#I hope kaji locked the doors before he headed out

[sincerelyaudri]

If pinky is coming over so am I…

@sugiiis

WHAT?!

[eevees-hobbies]

Hiya! Could I please request the wind breaker boys, bofurin & shishitoren reactions to the reader in a sexy Halloween costume at a party? (Possibly a sexy bunny girl, but any sexy costume really 💜)

Author’s Note: Anon, you’re wild for thinking about Halloween this early! But I get; I’m a spooky girlie, too. Or am I off base, and Halloween is just an excuse to dress like a bunny girl? Anyway, I enjoyed writing this! I might do a part 2 with more characters as we get closer to Halloween. Here are some reactions and scenarios to your costume!

Content Warning: Um, tis smutty. Thigh-fucking, making out, groping in public, sex in a residence that isn’t yours, nipple licking, mention of face-fucking, jealousy, cumshot, public humiliation, masturbation. 

Word Count: 2.2K

Divider by Saradika. Story banner by me.

Haruka Sakura

You swore you told Sakura what you planned to wear at the Halloween party. Maybe you were a little non-descriptive when you said you were going to wear a bunny outfit, leaving out the fact that the neckline dipped so low that there was a potential of your breasts falling out of the top or how your “bottoms” consisted of only thigh high fishnet stockings.

When Sakura saw you from across the party, he stopped mid-conversation with Suo, who followed Sakura’s line of sight and let out a whistle when he saw you.

“Wow, Sakura. I had no idea you were so secure in your relationship that you’d let Y/N wear something so revealing. I don’t think I–oh,” Suo couldn’t finish his sentence because Sakura was shoving people in the crowd just to get to you. 

As Suo watched his friend part a sea of people with his palms to their faces, he couldn’t help but smirk. “Maybe I instigated that a little.”

As you raise your hand to give a friend a wave, Sakura grips your wrist and pulls you into the nearest room. Your eyes can barely adjust to the darkness, but based on the smell of oil and what you believe to be an outline of the roof of a car, you realize that you’re in the homeowner's garage. The sound of the door locking echoes ominously behind you. If this were any other situation, you’d probably scream, but somewhere in the darkness is Sakura, and there’s nothing to worry about, right?

You reach out in an attempt to touch him–hoping to grab a hand or bicep–but you only feel a firm grip on your shoulders and being turned around, forcibly bent over with your face against the hood of the car.

“Why’d you have to wear something so fucking slutty?”

“W-wha?! Sakura?!” you try to move from underneath him, but his hand against your lower back is unwavering. You hear the sound of pants unzipping, “Kitten, there’s no way you're going to be able to put your dick in me. This thing is so tight against my crotch–”

“Who said I want your pussy,” he grumbles. You hear him spit into his palm before he places two thumbs against the exposed flesh of your thighs and spreads them. Sakura’s body tenses up as he slips his dick in between your inner thighs, his head practically swimming at how warm and soft they are.

You can’t help but place a hand over your mouth, stifling a laugh as your boyfriend ruts against your thighs, and you would have kept laughing if not for the feeling of his cock rubbing against the crotch of your outfit. The friction against your clit has you biting your lip and bouncing back against him because fuck, maybe he’s onto something?

Ren Kaji

“What are you supposed to be?” Kotoha asks you as she tilts her head, eyes sweeping over your not-so-halloween outfit. You’re wearing a gray hoodie, black skinny jeans, and your boyfriend's Bofurin jacket. Your hand reaches up instinctively to touch the headphones around your neck–a sudden habit you’ve developed during the night to make sure they're still snug and in place.

“I’m dressed as Ren. Can’t you tell?”

You had been wearing a bunny outfit earlier that night, but as you exited the bathroom in your home and did a twirl for Kaji, ears flopping up and down as you bounced, you quickly realized that you might need to consider a new outfit.

Kaji looked over you with unbridled lust and a hint of jealousy pooling in his eyes. He can mentally see how his friends will drink you in tonight. The idea of them lusting after you, thinking about fucking you, and even touching themselves to the thought of you has the sucker in his mouth breaking against clenched teeth.

He can see Tsugeura pretending to squeeze past you by putting his large, muscly hands on your curvy hips, his crotch so close to your ass you’d feel the bulge rubbing against your exposed cheeks. 

He can see Kiryu sweetly asking to take a picture of your outfit, placing an arm around your shoulders, a hand leisurely placed in between the valley of your breasts, a finger brushing against the spot in your outfit where he knows your nipple is straining against the fabric.

“Give us a pretty smile for the gram, sweetie!” That very picture no doubt being used for nefarious activities that night. 

“No.”

You wrap your arms across your chest, fully intending to stand your ground, “No?” You let out a breathy laugh but pause when his mouth doesn’t give way to a smile. 

“Absolutely not. Go change.” His voice is smooth, as if there’s no room for argument, and with Kaji, there really isn’t.

He was serious! 

“I don’t understand?”

“Let me show you what my friends will fantasize about doing to you when they see you dressed like that. Get on your knees.” 

You bite your lip, briefly considering disobeying, but when Kaji gives an order, you better listen, or else you’ll end up with a sore ass. Without breaking eye contact–though your heart is stuttering in your chest–you do what a smart girl does and get on your knees for your boyfriend.

And Kaji didn’t feel an ounce of remorse when he slipped his dick past your pretty lips and rested heavily on your eager tongue. 

He didn’t feel an ounce of remorse when his dick was so far down your throat that drool was dripping down and landing on your splayed-out thighs below you, splattering against the opening in your fishnets. 

He certainly didn’t feel remorse when he gritted his teeth as his balls clenched violently, and he pulled your head back by those silly bunny ears and came on your chest and, in extension, your Halloween costume–effectively ruining it.

You gave him an earful for how petty and ridiculous he was, but he simply put a sucker in his mouth and stared at you with a glint of humor behind his blue eyes, pleased with himself.

As Kotoha nods and looks your “Ren Kaji” outfit up and down, you can feel eyes boring into the back of your head. You turn and catch Kaji's gaze from across the room; unsurprisingly, he still has that same pleased look.

Jo Togame

You squirm restlessly in the lap of Togame. Since you arrived at the party, he hasn’t let you out of his sight.  

As soon as he laid emerald eyes on you, those eyes slowly appraising your body from head to toe, all his attention was on you and only you. “Do a little spin for me, beautiful?” he crooned while imitating the spinning gesture with a finger.

You were more than happy to oblige for him because good bunny girls listen! You spun around, enjoying the hungry look you were getting from him and his Shishitoren buddies.

“Yeaaaah, I need a closer look.” He points to his lap, a seat you’re all too familiar with. You must not have been moving fast enough as you approached him because he grabbed your hand and pulled you into his waiting lap.

Through the night, he continued to hold conversations with friends and sip at his bottle of ramune, all while your ass lives plastered against his crotch. As you squirm, his arm around your shoulders only pulls you in more, and he shoots you a smile.

“Hey, can you all give me a minute with my girl?”

You relish in his words as his friends shuffle off elsewhere and Togame turns his attention to you. 

“I hope you know what this costume is doing to me.”

Of course, you know what the costume is doing to him. You’ve been sitting on something long, thick, and ridiculously hard all night.

You look at him through your eyelashes and bite your lip as he places a hand on your breast in front of partygoers and kisses you, all while keeping you in his lap. It feels sinful to be so publicly obscene, and you can hear mumbles and murmurs from around you as his tongue slides into your mouth and his hand squeezes the flesh of your breast, fingers dancing over the exposed tops of them that are being pushed out of the corset.

He pulls away and tilts his head towards the door, “Wanna get out of here? I have plans for this costume.”

And you can’t put a perfectly good bunny costume to waste, can you? No, you can’t.

Hajime Umemiya

I’m sorry for all you toxic-love enthusiasts out there, but Ume is as wholesome as they come. Every Halloween, you two take immense care and consideration in picking out matching outfits. You are the epitome of #couplegoals. And after weeks of sending back-and-forth links to costumes, you finally agreed upon the perfect ones. 

Sugishita stares at the halo around Umemiya’s head and nods in complete agreement–yes, of course, he’s an angel. It fits perfectly, he thinks to himself.

“Water, Ume?” You walk up behind him, offering him a bottle of water. Umemiya is shirtless except for feathery white wings that are strapped around his chest. At the last minute, he decided to keep it simple with white pants and a black belt. You are dressed as his inverse, the angel to his devil with horns and a tail. 

You take a minute to admire his shirtless figure, broad shoulders, and freshly healed scratches from the night before, which puts a bit of a dopey smile on your face. The muscles in his strong back shift as he turns to look at you with a grin upon hearing your voice.

“Baby girl! There you are! I was just telling Sugishita that you should have been the angel since I think it fits you more.

You shake your head, smiling, “I like playing the devil. Don’t you think that’s more fitting for me, Sugishita?”

Sugishita looks between you both, nodding furiously at his favorite person’s favorite person.

And as the night draws to a close and you’re both helping the homeowner clean up after the party, you can’t help but push Umemiya into the closet, closing the door behind you.

And you might be the one who instigates the first move, but he’s the one who pushes you against the wall in return, your body sinking into the clothes on the coat rack. 

“Ume, you’ve looked like a snack all night.”

“Yeah? I wouldn’t mind you taking a bite out of me.” he shivers as your fingers trace his nipples. He’s always been sensitive there, and you’ve always been quick to take advantage of that.

“I think we should keep these outfits for a little roleplaying, no?” Your tongue darts out and traces the curvature of his nipple, earning you a whimper and “Oh, fuck” from Ume’s lips.

He looks down at you, already making quick work of removing the red corset around your midsection. “How much time do you think we have before they realize we’re in the closet?”

You smile and kiss his jaw, “Maybe 7 minutes if we’re quiet?”

“When have I ever allowed you to be quiet?”

Fuck, he has a point.

Hayato Suo

You had no idea what you were planning to wear to the costume party, so when Suo offered to help you find an outfit, you happily accepted.

You’re a glutton for punishment, I suppose.

Suo knew precisely what he was doing. With the deliberate actions of a sociopath, Suo ordered your costume early but chose not to say anything to you. It wasn’t until you glanced at the calendar that your eyes widened at the encroaching date circled in red marker. 

“Suo! I still don’t have a costume, and the party is in two days!”

“Ooh,” he clicks his tongue and shakes his head. “I told you I’d handle everything. I already have something picked out specifically for you.”

You were overtaken with relief. Suo always had a plan; you knew he wouldn’t disappoint you. At least that’s how you felt before he brought out the most revealing bunny costume you’d ever seen.

And to be honest, you weren't even sure they sold this version of the costume in regular stores. But what were you going to do? The party was in two days, and if you wanted to go shopping for a costume, you’d have no option but to pick from the leftovers, and you’d end up dressed like the Kool-Aid man. No, thank you!

You took the costume, eyes drilling into the most revealing of spots. “What’s your costume, Suo?”

“I don’t do costumes, but if anyone asks, I’ll tell them I’m your handler, sweet bunny girl.”

Two days quickly come and go, and as you enter the party with Suo walking so close behind you, you can feel the heat from his body on your exposed back; eyes stop and stare at you, and Suo drinks every interaction in as though he’s using it as foreplay until he can finally get you alone and underneath him. 

For now, he watches in delight as you make all of his friends so uncomfortable with your jiggly thighs, bouncy ass, and flushed cheeks.

[lilimalia]

CRAZY? FOR YOU? // windbreaker

SYNOPSIS... wind breaker men really are crazy aren't they. picking fights everywhere. anywhere. with anyone they can! even, you. it's a good thing you can fight then... right? Maybe there's more then just the fights that their picking at.

CHARACTERS... sugishita kyotaro, togame jo, kaji ren,

DISCLAIMERS... cursing, gender neutral reader, romantic, part II, manga spoilers

BARISTA'S INTEL... again, all based on my silly little depictions of what styles combat each character the best!

CAFE TUNE... from the start // laufey

PART I (sakura, suo, kiryu)

SUGISHITA KYOTARO (wing chun)

Sugishita has always been a man more of anger than actual thoughts. It was one of the more obvious traits that came out of his character at first glance. That being said, it always made him harder to read than any of the other Bofurin men.

His devotion to Umemiya was his pride and power, his driving force that made him understandable... If not a bit genuinely emotional.

So why is that your standing face front of his idol, Umemiya Hajime, watching as the guy bashfully rubs the back of his neck, glancing to the side as he asks,

"You see... Ah, how do I explain this?... Sugishita just needs a little push! Yeah, that's right! Just a little nudge. I'm worried he's spending too much time brooding over how Sakura pisses him off rather than actually practicing...", a small sheepish chuckle leaving his lips as he glances as you. Eyeing you nervously as if the favor was a debt.

Is this really Furin's head? Man... He's wimpish- oh but don't let dear Sugishita hear you say that-

"Anyhow! Are you up for it [Name]? I hope this isn't too much to ask for! I promiseee, I'll pay you back! I'll even have Kotoha make you an omurice! On the house!" He's clasping his hands together now, looking at you pleadingly as he scoots in, dress shoes scrapping against the rooftops dirty cobble.

Man... It's really hard to deny him, isn't it, Sugi?

"First off, are you even sure Kotoha would be okay with that?? I know you guys are close, but man I'd be pissy if someone made me return their favor without notice- Also, hey! Your acting as if I'm all hard headed, I'll do it! Just please... Stop looking at me like that. It's gross... And very unfitting for the leader of a gang school..." you grimace, sneering a little -against your will- sighing at his pitiful puppy eyes.

"Ohhh... Kotoha wouldn't mind at all! We're sooo close! My little sister would be thrilled to help me! But! You'll do it?! Thank goodness! Thank you! Oh phew... I can finally tell Hiragi too chill out without a worry!" Now he's bounced up to his proper height, blocking out the sun as he jumps in joy, giving you a close eye smile.

"Thanks [Name]! Please go easy on Bofurin's loyal dog! Now shoo, shoo! Since we've taken care of this, I've got zucchini to water!..." Without a second thought, he pushes you, gently, out the door, shooing you as he waves a frantic goodbye.

The door slams behind you with a thud.

Once again, your sitting in your own thoughts, stuck dumbstruck at the sheer... Naivety, even if feigned, of Umemiya. Actual whiplash, you suppose.

Finding a heavy sigh release from your lungs again, your vision adjusts to the dark staircase winding down to the third floor of the school. Strangely, there's something, or someone... Propped up against the wall, mid way through the staircase.

Taking a couple steps down, your eyes narrow.

"Hmph."

Oh my god it's Sugishita-

"What the fu- Sugishita!? Goodness gracious you're like some sort of ghost- Wha- What are you even?-" before your able to stammer out the rest of your surprised exclamation, Sugishita glares at you. His hauntingly long ghoulish hair draping down his face, as he grunts.

He barely glances back, locking eyes with you once, scanning you up and down. Holding onto the moment, for a couple seconds longer, he huffs again and stomps up the rest of the flight of stairs. Crunched over in bad posture.

