#I’m sorry I’m still internally screaming | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

noira-l · 8 hours ago

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𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐠𝐞

⋆ ★ '𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞' - 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

chapter summary: Satoru faces the terrifying possibility of losing you because of someone else’s reckless mistake, but he manages to save you, bringing you back from the edge. Every touch, every word is filled with tenderness, his relief palpable as he steadies you, feeds you, and ensures you feel his warmth beside you.

warnings: near death experience from reader, description of wounds and limbs, blood, first aid (more or less adequate), "hospital" experience, Satoru is a menace (in general and to someone), hurt/comfort (a lot), a lot of caring from Satoru, full blown princess treatment for reader, pet names (princess), he is still teasing but worried.

author's note: This chapter is a little longer than I expected, but I hope you will still enjoy it c:

You lay sprawled on the floor.

Your breaths coming in ragged gasps, the taste of blood sharp and metallic on your tongue.

The ground beneath you felt warm.

You couldn't move your arm, you totally lost contact with the torn tissue. Your non-dominant hand tried to plug the hole that had formed at your abdomen.

Blood pooled around you, thick and dark, clinging to your skin and clothes, spreading beneath your body like ink on paper. Coldness began to creep in, sinking through your muscles, and with it, an unbearable heaviness.

Everything hurt you, it hurt so much.

You were so tired, sleep clawing at the edges of your mind, whispering promises of release.

You knew you didn't have much time.

You glanced out of the corner of your eye one last time, far away, to the exit of the domain that you made so that everyone could escape. Not everyone made it, you didn't have enough strength to hold the way of escape. People screamed and fled deeper into the dark, chased by the curse - leaving you alone.

With a quivering hand slick with blood, you managed to grab your phone, its surface smudged and smeared from your grip. Your thumb trembled as you unlocked the screen, the faint glow casting pale light onto your weary face.

You dialled the first number from your recent calls.

It's worth a try, maybe this domain is still weak enough that the phone signal will manage to get through.

Even the phone seemed heavy to you. You could feel yourself slowly choking as blood rushed to your throat from internal bleeding.

The call connected, and his voice filled your ear, casual, warm, blissfully unaware.

"Hey~ Relax, I know what you're calling for. I can cook that ramen. Got the recipe right here. I've got it all under control!" in the background, you could hear the shuffle of kitchen utensils, the clinking of pots and pans. There was comfort in that sound, familiar, so ordinary.

"Sato…ru.." you rasped, your voice barely more than a breath, your mouth filling with blood as you struggled to speak.

The noise on his end stilled in an instant. Silence fell, tense and sharp.

"Where are you?" his voice was hard, worried, so different from the playful tone he’d used just seconds before.

You tried to answer, but your throat was full, each breath a struggle against the liquid heat rising up, drowning your words.

You managed to roll onto your side. You hissed as you shifted, pressing weight onto your injured arm. Blood escaped from your throat, allowing you to speak a little.

“Civilians... inside the domain..." you whispered, voice thin and fragile, every syllable a labor of will "Two curses.... the other still... lives..." you could hear a sharp clatter from his end, something falling, maybe a knife or a spoon, maybe something heavier, but it was all blending into the haze.

"Where are you, answer me (Y/N)!"

But you didn't listen, trying to gave him important information before your gone.

"Hit the mirror..." you coughed ".. when your done, it's outside."

"Damn it! Answer me!"

"I'm.. not gonna make it.." you paused, feeling your consciousness slipping away "I’m so sorry, ‘toru…" you whispered, dropping your phone on the floor.

Darkness closed in, thick and final, but just before it claimed you, you thought you heard him calling your name, his voice taut and desperate, reaching through the static

★ --

"Shoko! Get over here, now!"

The hospital doors flew open as he appeared, and he didn’t bother to hold back his voice, shouting Shoko’s name with a force that echoed down the sterile hallways

The intensity was enough to scatter anyone who dared cross his path, medical staff and sorcerers alike stepping back, wide-eyed and fearful as Satoru strode forward, not slowing, his face an icy mask of resolve.

"Get out of my way!" he snapped at anyone lingering in the halls, his voice sharp and carrying a barely controlled fury.

Despite his quite controlled exterior, his mind was racing, worry clawing at him like he’d never known. His thoughts clung to the what-ifs, the questions he never let himself think but now couldn’t ignore.

Had he made it in time?

He looked at you.

You looked like a small, battered doll. Your eyes almost lifeless, your expression petrified. The cursed energy in your body barely glimmered. He hugged you tighter to himself, pulling your limbs tighter to hold you even tighter.

"Hold on, please - we're almost there." he murmured, more to himself than to you

Please, please, please stay with me.

He turned to the left corridor.

He found her, and relief mingled with his urgency. Shoko took one look at you in his arms, the blood trailing from your side, the limp, lifeless way your arm hung by a thread, and her face paled, a steely focus settling into her gaze.

"Put her down here." Shoko ordered, snapping out of her shock.

She had no time for questions, no time for explanations. She turned to her assistants, barking orders with a precision born of experience "Prep the room. I’ll need blood transfusions - check her chart, sutures, cursed energy patches - everything we have."

Satoru laid you down on the nearest examination bed, his movements almost mechanical, though the tremor in his hands betrayed the turmoil within him. He stepped back only enough to allow Shoko space to work, his jaw clenched as he watched her assess your injuries.

The assistant returned with everything Shoko had ordered.

"Do you know how much blood she's lost?" she asked hurriedly, putting on gloves and a face mask.

"A lot" was all he could say.

She began with your shoulder, examining the nearly severed arm hanging grotesquely by a strip of muscle and skin. Blood soaked through her gloves as she lifted the limb carefully, eyes dark with concentration.

“Her arm is barely attached,” she muttered under her breath, reaching for a clamp to stem the blood flow “The wound is extensive, torn straight through muscle and tendons.”

Shoko’s assistant hovered nearby, their faces set in grim concentration as they handed her the tools she needed.

"Stop the bleeding in the lower abdomen." ordering one of the astists, she turned to the other "And you start the transfusions."

Satoru stayed silent, his gaze fixed on you, his body taut as he watched her work.

Shoko’s hands moved deftly, sealing off the worst of the blood loss with a cursed energy barrier, pressing her hands to the wound as she worked to restore circulation to your arm. Her reverse cursed technique glowed faintly, a steady stream of healing energy pulsing through your battered shoulder as she mended the torn tendons, weaving muscle fibers back together with meticulous care. The procedure was painstaking, every inch of the damage requiring careful attention, but Shoko’s focus was unshakable.

She had to stabilise you - that was the priority.

Then her hands took care of your stomach.

It took maybe 5-7 minutes, however, for Satoru everything lasted like hours. He had to stand and watch as a group of people covered the view of you.

"How bad is it?" his voice broke through the silence, rough and strained. He wanted any information. Any confirmation that he had made it in time.

Shoko glanced up, her expression guarded. “She’s lost a lot of blood. The damage is severe." she was specific and gave facts. As usual. There was no point in lying to him.

“This..." she traced the torn flesh of your shoulder carefully "It’s so close to major arteries. We’re lucky she made it this far."

Satoru’s fists clenched, his gaze dark as he watched her press a gauze pad to your side, the blood staining it immediately.

"I got here as fast as I could." he murmured, barely more than a whisper, his voice laced with an emotion he seldom showed.

He drifted away in thought for a moment.

Slipping into his mind.

The room seemed too bright and the blood everywhere too dark. The noise of the medical machines was disturbed by the sound of his pounding heart.

His gaze lingered on the trail of blood just below his feet, leading directly to your bed. He watched the small spots on the floor, and observe as they getting bigger, literally growing before his eyes, consuming his shoes.

The sight of your body in a pool of blood flashed through his mind.

Over, and over, and over.

And over again.

Shoko's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

To her, Satoru simply stood with his head bowed down, stone-faced.

"Gojo. Her condition is stable. Please wait outside, I will take care of everything now."

Satoru noded, his shoulders slumping.

He moved closer to the bed, he put his hand on your palm, squeezing it lightly, before turning to Shoko.

"Thank you, Shoko." he murmured, his voice barely audible.

He glanced at you again before leaving the room, watching you disappear again behind a curtain of people who were trying to keep you alive.

He knew what he had to do now.

★ --

Satoru appeared after a while in the corridor, his footsteps echoing against the polished floor as he walked.

An energy pulsed off him in waves.

The air around him felt charged, almost volatile, his usual lighthearted demeanor replaced by something colder, something that made those nearby shrink back. His gaze was concealed behind the bandages, his expression was unreadable, a stone mask that gave nothing away.

From her spot by the wall, Shoko watched him with a wary gaze, a cigarette still held between her fingers as she blew out a last puff of smoke.

Her hard work has paid off - she has stabilised you.

She took in the scene as he approached - the smears of blood staining his jacket, the dark flecks of cursed energy lingering in the air around him, and the deep, cold set of his jaw. She could only imagine the wreckage he’d left behind, the remnants of whatever curse had dared to harm you.

As he neared her, he drew a white handkerchief from his pocket, unfolding it with calm precision. Shoko’s eyes followed the movement, noting the slight tremor in his fingers as he began methodically wiping away the purple blood splattered across his hands.

He moved slowly, almost obsessively, wiping each knuckle, each crease, as if trying to erase every trace of what he’d done.

"Did it suffer?" she asked.

Satoru finished wiping his hands, folding the bloodstained cloth neatly before pocketing it. He didn’t answer immediately.

"More than enough." he replied after a while, his voice like steel.

The famous Gojo Satoru getting his hands dirty.

He glanced back toward your room, his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. The fury that had burned in him faded, replaced by the exhaustion.

"Can I… see her?" his voice was low, uncharacteristically tentative.

Shoko nodded "Yes, the worst is over, she’s sleeping now."

"Thank you - again." he gave her a nod.

Without thinking, he approached the door and pulled gently on the handle, entering the room quietly.

Shoko saw that for a moment, he was the man who'd rushed to your side, not the sorcerer who’d torn through curses with cold precision.

★ --

The soft hum of teleportation barely registered as Satoru reappeared in his own home, the familiar surroundings both grounding and jarring. The scent of something burnt hit his nose first, and then he noticed the plume of smoke curling up from the kitchen. His stomach sank. He’d left the ramen on the stove, the pot now emitting a dark, acrid smell.

"Do you have any idea what you almost did!?" Megumi yelled, his tone sharp "You left the ramen on the stove - almost burned down the kitchen!"

Satoru opened his mouth to respond, maybe to offer a laugh or a joke, but the words died as Megumi's gaze softened, his expression changing as he took in Satoru’s face. The stone face, the faint streaks of blood on his collar, the tension that lingered despite his attempts to relax. Megumi’s scolding faded, and worry took its place. Tsumiki who appeared next to him had the same look on her young face.

"I’m sorry about the ramen, kiddo. I was… distracted. Something happened." Satoru’s tone shifted, calm and steady, though a note of heaviness remained "There was an accident. Your mom... she got hurt pretty badly, but she’s in good hands now. She’s being taken care of."

Both kids froze, their faces mirroring an all-too-familiar look of fear. Tsumiki’s hands flew to her mouth, and Megumi’s normally composed demeanor broke, his eyes wide "Is she going to be okay?" he asked, his voice soft.

"Can we see her?" Tsumiki asked, voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes." Satoru assured them, placing a gentle hand on each of their shoulders "She’s stable now. She’s safe." he paused, his voice softening as he added "You’ll be able to see her soon. I’ll take you both to visit her in a day or two, once she’s rested a bit. Or maybe she'll even be home by then."

The kids nodded, though their expressions were still clouded with worry. He offered them a head pat and reassuring smile, one that felt fragile even as he gave it, before excusing himself to gather a few things for you.

Satoru went to your shared room, pulling together a bag of things you’d want with you. He packed the essentials - clean clothes, hygiene products, a book you hadn’t finished yet with the worn bookmark you always used. His hand lingered over his softest pair of socks, slipping them into the bag because he knew how cold you got in clinic rooms. He added a few of your favorite snacks, the ones you always reached for on the top shelf, and finally, a small cushion from the couch that still held a trace of your favorite scent. He knew these were just small things, but they felt like tiny comforts he could offer to make you feel a little less alone when you wake up.

After he’d packed everything, Satoru paused in the quiet of the apartment. The kids had gone to bed, their lingering glances filled with worry and questions they hadn’t voiced.

