clean little secret - itadori yuji
word count: 7.4k
warnings: none!
summary: yuji and (y/n) are keeping a secret from the others... yuji loves to be pampered by her.
more info: tooth rotting fluff, crushing, friends to lovers
for stef <3
___
Itadori Yuji wasnât one for keeping secrets. For one, he believed they often caused more harm than good. So unless it was a surprise party, he had no interest in them. Even if Nobara swore it was a particularly juicy piece of information, Yuji had no problem covering his ears with his hands and walking in the other direction. And for two, well, he just wasnât that great at keeping them, and after a few accidental slips, heâd decided to keep himself secret free.
Of course, the dirty little secret he had of his own didnât count. But it wasnât like any harm could come of it⌠he was pretty sure⌠so long as (y/l/n) (y/n) didnât let it slip either.
âSo whaddya say?â Nobaraâs unusually chipper voice drew Itadori back to the present conversation with the tell-tale hum of a boy that hadnât listened to a thing sheâd said.
Megumi briefly rolls his eyes, (y/n) lets out a short giggle that she quickly stifles behind her hand, and Nobara places her hands on her hips as she turns towards the pink haired sorcerer with a frown.
âDo you want to go see that movie tonight or not?â She asks him pointedly, as if she hadnât spent the last few minutes coming up with a whole plan for picking up snacks and sneaking them into the theater.
âOh!â Realization dawns on Yuji in the form of a bright grin, but Nobaraâs hope is quickly deflated when he shakes his head. âNo, I canât, sorryâÂ
Before the redhead could strangle him for getting her hopes up with his stupid smile, Megumiâs backing out too, and her attention is quickly swiveled towards (y/n), who had suspiciously kept her expression behind her hand.
âSorry, Nobara,â She lowers her hand to reveal her frown. âI canât tonight either. But maybe this weekend?â She tries to compromise, but it appears Nobara was already defeated by the sting of a triple rejection.
âFine, whatever, this weekend,â She mumbles, hoping a pouty lip would be the final straw to convince her friends. When no one moves, her expression returns to its usual resting bitch face and she turns to leave. âBut if the groupchat is as dead as your energy later, then Iâm going with Maki instead!â She hollers.
That was close, Yuji thought to himself as the group dispersed and he hurriedly made his way down the hall. Luckily this time, Nobara didnât shake him down to interrogate him into telling her what better things he could have to do for the evening. God, that couldâve gotten embarrassing.
After a quick stop by his dorm to change out of his uniform, Yuji made sure the halls were clear before he booked it across the building, moving as fast as he could while keeping his steps as quiet as possible, before he slid to a stop in front of her door.
With two quick but rhythmic knocks, her door slid open, and (y/n) peeked out, eyeing both directions of the hall around Yuji to make sure no one was around to see her let him in.
âYouâre sure no one followed you?â She whispers, finally meeting his eyes.
Yuji shook his head confidently. Her lips broke into a grin so wide that the corners of her eyes crinkled.
âWell then get in here already!â She says with hushed excitement, grabbing him by the front of his tee shirt and pulling him inside, closing the door behind him in one swift movement.
Yuji seats himself at the end of her bed while she grabs her phone off her desk, scrolling through an abundance of spotify playlists before settling on just the right one.
âIâm so glad weâre finally doing thisâ She tells him, effectively turning his cheeks pink.
âYeah, me tooâ He agrees, hoping his nerves arenât too obvious in his voice.
âIâve been dying to show you what I just got for christmasâ She adds, practically skipping into the bathroom to retrieve a decently sized plastic basket full of products Yuji canât even recognize. She has to carry it over to him with both hands, and he knows he should probably be intimidated by what theyâre about to do, but he doesnât.
As (y/n) drags him into her tiny bathroom to set up the array of items, she lists off each one as she shows him. Hydrating mask, lip mask, eyelash serum, somehow it all sounds relaxing and terrifying all at once, but he trusts her, so he nods along to each one. She seems delighted enough just to show off her little collection of products, so Yujiâs determined to match her excitement.
Truthfully, Yuji had never touched anything like this. Sometimes he moisturized his hands when they got dry in the colder seasons, but he wouldnât say he knew a thing about skincare. And yet, one afternoon while walking with (y/n) from one class to another, he found himself getting carried away telling her how he was trying to take better care of himself and he wanted to establish a proper skincare routine. Before he knew it he was agreeing to being pampered by her- on the condition that it remained secret.
Now remember, one of Yujiâs very few rules of life included the simple act of not keeping secrets. But that day heâd agreed to her condition without a moment of hesitation. He could understand why she didnât want the others knowing that she was going to give him special treatment, seeing as Nobara had been begging to give everyone makeovers since sheâd arrived at Jujutsu Technical College.
While heâs not disappointed in his plan for the afternoon, Yuji does feel incredibly out of place in her bathroom. The dorms were small enough, and the bathrooms barely had room for one person to move around comfortably. But (y/n) doesnât seem crowded at all as she rummages through the couple of drawers next to him.
With a grin she retrieves what sheâd been looking for- two fluffy headbands held proudly in her hand.
âI got one for you too,â She tells him, bashfully avoiding his eyes as she extends one out to him. âYouâll want to keep your hair back, the mask can get really stickyâÂ
Yuji examines the soft baby pink material as if heâd never seen a headband before. Heâs pretty sure he knows how to use it, but just in case, he watches as (y/n) slides hers on first. Itâs not until he sees the ears on top that he checks his again, delighting in the matching cat ears before he pulls it around his neck and puts it on.
âThanks!â He beams at both of their reflections in her mirror. He wishes he could take a picture of them, just to have a picture of the two of them wearing the matching accessory, but he knows he canât risk the others seeing, so for now he settles on memorizing the image.
âYouâre welcome,â (y/n) bites the inside of her cheek to keep her grin from getting too goofy, and quickly redirects their attention to the first item on the agenda. âYouâve really never done a face mask before?âÂ
âNope,â Yuji shakes his head, leaning into the counter as he waits for her direction. âIs it going to hurt?âÂ
âNo!â (y/n) giggles, before beckoning him to hold his hand out as she uncapped the product. âItâll feel nice, here, put a little on,â She instructs, squeezing a dollop of green onto his fingers. She laughs again at his reaction to the color, but he doesnât question her as he right away rubs it onto his nose.
He had the right idea, but from the way he messily spread it over the bridge of his nose, she could tell he was going to struggle with the application.
âNo no, youâre getting it everywh- oh my god donât put it in your nose!â She squeals as she smacks his hand away, quickly stepping into his space and taking over.
Honestly, Yuji wasnât trying to get her to do it for him, but as soon as she gently grabs his jaw in one hand while the other is carefully swiping the excess cream off of the tip of his nose, he decides right then and there to surrender.
âI didnât know, Iâve never done itâ He whines, a bit more dramatically than necessary.
âIt shows,â She laughs quietly before reaching for the product again to pump more onto her own fingers. âI can just do it for you, if you want?â She offers.
Yuji smiles and nods gratefully, his heart doing a victory dance in his chest.
âOnly if you donât mindâ He tells her, already sitting himself down on her toilet seat so she didnât have to reach up to his face. (y/n) fights the urge to roll her eyes at his swiftness in letting her take over.
âI donât mind,â She shrugs, getting to work applying a generous amount of lime green mask to his cheeks first. âItâs relaxing to me, actuallyâÂ
âReally?âÂ
âMhm,â She nodded along, focused on keeping the application even. âI wouldâve loved having a sibling or a cousin or something to do this stuff with,â She tells him. âI know Nobara would⌠but⌠sheâs so intense about it sometimes,â She admits, and Yuji hums in agreement. Nobara was the most passionate person heâd ever met, and it was her greatest strength, but it did freak him out from time to time. âNot like usâÂ
The murmured comment sits on his mind longer than it should have. Not like us, sheâd said, filling his insides with the fuzzy, familiar feeling of having something with her that the others didnât. This was all his, and sheâd said so herself. They couldnât possibly understand them the way they understood each other. Â
Not like us. Not like us. Not like us.
Yuji closes his eyes when her careful fingers spread the mask up the bridge of his nose before she gets started on covering his forehead.
âYou do this stuff all the time though?â He asks when thereâs too long of pause since heâd last heard her voice.
Not that he could forget what it sounded like, no never, most of Yujiâs day was spent waiting for her to speak, just so he could listen. Whether she was arguing with Gojo about a ridiculous lesson plan or going on about a conspiracy theory just to get their lunch table riled up, if (y/n) was talking, Yuji had his mouth shut and his ears wide open. He liked hearing the things she had to say, he liked the way she said them.
And he was learning now that he especially liked when he was the only one she was speaking to, and that if she was standing close, her voice came out in soft murmurs, cautious of the short space between them, and gentle on his ears as it barely echoed off the ceramic tiled walls.
âMaybe not all the time,â She hums thoughtfully. âBut I do it when I can, I try to keep up with it anywaysâÂ
âWell it feels really niceâ Yuji mumbled, almost getting sleepy as he grew used to the feeling of her warm fingers spreading the cooling cream on his skin. (y/n) giggles again, breathy and amused as she watches his shoulders droop downwards.
âDonât fall asleep on the toilet, Yuji,â She scolds him, but itâs hardly threatening when itâs between strings of giggles as he lazily opens his eyes to look at her. âYouâll make a mess if you fall and hit your head on the counterâÂ
âIâd clean it upâ He mumbles back in defeat.
âWhat if you were concussed?âÂ
â... Iâd clean it up laterâÂ
She laughs at his antics just as sheâs making her final touches near his temple, spreading the green cream just so, making sure none of it would get stuck to his eyebrow. With an affirmative nod of her head she steps back to assess her work. Â
As sticky, creamy, and unfamiliar as the mask feels, Yujiâs currently grateful that itâs there to cover the way his face heats up under her direct gaze. Heâs always thought that sheâs had the softest eyes- doe-like, and sweet, and easy to gaze into- but with every ounce of her attention directly on his face, Yuji starts to sweat a little bit.
His intentions of becoming closer friends through a night of pampering was starting to backfire, and instead the little crush heâd been hiding was now festering. Bubbling and smoking just under the thinly veiled surface of his restraint.
âYouâre all set,â She beams at him, which he easily returns. âTry not to touch it while I do mine, okay? Itâs gotta sit for a whileâÂ
Yuji drops his hand just as heâs about to swipe off a generous streak of cream from his cheek, smiling innocently as (y/n) gives him a warning look before she turns towards her mirror to apply her own mask.
âSerious question, if I eat it, while I throw up?âÂ
(y/n) pauses mid-smear on her cheek, turning back to Yuji and sweeping her eyes over him to assess if he was actually serious about eating face cream. He did know it wasnât guacamole⌠right? She didnât need to tell him that⌠right?
âIf you eat it, Iâll be plucking your eyebrows after mineâ She settles on a friendly threat. Â
Yujiâs lips pinch and she gets back to work on her mask, certain sheâd done the trick to keep him sitting still.
âWell that sounds horrifying,â He mumbles. âBut Iâm inâÂ
(y/n) scoffs out of amusement, still focused on her reflection.
âYou want me to pluck your eyebrows?âÂ
âIf youâre doing it, then sure,â Yuji shrugs, not thinking twice about agreeing to it. âIt wouldnât be a complete spa night otherwiseâ He adds with a grin that she can see from the corner of her eye.
âWell, if you really wantâŚâ She mumbles, doubling down her focus on applying her mask.
A part of her had been hoping he wasnât agreeing to all this pampering just to please her, she hoped he wasnât dreading the night going forward. But if he hated it⌠he wouldnât be signing himself up for eyebrow plucking⌠right?
It only takes a few more minutes for her to complete her own mask- she was much faster at applying it to her own face, Yuji noticed.
