sultrybaby

[sultrybaby]

Familiar Ground – Bonten!Rindou Haitani x Reader

Years have passed, and there's no denying that Rindou had dug himself deeper into the world of chaos and crime. Now, all you can do is hope that this reunion might be the catalyst for something different, a chance to pull him from the life he's chosen.

wc: 2k

🤍

The little bistro wasn’t so outlandish that you’d suspect you’d wandered into the more taboo corners of the city. It was, however, perfect for an occasion where one needed to stay inconspicuous — something that suited your current predicament almost too well.

Waiters moved about the room serving cigars, pipes, and other mind-warping substances as casually as if they were hors d'oeuvres. In a haze like this, it seemed unlikely anyone would recognise one of Bonten’s executives.

Speaking of — Rindou was late.

One leg crossed over the other, bouncing absentmindedly, your face nestled into the curve of your palm observing the old grandfather clock.

From an outsider’s perspective, you must have looked like the picture of boredom. Not that you gave a damn what any of them thought. Too many years had been lost waiting for this chance. Too many minutes wasted wondering how things might have unfolded if you had just fought a little harder to set them right.

You craved an explanation — even if you tried to keep your optimism in check, knowing it usually did nothing but get your hopes up. And he wasn’t even here yet. Doubt began to creep in; it wouldn’t be the first time he’d left you hanging. Rindou had always been known for his flakiness.

Then, from the next room, a muted chime of the doorbell mixed with the soft rattle of a beaded fly screen stirred those feelings of hope. The sound was nearly swallowed by the bar’s unpleasant din, but it was enough to put you on alert.

“Is there anything else I can get you?”

The same cute waitress who had served you earlier appeared at just the wrong moment. Her lopsided grin wasn’t insincere, but warm in a way that made you feel like you could trust her with all your secrets.

Without wanting to seem too eager to send her away, you nodded toward your now nearly empty glass and tried to mirror her kindness with a small twitch of your lips.

“Another of the same, please.”

“Of course! Coming right up.”

Before she could skip away, you beckoned her back...

“Actually, make that two. I believe my company has just arrived.”

A flicker of surprise crossed her face as she glanced toward the door — maybe pegging you as the brooding, lonely type. Fair enough.

“Oh, should I wait to take their order—”

You wave that off. “No need, we have similar taste.” She smiled again, then disappeared to fetch your drink.

The room quieted as heavy footsteps crossed the floor. You didn’t need to look. Rindou always had that effect — mystery clinging to him whether he liked it or not.

The chair across from you scraped back. After he shot a glare at the onlookers, the buzz picked up again.

The waitress reappeared, placing two glasses on the table and sneaking a glance at Rindou. Those tattoos, new ones you hadn't seen before. No wonder she quickly scuttled away like a mouse after noticing them.

He barely looked at you, taking a small sip — red, of course. Always red.

Once the room's attention drifted elsewhere, you leaned in.

“So...we meet again.”

He snorted, eyes roaming the bar.

“Guess you could say that.”

The indifference stung, but you didn’t flinch. He’d always been like this — even back in high school when he first asked you out, half-mumbling, barely meeting your eye.

“Wanna go do something?” he’d muttered as you left the school gates.

You said ‘Sure,’ and just like that, the diner booth became your spot.

You pulled yourself back to the present.

“Well then, how are you?”

He gave you a flat look. “Really? That’s the best you’ve got?”

“Nope, guess not. After four years, why would I even care how you’re doing?”

He rolled his eyes, but you caught the faintest crack in his armor. You always had been the one person (aside from his charming brother, of course) who could make him smile, laugh... and swoon on occasion.

“Look, I told you already. I don’t have time for—”

“Yeah, I know. You’ve made that crystal clear.” You met his gaze, unbothered. “Still doesn’t mean I’m just gonna sit here and pretend you don’t exist.”

He sighed, raking a hand through his lilac hair, which promptly flopped back into his face. You leaned back, taking him in — older, sharper around the edges. No glasses this time. The tailored look suited him.

Maybe too well.

“Fine,” he muttered, resigned. “If you really care that much — I’ve been decent.”

“And Ran?”

He gave a lazy shrug. “Same as always. Nothing changes with him. Lazy bastard.”

