#“you're really pretty”/“you deserve to eat”/“you're a wonderful friend” | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

1d1195 · 1 year

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Traditional X

You can read the rest of Traditional here.

We are getting to the end of what I believe is the main storyline here. Maybe one or two more parts but I already have at least three little extras lined up in my head too.

Additionally, I added in the days because it was kind of getting all over the place and I wanted to make sure the timeline wasn't too confusing--especially since we're winding down on days until the internship is over. I hope it doesn't detract from the story. Also, another reminder I don't know anything about running a business.

This part has some minor character death/trauma mentioned, sensitive topics, grief, angst, and I may or may not have cried a bit while writing, so that should put it in perspective I think. Try not to hate me at the end I don't think you're going to like it. Thank you, thank you, thank you for continuing to read.

Just wanted to hear your voice, kitten. Didn’t get to see you much today other than tea. Get some sleep, of course. I’ll see you tomorrow. Sleep well, love.

So now she texted him: I’m awake now if you want to hear my voice.

The phone rang almost instantly. “Hi,” she whispered.

“S’like music,” he said sleepily. She giggled. “That’s a symphony,” he murmured.

Friday

Louis and Eleanor were lying on her couch (and one another) while she lay on the rug in front of the coffee table, facing the TV. Her phone vibrated with a message from Harry.

Can we chat sometime today?

That sounds like a terrible way to break up with me. Don’t tell your other girls that.

Don’t be ridiculous, kitten. All of it.

I’ll call you when Louis and El leave.

I’ll be waiting impatiently.

“Must be Harry. She definitely doesn’t smile at Niall’s messages like that,” Louis chuckled.

She rolled her eyes and tilted her head back to her friends. They were watching a movie trying to decide where to eat or if they should order in. It was a regular, run of the mill day. They worked their Friday shifts and now they were lying about her pretty apartment that she hardly felt she’d been spending any time in. Mondays of course were still dinner out with Harry, Thursdays were movie nights at his place (and with any luck something a bit cheekier, now), and she spent many Saturday nights at his place sleeping beside him until one in the morning where they spoke quietly, candidly about anything. In the morning, she woke up to a rotation of pancakes, waffles, or French toast.

And kisses.

She woke up to a ton of kisses.

So, this Friday evening, she spent with Louis and Eleanor watching a movie that was so trashy it was wonderful. “How’s the job search?” Louis asked.

She frowned. The one sore spot that seemed to get sorer each passing day. “I really thought interning at Styles Incorporated was going to give me a leg up,” she sighed. “I don’t know... I’ve applied to some top places and they’ve either passed or ghosted me. Maybe I need to lower my standards.”

“Absolutely not,” Eleanor said immediately. “You deserve the top. You deserve it all,” she said.

Smiling, she looked at Eleanor, snuggled under Louis who was draped across her lap, and he winked at her. “You deserve the very best, babe,” he told her.

She shrugged and let out a sad sigh. “I don’t think these places think I do though,” she mumbled. “But it’s fine...I... I don’t know... I’ll figure it out. I’m not going to let it stop me now. Another month and I’ll be done.”

There was a pause. “Speaking of,” Louis began. “I’m told your program does in fact, have a graduation ceremony.”

She blinked surprised by the idea as if she didn’t already know. “What?”

“Harry told me that of course your college has one and you—”

She only vaguely heard the end of Louis’ sentence. She was feeling...anger? Anger at Harry? It didn’t seem like that was a reasonable conclusion. She had never been mad at him in the eight months she had known him. But her chest started to ache, and her blood felt hot, and she didn’t want to be mad at Harry, but she was sad he betrayed her trust in what she told him at one in the morning. Even if it was a silly little thing like making sure she had people at her graduation ceremony. She shook her head. “I’m not walking,” she interrupted. “I don’t want to.”

“Love, you worked so hard!” Eleanor gasped. “Please! It would mean so much to us to see you do it. We want you to have that.”

While the kindness and the meaningfulness of their words was not lost on her, she was serious in what she told Harry. But maybe she left out the part that she didn’t want to walk across the stage because it would remind her of the last graduation ceremony she attended. The last time she remembered a big happy family memory. “When did Harry tell you?” She asked quietly.

“He didn’t know for sure when it was...He was probing around, I think, because he might be trying to get you something,” Eleanor said so excitedly she was practically clapping. “Oh, I bet it’s going to be amazing whatever he gets you.”

“We weren’t that surprised, but we told him that you weren’t walking because there wasn’t a ceremony...and he told us there most assuredly was—which did surprise us. Most interns went in the past, so what’s the scoop on that, love?” Louis smirked, throwing a piece of popcorn at her. It caught in her hair. “Lying to your best friends?”

She didn’t feel like rehashing all the sad details and explaining why she didn’t want to go. “I just didn’t want it to be a big deal,” she shrugged as casually as she possibly could. She should have just told them, but she didn’t want it to be a thing.

However, Louis sensed there was more to her hiding it, immediately. It was why he was her best friend. But he didn’t press. Maybe he would later when he could get her alone. Every once in a while, he managed to pick up on something in her voice that said something of her past was coming through. “Hmm,” he hummed. “Well, that’s fine. We’d still like to go. A couple pictures and that’s it. Then dinner. Nothing else. I won’t even get you a card to commemorate the day.”

“Oh, I’m getting you a card,” Eleanor nodded fiercely. “Gonna write you the mushiest proud letter there is to write,” she smiled wrinkling her nose at her.

So, how could she say no to them? They loved her so wholly it really was unfair to exclude them after their endless support. Sighing, she shook her head. “It’s Saturday, the 14th,” she rolled her eyes. Both pulled out their phones and tapped rapidly putting it in their calendars.

“Good,” Louis smiled. “Now let’s go get dinner,” he said kissing Eleanor on his way off her lap and helping her up as he nearly ran for the door all in one movement. Eleanor rolled his eyes.

“You picked him,” she reminded El. “In high school too,” she shook her head and wrinkled her nose in distaste.

“I know, aren’t I lucky?” El said with a mocking dreamy tone in her voice but she meant it. It was obvious on her face, and she loved that about Eleanor most of all. Letting Louis be himself, unapologetically. Louis was the very best and she was glad someone else saw it too. Eleanor squeezed her arm and followed him. She took a second to take in the moment. She couldn’t help but smile so completely happy with her life for the first time in a very long while.

She woke up at some point in the night by herself on the comfiest mattress she ever owned all thanks to Harry. She peered through two of the slats on the blinds of her window to get a better estimate of the time without having to look at her phone in hopes of falling back asleep in a few moments. It was still pitch-black out, save for the moon illuminating the sky.

After tossing and turning for nearly five minutes without drifting off quickly, she decided she may as well make good use of her time. She grabbed for her phone. As expected, the clock told her that if they were sharing a bed, it was time to have her nightly chat with Harry.

When she came back from dinner and before she fell asleep this evening, she told Harry she was a bit tired. She would call, of course. But she might drift off while talking.

Just wanted to hear your voice, kitten. Didn’t get to see you much today other than tea. Get some sleep, of course. I’ll see you tomorrow. Sleep well, love.

So now she texted him. I’m awake now if you want to hear my voice.

The phone rang almost instantly. “Hi,” she whispered.

“S’like music,” he said sleepily. She giggled. “That’s a symphony,” he murmured.

Her heart was bursting. “Yeah?”

“M-hmm.”

“Did I wake you?”

“Yes,” he said simply. She frowned. But it was like he knew she was frowning, because he continued, putting her mind at ease. “I would probably wake up from a coma t’hear your voice.”

She was so close to saying she loved him out loud. How could she not? But how would she be any different than any intern or companion before her? She was determined to wait until it was over. Until he stopped paying her and then she could at least tell him. So he knew and he could...decide if she was worth it. “Did you have a good day?” She whispered instead.

He yawned and she heard the rustling of his sheets. Sitting up against his fluffy pillows, she assumed. “S’alright,” it sounded as if he were shrugging it off. “I was in a crummy mood all morning.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she wished she went into his office earlier to see how she could have helped.

“Not something y’could have helped with, beautiful,” he had a smirk in his voice. It left her breathless that he could tell how she was feeling without seeing her. “Before y’worry.”

“Me? Worry?”

He chuckled that beautiful breathy laugh of his. She imagined his dimples, his glittering eyes. “Mmm...”

It was quiet for a moment and since he wanted to hear her talk, she thought she may as well get it out of the way. “So...” she sighed. “Louis and Eleanor found out about my graduation ceremony actually happening somehow...and they’re making me go.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, which told her he already knew that they had found out because of him. “I think y’should go, love.”

“I know. I’m going to.”

He sighed with relief. “That’s good.”

“If...” she swallowed awkwardly hating how she was even asking in the first place. “If you wanted to come...I think I get a ton of tickets...it is a Saturday so you wouldn’t miss wor—”

“Kitten, of course m’going t’be there,” he promised. “I’d sell m’company t’be there for you.”

She scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’d sell it t’Niall, maybe. But I’d still sell it.”

She giggled. “Do you think Niall would want to come, too?”

“Yes, absolutely. We wouldn’t miss it.”

She clutched the phone tighter to her ear enjoying the sound of Harry at the other end. The irritation she felt was only a nagging little bite on the inside of her head that she pushed away. Because really, this whole month had to be the most, and totally, happiest she had been in years.

Saturday/Sunday

“I blame myself for my brother’s death,” she said it softly. She didn’t even ask if he was awake. Either she somehow knew, or she wasn’t looking for him to answer. Harry frowned, trailing his fingers up and down her arm. It was a sudden comment, but it was the middle of the night. It was what they did.

“I don’t think that’s possible, kitten.”

“I went to some stupid school party. I didn’t want to get in the car with the person offering a ride home. So, he came to pick me up, no questions asked. Not a care in the world that it was almost two in the morning,” she shrugged against him. “A car hit us,” she said simply. It was silent for a minute. Harry hardly moved. “He must have seen it coming before I did... because he turned...so his side of the car took the brunt of the hit.” He squeezed her. “I tried to pull him out. Begged him to breathe,” she shook her head. “It was awful,” her voice cracked. Harry couldn’t imagine what she had seen. Couldn’t imagine what it took for her to get in the car. No wonder she walked everywhere.

“Y’don’t have t’tell me, love,” he told her, and he meant it. That was plenty. He could fill in the gaps if it meant she didn’t have to relive it again. He was sure she relived it every day.

“It’s why my parents hate me.”

Harry sucked his lip into his mouth. “They shouldn’t,” he fully believed that. He may not have judged them for the way they grieved but they lost one child in that accident. It easily could have been two and yet somehow, they chose to lose them both even though she was right there, alive and in need of love more than ever.

Harry wouldn’t say it to her now, but he would think part of his heart would feel like it was missing if she had been lost all those years ago. Whether he knew her or not.

“Sometimes I think they’re right to,” she sniffled. “I’d hate me, too. He was the best,” she whispered shakily.

“Kitten.”

He loved the dark and their little chats every day since they started. Today, he hated it. It was too revealing. This was hurting her. And he hated that most. “I should have died.”

“Thank God, you didn’t.”

“It’s not fair,” she whispered. How many times had she said it to herself, her therapist, to Louis of all people? The only person who consoled her and not her parents...the only person who needed to be consoled as much as her was Louis. As he was breaking down, he was trying to keep her together. It wasn’t fair at all.

“No,” Harry shook his head. “It’s not.”

“I miss him.”

“I know.”

More silence. “I told you the dark is revealing.”

He smirked sadly. He wished he could tell her something just as revealing. But telling her he loved her so wholly when they weren’t in a relationship, not an actual one, after she was grieving for a moment in time, didn’t seem right. Harry wanted to tell her it was easy. Easy to love her. It was effortless having her in his life. He wanted to reveal something of equal weight. If only so she wouldn’t be sad. “I like getting t’know you,” he said instead.

“Even though I’m the reason someone died?”

He shook his head and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Someone else made a dumb decision, love. Of course, your brother would come t’help you. I’d do the same for Gem,” he promised. “S’in the brother handbook.”

“Louis said the same thing...he has a bunch of younger sisters...and me.”

“Louis would still do it for you, too; I’m sure.” They were silent again. He thought she fell asleep. Sometimes she would do that. So, he asked the question that had been burning in his mind forever. “I don’t want t’pry...What happened with your parents...after that?”

She shook her head. “Maybe another middle of the night talk. Not this one,” she mumbled.

He nodded. “Yeah, of course, love.”

“Thank you for...everything Harry. Really,” she yawned and nuzzled closer to his chest.

“Course, love,” he repeated and let her fall asleep beside him peacefully.

Wednesday

There was yelling from the other side of the door as she knocked, then immediately entered his office with tea. Right as she opened the door, he slammed the phone down to his desk. Then picked it back up and slammed it three more times into the receiver. She blinked and cringed with each hit. He slid a hand over his face and turned to face the window. Part of her thought he didn’t register she was in the room.

“Harry,” she said softly.

He shook his head. “Love, please jus’ leave the tea and go,” he grumbled. “M’gonna snap and I don’t want it t’be at you,” he sounded infuriated. Interns never seemed to work out because of his anger... She knew Niall worked hard to keep her away from Harry’s outbursts. Mostly because Niall knew Harry would never forgive himself if he ever broke her heart or scared her because of his job. But she still knew the stories. The whispers in the breakroom and by the copier about his anger weren’t something she could ignore. Sometimes Harry’s angry tone filled the whole floor. She bit her lip at his warning and nodded silently.

After she set the tea on his desk, she sat on the couch across the room. She sipped at her drink watching him tap on his phone screen searching for something. He turned back around after a moment looking at his computer and then she saw his eyes flicker over to her. “I know I told you t’leave,” his voice was icy. But she saw his gaze soften just a hair.

She didn’t say anything because she didn’t want to set him off or make him any angrier than he already was. She was content to sit there...just wanted to wait there in case he needed her because that’s what she did. Even if he was going to pretend that she wasn’t there.

His phone was ringing from the other end while he called someone. “I need the file we looked at this morning...” A pause and she watched him clench his fist and he squeezed his eyes shut angrily. “Well, I don’t have it!” he snapped slamming his fist on the desk. “If I had it, I wouldn’t have called! Can’t you just do what I fucking ask and bring—"

She hurried to his computer after he slammed his fist down. Not caring even a little, when he hardly moved out of her way and continued yelling at the poor person at the other end of the line. The words he snarled into the phone didn’t reach her ears. With three clicks and a few taps it was on his screen. She stepped out of his way and sat back on the couch waiting for the next mini blowup. He put his phone down again as his eyes scanned the screen. He grumbled about something unintelligible under his breath and he tapped on his phone screen again and brought it to his ear for all of five seconds.

“Come here,” he said into his phone.

Within moments, Niall was there. He frowned seeing Harry’s anger but managed a quick wink at the sweet girl sitting quietly on the couch. She sipped her coffee while Niall went behind Harry’s desk. He looked at the screen for a few moments and she saw his face falter a bit; he rubbed his hand on the back of his head. “Well, we knew this was coming.”

Harry turned away and paced to the other end of the room. Hands on the back of his head. Niall scrolled on his screen and sighed. He glanced at her. She hadn’t taken her eyes off the pair of them since Niall stood next to Harry. “C’mere,” he said to her. She hurried back over. He pointed to several itemized lines and murmured a few things that she only had a vague understanding of due to her limited understanding of things that happened here at Styles Incorporated solely because in the grand scheme of things, she hadn’t been there that long, and she was just an intern.

She looked at the numbers, pursed her lips in concentration and did her best to calculate quickly. “Can you shrink this number?” She asked, pointing at the screen.

He glanced at Harry who looked ready to jump out the window. His head pressed to the glass taking deep, angry breaths. “No, darling.”

“How about this one?” She pointed to a different cell. He shook his head again. She looked over at Harry who was clearly distraught. Sighing, she thought for a few quiet breaths and Niall frowned as he scrolled. She thought back to all her classes, every lecture, and every assignment she had ever worked on. Unfortunately, she came to only one conclusion.

“You can have them file for bankruptcy,” she shrugged.

Niall pushed her behind him as soon as the beginning of that b-word left her mouth. Harry hated that word. At the same time, Harry spun rapidly, took three long strides, and menacingly glared through Niall in her direction. “Are you fucking serious?” He hissed but he was staring so angrily at Niall, but the expression was really meant for her. She gulped audibly. This had to have been the nightmarish things that previous interns spoke about. It made her stomach churn and she thought she might throw up. God bless Niall for standing in her way—she knew Harry wouldn’t resort to physical violence. Not even a little. She felt it in her soul. But part of her wondered if it would hurt less than his cutting, angry voice.

