagome when we first met,"
Miroku could feel himself beginning to sweat under her vigilant gaze. 
"History,"
A confused look sprawled across his face. "Come again?"
"That's where I recognize you from. Freshman year. You were the kid that got to class almost as early as me,"
Miroku was stunned. They had shared a small handful of classes together over their high school years, but the one that stuck out the most for her was first period history during their freshman year? That was nearly ten years ago!
"Uhh….y-yes. With Mr. Myoga,"
"Sometimes, I don't know how we made it through that class," she laughed, remembering the long mornings of boring anecdotes and not enough energy to spare between the class.
"Well, someone as….aged, as Mr. Myoga had many stories to tell about the vibrant history of Japan," Miroku's lips curved up slightly. One of the benefits of being a flea youkai was living through each monumental event that made up the history of Japan. Although his method of teaching it was...lacking.
"He made the topic so boring! He preferred listening to the sound of his own voice more than actually teaching us about the subject. Honestly, it should be illegal to hold such a boring class that early in the morning."
"Fewer words could be truer," Miroku grinned, delighting in the easy smile that steadily grew on her face. She was so beautiful when she smiled. The edges of her lips almost seemed to touch the wrinkles around her eyes as she smiled, small dimples becoming noticeable on her cheeks as she talked.
It was obvious that Sango lived a very happy and joyous life.
"So, what's the story with you and Kagome? How'd you meet?"
Miroku never expected for Sango to take control of the conversation like she did. He expected that he would be the one to ask her a litany of dumb, intrusive questions about their friends engagement, the weather, or how her day had gone. And she would smile politely at him as he rambled, giving him simple, flat answers in an attempt to humor him.
Instead, she barrelled through, asking him a variety of simple 'get to know you' questions - What did you major in? Where do you work? What's your favorite color? Pepsi or Coke? - with the perfect opportunity for Miroku to turn the question back on her as soon as he answered. Perhaps she could sense how nervous he was around her. It was definitely easier than Miroku doing it all on his own, that's for sure.
It wasn't long before the both of them were laughing and joking around with each other. Part of him couldn't believe how easy it was to talk to Sango, although it wasn't a huge surprise. Miroku found practically every aspect of her life interesting and would gladly sit and converse with her for hours - eternity if she'd let him.
There was one thing he had to know; was she dating someone? It would be a devastating blow if she was, but after getting to know her for just a little bit, Miroku knew he needed her in his life. Even if he couldn't have her the way he truly wanted her.
Now all he needed to do was come up with a way to ask her that wasn't creepy or weird. Or intrusive.
'Just act….natural…'
"So, how have you and your date enjoyed the party so far?"
Nice. Smooth and natural.
"Oh, I didn't come here with anyone," she responded hesitantly.
"My apologies! I didn't mean to assume,"
"It's okay, I understand," Sango smiled, although it didn't shine through her eyes like before. She turned her attention to something off in the distance, wringing her hands together in her lap. Miroku suddenly felt a little selfish bringing the subject up at all.
"I hope I didn't upset you somehow. I swear on my father's grave that was never my intention,"
"What? Oh, no!" Sango turned back to him with wide eyes. "I didn't think that at all! It's just…" She looked away again, staring intently at her hands folded in her lap. "It's just...sort of a touchy subject for me right now. I've not had the best luck in the dating circuit,"
"Forgive me Sango, I have a hard time believing a woman as beautiful as you has a hard time getting anything she wants,"
Miroku's statement caused a pink blush to cover her cheeks.
"Yeah, well, that's just the problem, isn't it?" Sango mumbled. Miroku kept silent, watching the indecision flash across Sango's face, either caused by her deliberating her next words or whether or not she wanted to say something at all.
She looked up at him next, face still a little pink from embarrassment, yet she looked up at him with an air of determination. Her eyes were hard and resolute, but Miroku could see the tenderness behind it all.
"Most of the guys I've dated think I'm too assertive."
Miroku was unsurprised by this, but a part of him still had a hard time believing such a thing could be said about Sango. Her assertiveness was something to be cherished, not looked down upon.
"Sounds like most guys are just too insecure to handle you,"
Sango let out a small breath of laughter. "I'm sure they would all balk at the insinuation that they have crippling male egos. Much easier to dump me and go about their lives,"
"Well, that's just their loss, isn't it?"