You snorted at that. Ran’s entire life could be boiled down to three things: Rindou, overpriced hair products, and introducing whichever poor idiot who crossed him to his baton.

You smiled to yourself. “Right. So now you ask about me.”

He groaned under his breath but played along, grumbling, “How’ve you been?”

(His tone was about as enthusiastic as a rainy Monday, but you let it slide.)

“I’ve been doing great, actually. Thanks for asking.” You sipped your drink, giving him a sideways glance. "Got promoted recently. And now I’m here, meeting up with an old friend who’s trying really hard not to look happy about it."

Rindou gave you a flat look over his glass. You smirked.

"Don’t give me that. I'm doing you a favor. Gotta get you talking to people somehow."

He let out a quiet grunt, unimpressed. "You know I don't bother unless it's worth my time."

You didn’t miss a beat. "Oh? So meeting up with me is worth your time?"

He choked mid-sip, coughing into his fist as he shot you a glare. One hand slammed the table, the other flipping you off without hesitation.

"In your dreams."

You laughed, easy and genuine.

It was just like before — slipping right back into old habits, like the time apart hadn’t even happened. Even with the tattoos and new hair, he was still Rindou underneath it all. And part of you had missed this more than you wanted to admit

Back then, it was easy.

Rindou would show up outside your house right before dinner, revving his engine like the delinquent he was, promising your parents he'd have you back at a 'decent enough' hour. He'd take you downtown, park by the bay just in time to catch the sunset, and you'd cruise around the empty streets after.

He always drove way too fast when you were with him — something Ran once let slip wasn't just for kicks.

Apparently, Rindou liked how it made you cling to him, the wind tearing around you like a riptide. You'd acted pissed about it back then, but maybe you hadn't minded that much.

The conversation stalled, tension creeping into the silence. You shifted in your seat, suddenly hyper-aware of how easy it would be for him to shut down and walk away.

"Did it hurt?" you asked, blurting it out before you could overthink it.

Rindou raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Did what hurt?"

"That tattoo on your neck. I remember you bitching about how much your other ones hurt. You even made me come over once to—"

He cut you off with a sharp shake of his head, face screwing up in horror.

"That never fucking happened," he said, dead serious.

You ducked your head, laughing. Same old Rindou — quick to get defensive over the dumbest shit.

Some things never changed.

Like how your relationship always seemed to revolve around sarcastic jabs and back-and-forths that no one else dared to have with him. He’d never admit it, but you knew he couldn’t quite shake the way you’d always made everything feel a little more grounded for him.

“You still didn’t answer me.”

He smirked, barely looking up. “Yeah, it hurt. What do you expect? It always does. You still thinking about getting one?”

You tilted your head slightly, pulling your sleeve up to expose the intricate tattoo snaking around your inner arm. The two serpents twisted together, their heads locked in a silent standoff. “I went through a phase,” you shrugged casually.

“No way—hey, that’s actually pretty badass.”

“Rindou Haitani, giving compliments? Should I be flattered?”

“I’m talking about the tattoo, not you.” His eyes sparkled, a playful glint sneaking through.

As you both sipped your wine, memories mixing with the conversation, you didn’t realise how lost you’d gotten in each other’s presence. The night crept in slowly, and suddenly, the bistro’s impending closing time seemed too loud to ignore.

By then, you were both pretty damn drunk, and when the waitress finally brought the bill and ushered you toward the door, you found yourselves stumbling through the quiet streets.

“He had no idea what to do, so he just walked out in his dino slippers and screamed ‘Hail Mary’ at the top of his lungs.”

You muffled a giggle, followed by a drunken hiccup, and leaned into his arm, not really paying attention to the jumble of words spilling from his lips. The moonlight caught his face in just the right way, making everything seem... different, yet still familiar.

“What about that time you tried to cut Ran’s hair?”

Rindou grimaced, clearly reliving the horror in his mind. You—surprise, surprise—had convinced him to go along with it, a decision both of you instantly regretted. He paid the price with his brother’s fists, and you... well, you were on the carpet in their old apartment, scissors in hand, struggling to hold back tears of laughter.

“How could I ever forget? It was your idea, but I’m the one who got beat up for it.”

“But it was hilarious, come on, just admit it.”