He also noticed that somehow, she made a face of lime green paste look good. Â Which just wasnât fair.
When Yuji tries to pinpoint when exactly these feelings for her began, his mind becomes a blurry haze of every moment heâs ever shared with her- and honestly, it could have sparked from any one of them. It tricks him into thinking maybe heâd just⌠always had feelings for her.
Itâs easy being around her, Yuji finds- even though sometimes she leans close enough to show him a video on her phone and it nearly sends him into cardiac arrest- thereâs nothing but ease and relaxation in his muscles when sheâs around him. He doesnât worry about saying the wrong thing- even if she giggles and shakes her head at some of his questions- he basks in her delight until it becomes his own.
Twenty minutes flies by when theyâre laughing at memes or talking about the last week of training, and soon theyâre scrubbing off the green mask that feels a little crustier than it had when they put it in.
Yuji groans into the bottom of the sink for the ump-teenth time as he scrubs viciously at a part of his jaw where the hardened cream refused to wash off. (y/n) canât help but stifle a laugh into the warm washcloth sheâs using to pat her face dry, but she canât leave him hanging, so she politely taps his shoulder to get the boy to give up on washing it off with his hands.
âLet me helpâ She offers, shoulders still shaking just slightly with her amusement. Â
Yuji pouts with frustration when he stands up from the sink, water dripping down his face and all over his shirt, it really is a miracle he didnât manage to clean up the last of the mask seeing as he got water everywhere in his attempts.
The pout melts away as soon as (y/nâs) stepping closer and gently wiping her washcloth against the resilient speck of green, making it look easy as it glides away under the soft cloth. She gets it right away, but the tips of her fingers on her free hand still hover over his chin, ready to stabilize his head if he wouldâve required another, rougher swipe of the cloth.
âDid ya get it?â Yuji asks hesitantly, unable to read the expression on her face.
But sheâs smiling and stepping back in a momentâs notice.
âYep!â Thereâs a short, tight sounding laugh that follows. Itâs not like her usual laughter, it sticks out like a sore thumb for someone as attentive as Yuji to pick up on, and he does, but he doesnât say anything. âHere, I have a dry washcloth for youâ Sheâs quick to hand him the towel, and even quicker to stop him when he roughly drags the fabric over his face.
Yuji doesnât catch half the things sheâs saying when she snatches the pink cloth from his hands and tells him to sit his ass down before he destroys his pores. He doesnât think twice before jokingly asking her what pores are, which sends her on another lecture. Itâs hard to focus on what sheâs explaining when sheâs so delicately patting his face and neck dry of every last waterdrop. Heâs too busy fighting the urge to close his eyes and melt under the featherlight touch of her palm against his shoulder to give too much of a crap about pores.
Surprisingly, heâs never fallen asleep on the toilet before, but he thinks he could if he sat here and let her pamper him all night.
â... Yuji? Did you hear anything I just said?âÂ
It takes a few blinks for his vision to focus on her again- her brow is raised and her hands are on her hips now, sheâd definitely caught him zoning out. He hopes playing dumb does the trick.
âOf course,â He nods confidently. âPores swell when theyâre wet and thatâs badâÂ
She giggles and rolls her eyes, so he knows his educated guess wasnât as educated as he thought, but if he got her to laugh heâd take the slight tinge of embarrassment for the greater good of bringing her joy.
God, it was like every minute spent with her only left him craving more.
âSure,â She drawls out the word in disbelief, but she doesnât scold him for not paying attention. It would prove to be too difficult when heâs looking at her with the brightest eyes sheâs ever seen. She wouldâve believed he was hanging onto every word had he not opened his mouth. âSo, what next?âÂ
Yuji peeks at the remaining tubes and bottles on the counter. He has no clue what heâs looking at of course, and this is obvious when his helpless expression turns back towards her. To make it easier, (y/n) scoops up two smaller bottles, offering them both for him to choose from.
âWhich is which?â He asks, hooking his finger under his chin as he studies each product with skeptical eyes.
âOne is for your eyelashes, and the other is for your lips,â (y/n) explains, tilting each towards him as she does. âWe can do both, or neither, up to youâÂ
âWill it hurt if it gets in my eyes?â He asks, eyes noticeably widened, and she chuckles as she shakes her head.
âNot at all, itâs super easy,â She assures. âI can show you, if you want?âÂ
Yuji nods, and thatâs how he finds himself standing just a few inches away from her as she leans into the mirror with the small applicator brush in her fingers. She could remind him that sheâs using the mirror for a reason, and he didnât need to stand so close⌠but honestly, he smelled nice, and she wasnât uncomfortable with his close proximity. In fact, it was actually sort of comforting.
âSee?â She hums, brushing the applicator through her lashes over one eye a couple times to make sure all of the serum was evenly spread, before leaning back from the mirror and turning towards him. âSuper easy. Like mascaraâÂ
âIâve never told anyone this⌠butâŚâ Yuji lets out a heavy sigh, and her brows pinch together as she awaits his confession. â... Iâve never worn mascaraâÂ
âYuji,â She whines with a roll of her eyes, letting out her own sigh, although hers was filled with humored frustration. âShut up,â She finishes weakly when heâs grinning at his own jest. âHere, do you want to try?âÂ
âAlrightâ He takes the tube out of her hand and experimentally pulls the applicator out. Â
His curiosity is almost adorable as he holds it close to study it, even though thereâs not much to see. Itâs just a little blue bruh with a clear liquid coated over it. This stuff really makes your lashes grow? He looks back to (y/n), studying her just as closely, until her face starts to turn rosy and sheâs looking at him expectantly. He supposes her eyelashes do look long and pretty⌠but didnât they always look like that? Could this stuff really be so good it manages to make an angel like her look prettier?
She has to clear her throat to relieve the nervous tension settling over her the longer he stares at her like this.
âUh- um, Yuji?âÂ
âYeah?â His response seems genuine enough, and (y/nâs) eyes flicker between his and the eyelash serum. âOh!â And just as genuine as before, he realizes that her prompts are because heâs been standing and staring for too long. âMy bad,â He apologizes sheepishly, before scooting close to her, the brush extended towards the eye that she hadnât applied the magic pretty serum to yet.
When she realizes what heâs about to do, her eyes widen and she finds herself grabbing his wrist to halt him on instinct.
âWait, what are you-?âÂ
âI thought you wanted me to do the other one?â He answers her question before she could even finish asking it, and she blinks wildly at him. Had she not been clear? âDo you not want me to?â Yuji asks, already lowering his hand.
âNo, itâs- I donâtâŚâ Her head is shaking as she tries to find a way to explain that sheâd offered him the product for himself, but sheâs backtracking rather quickly as she slowly loosens her hold before pulling her hand away altogether. âYou⌠you can, if you wantâÂ
She tells him quietly. It feels like a silly thing to ask him to do, especially when sheâs just demonstrated how to use the product moments prior, but now that the offer was on the table, she also wasnât interested in turning it down.
âOkay,â His smile softens as he tilts the brush towards her face again. âI promise not to poke your eye outâÂ
With a giggle she has to focus to keep her gaze tilted up at the ceiling so he can follow through on his promise. Itâs more difficult than sheâs ever thought before, keeping her eyes wide open and focused on anything but the boy in front of her. Yuji takes great care in steadily swiping the brush up through her lashes, working slowly from the outside in. With how long it takes him, her eye should be watering, but somehow it stays dry, and she doesnât blink over the applicator.
âYou do this every day?â Yuji mumbled, re-steadying the small brush in his fingers as he got closer to the inner part of her eye. Â
(y/n) hardly manages a soft hum of affirmation. She can feel his free hand ghosting under her jaw, as though to keep her in position, however her head is perfectly still and his hold is unnecessary. Still, his palm waits there. Sheâs never felt such a buzz of nervous energy from a lack of a touch.
Yuji finishes up with a smile before popping the brush back into the tube. He looks like he wants to say something, so she finds herself waiting in silence while she blinks until her eyes feel normal again, but that winds them both up in a minute of no words being exchanged.
This time, itâs not uncomfortable.
âYour turn?â (y/n) offers softly, reaching for the serum in his hand. Yuji nods, lets her take it, and blinks his eyes excessively to make sure he wouldnât feel the need to while she was doing her thing. âYou should sit againâ She prompts with a gentle push to his shoulder. It was too awkward of a reach, and would be much easier if he lowered as much of his height as possible.
âRightâ He mumbles, backing up to sit down on the toilet seat once more. He does his best to keep his eyes focused upwards, and wide open, to make it as easy as possible for her. But what he isnât expecting is to feel her knees pressing against his as she gets closer, and on instinct he spreads his legs a little wider so she could easily slide into the space. Â
He has to keep his grip on his own knees, pressing his fingers into the material of his pants to keep from reaching out to her. The urge to hold onto her waist- the back of her thighs- pull her closer- is so strong that he gulps.
âAre you nervous having someone get this close to your eyes?â (y/n) mumbles, noticing the shift in his energy. Yuji swallows again before speaking.
âNo- no, itâs alright, go aheadâ His voice is as gentle as it is sure, so (y/n) nods back at him, and makes sure the brush is coated with a decent amount of serum before she gets to work.
He knows heâs supposed to keep his gaze upwards, but with her standing so close, leaning in so close, it was hard to keep his eyes from shifting away from the boring tiled ceiling to the much more intriguing sight before him.
âStay still,â (y/n) murmurs under her breath. Sheâs so damn close to him he can feel her cool breath against his cheek. He manages to follow the instruction for a few more seconds, but soon enough the tips of her fingers are pressed under his chin and sheâs clicking her tongue in reprimand.
His own fingers flex against his knees, his grip tightening, much like the invisible force around his heart.
Yuji wishes he could close his eyes until it was over, but that would be counterproductive. That said, (y/n) finishes one eye quicker than he had done for her, and sheâs sliding a little to the right in order to do the other one.
âYou think Sukuna would like a little special treatment, too?â She teases quietly, her thumb affectionately swiping over the marking under his eye. Yuji barely gets to revel in the feeling before the mark is opening up and a vermillion eye is glaring up at her.
âTry it brat and you wonât have hands to do your silly little makeoversâÂ
She giggles at the threat. Sukuna may have intimidated her in the past, but itâs hard to feel fear while doing some self care. Yuji still rolls his eyes and smacks his hand against his own face as punishment. Unfortunately itâs not only a punishment for the curse living inside of him, and he winces a bit from the harsh smack.
âIâll take that as a no thank youâ (y/n) hums as she finishes up with his other eye, smiling faintly at her work before stepping back. Yuji gives her a sheepish smile, before batting his eyelashes theatrically. It does the trick in getting her to laugh.
âWell heâs missing out,â He says, the implication behind the surface level of his words making him bashful, and he finds himself averting his gaze. âI feel prettier alreadyâÂ
It draws another laugh out of her, sharp and surprised, and she continues to giggle behind smiling, sealed lips as she carefully slides the lash serum back into itâs perfect spot in her organizer.
If she were braver, it wouldâve been easy to tell him that he didnât need any sort of serums or masks to be pretty. But just the thought makes her face feel warm, and she has a feeling that even if she tried to say such a thing, sheâd butcher the words with a stutter.
So instead, she uncaps the small set of tweezers in her organizer, and turns her focus to the bathroom mirror in order to get to work on her eyebrows. Yuji watches curiously as she begins to pluck tiny, near invisible hairs off of her face, all without a twitch or flinch.
Sheâs so focused on working with her reflection that heâs able to stare at her as freely as he wants, and it only takes a minute or two for him to get lost in a sea of mushy thoughts that get his heartbeat going. Before he knows it heâs practically melting.