No wonder Niall never let her be around Harry when he was mad. This was terrifying.

“Harry—” Niall started.

She blinked in surprise at how angry he got. At her. But he did warn her. Her heart felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest. “I am not having them file,” he growled.

Her face definitely turned red, and she swallowed nervously. “It’s your only option,” she whispered standing her ground anyway. He flung the cordless keyboard across the room. It smashed into the wall and many of the keys fluttered off in a heap against the wall. She flinched at the sound as he paced back to that side of the room.

“Darling, kindly shut it,” Niall whispered over his shoulder.

Harry paced and paced. Niall was still standing in front of her protectively as Harry grumbled to himself trying to make sense of it. “Why?” He practically barked at her. “Why’s it my only option?”

She took a deep breath. “The legal fees would equate to more than the bankruptcy payback.” He stopped pacing and turned to look at her. Niall even turned around and stared at her in surprise. “What?” She felt like this was a worse thing to say than bankruptcy. Niall stepped from in front of her and used the mouse to click through different screens on the computer, it took a moment because he no longer had a keyboard. He glanced at Harry and nodded.

Harry took a deep breath. “Can y’please explain that for me, love?” His voice was still tight with anger but at least he wasn’t barking at her or throwing things.

So, she did her best to explain that she remembered this once case she studied in her quantitative decision-making class. How it was expensive but kept the company afloat to file for a chapter of bankruptcy that allowed them to pay back the debt and keep going on if they could make it a few years. “She’s right...” Niall said clicking on the computer and gesturing to the screen. “Obviously,” he muttered under her breath.

Harry looked at the screen. While they did, she did some calculations on her phone. “So, they keep their assets?” He asked, looking up at her from the screen while Niall searched something on his phone to show Harry.

She nodded. “As long as they make this much,” she said and held her phone up to the two men.

Niall smirked. “I like her,” he said knowingly.

Harry sighed, still embittered. “Can you go buy me a new keyboard, love?” He asked.

Feeling like she had finally made a difference and helped a bit, she grabbed her coffee and nodded. “Sure,” she said softly.

“Don’t spend your own money on it either,” Harry said knowingly without looking up at her. She smirked to herself and left his office before she could say any more wrong things.

Since it was a Wednesday, she hadn’t seen Harry outside the office for two days. After getting the new keyboard and plugging it in, Harry was swamped for the remainder of the day. Lawyers, Niall, and others kept filing in and out of his office. At five in the evening, when most everyone was leaving, they were still coming and going. Niall hadn’t seen her in hours while she sat at her desk sending him files, answering calls, and taking messages. She knocked on the door before entering, carrying five or so pizzas and an assortment of drinks. Niall was the only one who noticed.

He winked at her, mouthed thank you, and watched as she left.

It was another hour before Harry noticed he was eating pizza...with pineapple on the slice. “Who got this?” He muttered.

“That cute intern of Niall’s,” one of the lawyers said.

“That’s your intern Niall? I’d be begging for her to alleviate the stress—”

“I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you,” Niall said calmly. Harry was glad he had a bite of pizza in his mouth and Niall interrupted that sentence before it finished. After the day Harry had he wasn’t sure he had much self-control left to not physically attack someone—especially on behalf of her.

How did he not notice the sweet girl bringing pizza? He was certain even if the room was on fire, he would still take the time to notice her. He frowned. He had no idea she did this.

“I think this is enough for tonight, Mr. Styles,” someone said after hours of being there. Harry hadn’t looked at the time in ages. Since before lunch at least. He was only vaguely aware that it was after one at some point only because she brought his daily tea. He nodded silently, still upset about the day but also that he had no idea the perfect girl was there.

“You screamed at her, y’know,” Niall said condensing the pizza boxes. Placing the empty ones by the trashcan for the maintainers to take care of. After everyone left. Harry was helping clean up as well and packing his things.

Harry tended to get a little fuzzy on his consciousness when he was mad. “I told her to leave.”

“You’re stupid for thinking she would,” he rolled his eyes. “She’s quite brilliant,” Niall said knowingly. “When are you going to offer her a job?”

“It’s complicated,” he remarked. “I think if I create a job for her, people...will get suspicious.”

“Who cares?”

Harry worked extremely hard to get Styles Incorporated where it was so quickly. You didn’t become a thirty under thirty member without working hard. In all that time, Harry made every decision he could to the best of his ability. He always wondered if he made mistakes. He loved this company. It was his pride and joy.

The idea of losing pieces of it broke his heart. Since it happened twice within the last three months, and she managed to save both those pieces from falling to the wayside...

She seemed to know how much he loved his job, his legacy. He didn’t like her idea all that much today, even if it was good or his only option. Even when he yelled at her and snarled like she wasn’t the most special person he knew. She still voiced her opinion, and he knew that had to have been hard for her.

It hurt him to think of failing in even one little branch. But he couldn’t argue with her that it was the best option he had for this moment. “This was a brilliant idea,” one of the lawyers said as they typed furiously on their laptop. It was hours after the lovely girl left the new keyboard on his desk. Harry didn’t respond with anything but one little nod. “We should keep this in mind...would have saved you some money a few years ago,” she remarked with a gentle smile.

Niall saying “who cares” suddenly sparked something in him. Why did he care? She was brilliant. He didn’t have to convince anyone of that. It was obvious when she walked into any room, took a passing glance at whatever document they were discussing, any graph they were looking at and she casually pointed out inconsistencies and almost always managed to save him money.

“Have the other interns been like her?” He asked quietly. He had been so closed off, so worried about the reasons they were truly there... The thought of that horrible woman who made comments to the sweet girl about sleeping with him... Harry would feel terrible if he was so cynical about the entire intern process if a quarter of them were as smart as her.

Niall smiled at his best friend. The relief flooded him before Niall even spoke. “Harry, I don’t think there’s anyone like her.”

The knock on her door surprised her. She thought it might be Louis or Eleanor who couldn’t be bothered to walk the last five blocks back to their place after a late-night dinner. It was nearing ten and she was snuggled up on the couch with her book and music playing on the TV.

Harry was leaning against the opposite wall as she opened the door. “Oh, hi,” she said softly.

Harry stayed where he was, and he smiled at her, tiredly. “You’re so cute,” he mumbled.

She glanced down at her pajamas. A mismatching pair of shorts and a tank top. One sock on because only the left one was cold. Harry looked tired but beautiful as ever. His button-down sleeves rolled up to his elbows, tucked into his dress pants. The tie he had been wearing all day was gone, the button at his neck undone. His hair looked as if he ran his hand through it a few too many times but his tiredness seemed most evident on his face.

“Come in,” she said opening the door wider. “Do you need something to eat or drink?” She asked.

“No... had the pizza y’got us,” he murmured finding his way to the couch, he folded the corner of the page where she was reading and set the book on the coffee table. He waited for her to sit beside him and once she did, his head was in her lap. “M’sorry I screamed at you. Y’didn’t deserve that.”

“I knew you didn’t mean it,” she threaded her fingers through his hair and lightly rubbed at his scalp. “Is it all taken care of?”

“Thanks t’you,” he mumbled. She smiled softly, grateful she could ease his anger and allow him to sleep. She didn’t say anything for a bit and soon enough he was asleep in her lap. She reached for her book and read for the better part of an hour while he snored gently into her leg.

When an hour had passed, she gently pulled herself out from his head and began undressing him down to his boxers. It took effort but once he was mostly naked, she tugged him off the couch holding him up as much as she could with his tall frame to drop him into her bed. She curled up to him, grateful for the extra night with him. The first one at her place, at that.

The moon was bright even through the closed blinds, making his skin practically glow as she faced his sleeping figure. His arm beneath her pillow outstretched so she fit neatly beneath his chin if she was close enough. Their legs twisted together, his much longer than hers.

She was quiet for a bit, tracing the sparrows tattooed just below his collarbones. “They stopped talking to me,” she whispered. It wasn’t quite the standard middle of the night, but it was pressing on her mind because it was rapidly approaching the seven-year anniversary of that horrible day and it hurt so freshly, so sharply. Like it was only a week ago. She wasn’t sure Harry was even awake, but she said it anyway...maybe it was better he didn’t hear anyway. “Except for when they had too much to drink. Then they just yelled and yelled. At each other, at me...” she swallowed the pain down. “If I didn’t go out, he wouldn’t have gone to get me. We would still be a family...he was their prince,” she explained.

Her fingers drifted over his arm that rested gently with his hand at her hip. She traced the heart tattoo, the rose, and then the anchor at his wrist. “They stopped caring about me, but I couldn’t stop caring about them. I made dinner for them even if they didn’t always eat. If they did, they complained about it. I stopped eating with them. We didn’t watch movies together on Sunday evenings. We didn’t celebrate Christmas. Part of me thinks they only kept me there because they knew deep down, I was still a minor and they had to—I could ruin their lives worse by reporting them...” she bit her lip. “I don’t even think I would do that... At some point... they were the only people that ever took care of me... but then they just stopped and honestly, I don’t blame them.”

Harry didn’t make any note that he could hear but she kept going anyway. “So, I started taking care of everyone I crossed paths with...” she paused for a moment just to see if anything registered on Harry’s mind. It didn’t seem like it. But it made it easier for her to tell the story.

“When I turned 18, I invited Louis over to help me. I didn’t say with what. But the second he saw my parents...the ones that didn’t love me anymore... Louis moved me into his place... I felt so horrible, but I actually asked him to stay there just until... until I left for university at the end of the summer. He looked... betrayed. Like I let him down... He gave me the lecture of the century and Eleanor just braided my hair while he did. They made my favorite food. Neither of them said Happy Birthday once and I didn’t even care because for even just one day someone was taking care of me again,” she had done well up to this point not crying.

She sniffled and shook her head. She reached up and outlined Harry’s eyebrows, the shape of his nose. The curve of his lips and the jawline that ached her to the core. “Louis doesn’t talk about it, but I know he saw more than I ever wanted him to. I know he resents the way I hid. I think part of him wished I still lived with him. He insisted I stay the summers I came home from university,” she told the sleeping figure.

“But I got a boyfriend part way through university. We moved in quickly. Of course, I took care of him... and I didn’t mind. I liked it. He liked it. He was easy... food, sex, cleaning...” she mumbled. “But I still went to visit my parents because I couldn’t help it. I’ve never told Louis that. I didn’t tell my therapist that either...I’m sure she would be mad. And you know, I still go twice a month without telling anyone. Well, except you now... I don’t know why... I don’t know... I couldn’t leave them...they...they have to be in there still, right? The people that threw me princess birthday parties and put Band-Aids on my knees after a fall on my bike? Even after...after all of it...they’re my parents somewhere in there. Every time I go it’s just...yelling and hating me. I clean, make sure there’s food in the fridge, and then I leave,” Harry didn’t answer her. “I was supposed to stay the night at a hotel because I was supposed to move some of the last of my things...but it was a bad day. I just wanted to go home... I guess I got the sex part right with him,” she said with a smirk but without humor in her voice. “Just...not with me. Guess I didn’t do a good job there either,” she sighed sadly. “So... There it is. They just...acted as if I died too.”

Harry didn’t move a muscle. She smiled softly and kissed his cheek. “I think that’s everything,” she whispered. “I think you know everything now,” she told him. “Good night, baby,” she whispered tucking herself against his chest.

There was no movement for at least a full minute and then his arms came around her so tightly, he squeezed her like he was trying to press all the broken pieces back together. “You’re so lovely,” he murmured. “Don’t forget that,” he pressed his lips to her temple and she closed her eyes tight trying to keep the tears from spilling over like a waterfall. “S’great t’know you,” he squeezed her again. “S’an honor t’know y’care ‘bout me,” he mumbled to her.

She nodded her head in recognition that she had heard him but if she spoke, she would either cry or, worse, tell him she loved him. So, she sighed deeply against his chest and slowly fell asleep while he pressed another kiss to her forehead. Like he was trying to heal her from the outside in just by kissing the front of her tired, sad brain.

Part of her thought that with Harry it might work.

Next Wednesday

Harry was going to lose his mind. When he started the day, he was so excited that he finally had good news for the sweet girl and was excited about their future. He couldn’t wait to surprise her during their movie night the following day, at home snuggled on the comfy couch.

Instead, he was totally blindsided by the fourth of the same type of phone call of that same day.

The call started out the same as all the other ones he’d been getting. They introduced themselves. “Aye, Harry. Zayn. How are you?”

Harry blinked in surprise at the voice at the other end. Zayn was CEO of his own company, located a few towns over called Malik Industries. Rarely did they interact with one another because their clientele was very different. But every so often at big black-tie shin digs and philanthropic events they’d run into one another. In this business, it was all about networking. He was hoping he wouldn’t get this call only because Zayn was closest to his age... which was closer to her age... “Right, good. Yourself?”

“Great. Listen, I’ll make this quick, I know you’re a busy guy. I have an application in front of me and it lists you and Niall as references, and I’m used to seeing Niall’s name... but I had to ask you. You never give your name as a reference.” His heart stopped because he could only guess who the application belonged to.

She applied here too?

“Harry?” He asked. “Did I lose you?”

“Uh...” he shook his head trying to regain his composure. He was absolutely confused. She didn’t say anything about applying to any of these places and this was the fourth phone call he had to sit through with an aching heart. “No, sorry. Untimely email,” he muttered quickly. He wasn’t even facing his computer.

“Right, I understand. I’ll keep it short... you think she would be good here?”

His breath caught in his throat. She would be good anywhere. But the idea of not seeing her smiling face each afternoon carrying tea in her hands to his office (not that she would continue to have to do that if she worked here full time) was the last thing Harry wanted. “Uh...yeah, she...she would be great.”

There was a pause and a short chuckle. “I know you don’t usually do these reference calls, but there’s usually a bit more than that.”

Harry swallowed the lump in his throat trying to get the words to spill out. How could he tell her she was perfect? How could he just give her away? He wanted her there all the time in every facet of his life. She made everything better. “I know, I know,” Harry shook his head again in an attempt to get his verbal processing to work again. “She’s perfect. She can do anything. Fit in anywhere. If she doesn’t know how t’do something, she’ll figure it out. Brilliant. Truly. It’s cutthroat out there and she still manages t’be an angel. Doesn’t even bat an eye in the face of adversity. She’ll keep morale up by decorating for holidays and she makes the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had.”

“See that’s what—”

“You can’t have her,” Harry interrupted flatly.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought she applied because there—”

“Yes. No. I’m sorry,” he shook his head. “She did apply. She would be perfect. You can’t question that. Seriously. Y’would probably hand her the keys t’your office if she joined y’in any capacity. I want t’do that somedays...but I want t’keep her here.”

“I see,” Zayn sounded agreeable. “She sounds quite special. Her recommendations, her transcript, everything is incredible. She seems like a wonderful asset Harry. Are you sure you have room for her?”

He prickled at the notion that he wouldn’t make room for her. “Yes,” he said definitively.

“Alright. Well, good for you. I hope she’s happy there. I’ll take her application any time in the future if you see a reason she needs to go elsewhere.”

Harry didn’t see it happening ever. “Sorry t’disappoint.”

“Not a problem at all. You know a good one when you see them, I get it. Have a good one,” the call ended abruptly. As if on cue, she knocked and opened his door at quarter past the hour. Clockwork. She closed the door quickly.

“Hi baby,” she winked as she whispered the pet name at him. “Brought your tea. And I got us some cake pops. I think they’re yummy. Maybe we could try to make them from scratch this weekend.”

There is no way she could just go. His heart fluttered at her words, and he smiled. He felt the ache in his chest melting away as it always did when she was around while he was upset. “Whatever you want, kitten.”

Harry didn’t tell her about the good news during movie night. He was too upset about all the phone calls.

He didn’t tell her while they were making cake Pops on that Saturday either.

When she chose to just exist that weekend a couple months ago, and not remember anything that happened over her horrible couple of days and not think about her parents, she did catch up with Louis and Eleanor that following Tuesday. Harry watched from her kitchen as the pair of them cooed over her and she let some tears fall.

“Your mum’s not having a memorial,” Eleanor told her. So that was that. It was over.

“Oh,” she said like it was a surprise.

Louis glanced at Eleanor and pursed his lips. She combed her hair back and gave her another hug while Louis pressed his hand to her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Louis glanced at Harry and shrugged. Harry thought that meant her mum wasn’t having a memorial that she could attend. It hardened Harry’s heart while he set some mugs of tea on her counter out for the three of them.