Being the slightly more sober of the two, he noticed how your body was starting to sag against his as you trudged through the empty park, lit by a single flickering lamppost. You were practically dead weight at this point, relying on him for support, and he couldn’t help but smile softly.

“Hey, hey,” his cold fingers gently tapped the apples of your cheeks. You groaned and turned your face away, mumbling, “Go away... tryna sleep.”

“You’re out of it. Come on, I’ll take you home.”

You didn’t respond right away, but when he tried to move you again, you suddenly dropped to your knees and grabbed onto his arms, your nails digging into his skin as you dragged yourself down the concrete.

“No more walking, Rin! My feet are killing me!”

“You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?”

He grimaced as you released your tight grip, the crescent marks from your nails now blooming on his arms. But he didn’t mention it—figuring you were too far gone to even notice—as he carefully lifted you into his arms, your body a heavy, limp weight.

“Mhm, yeah... impossible,” he muttered, shaking his head but with a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

~

By the time he finally managed to coax your address out of your rambling and get you home with minimal drama, your soft snoring was the only sound he could hear, right next to his ear.

What he struggled with, though, was fumbling for the right key, your shallow breaths brushing against his neck and sending goosebumps down his spine. Having you this close again, after so long, felt strange—there was no denying that. But in this case, strange didn’t equal bad.

Actually, it was kind of nice.

The apartment itself was completely unfamiliar, but everything about it screamed "you," making it feel like home. The scent of your favorite candles mixed with roses—whose petals were starting to wilt on the mantle—lingered in the air. And the tiny piles of clutter scattered around the place? He was sure they were just random odds and ends that would get tossed if this were his space. But still, it felt like you. Slightly messy at times, but warm, comfortable, and filled with a kind of security only you could create.

He made his way down the narrow hall, easily finding your bedroom—there were only two doors, after all—and dropped you (a bit unceremoniously) onto the soft mattress. You groaned, shifting in a weak attempt to reach for him, and he patted the pastel blanket over you, hearing your soft sigh of relief as you relaxed.

“Rin,” you whined, tugging at the sleeve of his suit as he started to pull away, “Where do you think you're going?”

“Let you sleep, idiot. You’ll thank me tomorrow.”

“No, you’re leaving, aren’t you?”

Even in your drunken haze, the hesitation in your voice was enough to give it away. The familiar dread crept up on you, the thought of him pulling away again, as he always did. If that’s what he wanted, you’d let him go. You always did.

“‘S fine, just wanna know why. What did I do wrong?”

Rindou Haitani wasn’t the type to be caught off guard, but in this moment, he had no idea how to respond. He could’ve been brutally honest, told you it was his fault and that you deserved better, but that would only hurt you more. Instead, he chose to give you something else—a hint of the truth, without laying it all out.

“It’s not you, alright? It’s me. I fucked us up from the start. Don’t you dare think any of this is your fault.”

You pressed your lips together, fighting the swell of emotions that threatened to spill over, a shaky breath escaping as you tried to hold it all in.

“…Thank you.”

Rindou knew he couldn’t stay. The thought of something bad happening to you, because of him, haunted him. It was a constant reminder that he was a liability to your life. As much as he wanted to imagine a future where he could be with you—maybe even with a heavy ring on your finger—he knew those dreams were just that: dreams.

And he would always be chained to the empire he’d helped build, no matter how much he longed for something else.

______

a/n: found another piece from 2021 (*crying rn*) the fandom better freaking revive for bonten arc istg

[sultrybaby]

macarons

[sultrybaby]

caramel candy [mikey x gn!reader drabble]

not proofread so there may be mistakes! comments, reblogs and likes appreciated<3

the mellow mornings fic got quite a bit of love, i'm glad you guys liked that, i hope this is as enjoyable of a read.

“wake up silly!” manjiro smacked the back of your head while you were resting it on your desk and dozing off. “what the hell, mikey?!” you groan, raising your head to glare at him. he had the audacity to laugh after interrupting your few moments of peace. “didn’t get enough sleep?” you respond “yeah, something like that” he huffs and grabs your wrist, immediately pulling you out of the chair, you stumble. 