He took a deep breath, trying to quiet the aftershocks of fear and anger that had burned through him. His fingers curled around the strap of the bag, as though anchoring himself in the thought of seeing you again, of bringing these small tokens of home to you.

He tried everything to prevent his mind from racing again.

With one last glance at the quiet apartment, he teleported back to your hospital room.

★ --

Light, more brightness.

More noise.

And more pain.

Your eyes flutter open, everything slowly coming into focus. A heaviness settles over your body, a dull ache throbbing in every limb. As you shift slightly, you catch sight of the IV needle taped to your hand, a soft bandage wrapped around the other, the skin numb, likely due to the strong meds they’d pumped into your system.

You exhale, bracing yourself as you slowly rise into a semi-sitting position, feeling the stiffness in your muscles protesting with every movement.

You made it through.

You're alive.

He saved you.

You knew it, you didn't see or feel him coming for you, yet only he would be able to get to you so quickly. No one else would have been able to help you.

Gratitude wells up inside you, mingled with the lingering haze of exhaustion. You don't know how to thank him. You would like to repay him in every bit of your existance.

You feel like you could lie there for hours, let the heaviness of sleep pull you back under. But, despite it all, you can’t ignore the small flicker of relief that you’re still here.

You survived today to die tomorrow.

It’s been an hour or maybe two when you tried to be awake - time’s hard to gauge in this half-dazed state.

The thought crosses your mind - just how long did you sleep?

You squint at the dim light seeping into the room, but there’s no sense of time here.

You start to egzaminate yourself.

Your dominant hand feels strange, disconnected - it’s there, resting on the blanket, but no matter how much you try, you can barely move it. The faintest twitches respond to your will, but there’s almost no control, like it’s not quite part of you. It’s unsettling, a reminder that your body has been through more than it can comfortably handle.

You pull the duvet, taking in the scattering of bruises and scratches that color your legs, each one a map of the recent battle. Carefully, you place your other hand on your hip, fingers brushing over a new scar, raised and raw, but without the sharpness of stitches. You can touch it, sure, and yet your senses are muted, dulled under the weight of painkillers coursing through your system. There’s a heaviness in your head too, a sluggishness, that made you almost sloppy.

It's not so bad - you need to thank Shoko. You could feel that she's not finished yet, she probably didn't have the strength anymore, so she made what she could.

At least you had an arm, right?

A glance around the room brings your eyes to the chair beside the small cupboard. On it sits a familiar black bag, half-zipped, with the fabric bulging slightly from the careful packing. Resting on the cupboard is your book, its cover worn, your favorite bookmark peeking out from between the pages. A small smile tugs at your lips despite the discomfort.

You reach toward the bag, tugging it closer, the weight of it almost too much as your fingers dig into the straps. With effort, you haul it onto the bed, wincing as the motion tugs at sore muscles. Slowly, carefully, you unzip it, peeling back the top to reveal neatly folded fabrics inside. Clean clothes, hygiene products, snacks, a big sweater that’s unmistakably Satoru’s, and a pair of warm socks - those oversized ones you’d always borrowed.

You smile, the simple sight of them lifting your spirits just a little. Satoru’s little touches are everywhere in this moment; he’d thought of every detail. With a bit of effort, you tug on the socks, feeling their warmth, thanking him for thinking of your poor, cold limbs.

You looked at the sweater.

Your gaze shifts to the doorway, lingering a moment to ensure no one is around. The hall outside is empty, and the door to your room is slightly ajar, but not a soul is passing by. Satisfied, you turn back to Satoru’s sweater, drawing it closer, letting your fingers sink into the soft fabric, drowning in the scent of his cologne mixing with something unmistakably him - a warm, comforting aroma that always brings you a sense of calm.

It’s not your fault he smells so perfect; you’d picked out that cologne yourself, after all, and it suits him like nothing else.

You allow yourself a quiet smile, eyes still closed, feeling both comforted and amused at how easily his scent seems to chase away the chill of the room.

Gritting your teeth, you try to sit up, sliding your legs slowly toward the edge of the bed. A hiss escapes your lips as the pain bites sharply, sending a wave of discomfort through your side. You pause, steadying yourself, breathing through the sensation. You see that he brought you disposable flip-flops, that were lying next to this side of the bed.

You’re just getting used to the discomfort when Shoko enters the room, her expression composed, professional, her posture radiating a calm authority. There’s a brief flicker of warmth in her eyes as she sees you awake, but it’s quickly replaced by her focused, clinical gaze. For a moment, you’re not her friend lying here in a hospital bed but her patient.

She steps closer, her eyes sweeping over you with that practiced precision, assessing every visible sign of injury.

"How are you feeling?" she asks, her voice soft yet purposeful, each word measured, carrying an undercurrent of genuine concern.

"I’m… here." you manage, letting out a weak chuckle "Can barely feel my hand, though. Just feels… dull. Heavy, I guess. Thank you for saving me."

She nods, her brow furrowing as she shifts to examine your hand. Her touch is careful, her fingertips pressing lightly along your arm, tracing the lines where numbness blurs into sensation.

"No problem. You’re feeling dullness in the hand?" she repeats, more to herself than to you, her mind clearly already analyzing what’s needed.

"Yeah, like I know it’s there, but it’s not exactly responding the way it should" you explain, trying to move your fingers slightly but finding only minimal response.

Shoko mutters something under her breath, her gaze fixed on the IV as she reaches to adjust it.

"Alright, I’m putting this drip on hold for now." she announces, her tone shifting briefly into one of practiced command. She carefully unfastens the line, leaving the cannula still in place "I don’t want to remove this completely yet. I’ll need it again tomorrow. For now, though, I want things to stabilize a bit on their own."

You watch her work, noticing the subtle exhaustion in her movements "So… you’ll take care of it tomorrow?" you ask, curiosity slipping into your voice.

Like, you want to have an a functioning arm - if it's avaiable?

She nods, her gaze softening for a moment as she steps back, folding her arms and glancing at the IV "Yes. Your arm should start feeling more normal by then, but I need to let things knit together a little first. And, honestly…" she pauses, rubbing her eyes briefly "I don’t have the strength right now. I’ll be more useful tomorrow, after I get some rest. I'm sorry."

You thank her and study her, seeing the weight of her own exhaustion etched faintly in the way she holds herself, the way she sometimes blinks a little longer than usual. Her commitment to her work is unmistakable, but you catch the signs that even she is running low.

"How long did I sleep, anyway?" you ask, breaking the silence.

"Almost two days." she replies, her voice calm, matter-of-fact. Her gaze shifts back to you, assessing your response as though you might suddenly react to the news.

Your brows rise "Two days? That’s… a long time."

Shoko shakes her head slightly.

"Not really. Honestly, after the state you were in, I thought you might be out for a week." she crosses her arms, her gaze steady "You lost a lot of blood, and you nearly lost a limb. Two days is impressive recovery for you."

You nod slowly, absorbing her words, realizing how close you must have come to something worse. The weight of it settles on you, a quiet reminder of just how lucky you are to still be here.

"So… Satoru’s out on a mission?" you ask, hoping to change the subject, if only to lighten the mood a bit.

Shoko reaches up, twirling a strand of her hair thoughtfully "He left a few hours ago. But he should be back later. He sat by your side the whole time." her gaze flickers to the door, as if expecting him to walk in at any moment.

You nod, a small, relieved sigh escaping you "Understand."

You wonder what the kids must feel. They probably know about your condition.

Shoko settles into a chair beside your bed, glancing down at her notes, then back up at you. There’s a hint of something in her gaze - frustration mixed with lingering concern. She takes a breath, her voice soft but firm.

"It's a miracle, really. You almost didn't make it." she says, her tone steady, but her eyes hold a fierceness that surprises you "All because someone couldn't do thier job correctly."

Your brows furrow as you try to recall the details of the mission, piecing together what you remember. Everything comes back in flashes.

Endo Kyō, the assistant who was assigned to you and participated in that mission with you.

By your arrival, his job was to secure the area and assess the threat. According to his analysis, there was a grade one curse in the domain.

In fact, there were two curses in the domain. However, you had no idea about this.

One was trapped in the domain of the other - the one that attacked you first inside, wasn't responsible for the domain. You knew something was wrong when, after killing this one, the domain didn't start to disintegrate. You thought it was a matter of place or vail that the assistant should apply. Through the effect of the domain, you were unable to effectively sense the presence of the other one on time.

You were outclassed.

The second curse emerged just as you were making a hole in the shell so that civilians could safely leave the area.

You got hit, unable to dodge the attack.

"He seemed fine as a person, maybe a little weird. He's new, mistakes happen. Like... I remember my beginnings. He'll learn." you sigh resignedly.

Shoko’s expression sharpens, a seriousness in her eyes that makes you pause "He’s not new." she says flatly.

"Huh?"

"He originally worked in Kyoto. He was transferred here after a similar incident, a really similar case." you listened in disbelief, looking at Shoko with wide eyes.

"And..." she continued "Because he has connections with higher-ups, it was decided to transfer him disciplinary to our grounds, rather than dismiss him for his apparent negligence." her words sink in like a stone, leaving you in stunned silence.

You stare at her, the shock sinking in like ice. Your fists clench at your sides, the dull ache in your hand momentarily forgotten as your fingers press into your palm. You are livid.

What a fucking asshole.

Shoko watches you, her own expression dark.

"Well... Gojo had an even worse reaction." she says quietly, glancing down as if recalling the scene.

"What do you mean?"

"Gojo found out what Endo did not long after you were brought in." she begins.

Oh no.

"I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like that. He marched right up to Endo and tore into him. It was… intense." she stated "He didn’t even gave him a chance to speak before he cornered him, demanding to know if he had any sense of care at all. Told him that as a assisnant, he should take his comrades’ lives as seriously as he takes his own and that his failure is just as spectacularly dumb as he is."

She goes on, eyes narrowing "He pointed out every mistake and every omission to him as if he had no filter. I guess he controled himself a little at least, because he looked like he was fighting not to snap. The guy nearly passed out there."

You couldn't believe what you were just hearing.

"In the end he said something along the lines that if he saw him near his wife again - he won't hold back and won't care if someone is watching, he'll just kill him on the spot."

★ --

After some time a pang of hunger twists in your stomach, and the uncomfortable reminder that you’ll need the bathroom soon follows.

You try to get up again, struggling with the same discomfort as before.

"Oh no~ The sleeping beauty is already up and I missed the wake-up kiss." you heard his voice behind you. You chuckled weakly. He goes around your bed.

Despite his lighthearted words, you can sense the undercurrent of concern beneath them. You can see it more when he comes closer a heaviness, a weight that’s hard to miss.

"You really shouldn’t be getting up, princess." he murmurs, his fingers gentle and lingering as they steady your shaking body "Wouldn't want you losing a glass slipper on the way to the bathroom, would we?"

You roll your eyes, managing a faint laugh "Wrong princess, you dork. You don't have to help me, I'll manage somehow, you did enough for me." you try to be polite, but a hiss escape your lips, when you stand for a first time.

"Consider it royal decree: this dork is helping you, no arguments." he replies, slipping his arm more firmly around you despite your protest, his playful tone does little to mask the concern in his eyes as he holds you steady.

Together, you make your way out into the corridor, Satoru guiding you carefully, matching his steps to your slower pace. His hand never leaves you, and he keeps glancing over, checking on you, asking if you’re alright, if anything’s hurting more than it should. You answer quietly, pointing out the sharper aches and the duller bruises. The warmth of his arm around you, his attention, feels steadying, grounding you in a way that’s as comforting as it is unusual.

But of course he had to tease you a little bit.

"You know, for a princess, you’re not exactly gliding gracefully down the hall. Need me to summon some royal attendants to carry you on a velvet throne?"

You scoff, wincing slightly as another sharp ache flares up "No throne required. I’ll walk, thank you very much."

He chuckles, adjusting his hold on you "Brave as ever. But if you start fading from exhaustion, I’m totally picking you up. Wouldn’t want you fainting and having to explain to the entire staff how their little Sleeping Beauty managed to end up on the floor."

You roll your eyes, his teasing both comforting and mildly embarrassing "They’d have to call you Prince Charming in that case, huh?"

Satoru grins, dramatically flicking an imaginary cape over his shoulder "I knew you saw it in me. But don’t worry, I’m perfectly fine with just ‘Your Highness’ for now. ‘Prince Charming’ can wait for special occasions."