"What the heck was even going on there... he's so creepy..." murmuring to yourself as you finish walking down the stairs, listening to Umemiya's ecstatic voice dim into the distance.

Suo and Nirei had told you he was a bit of the brute.

You just hope Umemiya knew who he was assigning you to.

...

Sparring with BoFurin comes with evident chaos.

Grunts and shouts echo across tatami covered floors, windows blazing open as pairings of sweaty exhausted fighters sway back and forth across the rooms.

Your dead set in the middle, having just taken a break from your first partner, scouting for Sugishita per captain's orders.

Hiragi finds you first, walking up to you in his usual state of prolonged stressed.

"[Name]! Are you looking for Sugishita? That damned brat was stationed outside with some of the other members."

"Oh? Are you not watching them Hiragi, sir?" You're taking a noticing to his unique sharpened teeth... Like a shark. Wondering, can he bite someone with those? Would Sugishita be able to do that too?... His teeth are just as sharp aren't they?...

A sharp barking sound wakes you from your daze.

"Hey! Wake up! Umemiya said you'd be the one sparring with him today, teach him a thing or too, okay? That brats got way too much bite on him. Needs somewhere to chew it off. Go on, scat! Beat him in for me!" Hiragi chatters up a storm, motioning you away, shooing you to the exit as you jog out of the building.

What is it with the leading men here demanding things and shooing you off? Hmm...

Immediately after stepping outside, the hot air hits you like a wave. Absolutely ironically. If it wasn't bad enough that you were sweating buckets from sparring, the Japan heat would most definitely take you out.

From the side, you hear outrageous slams, hard disgruntled and pained sounds as you feel a slight shaking of the dirt beneath your boots.

When you've swiveled your head towards the noise, you see several upperclassmen twitching slowly and painfully... laying gruesome and distraught on the ground.

Holy sh-

Sugishita's running up towards another student, poorly defended, jumping high into the air as he brutely lands a devasting blow smack damn to the side of his face.

You. Were most definitely. Screwed.

But more so concerned-

Isn't he usually lazed in fighting?... Unless it had direct connection to his famed idol, you really couldn't understand where the sudden boost of energy came from...

"[Name]! [Name]! You're here! Please help us out, switch in with Sugishita right now! He might just kill half of our classmates [Namee]!!..." Nirei's ran up frantically beside you, making dramatic fanfare as he pleads.

Cracking your knuckles, you sigh fearfully, once more nodding at those damned begging puppy eyes, stepping forward.

"Sugishitaa!"

...

Okay so maybe this wasn't so bad.

So far, you've managed to stay alive. Watching ever so keenly at the bent over black haired boy glare at you. He does this weird thing with his eyes... As if he's daring you to take him down.

He runs, he punches, and then he forces all his strength down on you all over again.

If Umemiya had wanted you to push him and his thinking, you would.

He's stepping forward now, bracing himself angrily as he yells in rage, permanent scowl on his face furrowing even more at his bushy brows. He spins his kick, trying to land one at your side.

Gracefully, you push into his momentum anticipating his already raised fist, ready too gut you in the face.

With one quick movement and then another, his parade of punches are narrowed away. Your hands, flat and straight, palm's facing out each way as you flick his fists away effortlessly.

The more you redirected, the angrier he got, pushing into you as he tries to find some sort of opening.

Eventually, out of realization, he takes to backing up, making space for kicks and uses outside of savage shots.

Unfortunately, you knew otherwise. Pushing in to keep your wing chun usable. As he tries to step in again, quick to throw another, you palm faces in.

A rapid palm strike going forward.

And it knocks him back off his feet, as he falls miserably. Now you've really ticked him off... He's glaring, messy long hair dancing down the front of his face, covering his fierce eyes as he stares you down. His teeth grind together as he lets out some sort of angry emotional grunt-

Spinning into a kick again, snapping back and forth between legs relentlessly. Switching up his pace to match your quick hands.

Shit. Now he's learning a little too quick for your liking.

Desperately, you look for an exit, as your hands start reddening from the sheer force of his brutality.

He's opened his field of vision, keeping good distance away from you as you struggle to keep the fight within the courtyard.

A small group of onlookers have gathered around you both now, members hooting at you both to finish it off. Murmuring about how beastly Sugishita's strength was.

The more you tried to make good distance, the more he'd learn. Catching on quickly, your palm strikes and attempts at striking the side and front of his body were failing, as he -you hope learned- to keep good balance between his body.

In your momentary distraction from the crowd, classmates chanting your names both, he had found an opening below your waist.

Diving in sanctuary as he wrapped his arms around your waist, your hands left upwards from your wing chun as he tightened.

For a second, it felt quite safe as he squished, grunting exhaustedly, almost sweetly, around you. It almost felt like a hug, surprised, you found your arms wrapping around him as well. The faint scent of some sort of... Yuzu? Sandalwood? Wafted up, as strands of his hair flicked in your face, wafting away as he looked up at you.

And you swear. His berserked eyes softened slightly, and his frown disappeared.

Before you both fell, bruised on the ground.

...

When all of the crowd had faded away, giving congratulations to you both for the good effort of the fight, Hiragi and Umemiya approach you. Umemiya's got a bright smile on his face, laughing about something -probably about you and Sugishita- to Hiragi, who looks pained to even be near the bright man.

Considering Umemiya's appearance, you now understand where the sudden burst of spirited energy came from.

Really, it shouldn't surprise you that Sugishita's drive came from Umemiya's watchful gaze; arms crossed as he stood tall behind you, smirking knowingly.

The conversation comes quick and clear, Umemiya congratulating you and giving many thanks towards your bruised efforts, making a jab towards how relaxed Hiragi was inside the building while you were out scrapping for your life.

"Maybe we should have you as permanent watch dog for Sugishita [Name]! I've never seen him so pumped up! Man, that was really the show!"

"The only reason he was fighting so hard was because of you Moron! He saw you staring him down and wanted to impress you dumbass! Now look at them, [Name] make sure you head inside and put something on those bruises. Sorry you had to deal with this idiot's brilliant plan..." Hiragi lets out a big sigh, grabbing for his pack of pills as he crunches down on the powdery capsule.

Is that... Normal-

"Hey! This whole idea was for your sake Hiragi! Your always so uptight I was worried having you watching the freshmen would turn you bald!" Umemiya points and accusing finger at Hiragi, faking a pout.

"It's not even these new kids Umemiya! It's just Sakura and Sugishita, their all-fucking nuts!"

Now, Hiragi's got his sharp teeth pointed out as he groans back at Umemiya. The two continue arguing for minutes while your forced to stand there awkwardly... It seems very one-sided, Umemiya trying to justify how he was only worried for Hiragi, only to get a hit to the head.

Suddenly, those bruises on your body are really started to ache.

"I uh- Is this an argument you guys need me to be there for... Or can I-

'Huh? Oh, look what you've done Hiragi! We've left poor [Name] all by their lonesome. Yes, yes, go on now [Name]! Thanks again! Please check up on Furin's dear loyal dog for us would you!" He flashes a bright smile towards you, giving you a thumbs up as he starts dragging the angry Hiragi stood beside him, fume puffing out from his nose as his forehead creases.

Before Hiragi gets to argue back, he's pulled away, shut off again as you hear bits and pieces of the compliments Umemiya gives you about your fight, covering over his begrudging complaints.

...

Sitting down on the hard wooden floor, your arm move swiftly as you wrap the rough cotton tape around your knuckles, the healing ointment, sheer and oily, spreads underneath the bandages, cooling down the aching of you reddened knuckles. Like wise bandages are wrapped around your waist and knees from the less graceful falls of earlier.

There's a slight humming of birds that twiddles in from the open windows, cooler air breezing through the house as the sun sets in warm oranges outside. Beside you, Sugishita sits quietly, eyebrows still furrowed as he tries to hide his struggle, unable to wrap the bandages around his left knuckles.

It's hard to ignore him when he's aggressively huffing beside you, his long legs sprawled out forward and his again- very sharp shark like teeth, gnaw at the fraying ends of the sports bandages.

It's so tempting to study his face... Really, teeth that sharp make his pretty brown eyes stand out. Fierceness from his dark eyebrows as his brown eyes are encapsulated from his dark silky-smooth hair. The yellow light peeking through the window shines on parts of his raven hair, reflecting gorgeous tones of dark blue as he blinks. If you could just get a closer look at his long eyelashes too-

Oh no. Now you've been staring too long.

He grunts and growls and sharply turns his head.

And now you're the focus of those charming brown eyes.

"What."

Oh my goodness. He speaks.

"I- Uh- Did you... Want help?"

He huffs, and for a second you panic, thinking the worst, that you've offended him and pissed him off.

"Sure... I guess." He chokes out, shifting his head away quickly too look out elsewhere. Did you embarrass him?

Oh, but be quick now, you're losing your chance [Name]. Wasting no time, you scoot yourself in towards him, closing the space between you two until your knees are just barely scrapping each other.

He's still looking out the window, and his stupidly elegant hair is too long, blocking you from reading his expression as it tumbles past his sharp nose. A short sniff of some sort of distain you guess, as you tap his hand in warning.

Grabbing it gently, you unroll the mess of bandages he had made before. The ointment now all messy and sticking to your hands as you toss the wettened bandaids.

His hands are very smooth...

Grabbing the box of supplies, you try not to focus on how long and nimble his fingers are. Trying, well, attempting to focus instead on spreading the healing cream between his... Very, smooth knuckles and the tips of his fingers. His nails are also well kept, but the only part of it that was unsightly, yet beautiful, was the dried paled parts of his first two knuckles. Calloused white and paler then the rest of his hand, there's evidence of previous scrap ups that remained permanently. It's pretty, you think, and a trophy of his personality.

"Tell me if it's uncomfortable alright? This sort of cream works better when it's massaged in..." You murmur, lifting your head up as his striking eyes cast against yours.

God, he made it so hard to look directly at him.

"It's... Fine. Do whatever. Tch." He bleats out, eyebrows again furrowing as he looks at you.

As you take to palming the fingers on his hand, spreading the ointment, you fail to notice the slight undeniable tint of pink that shades his high cheekbones, as he stares at you, softening his gaze.

The awkward seconds of silence between his curt response doesn't last long, as he clears his throat and grunts again,

"Your... Fighting earlier. It was... Good."

"Thank you, I tried, to um- Well to make you think, quite honestly", you take care to mind the reddened parts of his arms, scrapped up from the final fall.

"You're not too bad yourself," to which you can already tell he's smiling cockily too,

"What was it? The fast fists thingy"

"Oh that? It was wing chun! You know, it's actually really useful in fighting... The person who made it was this Buddhist monk named Ng Mui who actually was a women! It's a very extricating story actually! Her story on developing the style caused for it being recommended by Bruce Lee... oh, wait I'm blabbing all over again... Sorry!" stammering out, your hands stop as you furrow your face in embarrassment.

His right hand, delicately, taps on your hands too continue, as he speaks,

"No, continue. I want to know."

"Really?..." Now your head has turned up, your other hand blindly grasping around on the ground for the bandaging tape as you lock eyes.

He looks at you in this strange, angry yet longing way, his eyebrows are furrowed, and he seems pissed off, but his eyes. Oh, his eyes. Their locked in on you with this cute peaked interest, shining as you speak. This time, you take notice of his soft pinkened cheeks and the nervousness of his body language.

So, you continue speaking. Wrapping his hands thoughtfully as you retell the history of your fighting style. Recounting the learnings and teachings, explaining why you thought Umemiya even chose you too spar with him. Which he grunts too exasperatedly.

By the time you've finished completely bandaging his sores, you've sat crossed from him, glancing up and down anywhere but his face.

"I hope I didn't bore you through that... I just thought, you'd like to understand why Umemiya made me spar with you. I swear I wasn't trying to steal him away from you or anything!"

Sugishita scoffs a bit, flicking his head to the side as his hair falls away from his face.

"Tch, don't apologize. I don't care. I like your talking."

"Are you? Sure?... I swear I'm not trying to earn brownie points with him. It's not a goal of mine... Honestly, he makes me sort of nervous andalsoI'mnotsureifhe'evenlikesme- Mmph!"

Mid-croaked speech, Sugishita huffs another sigh, pushing his hair back from his face. Leaning in quick, pressing against your lips, opened. Sweet, short, and shocking.

"I- Oh my god- Wow. Um-"

"Let's do this. All of this. Again." He's shocked himself off his feet now, fidgeting with his bandaged hands as he stomps towards the door. The night time sky, dark outside, the only lights coming from the building and the lamps outside.

Turning his head, one quick glance more, he mumbles through his blushed face.

"You’re cute. Stop worrying about it. See you..."

Before you able to scramble to your feet he's scrunched himself over and angrily stomped his way all the way across the street.

"Wait!- What?!-"

You hear the angry slam of the gate.

Touching your lips, there's a slight tang of metal as you run your tongue over where his lips had been. Excruciatingly hot, your whole face becomes.

But now there's a slight nip of blood, where his little vampiric teeth had accidently scrapped.

TOGAME JO (aikido + kung fu)

"You'll wait for me, won't you Kami-chan?"

"Mmm... Maybe. If you remember to come back for me" he teases, grinning his long feline smile as he looks down at you through his shaggy mullet. Black hair dancing softly with the light breeze as fireworks blare up above.

He's slumped over the wooden railing of the arched bridge, gazing out at the red Torii gates as the wood creaked. A small paper bowl dawned Mitarashi Mochi, steaming hot from the vendor as the sticky sweet soy sauce glazed over it glowed under the flickering fireworks.

Flashes of red, greens, and yellows echo above. As you gaze at him, taking in his striking soft lazed eyes. His silly grin molding into a frown as he raises a brow.

"Hmm? What's wrong Tori? Why aren't you responding?", he seems so unbothered by your moving. If only you could tell him, it was him that was distracting you.

"It's just that... Well, what if you forget me?" you mumble, stuffing your face into your sweaters sleeves as you curled on top of the wood.

You don't have to look at him to feel his eyes narrow in some sort of strange annoyance.

"I won't. Even I know better than that [Name]. We've been friends for long enough, haven't we?" Leaning forward, creaking noises barely mix with the loud cacophony of the fireworks.

He stares at the patterned lights of a red heart. The sparks floating away like fairies as they disappear.

You could sit in this moment forever. Soak in the fainting scent of his hair, the boring old public bath soaps mixed with his own strange, food embedded aroma. Something from his love of festivals you had always noticed.

Luminated underneath the sky, his green eyes held sparks of such vibrant color. From the straight, dark gaze he held for a moment, he turned, grabbing your hand with one of his own, grabbing what was left of the mochi with his other, as he looked at you, deeply,

"I'll remember you. So, write to me while you're gone, won't you?"

Lost in his darkened gaze, you only nod, smiling meekly as his hand closes into yours.

It's cold. Very, very, cold.

He's always had cold hands. When he stands up straight, he pulls you in by his side, your hand warming up to his, heat rushing through your finger tips as he palms the front of your hand. Running over the knuckles hardened from your several brawls.