“i have class in 10 minutes?! where are you taking me..” “let’s skip!” “wh- i’m sorry. i actually care about my education” “come on.. just one class. you’ll catch up anyway.” you comply, you couldn’t stay mad at him even if you tried. mikey led you to the school rooftop, not letting go of your hand for a single moment.

you felt your face heat up. he was being clingy. nothing out of the ordinary of course but you certainly never really got used to the feeling when your heart raced as he showered you with affection unknowing of the inner turmoil it was causing you. he really had such a huge effect and he didn’t even realise it. his chuckle immediately broke your thoughts “you’re so silent today, y/n” “ah.. i was just lost in thought” “hmm..” 

you both reached the school rooftop. “why’d you drag me here anyways? we were going to have lunch here.. we didn’t need to-“ “hush. there’s something i need to tell you” “it’s so important you need me to skip classes?” “yup!” you didn’t expect it to be important. he was always childish. it was an endearing quality but also caused you to not take most of what he said seriously. 

he dragged you to the railing of the rooftop, the wind blew against his hair softly and he had a serene expression on his face. “so.. what is it that you wanted to tell me?” he didn’t respond and he glanced back at you. he paused to pull out a small candy from his pocket. “for you.” “oh..” yellow wrapper. caramel candy. your favourite. you hesitantly receive it and feel your face heat up. how did he know? “you always eat it after lunch.. and i thought i’d get it for you” he noticed? you think that’s unexpected of him. 

his phone rings. he pulls it out “oh! ken-chin. i should probably go now.. he’ll start yelling at me for missing a class” “oh.. alright. see you” you respond, feeling an unwanted pang of disappointment at his sudden departure. you were about to turn when he grabbed your hand, pulled you closer and placed a chaste peck on your cheek. “souvenir, you know, so you don’t miss me!” he says gleefully with a stupid grin before letting go just as fast and walking away. you place your hand on your cheek and you feel your face flush. maybe skipping class wasn’t so bad, you think as you try to calm your racing heartbeat and eat the sweet caramel that seemed to taste much more sweet having received it from him.

[sultrybaby]

i love this asshole

smacked the shi out of mitsuya w a brick and i went yes. him 😭

[sultrybaby]

Shoko "I got my medical degree on craigslist" Ieri

Satoru "contemplates killing the higher-ups daily" Gojo

Suguru "Let me just sip my tea while one of my curses is fucking violating my opponents " Geto

Who is doing it like them honestly?

[sultrybaby]

Sanzu breaking in to get info but then his need for tidiness takes over instead

[sultrybaby]

Hospital room (2)

part 1 | part 2

the jjk men realize how big of a mistake sending you back to tokyo was

incl: Gojo, geto, nanami, toji, sukuna.

angst angst angst | (updt.)

[EMERGENCY] GINZA LINE SERVICE SUSPENDED - TUNNEL COLLAPSE DETECTED – SERVICE TRAIN G08 PARTIALLY CRUSHED

REMAIN CALM AND FOLLOW STAFF INSTRUCTIONS

feedback appreciated!

taglist:

@starlightanyaaa @not-aya @yourangel04 @m4n-eat3r @whoreforjjkmen @totallygyomeiswife @jjklover365daysayear @linaaeatsfamilies @jaemdonut @tatsuomii @perqbeth @yegrnn @chosostonguepiercing @samstrav @aquamarine001 @higuchislut @domainexpansionmypants @mortallyshadysoul @thigh-o-saur @hi-itsmee28 @go-go-gadget-autism @magalimachete @paula-bratu @miitsuis @eddiemxnsonlvr @raendarkfaerie @26xidk @sugurulefttesticle @chim-i @luvysmai @dovenu @waywardfanwinner @cherrymoon4 @lizzie3d2y @zaynerider @desi-laila @estellafake @ayumigotabittoolonely @byerno6 @kodzukensworld @bellsoftheball @patpatspatz @kxgumi @enerofairy @miizuzu @melimelisworld (i hope i got everybody)

[sultrybaby]

RUNAWAY BABY

Pairing: Platonic! Bonten x Child! Male! Reader

Warnings: Bad words (?), drugs, it's a lot of fluff.

Summary: Little (M/n) finds an interesting little bag with what he thinks are sweets inside it, Bonten realizes it and you have to chase him to prevent him from eating them and ending up in a fateful accident.

When society hears Bonten's name, fear runs through them and freezes them. It's one of the most fearsome mafias in Japan; everything was controlled by them, and nothing and no one could hide.