The faint murmur of clinic activity surrounds you, and as the two of you walk through the corridor, you catch a few people glancing your way, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and surprise. Satoru doesn’t seem to notice, or maybe he just doesn’t care. He’s focused on you, steadying you with each step, his hand firm yet gentle on your side.

His words are teasing, playfull as ever. But his touch is delicate, caring - and it's making your heart flutter.

When no one’s around, you feel his fingers subtly adjusting the back of your hospital gown, and though he doesn’t mention it, you know it’s his quiet way of looking out for you.

When you finally reach the bathroom, he stops just outside, his arm slipping away but his gaze fixed on you with an almost exaggerated seriousness "Now, don’t go pulling a Cinderella and sneaking away, alright? I’ll be here if you need me to hold your royal gown or anything. Very dignified service - I’m quite experienced."

You chuckle despite yourself, finding his lighthearted support surprisingly pleasant "Yeah, sure, I’ll call my ‘knight in shining armor’ if I need any bathroom assistance."

He smirks, leaning casually against the wall "Good. Because a princess should never have to face a hallway alone."

You linger in the bathroom a moment, catching your reflection in the small, unflattering mirror. Your face stares back, hollowed with exhaustion, skin pale and dull under the fluorescent light. Your hair clings in greasy strands, reminding you just how long you’ve been out. It's strange seeing yourself this way - vulnerable, worn down, every bruise and shadow a testament to the last ordeal. Your outfit must be pretty ridiculous too with his oversize sweater, hospital gown, oversized socks and slippers.

Your look is not very princess-like.

You wonder if you should talk to him about what happends now.

However, you conclude that it is better to wait until you return from your meal so that you can talk to him in peace, unless he is called away on a mission.

When you step out, Satoru’s waiting right there, his hand reaching out to take yours. The familiar warmth of his touch steadies you, grounding you once more.

"What else does my princess need?" he teases softly, his tone light yet gentle "A breakfast feast? A little pampering session?" you pass him a tired smile, there’s still a glint of mischief in his tone "How about I whisk you off to your favorite ramen place? I could get us there in two seconds flat."

"As tempting as that sounds, I don’t think I could handle being teleported just yet. And I don't like it that much." you laugh, shaking your head. You wouldn't go anywhere in this outfit anyway.

"Right." he nods, pretending to think it over "Hmm. Guess the royal express is on hold today. "he says with a mock sigh of disappointment "Alright, we’ll go with the classic approach - school cafeteria it is. Nothing but the finest cuisine for you."

It's been a long time since you ate food from the school canteen. You wonder if it's as dull and bland, as it was back in your school days.

With a reassuring squeeze, he guides you down the corridor, his arm firmly around you as you both navigate to the a small room. A tiny, cramped and bright room, with a few tables, coffe maschine and a microwave, where the medical assistants usually take their meals. The antiseptic smell is a sharp contrast to the warmth of his arm and his steady presence beside you, as though he’s somehow blocking out the cold, sterile atmosphere.

When you reach the cafeteria, he gently seats you on one free table. He gently steers you into a seat, his hands lingering for a moment as if making sure you’re settled.

"Now, stay put." he commands lightly"Can’t have the princess fainting. I’ll be back in a flash."

You take a moment, resting your head back against the seat, allowing the gentle hum of the cafeteria to settle around you. It’s oddly peaceful here, the faint murmur of voices blending with the rhythmic clatter of dishes.

It’s only a few moments before he’s back, a tray laden with food and drinks balanced effortlessly in his hands. He grins, setting it down with a flourish "Behold, a feast fit for a princess." he declares, gesturing grandly to a couple of steaming bowls of soup, a small pile of rice, orange chcicken and some kind of dessert.

You raise an eyebrow, but you smile a little anyway "I think you might be confusing 'princess' with 'army,' but thank you."

"Look, every princess deserves options. You don’t know what royal cravings might strike once you start eating." he starts to lay everything out on a small table.

You laugh, the sound softer than usual but genuine "Well, I appreciate the royal treatment."

His gaze softens, the usual teasing glint tempered by something warmer "You deserve it." he says, his voice barely above a murmur.

You're looking at him, your eyes a little wide, you're holding on a little blush.

You give Satoru a grateful smile as he hands you the cutlery, and you gave each other quick "Itadakimasu" before digging in. Satoru starts eating right away, taking his first bite with his usual relaxed ease, but as you reach for your chopsticks with your non-dominant hand, reality sinks in quickly.

After a few frustrating tries, you reach for the spoon, hoping it’ll be easier, only to watch a scoop of soup drip right back into the bowl.

Well.. this is embarresing.

Satoru’s gaze flicks to you, catching the small, defeated sigh you let out as you set the spoon down. Quietly, he puts his chopsticks aside and shifts his chair closer, his expression warm and amused as he leans in without a word.

You glance at him, brow raised in surprise "What are you doing?"

"What’s it look like?" he murmurs, reaching for the spoon and swirling it through the soup with exaggerated elegance "Need a hand, princess?"

You raise a brow, a mix of embarrassment and exasperation flooding through you "Satoru, you don’t have to - "

"Oh, but I’m honored to assist." he interrupts, holding the spoon up with a little flourish "A princess deserves only the finest dining experience, after all." his grin is maddeningly playful as he offers the spoon to you "Now, I believe it’s customary for royalty to accept help gracefully."

Heat rises to your cheeks, but your stomach growls in agreement, much to his amusement. He raises an eyebrow, clearly delighting in your hesitation "See? Your stomach’s on board. Now, let’s get you to eat."

Reluctantly, you lean forward, taking the spoonful he offers, trying to ignore how closely he’s watching you. You know it, even if you don't see his eyes, you could feel them on you. The warmth of the soup is comforting, but his actions - soft yet mischievous - truly catches you off guard. He scoops up another spoonful, waiting patiently. You feel the gaze of everyone in the room on you. Satoru seems to ignore it.

"This is ridiculous." you mumble, cheeks flushed.

"Oh, hush. Have some table manners, will you?" he teases, holding the next spoonful right in front of your mouth "It’s rude to speak with your mouth full, you know. Now, aaa~"

★ --

Shoko steps into the room, clipboard in hand and a focused look on her face. She pauses mid-step, though, taking in the sight before her.

There you are, on the bed, head resting peacefully on Satoru’s shoulder, breaths slow and steady in sleep. Your healthy arm is entwined with his, fingers curled against his sleeve as if holding onto him even in your dreams. A soft, well-worn book rests in his lap, open to a half-read page, hinting that you two had been reading together until sleep claimed you.

Satoru glances up as Shoko enters, catching her eye and lifting a finger to his lips in a silent request to keep quiet. There’s a surprising gentleness in his expression, something soft and protective that Shoko rarely sees, especially in him. He gives her a slight smile, nodding subtly toward you as if to say - Let them rest a little longer.

Shoko raises an eyebrow but doesn’t make a sound. She’d always known Satoru had a soft spot for you, but seeing it here, so unguarded, speaks volumes. She makes a note on her clipboard, then gives a little nod and steps back, closing the door softly behind her.

Satoru watches her go, his hand shifting slightly to adjust the blanket over you and brushing a strand of hair away from your face. He glances down at you, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he returns his attention to the book, careful not to disturb you, content to sit in this rare moment of peace.

He is so glad that you are here, with him.

tl: @kalopsia-flaneur, @dainslumi, @syneyam, @idiotgojo, @itachiiwrites

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gothamite-rambler · 21 hours ago

Text

When caught in a hostage situation by wannabe twitch streamers and can't be Batman

Bruce Wayne attended the gala alone; nobody wanted to go with him, and now he found himself with a gun aimed at his head. It was just another Tuesday in Bruce's life. He knew there was nothing he could do except kneel on the ground and wait for his kids to rescue him.

Bruce (in his head): I should've stayed home; then I could've saved the day. But no, I had to show up! Damn it, the things I do to keep my identity separate from my hero life.

Bruce (out loud): Can you hurry this up? Some of us have places to be.

Lennie, the goon leader, wore a white, expressionless face mask that only added to the absurdity of the situation. He sucked his teeth, visibly annoyed at Bruce's indifference to having a gun pointed at his head. It was as if he were trying to put on a show of intimidation, but the lack of reaction from his hostage only served to frustrate him further.

Lennie: We’re almost done setting up the livestream, geez!

Bruce (sarcastically): Oh yes, let’s make sure the whole world sees a bunch of no-name thugs holding a fancy party hostage. That’s smart. Truly brilliant. You're a real trailblazer.

Lennie: Yeesh, you don’t gotta be rude.

Bruce (dryly): Am I being rude? I’m just trying to maintain my composure here while you’re aiming a gun at my head. A little nervousness is understandable, don’t you think?

As if to prove his point, Lennie raised the gun away from Bruce’s head in a moment of misplaced confidence.

Lennie: Please, I’m an expert shooter—

Just then, Lennie's finger slipped, and the gun went off, shooting across the room and hitting a statue, which promptly shattered—sending shards flying and making a woman at the party scream in terror.

Lennie (shouting): I told you to stop screaming!

Bruce glared at the man for a second, then turned back to staring ahead, internally counting the seconds ticking by like they were days as he waited for literally any of his children or even Kate to arrive to save him.

Lennie: All right, I’ll just hold the gun at my side and grip the back of your neck. Don’t do anything stupid; the gun is still loaded.

Bruce (indifferent): You’ve shot it twice already, so that doesn’t bode well for your "expert shooter" credentials. But hey, start the stream for your three followers to enjoy.

Lennie (enraged): Hey! We are on the come-up! Oz, is everything ready to go?

Oz, a blonde man in a blue bandana with eye slits cut into the fabric, checked the wireless conference cam that sat on a nearby chair and glanced at his phone.

Oz (hesitantly): Um, yeah, I think?

Lennie: Cool, start it.

Oz: It’s already running.

Lennie: What? For how long?

Oz (pointing at Bruce): Well, since he mentioned we were using Twitch for our heist.

Lennie: God damn it! I told you to wait for my signal before hitting the stream button!

Oz: I thought you’d be more professional when I started the feed. What did you want the signal to be, “Cool, start it”?

Lennie: …

An old man at the gala couldn’t help but chuckle as he realized that was the signal.

Old Man: Good thing you’ve got guns, because your performance so far is downright terrible!

Bruce (aggravated tone): You must’ve failed clown college, didn’t you? This is your backup plan? Want to look like a joke in a different way?

Lennie: Shut up! Fuck, you’re just like my parents! Lucy!

Lucy strolled over, holding a similar gun and wearing a light purple ski mask.

Lucy: Yes, babe?

Lennie: Lucy, I told you not to call me that during this!

Lucy: Sorry, baby! I mean Kenny—oops, sorry, Lennie.

Lennie groaned, burying his face in his hands.

Lennie (whispering to his girlfriend): Just stand next to the rich guy while I read the ransom. You’re better with guns.

Lucy (cheerfully): Okay!

Lucy walked over to Bruce, lightly gripping the back of his collar while aiming the gun at his upper shoulder.

Lucy: Hi, Mr. Wayne!

Bruce: Don’t chat with me right now. Why are you aiming the gun at my shoulder?

Lucy: Gotta start lower and work my way up, you know?

Bruce: That actually makes sense in a messed-up way.

Lucy: Thanks! Lennie, you starting soon?

Lennie (covering his eyes in frustration): I need a fucking minute… Okay, Oz, get the stream going!

Oz (confused): Again?

Lennie: What do you mean "again"?

Oz: The one I started two minutes ago is still streaming. We’ve got viewers too! Do you want me to end that? Why? You’re already wasting time.

Lennie clasped his hands together, feeling the pressure as his plan began to crumble, and Bruce—ever the thorn in his side—wasn’t letting up.

Bruce: You’re doing a terrible job if you wanted an audience’s opinion.

Lennie (angry shouting): I’d shoot you right now if I could! I have to talk to the actual audience because if I have to talk to that smug asshole one more time, I’m going to beat your ass.

Bruce: That’s rich, coming from you.

Lennie growled, huffing as he tried to rein in his temper. He turned to the camera, his irritation palpable, and prepared to begin the ransom speech he had memorized.

Lennie (clears throat): Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the most glamorous hostage situation of the decade! If you think this is a PR disaster, you're absolutely correct!

Bruce (with a sarcastic edge): Wow, did you actually memorize that?

Lennie held up his index finger, then pulled a white bandana out of his pocket and stormed over to Bruce, tying the scarf across the man's mouth to silence him. Bruce rolled his eyes dramatically as Lennie turned back to the camera, as if he were the star of a reality show gone wrong.