"Come on' at least let me bet ya' one more time before you leave Tori"

With that, the mood blazes a little more, eliciting a giggle from you as he grins and jogs the both of you towards the large, opened sumo mats. Left open for freelancing competitors.

When he lets go of you, it's a lot more noticeably cold. A choke of air left loose from your throat as you reel your hand back. Desperately holding against the urge to grab again at his empty hand. Watching as he turns his back, throwing away the mochi, clueless.

Ducking under the flexing ropes, you both enter, cracking knuckles, stretching legs, grinning childishly.

"I'll get you this time Jo!" Teasing, you bounce on your heels, cart wheeling towards him.

"We'll see about it [Name]... I've been beating you since we were babies, maybe you'll win this time..." His baritone voice drags out the last syllable, watching knowingly as your eye twitches from his annoyance.

"I'll beat you and then send you to the States instead of me Kami-chan!"

"Mmm, we'll see doll"

He hopes you don't notice the way he's jaw is latched shut. The way his eyebrows furrow in annoyance. And especially not the way small crystalline tears dabble his pretty green eyes you so adored.

Realizing that you're leaving him.

...

"I'll be home soon Kami. Do you still remember me?" - Tori

“Ohhh Kame-chan! Kame-chan, Kame-chan! Look what I brought! Ume-chan said the bakery down in their precinct had extras so I brought home mochi!” Choji giggles in playful delight as he jumps up and down.

Watching as his friend crumples a small piece of paper into his palm. Togame takes to it quickly as he shoves it deep inside his Shishitoren jacket. He tilts his head.

...Kame-chan never hides secrets from him. And he certainly had no reason to start now.

"Hmm~? What's that Kame-chan? What is it! It looked important! Was it from Sakura-chan? Ooo, I haven't seen him in forever! I wonder what he's up too-"

"It's... Nothing Choji. Leave it. This isn't for you to see anyways." Togame mumbles, shifting uncomfortably onto one of his wooden sandals. Eyes following off to the side, finding interest in the sky instead of his friend. Shuffling something in his pocket, digging deep into it; indenting the shape of some sort of crumbling.

He was ruining the note!

"Hey! Wait, wait, wait! Kame-chan what's on the notee?! I wanna' know! Give it here! You'll ruin it!" pouting, Choji jumps forward, yanking at the orange letterman jacket. Pulling at Togame's wrists as he tried to reach for the crumbled paper.

"Wait Choji- Hey!-"

Successfully wrestling the note out of his friend's grasp he fumbles over the folded edges, lifting the note up in triumph as he grins and reads,

"I'll be home soon Kami!- Tori, Oof!"

Only to get plundered to the hard concrete rooftop of building.

'Kame-chann! Ow... That hurt! What was that for?!"

"You... Dumbass. That note has nothing important... Leave it alone would ya'..." Furrowing his brows, the emeralds of his eyes narrow as he glares at the folded-out letter in Choji's hand. The last letter of your signature just barely peeking out in a soft stroke of pen.

"It's clearly very~ important if your hiding it from me Kame-chan! Who is it? Who is it? You've never hid secrets before! Ooo... I wonder, is it a lover do you have someone you like Kame-chan? OhwowIcan'timagine-"

"It's not my lover dumbass! It's... From someone. I guess..." Togame groans in exhaustion, watching Choji through colored lenses as he jumps giggling up and down. Bouncing on the fronts of his feet like a little child. All the fanfare as his eyes glow in anticipation, staring deep into his lazed eyes.

Togame swears he felt his eyebrow twitch,

"It's... From an old childhood friend. Okay? Ya' done yet?"

He should of hid that note quicker.

"Oh?! Oh!! Kame-chan has a pen pal! Woahh... Wait, is it that one girl from your old secondary school?! Kame-chan you've got to tell me more than that!" Now he's circling him like a vulture. Tugging on the whites of his sleeve as he twirls in circles around him, all the energy in the world.

Choji would ring this opportunity out of Togame if it was the last thing he did.

"... It is them... I guess. But keep your mouth quiet dumbass. We didn't end on good terms last time around... Anyways, I haven't seen them or talked to them since that letter..." huffing, Togame bends his knees, laying flat on the ground as he put his arms behind. Staring up into the clear sky as he traced over the clouds. Suspiciously heart shaped and fluffy.

"Wahh~... But then doesn't that mean this is your chance to make it up to them?", Choji takes the time out of his boundless energy to plop down beside the tall, clearly saddened man, as he turns and stares. Unblinking.

"Hahh?! Are you kidding me? No thanks... We haven't seen each other in forever. It's stupid... I got all angry and annoyed after they left. I stopped answering their texts and when they tried sending letters I... Just. Couldn't"

A breeze blows a strange chill down Togame's spine.

When he turns to look at Choji, fearing the silence, his face is met with the very, very, chilled and deadly hands of Choji Tomiyama.

His friend had latched his eyes opened, inches away from Togame as he grinned, emotionless. Unfazed. Blankly.

Petrified, Togame forces himself to stare back, eyes opened in near heart attack.

"If you're going to be such a wimp about it. Then I'll make it happen. Myself."

The air stills.

.

.

.

"Haha! Gotcha'! Was that good? That was my pep talk! Ume-chan said good leaders know how to encourage their right hands! Didya' get the message Kami-chan?"

Togame feels his heart skip a beat as the hands gripped tightly over his cheeks let loose as Choji jumps to his feet spontaneously.

"Yeahh... Sure Choji... Uh huh." Recovering from his near shock, he takes the hand extended out towards him.

"It's okay to be scared Kami-chan! All of us are at some point! But sometimes you've got to learn to face your fears head on! You've got me, Sakura-chan, and all of Shishitoren holding you up on your back anyways! Trust in us! We're here for you and your sad romance!"

"There is no sad romance! Ohhh... Never mind"

"Come on Kame-chan! Let's enjoy this mochi before it goes cold. Maybe that'll get your mind off things for a bit!"

Letting out a cold hard sigh of frustration, he follows behind the bumbling child. Watching as Choji leaps through the doors, never looking back. Knowing full well that he'd follow.

It reminds him of how you'd tail behind him.

Back when you two were just friends.

...

When the sky turns bleak in darkness, Choji hums a lullaby as he waits outside the train station, being the only one within radius of the neighborhood Togame lived in.

Scrolling absentminded on his phone, he waits for the intercom to stop it's announcement.

"Arriving, Makochi Station. All passengers may now exit"

Flicking his phone off, he tucks it into his jacket, still having not changed since his meeting with the dark raven haired man.

A devilish grin adorns his face as he zeros in on the person exiting the train. Two large luggage cases trailing behind their person as the curl up the scarf rung over their neck.

Skipping up to them, his grin widens.

"Hiya! Your Tori-chan aren't cha'? Ooo, it's so nice to finally meet you! I'm Choji Tomimiya! Are you lost?"

He leaves you no time to soak in the shock of the name he calls you by.

Watching you keenly as your eyes widen in surprise, not expecting the greeting; your cheeks-stained light pink from the cold of the night. Immediately going into a familiar praying mantis stance. Thumbs and palms folded like knives as you step back cautiously.

"Now hold on! I don't mean harm! I'm Kame-chan's friend! Oh wait- That doesn't help... Togame's friend!"

His eyes gleam mischievously as he watches your eyes widen even more, a gasp puffing from your lips as he clasps his hands together. Rubbing them together like a pesky fly as he skips.

"You and I have so much to talk about!"

The poor, unsuspecting you.

...

When Togame arrives in the dark, gloomy lit room of The Ori his subconsciousness immediately perks up to the appearance of someone, familiar, as their back turned to meet him.

“Hi. Kame-chan”

Your voice has a newfound bitterness he’s not used to, although it was expected. In the back of his mind, he could feel a twitch snap its way up his spine as his eye winced.

When you have fully faced him, a coldness wallowed your eyes. Your lips pressed thin against each other as he watched your shoulders stiffen. An uncomfortable silence crowding the both of you in.

For a while, it seemed like neither of you were going to move. Watching each other blankly as your fists closed. Palming inwards as white crescent shaped imprints were left from your nails.

“Hi. Kame-chan.”

Shit.

This was all Choji’s idea wasn’t it.

Nothing could explain the way you looked at him. Something begging for him in shame.

“Ah, hello. [Name]."

Anxiety bubbles up in his stomach in rippling waves. Choking down the pitiful tears that bubbled up in his stomach, taking a step forward, he watched as your brow twitches.

"So, are you going to explain yourself? Have anything to say to the person you ghosted for months?" Bitter is your voice as it rise, angry, wrathful stomps, following step by step, until your close enough to punch him.

Or even kiss him.

But he doesn't need to know that.

"Aha.. Ha. Listenn [Name], I. A lot of things happened while you were gone, I met new people, had new things to take care of... I'm sor-"

"If you were sorry, you would have replied. You would have answered my letters. You should have answered them."

And now you've backed up, popping your knuckles as you snicker, mocking him as you glared.

"What, were you too awestruck by your new little best friend that you forgot me Kame-chan?"

How much had Choji told you? Anyway, he was really going to kill him one way or another. If he could get past you first.

"Hey. Eyes here Togame Jo. I don't take shitty emotional outrages lightly turtle head. I don't give a damn if you've join some sort of gang or what not, but if you've got a problem with me, we'll fight it out like we've always done" Twisting your neck, cracks resound, bouncing up and down as you take deep breaths, slowing down your racing heart.

Tradition would have it, that whenever you were arguing, as children do, your parents would force the both of you into a padded garage, the mats firm but cushioned as they'd demand you to fix your issues through regulated fights.

For the both of you, this had always been the way fights were fixed. Nothing staged, no parades, no bitter tears, just simple, very simple, rough housing.

It was always natural to you, finding your fix in taking out your anger in the punches, blocks, hard slams onto the mats with him. The five year old versions of you and Togame being snotty emotional babies, taking out your frustrations with tactless takedowns and silly punches.

He doesn't stop to think as he grins, bittersweet. And Togame thinks about how pretty you look underneath even the horrible yellow dim lights of the Ori's theatre stage.

Kicking off the sandals below him, digging the palms of his feet into the cracked wood of the stage, his smile widens. Lazy doe eyes perking up at you, reeling you in, through shaded yellow glasses. Previous sadness dissipating as he watches you bounce, playfully.

That's right, it had always just been you two and your silly little fights, hadn't it. There really was no reason he should have been scared.

Aiming for your leg he ducks, sweeping as you jump over. Swaying like a snake as your hands lift and tuck.

Now you grin too, a nostalgic feeling bubbling in your heart as you watch his black hair flair. Beautiful as he grapples for you, aiming closer and closer.

It really was so hard to be angry at someone as beautiful as him. The next time he aimed for you, you barreled, grabbing at his arm as you throttled him over.

His eyes widen in the split of the second your faces align, watching as his body glides over yours in a swift throw.

God, he admired the way you grinned and chuckled as his body crashed to the wooden floor.

A threatening crack left in the imprint of the stage.

His back was aching.

But for some reason, he was thrilled. No, he knew why. You could see it, as he grunted up from the floor, you backed, still swaying as you pounce towards him. Grappling for his limbs as he backed and tried to his own throw.

For minutes, you two grappled at each other, tiring yourselves out as he crouched lower and lower, as you yanked quicker and stronger.

Fiery passion dancing in unseen ways between the quick glances. Your eyes catching each other's as short looks found their way into your messy brawls. Just like little kids again, you both grinning like maniacs, little children, forgetting the whole reason behind your dirtied fists, crappy stage, and labored breaths.

When it had felt like hours, and the wood planks of the stage had started to tilt under the pressure of your heavy body slams, only then did you both pause to catch your breath. Short, raspy catches of air as your eyes locked.

And the moment holds. Bent over, hands on knees, as he looks at you, hair disheveled and little hair tie lost somewhere in the midst, his bright green eyes glowing brightly as he stares. Watching your hair, splayed out and unkept, clothes dirtied with patches of dirt. Still with a determined look of fierceness held on your gaze. Moment holding, before you both leap at each other, tangling arms and legs.

It takes even longer, as you both tumble to the floor, breaths quickening as limbs lace around each other, trying to find an opening to throw. Rolling around, dirty and grim bulking over each others clothes, as the floor below threatens to give.

When you finally give, throwing your head onto his, knocking the breath out of him as he one final breath gives leeway.

"Ow! Damn it-..."

He glares, your legs crossed over each other as he lays up, propped on his shoulders below you.

You blink.

He blinks.

And suddenly, a quiet rumble erupts, and your both giggling as you stumble over him, lying next to him. Crazed, pure psychotic laughter as your hands cover your face shielding from the light.

He's slow, deep looming tone, echos across the walls as he grins, looking up at the ceiling, eyes droopy as he turns.

"... I, missed you, Tori" This time, you're sure you heard a choked back sob.

"Wait- Hey now... Wait, don't get all sappy on me Togame Jo!" Alarmed, you turn, propping up on one elbow as you clasp your calloused hand at his cheek.

Watching as a tear slides down his cheek.

"...Kami-chan... Are you alright?"

He doesn't reply. Sitting there, watching your dolled face, anxious with worry as you hold his cheek. Everything felt warm, inviting, exciting. And he didn't want it to leave.

"Can we, stay like this?..."

Without hesitation, or need for explanation,

"Of course. Of course we can Kami"

So, you lay back down, staring up at the ceiling looking that the lights as they start to flicker. Wondering whatever happened to the best friend you knew as lazed and cool. It doesn't take long before you hear the shuffling of Togame, long limbed as the beast he is, scooting closer.

The softness of an orange coat floats over you, draping elegantly as you let out a deep sigh.

He looks at you, smiling, body aching, knees giving out, as he turns, facing you, taking in your details as the butterflies in his heart explode like burning pain.

He lifts the orange coat, blackened by design ink and dirt that coats its outside, as he tucks you in.

"I'm sorry"

He thinks.

As he turns upwards, laying on his own arm, thinking about how the wood seemed even brighter than the mornings blue sky.

...

"Woah dude... What was that about? Didja' see that boss? That was crazy!..." Kanuma squeaks, hiding behind his puffed out sleeves as he whimpers behind the wooden door.

"Shhh! Shh! They're gonna hear us if you don't shudd'up idiot!" Arima whispers -yelling through his teeth- trying to peak over the top of his friend.

"Woahh... He did it! He did it! Kame-chan talked to his crush!" A small, fluffy blonde hair boy peaks over the top of the two eavesdropping rats. Pumping up his fists in cheer as he grins maniacally.

"Wait- What? Boss that's Togames crush?! That's crazy... There's no way!" Almost fearful, Kanuma ducks behind the wall.

"No, it totally is guys...! When I talked to them yesterday, they told me about how they used to like him when they were kids... Just look at them. Their totallyy in love!~" The blonde boy snickers, sticking out his tongue at his friend as he watched the lover birds sleep.