Clearly, they couldn't imagine them running like crazy after a little grey-haired baby with a bag of colourful pills of dubious origin.

"How can you be such an idiot!? Who the fuck would leave drugs so close at hand with a baby in the house?!" All the executives were angry at Sanzu, who had left a packet of her drugs on the corner of her nightstand, which was conveniently at (M/n)'s eye level.

"(M/n), baby! Come here!" Ran, who was the furthest ahead, was trying to convince the baby to return the bag to its rightful owner.

"Love! If you give back the pills, I'll buy you thousands of taiyakis and doriyakis!" Mikey also tried to talk.

"Cupcake! Listen to your daddy, Haru, and give me that bag!" The baby giggled and laughed with every scream his parents made.

"Grab him!" Mochi shouted after falling to the floor with one of the toys scattered across the hallway.

"Baby, we're serious; give us that damn bag!" Desperation was starting to irritate them, although the last thing they wanted was to hurt the baby; the mere thought of him eating one of those pills and dying was much worse.

(M/n) kept running as if his life depended on it. "Daddy!" the baby cried, giggling.

The mansion was enormous, and for the first time in years, the executives couldn't help but regret the house they lived in.

Takeomi had already fallen behind; the race had already exhausted him several metres ago. "Baby, give us the bag, and I promise we'll buy you everything you want!" Rindou tried to run fast but failed.

"Since when is the kid so fast?!" Kakucho exclaimed, beginning to feel fatigue creeping into his body. "Just grab him, dammit!" Kokonoi yelled.

Everything fell silent as they watched their tiny baby fall to the ground after their feet got tangled up.

"WAAAAAH!" (M/n)'s scream stunned them. His large eyes shone with tears.

The beanbag was already lying a few inches away from the baby, who was on his knees, sobbing. "DADDY! WAAAH!" All the executives rushed to pick up the baby, who quickly snuggled into Mikey's neck.

Ran patted him lightly on the back, Sanzu played with his hair, and Kokonoi and Kakucho ran to grab a toy and some ointment to calm the baby.

"It's okay, love. The pain will be gone soon," Mikey whispered. "Daddy," (M/n) babbled. "Poor thing, it's okay, cupcake." The cooing subsided.

Kokonoi arrived with Kakucho with the ointment and some bandages. Mikey turned the baby over so he could apply it to his chubby knee.

With a pout on his lips, (M/n) stared at his parents with puppy dog eyes. "And my dorayakis?"

Laughter began to bubble in their throats. "Let's get them, baby." Kakucho grabbed the baby from Mikey's arms.

Once the door lock clicked, murderous auras filled the room; beads of sweat appeared on Sanzu's face.

"I think you know exactly where you stand at this point, don't you?" Mikey's gaze was blank, as were the other executives'.

With a chill running down his spine, Sanzu had to go with the other six (Mochi and Tekeomi had already returned).

While the poor pink-haired boy was being tortured, (M/n) and Kakucho were strolling through the mall with a half-eaten doriyaki.

[sultrybaby]

hanma likers r so beautiful im genuinely like wtf do u see in that thing

[sultrybaby]

Ryuunosuke Akutagawa was a touch starved motherfucker. However, getting him to be okay with you touching him was like trying to tame a feral cat. You can’t go too quickly and if you push it, he’ll withdraw fast. Needless to say, you were pretty surprised when he came home and practically face planted into your lap.  He wrapped his arms around your waist and grumbled something indiscernible. 

“You okay?” You asked. Akutagawa just grunted in an acknowledgment that he heard you but didn’t elaborate. He just tightened his grip on you. You absentmindedly ran your hand over his hair as you turned back to your book. You knew Akutagawa was a clingy sleeper but he rarely held you when he was conscious. You jumped a little as you felt Akutagawa’s hands slide up under your shirt. He hummed under his breath. 

You looked at him. He seemed oddly relaxed. Akutagawa rubbed his thumbs against your sides. Despite the fact that he had his hands up your shirt, the touch wasn’t sexual in nature. It was just him enjoying the feeling of being close to you and having skin on skin contact with you. A small smile came to your face but you knew better to comment on his sudden clingy behavior. You could feel his breathing even out as he fell asleep in your lap. Despite his grumpy avoidant behavior, it was moments like these that made all of that worth it. The amount of trust he had in you was sweet and warmed your soul.