âYou still want me to do yours?âÂ
âHm?â His eyes shift around a bit before they land on hers, already watching him, waiting for a proper answer. Â
âYour eyebrows,â (y/n) clarifies, raising the tweezers and pinching them for emphasis. âIâm done. So, if you still wanted, I can do yoursâÂ
âOh, right, yeah,â He breaks into a smile thatâs so characteristically him itâs hard not to smile back. âIs it going to hurt?âÂ
âIt really shouldnât,â She chuckles, considering heâs gone through worse pain than a little tweezing would provide. Losing a hand comes to mind, but she doesnât voice it. âBut I can stop if it becomes too uncomfortableâÂ
Yuji nods in understanding, and straightens up his posture, ready to brave through whatever this eyebrow plucking would bring. He squares his jaw, clenches his fists, and prepares himself for the worst. (y/n) presses her lips together tightly to keep her laughter from spilling out, but the stifled giggle is still audible.
âCâmon, this is a bad angle for me to do this,â She beckons him to follow her out of the small bathroom, trying to ignore how cutely he wore the expression of confusion.
Maybe it was the forced proximity getting to her head, but it was starting to feel like the little crush sheâd been harboring for her friend was becoming too much to bear. Â She was a jujutsu sorcerer damnit, she shouldnât be reduced to fits of blushing and giggling she was stronger than that, wasnât she?Â
âAlrightyâ Yuji follows her into the larger space of her bedroom without a second thought.
Maybe it wasnât a question of her strength, but his. (y/n) wondered to herself what it was about the sheer delight that overcame her whenever he was around that seemed unavoidable. Was it her feelings for him that made her insides feel weak, or was it simply Itadori Yuji himself that was so delightful she couldnât help the way she felt and behaved?
Or maybe she was trying too hard to find a way to excuse the butterflies only he could release in her tummy.
Sheâs careful with the tweezers in her hand as she climbs onto her bed, sliding into the very middle of it before patting the space in front of her to invite Yuji to do the same.
Now, Yuji wasnât some kind of private, conservative guy. Heâd been in beds other than his own. Megumiâs and Nobaraâs had been made available to him countless times. Whether it was a study session or a movie night, he never felt uncomfortable when being allowed into someone elseâs bed. Hell, he often made himself right at home in their sheets. He even got a smack on the head from Nobara once for getting too cuddly with one of her plushies!Â
So why now did he feel some reluctance in following (y/nâs) silent command?
âYouâre allowed in the bed, Yuji,â As if reading her thoughts, she provides some comfort with the offer. Thereâs even a little smile on her face, as if she wanted to tease him for hesitating. âTrust me, itâll be way more comfortable to do this here than keeping you sat on the toiletâÂ
It seems to do the trick, because he sets his knee on the mattress as he crawls on, and sits criss-cross directly in front of her. Itâs the first time heâs been in her bed, he realizes, so maybe that would explain his nerves.
(y/nâs) got a skeptical look on her face, her eyes wandering over his face as she maneuvers around, trying to find the right way to bend her legs, until eventually she huffs and turns to grab one of her pillows from the headboard.
âJust lay down, Iâll do âem that way,â She decides, placing the pillow just in front of her criss-crossed legs. She gives it a pat the same way sheâd patted the bed, prompting him to rest his head. âItâd be easier than destroying my postureâ She explains.
Yuji nodded his head, and started to turn around so he could lay back, but his movements are agonizingly slow. Heâs still unsure about being in her space, it seems, but sheâs not sure how else to make him feel comfortable. So when he finally lays his head down on her pillow and looks up at her, awaiting further instruction, she smiles comfortingly.
âAlright, just relax your face, Iâll try not to take too long,â
Yuji shuts his eyes and lets out a small breath, trying to do his best to relax as sheâd asked him. But itâs hard when she leans in closer and the sweet smell of her shampoo invaded his nose. The tip of her finger merely grazes over his left eyebrow, but the sensation is electric. He has to fight the shiver that nearly shoots down his spine.
âAnd just tell me if it stings too muchâ She adds in a murmur, before he feels the first pluck of the tweezers.
âI think I can thug it out, (y/n),â He teases, once heâs actually felt the sensation of the plucking and realizes itâs not that bad at all. âIâm tough, you knowâ
(y/n) giggles, quiet and sweet, as she continues on with her work. She shapes the top of his brow with no complaint or lag. He figures she must be pretty used to doing this, if sheâs able to speed right through the process.
âOh yeah,â She hums, cautious of her volume when her face is hovering right over his. Sheâs appreciative that Yujiâs kept his eyes closed for this process, because she doesnât think she could bear having him staring up at her when sheâs this close. âThe toughestâ She finishes in a whisper.
Yujiâs shoulders shake when he chuckles, and she pauses with the tweezer for a moment when his brows move along with his smile.
âAre you patronizing me?â He asks, peeking an eye open, only to be met with her free palm covering his eyes as she leans back in to continue working on his eyebrows.
âI would never,â She assures in the same tone, laughing quietly to herself when Yujiâs mouth drops into an offended gape. âNow hush, youâre making it hard to focusâÂ
Her tone was playfully scolding, but itâs an empty threat.
âAm I that distracting?â
âIncredibly,â (y/n) huffs, and itâs meant to be teasing, but thereâs just a little too much truth to her tone. âYou talk too muchâ She throws the excuse out there quickly, hoping he wouldnât pick up on the shift in her tone.
Yuji shrugs his shoulders, and with how close she is to him, sheâs able to watch his lips curl into a cute smile. She canât help but mirror it, even if he canât see.
âCanât help it. I like talkinâ to youâÂ
Now sheâs certain that sheâll keep her hand over his eyes, because thereâs no way sheâs going to risk him seeing the way her face heats up with color. If she put a thermometer in her mouth, itâd malfunction, sheâs sure.
Yujiâs heart may have been going haywire, but thereâs not an ounce of uncertainty in his words. He means it, and she knows it.
Thereâs a pause, the both of them remaining silent while she freezes in her ministrations. She squeezes the tweezers together a few times as she lets the comment really settle in her mind.
âI like talking to you too,âÂ
It really shouldnât be a difficult thing to say. For one, because itâs the truth. And for a second thing, because thereâs nothing strange about friends getting along with one another. But for some reason, she holds her breath after she says it, and her heart is pounding in her ears.
âTodayâs been a lot of fun, actuallyâ It takes some effort to talk through the lump in her throat, but she feels the need to tell him anyway.
His smile turns into a grin, and (y/n) has to go back to working on his eyebrows in order to distract herself from it.
âIt has,â Yuji agrees. âItâs very relaxing. I want to do this all the time nowâÂ
âIâm not sure youâre ready for that,â (y/n) muses. âYou did try to eat the maskâ She reminds.
âGuess Iâll just have to keep on getting your help then,â Yuji replies, his tone lighting with hope. (y/n) scoffs to herself. âWhat?â He asks innocently. âI thought you liked pampering me?âÂ
âI thought I told you you were talking too muchâ She chides, moving onto the space between his brows. Without thinking, she brought her other hand upwards so she could use her thumb to gently brush away the stray hairs from his face.
His eyes are on hers in a momentâs notice, his grin returning.
âI thought you liked talking to meâ He said.
She has half a mind to smack her hand over his face again- because as predicted, sheâs rendered speechless when sheâs leaning so close and heâs looking right at her. But the larger problem now is that sheâs completely frozen, staring back at him with wide eyes, like heâd just caught her doing something she wasnât supposed to be.
âI do,â She mumbles, barely conscious of her own voice. She was too distracted, her eyes shifting between his brown ones. âYou have a little hazel in your eyesâ Again, she finds herself speaking without caution, or much awareness at all.
His eyes crinkle at the corners as he smiles up at her, amused by her quiet commentary. He longs to hear more, to tell her to keep talking, but he worries that heâll ruin the atmosphere, and startle her into covering his face again.
âI always thought you had the prettiest eyesâ He said it as quietly as he could. As he thought she might, she did startle. Her eyes go wide and her- now perfectly shaped- brows draw together in a slight knot.
A beat passes before sheâs able to reply.
And even then, it's only a barely there, â...really?âÂ
âYeah, really,â Yuji answers without missing another beat. âSometimes I look at âem too long and forget where I amâÂ
A surprised, breathless little laugh escapes her. If she wasnât a blushing wreck before, she certainly was now. She tries to continue tweezing away at his eyebrows⌠but it seems like his eyes insist on holding contact with hers, and she canât exactly pluck eyebrows without looking.
And again, sheâs reduced to a mumbled, âR-really?âÂ
âMhmâ Yuji hums, his point proven as he gets lost staring up at her. He looks like he has something more to say, but soon enough his eyes are glazed over and heâs got a dopey smile on his face.
That smile is quickly reflected back at him as her insides start to melt to a point of no return.
âI didnât⌠uh- I- I didnât know thatâ She stammered, and normally sheâd feel embarrassed for stuttering over her words too much, but with the bigger picture forming, stuttering was at the bottom of her list for reasons why she was growing bashful.
âMhm,â Yuji hums again, this one a little more dazed than the last. He blinks a few times to cure his tunnel vision. âSometimes I had to bite my tongue so I wouldnât tell you thatâÂ
She chuckles, similarly biting down on her bottom lip until she found her voice again.
âWhy wouldnât you want to tell me that?â She asks softly, brows pinching again with curiosity.
âWell, uh, yâknowâŚâ Yuji trails off, barely shrugging his shoulders. âDidnât want to say something weird and mess up our friendshipâÂ
At this point, her curiosity was getting the best of her, so with a tilt of her head and a bolder disposition, she gave him a knowing smile.
âSo why say something now?âÂ
âCouldnât help itâ He replies right away, and (y/n) has to purse her lips from grinning too much.
Her eyes flicker away from his, only to glance up at his lips. Sheâs looking at him upside down, so for a brief moment Yuji thinks sheâs staring at his chin, and he wonders if some of that green mask is still stuck there. But then he catches the way her lips part and it dawns on him- oh.
It happens all at once and agonizingly slow. She leans further over him, bringing her face down closer to his. One of her hands firmly clutches the small set of tweezers, while the other relaxes, fingertips gently brushing over his cheekbone, thumb resting against his temple. Yuji canât decide whether he wants to watch it happen with wide eyes, or close them and give into the moment. They end up falling shut on their own accord as soon as her lips brush over his- before sheâs even actually kissed him.
She hovers there for a brief moment, her lips ghosting his, the tip of her nose grazing his chin, and her mind running wild. Should she have asked him if this was okay first? Was she making this huge leap of faith over one compliment? Sure, it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her but if she kissed him right now, like this, would she come to regret it-?Â
Her thoughts are calmed when Yuji tilts his head back, bringing his lips to meet hers in a kiss that pushes every last doubt out of her mind, until itâs gone blank. Every thought that doesnât surround him is completely lost.
Needless to say thereâs no second thought when she kisses him back. Her fingers press softly into the skin of his cheek as though to keep him still- just as she had before when applying the eyelash serum. Yuji never could have imagined his silly daydreams from that moment would play out in reality just twenty minutes later.
When they part, and Yuji drops his head properly back into her pillow, (y/n) doesnât go far. With her eyes still shut and her touch unmoving, she leans down one more time to steal another, quicker kiss, before she finally sits up and glances down at him again.
Heâs already looking at her, his lips stretching so wide that his grin nearly split his face. It was a grin she was familiar with, but it still made her light up with a shared joy.
She giggles at him, before steadying her tweezers in her fingers and going right back to the previous task at hand.
âCouldnât help itâ She mumbles his words back to him, and Yuji laughs as he shuts his eyes, relaxing once more as she evened out his eyebrows.
He reaches his hand back, gently laying it against her bent knee and giving it an affectionate squeeze. He didnât say anything, and neither did she, but they didnât have to. Not until they finished their night of pampering and made plans for a proper date later in the week.
___
xoxo ~ jordie
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ἍᥠCAMPUS CRUSH GALORE! LOVE LEAVES BRUISES.