The lawyers managed to get some information about her inheritance. The house was already in a trust under her name. “Harry, we’re grasping a bit at straws here. We don’t practice family law,” he reminded him during their next movie night.

“I know, I know. M’sorry,” he said rubbing the back of his neck while he watched from the kitchen as the girl swayed quietly on the porch swing. At the end of February, she was still insistent on sitting in the freezing cold. “I jus’ want t’make sure she’s taken care of.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think this woman cares,” he said bluntly.

Harry frowned and ended the phone call before heading to the swing with mugs of hot chocolate. She lifted the blanket, a beanie hat almost falling into her eyes as he slid in beside her. She rested her head on his shoulder and for the moment Harry just let her live knowing that as long as she stayed here, she was cared for.

Which is why he was so happy when the lawyers finally informed him that she would have the house... eventually. The life insurance policy was never changed out of her name, and it wasn’t like they could change it now. All of it was something that could ease the ache of the worry she had.

Harry attended the memorial service, too, a week or so after that. He told her and Niall he was attending to business out of town. Niall looked at him suspiciously and he felt bad lying to the sweet girl but he...he wanted to...well he didn’t even know what he wanted. He just wanted to know what her parents were like. There were many people there. He was surprised that they still had friends after cutting off their sweet daughter. But Harry was trying his best not to judge their mourning.

He saw Louis and Eleanor there gently consoling her mother without it truly reaching their eyes. Louis saw Harry at the edge of the mourners at the cemetery, he gave him a succinct nod and then tilted his head discreetly to the right.

When everyone left, he headed to where Louis gestured, totally alone.

He read the dates on the stone, did the math, and he sighed. “I’ll do anything for her,” he knelt and pulled some weeds away from the flowers laid there. Quietly to her brother’s grave, he whispered “I promise.”

Monday

Now seemed like it was too late to tell her anything about the good news. She had seemed off all evening. Maybe it was the stress of graduation and her internship. The office had been so busy lately they hardly had a moment to have tea in the afternoon.

It was his own fault, however. When all said and done.

Now, he was walking her home from dinner. Well, actually, he was nearly running after her. She refused to get in the car. Despite how late it was. So, Harry followed her on foot. She was fast, even in the little heels she wore. The driver was close behind on their trail as well.

“I didn’t ask for you to do that!” She snapped at him. She never snapped at him. Not once. And there were plenty of times she could have over the last eight and a half months. But he thought he was being helpful. Figuring out the stuff with her mum, finding a way to finally split Niall’s position. All of it.

He thought things were going so well and even with the end of her internship coming up at the end of the next month, he was so hopeful for their future in so many ways. He didn’t really know what went wrong. He kept the conversation light trying to figure out her slightly soured mood. It didn’t seem completely fair, but he was heartbroken that he made her upset.

But it was the email that was the final straw. She received it in the middle of dinner. Mr. Malik stated there must have been miscommunication as she would be staying with Styles Incorporated. He would love to have her, feel free to apply in the future if so needed, but of course, she should stay where she’s comfortable.

Harry was in mid-conversation with the waiter, ordering dessert. Something she was reallylooking forward to when she read through the email. But the second she finished it she was angry and didn’t want dessert. She called Niall quickly, while Harry was still chatting, holding one finger up as she put her phone to her ear.

He winked at her, continuing his conversation and didn’t mind at all whether she was using her phone nor questioning it. He’d done so many times before and she was always so kind and patient about it. If he did question it, so shortly after the email, maybe he would have seen it coming. But he didn’t...he didn’t see it coming at all. “Did you...talk to Mr. Malik?” She asked him when Niall answered.

“No, darling, I haven’t heard from him or...or anyone yet about your applic—”

“Never mind,” she hung up. The second she uttered the name of another company Harry’s voice died in the conversation he was having, and he directed his attention to her.

“Did you?” She asked, point blank.

“Yes,” he said. “I told him you would be a perfect fit.”

She blinked. “Then why does he think I’m staying at Styles Incorporated?”

Harry frowned. “Don’t you want to?”

She wasn’t going to lie. “I mean...yes...but don’t you think you should have told me you were going to hire me before—”

“I just figured—"

“Harry...I’ve been rejected or ghosted from everywhere I applied to. I’ve been crying to Niall so stressed and anxious that I’m not good enough and—have you been telling everyone in the area?”

“You’ve been crying about—?”

“Harry,” she snapped.

He was surprised by her tone. “Of course...I want t’keep you,” he whispered.

“Well, what if I can’t,” her voice cracked, her hand fiddling with her silverware on the plate.

“What are y’talking about? Of course, y’can,” he said quickly reaching across the table for her hand but she pulled it back. “Kitten.”

“I don’t want dessert,” she said and stood up and marched out of the restaurant. He hurried to throw money on the table and follow after her.

When they made it to her apartment building, she was huffing. She was angry the entire way there not listening to Harry call after her, not stopping even though he begged. Harry felt like he was losing her with every step. When they reached her door, he tried again to console her as best he could. “Love, I just wanted to hel—”

“I know you feel entitled to everything I am and do because of what we are, but I didn’t ask you to do any of that! Stay out of my business.”

“Kitten,” Harry felt crushed, like she stole all the air out of her lungs.

“I know you told Louis and Eleanor about my graduation ceremony, and I let it slide... because part of me is hoping they forget that it’s in two weeks because right now, I don’t want to go. It hurts to think about my brother’s ceremony—the last time we were a family. And I know you had your lawyers talking to my mom because she called me today all up and arms about how I’m selfish to even take what she’s giving me and of course I hadn’t a clue what she was talking about. I thought it was a prank,” Harry was silent as he listened. “I know you have your driver follow me around whenever I’m out walking. Not even at night,” still quiet. But he dropped his gaze to the floor for a moment before looking back up at her. It did sound controlling when she was so angry. “On top of all that, I hadn’t gotten any notice about my student loans so I called my servicer to inquire. And guess what?”

Harry’s lips pressed together. He didn’t say a word. Because of course he already knew why she didn’t get any info about her loans. “Now this? Harry, I’ve worked my butt off to do this on my own and you just...told every company within a twenty-mile radius that I’m staying, and I didn’t even get to know that I could do it on my own? That all my hard work and all those hard things I had to face on my own just meant nothing? I thought I failed so miserably.” She was crying so hard, and she wished she wasn’t but every time she felt anger coursing through her it was an unfortunate consequence. Harry just wanted to console her and make it stop. He felt so terrible.

Every day she showed up to work and made everyone’s life so much easier. She baked brownies for the breakroom, made copies for anyone that asked because she was the only one who could stop it from jamming, and of course she went out every day, snow, sleet, hail, or rain to get himself and Niall their Starbucks order. She took care of him when he was sick and saved such a large chunk of his company, he could never repay her. All he wanted to do was help her the way she helped everyone else.

“Love,” he whispered reaching for her. She stepped out of his way.

“Just go,” she snapped as she slammed the door shut in his face. His heart felt broken, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. Because as always, she was right. He just...did everything for her because he could. Really because he wanted to, but he should have at least asked.

He could hear the sniffles and her tears through the door. He waited a minute listening to her gasping breath hoping something in his head would click. Something would appear in his mind that he could say to her. But in times like this, it was usually her that knew what to do. So of course, he couldn’t ask her. As he turned to leave, he heard her croaked voice whispering Louis’ name into the phone.

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the-marshals-wife · 1 month

Text

Strangers Like Me (Orm Marius x Reader)

─ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ⋅☆⋅ 𝐀𝐎𝟑 ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─

A/N: I love Orm so, so much, and I've wanted to write for him since my major obsession with the first movie back in 2019. The sequel was everything I could have wanted for his character, and now that he's had the perfect open ending to his cinematic story, I finally let the inspiration run wild. This is the longest fic I've ever posted, and I'm proud to say he was the muse that inspired it.

Description: Orm Marius/Ocean Master x Fem!Reader (human), friends to lovers | Warnings: suggestive themes, steaminess at the end, cataclysmic levels of fluff throughout | Setting: after The Lost Kingdom | Word count: 5.8k

Gif credit: user acecroft

Imagine Orm opening up to you about who he truly is, and wanting to be part of your world

If someone had asked you a few months ago where you liked to be most, you wouldn't have said the boardwalk. Now, it'd become your favorite place in the world. Not for the noisy crowds, overpriced deep-fried foods, or vendors overflowing with cheap beachwear and souvenirs for the tourists. Those things you could have done without. That is, until you met Orm. Ever since that fateful day, everything around you had transformed into something new and exciting. Today was no different.

"I can't believe you've never had a corn dog before," you say.

Orm walks alongside you, well into his second serving. "And I can't believe something this abysmal in appearance can taste so good," he replies before taking another bite.

"Seriously, what have you been eating all this time?" you ask, wiping the mustard from the corner of your mouth with a napkin.

He swallows before answering, "Fish, mostly."

He was completely serious, as usual.

"You really love seafood, don't you?"

"Where I'm from, it's just called food," he counters.

Once again, you found yourself wanting to ask where exactly that place was. The last time you inquired yielded little insight. He gave a vague reply to the tune of "somewhere far away" and quickly changed the subject. For a while, you'd assumed he was originally European or something like that. Yet the more time went on, the more difficult it became to believe in that explanation. There must be a reason he did not want to talk about it, and you knew when he was ready, he would probably tell you. Still, you couldn't help but wonder where he had come from, and why he had not showed up sooner.

"So, what did you think of your first corn dog?" you ask instead.

"It was excellent. And I imagine it will not be my last," he says, tossing the stick into a trashcan as you walk by, "I still don't understand the name though, if it's not made of dog."

"Me either, honestly," you laugh as you toss your trash as well, "I'll have to look it up sometime."

"Speaking of, I listened to the singer you told me about."

"You did? What did you think?!" you exclaim, almost bumping into a passerby in your excitement.

"She is quite good, vocally. But I do think Ms. Parton would have more success exposing her rival publicly," he suggests.

"I know you're not talking about Jolene right now," you burst out laughing, covering your mouth.

"Indeed. This Jolene is a siren. She lures men with her wiles, and then goes unpunished because of her beauty," he explains wholeheartedly, holding his arms behind his back.

"Well that's the point of the song. Dolly is calling her out," you remind, "Plus what about her man? Shouldn't he get some of the blame? Falling for Jolene when he's already in a relationship? I mean come on, he's talking about her in his sleep. That's pretty low."

"Indeed, he misses the treasure that is right in front of him because he too has no honor," he expounds, his expression turning thoughtful, "You're right. Ultimately, they're deserving of each other."

"See! I told you," you chuckle victoriously.

Orm shakes his head, "I could not be tempted by such a woman."

"Oh, I don't know. You heard Dolly. Her beauty is 'beyond compare'."

"That is merely a facade," he dismisses, waving his hand, "Besides, I have seen far more beautiful than her."

You're about to inquire about his remark, but then you realize he's looking over at you. You can only hold his attentive gaze a moment before averting your eyes toward your feet, heart fluttering.

The previous moment still hanging heavy in the air, you walk together quietly for a minute before Orm stops in front of a beachwear vendor.

"Now that is amusing," he declares.

You backup a couple of steps to stand alongside him, "What is?"

He points to a pink tee shirt, the image of a mermaid riding on the back of a smiling dolphin printed on the front. "Dolphins are actually quite aggressive. They do not enjoy having riders on their backs. Sharks are much better mounts."

You stare at him, brow furrowed. "And how do you know that exactly?"

"I, uh, saw it on a television program," he stutters, "about taming sea life."

That was a lie if you'd ever heard one, and a strange one no less.

"Uh-huh," you reply unconvinced, walking away.

In silence, you resume your short walk to the end of the dock, Orm trailing close behind you. Once you reach the end, you lean over and rest your arms on the weathered wood railing, and he stands beside you. A few moments pass as you watch the waves crash upon the shore below and breathe in the salt air. It's not long before you feel his gaze on you once again.

He finally speaks, hesitation thick in his voice, "Something...on your mind?"

You smirk to yourself before looking over at him, "I'm just trying to figure you out."

"What do you mean?" he asks, concern visible in his bright eyes.

"I've never met anyone like you before. So much of what you say is a mystery," you remark.

"That is a fair point," he concedes, "I don't wish to vex you. There's just...so much that I don't know how to say."

You stand up straighter, smiling at him softly.

"I didn't mean it as a bad thing. Everyone has parts of themselves that they hide. Parts they don't want anyone else to see. There's nothing wrong with that," you reply, turning towards the ocean, "You don't like talking about your past, and I respect that. I just don't want you to think you have to hide. It's awful feeling like you don't belong, just for being yourself. I wouldn't want that for you."

"That is kind of you to say. Truly." He mirrors your posture on the railing, moving closer to you as a result. "You don't make me want to hide, Y/N. Quite the opposite, actually. I've learned so many things from you these past few weeks, and I have greatly enjoyed your company."

You look back to him, your heart skipping, "So have I."

His gaze softens. "I've also never met anyone like you before. You find joy and purpose in even the smallest of things. It inspires me how gracefully you view the world. And I've known no one whom I've wanted to share it with more."

Everything else around you melted away as you find yourself becoming just as lost in his eyes as you've been in his words.

Before either of you can move an inch closer, the chime of your cellphone cuts through the thick air between you.

Cursing inwardly, you shoot upright, embarrassed, and retrieve it from your pocket. It's an all-caps text from your sister with many exclamation marks, quickly followed by another. The sister you just now realized you forgot needed picked up.

"Oh no. I have to go," you say, frenzied, "My sister's waiting for me. I have to drive her home from her class, I completely forgot!"

"I understand," he nods, touching your arm assuringly, "Do you want me to accompany you back to the lot?"

"I really appreciate it, but I literally have to run. I'm so sorry, Orm," you say, turning to leave.

You make it only a few steps before you hear him call out.

"Y/N!"

Despite the urgency of your escape, you can't help but turn on your heel expectantly.

"Would you meet me tomorrow? Down on the beach, beneath the pier around sunset?"

A grin spreads across your face. "I'll be there!"

♆

It took everything in you not to grin like an idiot the entire drive to pick up your less-than-amused sister. You weren't ready for the brutal interrogation that would surely come if she saw the look you knew was on your face. After apologizing to her profusely and letting her chew you out, as was her sisterly right, her suspicions were already raised.

"You've never looked this happy for me to yell at you," she said, glaring at you.

"I'm just really enjoying my book! I started the sequel I told you about," you defended, flashing a smile even you knew was pretty fake.

"Enough to forget all about me," she rolled her eyes and punched your arm, "You're not telling me something, I know it."

"I'm dying to know if she's really the lost heir to the throne, I heard the reveal is like halfway through," you add, ignoring her last words.

"Mhm," she grumbled, "Fine don't tell me. I'll figure it out, just wait. You can't hide from me."

"The only thing I need to hide from you is my chocolate bars," you argue in a desperate attempt to throw her off the subject.

"I'll find those too," she snickered confidently.

You laughed it off and went back to biting down hard on your lip. It was the only thing you could do not to spill everything to her as she continued to give you the side-eye. Your body was at the steering wheel, but your mind, and your heart, were back on that boardwalk. The final glare she gave you in her driveway was unmissable, but for now, you'd evaded being found out as you made a getaway back to your own apartment.

That night you'd hardly slept, the moment at the end of the dock replaying in your mind over and over well into the morning. Work only made it worse, the monotony making the perfect backdrop to picture what the coming evening would bring. When your shift ended, you couldn't get out of there fast enough to go home and change.

Now, with sunset fast approaching, you were circling the parking lot trying to find a space, and close to bribing someone to move, when a spot finally opened up.

"Someone loves me," you exhale, hurriedly locking your car as you throw your bag over your shoulder.

The words linger in your thoughts. You can't help but blush at the notion, given your current destination, and who was waiting there.

In some ways it seemed like a lifetime since you met Orm, and in others it felt like only yesterday. The memory of that fateful day comes to the front of your thoughts as you start the long trek to the path that cuts through the dunes.

Unlike your fib from last night, you'd actually been desperate to finish the book your coworker had been pestering you about all summer. With only four chapters left, you'd escaped to the boardwalk one sunny Tuesday afternoon, hoping to find a bench, a fresh lemonade, and far less crowds than the weekend so that you could finally finish in peace.

Just as you'd sucked up the last drop of your drink and reached the last handful of pages, you noticed something out of the corner of your eye. On a bench across the way from you, you saw a man trying to untangle the most knotted pair of earbuds you'd ever seen in your life. You watched him from behind the top of your book, and suppressed a giggle as he became more animated in frustration. He ran a hand through his blond hair and seemed near to giving up on the whole endeavor. Unable to watch him struggle any longer, you tucked your book beneath your arm, tossed your empty cup in the trash, and started to walk over.