[sultrybaby]

It's the Sano pout!

[sultrybaby]

Texts you get while dating Baji

[sultrybaby]

irresistible eyes

[sultrybaby]

bitch

[sultrybaby]

Baji Headcanons Pt. 2!

Since people seemed to like the first (didn't expect that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Most of these are of him being a mama's boy

⚝ When people don't want him to know something, they'll spell it out

⚝ Grew out his hair to look more like his momma ❤️

⚝ Refused to sleep in his own bed until he was 8 and shared a bed with his mom. He wasn't afraid of the dark or anything. He just wanted to sleep with her

⚝ His love for yakisoba came from times when it was all his mom could afford.

⚝ He lets Mana and Luna braid his hair and put hair clips in it.

⚝ Accidentally cursed in front of a parakeet, and it repeated it over and over. (He blamed it on Chifuyu)

⚝ Tried to get his mom's name tattooed, but he spelled it wrong. Chifuyu pointed it out before he could do it.

⚝ When Peke J passed, he and Chifuyu held a funeral and made everyone attend. A real casket, flowers, suits, the whole thing

⚝ Most of his hygiene products are things he takes from his mom.

⚝  If he’s bored, he’ll just punch the nearest Toman member and yell, "Fight me!" Even if they weren’t doing anything.

⚝ He'll misbehave everywhere but the zoo. He's terrified of getting banned for life.

⚝ The only one who willingly trains with Kakucho

⚝ He likes to steal shopping carts and race down the street in them.

⚝ He talks his mother's ear off daily. She'll hide inside the bathroom from him, but he'll sit outside the door and keep talking.

⚝ His mom is the only one who can touch his hair. Mainly because if he tries to stop her she'll guilt trip him by saying, "I spent nine months making this hair. I can touch it if I want!"

⚝ He once convinced her to get on his bike, and she screamed the entire time while clutching onto him for dear life.

⚝ Tried keeping his manga in a lock box to hide them from his mom, but forgot the code.

⚝ Fully believed that he could land on his feet like a cat and jumped from his window to prove it. (He could not)

⚝ He had a nightmare that he was deathly allergic to cats.

⚝ Went on a rant about how Flynn didn't need to cut Rapunzel's hair so damn short.

⚝ Makes a concerning number of fatherless jokes. At one point, you'll start to wonder if he's still joking.

⚝ He wakes up with a new bruise or scar almost every day. He doesn't know how or why they got there.

⚝ Takemichi gave him a puzzle as a birthday gift, and he asked if he was insulting him.

⚝ Searches his mother's room head to toe for snacks he knows she's hiding for herself

⚝ One of those customers with IT support. "It's telling me to reset my computer. What do I do now?"

⚝ His mom got him books for Christmas as a punishment for failing all his classes.

⚝ He's not allowed near the grill at cookouts, and someone has to guard the lighter fluid the whole time.

⚝ At the reception of Emma and Draken's wedding, he volunteered to give a speech. Thirty seconds in, it took three people to rip the mic out of his hands. (He wasn't allowed to give speeches at any other important events.)

⚝ Acts like his mother is the child when she doesn't come home on time. He'll call her and be like, "Oh, you must think you're grown." "I don't remember saying you could be out this late." And when she comes home, he interrogates her about who she was with.

⚝ She took too long to come home from the store, and he was convinced she had been abducted or was dead.

⚝ His mom didn't touch a single thing in his room after he passed. His bed was still unmade, magazines scattered all over the floor, and crumbled homework on his desk. She couldn't bring herself to touch anything.

⚝ She dressed him for his funeral and did his hair.

⚝ When she noticed a black cat hanging around his balcony, she'd feed and pet it. She likes to think it's Baji paying her a little visit.

⚝ She picked up extra shifts to get out of the house more. She can't stand the continuous silence.

⚝ The last time she saw him, she had a bad feeling that night but didn’t say anything. Instead, she just told him, "Be careful and come home soon." He smiled at her and said, "Don’t worry, Ma. I’ll be back."

⚝ She would find herself making portions big enough for two, setting the table for him, and making the food he likes, but she doesn't.