# CRUSH 001 â RIN ITOSHI, 20. FILM MAJOR.
Rin Itoshi certainly comes up with weird plans to go visit the nurse... 1.9 k fluff, college! au, gn! yn, mentions of injuries and a teeny bit of blood. Rin is sort of emotionally constipated but that's just him.
To a certain extent, RIN ITOSHI regretted studying film.
Yes, it had brought him emotional awareness. He acquired the ability to distinguish the various emotional factors that played a key role in a person's decision-making, as well as recognizing behavioral patterns through critical thinking, thus being able to objectively determine the logic (or lack thereof) in an actor's actions.
This led to self-reflection: his day-to-day actions, as well as his classmates, were meticulously analyzed by him, subconsciously being categorized as 'logical' or 'complete nonsense.'
Lately, he had noticed a slightânoâhuge difference. A newfound pattern, if you will. His recent weekly routine was nothing short of illogical, as he had found himself sprinting to the nurse's office for (very) minor injuries.
It had all started when he was training with his teammates, as the Blue Lock football club was to prepare itself for the upcoming season, and the tournaments that came with it. A rushed direct kick and a distracted Jyubei Aryu ended in Rin's arm wrapped around his teammate's waist, with Aryu's arm draped over his shoulders, loudly complaining about the (totally unstylish) bruise he was to get due to Rin's kick.
When the raven-haired man knocked on the office door, he was met with a sweet and melodic voice, softly telling him to come inside. The door opened to reveal a stretcher, cabinets filled with medications and ointments, and a small wooden desk, with University of Tokyo's eye-catching nurse sitting behind it.
Rin Itoshi was interested in the nurse. Sure, his mission was to just carry Aryu to the nurse since he was the one to injure him, yet the youngest Itoshi had settled for staying longer than he should have. He was taking in every single one of the nurse's features, captivated by the alluring (e/c) eyes, and the worried expression on the nurse's face while inspecting his teammate's leg.
He was too absorbed in the nurse's beauty to notice his teammate grumpily asking him for help, as he required assistance to return to the field to get ahold of his bag. He mentally cursed as he carried his classmate, unable to decipher that unsettling feeling in his stomach that surged when he first entered the office.
The next day, he beelined towards the office once his classes were done for the day, swiftly knocking on the door and swinging it open, revealing the same nurse from the day before, a small smile plastered on their face.
"Is everything okay?"
"My stomach feels weird."
He then proceeded to be flooded with questions about his diet, his breakfast, or even the possibility of taking medications which could have caused a stomachache. The nurse's voice was laced with concern, which made the man's stomach fluttering worse. Rin felt childish while describing his symptoms, and how there was a constant fluttering sensation in his stomach since the day before. The nurse reassured him that it could be due to stress, or perhaps new experiences.
"Itoshi, have you had anything exciting happen to you lately?"
He furiously shook his head in response, insisting it must have been his breakfast, since his older brother was in charge of cooking that morning. After receiving a pill with digestive enzymes, he quickly swallowed it and went on his way. Before he stepped foot out of the office, he had one question to ask.
"What's your name?"
As Rin walked away he felt his whole face grow warm, a soft shade of pink decorating his nose, cheeks, and ears. He recognized that this was unlike him, his mind filling itself with confusion as his walking pace fastened. Soon enough, Rin Itoshi found himself sprinting through the university's campus, desperate to find the entrance of his dorm.
Rin Itoshi did not know how to label his feelings at first. They were a mix of curiosity, admiration, and... uneasiness. It was unusual for him, to spend the last two days fixated on the same person, spelling their name constantly in his head and having the image of them pop up on his mind. He was eager, for the first time in his life, for something other than football.
He wanted to get to know Yn Ln, the University of Tokyo's nurse.
And as time flew by, his actions went from 'weird' to 'complete nonsense'. Rin frequented your office, stopping by a few times a week with minor complaints. Sometimes he settled for a headache, only to feel your fingertips lightly graze the crown of his head, asking where it hurt the most to see if it was a migraine. Other times, he settled for a fever, purposely running towards your office after a tiring day of football practice, so the thermometer could reach just the right temperature, and so the back of your hand could touch his forehead, with his act becoming even more believable as his whole face flushed red with embarrassment.
It took him a while to realize that, the emotions that drove him to such extent as to faking sickness just to see you, were derived from love. Being a film major made him less emotionally constipated: enough to let him deny his feelings for weeks, and enough to let him comprehend that, in the end, whatever stupidity he was doing, he did it out of love.
His first love was the university's nurse.
With each visit, he managed to grow more confident, asking questions about your personal life. They started off subtle, asking about your age, why you chose the job, and how long you worked there. He was relieved when you revealed that you were around his age, and a fourth year medicine student who wanted to gain experience with treating patients, being allowed by UTokyo to work as a part-time nurse.
His charades continued, with him using every excuse in the book to visit your office. He had learned the schedules of your shifts, and had found himself thinking of you while his professor's lecture became background noise. He felt excited when he heard that they would soon learn of practical, digital, and special effects, with a collaborative work based on makeup effects and prosthetics.
Rin Itoshi thought he had the most brilliant idea.
He offered himself to be his classmate's canvas for special makeup effects. The assignment was simple: to paint a bruise, and to make it look realistic. When the class ended, he once again sprinted out, knowing the way towards your office like the back of his hand.
He knocked twice, which was his way of letting you know he was the one behind the door. You opened the door to let him in, your brows furrowed with worry as your gaze went directly to his right arm, which had a nasty, purple bruise. With widened eyes you carefully dragged him inside, forcing him to lay down on the stretcher. You delicately got ahold of his wrist, guiding it towards you so that you could have a better look.
The bruise was a blue-ish shade of purple, which was an indicator of it being recent, around a day or two old. Your fingers softly grazed the bruise, and as if on queue, the young Itoshi sibling squeezed his eyes shut, feigning the feeling of pain.
"What happened, Itoshi?"
He shrugged it off, replying that it had been a product of football practice. It was the most believable excuse according to him, seeing as his teammate had gotten a bruise (from him) by training football.
Letting go of his arm, you turned to the cabinets, opening one of them and pulling out a small, white bottle with a red cap, along with some white, fluffy balls.
Rin felt his heart stop. The color drained from his face.
How could he be this stupid?
You took one cotton ball and opened the bottle, carefully drenching the ball with the antiseptic. You turned back to him, taking notice of his current state. You chuckled at the sight.
"Hey, it's just antiseptic, okay? It's not going to sting since you don't have any cuts."
He pulled his arm towards him, as he tried to get off the stretcher. To his surprise, you pushed him back, forcing him to stay seated. You had a serious look on your face, which the man had never seen before. He was taken aback by your reaction, and was too stressed to even think of a way out.
"Rin Itoshi, this is not my first rodeo with patients who try to run away. Stay seated and let me clean."
Rin Itoshi was already planning his funeral.
The only thing left for him to do was to look away, because he sure as hell was not going to look at you. He felt like he did not deserve to, losing all staring privileges from the minute he sat down on your stretcher. Drops of sweat were trickling down his face, and his knee was rapidly bouncing up and down from the anxiety.
You took the soaked cotton ball and warily brushed his skin with it, puzzled as to why there was purple on the ball. You continued to drag the ball onto his skin, seeing as how the purple hues on his skin were magically gone with each swipe. You held in your laughter as you discarded the now purple cotton ball into the trash, then turning to look at Rin, who was too embarrassed to even meet your gaze.
"Look, Itoshi! The antiseptic was so good it took the whole bruise away with it!" you joked, with the hope of lightening up the mood.
The man's gaze was fixated onto the ground.
"...I'm sorry. Sorry I made you waste your time."
You offered him a smile, explaining how there was no time wasted, as you liked spending time with him, and how you got excited whenever he stopped by. Finally, his gaze met yours as his eyes gleamed with happiness, as he was genuinely pleased that his moment of ridicule had not been in vain. Your fingers intertwined themselves with his, and his fingers were damp from how scared he was. Not that you minded, though, as you had a front row seat to see how Rin's 'marvelous' plan failed miserably.
"I like seeing you, Yn. It's just... I don't... I don't know how..."
"If you're up for it, we can go to the coffee shop that's a few blocks down from here! My shift ends in 20 minutes, so..."
He nodded in response, his pale face now turning into a subtle shade of pink. He got up from the stretcher, stumbling towards the door from his nervousness. As he opened it he turned around, taking in your beauty one last time before he left.
"See you in 20?"
You smiled, "See you in 20, Itoshi."
He closed the door shut and you sighed in relief, grateful that the bruise on his arm was not actually real. You wondered if his bruise had to do with his coursework, as you had received a text from your friend who also majored in film, with them telling you that their group assignment was based on prosthetics.
Your pondering got cut short as you heard a loud scream, presumably from a guy, as well as some muffled yelling and threats. A few seconds later, the door opened to reveal Rin, with a small streak of blood running down his nostril, and a soccer ball in his hands.
"This time it's real, I promise."
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â THAT SHOULD BE ME â â JUSTIN BIEBER <//3
ŕżâ tags - silly fluff !!
ŕżâ contains - various from jjk, hq, and bllk
he hates that thing. that dirty, grimy, ball of fluff that sleeps and cuddles with you every night. that should be him in your arms, tucked into your neck and help tightly as you sleep. his eyes scan over your instagram story in envy.
âme and churro against the world!!â
itâs honestly an adorable picture, he thinks. your cheek is slightly smooshed into the plush and the necklace he bought you for your anniversary is sitting on your collarbone. thereâs a cheeky little smile on your face, partially hidden by some of the fluff of the plushie.
but thatâs besides the point! your captions should only consist of you and him against the world, not some sack of fuzz you bought just a few weeks ago.
he doesnât realized heâs been zoned out for so long, thinking about the 37th way he can toss that thing in the trash. not until a notification pops up on his screen,
can you come over? i miss you đđđ
in DIRE need of a hug rnđđ
what perfect timing!!
you better bet his ass is in your driveway in a matter of minutes.
gojo, yuji, toge, atsumu, oikawa, bokuto, hinata, tsukki, kuroo, suna, rin, nagi, shidou + your favs! (could fit with anyone really)
⎠â heyyy guysssâŚâŚsorry for um being in the trenches for so long and basically lyingđđ ill maybe write some more if i see any requests i like but idkđđđŤśđŤśđŤśđŤśđŤś
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give me some haikyuu writing prompts plsâŚ..iâm trying to make a tiny little comeback
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i wish you guys lived inside my head the fics in here go crazy
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how it feels asking for requests after being gone for months and having writers blockđđ (guys pls im growing desperate)
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heâs so me
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WOOO FINALS ARE FINALLY OVER OKAAYYAAY SOOO GIVE ME REQUESTS PLSđđ
i kinda wanna start fresh bc of how many drafts i have and itâs a little overwhelming soo yeah just throw things at me and iâll see what i pickđđ
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Welcome to my TED Talk
Cw: f.reader, FLUFF. PURE FLUFF. Time-skip!Suna
FUN FACT OF THE DAY! Energy drinks make my fingers feel all tingly.
This is how your Friday nights developed since your second year in Inarizaki.
Popcorn, Onigiri, loads of sweets, cans of soda and energy drinks over your coffee table, two blankets on your sofa and, in this case, him beside your TV, holding your laptop as he introduced the badly designed PowerPoint he made with the saturated audio of 'Hotline Bling' by Drake as background.
"Welcome to my TED talk." He started, making you laugh already. "I'm RintarĹ Suna and today's topic is..."
He pressed the space bar. "Reasons for why you should marry me.
"Oh, interesting topic. Let's see if you convince me." You chuckle, grabbing a can of soda and a gummy bear.