Trying to peak again, Kanuma looks over Choji's head, squinting at the two lying forms. A sudden twitching motion coming from Togame as his eyes flicker, turning slowly to the sound of rustling clothes.

"... Uh oh! I think he noticed us guys! Scatter! Kame-chan's gonna kill us if he knows we were eavesdropping" Choji tip toes out of the line of sight as he gives a closed eye smile. Putting up a finger as he motions to be quiet. Scampering off with the two mischievous members tailing close behind, giggling like children again.

Togame Jo would not be hearing the end of it any time soon.

KAJI REN (capoeria (e.g of reader (cw: indecency) MANGA SPOILERS

Kaji Ren hates stupid people.

He hates stupid people with an ego even more so.

Thinking about it makes him even more ticked off, which doesn't help the crowd he's with at all.

There are bruises traced all over his face, purple as they start to darken. His mouth is parched, his bottom lip is busted and bleeding slightly as the iron taste touches his tongue. A sharp iron taste lacing itself in his mouth as he wipes the blood pouring out the scraps on his face and skin.

Stuck between two boys, who seem quite obviously ages older than him; cornered him towards the large jungle gym. His back pressing up slowly against the cold metal bars. Their eyes preying as they snickered, cracking their knuckles in viciousness. Having already landed harsh, unfair blows at his back and chest. His wrists ached from where they had iron gripped at, leaving red marks. His legs wobbled slightly as he backed, he was sure he could feel more bruises forming.

"Where's your little protector now Kaji? You're not all that scary without Hiragi anymore are ya' punk", the taller of the two boys, spits, getting his saliva all over the wood chips decorating the floor.

Really, Kaji Ren can't stand nasty little idiots like him. Pieces of the cocky bastards' spit got over his cheek, gross and slimy as his eyes narrow. Swiping at the disgusting remanence with his school uniforms sleeve, it stains the cuffs.

Spitting back, "Get the hell away from me moron." Kaji tries to duck underneath the two boys.

Only, behind them were several other upper classmen, all dressed in a strange coat printed with some design of a blacked-out snake, curling in on itself. The logo of their gang he guesses. Damn it, as he tries to swerve away from the group of teens the more they close in. His headphones had already been off as they had died hours ago, having forgotten to charge them before heading out, much to his annoyance.

Hiragi had told him to contain his anger, tune out the dumb people with his headphones and music, hold his tongue from starting fights with lolipops and sweets to chew on. Yet, his headphones would be no help and there were far too many people trying to instigate with him for him not to start a fight. Especially when his body was already battered and bruising as he tried to stand up right.

The shorter of the boys, freckle face and yellow hair, perked up, inching closer as he grabbed at Kaji's collar.

"What happened little boy? Where's all that bark now huh??- Guess those rumors your short temper were all yap huh. Come on now! Show us your rage, your anger." Lifting him up in the air, Kaji grimaces, closing his fists tight as he tries to struggle loose. Suspended in air, moments last.

A strong back handed fist landing the boys nose as he drops down and back.

"Ow- Fuck! You damn brat!" Blood leaks from the boys nose, a strange joint sticking out as he covers his nose. Eyes widening at the awkward angle it held.

"Fucking! Damn it don't just stand there! Get that fucking dog in a cage!"

Several of the members jump at the command, charging at the white hair boy with bats in hand. Closed fists, weapons of wood, and blood thirsty looks on their face as they push past the wounded teen.

Twisting his body he launches into the air, careful to hold onto his headphones as he lands, kicking members from every side.

His knuckles flame and burn as he lands blows, screaming bloody murder, words muffled; hell, if he knows what he's saying. His body manipulates like a ballet, twisting and spinning as he jumps to dodge and throws with full intent. Every muscle in his body aching as his legs collide with the onslaught of members. Kicks sending back several at a time as he sweeps below. Ducking under one before launching up to round house another.

The air gets colder the longer he stays outside. It's almost completely black when the streetlights turn on. Everyone tucked away in their homes.

Out of nowhere a punch connects with his jaw, sending up sideways.

Standing up, he wobbles, trying to get back his vision at his attacker(s). His jaw is stinging with numbing pain; almost broken he thinks. But it's nothing he hasn't had before.

Limping, his back curves to a straight stand, trying to clasp back his fists. A fatigue enveloping him as he tries to stand. Only to have someone yank him from behind, strong and quick as he lands on the wooden chips of the playground. His coat flaying off him with the attacker. A scream releasing from his lips as pieces poke sharply into his back.

"Damn it..."

His throat hurts from violent pain, labored breathing leaving him as he tries to calm himself.

1...

2...

3...

Everything fades. Every little breath he counts as he tries to stop the blurring of his eyes, widened in fear as the blackened shadows approach him.

He can't lose it again.

Where are they? Where are the headphones? His lollipops even? He can't feel anything.

Where are they?

The headphones. Their gone, they're not on his neck, his eyes blur even more, eyebrows raising as he frantically stands, stumbling as he grips around his neck, looking for them.

"Looking for this little boy?" The taller teen steps forward, headphones, pale white, in hand as he sneers.

"Give. Those. Back. You fucking moron!"

Prancing around him, dancing with a sing song-y voice, the boy taunts,

"Come and get em' doggy"

Fuck. He can't see, everything is blacking out, he can't lose them. Not now, not yet, Hiragi didn't give him those precious headphones just for them to be taken away.

He couldn't disappoint Hiragi like this. Not like this. Anything but the headphones. Anything but that pitch blackness and the bodies that would pile up when he woke.

It's too late, he's already losing control of himself. He can't even feel his arms anymore. He feels dazed, let lose. Black dots stabbing at his vision as the last of the men trail in, crouched low as they sneer and snicker. Taunting. Enticing. Looking down.

On him.

What would Hiragi think? Kaji apologizes in his head. Feeling the last of his consciousness fading away as his muscles relax.

"Sorry... Hiragi, sir..."

For a second the world slows as he tilts, falling lightly. It's almost peaceful.

.

.

.

"Waitt-!!"

"Stay alive dude! You've got this, hold on!"

Flashes of clothing appear. A sudden figure leaping towards the rest of the gang, fists tight as they move in weird dissonance. Their legs bent and swaying like a snake.

It wakes Kaji.

Whoever they were, they didn't stop to check if he was still awake. Or if his legs were still holding up him. They kept bouncing up and down, flairs of all sorts, cartwheels and tornado kicks combined.

They moved like a dance, cutting off each member slowly as they jumped and leaped. Taking the stage as they landed kicks across every member. Bodies dropping one by one as each kick and punch landed.

Violent pulses of coughs left from their victims, short, asphyxiated breaths. His legs gave out watching them. Vision returning slowly in color as they watched the way the darkened figure danced. It felt like anything but a fight, much more graceful than his. It felt staged, long lasting, as they took out men with their long loose limbs. The power felt almost raw, beautiful, but untamed and violent in a way even he could understand.

Until finally, the very last member stood. The very boy that had taken his headphones off. Quaking in fear as his knees buckled, hands held high as he tried to run.

"Hey! Come back here dummy! Why are you so scared? I'm not done yet!" Grinning, you launch upwards, flipping dramatically as you land. Cascading down like a little fairy as you smile in a sadistic glee.

Pinpoint on his back, leg first.

His head hitting the floor in a disgusting, awestruck crack.

“… Uh oh. Is he alright?! Shoot, I didn't kill him did I...? Shit” you mutter under your breath.

Despite your word a devilish smile entertained your face. It was almost horrific the way you sat on the poor boy's back.

Kaji watches you sit in silence for minutes muttering under your breath before you snap back to reality. Jumping up spontaneously; surprising Kaji as he sits up right, before you yank out the white headphones, inspecting them.

Giving a little kick at the bodies arm, you reach out with your empty hand, feeling for the certain beat of his heart with your two fingers. Inspecting the pulse as you hummed, strangely unbothered.

When you were satisfied, a grin left of your face from where Kaji could see, you skipped towards him. Headphones in hand you bent down all bubbly as you smiled and offered him a lending hand.

"Hiya! Are you okay dude? Was a bit worried back there to be honest! I thought you died or something..." A nervous chuckle left your, very pretty lips, Kaji noticed, hyper focused on the way they moved as you went on bumbling,

"Do you need... Bandages? Water?... Does it hurt a lot?"

Something about the way you spoke held him in a weird trance. You were mesmerizing. Maybe it wasn't even just the way you spoke, but the way you looked. The way you acted. Maybe even, especially the way you completely saved him from months of regret and wallowing in his own self pity. Something about the way you fought and the way you were looking over his face and knuckles. Eyes keen on his bruises that decorated his cheeks made his face feel warm.

There was an unfamilar fuzzy feeling bubbling in his stomach. Was this... Anxiety? Now? It was weird. It didn't feel exactly like times before. But still, he felt something that was new and foreign. Something that he wasn't sure he enjoyed.

Your eyes are glued to his knuckles next, turning over his hands to inspect his palms, and he notices the way your eyes furrow and you continue to mutter under your breath.

Now he just feels like a creep-

"I- Um- H-hey, let go of me!! It's nothing I swear- I'm used to it by this point! -"

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt you any less! Don't say things like that! Trust me, I've had my fair share of fights too... Getting treatment makes the recovery process easier than you think!"

"But-" He starts.

"Shut up! Nope. Be quiet! Here, take this, we'll get you something for the bruises and then I guess we can also repair these-" holding out your hand, you hand him back the headphones. This time, their scrapped and chipped by the sides, only noticeable if you looked closely. But still. It hurt Kaji a little to see them even remotely damaged. What sort of person was he to ruin Hiragi's gift like that?

Not noticing his little frown and the way he narrows his grey eyes to squint at the damages, you pocket out a couple hundred yen. Handing him the money as you chuckle, watching his face flush pink underneath the moonlight.

His eyes dart shyly elsewhere you could see the way his cheeks puffed slightly as he avoided your gaze. Sweetly, they looked absolutely squishable, it took everything not to reach out and grab.

"Hey! [Name]! Where are you ya' damn brat...! My friends are waiting and I am not having your family yell at me for leaving you out here in the dark!"

Shit-

"Coming! I'm coming! Hold on!-" turning your head quickly towards the voice your eyes shock open. Looking back, you smile quickly at Kaji, whose head is tilted, curious as he stares.

"Sorry I gotta' go pretty boy! See you around?... Till next time!"

Running away quickly waving your hand high above the air, flickers of the moonlight glows across your air as it reflects off. Before he blinks you've run off as fast as you appeared.

Leaving him confused, flushed red as his stammers a breath.

Looking down at the wad of yen in his hand, he notices a small tab, a sticker. The image of a white rabbit, a popular character that the girls in his year always had merch of. Its eyes looked almost soulless, staring back at him with its little x-cross shaped mouth.

"Cute..."

He thought. The blush on his cheeks growing redder as he stood in the light, staring at the gift left by his little savior. He should have asked for your name...

Peeling the paper off its smooth backing, he sticks it in the middle of his headphones, right center as it covered over the most noticeable of the scratches.

Man, he really wished he had asked for your name now.

...

"Alrrrright Kaji sir! Firrrst yearrrs are surrveying the norrrth homes! Grrrandma Sato rrreporrted her daughterr was missing sir! Let's search around the marrrkets arrea! Gram'ma said she was sent over therrre last." Enomoto yells, fiercely as he jabs a finger towards the pastry stores up ahead.

A smell of fresh bread hints itself in the air. Motioning to Kusumi with a few quick words, feeling his phone buzz in his pocket he nods. Kaji scampers off quickly as he sighs, adjusting his headphones. Sucking hard on a pink lolipop, his lips pop slightly as he runs.

The old women lost her poor baby cat every other day. Not to confuse the way she described her daughter, the animal in her possession was indeed a white feline.

On days where patrol was slow, and the only calling for Kaji was the needing for his and Bofurin's athletic prowess, he'd find himself walking straight past that park.

Looking longingly as he scoffs, noticing the way the wooden chips dipped softly, just barely noticeable, right next to the metal bars of the big jungle gym.

If it wasn't for the fact he had a job to do, and people he'd much rather not disappoint, he'd find a seat, right on the very tip of those cold metal bars as he dangled his legs over. Turning up his music to a certain lovecore playlist replaying that very night back in his head over and over. Humming slightly to some overseas American artist, Laufey.

He was never a fan of soft lullaby songs, all pathetically whimsical as they sang of love and possibilities.

But, months after that very scramble, he'd found a couple pragmatic online posts about the white little rabbit, stickered onto his headphones. Apparently, the girls who loved the so-called mascot rabbit 'Miffy' were systematically linked to artists associated with Laufey or lovecore.

As much as he'd love the posts to be proven wrong, the playlists always did reminded him of his first love.

He'd always spend the time, staring down at the floor, closing his eyes as music blasted, thinking about how your hands had been so very warm against his own. How bright you giggled as you were nervous, and how pretty your hair looked against the moonlight.

Kaji, oh dear captain of his year, was head over heels for a person he'd only met once.

And by gods, was it horribly embarrassing.

Slowing down from his jog, Kaji stares at the park. Pausing for a quick minute,

"It's just for a quick breath" He thinks.

His cheeks puff slightly at his amusing thought, slight tint of pink as he shakes his head angrily. Huffing a breath of annoyance, as he thinks;

Patrol comes first.

Out of the corner of his eye, mid thought, there comes the shine of something white. A small instant flash as the figure bounces across the wooden chips onto the small road.

"Darn it... There she is"

It doesn't take a second longer, as Kaji runs towards the movement. Watching the little naughty cat pounce across the road. Stopping to look back and give a teasing stick of the tongue. Damn Grandma, she spoiled this cat way too much.

Running after Risa, the flicker of her tail tucks as she ducks under stalls and their produce stands, scampering across the market place.

"Hey! Come back here damn it!"

Tripping over loose rock, he runs to catch up with the slimy rascal. Together as they duck under trashbins and banners, flipping over buildings as he yells. Just a few steps short as Risa bends underneath some bridge, skittering to a stop as Kai jumps down. Only for her to jump right back up as she pause once more, blinking innocently as she mews and sits pretty and perched. Kaji's sure he seems like a maniac now. He's yelling at the stupid cat as if it'll slow down, watching as he finally climbs up onto the bridges railings, nearly tripping again as he finally catches up to Risa behind a darkened part of the neighborhood.

A neighbor of the lower tax bracket, as litter is scattered on the floor, and a few abandoned houses and an amassed amount of weeds and strangling plants left alone as he watches the pearl cat finally sit still. Stuck right in front of him as she licks her paw, glancing at him in a sneering amuse he swears is an insult about his intelligence.

Mewling all sweet and baby-like, she beckons him to come closer. Watching him slowly crotched, annoyingly scoff as he rips open another lolipop. Having lost his previous one in the chase.

It's sour flavor of lemon pinches his tongue's tastebuds, souring his expression more as he starts to stomp fiercely towards the mocking kitten.