"He did this on purpose," he muttered as you approached.

"I can take a crack at them, if you'd like."

In his fierce concentration, he hadn't noticed you approach. He jumped a bit at your greeting, and squinted up at you, confused.

"Hi. Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Would you like some help with those?" you smiled hesitantly, "I just, I couldn't help but notice you were having a hard time with them."

"Well, you are welcome to try," he invited with a sigh, extending them to you, "Although I have seen seaweed less entangled than this."

You took them and sat down beside him, analyzing the knots.

"Earbuds are pretty notorious for getting tangled," you began, pausing to focus a moment, "These, however, look like a sailor used them to practice tying his knots."

"Courtesy of my brother," he said with no small amount of exasperation, "He delights in making things difficult for me."

"As brothers are wont to do."

"Indeed," he conceded.

Untying your own numerous pairs of earbuds over the years had more than prepared you for this moment. You'd made quick work of separating the right and left buds, down to the last few kinks in each.

"You're quite skilled at this," he observed.

"I should probably put it on my resume, huh?" you chuckled as you conquered the final knot.

"I think you might consider it," he laughed as well.

At last, all the tangles were gone.

"There you go," you declared, handing them back, "Good as new."

"Impressive," he remarked, marveling at your handiwork before looking back at you, "Thank you for your assistance."

"You're welcome," you smiled and pointed to the iPod in his lap, "What do you like to listen to, if you don't mind me asking?"

He hesitated, picking it up, "I'm...not actually sure how this device works. Are you familiar with the technology?"

"An iPod?" you laugh, "Yeah, I had one in high school. It's been a while and it wasn't this exact model, but they're all pretty much the same. MP3 players, that is. I had so many songs on mine, I couldn't add any more. Never went anywhere without it. I had to tape it together in senior year because I used it so much."

"Perhaps you could show me how to properly operate it?" he posed, turning towards you more, "My brother sent it to me. He said it contains music inside that I must hear, but I'm at a loss on knowing how to make it play."

You gazed at him bewildered a moment, caught off guard. Never had you met anyone who didn't know how to work an iPod before. But then again, you reminded yourself, not everyone had a chance to own one.

"Sure," you grinned, "I can show you. There's not too much to it, really, once you know the basics."

"Thank you," he replied sincerely, "It's not often that I've met a lady with such kindness, and lightness of fingers."

Heat immediately rushed to your cheeks at his gracious works, and suddenly it was difficult to hold the gaze of his rich blue eyes.

"It's no problem at all," you replied, offering your hand, "I'm Y/N, by the way. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Orm Marius, and the pleasure is mine."

Before you could blink, he'd taken your hand, and instead of shaking it, he kissed your knuckles. If he had lingered, perhaps it would have alarmed you. But he did it so quickly, it was like it was second-nature to him. Practiced or not, your head spun nonetheless, and launching into an urgent, flustered spiel about how to power on the iPod was all you could do to keep yourself held together.

You spent the next half an hour showing him everything from the buttons to the way to change the background image on the menus. Before long, you were talking about all of your favorite songs and artists, simultaneously making lists for each that he would have to listen to. Orm listened eagerly to your recommendations, and soon the conversation turned to any and every subject, from foods to places to dreams. You still remember the feeling of the rest of the world fading away as you talked to him, afternoon turning to evening. And the thrill you felt when he asked if he could see you again.

In the almost four months since, every meeting followed much in the same manner as that first day, with introducing Orm to the many things he'd never experienced before, and hours of conversation on the pier or walking along the beach. You'd stolen away to this area as many times as possible to see him, well over a dozen now. Of course your sister was more suspicious than ever after yesterday, but you still weren't ready to reveal where you'd been spending so many evenings, and who you'd spent them with. There was something exhilarating about you and Orm meeting secretly, and you wanted that feeling to last as long as possible.

He had such wonder about the world, like someone who'd not been in it very long. It was one of his oddest qualities, but his curiosity was endearing to you. Despite knowing so little about his past, you'd come to trust him like few others in your life. Whoever he'd been before, and wherever he was from, it seemed he had no intention on going back. If you were honest with yourself, you didn't want him to. There were so many places you wanted to take him further inland, yet he was still hesitant to go far from from the ocean. You'd never gone beyond a couple of blocks from the boardwalk together, but tonight, with the energy of yesterday's encounter fresh in your mind, you'd planned to breech the topic with him.

Now, the sun is sinking lower in the pale orange sky and your pulse quickens with the threat of being late. With all your reminiscing and daydreaming, you'd lost track of the time. You nearly run across the wooden walkway over the dunes and down the broad stairs. As soon as your feet hit the sand, you remove your sandals. Grasping them in one hand and the strap of your bookbag in the other, you take off into the best sprint you can manage. The pier is still a good distance up the beach, and you want to curse out whoever built the access so far away. You run at an angle towards the water, the wetter ground giving you better traction than the loose sand.

Just within the shadow of the great structure, you finally see Orm up ahead, his back turned. Out of breath, you slow your pace and try to catch some of it back before you reach him. Once he's within ear shot you call out to him.

"I'm sorry I left in such a hurry yesterday," you pant.

He spins on his heel. Relief is written all over his face.

"You came. I was afraid you might not," he sighs, walking up to meet you.

"Of course," you exhale, dropping your shoes and brushing away the hair clinging to your forehead, "Why wouldn't I?"

His expression indicates he had not thought of an answer to that question.

"I don't know," he hesitates, "I didn't mean anything by that. I mean, I wouldn't have blamed you if you hadn't. I did ask you at the last minute."

You can't help but chuckle as he stumbles regretfully all over his words.

"I brought you something," you declare to change the subject, much to his gratitude.

"A gift? For me?"

You can tell by his tone that he is actually baffled. Reaching into your satchel, you retrieve the item. In your outstretched palm, you hold a small snow globe, a miniature skyline of New York City contained inside.

His confused expression leads you to elaborate. "It's called a snow globe," you say, turning it upside down so that the little flakes inside swirl around, "You told me once that you never get to see snow where you're from. Now you can see it whenever you want."

He tentatively takes it, entranced by the miniature flurry.

"That's where I'm from. Well, I grew up there. We moved here when I was sixteen," you add, chuckling, "It's a little bit nicer in person."

Orm looks up at you, visibly touched by the gesture, "It's wonderful. Thank you."

"You're welcome," you smile, "I, hope that I can show you the real thing some day."

"I would like that," he replies with the smallest hint of sadness, pausing to behold it again, "I will treasure this always."

You'd never met anyone who talked like he did. Everything word he spoke was with full conviction. Others might sound pompous or conceited speaking the way he does, but when he said something, you believed he truly meant it.

"I'm glad you like it," you say, tucking your hair behind your ear.

"I do, very much," he says, frowning a bit, "I'm only sorry that I have nothing to give you in return."

"That's alright," you dismiss.

"Will you keep it safe for me while we are by the water? I regret that I have no pockets large enough to carry it."

"Absolutely," you say, putting it securely back inside your bag, "I know that feeling all too well."

When you finish with the zipper and lift your head up, you see Orm offering his arm to you. Surprised, and twice as excited, you take it.

As you cross beneath the pier and set off down the beach together, you suppress the urge to glance up at him. You agonize over what to say next, hoping he would speak first. When he did, it only made your heart beat faster.

"Actually, when I said I had nothing to give you, that was not entirely true," he said, clearing his throat before going on, "As much as I enjoy your educating me in foods and traditions I've never tried, I was hoping this evening we might enjoy a treat of a different kind."

Just up ahead, something on the shore comes into view. Your mind races in anticipation, and moments later, you come upon a blue blanket spread out neatly across the sand. A single white rose lies in the middle.

"Oh Orm," you breathe.

"It's not much, but I thought you would like to watch the sunset with at least some level of comfort," he says, a veil of nervousness in his voice.

"It's perfect," you exclaim.

He releases your arm and picks up the rose, presenting it to you.

"For you."

You feel nearly breathless once more as you take the flower and inhale its sweet fragrance.

"It's beautiful," you sigh, "Thank you."

He smiles timidly at your approval. "Shall we?"

"This is amazing," you say, removing your bag and carefully sitting down on the soft blanket.

He follows suit, and you gently place the rose in your lap as he comes to rest close beside you. The glow of the setting sun warms your skin, but it's nothing compared to the warmth in your chest.

You'd never seen him act like this before. He was normally so calm and collected, but now he was almost pure nerves. You work up the courage to glance over at him. He's staring hard ahead, clenching his jaw and rolling a seashell between his fingers. It's slowly becoming clear that you're not the only one who wanted to say something this evening. Normally, you found the rolling of the waves to be one of most soothing sounds in the world. But at this moment, they were far too loud.

You decide you have to break the excruciating silence.

"I've only watched a true beach sunset alone before."

Your voice brings him out from his trance. "I've also been by myself. I'm glad I have someone to share the splendor with."

"Me too."

He smiles weakly, and fixes his stare back on the horizon.

To your disappointment, the silence returns. Before long, everything is bathed in golden light. The sky transforms into rich oranges and reds before your eyes. The beach is surprisingly deserted apart from the seagulls and sand pipers, making it seem all the more that this moment was tailor-made just for the two of you.

Just when you're about to speak again, Orm at last turns towards you.

"I wish I could show you my world, Y/N. It is a realm of beauty, and strength, and light. You belong in such a place."

You feel your cheeks flush as he continues.

"Where I'm from, you can't see the stars at night. But there is a place with magnificent, glowing lights. A cave, filled with luminescence of every color you can imagine. You would absolutely love it."

"That sounds magical." You hang on his every word as you try to picture it.

"My mother used to take me there when I was a boy. I remember my whole hand disappearing inside hers." He smiled at the memory, but it faded as he spoke once more, "We used to go there seeking solace from my father."

Frowning, he throws the seashell towards the water. The sun begins to dissolve into the ocean, but neither of you take notice.

"Did you not get along?" you ask, hoping it was not too personal to do so.

His gaze falls downward again. "That's one way of putting it. Growing up in his shadow was- challenging. He was severe about many things, and against all of the rest. He expected me to become just like him. Demanded it, more like. Yet he was never up to the task of teaching me how. I wanted nothing more than to please him, but as I look back on it now, I'm not sure that I ever did. I was never worthy enough to be his son."

His words make your chest ache. You reach to gently touch his hand on the blanket.

"You are not an unworthy son," you assert, your feelings coming to the surface, "He was an unworthy father. I don't need to have met him to know that. Because I know you, and you are a good man. The most thoughtful, polite, decent man I've ever met."

He stares at you, emotion all over his face. A wistful look shines in his eyes.

"If only I had known you then," he reflects, "Perhaps I would not have gotten so lost in the tides of his storm."

"I wish I had known you too," you agree, more shyly than you'd expected, "But wouldn't have needed me. You already survived it, all on your own. You're stronger than he ever was."

His expression steels.

"Y/N, there is something I must tell you," he says, his tone turning grave, "It will not be easy for you to hear it, but I can't go on without you knowing what I am. I cannot hide it any longer. You deserve to know the truth."

Your heart starts to race quicker than your thoughts at his startling declaration. "What do you mean?"

Without warning, he casts off his jacket and stands up.

"Orm, what are you talking about?"

"Perhaps, it would be better if I showed you," he says, reaching out his hand to you, "I want you to understand. No more secrets."

For just a moment, you look up into his pleading eyes. Then, as if it had even been a choice, you carefully set the rose aside and take his hand. He helps you to your feet and leads you down past the water's edge. The cool water on your feet sends a shiver up your spine. The foam is lapping at your ankles when he stops just in front of you.

"You see that marker?" he points ahead.

The breeze whips your hair into your sight as you fight to push it away. You have to squint to see the outline of the buoy, the red light on top twinkling faintly in the twilight.

"Yes," you hesitate.

"Keep your eye on it," he directs calmly.

With that one instruction, he retreats further into the water, stopping until it is well above his waist. You cross your arms against the chill of sea spray and wait worriedly. He looks up and down the beach, as if to make sure no one is watching. You are still alone. Before you can call out to him, he dives headlong into the waves.

What follows you can only describe as a thunder beneath the water. It looks as if a missile has been launched from where Orm stood, careening toward the marker. Mere seconds later, a blast like a whale spout shoots above the horizon, and the buoy rocks violently as it is landed upon by the figure that flew up out of the sea.

A gasp escapes from your agape mouth as you witness the silhouette wave at you, and proceed to dive back into the blue.

Three pounding heartbeats later, Orm immerges from the surf and walks toward you, slicking back his dripping hair. His tee shirt clings to his muscular form, and his soaked jeans don't seem to encumber him at all. You're frozen in the sand, staring at him with only one word on your parted lips.

"How..."

"There's no simple way to say it, but you must know. I am from the Kingdom of Atlantis," he confesses, struggling to hold your stare, "I am Prince Orm Marius, son of Queen Atlanna. Although I was once ruler, I made many mistakes during my time on the throne for which I was banished. My penance is served by my exile here on the surface. I deserve my fate, and I gladly uphold it, but it is not something I wanted to keep from you any longer. I'm sorry that I was not honest with you sooner, but I didn't think that I could trust any surface-dweller with my secret. I was...proven wrong."

"You're a real Atlantean?" you manage to get out.

"I am," he nods, apprehension still in his voice, "I was raised to hate the surface and its inhabitants, but much has changed. You, Y/N, have had no small part in that."

Despite your reeling head, it's slowly becoming clear what Orm is saying by this grand unveiling of his true identity. As you struggle to process it, however, your silence compels him to go on.

"If all of this is too much, I understand. It is my burden to bear, and you did not ask to be part of it."

"I-It's not that," you stammer as the shock starts to wear off. You step closer to him. "Not at all. It's just a lot to take in. I need a minute, that's all. I promise."

Hope lights up his eyes.

"Absolutely," he agrees eagerly, "I apologize, I know this reveal was sudden. Please ask any questions that you have. I will withhold nothing from you."

As you finally begin look at him instead of through him, only one question lodged in your throat.

"Why?" you ask through threatening tears, "Why did you tell me all this?"

You knew why, because it was the same reason you wanted to tell him all of your own secrets. The same reason you came back to this beach over and over. The same reason your heart skipped every time you saw his handsome face, and heard him speak your name. You just wanted to hear him say it. For any of this to work, you needed to hear it.

His anxious gaze softens as he weighs his answer.

"I meant every word of what I told you yesterday. When I'm with you, I see a future that I never thought I would deserve. You make me feel like I can be more than I've ever been. And for the first time in my life, I have felt true happiness," he says, finding the words along with his conviction, "I never thought I would belong anywhere but Atlantis, but now, I want to know more about this world and its many gifts. And most of all, I want you to be by my side to show it to me."

"I want that too," you respond, tears threatening.

He gently takes your hand in his. "Even after all that I've done, part of me hoped that I might find some kind of redemption here on the surface. I wasn't sure how, and then I met you," he says tearfully, searching your eyes, "Y/N, you gave me that hope. Your goodness, your charity, your beauty. This realm has much to offer, more than I ever dreamed, but you are what I love most about the surface. From that very first day we spoke, I knew that you were what I was meant to find here."

Your vision blurs as he reaches to gently stroke your cheek.

"All of that to say...I've fallen in love with you, Y/N."

A sob escapes your throat as you look into his eyes and see it.

"I fell for you too. From the first day," you nod, finding your own confidence, "Being Atlantean doesn't change that. I don't care about who you've been or what you've done. I want to be with you. I love you too, Orm."

His composure crumbles along with yours as you embrace. The distance between you vanishes as your lips meet in a desperate kiss. You rest your hands on his chest and melt into his touch. He sighs and deepens the kiss, pulling you close against him. You feel the coolness of this still-dripping clothes soak through to your skin as you become lost in the taste of salt and longing. When you're forced to come up for air, you're both beaming.

"I've wanted to do that for so long," he smiles, caressing your face.

"Me too," you giggle, lacing your arms around his neck, "What did you think of your first surface-dweller kiss?"

"Not too bad. I think I'll have to try it again before I decide if I really like it," he smirks.

"Well, if you get me out of this frigid water, I'll see what I can do about that," you tease back.

"Now that I can do," he announces.

You shriek in surprise as he swiftly lifts you from the water and into his arms as if you weighed nothing at all. He chuckles in amusement and carries you bridal style back toward the shore.