As the wannabe streamer continued his speech, Stephanie, Tim, and Duke were perched atop a nearby building, close to the glass rooftop where the gala was taking place. They waited for the signal from Nightwing, who was in a different location, to ambush the kidnappers—but for now, they were watching the stream. Their reactions varied widely.

Tim let out a long, frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Tim: Yep, yep.

Stephanie was practically doubled over with laughter.

Stephanie: I can’t believe the guy in the white mask wasted two bullets! What a dumb ox with some serious daddy issues!

Duke, sporting a worried expression, chimed in.

Duke: I don’t know what scares me more—his incompetence accidentally getting Bruce shot or the fact that this stream has a concerningly high number of viewers!

Stephanie nodded, still chuckling.

Stephanie: Right? It’s like a bizarre comedy show!

Tim: I definitely recognize the ring leader by his grating voice. We took social psychology together at CUNY. Well, we took that one class before he dropped out to pursue... whatever this nonsense is. This missing chromosome was a jerk back then and hasn't changed.

Duke (raising his left eyebrow): He has a YouTube channel where he harasses people but calls it "pranks"?

Tim: No, it’s a TikTok page!

Stephanie burst out laughing harder, shaking her head in disbelief.

Stephanie: This is too good!

Tim: This is going to be an interesting mission.

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b1xi · 3 days ago

Text

───𝘊𝘜𝘗𝘐𝘋───ハイキュー!!

Haikyuu(ハイキュー!!)x fem!reader

Word count: 5761

𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

As you adjusted the strap of your bag on your shoulder and brushed a loose strand of hair away from your face, you glanced at your school uniform, sighing in resignation. You had forgotten the team uniform at home, which made you the only one in the group wearing the school uniform. Everyone lined up, bowed in respect to the coach, and started boarding the bus.

You took a seat by the window, placing your bag to the side, while Tanaka's laughter echoed from the back of the bus. He was trying to cheer up Hinata, who clearly looked nervous. You rested your head on the seat, feeling your eyelids starting to close. "I could get a little sleep, right?" you thought, considering the trip would take some time. You closed your eyes, trying to ignore the background noise and relax.

However, the calm atmosphere was abruptly broken by a scream of panic. Opening your eyes, you found yourself facing an unexpected scene: Hinata, pale and looking regretful, had accidentally thrown up on Tanaka's lap. Chaos ensued; Tanaka was shouting, desperately asking the driver to pull over, while the rest of the team looked on in bewilderment, unsure of how to react.

Finally, the bus stopped in front of the rival team's school. Daichi turned to you with a mix of panic and plea. “Hey, Y/N… do something,” he said, visibly uncomfortable.

“M-me? What do you expect me to do?” you asked, unable to hide your surprise at his request.

Tsukishima, in his usual ironic tone, chimed in. “Aren't you the assistant coach? You’re supposed to be here for our well-being. Go on, do something,” he said, frowning.

You cursed internally, but you knew that, even if you didn't like it, he had a point. With a sigh, you got up and approached Hinata, who was still apologizing to Tanaka in nervous mumbles.

“Hinata, are you okay?” you asked, keeping a safe distance as you extended a hand to pat his back. “Would you like some water?”

“Yes… yeah, I think I'm okay,” he muttered, though his tone betrayed otherwise. “Tanaka, I’m really sorry,” he added, looking at him with guilt.

Tanaka tried to downplay the incident, smiling in an attempt to ease his teammate's discomfort. “Hey, it’s no big deal! How are you feeling now?” he asked, giving him a pat on the shoulder. “Come on, we need you for today’s match. Just like in that three-on-three game, okay? Let me spike freely.”

But instead of motivating him, the added pressure made Hinata even more nervous. He barely managed to stammer out a “I-I’ll do my be…” before abruptly stopping. “I’m going to the bathroom!” he suddenly blurted, darting off toward the school building.

You shook your head, looking at Tanaka with disapproval. “You shouldn’t pressure him so much. He needs a moment to calm down.”

Then, you followed the team to the gym. The place, identified as gym three, was impressive: several players were training with precision and skill, showing a level of expertise worthy of a high-performance team. During the first set, you kept a low profile, shadowing Takeda-sensei from one side to the other without much involvement. You watched the game attentively, although the start was a bit shaky. Hinata’s nerves seemed to affect the team, slowing down their pace and causing a few missed plays.

Your eyes wandered around the gym, looking for something to capture your attention, until something happened: in the middle of a messy play, Hinata hit the ball so clumsily that it ended up striking Kageyama directly in the head. You covered your mouth to stifle a laugh, but Tsukishima’s sarcastic remarks and Tanaka’s laughter finally made you burst out laughing.

Taking advantage of a break in the game, you decided to climb up to the upper bleachers, looking for a quieter spot. Among the students from Aoba Johsai, your gaze landed on a familiar face. As you approached, you recognized her instantly: your sister.

“What are you doing here?” you asked, surprised, as you leaned slightly on the metal railing, feeling its coldness against your fingers before stopping beside her.

She, with a casual attitude, also leaned against the railing, smiling lightly. “Isn’t it obvious? I study here,” she replied matter-of-factly.

You rolled your eyes, feeling a slight irritation. “I already know that. I mean... why aren’t you at home?”

Your sister gave a slight shrug. “I heard the Karasuno team was having a practice match today and thought it’d be interesting to see how they perform.” Her gaze shifted between the court and you. “Plus, I remembered that you’re part of the team now.”

You raised an eyebrow, somewhat skeptical. “Really? You came just to see me?” you asked, unable to hide the surprise in your tone.

“Of course not,” she replied, pursing her lips and looking at you with slight disdain. “I heard the Karasuno team was good and got curious about how they are now.” Both of you turned your attention back to the court just in time to see the ball hitting Hinata in the face again.

“Well, the team still has a few rough edges to smooth out,” you admitted, watching the play as you tried to find something positive in the situation.

Fortunately, the game continued, and little by little, the Karasuno team began to improve. Hinata, with his characteristic boundless energy, returned to the court and managed to pull off a series of impressive spikes that left everyone stunned. You couldn’t help but feel your heart race with joy as you cheered for the guys from where you stood, even though you knew they couldn’t hear you. Karasuno won the second set, filling you with hope for the next one.

Suddenly, you gave a small jump at the sound of some girls’ excited cheers for a brown-haired boy who had just entered the court. You elbowed your sister and, pointing at the new player, gestured with your head. “Who’s that?” you asked, squinting to try and see him better from your spot.

“That’s Toru Oikawa, the team captain,” she explained calmly, her gaze clearly bored as she watched the tall boy on the court. “He’s pretty good at playing—” Another wave of screams and female praise interrupted her explanation, and with a hint of disdain, she concluded, “And quite popular.”

All the air you’d held in your lungs escaped as you saw Oikawa’s clean and precise serve. You frowned; he was very good. Damn, let’s be real—he was more than good.

Oikawa quickly picked up on the weaknesses in the opposing team’s reception. He noticed that Tsukishima and Hinata weren’t as strong in that area and focused his attacks on them, especially the blond. Yamaguchi, visibly worried, almost had a heart attack just watching the brunette go all-out against his friend.

“Come on, Tsukishima!” you encouraged him from your position, giving him a thumbs-up and drawing the entire team’s attention toward you. Your sister also raised her thumb in support, though with less enthusiasm.

To your surprise, Tsukishima responded with the same gesture, and the rest of the team followed suit without hesitation. Then, they all quickly returned to their positions. Daichi, observing the situation, adjusted Tsukishima and Hinata’s positions; the captain stayed in the center, expanding the team’s defense.

But Oikawa, as sharp as ever, wasted no time. He sent another serve toward Tsukishima, a precise and fast serve that made you hold your breath. Fortunately, the blond managed to save the ball with an incredible reaction. The ball rose in the air, moving from one team to another as everyone watched, tense and nervous. Finally, Hinata, with his characteristic drive, made a decisive spike. The ball passed just by Oikawa, bouncing out of his reach.

The gym fell completely silent, all eyes fixed on the court, stunned by the play. “Well, that was impressive,” your sister commented beside you, straightening her posture and staring at Hinata.

“Takeda-sensei congratulated us, but if we’d faced Seijoh with Oikawa at his best, we wouldn’t have made it,” Daichi reflected as everyone left the gym. The warm light of the sunset cast golden tones over the scene, creating a peaceful atmosphere that eased the moment’s tension.

“Well said, captain,” came a voice from the entrance. It was Seijoh’s captain, leaning dramatically against one of the walls by the exit.

“The great king makes his appearance,” Hinata said, his exaggerated tone causing a slight look of confusion on your face. Tanaka, as always, stepped forward confidently.

“What’s your problem?” Tanaka challenged him, walking boldly toward him. Hinata followed close behind, almost hiding behind him, repeating every word his senpai said. “You wanna fight?”

“Don’t be so hostile,” Oikawa replied with a relaxed gesture, crossing his arms and looking at the two with an amused smile. “But hey, that touch and spike was incredible,” he complimented Hinata, who, visibly embarrassed, rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of what to say in response.

“Next time, we’ll go all out from the start,” Oikawa declared, his tone filled with determination. “Did you notice our positioning? We’ll also be improving our serves.” You saw how Tsukishima tensed upon hearing those words. Without missing a beat, Oikawa continued, “Your attack is impressive, I won’t deny it, but your receptions leave a lot to be desired, and you’re about to hit your limit.”

Oikawa took a step closer, with the confidence of someone who knew his skills well. “I’m not the only one with powerful serves. The Inter-High preliminaries are right around the corner, so don’t get knocked out too easily,” he said, before stopping in front of Kageyama and pointing at him firmly. “I want to face my dear ex-teammate in an official match.”

As you listened to the exchange, you let out a sigh of boredom. The challenging attitudes and rivalries between them seemed endless, and you were already thinking about heading home; hunger was starting to take over.

Finally, after more talk to which you barely paid attention, the team said goodbye and set off on the trip back. Hinata decided to sit with you on the bus, and you, taking advantage of his closeness, settled in and rested your head on his shoulder. Though the situation was a bit uncomfortable due to his constant fidgeting — he seemed unable to stop talking and gesturing in excitement — you smiled at his enthusiasm as he explained his training plans and his excitement to meet the “Guardian Deity of Karasuno” in great detail.

You watched intently as Kageyama prepared to serve the ball. His goal was clear: to hit the empty water bottle you had placed on the other side of the net. The young setter took his time, calculating every angle before hitting the ball with characteristic power.

Both of you held your breath as the ball flew through the air, following a near-perfect trajectory toward its target… until Hinata rushed in, determined to intercept it.

“Don’t get in the way, Hinata, idiot!” Kageyama shouted, visibly frustrated. You let out a soft sigh of frustration and walked over to the court to retrieve the ball… but you quickly realized it had disappeared from view.

Immediately, Hinata ran toward you and positioned himself behind you, as if your presence was a shield against Kageyama’s anger. You smiled, resigned, just as the black-haired setter grabbed another ball, throwing it again with renewed precision, expecting that this time he would hit his target.

Suddenly, something shot past you at full speed, making your eyes widen in surprise. A boy, notably fast with a blonde tuft of hair, lunged toward the ball and made an impeccable reception, neutralizing Kageyama’s serve with surprising agility.

Hinata and you stared at him, impressed.

You and Hinata exchanged a glance before he, as impulsive as ever, approached the newcomer. “Oh, you’re shorter than me!” he exclaimed in astonishment, leaving the other boy clearly offended.

“What did you say?” the boy replied immediately, his tone hurt and his brow furrowed. Before he could say anything else, Hinata quickly stepped back, positioning himself behind you as if you were a human shield.

“I’m sorry!” he apologized hastily, barely peeking out from behind your shoulder. Then, with innocent curiosity, and without moving from his position, he asked, “Uh… how tall are you?”

The boy furrowed his brow even more, crossing his arms in a defiant gesture before responding with unexpected firmness for his size. "I’m 1.59 meters," he said, leaving Hinata visibly surprised.

“This is the first time I’ve seen someone shorter than me since I entered high school,” Hinata commented, his voice full of awe as he covered his face with his forearm as if crying tears of joy.

Immediately, you noticed the change in the boy’s expression, clearly not taking the joke well. You could see his face turning red.

“Shoyo, don’t say that,” you whispered softly, noticing how the other boy began to take steps back, clearly irritated by Hinata’s comment.

“Noya-san!” Tanaka greeted, his usual tone as he approached with a wide smile.