"Hey!... Look dude! A white cat! Aren't those like, superrr expensive?" a voice calls out, the small of a head of hair peeking overtop the overgrown weeds. A snicker comes with, and before Kaji and let out another tsk of annoyance, a group of guys about his age pops out behind the tall grasses.

One by one teens, Kaji guesses third years, stampeded towards Risa, gossiping in loud tones as they crouch, narrowing in on Risa.

He doesn't like the way they look at the cat, eyes preying in on her white fur like a prize, like predators.

"I'm sure it'll make for some good cash guys..."

"Hell yeah it will! Senior folk go crazy for cats this colo..-"

"Hey! What do you guys think you're doing?!" suddenly, another voice chimes in, it sounds... Almost familiar to him.

He takes the surprise of the guys to his advantage, sweeping up Risa in a quick swift motion.

She yowls in protest, echoing across the fields. Kaji's suddenly grateful he still has his headphones on, the muffling feature in full works.

Glaring at the guys, flashes of angry shouts come as they run towards him. Based on their reactions, he's almost certain they're yelling at him for stealing their cash cow-

Cash cat?-

Kaji doesn't get the chance to think before he grips his arms tightly around the soft kitty. Careful not to hurt her as he dodges out of the way, trying to make a mad dash towards the Bofurn plaza.

There were better days and better times to pick a fight. Even Kaji could tell, especially when he was carrying a very fussy and prickly cat that was very keen on escaping.

Trying to turn his back, he fails to notice the sound of a whole body slamming into the dirt ground. Several more shouts erupting as some sort of flashy black shadow twirled and danced, kicking towards the older guys.

Before he's able to run far, someone grabs at the back of his hoodie, yanking him to the floor as Risa panic, hissing violently.

"Shit! Come here Risa-chan... Sorry-"

He's lifted and turned around as a punch collides with his face.

Crap.

In the brief last second, he somehow shakes free, taking the punch as he feels his lip bruising.

Scurrying backwards he sees his attacker holding Risa by the scuff of the neck, perking their lips outwards in a taunt.

Risa's claws are just short of reaching his face as she hisses in frustration, swinging wildly as her claws extend.

"Shoot... Damn it. The cat!" Whisper yelling underneath his breath, he pops off his headphones as he runs towards the attacker. Throwing raw punches towards his opponent while trying to carefully pick Risa back up.

Blows exchange as he tries to step in front of Risa, having been let down as the grip loosened. When Kaji had finally noticed the other attackers had been laying on the floor unmoving and a shadow was curb stomping them almost breathless, he yelled

"Hey damn it! What's taking you so long?! Help the cat!"

The figure whips around confused,

"Oh shi- Sorry! Didn't know there was still more!"

Giving a swift low kick to make sure the men were still unconscious the person joined, flipping wildly into cartwheels as their knees bent. Raw jagged movements left your body as you confused the man in front of you. Striking at key targets hitting the arteries that would stun him as you aimed.

Kaji once securing the pretty cat, joined, holding the cat in both arms as he spun as well, kicking sporadically.

Together you both danced around the man, mixing styles in sychrony as you paraded over the blood leaking out of noises and cuts. The attacker blocks over and over, lifting his hands up as he tries to run.

"Shit- Sorry! Sorry! Okay I get it! I'll leave!"

It doesn't take long for the coward of a man to run, legs wobbling as he quickly picks himself up, flipping you off as he runs.

A sigh of relief escapes your lips, only for your eyes to shock open widely, searching for your partner in crime.

"Oh dude! Are you okay? You aren't hurt are you?"

As you inch towards the boy, you notice locks of silver hair, and a pair of headphones you had long looked for.

"Holy shi- your that pretty boy from the park!"

...

For Kaji, this coincidental moment felt like a whole years worth of voices silenced. When the shadow had disappeared from your face, his eyes widened, his cheeks flushed, and his grip on Risa loosened.

It was almost a miracle the cat hadn't tried to run off again.

You, you were there.

In front of him.

And this time you weren't fighting for his safety but had done it with him. Suddenly, he almost felt bashful. Embarrassed as he scuffled to his feet, mouth left open as he struggled to respond.

"Hi..."

Damn it Kaji Ren, that was absolutely moronic. His palms are sweaty, and he can feel Risa's fur sticking to it. He can tell his pupils are dilated as he hyperventilates. Staring at you in awe as replays what happened. Your beautiful flair kicks that had caught his attention, coming back to reel him in for more as he fought.

The chemistry you shared, the way your hair was disheveled even less than the last time, and the way your face had matured. Small features that had changed, indications of the time between when you guys had met.

A weird feeling bubbles in Kaji's stomach, turning and twisting in a way that made him confused. Did he want it to stop? Or was he just crazy?

Your eyes look even prettier in the sunset, with the scene of old dark houses shining against them. Your own face perks up curiously,

"Hey uh- Are you just gonna stare?..."

"I uh- Shit. Sorry, um yeah I am that guy... Ya' know... The one you saved last time" Shit, he thinks his voice cracked. Did it crack? Was he hallucinating again?

"No no I remember! I'm just surprised to see you on this part of town... I'm guessing by the uniform you joined Bofurin! Is the cat a neighbor's then?" A smile laces your lips as you inch closer, lifting your index finger to scratch underneath Risa's chin.

As you inchd, Kaji could feel his breath cut. A sharp cut of his unsteady breathing, as his whole body stiffened, almost too aware of how close you were to him.

It feels like hours watching you scratch at the cat in his arms. Right... The cat, not him. It's the cat your paying attention to.

Why is there a stingy sensation now? What is it with all these emotions. It's pissing him off. The weird bubbly feeling replacing itself with a weird giddiness and a hint of something he could only think was jealousy.

Of a cat? How stupid...

When you finish, you stand up straight, grinning even more brightly at the cute kitty time.

"Hey- If you need to return the cat now, how about I walk with you to your side of town? I feel like this meeting was just an absolute sign we were supposed to get to know each other!"

Clasping your hands together, Kaji's whole face erupts in a fierce red, a slow nod as he turns his head away, hiding shyly as his cheeks puff abnormally.

You could almost see the steam bubbling out of his ears.

"S-sure... But just to return the cat!" he babbles, trying to hide his warming ears as he shoves his headphones over his ears with one hand, struggling to put them on all the way.

"Hehe, if that's what you want!" You giggle, reaching out again to pet the sweet soft kitty in his arms. Reaching up once more to readjust his headphones.

All while Ms. Risa sleeps peacefully, and your hair brushes past Kaji's nose, warm hands clasping near the cuffs of his ears by accident as you push the headphones on fully. A glimpse of the bunny sticker showing itself to you as you do so.

A happiness boils inside your chest. Almost a sense of pride as you take notice how yours is the only decoration upon his grey headphones.

And how clean the sticker held up.

A soft smile lifts from his flushed face. Listening to your coos as Risa yawns. He chuckles to himself, thinking again about how awesome you were as you fought, as he timidly reaches out a pinkie. Shifting his grip on the cat as he moves.

Looking away quite obviously, he hooks his pinky with yours as you two walk.

Neither you nor him notice the flushing cheeks and the averted gazes as you hold pinkies.

Short and sweet contact, yet all the warmer as speckles of pink and red dances across your cheeks both.

...

"So, Kajiii whose the new perrrson?!" Enomoto yells, shaking Kaji violently as he spits accidently across his face. For the past hour, since the return of Kaji, his face had been stricken with uncontrollable fear. Thinking his captain had gotten lost.

Only to meet Kaji with a whole essay of questions.

'Yeah, yeah! Tell us Kaji!' A text message rings from Kusumi, his grin widening by the minute as he captures photos of Kaji's red flustered face.

"You neverrr said anything about your crrrush dude! This is crrrrazy! Did Hirrragi sir know about this?! Damn did you leave us out of it Kaji?!" Relentlessly Enomoto shakes, hands quivering at the thought of it all. Kaji Ren with a partner.

"S-Shuddap'! Their not a crush!! I just-"

"What's this I hear?! Kaji you have a crush now?!"

Shit.

Hiragi's face explodes as he drops the plant he holds. Umemiya following close behind as his face drops in horror.

For the plant or for Kaji, he doesn't know.

But he knows he's screwed for sure, looking over to the side of the balcony as you come towards him, smiling as you lift up a hand, showcasing the cute white bunny sticker sheets as you skip.

Maybe he is crushing. Just a little.

SPECIAL BREWS...

Tori-chan // Togame nicknames [reader] as Tori-chan as he views them as someone sweeter than him. Tori or Torii refers to the red gates found in Japanese Shinto shrines. It's a nice play on his monk like religious persona

Kami-chan // [Reader] refers to Togame as Kami as it means paper but also gods/divine beings. For reader and Togame I wanted to symbolize their relatiionship with small religious monikers. Reader also thinks of Togame being laid back and loose limbed like paper, which Kami can also mean!

Lovecore // I wanted to show how innocent and dreamy Kaji's love was. In comparison to his harsh personality, I also headcannon he's the type of guy to listen to music to reminsce and remember his s/o <3. Also just think that lovecore playlists are bangers that remind me of cute character like Miffy and such (I def was not listening to lovecore playlists writing this)

BARISTA'S INQUIREMENT... part II of two! not proof read... Was supposed to be gender neutral but I have a sneaking suspicion I forgot it somewhere. Please let me know if I did! Unfortunately, was very burnt out and couldn't find it in me to write an Umemiya part :(( I will try to post Umemiya content in the near future!

word count. 3k-ish

tag list form !

Part I // FINAL

©lilimalia... Please do not plagiarize, themes are edited by me, reblogs allowed, do not repost on any other platform!!

banner creds: satoru nii, author of wind breaker

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

Rage Fire Institution

Accelerating. 38.

Locking his door behind him, Tatsumi collapsed on his sofa. Burying his head in his hands, a vague headache had settled in and refused to leave. He’d been off his game and he knew he wasn’t imagining it. Maki had been jealous. Maki had been jealous of him talking with Fleur. Even if the alpha had recovered in his absence to fetch lunch, there’d still been questioning confusion when Tatsumi had returned showered, changed completely out of the clothes he’d worn that morning. He’d slicked.

For all his self talk about not stepping over the line between them, his body hadn’t listened. As he’d reached out to wipe the paint from Maki’s face, he’d felt it happen. That was the whole reason his knee had ended up in the wet paint. Then Li had made the comment over having someone he loved being in his pants, and his body had betrayed him further. By the time he’d made it back to his quarters he’d become a mess with slick having no other choice than to deal with it, shower, and hope no one could see the shame he felt over it.

The afternoon had run smoother. The pilot scramble had done its job. Mixing the second years in with Anthony and Stella, he’d called in the favour of fourth years for them to verse. Teams swapping after each mock battle so no one knew who they were with until just before it started. The chaos was good. It kept him focused… and gave him a reason to keep his mind on more than Maki. The way he’d looked at him that morning had felt so intimate. As if the alpha would kiss him at any moment, or, more correctly, as if the alpha were waiting for him to kiss him at any moment. The signs had all been there. The funny beats his heart gave should have been the dead give away… not realising during tutoring Maki that the reason he was so excited to call him was because he missed him beside him.

They had three weeks to go. Maki wasn’t as far as he would have liked him to be with his barrier mods, but his friend was giving it his all. It’d all be over so soon.

***

Instead of resting, Tatsumi showered again, then dressed warmly. With Maki being his sole focus, Tatsumi hadn’t visited Donny’s in a few weeks. He knew he could have reached out by message, yet he wanted to see Donny’s face to face. With Suzu’s treatment plan he’d probably not be able to visit the club. Not when he’d be hormonally unstable as well as hormonal and unstable. Taking a capsule car to Donny’s, the rain continued falling. A small flickering red light above wet steps was the only sign that the club was there and open.

Heading inside, Tatsumi went straight to Cherry. The woman smiling happily as he took a seat at her bar

“Hello, gorgeous. I thought you’d forgotten me”

“I could never forget you. Is Donny in tonight?”

“Sorry, love. Hyluk got himself in some trouble and he’s sorting out his visa. Let me get you a tall drink of soda, you don’t look like you want to drink tonight”

“Thank, Cherry. I think drinking is probably the last thing I should be doing unless you want me snoring on your bar”

“Not on the bar. I’m sure I can find space back here if you’re desperate”

“And risk you kicking me every 10 seconds? I think I’ll take my chances on this side. So Donny won’t be back tonight?”

“No, lovely. I’ll get that shot ready too”

With Donny not there, Tatsumi’s plan to fill him in flopped before it could even begin. Busy with her bar, Cherry dropped the shot off, before getting back to the orders. His cola would have to wait. Picking up his customary shot, he made his way to where his friends waited, continuing his custom as he placed the shot down in front of the photo of his team, then lifted the photo down. They’d have loved watching the trainee pilots. Thomas would have laughed until his face was beet red. Kaji would have mocked and teased them over being useless and unable to coordinate. Garth and Matthew would have found a way to trick their way into two mechs to cause chaos. Dan would sat in a sulk with a cigarette hanging out his mouth as he traced formation ideas onto the gym floor. Rei, Lee, and Everit would have claimed they were too old, yet would have watched any and all footage they could get their hands on. The three of them were a team to themselves, subbing in and out were needed, but Tatsumi had still considered them friends, despite the ten year age difference.

“Sweetie, I brought your drink over. How are our boys today?”

Tatsumi skipped mention they were dead seeing they both knew they were

“The frame’s a little dusty”

“Ah, I’ll give it a clean when I get to it. What about you? You seem tired”

Placing the photo back, Tatsumi forced himself to turn away to face Cherry

“I’ve got that kid on military training”

Cherry chuckled, handing over his ice cold cola as she did

“Might explain why he’s hasn’t been doing the rounds this season. He gonna with this competition of yours?”

“That’s the plan. Whether he can or not is up to him”

“Is that what you’re looking for Donny for? I can call him in”

“It’s part of it. I’d rather tell him in person. You know how good he is to all of us. I really owe him, but I’ve got to get this kid through the next month”

Cherry gave another chuckle

“Lord give you strength with that one. He’s got a hell of a mood on him when he wants. He doing good?”

“Yeah. He really is. He’s piloting an Erebus now. He’s got so much to catch up that it’s all I can do to make sure he’s in it everyday”

“Ah, at least you’re both keeping out of trouble. I remembered to bring them a drink on your behalf. What’d you think they’d be making of all of this?”

“They’d laugh themselves stupid. Kaji would have been giving me hell about teaching after the shit Skylark put us through. But I think they’d be proud of Maki. He’s got his shit together and his shot right there to take. Say, Cherry, you don’t know any half way decent alphas do you?”

Cherry raised an eyebrow as she gestured to the crowd in the club

“I know them as well as you do, though I don’t know if should be introducing you around. They talk too much shit here”

“That’s why I said half decent. I’m trying to think about how to move forward”

Cherry shook her head

“You’ll do better at that fancy college of yours. Everyone’s got their scars here. I don’t want to see that pretty face bruised”

“You think they could take me?”