"Orm!" you protest, in an obviously half-hearted fashion.

"I have to admit, concealing my Atlantean strength has been considerably more difficult than I anticipated," he reveals, wincing a bit, "I intended to bring a bottle of wine tonight as well, but- the glass here is far weaker than what I'm accustomed to."

You laugh. "Well, it's the thought that counts."

"I'm glad you think so. Because I thought since I'm responsible for us missing the best part of the sunset, that perhaps we could lie under the stars instead?" he suggests, setting you down gently on your feet upon the blanket.

"I would love to," you say, looking up at him, "But aren't you freezing in those clothes?"

"I'm used to it," he shrugs, "I don't think I feel the cold the same as you."

"In that case," you say, pulling him closer into tender kiss, "What do you think about that?"

He grins.

"It was perfect, and I'm certain it will not be my last."

You no longer feel the chill as you cling to him, and he rests his forehead to yours. It didn't matter where the tides of life would take you next. As long as Orm was there to hold you in the waves, you would always be in your favorite place.

#orm marius x reader #orm x reader #ocean master x reader #orm imagine #aquaman and the lost kingdom #patrick wilson #aquaman imagine #orm fanfic #aquaman fanfic #my writing #strangers like me from tarzan is 100% orm-coded and i couldn't resist using it for the title #aquaman

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threadbaresweater · 1 month

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LINNNN pokes fingers together how about aki and #29 vibrates

Staring at each other’s lips for a moment before moving closer, as if drawn together by some unseen force.

Aki thinks you're beautiful, but he'd never tell you so. He couldn't bear the thought of you any closer to him than you are now, seated just out of arm's reach, chatting with a friend over a shared meal. He's embarrassed of how many times he's imagined kissing you, how soft your lips must be, how delicate your tongue would feel if he happened to press a little harder and cup your cheek in his palm.

He's always kept himself at a distance. It's the safest option for him, for you. You don't know about his contract, and he doesn't want to explain. So he puts on an air of indifference around you, careful not to show any sort of interest so you don't get the wrong idea.

But...it wouldn't be the wrong idea. It's an idea so right, so perfect, one he doesn't deserve because he knows he'll be gone in a couple of years anyway. He couldn't put you through that.

What he doesn't know is that you spend just as much time thinking about him, too. You like him, but you're pretty sure he doesn't care for you one bit. And so it goes, you never admit it to each other. You sneak glances at him when you think he isn't looking. You wonder how his fingers might feel threaded with yours. And this goes on for a while. Weeks of a certain kind of agony that eats away at both of you until your mutual friend finally breaks the ice.

"You gonna tell him?"

You sputter into your drink. Your friend laughs at your expense. "Tell who what?"

"Come on. It's obvious to everyone in the room."

You glare at her, but dare a glance at Aki, who immediately looks away.

Oh.

Maybe you should tell him.

So you straighten your spine, finish your drink, and decide to make something happen. What, exactly, you aren't so sure. You just know that the tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and if you don't do something soon, you'll burst.

"Aki, hi."

"You alright?"

You're a little drunk if you're bring honest with yourself, but it's ramped up your courage. You watch his mouth when he speaks, how his lips form around each syllable. "I'm good, yeah. How are you?"

He, too, watches your mouth. The pink slip of your tongue between a flash of white teeth, the way your bottom lip looks plush and shiny and waiting (begging) to be kissed. "Fine. I, uh, you look nice."

"So do you." He's not dressed in anything out of the ordinary, but he's wearing his hair down tonight. He looks softer, you think. You can almost taste the mint on his breath. You're vaguely aware of two of his fingers curling around your own. You see his eyes, the slope of his nose, the faint curve of his cupid's bow.

He bends slightly, and it's a featherlight brush of his lips against yours. You didn't want to kiss him, you just wanted to say hi, hello, I really like you, I think you're wonderful, please hold my hand. But here you are, and there he is. Neither of you move or do anything besides a subtle squeeze of your hands.

Aki thinks your lips are even softer than they look. He wishes he would have said something more intelligent, but it's too late now, and you don't seem to mind because you press a little harder against him and taste the peppermint on his tongue.

#aki hayakawa x reader #flinging this and running off #this was written in like 4 different micro-sessions and I'm not sure what it is BUT I HOPE IT'S GOOD

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bonny-kookoo · 1 year

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Hey Bonny💕 I have this idea of Idol!JK with hybrid!reader and Jungkook's recent livestreams. Just her playing with Bam and Army’s being curious about her, maybe. Maybe she has the night zoomies. It’s just an idea. I hope you have a wonderful day💜

I've made this so it basically belongs to the whole BTS x Husky!Reader idea!

---

"oh? 'Who's in the background?' you ask?" He reads a comment out loud, before looking behind him, spotting Bam dropping down to a playful invite, before you run after the pup playfully, the dog chasing you in exchange seconds after into the other room. "Ah, yes! I got two puppies at my home currently!" He laughs into the camera. "The members are a little busy right now, so she's staying with me." He informs the fans, who all spam hearts in the chat, as well as requests to see you. "Hm she's a bit shy, but let's see if she wants to say hi." He chuckles, turning around on the couch. "Snowball!" He chuckles, earning an immediate reaction from you at the nickname.

He can see your tail wagging wildly, and he can't help but smile when Bam jumps up at you, licking your face. "Bam, careful." He gently commands his dog, who pants heavily after his play-session with you. "You wanna come to me, say hi to Army?" He wonders at you now, and you hesitate a little, out of view of the camera for the most past. The room you're standing in is dark, your outlines barely able to be picked up by the stream, only your wagging tail occasionally.

You decide to go closer though, well aware that nothing can happen. Everyone knows you're with the guys all the time, and you know most fans actually adore you a lot. So you walk towards the back of the couch where you lean over, waving at his phone. "Pretty Puppy' Yes, I agree!" Jungkook laughs at the comments, while you're suddenly more interested in the food he's got on the table. "You wanna have the leftovers?" He asks, noticing the way you've started to lean over the back of the couch, and you nod. "Come here then." He pats the sofa, and you climb over the couch instead of walking around it, making him laugh as he holds a hand in front of the edge of the table so you won't accidentally hurt yourself. "Here, I'll get you something for that.." He mumbles, getting up to get some protection for your hands so you won't stain them with the grease. He knows you'll be licking your fingers for hours otherwise.

While he's gone, you shyly wait in front of the eyes of thousands of fans, many hybrids now spamming compliments and hearts in the chat for you to see, making your tail wag, especially when the shipping tag for you and Jungkook is used. "There you go." Jungkook offers you the gloves, so you can eat while he continues to entertain the fans for the rest of the livestream.

He's happy even when turning of the camera- well aware that his situation with you is something rarely seen in the industry. He's glad you're so well liked and even loved by many, having feared in the beginning that they all would have to hide you away like a secret. But they don't have to, they can show you off like you deserve to be; and for him, you also provide some comfort in times of the band being a bit split apart.

He really loves you, not only as a friend. And he hopes you love him too, one day.

#bts fanfic #bts fic #bts imagine #jeon jungkook x reader #jungkook imagine #jeon jungkook imagine #bts jungkook imagine #bts jungkook x reader #bts jungkook fanfic #hybrid reader

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vagabond-umlaut · 11 months

Text

ramé 6.0

love.

a word everyone spells as l-o-v-e, except one certain young sorcerer – to whom it appears h-a-p-p-y, to whom it appears h-a-v-o-c – to whom it appears the shape of the letters of your name.

you, on the other hand, forget how to spell when the same word is before you – a fact which, your admirer reckons, would have been a major problem were he not he – that is, were he not the one and only 'gojo satoru'.

and thus begins, the plan.

and thus begins, the six steps to catch one's crush's eye — by the six eyes.

|6/6| this isn't really a way. if you're at this step, just fuckin' stop and retreat. your crush won't ever notice you – you sad, pathetic loser.

[READ 1.0 HERE AND 2.0 HERE AND 3.0 HERE AND 4.0 HERE AND 5.0 HERE!]

▸ student!gojo satoru x student!reader; fem!reader; the promised sunshine ending to this work's finally here!! ft. the classic angst-to-tooth-rotting-fluff trajectory, the best four friends one can ever get, and, the sweetest romance between 'toru and shortie becoming official freaking-finally! [THE CHAP TITLE'S MISLEADING. OF SORTS. :))]

▸ sorry but i had to squeeze in a scene of shoko and suguru being the best drinking buddies ever. AND AND AND- jjk season two, my beloved-beloathed...

▸ find other parts of 'ramé' and other [stand-alone] fics set in the same universe as this work here! anyways, image, divider & characters ain't mine. pls don't plagiarize, translate or repost this. enjoy reading! ❤️

"is that what you really think?"

gojo wonders if a momentous occasion as the one now deserves one brawl thrown into it or not. it won't be anything much; just dumping a bowl of soup down suguru's shirt and/or landing a pretty solid kick to his stomach and/or-

"careful, senpai or you might've to go home, bloody and beaten," the most monotone voice ever possible crashes into his thoughts in the worst possible way. a snicker, far too familiar, joins in. "yeah, nanami's right. besides, we haven't even clicked a pic yet. you wouldn't want to wear a black eye in it, would you?"

clinking his glass with shoko's, the white-haired watches suguru gulp down a shot of tequila, then give a mighty firm shake of his head. "no, of-fucking-course not. today is our dearest kouhai's important day; i don't wanna get involved in any drama now; though..." trailing off, the black-haired boy shoots gojo an awfully obvious side-glance before a look shared with the others.

the boy lets his eyes wander away from them. an abominably sharp acrylic nail pokes him in the cheek. gojo exhales a sigh, so exhausted.

were it just a day, the boy's certain to the hell and back, that he would have whipped up a snarky insult to the stink-eye aimed his way. the boy would have slapped his drunk classmate's hand away, calling her sense of fashion the worst names possible.

gojo, however, decides to resort to neither today. he decides to settle for a sigh - the second in the last minute, longer and wearier than the one before - and rests his face into the hollow of his palms, screwing eyes shut.

an exasperated grumble - or two, maybe - permeates the air.

"gojo senpai," the words ring out in a tone far too soft and worried. he muses he doesn't need to look to see the sympathetic frown haibara must be wearing, nor the varying degrees of pity and concern etched into the others' features. a warm hand squeezes his shoulder slightly.

haibara continues, "geto senpai is not entirely wrong, y'know? yes, of course, implying you might kick up drama is sorta wrong, i admit so. but otherwise... you could've tried to, i don't know, somehow find out the reason behind her sudden distance from you?"

opening his eyes, gojo twists to face his kouhai, ready to interrupt him, but stops at the earnestness in his gaze. "turning into a recluse or moping around isn't gonna solve anything, senpai. it's been more than a month since then and from what little i've seen, i can say it's eating the both of you alive. you, way more than her. so, go, speak with her," he urges him with a smile, "the others are not very well at showing their emotions but trust me when i say, we all are worried for you both, senpai."

the white-haired boy drags his gaze away from the speaker. suguru gives him a smile, shoko pokes him in the cheek again, nanami offers a fleeting impression of something smiley before looking away with a grimace.

gojo's eyes flit back to the encouraging boy before.

"okay," the upperclassman relents with a sigh, which instantly grows into a frown the moment every piece clicks into place in his mind and the goggles-wearing boy swears his heart skips a beat, "but what did you say about seeing shortie and know-"

stopping in the middle of the question, the boy stiffens.

three glasses shatter on impact with the floor, freed from the waiter's grasp, soon followed by two maids screeching your name in the most terror-struck voice ever manageable. gojo's six eyes provide him with enough details as always; albeit it seems miles from enough now, the way it always is in your case, further deepening the sorcerer's need to physically see you once; to soak in the brilliance of your gaze and the sweetness of the curve of your lips once.

who knows if he'll ever see you again from as close as- okay, no, wait-

"did you just run all the way here-"

"i love you."

"-in your heels?"

everything falls silent the moment the last word leaves gojo's lips and a shuddered breath escapes him into the bittersweet fragrance of the citrus perfume he remembers you using. in a lilac dress with a messy hairstyle and diamond studs, the youngest and newest leader of your clan stands before him, cheeks stretched in a wide grin.

whirling his seat round completely, the boy gives you one long look, only to earn a hauntingly soft look in return.

you smile.

"i know you might see me as the most inconsistent, lying, crazy bitch at best or as the most opportunistic bitch ever, trying to seduce you, for lack of a better term, to satisfy her craving for power, at worst; but no matter how you see me, how others see me, how i see myself - i'm in love with you, that's one thing which won't change no matter what."

you pause.

and as he watches you catch your breath after that long as hell sentence para, the first realisation which crashes on gojo's otherwise numb brain is: you too haven't changed.

not. one. bit.

from the way you stick to your minimal makeup look; to the way you speak sans any break and curse yourself as you confess to something (you think you did) wrong; to the way your gaze remains fixed on him, acutely trained on even the mildest twitch of his facial muscles... one whole month has passed since that stormy evening yet you're still the same you.

a little sweet. a little sour. a whole lot perfect-

who loves him-

you. love. him. too.

for the first time in an apparent eternity, gojo feels his lips lift in a free smile. although the chuckle leaving him sounds laden with moisture and emotions.

"i'll die before calling you a seductress, shortie," the boy says, "you're way too dumb and naive for that." your eyes move to the girl drinking beside him for a second, before settling back on him, a light sheen in them. smile widening yet growing a tender quality, he goes on to say, "and i know you aren't a liar; but regarding the inconsistent claim... i think an explanation's long overdue, isn't it?"

you huff a mild chuckle. stuffing your hands into your dress pockets, your senpai watches you draw in a long breath before letting it out in a whoosh, a tiny smile nestling in the corner of your lips. you begin.

"you know, right, my eldest brother was the clan leader before me? y'know, after my father just decided, one fine day, he's growing old and so he wants to retire somewhere peaceful now, with my mom, leaving me in the care of takeshi nii-chan and his wife?"

four pairs of eyes switch to him in silent query. ignoring them, gojo nods. it isn't everyday you speak so openly of your family, especially this topic concerning them.

considering how painful and sore it is for you.

how big of an escapist your father is.

how big of an asshole your brother is.

how utterly difficult it is for you to navigate in this household daily.

your sigh interrupting his thoughts, he hears you continue, "well, all was going well until it was not; and i decided i'd already spent too much time being a spectator to my life and future keeping getting kicked around like a fucking soccer ball."

few gasps sound in the vicinity, undoubtedly at you cussing. nanami's smooth voice cuts in through their shocked surprise, and through the bubble, gojo was under the impression, he and you had slipped into.

judging from the tiny start you give, the white-haired boy surmises you too must have felt the same.

your classmate's solemn voice sounds in the hush, though traces of a hesitation can still be found in it when he asks, "they... didn't arrange a wedding for you in the month you were here... did they?"

"they did," you're quick to answer, voice growing a steely quality, "the higher-ups and my brother decided to get me engaged to-"

"to whom?"

gojo's lips quirk up at the way you roll your eyes at suguru's impatient question, then look at him, a tired smile creeping onto your features. but, hey! is that a tinge of shyness on your face that the boy can see?

you point your chin at him. "to 'toru, who else?"

the second (or maybe, the third) bout of silence would have followed this statement of yours too - if not for the cackling girl beside gojo. the latter makes no effort to conceal his irritation, shooting the most vicious glare ever; shoko simply raises her glass, as if in a toast, then tosses you a smirk.

"you love him, still you don't wanna get hitched with him? not very clever of you, yeah?"

"yeah," haibara chips in, albeit much less teasing and more a worried timbre than shoko, the shades-wearing boy deems. the other student continues, brows creasing together, "plus, i doubt gojo senpai saying no to the proposal. so, why didn't you go ahead with it?"

your head tilts to one side. your lips twitch in a knowing fashion.