"Hello, Ryu," the boy replied with a nod, maintaining his composure. Daichi and Sugawara also exchanged greetings with him, calling him by his name, Nishinoya.

“I’ll introduce you to Nishinoya,” Daichi said, noticing the confused looks from Hinata, Kageyama, and you. “He’s a second-year.”

"Hello," you said, raising a hand in greeting. Hinata, with his usual energy, repeated the word in unison.

Nishinoya looked at both of you with a playful smile before casting a calculating glance at Kageyama, who still seemed a bit upset about what had happened earlier.

“You guys are first-years, huh?” Nishinoya commented, evaluating the newcomers, then pointed directly at Kageyama with a mischievous grin. “You! The guy with the ugly look... What middle school did you come from?”

“Kitagawa Daiichi,” Kageyama replied with his usual serious attitude.

“Really! That’s a good school, no wonder you play like that,” Nishinoya praised him, his tone full of energy. “We played against you and lost 2 to 1, your serves were great too.” Nishinoya’s enthusiasm was palpable, and his genuine laugh seemed to break the tension that had been building in the air.

You watched, amused, as the guy was the louder, faster version of Hinata, but with an energy that seemed endless, something that, somehow, made his presence even more unstoppable.

“Nishinoya, what middle school did you come from?” you asked, genuinely interested in learning more about him.

“Chidoriyama,” he replied proudly, his chest puffing out as he mentioned the name of his old school.

“That’s a really good one,” Kageyama commented, visibly surprised by the answer. “Why did you come to Karasuno? Was it because Coach Ukai was coming back?”

Nishinoya paused dramatically, everyone looking at him expectantly, waiting for his response.

“Because…” He paused, stretching out the mystery, and when everyone thought he was going to say something serious, his expression changed, and his voice became completely cheerful. “I like the girls' uniforms! A lot!” he said as if that were the most serious reason in the world.

“What…?” you blurted, confused, frowning. “Just because of the uniform?” You looked at Nishinoya in disbelief. “You can’t be serious!”

“Just because of the uniform!” Nishinoya replied, not losing any of his enthusiasm. “And all the girls are just like I expected.” He continued, waving his arms around as he spoke. “And especially because the boys' uniform is black. At my school, we wore blazers! I always thought Karasuno’s uniforms were awesome. They’re not brown or gray, they’re black,” he explained, pointing to his own uniform with a completely satisfied expression. “And the girls' uniform is cute. Plus, it’s close to home. It was obvious!”

He paused for a moment to look at Kiyoko, who had just entered the gym still wearing her school uniform. Nishinoya, as if he had just seen his beloved after a long time, ran toward her with the same overflowing energy that characterized him.

Before he could get too close, Kiyoko, quick as always, slapped him, the sound echoing in the air. Nishinoya didn’t seem offended in the slightest. With an even bigger smile, he returned to you as if nothing had happened.

“And where’s Asahi-san? Has he come back yet?” Nishinoya asked, searching for the next member of the team. The air seemed thick with anticipation to see the rest of the members.

“No,” Daichi replied with a note of disappointment in his voice. The news seemed to bother Nishinoya even more, as he frowned and clenched his fists, visibly irritated.

"That crybaby!" Nishinoya growled, raising his voice in frustration about Asahi.

"Hey, Noya, don’t talk about your teammate like that," Tanaka scolded, but Nishinoya didn’t seem to regret his words. He finally declared he wouldn’t come back until Asahi did, and with that, he left the gym, leaving a tense atmosphere behind.

"Y/N," Kiyoko’s soft, calm voice called you, pulling you from your thoughts. You walked over to her as she held her clipboard in her arms, looking slightly concerned. "I need your help."

"Of course, what’s going on?" you asked, eager to help with whatever she needed.

"Well," Kiyoko began, speaking in a low tone as if sharing a secret, "I was planning on ordering uniforms for the new players, but I don’t have their exact sizes."

"Do you want me to ask them?" you inquired, not fully understanding why she was whispering. She gently shook her head.

"No, no, Daichi wants it to be a surprise," she explained, as if that clarified everything. "I’m asking you because I know you spend more time with them. Can you do it?"

You thought for a moment. It would be a bit tricky, but not impossible. After a brief silence, you smiled confidently. "Yes, count on me!"

Kiyoko smiled gratefully at you, and for a moment, you felt completely charmed by her kindness. Honestly, Kiyoko had such a warm and charming presence that it was hard not to feel captivated by her.

"Thank you, Y/N," she said, her voice soft and appreciative. "I know you’ll do it."

The afternoon passed quietly, with the boys immersed in their practice. Hinata, as energetic as always, managed to convince Nishinoya to at least join the sessions, although, as expected, Nishinoya couldn’t sit still for too long. In the meantime, you took the opportunity to follow up on what Kiyoko had asked.

When most of the boys finished cleaning up and getting ready to head home, you approached Hinata. He, with his usual boundless energy, was trying to learn Nishinoya’s reception technique, but seemed to be struggling. You walked cautiously behind him, focusing on the details, and quickly, with a swift gesture, grabbed the neck of his shirt, pulling it toward you to look for a size tag.

"Y/N! What are you doing?! Let me go!" Hinata, surprised, tried to wriggle free from your grip, but you couldn’t help but smile at his reaction. He moved awkwardly, like a caught tadpole, trying to escape your hold.

"Don’t move," you ordered firmly, not letting go. The others, seeing the scene, started to look at you with confusion, surprised by the unusual situation unfolding before them. Your feet tangled, causing both of you to fall to the ground with a thud. You didn’t waste time, and without thinking, you pinned Hinata down, pressing your knee to his back to make sure he couldn’t get up.

Finally, after a few seconds, your effort paid off: you saw the "M" tag on his shirt. Now you just needed to get the size of his pants.

"Let me go!" Hinata yelled, his voice full of frustration. "How are you stronger than me? What’s wrong with you?!"

You ignored his protests, as well as the incredulous stares from the other boys, though you noticed no one dared to intervene. Tanaka, from a corner, couldn’t contain his laughter, clearly enjoying the scene.

"They’re so weird," Tsukishima commented, in his usual tone, frowning as he watched the situation. He seemed more puzzled than upset, but you already had something in mind. "Don’t worry, Tsukki, soon it’ll be your turn," you thought, inwardly smiling at the possibility of a future revenge.

After memorizing Hinata’s shirt and pants sizes, you stood up with an ease that contrasted with the situation. You dusted off your knees and stood up as if nothing had happened, as calm as always.

"What was that?" Hinata looked at you, still annoyed on the floor, unable to understand what had just happened.

"What do you mean?" You played innocent, trying to sound clueless as you walked toward your bag.

One down, three to go, you thought, evaluating your next move. The easiest to handle was Hinata, of course, since you shared a close relationship. However, now you had to decide who to go after next. Yamaguchi? No... You thought quickly, recalling that he was always near Tsukishima, which would make him a more complicated target. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi would be saved for last. That left Kageyama as the next target. How hard could it be? The black-haired boy got nervous with the slightest interaction, so that could work in your favor.

However, a small doubt crept into your mind: What if he gets upset? Dealing with an upset Kageyama didn’t seem like the best option.

Calm down, Y/N, calm down... you told yourself, taking a deep breath as you walked alongside the others on your way home. The cool evening air helped clear your thoughts.

Hinata was still huffing behind you, clearly offended by your earlier behavior, but you chose to ignore it for now. He, used to your teasing and playful nature, would eventually get over it. You knew it was all part of the game, but sometimes it was fun to see how others reacted.

You slipped through the hallways, now filled with students chatting and strolling with friends during break. You discreetly peeked into each classroom, looking for the black-haired, serious-faced boy. It wasn’t easy to find him until, finally, you spotted him standing in front of one of the vending machines in the hallway.

"Kageyama-kun," you called in the sweetest, most sugary tone you could muster. He turned, visibly surprised to see you approaching.

“Oh, Y/N… hi. Do you need something?” he asked, his gaze shifting behind you, probably expecting to see Hinata or another teammate. Not seeing anyone else, he looked back at you, clearly confused by the sudden interaction.

"I just wanted to see what you were doing," you said, shrugging casually, trying not to show your true intentions. You crossed your arms behind you and added with a carefree smile, “So, what are you up to?”

Kageyama frowned slightly, still puzzled by your behavior, but he answered simply, “Buying a drink. Do you want one?” He offered, and you quickly nodded, unable to hide the opportunity this presented.

As Kageyama took a bill from his pocket and inserted it into the vending machine, you carefully moved closer, reaching a hand toward his back in hopes of finding a size tag. Just then, he turned to look at you.

"Which one do you want?" he asked, and you quickly stepped back.

“Ah, chocolate!” you replied enthusiastically, and Kageyama, suspecting nothing, turned his attention back to the machine. He knelt down to retrieve the drink from the dispenser.

Not wasting the chance, you leaned in again and whispered urgently, “Kageyama, don’t move.”

He froze immediately, a flicker of worry appearing in his eyes. “What’s going on?” he asked, trying to turn towards you.

“Wait… there was… a spider on your shirt,” you lied, keeping your tone low but convincingly serious. Without hesitation, he remained perfectly still, his shoulders tensed. You took the moment to move closer and check the tag on the back of his shirt collar. M, perfect. Now you had the size.

"Did you get it?" he asked, his voice revealing a hint of discomfort.

You mimed a quick flick, as if removing a tiny imaginary spider, and then straightened up, smiling to reassure him. “All set, nothing to worry about. It was tiny,” you said calmly, trying to keep a straight face.

Kageyama sighed, relaxing a bit, and murmured a “thanks” as he handed you the chocolate drink.

You smiled and took the bottle. “Thank you, Kageyama-kun,” you said with a playful glint in your eyes that he didn’t seem to notice. You’d completed another step in your secret mission, and everything was going according to plan.

The next target was Yamaguchi. You took advantage of a break in practice to sneak into the club room with Kiyoko while the other boys were in the gym practicing. As soon as you stepped in, the scent of sweat and the confined space made you wrinkle your nose; the room was a reflection of the chaotic nature of the team players.

“The boys are so messy,” Kiyoko murmured with a tone of mild exasperation, being careful not to step on the shirts and shoes scattered across the floor.

You scanned the metal shelves in search of Yamaguchi’s bag, and after a few moments, you found it. “Kiyoko, I’ve got it,” you told her, carefully opening the bag. To your surprise, the inside was meticulously organized, in contrast to the rest of the room. You pulled out one of his shirts and checked the tag, while Kiyoko quickly noted the size on her clipboard.

“This guy knows how to keep his things in order,” you murmured, impressed. You folded the shirt back with the same care and placed it exactly as it was to avoid leaving any evidence that someone had been there.

“Do you see Tsukishima’s around here?” you asked Kiyoko, glancing at the other bags on the shelves.

She checked the area again and shook her head. “No, it looks like he took it with him.”

His words made you sigh. You knew Tsukishima would be a particular challenge; catching him alone was complicated, as he seemed to move everywhere with Yamaguchi as his shadow. You thought about possible moments when he might be alone, situations where you wouldn’t have to intrude and create more of a scene than necessary.

An idea crossed your mind briefly: you could surprise him in the club room when he was changing. You immediately shook your head, discarding that option; you didn’t want to cross the line and come across as an intruder or, worse yet, a pervert. There were limits to your mission, after all.

Maybe you could approach him in one of those moments when he seemed lost in his thoughts, immersed in one of his books or on his phone. Of course, doing it unexpectedly had its risks: with his sarcastic personality and defiant gaze, any misstep would be an invitation to teasing that would haunt you for weeks. But you had already come this far, and you were determined to complete the task without compromising your dignity more than necessary.

The sun was already beginning to set as you walked alongside the boys after an exhausting practice. Next to you, Hinata and Nishinoya kept up an animated conversation, in which you only “participated” with nods and small smiles, barely able to keep up with their excited voices.

"Let's stop here, I'm hungry," Tanaka complained for the umpteenth time since they'd left the gym. The group stopped in front of the small convenience store where the same man always worked, a clerk with a permanently grouchy expression. "Come on, Nishinoya, buy something for your friend!" Tanaka said, dragging his teammate by the bag and pulling him into the store. One by one, everyone else followed, drawn by the promise of a snack to recharge.

"Aren't you coming, Tsukki?" Yamaguchi asked, looking at his friend, who had sat down on the curb, apparently uninterested in the store.