“I think once it happens it too late, my love. Come sit back at the bar. Company will do be good until you’re ready to go”

“I thought you said I looked too tired to drink”

“And I thought you were smart. Company for me. A pretty face always makes mamma feel better”

Linking arms with Cherry, Tatsumi ducked his head

“A pretty woman on my arm, maybe my luck’s looking up?”

Cherry laughed happily, patting his arm

“Flattery will get you everywhere. Tell mamma all about it”

With Donny a no show, Tatsumi found himself returning back in his room at his home rather than the school, it was early enough for it to be too late to do anything other than sleep. Cherry had talked his ear off, as if preventing anyone else from doing the same. He hadn’t been looking to hook up, but he had hoped to find someone he could at least pretend to be interested in enough to take his mind of Maki seeing Donny wasn’t available, and any and all feelings needed to be nipped in the bud. Messaging Stella and Anthony, the pair would be moody come morning run, but it was safer in the immediate future to force his mind onto other people.

Crawling into his old bed, the plushness was a welcome comfort. Joyce took care of the linen in his room, despite it not being part of her job description. His room never smelt of pheromones, nor did it hold memories of past lovers and mistakes. It was almost a sanctuary in that respect with the only alpha ever making it into his bed being Maki that one time he’d come with him. Waking up to Maki every morning… he could see that too clearly.

Despite the far too many thoughts in his brain, Tatsumi fell asleep, blissfully unaware he’d forgotten to set his alarm for half an hour earlier as he wasn’t on campus.

***

Waking up at 4 am, Tatsumi had barely managed to sit up before realising he was going to be late. There were no two ways about it. If he raced to campus he still needed to shower and change before meeting with his three pilots. If he showered and dressed at home, he’d still be late, but he could buy some good will back by stopping for food on the way. The second option the safer one, though it would probably lead to questions over why he’d had time for food but not time to be there on time.

Racing through showering, shaving, and trying to find clothes, his comms beeped at 4:30, just as Tatsumi was locking the door behind him. He’d quickly checked his mother, wishing he could have at least talked to her about his plan for therapy. She had 24 more years of being an omega than he had, and even if they’d disagreed, she would have accepted his decision. He’d have to find more time before the competition to visit, and make sure that Joyce had all the details for Skylark, and the hotel they were staying at in case of an emergency. Seeing how much she’d liked Maki, he probably also should have gotten her a ticket for the competition, but then again he wouldn’t have been able to spend actual time with her and the other students may have found her presence there strange.

Continuing to race through his morning, by the time he’d picked up breakfast and coffee, then made it to campus, it was 5. Not bad considering the distance and waiting time, yet bad enough for him to worry that the three pilots would have slacked off without him supervising. Heading to the running track, it wasn’t until he saw his three pilots that his heart finally started slowing back down. They might have been jogging, but they’d been responsible enough to know that they needed to keep up their training. Standing on the sidelines, Stella caught sight of him, waving as she picked up the pace, leaving the other two to take after her once they’d figured out what was going on.

Pilots by nature were competitive people. By the time his team reached him they were flat out sprinting. Stella narrowly keeping her lead as she reached him first, then slowing down to a stagger before dropping to sit. Maki and Anthony tied, though Tatsumi mentally deducted points from Anthony as he hadn’t slowed enough not to need to jump over Stella’s legs. The omega was sure he was about to be questioned by Maki over his lateness, but instead the man bent at the waist, panting as he regained his breath.

“Good job, you three. Sorry I’m late, but I come bearing food”

Stella made a recovery on the spot, getting to her feet and staggering over to him

“Cofffffeeeeeeee”

“Yep. I don’t know what you and Anthony drink, so take one of the two closer to you. There both flat whites”

Stella laughed as she took one of the cups

“Oh, so you know Maki’s order. I’m calling favouritism right there”

“He likes as much sugar as coffee in his cup. Preferably like a slurry rather than a civilised coffee. I’m sorry I kept you guys waiting”

Coming over, Anthony took the other cup

“Never mind that, what are you wearing? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so casual. Is that a T-shirt? And jeans? Did you stay out partying all night?”

Tatsumi rolled his eyes. His home wardrobe not as well equipped as his one on campus, especially when it came to winter clothing

“Yes. You caught me. I didn’t come home all night and was left to fend for myself. I have no excuses”

Anthony took a sip of his coffee, grimacing as he did

“I appreciate the sentiment, but next time, I take mine without sugar. Did you think to ask? You could have told us you were getting coffee. I’d have told you what I like”

“Not really seeing it was both an apology and a surprise. You’re not the only one’s who’ve been busy this morning. Maki, come get your coffee. Good job, you three. I was worried you’d lounge off without me”

Anthony ran his fingers through his damp hair, tilting his chin up as he did

“It was nothing. Someone had to step up”

Stella elbowed him hard, the pair dissolving into bickering

“Idiot. Don’t go getting a big head, you were late too”

“You can’t rush the master in the morning”

“Yeah, and you wanted to slack off”

“Hey, you did too”

“Yeah, but not completely… you wanted to go back to bed. Maki, aren’t you going to take your coffee?”

Straightening up, Maki seemed to need a moment to think. Normally he’d have jumped at the chance. Food and coffee was Maki’s morning language and until he had both, the alpha was prone to grumping

“Sure. Thanks, Prof”

Even if it seemed forced upon him, Maki finally took his coffee

“You’re all welcome. Let’s head to the lab, it’s too cold out here to stand around talking”

Anthony wouldn’t let it rest

“It wouldn’t be cold if you’d been here with us. You left us running because you stayed out partying. Did you at least remember to use protection? And I hope they dropped you off safely”

Heat rose in Tatsumi’s cheeks, while his heart flopped. He didn’t want Maki thinking he slept around… but at the same time he also wanted to cover up his developing feelings as much as possible

“I might not have spent the night on campus, and I’m flattered you think I have enough time to date while teaching you three”

Anthony laughed

“You’re blushing. Someone definitely got laid last night”

Damn him and his cheeks, Tatsumi opting for revenge”

“If you must know, I spent the night with two lovely ladies, but alas, no protection was needed”

“You sly dog! Get it, Professssor!”

Stella elbowed her friend again

“He’s saying he didn’t have sex, moron”

“He said lovely ladies. Only one thing’s better than a lovely lady, and that’s two”

Stella cast Tatsumi pleading eyes

“Can you make it stop? You’ve got him all excited for nothing”

Anthony crossed his arms

“Look, you can’t get between the brotherhood here. I think I know what men want”

“Oh, so you speak for the whole male species?”

“I do when I’m right”

“You’re heading right… in the wrong direction. Seriously, Tats, some help here?”

Stella didn’t deserve to suffer Anthony’s stupidity this early in the morning

“Stella’s right. I met up with an old friend, then crashed at home. Today’s ensemble is brought to you by the fact almost all my clothes are here. If you’re all that concerned over how cold I am, I’m happy to hold your coffees while you warm back up”

Anthony pulled a face, Stella’s expression turned smug, and Maki couldn’t be anyone but himself

“Is Eve alright? She’s not sicker, is she?”

Shaking his head, Tatsumi now regretted teasing Anthony. His core temperature was dropping by the second with his suggestion of heading to the lab ignored

“No, I mean, she’s alright. She was asleep by the time I got in and was still sleeping when I left. Once we’ve had breakfast, we’ll do some light two on two. Anthony, you’ll be my partner. Stella and Maki, I want you two talking strategy. Any new moves or ideas you want to try, we’ll do them all this morning. Consider a reward for good behaviour”

Stella grinned at him, Tatsumi thinking he’d finally won his students over, until she rejected his plan

“Tats, today I’m going to be your partner. Anthony and Maki need to work on their teamwork”

Maki and Anthony both looked at each other, Anthony shrugging his shoulders

“Works for me. At least I won’t have a TC to protect”

“Protect? You do realise Tats has had the military experience right?”

“And? That wasn’t in a TC. He’s retired now”

“He could still kick your arse and you know it”

“Not even. My Frog won’t lose to a dumb TC. Tatsumi probably couldn’t even boot an Erebus”

“Of course he can, idiot. I don’t see you offering him your frog”

“It’s not like you’re offering your mech either”

“That’s because I’m a girl”

“Not with an attitude like that”

“The only thing wrong with my attitude is your face, dweeb”

Sensing Anthony was about to lose his temper, Tatsumi raised his hands

“Alright, that’s enough from the both of you. Save it for the arena. Seeing you all keep ignoring me, I’m heading to the lab. Anyone not there in the next 10 minutes is running laps in their mechs until they drop”

Starting walking off, his three pilots jogged over to fall into step with Tatsumi. Stella changing topic

“I think I’m going to start running more often until the competition starts. Is running in the morning better than running before bed?”

“Yes. Pilots don’t rest themselves enough after prolonged training. It’s better to try get a good nights sleep before you start adding running everyday”

“And you?”

“I like to run every morning if I can. You’ve seen Maki’s training schedule, if you want to swap onto the same schedule that’s fine seeing yours and Anthony’s are close enough that it doesn’t warrant too many changes. I don’t mind, but you’ll need to keep your grades up, so I’ll expect you to come to the tutoring part too”

“I could probably use a bit more motivation there. You know, people would never know how nice you are if they didn’t meet you outside a nag session”

Both Maki and Anthony snickered at the word “nag”. Tatsumi definitely hadn’t set out to label himself the official nagging student. He’d hated being nagged at…

“I’ve been told I’m quite the nagger”

“You are, but like, no offence and all that, but I totally didn’t think you knew how to chill. Honestly, with what Skylark said about your military presence I can finally see what he meant. You don’t just nag because you’re expected to”

Anthony backed her up in his own way

“As much as I hate to agree, it’s true. I was dreading having you train us, but it’s way better than class. To look at you you’d think you just escaped some institution where they keep you in a straight jacket, but you’re the same guy who beat all those students in that TC. You’re a total head fuck, Prof. You should think about cutting your hair and bulking up… then you’d look more like a pilot”

Tatsumi snorted at his trainee’s round about compliment

“I keep telling everyone I’m too young to be a professor but they never listen. As for my hair, I haven’t really given it any thought”

“I’m telling you, Prof, cut your hair and you’d pull all the girls you could want”

Trust Anthony to make it about the girls when Tatsumi just wanted someone to agree he wasn’t all that old

“Didn’t I just say I’m not a professor?”

“Yeah, but Maki calls you Prof. So do the science kids. If they’re calling you Prof, we’re calling you Prof too”

Maki had always been the one calling him Professor thinking that he actually was. Now that everyone was calling him Prof, the name wasn’t as fun. He’d kind of looked at it as an inside joke, shared between him, Li, and Maki. He’d not realised how far it’d spread

“You can call me Prof, but don’t expect me to keep answering. Hell, even Tatsuma is nicer”

“Nah, not Tatsuma. That bastard Skylark calls you that when you’re not around”

Shaking his head, Tatsumi supposed he was grateful that Tatsuma wouldn’t catch back on

“Oh, he does it when I’m around too. And that bastard has high hopes for you three. He’s in the shit too if you fuck up”

“Yeah, but it’s not like you’ll get fired if we don’t place”

“No, but I can be fired if the school committee finds your training inadequate before competing. I’m hoping the three of you will go easy on me, considering I’m suddenly old enough to be a professor”

Anthony gave a laugh

“Shit, Pr-… Shit, Tats, you’re part of the team. We’re not about to snitch on our team mate. Anyway, what’s with Tatsuma? The only part that makes sense is how tall you are”

Whatever mood Maki seemed to have been in lifted as he finally joined in on the conversation

“Skylark told him to go plant himself and grow some personality. I think he’s got more than enough personality that he’d spawn a whole fucking forest if he got any more”

Anthony slung his arm over Maki’s shoulder

“New kid, I think you and I might be closer in thought than I thought. What do you say we wipe the floor with these losers?”

“Sounds good to me, but you can’t make him cry”

Anthony promptly released Maki, shoving his shoulder playfully

“On second thoughts, maybe not. Where’s the fun when you don’t make them cry?”

“Where’s the fun on extra laps if you do?”

“Wouldn’t it be worth it?”

“I’m not getting benched this close to the competition because you made the Professor cry”

“Nah, man, where’s your sense of adventure?”

“Safely inside the school rules until this competition is over. Just you wait, I’ll make you cry next”

“Oh, ho ho, big words from the newbie? I like it, I like it”

It seemed to Tatsumi that being late might have been the best thing to happen yet. Maki was close enough to be laughing and joking with his fellow pilots, those bonds of friendship would really lift their coordination as a team. Catching a wink from Stella, both of them fell silent and let Maki and Anthony argue about running laps on the way to the lab.

[insomniacowl]

Neon Genesis Evangelion analysis chapter 21: Kaji Ryoji Lies and Silence

Hi, it's been a while. I'm sorry I disappeared for 5 months while working on the graduate thesis. From now on I will try to upload once every two weeks at 7pm on Saturday.

From here on out, the analysis will focus on the important characters of Evangelion with 15 chapters left to go. Thank you for your patience so far and I hope you all stick with me for the remainder of the ride.

Also, I realized that Tumblr now allows maximum of 10 photos a post, so I am thinking of moving or co-posting on a different site. I'll update all of you when that happens

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Sakiel: The third angel, the first real opponent of Nerv. A portion of voice recordings of the battle attained

Shamel: The fourth angel, visual data gathered and backed up. Will send recordings of Unit – 01's battle against it.

Ramiel: The fifth angel, portion of remains attained and analyzed. Will send information about AT field.

Gagiel: The sixth angel, visual confirmation. Information attained from the UN. Will send information along with Unit – 02's battle data.

Israphel: The seventh angel, visual confirmation, will send data through channel 11-B. Attained sample of material composition

Sandalphon: The eight angels, confirmation through a still image. No further information

Matarael: The ninth angel, visual confirmation. Used the blackout to obtain a sample.

Sahaquel: The tenth angel, photographed attained. Will enter into the database through channel 57-F

Ireul: The eleventh angel, visual confirmation, data erased by Nerv. Will retrieve physically and send them over.

Reriel: The twelfth angel. Unit – 01 went berserk again

Bardiel: The thirteenth angel. Data attained from Mitsushiro facility

Zeruel: The fourteenth angel, visual confirmation. Unit – 01 went berserk. Will send video data.

---Excerpt from "The memos of Kaji Ryoji."

"2015: the Last Year of Ryoji Kaji" was written by the head scriptwriter Yamaguchi Hiroshi and was published in 1997. It contains Kaji's observations of various Incidents and set pieces in the series. It is not anything too particular; however, the fresh perspective Kaji's writings provide makes this an essential material in our understanding of the world of Evangelion. The excerpts mentioned above are essential proof of Kaji's identity as a spy and prove that the blackout during Matarael's attack was deliberately caused by Kaji and Seele.

Furthermore, it explains how Seele had attained information regarding Iruel's existence and its attack on the Nerv facility, even when Nerv/Gendou tried to hide this fact.