Sango couldn't help but lock eyes with the mysterious man sitting next to her. She had heard that phrase before from a variety of people. It was always someone else's loss when she was kicked to the curb, and it always made her so angry whenever she heard it. It certainly never seemed like it was a loss to them; if anything, they acted better off. People usually said that to her in a veiled attempt to comfort her, knowing it was because of her own temperament that they left.  
Sango always had quite the mouth on her, and unless she could learn to tame it, no man would give her any time of day.
Yet, she didn't get the same vibes from Miroku. He seemed truly genuine when he said it was their loss. As if it was better for her to be her rude, straight to the point, brash self instead of the meek, silent woman in the background most men wanted her to be.
Sango was truly intrigued by this man.
She wasn't lying when she said she remembered him from their shared history class. Although, he had been more of a background character in the story of her life. She could recall them sharing a few classes over the years, and she had heard through the grapevine that he was sort of a ladies man, but they effectively went different ways after high school, and Sango pushed back any thoughts of him to the back of her mind.
Then one day, he was suddenly thrust back into her life via her best friend since forever, Kagome.
It was nice to know that Kagome had a friend she could talk to about her work. Sango was the dutiful best friend, always giving Kagome the time and attention she deserved as she talked about her day, but oftentimes Kagome would get caught up in the history of an artefact or a traditional dance, which was likely to go right over Sango's head. Miroku became a sort of conduit for Kagome's ramblings, saving Sango from having to pretend to be as knowledgeable about the subject as Kagome, or ask a million questions.
It was a friendship that blossomed over the years, as they do when Kagome is involved. Kagome's stories started to involve more of Miroku and less of work, eventually even adding Inuyasha to the mix. Yet, despite all the talk, Sango had yet to meet the famed 'Miroku'.
Kagome always said good things about him. He was quiet with an old soul. He had far more wisdom than most people his age and he never backed down at lending out a helping hand. A real gentleman.
Inuyasha's only helpful comments on the subject were that he was a 'lecherous monk'.
Which led to some confusing ideas about the man.
She still wasn't sure what to think about him. She could tell he was nervous; it was cute, the way he stuttered and rambled. And despite the rumors of him being a ladies man, he never seemed to ogle her or make her feel uncomfortable - despite literally landing his face in her chest. Their conversations so far had been easy and fun, something she really hadn't felt with another person in quite a long time.
Miroku was in heaven. He didn't think he could ever tire of talking to her, or listening to her talk about anything. She was funny, able to pull a joke out of the most basic of topics. And opinionated. Miroku was always up for a good debate, and he was sure Sango could give him a run for his money.
He didn't know how much time had passed as they stared at one another, probably only minutes yet it felt like hours. There was a heat developing between the two - not a smouldering heat, like the sun, that enveloped your whole body, but a soft warmth, like a candle, that started in the tips of the fingers, working its way slowly up the arms to take root in the chest. She just...looked him up and down with those wide cinnamon eyes, not in a lewd way, but with a sense that he was something new, something she had never seen before.
Once again, Miroku was stunned by her beauty. She truly was a goddess among mortals. Was it considered excessive the amount of times he obsessed over her looks? Possibly, but Miroku didn't care. Sango was a woman deserving of unbridled attention.
This was it. This was his in. He was gonna be confident and suave and somehow convince her to go on a date with him. He was going to use everything he learned from all the women he's been with and use it for good. For Sango.
"Sango, I - "
"Hey you two!" The raucous sounds of the party inside became louder as someone Miroku didn't recognize leaned their head outside. "It's time to toast the newly engaged couple!" And without another look back, they disappeared back inside, leaving the door wide open for them to follow.
Miroku could have screamed.
Why couldn't anything go right when it came to Sango? Their whole ambiance was ruined now. She was distracted by the party inside, and now there was even more of a chance someone will try and come outside.
"Well, I guess we should be getting back inside," Sango sighed, slowly pushing her chair back to stand up.
"Sango, wait!" Miroku leapt to his feet. He just needed one more minute with her! He didn't want this opportunity to go to waste. "I-I'd really like to see you again. Can..I..can I get your number? You know, we can...make plans or...something."