[sultrybaby]

[sultrybaby]

warm  — shuji hanma

shuji feels a little special with you in his arms.

pairing: hanma shuji x fem! reader

note: this is extremely self-indulgent because i need it. thank you.

For someone whose entire life revolves around violence and brutality, Shuji was the only person you could cuddle to sleep.

If it were any other occasion, Shuji’s voice would be grating in your ears, so annoying that it would threaten to burst your eardrums and make a vein pop in your forehead because that was the point of your relationship. He enjoyed annoying you, he got off on the fact that he was the only one who could get on your nerves and yet make you crumble beneath him that same day. 

But as childish as he was, the tall man knew when to not cross a specific line with you. 

You dearly cherished your personal space, even more so your alone time after a long day of interacting with people and your boyfriend knew that. His golden eyes peeked from behind his glasses as you walked through the door with stiff shoulders, furrowed eyebrows and a deep frown on your face.You looked like you were one second away from crying. 

And yet he doesn’t say anything. He continues to observe as you take off your shoes in silence, eyes never daring to find his as he sits on the couch. The way your body moves deeply fascinates him, and he can’t pull his gaze away from you as you move in complete and almost worrying quiet.

“Welcome,” his first attempt to hear your voice ends up being a complete failure. You flash him a half-hearted smile as you walk past him and towards the bathroom. He hears the sound of the tap running and ten minutes later, you’re stepping out with no make-up and your hair pulled away from your face. 

He reaches for the remote control and starts to lower the volume, the gesture serving as proof that the man knows you like the back of his hand. 

When you still refuse to utter a word as you move through the kitchen to make yourself a snack, your boyfriend pushes himself off of the couch and starts to walk towards you. When you start to sense him getting closer, your shoulders stiffen up again and Shuji could’ve sworn he saw your jaw clench as he stood near the kitchen island. 

“Whatchu making?” 

You don’t want to start a fight, so you choose to respond. “Toast.”

“With?” 

He knows he’s pushing it. 

“Strawberry jam.” you respond quietly, hand tightly gripping the knife.

“Fuck yeah,” he leans forward on the kitchen island, his chin propped on the palm of his hand as he continues to analyze you. “You gonna have that by itself?”

Sighing deeply, you finally turn to face the man.“What do you mean?”

“Like…without a show or some shit?”

You hate that he has a point. Heaving out a deep sigh, you place your toast on a plate then your feet carry you towards the couch. You steal some of Shuji’s blankets, making a nest out of them while the tall man watches in amusement as you bury yourself beneath a pile of warm and fluffy fabric. 

Then you give him a stare.

That stare.

“What?” He raises an eyebrow. Whilst your boyfriend appreciated you in all of your states, your silence bringing out your cuddly side was his absolute favorite.

“Shuji.” Your tone is final, leaving no room for any playful banter he had been preparing. 

Slowly, he moves towards the couch and finally joins you under the pile of blankets. He doesn’t point out the way you throw yourself on top of him, or how he becomes your only source of warmth. Instead, his hand reaches towards the remote control and knows exactly what show to pick.

Criminal Minds.

You nuzzle your face against his neck when the episode starts with a person getting chased through the forest by the un-sub, and Shuji could’ve sworn he even heard a quiet hum. 

“I don’t get how this shit is comforting to you.” He says jokingly, one strong arm wrapped around your middle while the other pulls your legs on his lap. You shrug your shoulders, eyelids feeling heavy.

“I like the dynamic of the team.” 

Fifteen minutes into the episode, Shuji notices the way you had stopped reacting altogether. He peeks down, finding your eyes closed shut and your lips slightly parted as your breath slowed down. 

His eyes then landed on your hand, how it clutched the fabric of his shirt whilst your other hand sat gently on your lap. A peaceful look adorned your soft features, and the tension completely dissipated from your body. 

Shuji then remembers what you had told him when the two of you were much younger, much more naive. 

“I hate cuddling to sleep. The thought seems suffocating.”

A young Hanma teases you about it.“Does it?”

“Absolutely.” You make a face. “Sleeping is a me time. I don’t want to be touching someone when doing that.”

He doesn’t know if you remember this about yourself, or if he was an exception to the fact. All Shuji knew was that he would never take such thing for granted, not when you were the first person to ever make falling in love feel so easy. 

2025 © all works belong to @slttygeto. do not repost, translate or steal any of my works.