The memo above seems to be the observation of Nerv and the angels made by Kaji. While Kaji officially belongs under the Japanese government's command, as we have covered in Chapter 17, the Japanese government is unaware of Lilith's existence. It, therefore, has a different numbering system from Nerv and Seele.

Adding on to this point, the public in the world of Evangelion is unaware of the existence of Lilith. High-ranking Nerv officials such as Misato are aware of Lilith only as of the cause of the First impact and no more. Thus we can deduce that Kaji made the memo while he was on Seele's side, considering that he knew about Lilith in detail. But Kaji never once wholly and permanently sided with any organization. Like how his main character trait is a "flirt," he is never loyal to any organization, just like how he is perceived to be with women; two, perhaps three-timing.

Kaji: You've lost weight

Ritsuko: Are you flirting with me? Stop. A scary-looking friend is watching.

However, it is wrong to say that Kaji was a cheater by any means. His heart belonged only to Misato, and she was the one he trusted the most. His flirting with Ritsuko and Maya made others view him as a superficial person and did not take him too seriously. This got some eyes off his back. This would have given him more freedom to act in achieving his goals (but also, it might have been fun to get Misato jealous in a playful way).

Kaji: Not like you are going to repay that. I added some dummy information in case.

Now, let's take a closer look at Kaji's actions throughout the series. He makes his first appearance in episode 7, having a phone call with Gendou discussing the Jet Alone (JA) program. Because JA was developed as a competition to the Evangelion projects, its implementation would have caused Nerv's authority to weaken and jeopardize the HIP. Making it a top priority to prevent its further development. Minus the actions taken by Misato, the proceedings of JA going berserk and being miraculously fixed were likely a scenario manufactured by Gendou.

Kaji: it has been restored up to this point. It is frozen in a thick layer of bayclade, but it is alive.

The key to the HIP

We first see his face in episode 8 on a new mission: Transporting Adam and Unit – 02 to Nerv headquarters. He likely attained Adam's body in Germany, stealing it under the nose of our dear old friend Keel. The question is, how did he do it? We will never know the details, but we know that Seele's projects that required Adam were complete at this point (Creation of Evas and Tabris). They may not have had much use or concern for the leftovers. Since Adam's fetal form is small, it would have been easy to swap the original for a copy before he left. Of course, this would not have gone unnoticed for long, and it did not.

In episode 10, we see Kaji talking to an unknown woman about the initiation of protocol A-17. It appears to be a measure that limits and shrinks Nerv's authority and freeze their funds. Just like the JA plan, it shows the hostility of the Japanese government towards Nerv. Because Nerv and Seele are still on agreeable terms, Kaji is seen as a double spy between Nerv and the Japanese government. But in episode 11, the Nerv blackout happens. With clues spread over the episode pointing to Kaji as the culprit with Seele's support, we begin to see him in action as a triple spy.

The reason why Kaji undertook such a dangerous role is to get closer to the "Truth." Upon realizing the Japanese government's imbecility, he begins to walk the rope between Nerv and Seele to seek the truth.

Kaji: Is that an angel? This is not the time to be doing my job

We first see him in action in episode 13 while the HQ was distracted defending against Ireul. Here we see him collecting information around the central dogma. While doing so, Kaji notices the angel while passing through the passage in level 28 and hears the announcement that the "Sigma unit (the Eva simulation chamber) will be shut off in 60 seconds. Bearing in mind that Magi is located in level 40 and that a lower number refers to a deeper level, we can see that Kaji has already infiltrated deep into the complex. As central dogma and Lilith were information that Nerv and Seele wanted to keep secret, this infiltration was likely Kaji's initiative. With the same logic, we can also say that the information he gathered regarding the Marduk institution in episode 15 was his individual action as well.

Later in the episode, he is found by Misato as he was trying to infiltrate the central dogma. But Kaji does not seem surprised by this fact and opens the door without hesitation. What they see on the other side was the white giant Lilith. However, we hear Kaji refer to it as Adam. Why? There are two possible explanations for this. First is that Kaji knew that it was Lilith but deliberately lied to Misato.

This explanation is weak at best. It contradicts the characterization of Misato being the only woman Kaji trusts. Further, it contradicts the portrayal of their relationship in the following episodes. It is also difficult to explain why Kaji would distinguish between Adam and Lilith in his explanation to Misato.

The other possible explanation is that Kaji believed this to be Adam, and I am personally more convinced of this explanation. As we have seen in an earlier episode, Kaji passed on the Adam sample to Gendou. Both were fully aware of what he has gotten into his hands (puns perhaps intended). Then why did Kaji believe that it was Adam in central dogma? He likely at this moment believed that the white giant was the manifestation of the Adam sample that he stole. Although it looked different, Kaji, who saw Sandalphon transforming at an unbelievable speed, would have drawn parallels.

Kaji's misunderstanding is also supported by the secretiveness of the existence of Lilith. The information being top-secret accessible only to the Gendou and Seele. Even when Gendou referred to Adam as "The first man," it could be him trying to misdirect Kaji on the identity of the white giants. Although the reason for this secretiveness is not apparent, we know that Seele was ashamed of their status as the descendent of Lilith, this being the reason for conducting the ritual of atonement.

The HIP Seele type is, in essence, based on the feeling of perceived inferiority against the Adam-based angels. Thus it can explain away why Seele would want to keep the project a secret from the public. Even without such reasons, Lilith's identity as a being in the same caliber of existence as Adam might have created a need to keep her locked away and kept secret. This to minimize unnecessary friction and interference in their plans by other organizations.

To add on, let's touch on the strange phrase written on the container of Adam's sample that Kaji brought over. "Who is you? He is living. Why?". There are no explanations given regarding this phrase. It is likely written by one of the researchers in the german facility that was studying this sample. Being the only remaining Adam sample that seemed alive with the absence of a soul, it would have been baffling to look at it.

This lie about the identity of Adam and Lilith is a recurring motif. In the earlier chapters discussing the angels' identity, I have mentioned that due to the enemies being the "Angels," Evangelion fundamentally rejects the narrative of Good triumphing over Evil. During one of the sequences in the opening song, there is a frame reading "ADAM," and it is unique as it is the only one that is black words with a white background. This likely foreshadows the fact that information regarding Adam that we receive is different, thus, at some level, inaccurate or lies.

Either way, the truth of the White giant's identity is revealed near the end of the series. The audiences are made aware of it through the exposition of Tabris. For Miasto, she receives this truth from Kaji along with all the information and data he collected by himself. Through this 'Truth,' we can infer what Kaji wanted to protect and what his 'will' was. This 'will' to live is passed on from Kaji to Misato, from Misato to Shinji, and influences his decision during the end of Evangelion.

Kaji: Shinji, the only thing that I can do right now is to water these plants. And as much, there are things that only you are capable of accomplishing right now. No one is going to force you to do anything. Think for yourself. Decide for yourself. Determined what it is that you need to do right now.

So that you will not end up in regrets.

The alliance between Gendou and Seele began to show signs of schisms in episode 19 after Unit – 01 consumed Zeruel's S2 engine and became a being as though god. This was more in line with the plan of Gendou, who sought for the creation of a new god, the material conditions misaligning from Seele's plans of atoning for the sin of Lilith. Kaji was very much likely to have been aware of all this. When the schisms showed, Kaji had to choose the side he had to stand with. He seemed to have concluded that Nerv is closer to the truth that he wanted. Therefore he ended up helping Gendou achieve his version of the HIP.

I say this as Kaji played a crucial role in convincing Shinji to return and pilot Unit – 01 during the battle against Zeruel. Afterward, Kaji released Fuyutsuki, who was kidnapped by Seele, and began his pro-Nerv strategies. This leads up to his assassination by Seele's orders. To borrow Seele's words, "The bell around Gendou's neck lost its will to ring."

Fuyutsuki: Is that you Kaji?

Kaji: It's been a while.

Fuyutsuki: You will lose your life if you do this.

Kaji: I am just heading towards the truth that I believe in.

Let me talk a little more about his death. In episode 21 of the renewal version, an additional line was spoken: "They found out that I handed over Adam's sample to Gendou." This draws a line connecting the importance of Adam's Sample in Kaji's death and its role in the HIP.

Regarding the Assassin identity, due to the scene of Misato's grief being placed right after Kaji's death in "Death and Rebirth," some believed that it was Misato killed Kaji. One of the rare things that Anno came forward and cleared up was that Kaji's assassin was an unnamed individual that we do not see ever on screen. An additional argument made by those suspecting Misato as the culprit claims the evidence of interlaying of Misato's apartment door label right after the gunshot. This was later removed in the renewal version.

Kaji: No one can understand another person to a full extend. They can't even understand themselves.

But that is why people try their best to understand the other.

And that is what makes life such a fun experience.

Many of what Kaji says touches on the critical messages of Evangelion. It is also why I am starting off this section, the analysis of characters with Kaji; understanding Kaji is integral to understanding the series as a whole. He loved Misato but could not tell her his true feelings during the happiness of reunion after eight years. This was likely the greatest form of love that he could have given her, knowing that he is close to his death. The reason for Kaji's obsession with the truth and the sufferings he experienced in the past is fleshed out in detail in the comics version. He was orphaned as a consequence of the Second impact. After a failed attempt at stealing food from the military base, all of his friends were killed, leaving him alive and questioning the reason for their suffering and death. Kaji sought to avenge his friends by understanding why the Second impact happened.

But even without going into the details, we can try and understand the pain and suffering he went through as the generation living after the Second impact. Yet, his general attitude towards life and his ability to call living to be fun is his unique charm. He even managed to have a smile on his face while looking at the face of his death. His smile was not a forced fake that he made to mask his fear of death; he has probably smiled from the bottom of his heart.

Yo. You're late

Because he would have already reached the truth that he worked so part to attain.

TBC Chapter 22: Katsuragi Misato Part 1 With a cross in hand

[ragewerthers]

When I See You Smile

Summary:  Haruki makes one comment too many in his self deprecating remarks... Akihiko means to fix this in the silliest way he knows how.

A/n: This is my 2019 Squealing Santa fic for Mortia!!!

I hope it's okay that I waited to post it to you until Christmas and I really hope you enjoy it! It's my first Given fic, but as soon as I read the prompt I just had to go for it! I love these two so much and thank you for the amazing prompt!

"Given (Haruki/Akihiko): Akihiko can't seem to stop tickling Haruki, much to the blond's embarrassment (and secret enjoyment)"

When I read this I instantly thought of Akihiko unable to keep himself from tickling the poor man because of Haruki having another moment of self deprecation. But never you fear! Akihiko will make it right! :D

And thank you again @ticklygiggles​ for hosting this once again this year and allowing us to write all this amazing fluff!!! :D

You can also read on AO3 at: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21950167

Enjoy! :D

Word Count: 2395

-----------------------------

Making his way toward his small bathroom, Haruki closed the bedroom door slightly behind himself as he began his trek, his brain still a little foggy from the lack of coffee in his system and his eyes still just a bit sleepy.

It was only about 6 in the morning, but the chill in the air had made it extra hard to leave the warm bed where Akihiko still resided.  Still he had to get ready for the day and letting his boyfriend sleep a little while longer was something he thought the man would appreciate.�� 

Before long he was stepping into the small bathroom, the light flickering on to reveal himself standing in front of his mirror and making him cringe.  Looking over his features, he crinkled his nose at what he saw.

Apparently he’d been what Akihiko liked to call a, “cuddle bug” in his sleep because he looked like an honest to god mess right now.  His sleep clothes were rumpled, his left cheek still had lines from where it had been smushed into his partner’s chest and his hair… oh his hair.

It was an absolute mess!  It looked like it was making an attempt to overtake his face as it sprang out in almost every direction imaginable.

He shook his head, trying to free his eyes from the mess and as he saw more of his morning self he couldn’t help making another face.  Oh no… he was definitely not fit for human eyes just yet.  What would Akihiko say?  The man always managed to look so effortlessly, ruggedly handsome.  Surely he didn’t deserve to witness the sleep zombie that Haruki had become overnight?

Reaching forward he grabbed a hairband off of his bathroom counter, trying to sweep his golden locks into a messy bun for now so he could take care of the rest of himself before tackling that monstrosity.  Glowing at the sink as he worked on putting his hair up and thinking about the horrified screams of his lover should he see him in this state, he missed hearing the soft footsteps coming up behind him.

At least until he felt warm hands settle on his waist and give it a little squeeze.

A far too high pitched squeak escaped him as he glanced up into the mirror to find an adorably sleepy looking Akihiko staring back at him.

“Kaji?  What are you doing up?  Did I wake you?” Haruki asked, trying to will the blush from his face as his own hands stilled in putting up his hair.

The drummer chuckled softly, the sound deeper from sleep and a noise that made Haruki’s heart flutter ridiculously in his chest.

“You didn’t wake me.  Not really,” Akihiko admitted, his hands still holding onto the bass players waist gently.  “I was up when you got out of bed and decided to join you for your morning routine.  I was walking by to put on a pot of coffee when I saw that face you were making in the mirror.”

Haruki’s blush came back a million times stronger as he heard that and he narrowed his eyes at reflection Akihiko, still unable to face the real one.

“What face?!  If you’re talking about my ugly morning face and bed he-hehehead!  No!  Nonono!  D-don’t you d-dahahare!”

Before he could even finish his sentence about his appearance, the drummers fingers already began to lightly squeeze along the length of his lithe waist, making him shimmy and instantly drop his arms down.  His hands latched onto Akihiko’s, squeezing his wrists as surprised laughter continued to pour out of him.

“You need to rethink those words, Haruki,” the light blond murmured softly as he rested his head on the man’s shoulder, stilling his fingers for a moment.  “Now why don’t we try that again?”

Haruki’s face was now positively scarlet and he could feel the tension building in Akihiko’s hands as he held them, trying to figure out what to do or say as nervous giggles bubbled in his chest.  As he looked at himself in the mirror again all he could see was his tomato red face and his hair looking even more messy than before!

“A-Akihiko.  I… I was only agreeing wi-hihih-ahahahaha!“ he spluttered as skilled fingers found their way up his ribs, scribbling against the thin fabric of his old sleep shirt and making Haruki’s laughter intensify.  “Stahahahahap!  Stahp you… mo-ahahahahanster!”

Akihiko definitely laughed at that, but this time his fingers didn’t cease their attack.  Instead he continued to vibrate his fingers right into the sensitive dips of Haruki’s ribs, making the man release his wrists as he tried to wrap his arms around his torso for protection.  

“A monster, you say?  Hmm… perhaps I am,” Akihiko teased, his fingers slipping back down to massage teasing circles against the Haruki’s lowest ribs and making the poor man’s knees buckle slightly.  “You’re right!  You have awoken Ka-ha-ha-ji!  The greatest tickle monster to ever live!”

Haruki absolutely snorted as he heard that ridiculousness and shook his head as he began to sink down onto the floor.  Akihiko was having none of it.