Suna and you had been dating since mid-term of the second year of high school and PowerPoint nights became a little routine of yours to spend time with each other at home and get out some laughs.
He chuckles and presses the spacebar. "One, I'm a pro athlete." He says, a photo of him in the gym appears and you cheer and clap jokingly. "Two," he continues, trying to contain his laugh. "I can blackmail you if you say no." A photo of you sleeping with your hair all over your face and drooling is on the slide.
"Oh, my God, Rin! Why do you have that?!" You gasp, looking at him.
"You look cute, okay?" He answers nonchalantly before going to the next slide. "Three, I'd literally do ANYTHING YOU WANT just for you to say yes."
You raise an eyebrow. "Anything?"
"Anything." He answers. "God, I'm willing to... to watch tangled and bluey with you whenever you ask just for you to say the word." He mumbles and your jaw goes slack before you laugh. "And... that shitty show you like."
"OH, MY GOD. Dude, you're soooo fucked up." You laugh. "By shitty show you mean Riverdale?" He nods and you gasp. "IT IS NOT a shitty show."
He raises an eyebrow and looks at you with a straight face. "Really?"
"...Okay, maybe they over-exploited it. BUT the first three seasons are great."
He rolls his eyes and goes to the last slide, which is totally blank and without sound"Four..."
He leaves the living room and goes to your bedroom. You hear the rummaging in the closet before he comes back, making you sit up on the sofa and look at him with wide eyes when he gets on one knee and opens the little black box.
"I love you... so fucking much. You're the only one who could -and can- read me like an open book. You're the one that has been with me every single moment of my life. No matter if it was the best or the worst. God, you even moved to Tokyo with me leaving everything and everyone you loved and grew accustomed to behind..."
If you weren't a waterfall by then, you are one right now.
"Rin, I-" He cuts you off.
"I'm not finished." He says, smiling. "So, sweetheart, my one and only, THE love of my life." You smile at the last nickname. "Will you marry me?" He asks.
"Yes..." You whisper nodding excitedly and he gets up and puts the ring on your finger before kissing you deeply. "I love you so much..."
He smiles and leans his forehead against yours. "Thanks for coming to my TED talk." He jokes and you punch him playfully on his shoulder.
"We were doing so good..." You chuckle. A few minutes later, with him laying on top of you, you speak.
"Hey..." You call him.
"Mhm?"
"Would you believe me if I said my tonight's PowerPoint was about the same topic?" He raises his head and looks at you. "What? You were taking your sweet time!" You say and he rolls his eyes before he kisses you again.
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rain sucks. (i'll make you love it.)
isagi yoichi x reader
summary:Â your story with isagi yoichi, told through five moments, a bus stop, and rain.
notes: [6.25k words.] idk if isagi lovers still exist, but in the wise words of taylor swift: this is me trying ;)
disclaimers: cursing, reader hates the rain and likes to talk, break up with an ex (not isagi) in part one, loneliness in 'one' and four', self doubt in 'five' but isagi is quick to comfort, fluff -> angst -> fluff, rain kisses, romantic gestures, strangers -> friends -> lovers.
masterlist.
ONE.
It has been a bad day.
No. Thatâs putting it too lightly. Today, June 20th, is the very epitome of shit.
The heated argument you had with your now ex-partner continues to linger in your mind. âI think weâve been wasting our timeâ plays on loop like a broken record, and you wonder if you look as lifeless as you feel.
Itâs quite a silly thing: how a single person can make you feel as if the whole world is ending. Itâs even sillier how you devoted all this effort into a relationship that is nothing but a waste of time to them.
Waste of time.
Even after they crushed your already tattered heart and left it for dead, you canât help but think how much easier it would be if you feel that way about them too.
Love is a stupid, stupid thing.
You appreciate mother nature for taking pity on you, at least. Rain in the midst of summer has never been your favourite thing - the air always being a little too hard to breathe and the dreary sky a tell-tale sign that the bus is going to be late that day. But today, you feel okay towards rain. The tears from the heavens above do well to cover up your own; the droplets become friends, accompanying you in your forlorn state. For once, you donât complain about the broken roof at the bus stop letting rain in. For once, you find comfort in the very thing you hate.
And you cry a little bit inside, knowing that your ex has managed to break that part of you as well.Â
â...Bad day?â A voice breaks you free from your stupor.
You turn to your left, and you feel your breath being taken away.Â
There, a stranger stands. From first glance, the boy is nothing but ordinary. His navy - almost black - hair did little to set him apart from the rest of the crowd, and he dons the same Ichinan uniform that you (and the multitude of students in the area) wear. But there is something within his cerulean eyes. A fervour of sorts, one that is begging to be unleashed for the whole world to see. To the untrained eye, he is the very essence of average; to a trained eye, the stranger is utterly beautiful.
âŚOr, thatâs what you would say, if he didnât look like a wet cat. Not the ones featured in those animal shampoo commercials, but one of the sad, pathetically cute, on the verge of tears, literally sopping wet ones. Your breath is taken away, simply because the boy is a mess.
You canât help but think that this stranger has had a shit day, too.
âLike you have no idea.â You say, voice drenched in exasperation. âThough⌠You look like youâve been through a nightmare yourself.â
âA nightmare is an understatement,â he cradles his left temple with his palm. You laugh at his antics.
âTry me, then. Nothing can be worse than getting dumped, right?â
The smile on his face immediately falls, and you canât help but feel a little bad for dropping a bomb like that to a stranger. âMy god.â He exhales, âI am so sorry.â His crestfallen expression makes you feel as if he truly means those words.
âDonât be. You didnât know.â Your eyes look down to the soiled concrete. âIâll be fine, time will pass, after all.â (You say that more to yourself than him, if anything.)
The bus stop is silent for a while, and you feel as if youâve ruined everything - for the second time today. Itâs almost as if the bus stop boy knows, and is eager to change that.
âWell. My name is Isagi Yoichi,â he begins. âAnd my soccer coach told me that I am mediocre at best; that I donât have what it takes to do what I love professionally.â
You look into his eyes once more, and the fervour that was once there is now shrouded in a sense of agony you know all too well. The same agony that is, without a doubt, present in your eyes too. Words fail you. And for the years you have shrugged as the therapist friend, you find yourself at a genuine loss.
â...I guess weâre in the same boat then.â You muster out, lamely. âBut are you seriously going to let some old geezer tell you what to do with your life? I mean, heâs literally the coach of a no-name highschool team.â Your hands make their way onto Isagiâs, clasping his in-between yours. âYour coach has no right to tell you that when heâs failed at that dream already. Donât let your coach dictate your worth; donât let him stop you from shining. Ever.â Â
He stares at your hands for a second, eyes widened and mouth agape. You are quick to detach yourself from him. âForgive me,â a sheepish smile grows on your face.â âI speak too much sometimes.â
âNo need,â Isagiâs hand moves to rest on the nape of his neck. âThank you. I needed to hear that today, I think.â
Isagi smiles boyishly. It suits him.
âItâs no problem.â You fiddle with the straps of your backpack, suddenly feeling bashful at his gratitude. âAdults like that? They think they rule the world, but in realityââ
The squeaking of tires interrupts you, and the bus arrives exactly eleven minutes late.
âThatâs my cue,â you say, and for a second, you could swear that Isagi seems disappointed. You make your way towards the bus, head turning towards his way before you get on board. âThanks for the chat, stranger. Iâll see you around.â
You make your way through the barren bus, the driver eyeing you up-and-down for your soaked figure. And just like that, uncertainty and dejection return in waves. Talking to Isagi was a good distraction and all, but you canât forget that your partner of two years just fucking broke up with you. You are alone now.
You want nothing more than to sleep it all off. This feeling of loneliness is a type that you would not wish on anyone - even your worst enemy. (Well, maybe someone. Your ex, being the said someone. But you like to think that is just the anger talking.)
âHey!â Isagiâs voice echoes out. Like a ray of sunlight breaking through the grey skies of your mind, it is his turn to make your eyes widen; his voice bypassing the sheet of glass separating you two and reaching the storm that surrounds your heart. âDonât let that past relationship stop you from shining too, okay?â
âŚPerhaps, you arenât so alone after all.
The bus sets off, and Isagi sees you smile at him through the rain-stricken window. The boy hopes that his sentiments have reached you; he hopes that youâll follow the same advice that youâve given him.Â
But above all else, he hopes that he will see you again.
TWO.
âI hate this bus stop and its stupid roof.â
Isagi stops typing away on his phone. âYou say that like, all the time nowadays.â
Youâve definitely sucked the life out of that phrase recently, but you take it as a good sign. An indication that youâve healed.
The relationship that you once held dear is nothing but a mere memory of the past. The countless sleepless nights and time spent wallowing in your own self-doubt have all but ceased to exist. You realised that it simply was not worth your while to cry about a lost love, and to instead surround yourself with the love that remains from those around you. If anything, you are grateful for it: you have grown from that experience tremendously. By no means would you ever consider it to be a waste of time. And in the process?
You garnered a friend. A confidant. That break up led to the beginning of something magical. It led to a friendship with Isagi Yoichi, or, who you like to call, your bus-stop boy.Â
After the fateful day, you started to notice his presence around more. At first it was in the halls of Ichinan, a mere wave shared between you two here and there. Then the new school year began, and Isagi was shuffled into your homeroom. You began seeing him from once in a while, to literally everyday.
His presence began to bleed more and more into yours, and your lives ended up intertwining together until there was nothing you could do to untangle them. Eventually? Isagi was your deskmate. He was cooking lunch for you, you two eating his homemade lunches together in comfortable silence. You began waiting for his soccer practice to finish, and Isagi would wait by your side at the station until the bus came. A rhythm that you two fell into, almost as easy as breathing.
In your chapter of new beginnings, there is no Isagi Yoichi without you, and there is no you without Isagi Yoichi. An inseparable duo, you two are dubbed as.Â
You like to think you know a lot about him now. Maybe even go as far as to say you know everything about him, as he knows everything about you.
âIt lets the rain in, Isagi.â You whine. âAnd besides, why is it even raining in Spring? Tsuyu* season isnât for like, another month or two. Thereâs no way anyone could like this weather. No way.â
âI donât know⌠I donât mind it every now and then,â he says. âI like rain. I think itâs nice.â
Pause.
Well, maybe you donât know everything about him.
âWhat? Since when?â You put your hand on your heart, gasping in mock-offence. âI didnât know that Iâm friends with a traitor.â
He rolls his eyes at you. The audacity. âA traitor, really? Just because I like a bit of rain here and there?â
âIt goes deeper than that, Isagi!â You say. (It really doesnât. You just want an excuse to complain a little, and a sassy Isagi Yoichi is always a fun sight.) âWhatâs there to like anyways? I donât get it.â
âI can try to explain it for you, if youâd like.â
âPlease do.â
âHave you ever seen what it looks like after it has rained?â He asks. You shake your head in response. Youâve never been the type to stick around long enough to see the sky stop crying. âYou should. Itâs wonderful, yâknow: the glow it leaves afterwards. The streets look like theyâve been reborn - you can literally see the dirt on the concrete being washed away and given another life. If youâre lucky? A rainbow might come and say hi.â Isagi smiles at the little comment he makes.â That sight alone is worth getting your books wet and missing the bus every now and then. And it is just one of many reasons I have, honestly.â
You find yourself smiling at his enthusiasm. Itâs cute, when heâs like this. Youâre glad that heâs comfortable enough around you to show this side of himself. âI like it when you infodump, Isagi.â
âDid my infodump manage to change your mind?â A tinge of hope emerges in his voice and eyes. You shake your head. The hope is gone just as fast as it came. âWell, maybe the main reason will.â
He gives you a mysterious smile, and proceeds to say nothing.