"No, you go and bring me something," Tsukishima replied, adjusting his glasses and turning his gaze toward the horizon without a second thought.

Hinata also turned to you. "You're not coming in either, Y/N?" he asked, motioning to the store behind him.

"No, I'll stay here and watch your bike," you answered with a smile. The redhead nodded and joined the others, leaving you alone with Tsukishima on the sidewalk, both of you in a comfortable silence, yet filled with subtle undertones.

With a quick glance at Tsukishima, you realized this might be your best chance. However, as you carefully tried to approach him, your steps took you right over a crack in the pavement, causing you to trip and, without being able to stop yourself, fall onto the boy’s back. Your arms instinctively wrapped around his shoulders to keep your balance.

"What are you doing?" Tsukishima asked, a mix of irritation and surprise in his voice as he removed his headphones and turned his head slightly to look at you. Being so close, you caught a faint scent of his cologne, something you hadn't noticed before.

"I... I fell," you stammered, aware of how unusual the situation was. Although it was technically true, you couldn’t deny that you'd taken advantage of the moment. His hair brushed against your cheek, causing a slight tickling sensation and a nervousness you hadn’t expected.

"You fell?" Tsukishima repeated, clearly skeptical, as he slowly stood up. To your surprise, when he was fully standing, your feet still didn’t touch the ground, and you realized just how tall he really was. With no other choice, you tightened your grip on his shoulders, trying not to fall.

"Do you plan on getting off at some point?" Tsukishima muttered, throwing you an awkward glance out of the corner of his eye. However, when he felt you slipping a bit, he shifted slightly to help you steady yourself. Despite the little voice inside warning you of how ridiculous you were about to look, you held on even tighter, wrapping your legs around his waist. You knew you probably looked like a sloth clinging to a tree, but the thought of falling was worse.

"Just give me a moment," you said, trying to sound confident as your fingers unintentionally brushed the back of his neck, causing a slight shiver on his skin—something you didn't fail to notice.

Tsukishima took a deep breath, visibly irritated, but he didn't move to push you away. Instead, he held his stance, staring straight ahead with a mix of resignation and annoyance. "This is... unnecessary, you know?" he muttered in a low tone, not looking directly at you.

"Relax, I don't bite," you joked, attempting to ease the tension a little. Tsukishima scoffed, but without much enthusiasm, and slid his hands under your knees to hold you more securely. Before you could say anything else, he suddenly leaned forward, making you grip his shoulders even tighter in surprise.

A soft laugh escaped him, low and barely audible, just enough for you to realize he was enjoying this, even if just a bit. Tsukishima rarely showed open amusement, so that subtle reaction was a small victory.

However, the blond didn’t stop. He continued rocking back and forth, now with a faint smile on his lips, clearly entertained by your complaints and the way you struggled to keep your balance.

"What are you guys doing?" a voice spoke up behind you, filled with curiosity and suspicion.

Both of you turned quickly, and he let go of you so abruptly that you fell onto the ground with a soft "ouch" as you sat up, wishing the ground would swallow you up at that moment. You were met with the inquisitive gazes of Hinata, Yamaguchi, and Tanaka, who looked at you both with expressions ranging from confusion to amusement.

"Nothing," you and Tsukishima replied in unison, both looking away to avoid the curious stares of the others.

Hinata blinked, incredulous, while Nishinoya barely managed to stifle a poorly-disguised laugh. "Nothing?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Well... it sure looked like something."

Visibly uncomfortable, Tsukishima rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "It's not important," he muttered with the cold, sarcastic tone he used to avoid awkward questions, which only made his friends look at him more suspiciously.

As you got up and dusted yourself off, you noticed Yamaguchi had a small, knowing smile, as if he understood more than anyone was willing to admit. Still, no one pressed further, and the group resumed their walk.

As you walked, you felt a slight nudge in your side—it was Hinata, who leaned in with a mischievous expression and whispered just loud enough for only you to hear. "I didn't know you liked Tsukishima..."

You turned to him, looking as if he'd just said the most absurd and inappropriate thing in the world. To you, it was exactly that. Your eyes widened in a mix of shock and disgust, and Hinata took a step back, a bit startled by the intensity of your reaction.

"I don't know where you got that idea, but you're way off," you replied in a low voice, shaking your head emphatically. You pointed first at Tsukishima, who was walking a bit ahead, and then at yourself with an expression of utter disbelief. "No, Hinata... no. Never."

Hinata, a bit confused but still amused, scratched the back of his neck. "Alright, alright... it just seemed like, you know..." His voice trailed off, and he avoided your gaze, somewhat regretful for implying something so unexpected.

Seeing that Hinata seemed embarrassed by his comment, you sighed, trying to smooth things over. "It’s just that... Tsukishima and I were simply messing around, okay?" you explained, trying to sound calmer. "I can't even imagine it."

Hinata nodded, this time with a shy smile. "Got it," he replied, shrugging. "Although, well... sometimes opposites attract, right?"

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes at the comment, but let the conversation fade there, relieved that Hinata stopped speculating.

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completeoveranalysis · 4 days ago

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[5]

GRAB LITERALLY EVERYTHING AND THROW IT ALL OUT THE WINDOW LET’S TRY THINK ABOUT THIS

THEY FINALLY DID IT

THEY FINALLY CONFIRMED THAT ALL THE WEIRDLY ALIGNED FACTS JUST DIDN’T ALIGN NEATLY ENOUGH FOR ALL THE HINTS TO BE REAL

CARDCAPTOR SAKURA IS NOT LAVA LAMP’S MOTHER

DESPITE EVERYTHING

BUT THEY MET ONCE

And I’m just going to lie down and have to force all my thoughts to be back in line with reality for a while how do I do that.

SO.

Confirmed: Here is Cardcaptor Sakura

Cardcaptor Sakura HAS MET Lava Lamp’s mother, in the dream realm

It is a little difficult to gauge exactly how old she is from here but it’d definitely have to be after the Cardcaptor Sakura manga. And most likely after Clear Card in the timeline, even though that didn't exist yet. She looks a lot older - and Clear Card is only a few months after the original manga, rather than years.

Anyway. What a way to find out that I have to make even more charts than I was already doing.

#I’m sorry I’m still internally screaming #My head is just ringing with the appearance of Cardcaptor Sakura #This is everything to me #AND THEY JUST DROP IT CASUALLY IN CONVERSATION #Liveblogging the reservoir chronicle #Vol 217 #Tsubasa #Sakura Sakura Sakura Sakura #Cardcaptor Sakura Sakura #AND THAT’s NOT EVEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT #THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SHE’S TALKING TO HER CHILDREN #IN YEARS #LIKE OVER 14 YEARS FOR LAVA LAMP #PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT FOR BOTH OF THEM #How touching that she starts by trying to comfort them #With the most powerful comforting phrase she knows of #IE THE ONE DIRECTLY FROM CARDCAPTOR SAKURA #AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

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astraldragons · 1 year ago

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When Miria tells you to avoid the top 5 Claymores because they might hunt you for sport but to Especially avoid the one bearing the symbol of an O with a slash through it because she’s a sadistic motherfucker who WILL hunt you for sport and torture you

And then a week later you see this

Clare:

#I still think about this a lot #clare just internally SCREAMING the second she saw Ophelia’s symbol. it kills me #anyways sorry for claymore posting in 2023 I’m reading the series again bc I’m Normal #claymore

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yaminerua · 1 year ago

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at this point idk what it is specifically but I don’t think there’s a single neurotypical person living in this house and the state it’s in shows that

if you walked into this place you’d immediately stage an intervention bc clearly none of us are able to get started on what needs fucking done let alone maintain it to an acceptable level jfc

#I WANT TO TIDY UP! I WANT TO DE-CLUTTER!!#I want to get rid of the dust and the webs and be able to keep on top of everything #but I just can’t get anywhere with it and I sit for months screaming internally to just so SOMETHING #only to be hit with a brief burst of motivation to tackle some aspect of it and failing to get anywhere #bc the task is insurmountable on my own and no one else is in a mode to help when I need it #My brother is autistic and I am almost certain my dad has undiagnosed adhd and idk if I’m something too #There’s definitely something malfunctioning up here in my brain besides the Depression and Anxiety monsters but idk what #I don’t relate fully to autism or adhd stuff I read or hear about but there are still some things that do resonate #but it’s like I don’t think I share enough in either to say im one or the other #But sometimes I struggle enough with shit for me to wonder if maybe there is something going on that isn’t being addressed #but it’s so hard ti figure out how much of that is just trauma and depression and anxiety and all that messy shit #anyway sorry it’s just endlessly frustrating #I want to be on top of the upkeep of the house but it’s in such a state it’s hard enough trying to sort that #and the worst part is I know even if it was magically cleaned and tidied to perfection tomorrow I wouldn’t be able to keep it that way #even with the best intentions in the world

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hagravenholm · 9 months ago

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What’s rly crazy is how much I am loathing every one of these stupid fucking World Literature classes. Holy shit

#it’s like everything I can’t stand and it’s essentially functioning as an elective bc my advisors are fucking braindead #and I have to buy another fucking copy of yet another fucking book cool amazing #like this fucking phd asshole #it would be one thing if you were lecturing anything profoundly insightful #uugggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!#and I bet I’m still gonna be forced to take that stupid ass principles of jazz class next year just watch #I’m sorry as much as I do enjoy jazz I do not need to be taking a whole class on it w my major I just don’t.#I’m screaming tearing my hair out internally but it’s cool.#no well just go over and over again all the misogynistic parts of the novels.#kill me puhlease.

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hihomeghere · 9 months ago

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Insomniac

Word Count : 1.8k Summary : Five has trouble sleeping and when he does sleep it's anything but peaceful. After a nightmare he craves your touch to remind him you're okay. Warnings/Tags : Talk of nightmares, insomnia, smut, piv, cursing, allusions to violence, use of y/n, Aged up!Five

Happy Valentine’s Day <3

Whether or not Five wanted to admit it he was an insomniac. Blame it on his heightened survival instincts from the apocalypse, or the commission. Whenever it was time to relax and go to sleep, Five felt more wired than ever. Which led to you normally finding him in the strangest positions when he finally crashed. Whether that be hunched over the kitchen table, cold coffee in a mug next to him. Sometimes you’d find him slouched in a chair, a blanket draped over him by one of his brothers. Your favorite was when you’d be watching a movie together, his eyes slowly closing, he’d mumble something along the lines of, ‘just resting his eyes for a second’ before he’d be snoring on your shoulder. A sure sign that he was still an old man in a young man’s body.

It’s not like he didn’t try to sleep. Every night you’d both climb into bed, you’d lay your head on his chest, the soft beat of his heart lulling you to sleep. He’d lay awake, his mind constantly churning. He’d gotten so desperate at one point he’d tried to follow the meditation video Klaus had lent him. Although listening to some lady stoned out of her mind telling him to breathe deep only agitated him further.

On the nights where Five did fall asleep it was anything but peaceful.

Five screamed, waking you up as you all but jumped out of your skin. Five sat up in bed, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his breathing erratic. You sat up, the sheet pooling around your waist.

“Five?” You whispered your hand lightly grazing his back. He jumped, turning to you like a cornered animal. His lips pulled back in a snarl, wide eyes glaring at you. “Hey,” You pulled back watching the gears turn behind his eyes, guilt washing over him as he realized you weren’t a threat. “Hey it’s ok, you’re ok.” He leaned forward resting his head on your shoulder as you wrapped your arms around him. His heart was beating like a small animal against your chest.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He mumbled, his head resting in the crook of your neck. Hot tears wetting your collarbone.

“It’s ok, it’s ok.” You soothed, your hand traveling up to his head. You ran your fingers through hair, lightly scratching his scalp. He let out a shuddering breath, loosening his grip around your waist. “Do you want some tea?” You asked, you had been trying to help him kick his coffee addiction.

“Coffee.” He mumbled, sighing into your neck.

“Ok, let’s get some coffee.” You said peeling the sheets off the two of you. He sat up, swinging his legs off the side of the bed. You grabbed your robe off the floor, wrapping it around your body. Five stood by your bedroom door, bleary eyed. You took his hand leading him down the stairs to the kitchen. You looked at the clock as you passed the oven, 2:35. You internally sighed slipping your hand out of Five’s grasp. He pulled out a chair, grimacing as it scraped across the tile floor. You walked over to your new Keurig, Five’s birthday present. You popped one of the pods in before shutting the lid. You walked over to the kitchen cupboards, pulling out a mug and setting it in the Keurig. The smell of coffee filled the air as Five got up from his seat. He walked up behind you, resting his head on your shoulder. His arms wrapping tightly around your waist, pulling you back against his chest.