“Oh no!  Where do you think you’re going?” the tickling devil asked as his arms snaked around Haruki’s middle to keep him upright, chuckling softly as it allowed his partner to catch his breath.

“A-awahahay from you!” Haruki giggled breathlessly.  Gods he should’ve known to keep his guard up around this beast!  A horrible, horrible thing that Akihiko had learned early on in their friendship was that Haruki was incredibly ticklish.  He always seemed to find great joy in giving him little pokes to his sides and ribs during practice, fluttering his fingers against his neck while he looked over music or just quick little squeezes to his knees when they sat together on the train or at a restaurant resulting in far too many drinks shooting out of his nose.

So far Haruki had yet to find a good way to retaliate.  The man was made of rock or something!  But ever since they had grown in their relationship and gotten closer, Akihiko had taken this information and found many more weak spots and many more chances to use them against the defensless bass player.

Like now for example.

“I don’t think so!  Ka-ha-ha-ji isn’t done with you yet!” Akihiko growled playfully, pitching his voice deeper as he lifted his partner up in a bear hug and began to make his way back out of the bathroom.

Haruki instantly squeaked as he was lifted, wriggling in his partners hold as he found himself being unceremoniously carried back to their bedroom.

“What?!  Put me down you… you…,”

“Monster?” Akihiko purred into his ear, making Haruki’s ears burn and his shoulders scrunch up as he felt that ticklish buzzing sensation.  It didn’t help that he began to flutter his fingers back against his sides as he continued to carry him, making him squeak out another ridiculous round of giggles.

“Ah!  D-Don’t… do thahat!” he snorted, trying to protect his sensitive ears from anymore teasing words and attempt to wriggle free.  But all too soon he found himself being dumped back onto the bed, bouncing for a moment as he looked up at his boyfriend.

“I will do as I please for I… the greatest tickle monster to ever live… need to make you pay for what you said!” he warned, smiling devilishly down at his lover before jumping onto the bed to straddle his hips, his hands already moving to lightly poke and send nibbling pinches all over Haruki’s tum.

The bass player instantly yelped into a hysterical laughing fit at the sudden attack, his hands once more reaching to grab onto Akihiko’s wrists as his giggling intensified.  Oh he hated when he’d do that to his stomach!  The quick, light skittering fingers were impossible to track!

“What?!  Wh-Whahahat dihihid I sahaha-HAHAHA!  NO!  NO, KAHAHAHAJI!” Haruki’s back instantly arched off the bed, arms snapping to his sides as his legs kicking wildly behind Akihiko’s back.  The bastard had gone for his worst spot!

With Haruki’s hands on his boyfriends wrists, it had left his arms away from his sides just a bit too much, leaving his underarms wide open for attack!  So… naturally being the greatest tickle monster to ever live, Akihiko couldn’t just ignore the chance!  His fingers instantly spidered up from the other blond’s sensitive tum to nestle themselves under his arms, fingertips fluttering against the extra ticklish spot and sending Haruki into a world of hysterical laughter.

“You know what you said,” Akihiko chided, his fingers wriggling faster against Haruki’s worst spot and making the man’s laughter rIse in pitch and intensity as his head shook back and forth.

“I DOHOHON’T!  I DOHON’T!” Haruki tried to explain as he felt himself going crazy from that particular spot being tormented.  No matter how much he tried to squeeze his arms against himself, it didn’t seem to deter his boyfriend from wrecking him.  “MEHEHEHERCY!  MEHEHERCY, KAHAHAJI!  PLEHEHEHEHEAHAHAHAHASE!”  Haruki was now babbling, begging, trying to find anyway to get a momentary reprieve.

“I don’t know if I believe you,” Akihiko said lightly, his fingers now rubbing ticklish circles right into the center of the mans armpits and drawing out wheezed, silent laughter from him.  “You don’t recall what you said in the bathroom a minute ago?”

Haruki could hardly focus on Akihiko’s words, his mind absolutely clouded over with the sensations zipping up and down his body from the attack.  As his laughter fell silent, Akihiko slowed down his tickling, pausing it all together a few moments later and letting his lover catch his breath.

Gasping in lungfuls of air, Haruki could feel just how flushed his face and neck were now, tears of mirth collecting in his eyes even as residual giggles escaped him.

“I… I c-cahahan’t r-remehehember,” he wheezed, shaking his head and feeling his hair growing even more wild.

Blinking his eyes a bit he glanced up to find Akihiko looking at him with equal parts intensity and fondness.  His breath caught in his chest… not exactly the best thing to happen when trying to catch as much breath as possibly from such an intense tickle attack, but still!  It couldn’t be helped.  Not when his partner looked at him like that.

“You called yourself ugly,” Akihiko murmured, his voice no longer that playful growl, but something much softer.

Was there any possible way to create a new more vibrant red when you were already blushing at  your fullest?  If there was, then Haruki was reaching that new limit as he heard those words and he glanced away from the green eyes watching him.

“Y-yeah?  So?” he murmured, jumping a bit as Akihiko gave a warning little flutter of his fingers which were still tucked under Haruki’s arms.

“Watch it.  I will bring Ka-ha-ha-ji back,” he warned with a little smile, before letting his expression sober once more.  “But honestly… why would you think such a thing?”

Calming down from the few giggles that he’d hiccuped out after that mini-warning, Haruki’s own expression turned timid and he shook his head.  “I… I was only agreeing with you, Kaji,” he said  quietly, watching as the other man’s eyes widened slightly.  “You said… you were on your way to make coffee and… you had to stop when you seen the face I was making in the mirror.  It’s because I looked awful, right?  My hair all a mess, my eyes squinty, my cheek with lines on it from falling asleep on you agai-....,”

Before he could finish, the bass player found soft lips pressing against his own, his eyes widening for a moment before fluttering shut as he got caught up in the sweet, gentleness of it.

When Akihiko leaned back after a moment, Haruki slowly opened his eyes, finding those piercing green ones staring back at him once more.

“Your hair was a mess… your eyes were squinty… your cheek had those little lines on it from falling asleep on me… and you looked so unbelievably adorable that I couldn’t simply walk past you,” the drummer murmured softly, making Haruki’s chest feel far too warm all at once.  “That little face you were making in the mirror was so endearing how could I ignore it?  You are never ugly to me, Haruki.  You are beautiful.  In every light, in every season, in every moment.  I hope you know that.  You need to know that.”

The more Haruki listened the more he could feel his emotions starting to take over, his eyes prickling slightly even as a little smile appeared over his face.  “You… really think so?” he murmured, his voice perhaps a little thicker than he wanted it to be.  But Akihiko only smiled, ducking down once more to press another kiss to his lips.

“I really, really think so,” Akihiko murmured, nudging his nose against Haruki’s and making the blond give a little watery chuckle at the contact as a bright smile appeared over his face.  “And I find you especially beautiful when I see you smile like that.  Absolutely unrestrained.”

“Stop it… you’re going to make me blush or cry and I don’t want to do either of those things,” Haruki chided softly, watching another little playful smile spread over Akihiko’s lips.

“I could always make you laugh instead?” he teased, fluttering his fingers once more where they were trapped under Haruki’s arms.

Haruki instantly bucked under his boyfriend, startled giggles already bubbling to the surface as he shook his head.  “N-No more!  No more!  At… at least n-not thehere,” he begged, watching as Akihiko quirked an eyebrow at that.

“Oh?  So… if I were to attack here?  Or here?  What about here?”  Sitting up more, he removed his hands from under Haruki’s arms, his fingers darting around to give quick, little tickles to his hips, his waist… even reaching behind him to squeeze at those sensitive knees of his.

Haruki flailed at the random attacks, leaning up to try and push at Akihiko’s broad chest to get him to stop, though to be honest… after hearing those soft words, those gentle reassurances… he honestly didn’t mind this playful contact.

Besides… Akihiko even admitted that he found him the most beautiful when he smiled.

Perhaps… he could indulge in a bit more tickling for both their sakes.

[mdelpin]

This One’s For You

Given Valentine’s Event 2020 Prompt: Serenade Pairing: Mafuyu x Uenoyama AO3 Summary: Mafuyu decides to write a song for Ritsuka to tell him how he feels.

If you don’t have the resolve or the tenacity to keep going with the band or should I say - with Uenoyama, I’m telling you this for your own good so… stop it.

Shizu’s words repeated over and over in Mafuyu’s head. They had been harsh and blunt, but more importantly, he also knew they were true.

Mafuyu’s relationship with Yuki had been seamless. It had happened before he'd even realized anything between them had changed, and he'd honestly thought it would be like that for the rest of their lives. Maybe that was part of his hesitation. He had known Yuki most of his life, yet he had somehow missed all the signals. He’d failed Yuki when he had needed him the most, and he didn't want something similar to happen with Ritsuka.

Logically he knew that both boys were very different, but that didn’t keep him from worrying that if he let himself get too close to Ritsuka, he’d be left alone again, and this time he might not be able to recover.

It was stupid, Ritsuka had been fine before he’d met Mafuyu and if things didn’t work out between them he’d recover, that was just who he was. Despite his awkwardness, Ritsuka was strong in ways Yuki hadn’t been, but he was also vulnerable in ways Yuki hadn’t been.

Mafuyu opened his phone and looked through his pictures, finding one of him and Ritsuka. He stared at it intently, not being able to help the smile that snuck onto his lips or the look that was pure adoration. There was so much trust in Ritsuka’s expression, and it was then that he realized what Shizu had been trying to tell him.

He was Ritsuka’s first, with all the responsibilities that implied, and he had been failing as a boyfriend. Taking everything for granted because he had experienced many of these things before. Even though every moment with Ritsuka was special to him in its own right, he’d never made that clear, never voiced how he felt outside of that first awkward confession when they had gone to see the ocean.

And suddenly, he felt ashamed of himself. He should have been making more of an effort to make things special for Ritsuka rather than letting him fumble about on his own.

He remembered thinking that his first song had been about his loss and grief and how he’d wanted the next one to be different. And filled with a sudden determination, he looked up his contacts until he found the number he wanted.

“Hiiragi, are you busy?” Mafuyu asked urgently, “I need your help.”

0-0

They had agreed to meet at the rehearsal studio Hiiragi and Shizu used with their band. Mafuyu thought he had arrived early, but Hiiragi and Shizu were already there waiting for him, curious expressions on their faces.

“What do you need us for?” Hiiragi bluntly asked, “Shizu and I were gonna go watch a movie.”

“I thought about what you said,” Mafuyu told Shizu, “and I want to write a song for Uenoyama.”

Mafuyu was nervous, Shizu had also mentioned he thought that Hiiragi had been in love with Yuki and he hadn’t really had a chance to absorb that yet, but he was determined to lock that away for later. His current task was more important than rehashing old history.

“Okaaay, and you need me cause of my awesome writing skills?” Hiiragi puzzled, warily waiting to be put down.

“As much as it pains me to admit it, yeah,” Mafuyu offered a nervous smile, and he almost rolled his eyes at the look that passed between his two friends.

“Sure, we’ll help,” Shizu responded, and although his expression was oddly blank, he gave Mafuyu a pat on his shoulder before opening the door to the studio and going inside.

0-0

“Ugh, why is this so hard?” Mafuyu complained, ripping yet another paper from his notebook and tossing it into the ever-growing pile. He wanted Ritsuka to understand how he made him feel, to have no doubt about his feelings.

“You’re fighting yourself, stop thinking so hard and just let yourself feel,” Hiiragi suggested, “Don’t try to put words together just let them flow out.”

Mafuyu stared at him, snide remark at the ready but he held it in realizing his friend was right, he was trying too hard to come up with the perfect words. He closed his eyes and thought about his boyfriend.

He thought about how grateful he was to him for helping him feel again, for never giving up on him and always pushing him to do his best. For basically holding his hand through the worst period of his life and showing him how much life still had to offer. Ritsuka had opened his eyes to a new world, one that still had room for his old one.

Mafuyu also thought about how he felt when he was in Ritsuka’s arms or when their lips pressed against each other, each time better than the last as Ritsuka became more comfortable with himself and his feelings.

He grabbed the notebook and started scribbling furiously, the words bursting out of him, ignoring his friends as they peered into his notebook. When he was finished, he put the pencil down and took a deep breath, almost afraid to show it to the others even though he knew they needed to see it for the next part.

He got up and went to get a drink, letting them look at it in his absence. To his surprise, they were already working on a melody by the time he returned.

“This is really good Mafuyu, by the time we’re done with it, he won’t know what hit him,” Hiiragi assured him.

0-0

Mafuyu sat on the same stairs where they had first met, guitar already out. He tuned it as he waited, knowing Ritsuka would show up soon, and he wasn’t disappointed.

“Are we practicing?” Ritsuka scratched the back of his neck in confusion.

“No,” Mafuyu smiled, “I wanted you to listen to something I’ve been working on.”

Ritsuka sat next to him, already excited as he always was whenever music was involved. Mafuyu stretched his fingers, suddenly nervous. He’d almost switched to a recording because he was having trouble with some of the chord progressions Hiiragi had come up with. It hadn’t helped that his friend had spent a good amount of time teasing him about his guitar skills or lack thereof, but Mafuyu had practiced almost nonstop since then, and he was reasonably confident he could do okay.

“Uhm, I’m not always great with words or telling you how I feel, so I uhm, I wrote you a song,” Mafuyu blushed profusely, looking down at the chords on his guitar even though by this point he could play it with his eyes closed.

“T- this one’s for you,” Mafuyu stuttered.

He began playing, his nerves soon replaced by the driving need for Ritsuka to know that he wasn’t a replacement for Yuki in his heart. He had carved his own place there, one that Mafuyu cherished. He had put all of his feelings and hopes into this song, and as he began to sing, he saw the surprise in Ritsuka’s eyes.

He’d leaned forward, listening intently to the words. His eyes softening as the song continued, and Mafuyu wasn’t sure, but he thought the corners of his eyes looked glossy. Mafuyu tried not to worry about the reaction and pushed on.

When Mafuyu finished, Ritsuka grabbed the guitar and set it aside carefully before crushing him in a hug and hiding his head on his shoulder. Mafuyu was sure he felt a slight dampness, but he had no time to worry about it as he was soon being kissed with a passion Ritsuka had never expressed before.

When Ritsuka finally let go of him, Mafuyu was dazed, barely managing to hold himself up.

“Thank you,” Ritsuka said simply, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, “No one has ever done anything like that for me before.”

Mafuyu was thrilled at the response, but all he could really think about was that kiss and how he wouldn’t mind another. Before he could say anything, his heart melted as Ritsuka smiled at him.

“I love you too,” he said before leaning in for another kiss.

When lunch was over, they got up from their hideaway, and just as they were getting ready to return to class, Ritsuka grinned happily, “I can’t wait to see what Haru and Kaji think of it!”

“Wait, what?!” Mafuyu chased after him. He’d never planned to share it with the others, but as he remembered Ritsuka’s happy expression, he decided it was fine. He would sing it as many times as he needed to, even in front of others if it made his boyfriend happy. It was his song, after all.