"you just said the reasons yourself, yu-kun."

years later, if someone asks gojo when's the time he realised he's in love with you, too deep and too far gone to ever consider anyone but you by his side, as his other and undoubtedly better half, the sorcerer will grin the goofiest grin ever and sigh the dreamiest sigh ever, and say, "every day."

which is the truth, really-

yet, from those 'every day'-s, there exist few such days, whom the six-eyes user's brain subconsciously frames in a golden frame and places on a dust-free pedestal.

for instance, today.

a day your senpai dreaded to begin by leaving the comfort of his bed, knowing the person whose ascension to the metaphorical throne he has been invited to witness today, blood chilling and condensing into tears on his lashes as memories from long ago and not-so-long-ago hurtle into his brain.

only to morph, by evening, into the day the boy realises: love isn't just what made him switch his infinity off and pull you under him, a shield to protect you from the crumbling roof, forgetting everything except your safety and life; but love is also what made you push him and the emotions within yourself away.

forgetting everything - the boy knows from knowing you these many years - except your very evident aim of shielding him from the vicious schemes of those responsible for this damned jujutsu hierarchy.

no matter how easy and rewarding the other path would've been for you.

no matter how difficult and painful this current path must've been for you.

just 'cause you love him.

just 'cause you know, at the end of it all, he's going to be safe, away from the manipulating hands of the higher-ups - away from even the slimmest chance of experiencing a shred of the ordeals you suffered as a child, losing your free will and living as a mere puppet, subject to those old geezers' whims and fancies.

the two of you are not-too-near to the threshold of adulthood; still, through those unsure lenses of transition between immaturity and maturity, gojo feels sure this very moment that his eyes are viewing now - of watching his feelings being reciprocated not only in words (which, he knows, are true; your body language is as familiar to him as the back of his hand) but also in actions - so pure, so selfless, so utterly... loving-

the boy reckons his six eyes have never landed on a sight so ethereal and just so good, that it makes his heart want to burst right out of his chest.

drinking in the way you're regarding him, fingers fidgeting and teeth gnawing on your lower lip, gojo cracks a smile.

your restlessness abates a little.

"you became the clan leader just to make sure this story remains ours and only ours, didn't you?"

you take a moment before answering with a big nod.

"yeah," you say, "but that doesn't mean you need to be grateful to me or anything of the sort. you can give me any answer you want to give. you can also give me no answer, now or ever, if that's what you really want to do. just know that i love you, and that your answer can never really put a dent in it, no matter what it is."

"no matter what it is?" your senpai echoes your words back to you. a small nod is what you send in reply; yet it seems to be more than the quantity of oil required to set the cogs of gojo's brain whirring to life and mischief. eyes narrowing, he asks, "not even if my response is an 'i love you too, shortie', hm?"

the clock in the room ticks thrice.

two known voices mutter curses behind him.

five maids of yours scurry out the door, whispering excitedly.

you narrow your eyes back at him.

"i asked you to not feel pressured, didn't i? tell me what you want to say, 'toru," you say; his name in your mouth sounds sweeter than the sweetest mochi the boy's ever tasted, "and not those stuff you think i want to hear you say."

your statement draws an amused chortle from gojo. "did you really forget what i told you last that day, shortie? or did you not again not understand what i was telling you then?"

"what's there to not understand in that!?" your indignant reply arrives without missing a beat, "you said you've always seen me as way more than a childhood friend: true 'cause we're best friends. then- oh yeah," with a click of your fingers, you add, face steeped in contemplation, "you also said- oh."

"yep, oh," gojo nods his head in an exaggerated fashion, revelling in the way you're looking at him right now, eyes round as saucers and cheeks ruddy as the expensive wine being served now.

you still seem so beautiful to him.

it takes a pinch more than a while before you breathe out a breathless giggle. straightening in his seat, gojo feels his cheeks hurt a bit from the wide smile digging indents into them.

"you really lo-"

"ma'am, the guests for the evening party will be here very soon. you should get ready now," one of your maids interrupts you. the sorcerer feels his smile shrivel a little. you're barely back with him; yet you'll be stolen away from him-

"aw, is it so?" your entertained query cuts in through his thoughts. the boy looks up from his shoes his gaze had moved to before, to you, an awfully fake apologetic smile lighting up your face.

gods, why do you look so fucking kissable when you're like this?

"you know what, the people invited aren't really the kind i want to talk to and ruin my mood. besides, i've already met 'my' guests, so..." the boy watches you inch closer to him slowly as you trail off; your maid's eyes narrow before widening. you grin. "toodles, mrs. matsui!"

that and the salute you throw at everyone in the room are the last two memories clear in gojo's mind, before everything turns into a mush of everything yet nothing in the end.

well, barring a few exceptions, of course.

your contagious chortles, for instance, while you both dash down the hallways of your mansion; or your delighted gasp when he wraps his arms round you and warps to that patisserie in nikko; or your million-watt-bright beam to him, as you slap the latter's sneaky hands away from stealing a bite from your plate, whilst the latter declares this to be where you two will celebrate the future milestones; or the-

"ieiri senpai was right, y'know?" your tired voice cuts in through your senpai's rather-muddled recollections. the latter tears his gaze away from the inky-black night sky dotted by the twinkling lights of tokyo, to your drowsy form resting her head on his chest, his one arm tight around your shoulders, while the other rests behind his head on the cold hood of the car.

moving to brush the strands of hair away from your forehead, the boy presses a kiss to the tip of your nose, earning a sweet kiss to his chin in return, and hums, "not really the person i wanna chat about right now with my girlfriend..." you suddenly twist your body towards him, throwing an arm over his stomach and nuzzling into his neck; making a mental note to address you as that more often, he sighs. "but carry on, i guess. you won't be you if you can't gush about that damn shoko every third sentence or something."

planting your lips to his jaw for a mere second, gojo watches you pull away an inch from him, grinning. "senpai said you'll be the first one to confess but i'll be the one who makes things official and public and all that shit," you explain, then gasp, grin turning wider.

"oh my god," you mutter, "geto senpai and iori senpai are gonna lose so much money to her. them two never thought you could ever say 'i love you' to me, did you know that? oh my god... i kind of feel bad for those two."

the gleeful expression you're wearing tells your boyfriend otherwise - choosing to ignore it, he throws you a smirk. "well, i don't. those two people shouldn't have doubted me. i'm the one and only gojo satoru," he proclaims, puffing his chest out a bit, "of course, I'll be successful in my mission of getting you to notice my love for you."

"nah, i don't think so," you shake your head the very next instant. lips into the most adoring curve he's ever seen on you - something which steals his retort away from him and makes him want to pinch his arm hard, to see if he's dreaming or not - you hum.

"you could confess your love to me, not 'cause you're gojo satoru. but because you're my 'toru and i'm your shortie... isn't it so?"

gojo thinks back to the time utilised in carefully drafting and finalizing the steps via which he can catch your eye, only to watch them not go the way planned.

gojo looks back to you, only to find your eyes trained on him, glitters of love in them unbelievably similar to those loud crackers bursting in his chest right now.

the young sorcerer runs a reverent finger down the side of your face.

"yeah, it is because you're my shortie and i'm your 'toru, sweetness," he whispers, "and we'll always stay this way, yeah?"

you reply by engraving the shape of your smile into his.

▸ AND MY MAGNUM OPUS IS OVER! 🥳🥳

▸ I GENUINELY HAVE NO IDEA ON WHAT I SHOULD SAY RN BUT I THINK I WANNA SAY ONE HELL OF A BIG THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN WITH ME ON THIS JOURNEY SO FAR. 'TORU AND SHORTIE'S STORIES ARE LIKE, WAY FAR FROM BEING OVER, IG. BUT YEAH, THANK YOU SO SO SOO MUCH, PPL. I LOVE Y'ALL SO MUCH! 🥰🥰🥰

▸ series: we're the summer to our winter rain

▸ masterlist

#gojo x reader #gojo x you #gojo satoru x reader #gojo satoru x you #satoru x reader #satoru x you #jjk x reader #jjk x you #gojo fluff #gojo angst #gojo fic #gojo satoru #jjk fluff #jjk angst #jjk fic #jjk fanfic #jjk #kit posts 📝

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i-want-all-the-cookies · 4 months

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The Orange Peel Test

This is the result of scrolling through tiktok and coming across a few "orange peel test" videos. Which then made me begin to wonder how some of the characters would react in these situations. Would they pass the test or fail miserably?

Donald-

If you're with Donald it's because he chose to have you in his life. He has no room or time for anything that's not to be taken seriously, and he obviously does his homework on any venture that he invests himself into. Which, in this case, would result in already knowing the kind of person that you are and what you like and don't like. So much so, that you wouldn't have to request such small favors as peeling an orange from him. Most days, he would have a tray set on the tabletop with an already peeled orange, split nicely into slices, ready for you when you get home. It will be the same concept with him filling up items you are low on, such as your favorite granola or shampoo, to the point that you can't even remember the last time you actually bought more yourself. Now he probably won't ever leave you little notes in the way that his mom did to him as a child, because he would hold that memory too close to his soul to share or give out with anyone else, including you, but he would 100% leave encouraging and love filled notes to his own children if you both ever decide to have any.

Jimmy-

Jimmy would give an immediate little sneer if you asked him to peel your orange. Which would be quickly followed up with him just snatching it out of your hand, and complaining a bit about having to do it, while still actually doing it for you. He would also eat half of it himself as he splits the orange apart slice by slice. His reasoning of course would be that he did the "hard" work, so why shouldn't he have some of the reward? The other half of the orange he would stuff into your mouth mindlessly and not too gently, in a very one slice for him- one slice for you, two slices for him- one for you, etc. Once the orange is all done, he will get up to grab another one, and repeat the process all over again. This will continue until you finally tell him that you're full and don't need any more orange slices.

Wolf-

You can't force Wolf to do anything that he doesn't want to do.(Unless you're Donald haha). So really it's a 50/50 chance for it to go your way if you were to ask him. But luckily for you, the one thing about Wolf that is very much in your favor, is that when he's in one of his more giving moods he doesn't hold himself back from treating those close to him. Such as when he takes out his crew for a whole "order whatever you want" type of feast. So the chances of him peeling your orange is pretty high, even with his volatile nature. Just don't ask him in a cutesy voice or by giving him some sad puppy dog eyes. That shit will end up annoying the hell out of him, and you'll end up watching him as he walks away from you, with nothing to keep you company but that sad unpeeled orange you're still holding in your hand.

Jake-

Now you know damn well that Jake would 100% peel that orange for you. Heck, he would even do it with a big smile on his face. He is one of the most openly family and friend oriented person within the Yeongdeungpo union. So he would not only peel an orange for you, but he would also be the kind of guy who would wake up early in the mornings to warm up the car for you. Just to make sure that the windows aren't frosted over and to have the inside of the car nice and toasty. Making it easier for you to just take off in the mornings to wherever you need to go. AND he would do this unprompted and solely because he wants to and because he's able to.

Forrest-

Most people know Forrest as someone who's a complete asshole. Always trying to prove that he deserves the spot he inherited from Myles as Hyeongshin's school head. And truthfully he has the fist to back it up against most adversaries, so most people just try to stay out of his way. But you're one of the lucky few who has gotten to see a different side of him. Where he has been incredibly thoughtful to those close to him, and how he's even taken into consideration his subordinate's discomfort when making his moves within the Unions dealings. So it should come as no surprise to you that Forrest would have no issues with peeling you an orange. Chances are you wouldn't even need to verbally ask the question. All you would have to do is hold out an orange to him with a pleading look on your face. That alone will have him taking the orange from your outstretched hand, followed by him patiently peeling the rind away from it. Then handing it wordlessly back to you once it's peeled, and leaving to throw away all the discarded peels before you even have the chance to say thank you.

Colton-

Now you all know Colton would be a complete and total simp for whoever he's in a relationship with. And he would be SO ready to peel any oranges for you. And not just oranges either. He'll peel you some bananas or some apples. This guy will even go as far as peeling/cracking your pistachios for you! And in my opinion that's even better than peeling an orange.

#Dusting off the cobwebs so I can try to get back into writing #Still thinking about these guys months later 🥲#This love will be for life 🫶#Weak Hero #Jimmy Bae #Donald Na #Wolf Keum #Forrest Lee #Jake Ji #Colton Choi #Webtoons

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gaymurdersalad · 5 months

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Hi david, you seem awfully sweet! No offense to Legacy, but I personally think you deserve at least a LITTLE more credit, you're pretty caring. Hmm... Have some tomato soup! Sweet soup for a sweet guy :]

Wish I could stay long enough to be friends, but the soup council needs my soup expertise. Byeee! (whisper whisper: don't be afraid to stand up for yourself! you deserve the best, even if *someone* doesn't seem to think the same)

- the soup enthusiast anon

>I- I— I don’t—

>I think y’all are super sweet too, and— Thank you!— But, I… Ain’t nothin’ wrong!

>I don’t need t’… Uhm, stand up to nothin’. What- What should I be standing up to? Y’all— Oh, you all are bein’ silly, huh? Heh! I ain’t get much humor nowadays, sorry if I can’t catch the joke.

>Not too sure if I get it still… Shit, I- I’m bad at this, huh?

>… Y’all should be sayin’ all this stuff to Sportsy, anyways! I dunno why I’m the bell of the ball right now! Such a way with words, that one! Gah, he has me swoonin’ every time he speaks! I’m assumin’ y’all have met— He’s such a wonderful guy, you know that? Pretty easy in the eyes too, heh! I-

>I s- I should give this to Sportsy! He deserves a mot meal, anyhow.

>… Uhm… I- … I’ll… The smell is makin’ me kinda hungry, but that fella really should eat… When’s the last time he slept anyhow? Oh, god, I’m terrible for lettin’ this… I- Uh, oh god…

#murder salad #gaymurdersalad #gaymurderdavid event #hey soup enthusiast. I love you by the way #I always love reading your asks I’ve gotta get on answering them #not even gonna lie I saw you ask today and audibly clapped my hands and went YESS! SOUP ENTHUSAIST!#And now I really want some tomato basil soup and grilled cheese. I am about to devour some. immediately. thank you

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anonymousbeefriendfanfics · 1 year

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My Thoughts on Touchstarved

So, I've finished the demo! Let me start off by saying that I love the story! The concept is awesome, I adore that you can choose your own background, I love how immersive the setting is, everything is just... amazing. I can't wait for the full game to come out! Especially with all the special treats we're getting from the Kickstarter goals, it's going to be fantastic! And now, my friends, I shall share with you my thoughts & Headcannons for each of our lovely love interests, in order of appearance. If you'd like to see more, my requests are open!! I haven't gotten any for Touchstarved yet but I'm itching to write for them, I just... need some inspiration, so the more the merrier!

Kuras

First of all: pretty. I love his design, it's wonderful. He looks so ethereal! And very doctor-y, which was the point.

Can we talk about the hair, though???? How cool is that?? I love it. It looks very soft and fluffy. And so long... Could you imagine sleeping next to him? You wake up and you're drowning in floof.

He's very kind and gentle, but is obviously holding back. He distances himself from people, and like everybody else on this list, he needs to find someone he can really trust to open up and be himself with.

And he stays so busy, like... when does he ever take the time to relax? I know the city needs him and his clinic, but he deserves some time off, too.

To be honest Kuras gives me kinda like.... asexual vibes? Maybe demisexual? Idk, maybe I'm reading too much into him being reserved, but. I just feel like he either wouldn't be interested or he'd want to fall in love with someone before taking them to bed.

Leander

I love him, he's incredible. So talented, so kind!! I love the respect the Bloodhounds have for him, and how willing he is to go out of his way to help a stranger.

Also he blushes very easily and I love it, he's absolutely adorable

I am very very curious how he got so much skill with magic, because that doesn't seem to be normal. I bet it has something to do with his secret.

He very clearly has some serious trauma in his past, too. I wonder how he got that scar, if it has anything to do with his magic, if it is indeed the same scar running from his face to his arm....

Seems like he drowns his trauma in alcohol, his gang, and keeping himself very busy. Poor thing clearly doesn't get as much sleep as he should.

I think he just wants to be loved, but he's afraid to let himself be too vulnerable.

Vere

Foxboy Foxboy Foxboy Foxboy Fox-

Can I just say that I'm a little bit in love with his design. I mean I am with all of them but. Especially Vere. I love foxes and it's just. *Chef's kiss*

He's a cocky lil son of a biscuit tho. That tongue of his is quite sharp... as are his teeth~

I feel like he'd flirt with a Soulless to get what he wanted. In actuality he'd just murder it, but... you get my point. You're never sure if he's gonna seduce you or slit your neck.

Literally if Sage and Rime from Last Legacy had a child.

He's absolutely not trustworthy but I wanna get to the bottom of things and form that trust with him.

Romancing him would be very interesting. He's always three seconds away from eating you, but the question is... will he eat your soul, or your [redacted]?

Ais

He reminds me far too much of my friend's OC, and for that, I am the sliiiightest bit obsessed with him. At least that gives me a headstart on his characterization.

Would sell you to Satan for one cornchip, but fortunately MC interests him enough to keep them around

And Princess???? Oh my god. My heart. I adore her, I adore him, yes please

And he calls the MC "Sparrow"!!! That's absolutely precious. I love how he has nicknames for people, it's wonderful

Ais seems like the person who will tell you he doesn't care what happens to you and you can go get yourself killed for all he cares, then move heaven and earth to save you once you're even slightly in danger.