“Do you want to talk about it?” You asked, reaching up to wrap your hand around his neck. You had both been trying to be more open about your pasts. Which meant having these uncomfortable conversations.

“Just-” He sighed, “Just stay with me for a minute, dearest.” You nodded slightly swaying as you both stood in the kitchen. Five loosened his grip around your waist, reaching past you to pick up his coffee cup. You leaned against the counter, pulling your robe closer around your body. He held the mug in one of his hands, leaning his head back against the cupboard cabinet. He let out a sigh before taking a sip of his coffee. “You’re staring.” He mused, turning to look at you.

“I’m just-” You sighed, shrugging your shoulders, “I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be.” He said with a tight lipped smile. You raised your eyebrows, crossing your arms.

“I know you better than that.” You said a small smile pulling at your lips as you shook your head.

“Then you know what it was about.” He huffed, bringing the mug to his lips.

“A or c?” You asked, looking down at your feet. You had invented a code between the two of you, A for apocalypse and C for commission. While you couldn’t relate to being stuck in a post apocalyptic world, you were all too familiar with the inner workings of the commission. The killings you both carried out plagued your dreams as well. Your hands had been stained long ago.

“C.” He answered. The commission. Well that narrowed it down.

“Real or not real?” He hesitated, sneaking a glimpse toward you before raising his gaze toward the ceiling.

“Not real.” He said before clearing his throat. You walked over to him, laying your hands on his cheek. He avoided your gaze keeping his eyes lo

“Was it about me?” You asked, pushing his head slightly with your hand to get him to look at you.

“Yeah.” He said clenching his jaw, his eyes darted away from yours. You waited for a moment, to see if he would say anything more.

“I’m right here.” You whispered after a moment had passed, “I’m right here and I’m ok.”

“I know,” He leaned forward his lips finding your neck, he breathed in your sweet scent. The tiniest hint of sweat from the night. His hands found your hips, pulling you against him.

“I need you.” He breathed against your neck, leaving open mouthed kisses.

“You have me.” You sighed, leaning your head back offering him your neck.

The world spun and the temperature dropped as Five blinked you both back to your room. It took a second to get your bearings before your knees hit the bed. You allowed Five to lay you down, his long fingers curling under the waistband of your pajama pants. He pulled them off, while you pulled your shirt over your head.

“So gorgeous.” He murmured, kissing up your stomach. You sighed contently, melting under his touch. He pulled away briefly, pulling his shirt off and stepped out of his pajama bottoms. Leaving both of you in your underwear. He lifted your hips up off the bed, his fingers curling into the waistband on your panties as he pulled them off. Your body buzzed with anticipation as you watched him take off his boxers. He climbed forward onto the bed, slotting himself between your legs. You grabbed the back of his neck pulling him forward into a kiss as the head of his cock found your entrance. Tasting the bitter coffee on his tongue as slipped inside with the familiar ease of a lover. You gasped into his mouth, feeling every inch of him as he pressed inside you.

“There you are.” He sighed against your lips, his own curling into an easy smile.

“Five-“ You moaned, gripping his shoulders as he slowly started thrusting inside you. He never left your cunt, hips rolling against yours. Your legs wrapped around his hips, keeping him as close as possible. Your moans and the sweet sound of skin slapping against skin filled the air. You looked up at Five, his eyes bore into yours. You felt a bit shy under his gaze, your eyes darting away.

He stilled, laying his forearms beside your head as leant over you. He covered your body with his own, his hand turning your head so you would look at him.

“Let me see you.” He said softly, nosing against your cheek.

It was moments like this that made you feel like a normal person. Moments when it was just the two of you in the world, two becoming one. He reached down, grabbing your thigh, his fingers squeezing the soft flesh. “You feel so good.” He mumbled, pumping in and out of you at an agonizingly slow pace. He was taking his time with you tonight, that much was clear.

Your heels dug into his butt, trying to pull him closer to you. He let out a small laugh, his teeth glinting in the moonlight. He slowed, his hips creating a low drag into your cunt with every thrust. His pubic hair rubbing against your clit in a delicious way that had you clenching around him. A low whine pulling its way out of your throat, as he propped himself up.

“You like that doll?” He whispered, his cock rubbed at your walls in deliberate strokes.

“Mmhm.” You nodded tears springing to your eyes as you bit your lip. Your body craved more, more stimulation, more Five. “Please.” You whined, your hands digging into his shoulders, leaving small crescent shapes in their wake.

“Please what?” He asked tilting his head as he leaned down, nipping and sucking at your neck.

“More, I need more please.” You said bucking your hips up to gain and friction.

“As you wish.” He said, his breath fanning across your neck as he snapped his hips into yours. You moaned, your eyes rolling back into your head as he set an excruciating pace. He sat back on his heels, pulling you down the bed with him. He slammed into you, leaving you a moaning mess under him. You grabbed his thighs, nails dragging down his pale legs. Your body buzzed as you neared your high, breasts bouncing as he drove into again and again.

He watched you, picking up subtle signs your orgasm was approaching. Your toes curled as he reached between your bodies, rubbing deliberate circles on your clit.

That was enough to send you over the edge, you spasmed around him, your nails digging into his thighs as you cried out. Tears slipping down your cheeks.

“That’s it.” He smirked, breathing hard. He was getting sloppy as he neared his peak. You continued to ride out your orgasm as his came crashing down.

“F-Fuck.” He groaned spilling into you, his hips stuttering as he painted your insides. He lowered his body onto yours, laying his head in the crook of your neck as he interlaced his fingers with yours. You both breathed hard, letting your heart rate come down.

“How do you feel now?” You asked breathlessly, squeezing his hands.

“Much better.” He nodded, kissing your neck. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” You said pulling your hands away to wrap them around his sweaty body.

Needless to say, Five slept through the night

#the umbrella academy #tua #five hargreeves #klaus hargreeves #diego hargreeves #luther hargreeves #viktor hargreeves #ben hargreeves #five hargreeves smut #five hargreaves x reader #five hargreeves x reader #allison hargreeves #sloane hargreeves #tua x reader #hihomeghere #valentines day

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r4spb3rr13s · 6 months ago

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holds out my hands

greeting my mcbling angel

maybe i pretty please ask for shoto, iida and denki meeting their own mcbling hottie 🙏🙏🙏

- 🍥 anon

pro heroes meeting their mcbling gf

♱ todoroki, iida, kaminari

♱ pt.1 here pt.3 here

notes : ur too cute anon 🥰🥰

Shoto has been stood staring at his options for soba for the past ten minutes. He’s deep in decision, hand on chin, in the middle of the store just before closing.

So deep in thought, he’s completely oblivious to you strutting round the corner to the aisle he stood in.

You’re on your phone, moving by muscle memory. Your favourite noodles are always in the same spot, so your uggs lead you to where the soba is-

But you look up.

Shoto- your favourite pro hero, for reference- is stood like the motherfucking Thinker. In your presence.

You backpedal, but it’s too late- he’s seen you!

Shoto turns you to and his eyes widen. You’re in a neon pink graphic cami, big hoops hiding from beneath (locs/braids/curls/strands) and as his eyes trail down…

His cheeks go as pink as the thong peeking out your pants’ waistband. I mean, Shoto didn’t really have time to register your slack jaw.

There’s so much running through your head at the minute- who wears a black compression shirt to the store? How are his muscles bigger in real life than on billboards? Why does his hair look so soft?

He coughs and it breaks the moment.

“Oh- sorry, can I just-”

“Yeah, I apologise,” He replies. When you lean over to grab your noodles, a waft of sugary, almost sickly, perfume hits his nose. It was intoxicating- not in a bad way.

You’re trying to steady your breathing- he’s just another guy, Y/n, chill! Boys fall left and right for you, just breathe.

Breathe.

“You’re Shoto right?”

Ohmygodidiotidiotofcoursehe’sshotowhaythefuckyo-

“Yes, that’s me.” He smiles slightly, corners of his lips lifting. Every nerve in your body is screaming to swoon - maybe he’d catch your fainting body?

You could look into his gorgeous eyes, and he’d brush the hair from your face-

“Is everything alright?”

You snap out of your daydream and smile awkwardly. “Uh… I’m just a big fan, is all.”

He nods and smiles down at you, softly. You clear your throat and hoist your bag further up your shoulder.

“I like your clothes.”

Your world stops for a minute. How do you breath again? It’s not hard, Y/n, come on-

“Where did you get the inspiration?” He says. Shoto makes no move to leave - you’re not an annoying fan, begging for his autograph.

Plus, you have the prettiest eyes he’s ever seen.

You blink owlishly at him - his heart skips a beat, of course - and you just nod dumbly for a second. Then, it registers that he’s actually interested in you?

“Umm… 2000s stuff, American celebrities mainly. What about you?”

Shoto huffs a chuckle, “I don’t really have style.” He glances at his watch, and his smile morphs into a… pout? It’s subtle, but his brows furrow ever-so-slightly, and his bottom lip just out a little bit.

“Oh God, don’t let me keep you,” You hurry. Good lord, your face is burning up aggressively.

He shakes his head, but bites his lip still looking at his watch. “No, I’m on shift soon… it was nice meeting you…?”

“Oh, Y/n!”

Shoto smiles again, glances at his watch with an internal frustrated groan. He needed more time to talk to you, to understand you, to get to the bottom of the neon pink and leopard print-

Oh, right.

“Could I get your number, Y/n?”

:::

Tenya spent his nights going on walks. Why? Because he liked to meet his neighbours’ dogs… did he know that’s why he liked them, however? No. He just thought walking around gave him immense joy for no reason.

And they call him ‘smart’.

His favourite dogs were the least of worries when he walked past the park and heard shouting.

Tenya’s head snapped to, and he was marching through the park gates.

You, a grown woman, were stood on a table, wafting away… chihuahuas. You, in a tiny denim skirt and a babydoll top, were using your small purse to shoo away a trio of stray chihuahuas.

In all fairness, Tenya disliked chihuahuas the most of all the dogs he’d met, but he’s never seen someone in platform sneakers clamber onto a picnic bench to get away from them. Or scream at the top of their lungs at the tiny puppies.

He could not help but let out a laugh at the sight, making you look up at him. You straightened up a bit and stopped screaming, but still sounded shaky.

“You’re that hero right?”

“My name is Ingenium, yes,” he replied. One of the rat-dogs had turned to growl at him now, but Tenya paid no mind to it.

You pointed at the dogs. “Could you… y’know, be a hero and save me?”

He raised a brow without meaning to. He shouldn’t be judging you for your fears - he’s a hero! Here to help everyone!

But still… three tiny dogs?

He sighed and nodded. Suddenly, all three dogs were in his arms, and being carried towards the kid’s sandbox. He paid no mind to them nipping and jumping up- not like they could escape his large forearms.

Large firearms that you were looking at with much interest…

He returned, ignoring the yapping puppies trying to escape the gates, but not being tall enough to get out. “I’ll call animal control, Miss…”

“Oh, just call me Y/n. What should I call you?” You asked, taking his hand and stepping down.

Tenya tried to ignore how small your hand was in his, or how your skirt hitched up your thighs when you stepped down. Instead, he helped you stand upright on your wobbly legs, and pushed down his blush when you thanked him.

“Iida. Tenya Iida.”

You looked him up and down. Tenya Iida was tall, broader than a fridge and had glasses you desperately wanted to push up his nose for him.

“Well, Tenya Iida… can I take you out for a drink to thank you?”

Tenya froze and he couldn’t stop the red that stretched across his face at your question. But he nodded. But it was so unprofessional! A true hero would never use a victim’s position to their advantage, the power imbalance was-

“I’ll need your number then!” You sang out.

Tenya’s internal protests were lost as he passed you his phone, and you type in your digits with your long, zebra print nails.

:::

Now, Denki has met a few of Mina’s friends. They were all… nice. He flirted casually, maybe exchanging numbers with them, but they never ended up getting a call.

So when Mina announced she was bringing ‘fresh meat’ to their group’s monthly reunion, he didn’t really prepare himself for much.

Then, you walked in.

All giggles, sparkly black eyeshadow and lipgloss. Mina was whispering in your ear before strutting you through the doorway, but Denki was more focused on your shiny lips curling up into a grin.