âArenât you going to finish that sentence?â
âNope, I donât think I will.â Isagi says. You shoot him an incredulous look. âIâll tell you⌠If you donât fail your social studies paper.â
âWhaâ Hey! Now thatâs just being mean!â
He laughs. âSo then⌠Why do you hate rain so much, anyways?â
âChanging the subject, really?â You say.
 He merely shrugs in response, giving you a teasing grin. âJust roll with it. I promise Iâll tell you,â he pauses. âOne day.â
You kick his foot in response, making an impromptu game of footsies ensue.
âIâm sorry, Iâm sorry!â Isagi lifts his hands up to the side of his head, surrendering in a fit of boyish laughter. âNo but really, Iâm curious. Why do you hate it so much?â
âI donât really know. Itâs justââ You stick your leg out precariously, as if the rain is going to melt your foot. âI hate the rain. I always have, and probably always will.â
A lull of silence passes by - not dissimilar to the one that happened on your first meeting with him. Itâs different this time, though, as it is not a silence that is born out of two strangers not quite knowing what to say. It went deeper than that, more intimate, more comforting. Isagi puts a hand on your shoulder, turning you around to face him. âWell,â he begins. âOne day, I hope I can show you how beautiful rain can be.â
Isagi smiles - a pretty, pretty thing.
There, amongst the dreary skies and wet cherry blossom leaves, is sunlight. Sunlight, in the form of him. Him, the Ichinan forward. Isagi, a boy who has nestled his way into your life almost too easily.
Yoichi, who leaves your heart hammering a bit too fast for comfort.
âCome on, youâre going to miss your bus.â Isagiâs hand finds its way to yours, locking into place like they were made for eachother. âItâs darker than usual. Iâll walk you home today, okay?â
He drags you towards your usual window seat, tapping the two matching keycards you share while entering. Isagi whispers a quick goodnight as he sits on the seat next to yours.
A smile makes its way towards your lips. Warmth filling up your entire body, entire soul.Â
You adore his sleeping face; you adore him.
Wait. Adore?
Uh oh, you think. I might be falling in love.
*Tsuyu: The rainy period in Japan, generally spanning from May to July. The direct translation is âplum rainâ, because it coincides with the season that plums ripen in Japan.
THREE.
Isagi is the first one to break the silence.
Itâs weird, how he called you out to the bus stop out of the blue. Meeting together here in the past was always out of necessity: one born from a desire to go home and to have a chat with your best friend to end the day on a high note. Never, is the meeting at your sanctuary intentional, like it is now.
You couldnât help but rush to get here. Not when he texted you like that: frantic and brimming with urgency.
âSorry for making you come all this way, especially at this time of the night.â He says, carefully. As if he is tiptoeing around eggshells. Like you are strangers again. Isagi is never this careful around you, and hasnât been for a while now. The change of pace perpetuates fear into the depths of your soul like no other.
âItâs fine.â You tentatively look up from your lap, preferring to look at the night sky instead of his face. Iâd do anything for you, when you text me like that. âItâs just⌠Your message; the tone youâre speaking to me in right now. Youâre seriously worrying me, Isagi.â
Isagi lets out a sigh, one quivering with nerves and worry. He places a hand onto your clenched ones, rubbing comforting circles onto the dorsal side. Thatâs weird. You didnât even realise you were shaking. âYou know that letter from the Japan Football Association I got a few days ago? The one we were so excited about?âÂ
âThe one I forced you to accept, right?â
âThatâs the one.â He smiles fondly at the memory. The one of the two of you in his room, him being at an absolute mental blank, while you - the ever-so lovely you - was crying tears of joy - a stark contrast to the tears you shed earlier that day, watching him lose the qualifiers. You egged him to accept it, because ânothing would make you happier than to see him pursue his dreamsâ, you said. Words that sent an elation of joy to flood across his body, for he didnât think that he could love you more. ââŚWell, I went to that address they gave us today. And that letter didnât exactly tell the whole story. Of what it is, what their goal is.â Isagi continues; you feel a lump beginning to form at the back of your throat. âYes, itâs a player improvement project. But I have to stay at this camp, I think. I donât know how long Iâll be staying there, and I canât contact anyone thatâs not a part of it either. All I know is that it starts tomorrow. Officially.â
âWhatâŚâ You muster out, at a complete loss for words.
âItâs called Blue Lock, and Iâm going for it.â He places his unoccupied hand onto his chest, eyes igniting with a kindred spirit like no other. âI think this is my best shot at becoming the best. To play beyond a national level, and make you proud. ButâŚâ He pauses, pinching your chin with his index finger and thumb, forcing you to look him in the eyes for the first time in this conversation. âI won't go if you donât want me to. I wonât, and will never do anything that you donât like. So just say the word, and Iâll stay. Right here, right by your side.â
It hurts so damn bad. All of this, how it is so out of the blue, how thereâs a possibility you may never see the boy, who has been such a pivotal aspect of your life for the last year or so, ever again. You want to be supportive - heck, youâd go to war just to see Isagi shine. But it hurts. You love him, for goodness sake. Every bone in your body wants him to stay, to not break the sacred normalcy that you have shared with the man that makes you smile brighter than anyone else can.
But the skies are clear. And the right answer, the solution to all of this, is even clearer.
âYouâd have to be stupid to not go.â You say, voice unwavering with confidence. However, your eyes are anything but. âYou have to go, Isagi. I donât want to destroy your dreams like that and ruin the potential you have. I could never live with myself if I made you stay.â
Isagi kisses you on the forehead, once. âThank you,â Twice. âThank you, so much.â He leans his forehead against yours, and his teary ones meet your equally watery ones. âIâm going to miss you more than anything. I promise, Iâm going to become number one. Just for you.â
âYou better.â You chuckle, choking on a sob. âShine brighter than anyone else, Isagi. Iâll be watching you every step of the way.â
He nods in response, and you stay like that for a while. For minutes, hours, even. Foreheads kissing each other, and staring into his cerulean eyes like itâs the last time youâll ever see them.
âI never told you the reason, didnât I?â Isagi breathes out.
âWhat?â
âThe reason why I love rain as much as I do.â He says. You let out a careful no, wondering if he did tell you, and you just werenât listening.
âItâs because,â Isagi begins, reaching for your right hand and opening it, palm facing up. âIt was raining when I met you.â You feel him reach for his back pocket, and Isagi pulls out a pristine white envelope, placing it into your hand. It is sealed with red wax and decorated with golden swirls. Beautiful. Like it came right out of a fairytale. ââŚAnd you are the best thing that has ever happened to me.â
Your body quivers, and you feel the tears threatening to return again. âYouâre so corny,â you say, half-flustered and half-shy. âAnd I still hate the rain.â You reach a hand up to his cheek, looking at his lips in a way that just friends donât. âBut Isagi, you. You are the best thing thatâs happened to me too.â
He looks at your lips too, and you anticipate for something more - to go beyond what you two have built so beautifully. To go beyond friends, and transform into lovers.
Isagi pulls you in for a tight hug instead. You reciprocate. Those thoughts disappear as fast as they came.Â
âSo..â You clench the letter tight within your hands, and you cringe at the feeling of droplets meeting your shoulder. (Truth is, you didnât know if you were cringing at the fact you wished he had kissed you, or if it is the impending sky-fall. You choose to believe the latter.) âDo I open it now?â
He pulls away from the hug first, and smiles, embarrassment painting his features. âIâd prefer it if you read it later.â
The droplets fasten, quicker and quicker, and Isagi pulls you closer to him, putting you out of the rainâs way. âOh come on! It has to rain now, out of all times?â You heave a great sigh, burying your head into the nape of his neck.
âIt gives us an excuse to stay here for a little while longer, doesnât it?â He gives you puppy dog eyes.Â
âAs much as Iâd love to stay with you all night, itâs getting late,â you say, laughing inwardly. âI donât want to worry your parents. Actuallyâ have you even told your parents about Blue Lock yet?â
He shakes his head. âNo, I wanted you to be the first one to know.â
How sweet. âThen you should hurry home,â you whisper. âI shouldnât hold you up.â
âYou sure?â Isagi holds your hands tighter than before. I donât want to leave you yet, his eyes scream.
âIâm sure.â You squeeze his hands in response. I donât want to let you go either, your eyes say.
Isagi leans in once more, bumping your noses together, eyes meeting in a silent agreement. But we have to. And weâll be okay.
âPromise that you wonât forget me?â
âI could never.â
And so he goes. But you stay. You remain seated, sheltered beneath the shoddy bus-stop. A sense of dĂŠjĂ vu passes, itâs just like all those times before. But itâs almost painful this time. Your bus-stop boy is walking away from you, instead of seeking shelter alongside you. You laugh at yourself, bitterly. You donât know if youâll ever move on from him, or if you even want to. Not when your forever-person has pried his way into your heart like this, not when Isagi feels like home.
You pry the wax seal off the letter, unfolding the paper that is encased inside in a hurry, a tinge of excitement coursing through your veins.
âI still havenât shown you the beauty of rain.Â
Will you wait for me?
Love,
Isagi.â
A laugh escapes your lips. Of course you would. Youâd wait forever, and forevermore for him. He didn't even have to ask. Itâs something that you wouldâve done as one would breathe air. And in a way, you realise that thereâs a certain calamity to your circumstance.Â
You love him so much that youâd willingly let Isagi tear down everything youâve ever known. Whether it may be something silly like your animosity towards rain, or the idea of letting someone love you again. Youâd let him do it all.
And that is terrifying. But exquisitely so.
A barrage of steps sounds itself out in the quiet of the night, a figure making its way to you - closer, closer, and closer. Oh god, someones not trying to kill me, are they?
Then you see a familiar sight. A boy with his hair in disarray, black outerwear soaking wet, looking just like the wet cat from your first meeting but this time more mature and more determined, and suddenly heâs pulling you into the rain with him, grasping onto your shoulders, locking his eyes onto yours and oh. Heâs kissing you on the lips now.Â
âIâm sorry,â he says. âI couldnât leave without kissing you first. I think Iâd go crazy if I didn't.â
âI think Iâd go crazy too,â you chuckle, resting your head against his chest. âAnd yeah. Of course Iâll wait for you, dummy.â
âYou opened it already?â
âI canât wait to see how youâll make me love rain.â
âŚYou shouldâve known he wouldâve given you that kiss first.
Isagi is not the type to leave you disappointed for too long, after all.
FOUR.
The days seem to blur together in Isagiâs absence.Â
The last year or so was, for a lack of a better word, lonely. Filled with rumours that you drove your best friend mad and he ran away, or that you murdered Isagi and the police have yet to discover his body, you felt as if the only people in your life for the last few months were your family and Isagiâs parents.
The sudden isolation is getting to you. And you know it. It shows in the dreariness of your demeanour; bears its teeth in the darkening eye bags that have crept their way onto your face. Youâre not certain that he will be able to recall your face anymore. Heck, you canât recognise yourself anymore either. Gosh, who wouldâve thought that being Isagi-less for a little while would do this to you?
But today brings something new to the table: hope. Confirmation that all of this waiting has been worth it after all. Youâll get to see him in an hour or two come morning, and it will be enough.
 Or, at least, that's the timeframe you predicted last night.Â
âThere have been reports of mass delays in the Saitama Public Transport Network due to heavy storms and rainfall. Civilians can expect their regularly scheduled buses and trains to be postponed for up to two hours or moreââ
You throw a pancake at your TV and scream.
The what-would-be one hour trip to Tokyo is now possibly three, and since your butter fingers slipped and set the wrong alarm last night, you are already running late.Â
You just hope that Isagiâs parents are still waiting for you outside.
Ding!
You reach into your pocket for your phone, and a message from Isagiâs mother illuminates the screen.
âSorry, Honey. We left already. Issei is worried that the traffic is going to hold us up from getting to Tokyo in time.â
Great. Just great.