Mhin

Baby needs a hug. Enough said.

l absolutely adore them. They have stolen my heart.

And yes, maybe I do have the slightest bit of a savior complex, shut up. I'm just addicted to the hurt/comfort angst of it all, okay?

Literally hates everyone and everyone hates them (Except for, y'know, Kuras) because they're such a grumpy little loner and dear god just let me love you, let me teach you what love is.

They definitely fit into the whole "stronger than they appear" archetype because they're specifically mentioned to be pretty scrawny, but they have an impressive amount of strength and holy hells they're good with that dagger. That's incredible skill

I just. I want to break down those walls and earn their trust and teach them they have someone they can rely on who won't betray them, no matter what happens or how dark things get.

I just want to cuddle them and reassure them that everything's gonna be alright, is that a crime?

#beefriend-writes #touchstarved #touchstarved game #touchstarved kuras #kuras touchstarved #touchstarved leander #leander touchstarved #touchstarved vere #vere touchstarved #touchstarved ais #ais touchstarved #touchstarved mhin #mhin touchstarved #touchstarved demo

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simpforchuchu · 1 year

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Platonic!Oya Boys x Oya!FemReader!reader

Pov: A new female student starts to Oya High and our precious Oya Boys becoming overprotective 😁

a/n: Hii! I wanted to write smth for our lovely Oya Boys cjekkd I think it is really cutee 🥰 I hope you like it too :')♥️

Sorry for the grammer or spelling mistakes.English is not my main language so...

Thank you and love you 🥰

Warnings: hnl usual violence

Other parts

• No one cared much when Jamuo excitedly announced that a new student was transferring to first grade this term.

• But when they heard that this person was a s girl, they all reacted the same way...

• SHOUTS IN SHOCK...

• Third graders Todoroki and Tsukasa were quite worried about a young girl joining Oya. And already thinking how to protect her.

• While Tsuji&Shibaman duo and Fujio were excited that it would be quite interesting, the YasuKiyo duo was wondering if she could fight.

• NakaNaka duo and Jamuo were nodding their heads listening to their senpai.

• On the first day of the next week, as Tsukasa and Jamuo were climbing the stairs to the roof, they heard voices from a classroom they were passing. When they walked in and looked, they heard a girl muttering, looking at the boys on the floor with disgust.Jamuo was still staring at the girl in surprise when Tsukasa called out, thinking it might be the new student.

• "Are you the new student?"

• She looked at the door in surprise and saw Tsukasa staring at her with a straight expression.She picked up her bag from the floor and nodded her head.

• "Did you beat them all?"

• When the young girl nodded her head again, Tsukasa asked why. He sighed when he learned that the young girl had beaten them because they had laughed at her and made fun of her by saying she couldn't study here.

• "You shouldn't start a fight without even knowing who they are, it could be dangerous for you."

• Y/n nodded, guessing that this person was one of the 3rd graders.

• "Hai, senpai!"

• When Tsukasa told the young girl to come with him and introduce her to the others, she followed him and they went up to the roof.

• Yes, everyone was confused for a while...

• -Except Todoroki, he's as cool as ever-

• To look like a cool leader, Fujio calmly cleared his throat and approached the young girl who was looking around with puppy eyes.

• - yes y/n was pretty excited too -

• "Hanaoka Fujio, I'm the leader of Oya High."

• Fujio could swear he saw hearts in the girl's eyes

• "Huh?! Hanaoka-san ? Senpai, you are a legend."

• YES, NOW FUJIO IS VERY EXCITED AND HAPPY TOO

• Surely they will both shout excitedly for a while and the others will watch what is going on...

• Tsukasa now knew he had to stop them, and he did.

• "Takajo Tsukasa, Im also 3rd grade."

• "Tsukasa? Now I understand why you're popular with girls. You're really handsome."

• Tsukasa shook his head laughing

• "Oi! I'm your senpai."

• "Hai!"

• After the young girl met everyone, Tsukasa mentioned for a while that y/n got into a fight as soon as she arrived.Although this caused chaos for a while, Fujio was now sure of what he was thinking.

• "If Y/n-chan joins a faction, it keeps her safe.That's why she's joining the Todoroki Faction."

• "Huh?!!

• Yes, all three had the same reaction.

• "He looks scary" y/n says in a low voice and Fujio will whisper too "Yeah I know but I'm sure you'll love him"

• Okay, Todoroki definitely didn't want her around at thebeginning.He was worried about her safety and didn't like having her chase after him like a puppy.

• -Or he acted like he didn't like it...-

• She became like a little sister to them all in a short time.

• OYA BOYS AS ONII-CHANS 🥺🥺

• Even though Todoroki Faction, especially ChunChun duo became her best friends

• Oya's baby faction has always helped her. And I think that they often eat and play together..

• And no, no one can flirt with her.No man deserves her.They are very strict about it.

• I believe Tsukasa will be a sweet senpai. Although she enthusiastically chases after Fujio with her admiration, Tsukasa will always stop them as the 2nd Brain of the school...

• -Except when they went to Suzuran together. Tsukasa didn't know this, and if he did, he certainly wouldn't let this happen-

• When they found out that she came out of Suzuran unscathed - fujio had minor injuries but he didn't let them touch her - they were scolded for a really long time

• Yes, her beloved leader was also scolded.

• Fujio's frequent "Y/n-chaan!" 😍

• I believe he will call her cutely and enjoy talking to her.

• Jamuo will inform her about the gangs around

• In fact, not only Fujio, but also Suzuran and Housen, whom she went with her dear leader, will be her friends.

• I think all Suzuran found her quite cute.

• - Binzo and Magoroku prefer her to come over Fujio...

• She's one of the few people who makes Sachio smile, and he likes the way she gets along with his sister.

• Of the other schools, I think she'll be the closest to Yuken and Binzo.But everyone is a little hesitant about Binzo.Because they both too hyperactive...

• Ohh, when they went to Suzuran, it pissed off Todoroki the most.

• Todoroki has been pretty protective ever since she joined him.Although he found her annoying at first, he got used to it over time and sometimes misses her annoying him.

• She can be the third wheel next to Tsuji and Shibaman, they don't mind. Tsuji lets her dye his hair and he will dye her hair for the first time too...

• Todoroki knows she can protect herself, so it's okay for her to come to fights. And he's proud of her for getting stronger over time.

• Yes, he doesn't show his love very much, but she got a few headpats from him...

• I think she will have a lot of fun with YasuKiyo duo. They often go to arcades together and sometimes they sneak her into fights.

• -of course, todoroki gets pretty angry every time they come back-

• She is someone who is highly cared by everyone and a little spoiled... I think she brings them together more...

• She was on the bus with Tsuji and Shibaman when the big fight happened. When Raijin gets on the bus, Tsuji will notice this and ask her to stay in the bus.

• They know they are too crowded. Even if she doesn't want to admit it, Shibaman will convince her and ask her to find help.

• It was very sad to see them badly injured when she came back, but when she returned to Oya it was a little scary to see everyone injured...

• After the events are over, she will feel that everyone is even more connected to each other.

• Oh and she is definitely going to the party with the boys.

• The Girls High party...

• We know Todoroki found the card and he will definitely need a matchmaker.

• I told you they don't even let a man come near her, right? What if that man has already won her heart and it's Ebara's Sameoka Shoji...

• When they find out, only chaos will be in Oya...

• Especially Todoroki Faction will make this a huge problem :/

• Come on... They put Tsuji and Shibaman in the hospital...

• Even if they struggle for a while, Todoroki and the duo will accept it after everyone else...

• Of course, they will mess with each other at every opportunity, and Shoji should what his back at his slightest mistake 😌

• What if it's a different scenario... What if they found out that you actually like girls?

• All of them are totally okay with that.

• They just want you to be happy.

• So if you like someone, I believe they will all help you - at least they will try - and oh sure...

• no homophobic person can upset you... they will kill them.

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linkemon · 9 months

Text

Voice line headcanons 3

Friendly reminder that English is not my first language. You can check my Masterlists both in English and Polish here.

Aether and Paimon are looking for [Reader] because of a job found on a city board. It's a potential, well-paying occasion. If they manage to find an employer who forgot to write where you can meet them at all...

Mika Schmidt

✧Looking for Captain [Reader]? Ah... Uh... Maybe, maybe you'll ask someone else. No, I'm not afraid of you, Paimon. We've known each other for quite some time, so I'm not nervous, it's just... the thing about the captain is... No, they're not scary. Captain Kaeya, what are you laughing at?

✧ Captain [Reader] is a really special person. They taught me many things even though they are not much older than me. They help me on expeditions. They are very nice, very smart and very pretty. Erm... I'm sure you two will work well together.

✧ Captain Kaeya really told you that? Ah... It's not like that! I'm not jealous of them. We're not together, so of course I couldn't be. It doesn't mean that I wouldn't want to be their lover... Um, this is getting more and more confusing. You know what, why don't I just go back to work and you two go visit them? It's the door at the end of the upstairs corridor.

Dori Sangemah Bay

✧ Interesting your searches. Of course, the generous Dori will help her dear customers with all the problems. But to help customers, you have to deal with them and you haven't bought anything yet. Move, move! Check out what wonderful goods I have with me today...

✧ Mora is a wonderfully universal language, don't you think? Wherever you are, Dori is always happy to hear the clink of money and understand you. Back to your question, [Reader] is the steward of my palace. As an exception, I can invite you for tea and introduce you. Of course I have a vested interest in this, Paimon. I wouldn't do it for free...

✧ [Reader] is a very good worker. They're great at keeping secrets, and they can bargain. I don't like it when it comes to the paycheck but if you need to pick up a shipment of new items for sale, they're irreplaceable.

Faruzan

✧ You're looking for a really good Academy student. Unlike you, they know they should call me madame. What about you? It's a complete lack of education. The fact that we know each other has nothing to do with it. I deserve respect. After all, I'm older than you.

✧ [Reader] is a really special student of Kshahrewar. They have a chance to surpass Kaveh in his achievements. The room you are standing in now is their work. A delightful use of technology, isn't it? Their darshan will yet rise from their knees with their help. I'm sure of it. Soon you will be able to see their inventions beyond Sumer as well.

✧ These flowers? They are from them. What are you looking at, Paimon? It's obvious my lover is a well-mannered person! How come you don't believe we're a couple?!

Collei

✧ If you're looking for them, you're lucky! I was about to visit them because I hadn't seen them since I came to Mondstadt. We know each other from the time when I came to this city for the first time.

✧ They helped me a lot when I was going through hard times. When I went to Sumeru, they wrote me letters all the time. They told me everything that happened here. They're really great at lifting people's spirits. Anyway, you'll see for yourself.

✧ There they are! Let's go say hi. I will introduce you myself. They will be impressed for sure. You say, Paimon, that you haven't seen me so happy in a long time? Haha, maybe there's something to it. But you get it, meeting up with old friends is always exciting! Let's eat pita together, which I made especially for this occasion!

Bennett

✧ I'd really like to take you to her but with my bad luck, it might not be the best idea ever. It doesn't bother you? That's very kind of you but I'm talking about [Reader]. The last time they wanted to help me collect plants for a job, they were attacked by monsters. They made it out reasonably healthy but on the way home I bumped into them and broke their ankle. I wanted to carry them to town but on the way back I slipped and injured their leg even more. That's why I think it's better if I don't see them for a while. For theirsafety.

✧ Comission to carry heavy parcels? It makes sense. After all, now that they can't lift them and the flower shop certainly needs someone to take care of it. What a shame they have to suffer like this because of me... Hey, where are we going? I already told you it was a bad idea! I don't want to bring bad luck to them. They will be happy? I'm sure they'll be happy, but... All right, I'm going, Paimon!

#genshin impact x reader #bennet x reader #mika x reader #mika schmidt #faruzan x reader #collei x reader #dori x reader #dori sangemah bay #bennet #faruzan #voice lines #headcanons #over teyvat

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lovelyhan · 1 year

Note

I have been having this thot for a while

just imagine hoshi having a crush on cheol's gf, keeping it a secret from everyone, being hurt whenever he sees them together acting all lovey dovey with each other.

he knows that they love eachother but he cant help but think that if, what if it was him insted of cheol, loving u, kissing u, taking care of u, making love to u.

he didnt realize when his soft pure feelings for u turned into this intense passionate lust to make u his and his only.

having wet dreams about u two having this almost animalistic sex, he cant help but jerk off in the middle of the night.

can I request a drabble on this??

wc: 0.7k words minors do not interact! tw: obsessive undertones

Soonyoung wonders if this is some sort of cosmic joke.

He's the one who got to you first. The one who introduced you to the rest of the guys. You're practically best friends, if he's being completely frank with himself.

You trusted each other with secrets the others would only dream of knowing. Promised that you'll have each other's backs until the end of the line.

And yet...the one you're dating now isn't him.

It's Seungcheol.

At first, he's happy for you. Soonyoung knows pretty well that your dating life was quite the tragedy over the years, so when the news that you and Seungcheol have made it official reaches his ears, his first instinct is to give you his never-ending support. Who wouldn't be happy about their best friend landing a pretty decent boyfriend, right?

But as the months pass, and he gets to see you fall deeper and deeper in love with Seungcheol, Soonyoung often finds himself lost in his own thoughts -- wondering what it would feel like to be on the receiving end of that starry-eyed gaze.

He thought that would be the worst of it. Those silly daydreams about being your boyfriend instead. If only he'd been more honest about how he really felt about you, would he be in Seungcheol's shoes right now?

But the more he's forced to watch you with one of his closest friends, the more his desire for you festers.

This is wrong. He should be happy for you -- just like he was when you first announced your relationship. Soonyoung knows that Seungcheol is more than capable of giving you everything you deserve and more.

However, that doesn't stop him from waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat -- cock painfully tight against his sweats after suffering through another filthy dream. As always, you're the star of his fantasies, and as he sticks his hand down his ruined boxers, Soonyoung half-wonders if Seungcheol would hate him if he had a taste of you. Just once.

Just once and never again. Just once to sate the insufferable itch that's crawling beneath his skin. Just once to get rid of the corrosive jealousy that's been eating at his chest for months.

The memories of his dreams cling like spidersilk in his mind -- you getting underneath him as he laves at your cunt, moaning Soonyoung's name and no one else's as you grind your hips against his awaiting mouth.

He can almost picture the fucked out look on your face when he gets you mounted on him -- a slobbering, cock-drunk mess as he bullies past your bruised thighs. You'd make all the prettiest fucking noises, he just knows it. It's always the bashful ones that end up being the biggest cockwhores in the sheets.

Soonyoung doesn't even bother muffling his moans as he jerks his aching cock, fucking into his fist all while thinking he was wrapped around the velvet heat of your pussy instead. He'd leave his marks all over your skin -- making sure no one else, not even Seungcheol can deign to call you theirs.

When he cums, there's no release to be felt from it. Even as his sticky, white-hot emission dribbles down his fingers, he doesn't feel satisfied.

More. He wants more. He needs more. Needs you.

But even in the midst of his deranged arousal, all it takes is a single glance at the picture frame sitting on his nightstand to lift him out of that feral haze.

It's a photo that was taken a couple of years ago at the amusement park -- with you holding up the stuffed panda that Soonyoung won for you at the sharpshooter booth. You both grinned from ear-to-ear that day, and Soonyoung still remembers feeling just how grateful he was to meet you.

You were his best friend, and he was yours.

Yet...he's doing all of this.

As he goes to get himself cleaned up, he lets himself stew in the shame that finally eclipses his wanton desire.

You're Seungcheol's. This is a fact that's not going to change anytime soon. He's had multiple chances to come clean about his feelings for you, and he didn't take any of them out of fear of ruining the perfect bond you've forged together over the years.

He's made his bed, and now he's going to have to lie in it.