Well, it wasn't his best bit of courting, but it was better than being a coward and not talking to her, he supposed. And if she said no? At least he would have a definite answer.
She looked at him for another moment before giving him a soft smile. "I'd like that," she said, holding her hand out for his phone. 
Miroku scrambled for the device sitting in his front pocket, unlocking it and bringing up a 'New Contact' screen before holding it out to her with shaky hands. She tapped away, keeping the screen close to her face. She kept the phone to her face for a good amount of time, longer than she needed to if she was just putting her contact information. She pulled out her own phone from her pocket and waited for it to vibrate with a notification before closing out his own phone and handing it back to him.
"I'll see you around, Miroku?" Sango asked, so innocently yet Miroku we sure there was a layer of seduction there.
In a last ditch attempt to be anything but the loser he felt he had been all night, Miroku responded with confidence. "I look forward to it, my dear Sango,"
Sango departed after that, not before giving him a once over with her eyes and sporting what Miroku would describe as a 'devilish' grin.
That one look would carry Miroku into the next year, he was sure of it.
Miroku became deaf and blind when it came to the party inside, opening his phone back up and going straight to his messaging app. There would be time later for him to memorize her number - you know, just in case he accidentally lost it before they could set up a date - but he was curious to see what she texted to herself.
He expected to see 'Sango Tanaka' as the subject line, but was surprised to see a different name under the most recent message:
Slayer🍑😘
[Sent @ 6:15 PM] Next Friday, 7PM, Tanaka Dojo 📿
There was….much for Miroku to unpack here. The first of which was the nickname she gave herself. It was well known that the peach emoji was frequently used to represent one's derriere. Was her choice to use that particular emoji a coincidence, or was she privy to the fact that Miroku was indeed an ass man?
Especially when it came to Sango's gloriously toned and plump backside.
Miroku could have written an entire dissertation on why Sango chose that nickname if he had the time. Instead, he gravitated towards the message she sent herself. Normally people sent little one word messages, just enough to bridge the gap between cellular devices. Instead, it looked like Sango set up the details for their first date.
Their first date.
Just thinking those three little words left him feeling giddy, his heart pumping so heavily in his chest, Miroku could practically see the organ trying to rip itself from its fleshy prison. 
Miroku finally looked up from his phone and gazed inside at the party. Just like earlier, the crowd of guests inside parted in just the right way so that he had a perfect view of Sango. She was leaning backwards against the kitchen counter, cradling a slender glass of something bubbly - probably champagne. She was standing by herself, a gentle smile on her face as she watched everyone gather around the Kagome and a slightly nervous looking Inuyasha.
It was like looking at a freshly finished puzzle. Every piece meticulously placed in just the right way, resulting in a release of endorphins just by looking at the fruits of one's hard work.
Sango was his puzzle.
There were still a few pieces to put together here and there, but the hard part was over with. Now was the time for Miroku to take those few random puzzle pieces and finish his work of art.
A life with Sango.
Perhaps he was a tad crazy for having such strong emotions for this woman, but who was he to argue with the pounding of his heart whenever he saw her picture or the butterflies in his stomach whenever she spoke. If his feelings for her were wrong, then he didn't want to be right. He would show them all that Miroku Kibe and Sango Tanaka were meant to be together.
Miroku closed his phone and shoved it into his pocket, resolute in the path he was about to take. Despite the loud, raucous energy of the crowd inside, Miroku could feel several pairs of eyes on him as he made his way inside. Not too long ago, Miroku might have been put off by the interfering actions of his friends, but now he could only feel thankful for them. Thankful that they would let him share even a smidgen of their spotlight, even just between the three of them.
The sounds of the crowd, the eyes of his curious friends, he ignored them all in favor of the woman standing by herself in the kitchen as he walked towards the bar to grab his own glass of already poured champagne. Sango looked up in his direction as he approached and offered him a warm smile. Miroku simply smiled back, leaning back against the kitchen counter beside her. 
Sango deserved to have someone to stand by her - whether it be at the store or waiting for the bus, through bad times and good times, even at your best friends engagement party. And Miroku was going to be the one to do just that.
Because she was just the girl he had been looking for.
48 notes · View notes