It seems as if the universe is practically begging for you to not see Isagi today. But after not seeing him for months - not even a hi, hello, or a single sign that your Isagi is safe and sound - you only have one thing on your mind.Â
Screw the universe. I need to see him. Screw it all.
You chuck on a pair of navy converses, making your way towards the bus stop that started it all. The streets are busier nowadays. With various roadworks and several shops getting renovations left and right. However, the one location that you know like the back of your hand remains abandoned, frozen in time, almost. Still on its last leg, with a leaky roof and ivy adorning the wooden frame.
The seats have grown moss on them from the increase in rainfall nowadays. And so you choose to stand instead - quietly observing the pouring downfall, thoughts running amok.
Itâs almost scary, how time has simultaneously been impetuous and sluggish lately. And you know it ties back to Isagi. It always does. You havenât seen the boy in ages, actually. And that, in itself, is an understatement. It isnât in the 'two weeks off schoolâ, or the âwe havenât talked since summer breakâ way, but in an âIâm honestly forgetting your face since it is now a new spring without youâ way.Â
âŚYou donât think youâll have the heart to ever tell him that.
There is one thing that scares you more, though. And that's in the way that youâre forgetting how Isagi looks when he wears his smile. Does his lips curve upwards or downwards? Do his eyes turn into half-moons when heâs happy or does he bear his cerulean eyes for everyone to see? All of these are questions that invade your mind during sleepless midnights. Questions, that you never thought you would ask at all.
You can only hope that his smile is better than you can imagine. That he glows radiantly like he does in the fragments that appear in your memory every once in a while. Will happiness look good on him? Will it feel like a shame that youâve been missing out on it all this time?
Maybe thatâs the real reason why youâre worried that Isagi won't remember you: because you can hardly recall his face yourself. As in, truly, know what he looks like. You know Isagi from the blurry photos on your phone taken at 3AM sleepovers, and the display frames lined around his familyâs home. The big picture itself is easy to see. The little things - the quirks of his that made you fall - have been much harder to recall.
But you do remember a few things. Arguably, the most important ones.
Your love for him; Isagiâs promise. The way he kissed you like he needed you to live; the way you cried for him amongst the skyfall.
The way Isagi taught you that itâs okay to love.Â
And itâs okay to be loved back.
For now, that is enough.
Droplets continue to batter against your woollen jumper, the rain drenching your entire being. It soaks your hair, makes the knuckles on your clenched fists a light violet, disguises the tears falling down from your face. The rain is ever so violent, leaving a mess of you in its wake. For the second time in your life, you let the rain do as it pleases. You let it destroy the outfit you meticulously planned, wreak havoc on the converses Isagi gave to you on your birthday. All in hopes that it will eventually cleanse your soul. Cleanse the pain, the happiness. Wipe the slate clean, as the rain does with the pavement, until you are reborn from the ashes and live a life where you arenât so, irrecoverably in love with your best friend.
But you know, deep down, it will never save you from your calamitous love. That even if you are reborn, one word will remain in your heart. One, sacred word that you keep like an oath.Â
Promise.
You wonder if Isagi remembers his promise in the same way that you do.Â
Itâs the only reason why you are going to the game today, after all.
Your hands loosen from the fist youâve been keeping this whole time, deep crescent moons adorning the insides of your palm. A slip of paper flurries out from your hand - swishing with the wind in a way that a feather would. It dances around, until it lands in the puddle that has formed beneath your feet.
Shit. The ticket.
You bend down and clutch a now-soaked sheet of paper in your palm, tiny inscriptions that adorned the sheet now bleeding together. The only thing now visibly readable being: âJAPANâS U20 VS BLUE LOCKâ.
Rain really, really sucks.
(Youâve never hated it more.)
The bus finally arrives amidst the downpour.
(Yet, for some reason, a small part of you is excited to see the rainbow that comes after the storm.)
FIVE.Â
Isagi has always loved the rain.
Ever since he was a young boy, the rain has always had a certain allure that captivated him more than most. In his eyes, puddles held miniature worlds within them, with pebbles acting as land formations and stray twigs imitating people. Enchanting. Raindrops race each other down window panes, with him as an eager viewer. Simply spellbinding. However, nothing has ever beat the feeling of playing soccer amongst the rainfall. The feeling of watching the opponents around you struggle to run in the mud, as you calculate the best direction to head in; pieces of grass decorating your cleats in the aftermath like a badge of honour. Getting sick afterwards is a simple price to pay if it means transforming the pitch into a battlefield. Rain makes the game something to remember.
Itâs the duality of rain that makes Isagi treasure the phenomenon dearly; rain can be simultaneously beautiful and destructive at the same time. Which, shockingly to him, is the very same fact that makes you despise it so much.
Your face appears within his mind. Isagi smiles.
Ah yes, you.
The person who despises rain more than anything else in the world. Who groans at the slightest hint of darkening clouds, and acts as if drizzle is akin to acid rain that will obliterate everyone in an instant.
Nowadays, media outlets constantly poke and prod into your relationship with one another as Isagiâs reputation grows - at a speed only fathomable in his wildest dreams - wondering how he can love you so much when the two of you are so different in every sense.
ââŚThey just donât understand,â he said to you on a day where it was all too much. âTheyâll never understand how youâve changed my life, is all.â
âMe? The person who nearly forgot you? Who doubted you and thought that you wouldâve forgotten about them too?â You angrily clenched your head. âI donât see how youâve forgiven me so easily for that.â
âI told you already,â he began. âWhen I was gone I had the same thoughts as you. I forgot you for a bit, too. I doubted you, as well. I could never hold that against you, because I did the same, andâ and⌠I regret it everyday; I know you regret it too.â Isagi inhaled sharply. âBut at the end of the day, we both remembered the promise. And thatâs enough.â
ââŚRight. Iâm sorry, Yoichi.â Your eyes locked with his through the gaps between your fingers. âI love you so much, yâknow that?â
âI know.â He grabbed your left hand, giving it a swift kiss. âI love you more, infinitely.â
Isagi cherishes you like he is a marauder and you are the finest jewel; he looks at you like youâre the only person who ever matters. And thatâs true. Because to him, you are. With the countless sacrifices youâve made for him; sticking by his side every step of the way; waiting and waiting for years; being the brunt of scrutiny from the media - heck - even your peers in high-school prior to his Blue Lock debut, Isagi is unsure if he will ever be able to repay you for all that youâve done.
âŚBut he does have an idea on where to begin.
Isagi averts his attention to the sights outside the bus window. He wonders why the rain is extra pretty today. The beauty of the raindrops seem otherworldly currently - a cascade of water flowing down overflowing gutters, iridescent hues lining the streets that he grew up on, children jumping into puddles with no care in the world. The rainy downpour from the heavens above seems unfaltering - even against the brilliance of Saitamaâs lights. And amidst the hustle and bustle - adults finding their way into comforting warmth - there is you. Waiting in the rain for him underneath the bus stop, face twisted in discomfort, twirling the umbrella in your hand round and round.
It is no coincidence that the rain is so charming today.
No.Â
Itâs prettier, because of you.
Always, you.
His sweetheart of many years.
âHey, stranger.â You greet him as Isagi steps outside of the vehicle he practically grew up on, ushering him underneath the umbrella you brought with you.
You, who he loves more and more everyday.
âHey yourself.â His eyes twinkle with mirth as he takes the umbrella from your hands. âItâs been a long time since we were both here, hasnât it?â
âIt has,â Your face lightens up with the smile that he loves so much. âTo think the last time we were here together was whenâŚâ
He looks into your eyes, face erupting with a mix of his boyish smile and laughter. â...When I kissed you. Yeah. I donât think I could ever forget that night.â
The look on your face tells Isagi that neither could you.Â
âEven though weâve had countless other kisses since then, that one is still my favourite, yâknow?â Your hands move up to cup his face within your palms. âYoichi, you donât do romantic things like that anymore.â
âAre you sure about that?â
âPositive.â You stick your tongue out at him.
Isagi lets go of the source of shelter you are sharing, and lets it drift away with the wind. âHey! Weâre gonna get soaked!â You turn your back towards him, hands desperately trying to catch the stray umbrella that seems to be more than happy to escape. âCâmon Yoichi! What was that for?âÂ
âTurn around for me.â
âWhat?â
âJust do it.â He says, a smile evident in his words.
Isagi sees you gasp, the sight of him knocking the wind from your chest.Â
There he is, kneeling with his right knee down to the floor - pants getting soaked from the wet concrete below. And in his outstretched hands, lays a small, black velvet box, a diamond ring embedded within its centre.
âWill you marry me?â Isagi asks, starry-eyed. Voice soft and vulnerable.
One day came, and now you know Isagi is right.
Rain can be beautiful.
EXTRA.
âHey, Isagi. Whatâs the date today?â
âJune 20th. Why?â
âNo reason,â a small grin makes its way to your face. âJust curious.â
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ermm just wanna resurface this bc of the new chapter LMAO
iâll update again soon TRUST
INFRUNAMI â rin itoshi SMAU
(400 follower event/special!)
,, cause i was blind to see that you were right in front of me â
⨳ SYNOPSIS â rin finally realizes what he had before he lost it..is it too late? or maybe you feel the sameâŚ?
⨳ TAGS â college au, hurt/comfort, classmates to friends to lovers, social media au, f!reader, idk what iâm doing
⨳ STATUS â ongoing, started: may 27th
⨳ AUTHORS NOTES â yes ik the song is about his ex but umm weâre ignoring that!! itâs basically the same thing methinksâŚanyways, this is my first smau and event! hope u all enjoy!! + idk how much iâll upload so be patient!
PROFILES ⎠TAGLIST
01. - complaints
02. - denial is a river in egypt
03. - wingman?
04. - jealousy�
05. - ,, yn, youâre an idiot⌠â
06. - sae is done with rin
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okay hiđ
uh so huge elephant in the room, infrunami smau post after me being gone for MONTHSđđi rlly do hope you guys enjoy it and i do apologize for being so inactive. my school and personal life has gotten so cluttered for me and my summer break finally felt like i could destress, so i kinda lost motivation to write since then. BUT recently iâve been finding myself to be less worrisome and iâve been having some writing thoughts so i think iâm back?? iâm really not entirely sure but hopefully i can provide some good little smau chapters and drabbles for u guysđđŤś
ANYWAYS HOPE YOU ENJOY THE NEW CHAPTER!!! (itâs so bad itâs just fillerđ)
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đđ
okay iâll post that by tomorrow GOODNIGHT.
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sunarin w a super super sweet girlfriend
ding!
. . . suna rintarou. my kind of loving.
note. female reader for this work specifically. so true, so true.
âno.â
âsuna.â
âno.â
ârintarou.â
âno.â
you playfully sigh, combing your fingers through your boyfriendâs slightly damp bangs. rintarouâs breath came in short, shallow inhales and exhales as he tried his best to look at you through hazy eyes.
âiâm not sick,â he grumbles, his hand attempting to weakly push yours away. âjust . . tired.â
âyeah?â
he nods slowly. âyeah . . .â
âokay,â you reply quietly, checking his bodyâs temperature on the thermometer. âmhm,â with a nod, your palm found itself on his burning forehead, wanting to confirm if he really was sick or not. âyou have a fever, babe. 38.1 degree celcius.â
âseriously?â rintarou makes a sound similar to a nasally whine, feeling like absolute shit.
âseriously,â you affirm. âitâs nothing a little tlc wonât fix.â
before rintarou could voice out his protests about having you take care of himâin fear and worry of you getting sick tooâyou had already left his bedroom to do who knows what. he thinks youâre a bit stubborn, but who was he to tell you that when he could also be just as stubborn, maybe even more so than you are right now.
by the time you returned, your boyfriend was already out like a light. he slept curled up on himself, two blankets draped over his tall figure. he looked so small like this, so vulnerable, as if he were a cowering puppy on the side of the street.
careful with what youâre about to do, you quietly coaxed rintarou to lay on his back. you could tell heâs started to stir, his eyes fluttering, yet they stayed close in the meantime.