⟢ end notes: i didn't mean for this to go completely dark, so i gave hoshi some Clarity of mind at the end UEUHEUFD i hope i did your request some justice! took me a while to get to it bc it was a little specific, but i rly had fun playing around w writing hoshi in this sort of scenario >:0

#seventeen smut #seventeen fanfic #svt smut #svt fanfic #soonyoung smut #hoshi smut #seventeen hoshi #seventeen x reader #hoshi x reader #📝 drabble #💭 request #lovelyhan

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kira-fluff · 2 years

Note

I saw your “enemies to lovers” and I was wondering if you could do one for Oikawa, Kageyama and Tsukishima please.

a/n: of course i will continue to write my most favoritest trope in the whole wide world it is flawless and lovely and beautiful that being said i feel like this is shit but it is what it is tw: swearing, suggestive

enemies to lovers - haikyuu!! x reader

oikawa tooru you hate him because he's so. fucking. arrogant.

it wasn't fair that god seemed to bless some people with more beautiful faces regardless of whether they deserved it or not. why is he so pretty? his personality is shit. you reasoned that perhaps in order to be good-looking you must be as equally intolerable. you took it upon yourself to knock oikawa down a few pegs whenever you could. he deserved it, what with his carefree attitude and conceited behavior. you cringed at all the fan girls that surrounded him. sure he was attractive, but you only wished they would open their eyes and realize how badly they were being deceived by his "happy-go-lucky" nature that secretly hid a dark, sinister, evil side. you tried to rant to your friends but they'd always stop you saying he "wasn't that bad".. but it was clear that they just didn't seem to see oikawa for the piece of shit that he really was! his stupid, shit-eating grin and his gross, fluffy, beautiful, luscious hair were annoying in and of itself, but then he always seemed to get a kick out of making you the butt of all his flirtacious jokes.

"hi-hi, y/n-chan~ you'll come cheer me on at my next match, won't you?"

you deadpanned, "i'd rather die."

you heard his friend, iwaizumi hajime, let out a loud laugh (he seemed alright to you) while oikawa's obnoxious, whiny voice said, "sO mEaN iWa-ChAN!!" he deserved it. stupid, annoying oikawa.

the thing that annoyed you most is how he seemed to always carry himself like he was so much better than you. as if being a volleyball player and the captain of the team made him fucking GOD or something. it made you despise sports altogether - it was just so common to see athletes who were so full of themselves act like they're the greatest thing to ever fucking exist. so you had never went to a single game aoba johsai played - of any sport - but especially volleyball. you rolled your eyes as you studied in the library, hearing the loud, bothersome cheers coming from the gymnasium during their matches. sometimes you even heard an "oikawa-saaaan~~~" which made you nearly gag. why did girls even like him? his personality alone was the least attractive thing you'd ever seen in your entire life and he was not that handsome. in fact, his shitty personality immediately made him go from maybe a 7 to a 1. or a negative number, if you could rate him so. it was so annoying! you felt bad for all of them - using their money to buy him gifts and giving their hearts to him only for him to crush them by dating them for a week or just flat-out rejecting them. you'd think after the first few times it happened that they'd learn their lesson but after so long they still trailed after him like lost puppies. you pitied them, really.

you were interrupted from your trance by the clearing of a throat. you looked up to see the fucker himself, oikawa tooru. you weren't in the mood for good graces so you glowered at him, muttering a low, "what."

he smirked at you like he knew something you didn't, "just reminding you my game is tonight."

you sighed, your eyebrows narrowing further, "it's not just your game, it's aoba johsai's game. and like i'd ever go to watch you."

he leaned closer to you, his stupid cologne fumes getting in your nose. "are you sure, y/n-chan~?"

you rolled your eyes, "positive. now please leave me alone."

he huffed, "why don't you-"

"obsess over you? cry for your attention? wet my pants when i see you?" you interrupted.

he begrudgingly muttered, "i was going to say, like me.."

you scoffed, "why don't i like you?" your voice was getting louder now, "maybe because you're an arrogant piece of shit who only thinks about himself!"

his eyes widened, then narrowed. his voice grew low, "...you don't know me."

you laughed, "pretty sure i do, actually."

you moved closer to you, "you barely even look at me, much less show up to any of the school's games. i think we both know who the arrogant one is. 'oh i'm so special! i'm not like those other girls! i'm so quirky and amazing because i pride myself on not giving a shit when in reality all i ever am is angry at the world because if i were gone no one would even notice!'"

you blink back tears, "..you're a piece of shit." you ground out the words, wiping hastily at your eyes.

he smirked sardonically, "again, you barely even know me. you don't know the first thing about me. i bet i know more about you than you know about me."

"really? what with the way you advertise every moment of your life, i find that hard to believe!" you jeered.

"wanna bet?" he placed his hands dramatically on his hips.

you sighed, "well, for starters, you think you're better than everyone else because you play volleyball and you're slightly good-looking if you squint and you have good grades because then you can brag about them and your friends all make fun of you."

he raised an eyebrow, "that's all?"

"there's not much else, you're pretty shallow."

he swallowed thickly, "well i know that you like to pretend that you're better than everyone else just because you pretend that everything everyone else likes is uncool in comparison to you sitting by yourself all lonely and sad. you like to look down on other people for being conceited and you hate sports because you think that anyone who plays a sport must be oh so arrogant or else your theory that me being a piece of shit will be proven wrong. you try hard in every aspect of your life but you don't want other people to notice because you so desperately want others to validate you for completing things flawlessly and without any struggle. you are afraid that other people will see the real you so you pretend to be someone you're not. you think others don't notice the way you cry if you get below an A on your test and you secretly love volleyball even if you pretend you hate it. you think no one notices when you fall asleep in the library because you were studying so hard you passed out."

you blinked in surprise. "thats-"

he continued, "you almost fainted after midterms. you were pale like a ghost. you suck at taking care of yourself and you suck even more at pretending you hate the things you like. you're so..."

you looked at him up and down, "annoying?"

he shook his head. "i was going to say beautiful."

"you're so full of shit."

he rolled his eyes, "would you rather i'd said 'ugly'?"

"that'd be a compliment coming from you." you smirked.

he averted his eyes, "well that's the last time i ever compliment you."

"like you even meant it! you're a flirt. you manipulate people to get what you want."

"i do not!"

"yes you do! you play with their hearts until you've had your fill of their attention." you sighed, "it's no wonder iwaizumi calls you 'shittykawa'."

oikawa huffed, then grabbed you by the arm, rushing you into a deserted classroom.

you glared up at him, eyes radiating pure malice. "i hate you."

oikawa's eyes traveled downward before snapping up again to your eyes. his adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed thickly, his eyes growing hazy. the next thing you knew, his lips were on yours. the strangest part is that you didn't pull away. in fact, instead of feeling strong disgust, you found yourself leaning into his touch as his hand found purchase on your cheek and jawbone. oikawa lightly slid his tongue over your lip, gaining entrance into your mouth where the two of you battled for dominance. in the end it was he who won, though you swore it was only because you so desperately needed air. as you pulled away, a string of spit strung between your lips. you were no longer glaring, instead, you wore a dopey expression of surprise and desire, though his expression was no different. his pupils were blown so wide you could see your own reflection in them. yet, his eyebrows were also creased, as if in pain.

then he said words you thought you'd never hear him say.

"i'm sorry."

you opened your mouth to speak but he continued.

"i'm sorry i haven't done that sooner." he winked, before walking away, leaving you enraged and chasing after him. there wasn't anything else that needed to be said between you - the kiss said it all.

kageyama tobio you hate him because he hates you.

you weren't one to judge someone for having a resting bitch face but you were convinced this guy genuinely hated your guts. he seemed to radiate hatred whenever you were around. if you turned toward him, his expression immediately soured.

so, you decided two could play at that game and from then forward, a silent game ensued. you weren't sure how many of the rules kageyama understood or was aware of but you were certain of one thing: you weren't going to lose.

when engaging in eye contact, the first to change their expression even a little bit loses

if you make the other laugh, it's an automatic win

no talking whatsoever

they weren't difficult rules to abide by, except when you had the burning need to trade a few insults with him. the strangest thing is that you never seemed to hear he was talking bad about you. you thought for sure by now you'd hear all the sorts of things he'd be saying about you to his teammates but so far you hadn't heard a thing. you assumed they must just be very close-lipped individuals or that kageyama must not have many friends (which is definitely a possibility if you're being honest). even though you're sworn to hatred of your nemesis, that thought made you a little sad. but you were sworn enemies, you told yourself, because he hated you. it upset you that you weren't sure why he disliked you.. and it bothered you even more that he refused to talk to you about it. perhaps you had made him upset about something. still, you recalled the time you tried to go up to him to talk to him about it - you called out his name - only for him to take one look at you before completely ignoring you and turning around, walking away. that set you on the path to hating him from then on. still, it made you sad that he refused to talk to you about it.

it wasn't until second-year when the two of you shared the same homeroom when you were surprised to see that maybe he was finally forgiving you. after you'd gave him an eraser to borrow, he smiled a little and quietly said, "thank you." another time you scored a perfect 100% on your test and he awkwardly said, "g-g-g-good job." it sort of threw you off that it took him so much effort to say it, like giving you a compliment was some sort of chore, but you were glad that he was at least trying to be nice now.

"y/n?"

you turned in surprise, greeted by kageyama tobio himself. you raised an eyebrow in question.

he continued, "w-would y-you want to g-go on a date with me?"

you blinked in surprise. "w-what?" was he joking?

his face was quite flushed now as he averted his gaze, "n-nevermind."

you made a noise of hesitation, "wait, you don't hate me?"

it was his turn to blink in surprise, ".....hate you?" he turned his head to the side in confusion. "i...i don't hate you.."

your expression only grew more confused. this didn't make any sense. he always glares at you when you walk by... right?

what you didn't know is that each time he turned away from you, it was to hide his raging, red blush. each time he frowned at you, it was in an attempt to calm his beating hard, so rapid it was nearly about to come out of his chest. kageyama was much more confused of his emotions than anyone else.

tsukishima kei you hate him because he's rude and mean and RUDE.

leave it to tsukishima fucking kei to shit on your parade. you were notorious around school for being "miss sunshine" - the light of class 1-A: you tried to be as positive as possible.

"tsukishima-kun, look, this week there's going to be an event for your volleyball club to raise funds! isn't that so exciting?" he only deadpanned at you before replying, "acting excited doesn't make the job any less of a hassle." not only was he a huge buzzkill, but he was also just a huge meanie! a big jerk! you tried everything from searching for hobbies that might motivate him to even blackmail (which went about as well as you could expect) to try to get him to like you.

to make matters worse, he was a wiz at school which made every time you got a test back the bane of your existence. no matter how hard you tried to hide your score, you'd always catch the little sneer sent your way from the blonde boy. you sank in your seat as you took in the "F" on the top of your paper. tears welled up in your eyes as you turned around and stuck out your tongue. he'd only smirk in that rude, mean way he does while mouthing, "dummy". so, you decided, you'd hate him. you'd hate him so much that you would purposefully try to irritate him as much as possible. it brought you immense joy to see the irritation on his face as you'd poke him or jeer at him. it was a side none of your classmates had seen before - you weren't any less positive, but you definitely got a big kick out of pushing tsukishima's buttons. anything that would annoy tsukki was fair game. that meant calling him "tsukki" or "kei" whenever you got the chance. you also made a point of being extra loud in the morning when he was yawning and grinning a wide smile at him while he glared at you. if there was a moment during your breaks where tsukki had accomplished something, you'd smack his back extra hard while "complimenting" him with sayings like, "wow, as expected from Glasses Guy!" (another one of his least favorite nicknames). the spectacle amused your classmates and even encouraged you, much to tsukishima's dismay. but that's what he gets for being such a bully to you. sometimes he'd purposefully move things in the classroom to higher shelves when he knew you'd need to reach for them and couldn't. you'd always turn around and glare at him before sticking your tongue out.

as much as tsukki hated to admit it, a lot of what he thought about consisted of you. how he was going to annoy you or pay you back for what you'd done. but it was because you were so annoying - a huge dummy - he reasoned, that he couldn't ignore you. the way you ran around trying so hard and failing like a little mouse was amusing as it was equally obnoxious. he reasoned that maybe this was the reason he found himself becoming less bothered with you and actually beginning to enjoy your company - if that was even possible.

don't get him wrong, you were still extremely annoying. like that time you'd stood and talked with a second-year for what felt like hours during lunch, twirling your hair around your finger and smiling like an idiot. and then you started to giggle and covered your mouth which was something you never did around him (you usually laughed as loud as possible). it was disgusting, the way you flirted so openly with a guy, to his knowledge, you barely knew at all. so, he decided he'd put a stop to the spectacle that was definitely making everyone else as equally irritated as him. he stood up and walked over - visibly towering over the second-year - and stared him down. the loser seemed to catch the hint because he mumbled some excuse before retreating into the hallway.

"that was really mean of you, tsukki," you huffed.

tsukishima rolled his eyes, long-since given up on correcting your nickname (and strangely he didn't find that he disliked it too much anymore), "i thought i might throw up if i see anymore that."

you glowered at him, "anymore of what, tsukki?"

he narrowed his eyes, "you know what you were doing."

you puffed out your cheeks in the way that you knew bothered him because he looked away, his ears turning red - from anger, of course. "that's not fair!"

he raised an eyebrow, challenging you, "what isn't fair about anything that i said? do i need to spell it out for the dummy?" he grinned sardonically.

you scrunched your nose, "s-shut up, tsukki! you're so mean! what have i ever done to you?!"

tsukishima was already feeling anger boil up in him, "what haven't you done? just you being around is a chore in and of itself."

you blinked. he swallowed as your eyes turned glassy. you voice was only above a whisper as you replied, "then i guess i'll just stop bothering you." and then you turned around and ran.

the following week you ignored tsukishima. not that he really went out of his way to talk to you, you noticed. it had always been you going up to him and making a point to bother him. the thought saddened you - you hadn't even realized how much he hated you. and that thought angered you more. you decided from that point forward to ignore anything he did, unless to provide a scathing remark - just to give him a taste of his own medicine.

what you hadn't noticed is tsukishima's gaze that so often wandered over to you.

to be honest, he admired how hard you worked... for him, it wasn't necessarily an "effort" he put in rather than raw talent when it came to school. it's why, he reasoned, he'd so often catch himself staring at you while you nodded at the teacher mid-lecture, faithfully highlighting your notes. only for you to fail the test the next day. unfortunately you seemed to be more aware than he thought because you'd always catch him looking, but thankfully seemed to write it off as an insult because you'd always stick out that damn tongue of yours. the first time you'd stuck out your tongue he found himself swallowing like an idiot, entranced. so irritating.. you always did such unnecessary things.

he did feel bad for what he said to you. he was aware of his habit of saying this he didn't entirely mean. and well, what he said couldn't have been further from the truth.

you blanched.

"in order to get your grades up, i decided to make the decision to get you a tutor." you teacher grinned.

you heard the familiar, annoyed sigh and knew immediately who it was. you teacher smiled a little wider, "tsukishima-kun here owes me a little favor," she clasped her hands together, "so here we are."

tsukki rolled his eyes before meeting your own, mouthing, "thanks a lot." you frowned at him. this was going to be a long semester.

as soon as your teacher left, you slumped down into one of the library chairs, groaning. he sneered, "you're acting like you're the one suffering here."

you glared at him, "trust me, i am."

"funny, you're not the one trying to teach the idiot calculus."

"'m not an idiot, shitty-shima"

he laughed, "that's a new one."

"just get this over with."

he rolled his eyes, "believe me, i don't want to be here any more than you do."

strangely enough, though, tsukishima was a faithful teacher. he seemed to be patient enough in explaining each of the mathematical concepts that continued to stump you. sure, there wasn't a bit of encouragement when you answered something correct, but at least he didn't make fun of you when you answered something incorrectly this time. in fact, he reasoned that the areas where you messed up were common misconceptions. almost like he was trying to comfort you. almost.

it had barely felt like an hour when tsukki looked at the clock and sighed, saying that he was going to be late for practice if you didn't stop there. it had really been almost three hours already? despite yourself, you found yourself thanking him bashfully to which he nodded in response.

out of the blue he said, "about before," he sighed, "sorry."

your eyes widened in surprise. you blinked before abruptly asking, "hey, tsukki?"

"hm?"

"why... why do you hate me?"

he raised an eyebrow, "..hate you?"

you scoffed, "well you don't exactly make it subtle."

you stared down at you, his expression serious, "i don't hate you."

you smacked his arm lightly, "you don't have to lie."

he caught your hand, peering into your eyes, "i'm not lying."

you don't know what possessed you to say what you said next.

"prove it."

he swallowed thickly before taking your arms in his and diving swiftly, kissing you deeply. it felt strangely familiar, like something you'd felt before, yet had been deprived of your entire life. most of all, it felt right - something that scared you, knowing that only moments ago you believed he was the last person you'd ever want to kiss. and yet here you were, panting, eyes blown wide, and completely entranced.

he was so confusing, but you were willing to spend your entire life trying to solve the puzzle that was tsukishima kei.

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