ây/n?â
âhm?â
âyouâre going to get sick,â he murmurs.
you chuckled. âitâs ok,â you told him, placing a cold washcloth over his forehead. âiâll be fine, rin. you should focus on getting better, âkay?â
he weakly nods.
âdo you want to eat anything?â
âjust water.â
âyou canât just have water,â you frown. âand no jelly fruit sticks, either. you need to actually eat a warm meal.â
rintarou mirrors your frown, though it ends in a pout because it just hurts to frown. he mustâve been really exhausted.
he mumbled something you didnât hear.
âwhat was that?â
âanything you makeââ he takes in a sharp breath, muscles going stiff as you wipe another cold washcloth on his neck. âis . . good.â rintarou tries to shift away from what youâre doing, though his attempts were fruitless because he knew he couldnât really push his body to move further than it already had.
âiâll see what i can do,â you conclude.
sick rintarou was by far the clingiest rintarou youâve ever encountered in your relationship yet.
âcareful, itâs hot.â
he allows you to spoonfeed him the first few bites of his food, but he does it himself after. rintarou glances at you every so often, his head still not wrapping around the idea that you were actually here, taking care of him like this.
the sentiment could make him cry.
so loved, he feels so loved.
suna rintarou was the luckiest man on the planet to have you.
once heâs finished, rintarou once again curls up on himself. this time heâs facing you, his hand holding onto your arm as he had a pout once again evident on his face.
âsomething wrong, rin?â
âcan i have a kiss?â
you laugh quietly. âno.â
he whines, shaking his head in disapproval.
âjust one, please?â
âget some sleep.â
ây/n.â
âsuna.â
âdonât call me that,â rintarou says, narrowing his eyes. âitâs rintarou, rin or babe, maybe even the love of your life to you.â
âok, rin. no, you canât have a kiss.â
âwhy not? iâm not going to sleep, then.â
you sigh softly, pulling a mask over your face. leaning in to indulge your boyfriend with his simple request, you gave him a soft kiss on his forehead.
âbetter?â
âmm,â he yawns. âstay?â
âjust for a bit.â just until you fall asleep.
rintarou, satisfied, lets himself be pulled into slumber. heart overflowing with love for his sweet, caring girlfriend. he may not say the words often, but he showcased them in different ways.
at least the âin sickness and in healthâ part of a marriage vow was cleared and set.
noomon Š 2023. do not copy, modify, or translate my work.
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â LOVE, TENDERLY ; ITOSHI RIN
-1.2k, hurt/comfort, fight with parents mentioned, reader wants to pursue a literary career, insecurities and second guessing about choices in life, crying reader and gentle rin
a/n- I saw a reel on insta where the bf was wiping his gf's mascara and it was so cute that I was fuelled to write this. I'm literally writing after 2 months so pls spare me. Also I love rin. REBLOGS + INTERACTIONS ARE HIGHLY APPRECIATED!!
you could always count on your lover to support your decisions. Rin was your biggest admirer, he was all you could ask for and more.
When the doorbell of his apartment rang approximately at around 10:41 in the night, Rin scrunched up his eyebrows in confusion.
He was not expecting anyone this late. He looked up at the door in suspicion when the doorbell rang again.
Taking his reading glasses off and putting his book down on the coffee table, he uttered a 'coming' before walking off to open the door.
His eyes widened in shock, concern and a little bit of fear at what he saw.
There you were, standing on the other side, arms wrapped around yourself as you sniffled. You were supposed to be at a family dinner. But you were standing in front of him, mascara and eyeliner running down your very glossy and very red eyes, staining your cheeks black.
The sight in front of him, made Rin's heart drop as a sense of unpleasantness and worry consumed him whole.
"Hi," you croaked out, wiping the fresh tear that streamed down your face which in turn smudged the black makeup residues.
"I'm sorry, I..I just didn't know where to go. I didn't want to be alone. Can I come in?" Your arms tightened around yourself as you looked at him hopefully.
Your words broke his chain of thoughts as he pulled you inside and locked his door.
He sat you down on the sofa and gave you some water which you gratefully drank. You didn't quite realise how scratchy and dry your throat had been until you drank the water.
"Thank you," you offered him a gentle smile.
"Wait here," with that he seemed to disappear somewhere only coming back with a packet of wet wipes.
He sat down and took your face in his hands, inspecting it thoroughly before taking out a wet wipe.
"Dinner went south? Mhm?" He asked, voice gentle like the cool breeze of an autumn's day. It soothed you a bit.
"Yea..." You replied in a murmur, feeling the damp wipe against your already tear dampened face.
Rin's hands worked skillfully as he gently wiped off the runny mascara from around your eyes and cheeks. There was a shared silence between you two that was comfortable, welcomed even.
"I want you to look up for me," he said and you obliged. "Want to tell me what happened?"
"Got into a fight with my mum. She said stuff about me trying to pursue a literary career," you felt your chest tighten as the earlier fight with your mum, who you thought would support your decisions, replayed in your brain.
Rin only hummed, urging you to continue as he slowly went to wipe the other side of your face.
"She said it's not a promising career, would not sustain my life and who knows if it could work out. She said it's better as a hobby, something that I do in my free time. She's so sure I'll fail Rin, I'm scared," your voice broke as a fresh stream of tears fell down your eyes. You bit your lip to suppress any sound from coming out.
"I was so sure that I wanted to do this and now...now I'm second guessing. I mean, what am I even doing with my life? What if she's correct and nothing works out?" You inhaled, exhaling shakily from your mouth. Your breaths were heavy and Rin was livid that someone could break you this badly.
He remembered all the days and nights you spent working on your unfinished debut novel draft, scraping, editing and doing it all over again till you believed it to be perfect. He was there through your writing blocks and how you felt helpless when it happened. He would read your work for you, smiling at you proudly because that's what he was. He was always so proud of you. He always provided you with comfort whenever you needed it. You need it now more than ever.
He kept the wipe down as he finished removing your makeup and wiped away your tears with his hands. He rested his hand on your cheek then. Calloused as they were due to years of football training, they blossomed in you a feeling of solace. A much needed one. You closed your eyes, leaning into his hands as you took it in.
"I think you are wonderful," he rubbed his thumb against your cheek in a comforting motion.
"I think you're wonderful and absolutely brilliant at what you do. Your writing is splendid y/n and never ever let anyone make you think or feel otherwise," you let out a breathy laugh at his words as you opened your eyes to look at him.
"Oh no no don't laugh. I'm dead serious right now," and he was. He was absolutely focussed on your face and he spoke from his heart, with all his heart.
"You have a way with words and you execute them brilliantly. As far as not knowing if it will work out goes, really, of how many things are we absolutely sure about? Life is unpredictable. What if it does work out? That's a fair possibility isn't it?" He tilted his head as he smiled at you, bringing a small smile to your own lips. You didn't even notice but your sniffling and your tears had stopped.
"I know that but it's just so aggravating you know? She just gave me this reality check. She said everything I sometimes feel so insecure about like I don't know, voicing out my worst fears or something," you sighed as you flopped back on the sofa pillow sighing.
"Tell me about having a shitty family," he pushed back his fringes â which messily fell over his eyes again â as he fell beside you, putting his legs up on the coffee table.
"Tell me something Rin," you rested your head against his shoulder, snuggling against his muscular body, his arms engulfing your figure and bringing you closer.
"How do I know everything will be worth it?"
"You don't and that's the beauty of it," he looked down at your face, placing a kiss on your temple.
"You know I never knew if football would be right for me. I knew I was skilled but there were these thoughts in the crevices of my mind that would crawl up to the surface sometimes and I would worry. It took practice, a whole lot of shaping and belief."
"You have to believe in yourself. You have to believe in your dreams. Keep writing, no matter who says what, no matter what happens. You are skilled, you are smart and you have so much potential. Sometimes the thoughts will crawl up but you've got to push them down okay? And when you're the biggest author out there with bestseller books and millions of fans around the world, remember I was your first fan. Also, always your biggest one," He placed another kiss on your forehead as you were left in awe of the words he spoke. You could only grin at his softly smiling visage.
"What?" He whispered.
"I never knew you had a way with words," you took his face in his hands, looking up at him with adoration and love.
He mimicked the look on your face as he slowly wrapped his hand around your wrist, leaving a chaste kiss on your fingers.
"Eh. I try. Gotta watch out for my love now don't I?"
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⡠ITOSHI RIN x reader. fluff, reader is a menace and rin just can't get enough of it. warnings: pointless drabbles = my fav note: i miiiisss writing on here ! sorry if there's typos. love y'all mwah
"ugh, this lipstick is too bold. i think a simple lipliner and some red gloss will be better."
"that's literally what i suggested earlier, but okay."
you let out a quiet and playful huff at the sound of his voice from the open bathroom, while looking through your makeup for that specific shade of brown lip liner between all the multiple nude, red, and other coloured ones. your look was entirely complete, except for your lips. it was frustrating. "okay, i admit i was being a smartass at firstâ"
"you're always being a smartass, though."
"and since when did my husband become so sassy?" you retort quickly as you scoff, giving him a look.
"...just saying." he shrugs while his eyes casually wander down your face and figure from the door frame of the bathroom. after all these years, he still thinks he's being sneaky while looking at you as if you're his air. you hold back a smile at the obviousness of it all, continuing to search for that stupid lip liner.
then you smell the familiar cologne and feel his warmth against your back as he exits the bathroom and stands behind you, his deadpan expression from the reflection in the mirror making you feel butterflies because you're the only one who knew what he was thinking. in fact, you even knew that he'd think carefully before finally speaking quietly in your ear, his voice being sweet like honey.
"you look stunning."
"thank you, rin." you flash him a cheeky smile after you find your lipliner, and he hands you a make up wipe from one of the compartments as if it was a piece of cake to remember where all your specific make up and skincare products were.
so as you wipe off the lipstick you currently regret wearing, his warm hands find their home on your hips, squeezing gently as he rests his chin on your shoulder and observes in the mirror how you wipe your lips and begin outlining them with a brown pencil. those sharp and calculating teal eyes of his looked at your lips with great interest. from your cupid's bow to the feeling of your lips against his that he could never forgetâ he adored it all.
however, as you accidentally get a little too much of your berry colored lip gloss on and make a noise of frustration, he instantly handed you another make up wipe. what a sweet husband.
but when you refuse it, the confusion on his calm face is enough to make you chuckle in amusement.
"keep the make up wipe for yourself." you speak quietly, staring at him as you turn around to face him and wrap your arms loosely around his neck, your heels making it way easier for you to be face to face with him.
he gives you a very lost look.
"why would i need aâ"
he knows why, even before he finishes that sentence of his. it's not like he wanted to complete it anyway. he'd die a million times to have you interrupt his sentences with your lips on him.
your targets are familiar. first his lips, then his left cheek, right cheekâ chin and forehead. his pale skin was now covered in shiny red lip prints.
oh, and did he mention that he'd die a million times (once again) to see the smile on your face that you offer him after those kisses?
"it's fine now. got rid of the excess. that make up wipe is yours to use, honey." you say with a soft snicker, patting his chest lightly as you grab your purse and go downstairs, leaving him in your shared bedroom with your lip gloss all over his face and a pounding heart inside his ribcage.
rin sighs, fighting the urge to smile as he pinches the bridge of his nose, a soft groan escaping his lips as he stands there for a moment, his knees weak and heart racing from what just happened.
he stares at the make up wipe in his hand for a moment, cursing under his breath as he wipes the gloss off his skin.
you win for now. he'll get you back some other day.
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