A black tube top held you in, pink bikini straps wrapping around the back of your neck. His eyes travelled down- shamelessly, might I add- to the leggings hugging your curves. ‘PINK’ written on your ass caught his attention like a siren, and your matching hot pink toes from your sandals didn’t help either.

“This is Y/n!”

Katsuki and Eijiro barely looked up, immersed in an aggressive game of … cards, or something - Denki was not paying attention to them. He was, however, paying keen attention to the once-over Hanta gave you.

Mina grabbed your bangled-wrist and tugged you to sit with her between the two boys.

The unmistakeable scent of sugar and apples wafted over his face when you sat down. You shot him a big, toothy grin and Denki thought he was going to short-circuit right there-

He didn’t realise he actually was letting off electricity until he watched your hair stand on end.

“What the…” You tried to pat your hair down, while Mina cackled behind you. The pink woman draped an arm around your shoulder.

“Aww, Denki’s all nervous! Look at him!”

You stopped focusing on your hair and looked at the man next to you. Lean, tan and blushing furiously. He was, in truth, letting sparks fly off him like a faulty wire.

You chuckled, “You alright?”

Denki did not know what to do. You were staring at him with a cheeky smile, eyes wide and soft, and his friends were laughing and pointing at him behind you.

“Yes.” It was the only word the poor boy could get out. You snorted at him and rolled your eyes, pulling out your phone.

He watched with wide eyes as you grabbed his hand but you pulled back for a minute when he shocked you.

“Shit- sorry-”

“Just put your number in my phone, okay?”

You held out the device in your hand with a cocky grin.

Mina had to usher him to another room to calm down before he blew your phone up in his hand by accident….

note: pls shoto is so OOC IDFK HOW TO WRITE HIM 😭

#{ mcbling baddie }#bnha #bnha x reader #mha #mha x reader #shoto #shoto todoroki #todoroki x reader #shoto x reader #iida tenya #iida #iida x reader #denki #denki kaminari #kaminari x reader #denki kaminari x reader #bnha imagines #bnha headcanons

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dreaisgrayte · 3 months ago

Text

Camp Maple | Sanemi Shinazugawa x fem!reader

Warnings: NSFW, MDNI, kissing, friends to grudge to friends to sassy to lovers? childhood trauma, masturbation (fem and male), tad bit of angst, unprotected sex, cream pie, more to come? Honestly the ending could do with a rewrite but I'm too lazy for that right now.

word count: 17.5k

a/n: writers block sucks so I'm sorry if the end is trash. I wanted to get this out before school started up again. Unedited.

It’s fucking summer again. That meant working for your mother’s sleepaway camp. Maple Woods was a fun enough place to work when your mother wasn’t visiting, but if you had to work with that asshole again you highly doubt this would be the best summer ever that your mother promised you. At least last year he wasn’t scheduled to be a leader with you.

The main office is where you would grab your schedule and overall camp theme for this summer. It’s also where you could check what group you were head of. Luckily, the office building was right off the parking lot. The mess hall was a few yards down a worn rock pathway from the old brick building you were heading into.

The yellow screen door swings open with a screech, and you’re met with the steady whir of box fans pointed at the one lady you enjoyed seeing every year. Her straight blonde hair flutters in the heavy breeze as she looks up from her monitor. Once her caramel brown eyes settle on you, a sugary sweet smile overtakes her features. “YN!” She exclaims, standing from behind the counter. “I’m so glad you decided to come back, sweetie.” She extends her arms, walking out toward you. This is your aunt, Yena. She practically helped raise you when your mother would drop you off. Your childhood home was a 10 minute drive away, and where you lived now was around 15 minutes, depending on how long you procrastinated in traffic in an attempt to prolong accidentally running into your mother. Yena made sure your group of friends had snacks and unlimited access to her office. She was there when you had your first period. In other words, Yena was like a mother to you, at least more than your actual biological one.

You embrace each other, and the overwhelming smell of cinnamon hits your nose like a tidal wave. It was like home in a hug. “Like I had a choice.” You mumble but laugh with her after a beat. This felt nice, but you needed to settle in before the rest of the counselors flooded in and started the pre-camp party. “Ah, do you happen to know which cabin group I’ll be in charge of?” You inquire, holding her back from you.

Her brows crease with thought, and then she looks excited, holding up a finger to tap your nose. “Ah my little honeysuckle, you are co-leading the caterpillars.” She hums in delight. You tilt your head. Co-leading?

“Co-leading? With whom?” Your chest feels heavy. Last year, your co-leader was a slacker, leaving you with all the work and little time for yourself. Your group of kids were absolute sweethearts, so you didn’t mind too much. Still, the experience had put a bad taste in your mouth. Yena’s back to concentrating on your question, but this time, she shakes her head with a slight frown.

“I’m sorry dear, I don’t remember. Though, I do remember thinking that you two are sure to make a good pair!” She clasps your hands excitedly at the latter part of her sentence. You force yourself to smile through the anxiety.

“Heh, yeah.” In translation, you were screaming internally. “I’ll go figure it out.” The only thing you could do was head to your cabin and hope to bump into your co-lead. Maple Woods usually had 2 young adults co-lead a group of kids to keep things safe. The co-leads shared the head cabin, no matter what. It was the first cabin in a ring of 4 other ones. The campers were divided by age – that’s where the different sections came from – then put into co-ed cabins. One cabin could fit about 8 comfortably, depending on how many kids signed up. The caterpillars are the 2nd and 3rd grader sections. The co-leader cabin was bigger, but that’s only because of the shared bathroom and small kitchen area.

The air smells fresh, and you get lost in memories for a moment. There was the main hall where the welcoming ceremony would be held, and a cement path through a small patch of trees off to the side led to the different sections of cabins. On the other side of the path, surrounded by a small patch of trees, was the mess hall where meals and activities would be held. The older kids had cabins further into the woods while your section of cabins was situated right by the lake. Down the middle, past the mess hall and cabins, was the maple woods lake. The sunlight is glittering off the ripples already. Peace. That’s what the lake reminded you of. Up a trail on the north side, there was even a secluded waterfall, but the kids didn’t get to know about that part.

You walk down the cracked cement walkway, puttering around with a rock as you go. The green doors are easy enough to spot against the orangey light wood of the cabins. You were lucky. You got the cabins right by the lakefront. You hike up the stairs, noting a suitcase outside the left door. Okay, so someone was here. That was a good sign. Walking through the right door it hits you that you didn’t grab any of your bags from the car. You stop in the middle of the room, groaning loudly. “Shit.” You curse, turning on your heel. It takes about 10 minutes for you to clamber back into the room this time with your bags haphazardly strapped across your body. They slip off your body with no regard for your hair or your skin.

The room is simple, a bed in the corner, a closet, a desk, and a nightstand with a cute lamp on it. To the left are two doors, one leads to the kitchenette area – the other leads to the Jack and Jill bathroom, in which you can hear rushing water. Your co-leader must be taking a preemptive shower. You give an approving nod, wishing you could take a shower yourself. Instead, you decide to wander through the far door and into the kitchenette area. There’s a round table with a chair on either side of it pushed under a window. A small amount of counter space – treated pine countertops – decked out with a stove, sink, and a few cabinets. A fridge acted as the counter stopper, which was right next to your room – hmm, useful. Across from the kitchen area was a single sofa with a TV mounted on the wall. You always loved the counselors’ cabins because they were full of useful amenities.

You pull out a chair, sitting down at the table to peer out the window at Lake Maple. You hear a door open and turn your attention toward the sound with a cheerful smile. You had the full intention of greeting your co-leader. Instead, you’re met with the bare chest of a silver-haired and lilac-eyed asshole. A simple cotton towel is wrapped around his waist, water droplets still lazily pathing their way down his sinewy chest and past the line of the before-mentioned towel. Your brows knit together, and he does the same. “Sanemi,” you grumble, forcing a smile upon your lips. “Please tell me you’re a figment of my imagination.” This cannot be happening. Sanemi Shinazugawa can not be your co-leader.

When you met him for the first time both of you had bonded over having a shit parent. His father was abusive, scarring his son emotionally and physically. Despite the jagged pink scar that travels over the bridge of his nose and three crossing over each other on his forehead, Sanemi was excessively attractive. He wore his scars as a badge of what he’d overcome, but you knew there was underlying disgust that was hidden away.

He rolls his eyes, frustratedly peering to the corner of the room. “Believe me darlin’ I’m just as annoyed by this as you are.” Heat floods your cheeks at his casual way of speaking. You cross your arms over your chest, standing up from your chair with dramatic grandeur.

His eyes follow your actions, concentrating on the way you nearly stumble to the side. He quirks a smile and this only fuels your annoyance, which was amusing in its own right. “There has to be a way we can switch out,” You throw your hands up, exasperated. Sanemi shakes his head, placing his hands on his hips.

He then jerks his head toward the general direction of the main office. “Already checked with Yena, they don’t trust anyone else but you’n me to run the caterpillar crew.” He explains, disdain practically dripping from his voice. You groan toward the ceiling.

Of course, your mother would pull some shit like this. Making you work with the one person that could make you falter at your job. Was this a test? It was sure as hell annoying especially with Sanemi standing half-naked in front of you. “For fuck’s sake can you please go put on a shirt or something?” You pinch the bridge of your nose squeezing your eyes shut.

Your words only earn a dark chuckle from the man across from you. “Why? I thought I could wear this to the bonfire.” He shoots back smugly.

A long sigh blows past your lips as you decide not to honor him with a response. Instead, you head back into your room and slam the door. You fuss around with your hair, unpacking while you search for an outfit. Sanemi was so aggravating. With that smug look on his face and- you throw your hands down in frustration, frowning into the handheld mirror you propped against the wall. Sun earrings dangle from your ears, a simple gold chain around your throat, and mascara lifts your lashes. You put on high-waisted jean shorts and a pink bleach-washed tye-dye tank. Tennis shoes and white socks wrap it together.

Your heart hammers an overwhelming rhythm as you blow out a breath. Sanemi Shinazugawa was sleeping in the same cabin as you, sharing food, time, and a bathroom. You had to get over this stupid grudge against him. It wasn’t healthy to latch onto something so silly for such a long time, but back then it hurt like hell. For the children, you had to put your past behind you. Maybe if you got drunk enough tonight you could talk to him about it, but those odds were very unlikely.

There were a few people you wanted to chat with at the bonfire, have a few drinks, and then you’d be nicely tucked into bed ready for campers to start arriving tomorrow. Simple as that. A grin makes its way onto your face as you slip out of your cabin, but it quickly drops when you notice Sanemi leaning against the deck railing. You try not to sigh too loud, but he must hear it because he quirks a brow in your direction. “Why are you creepily waiting outside my door?” You inquire, gesturing to him. He huffs out a breath, stepping out of his leaning position.

He’s wearing a black hoodie with shorts. You’re mildly upset by how good he looks in darker clothes. It contrasts his hair in such a way that captivates you. You shake those thoughts out of your head as he trots down the stairs, hands stuffed in his pockets. “I can’t very well leave you to walk to the spot by yourself.” He nods in the direction of the dark path that winds through the woods and up the rocky ledges.

You raise your brows, joining him on the ground. “You think I can’t handle a little spooky path on my own?” You scoff. Sanemi rolls his eyes and the action pricks your skin.

He starts walking toward the path’s entrance and when you don’t follow he gives you a pointed look. “Shall I remind you of when we were seven?”

“Sanemi hold my hand! I’m scared!” You whine, grasping his hands when he doesn’t make a move. “Promise me you won’t leave my side!”

You whinge, shuddering at the memory, but jog to catch up with him anyway. He turns his head to watch the path become progressively darker, a few lamps hung on trees here and there. A grin finds its way onto his lips at the way you walk closer to him every time you hear a noise. “For a girl who grew up out here, you sure are jumpy. If you get too scared you can always hold my hand again.” He blurts, not meaning to tease you, but when your reaction is flushed cheeks and a high-pitched squeak, he can’t help himself.

Eventually, the flickering light of a campfire and the sound of laughter distracts you from the man walking next to you. You rush ahead, excitedly finding your way to Shinobu and Mitsuri, two of your closest friends. The only people invited to this bonfire were the kids who grew up coming to this camp and eventually became counselors or otherwise affiliated.

Gyomei Himejima; the stern, yet emotional one that usually dealt with the older kids. He claims the young ones are too selfish and he’s unable to keep them in check. He’s the oldest one here but still has such a soft spirit despite not having any family to go home to. Gyomei honestly loves the summer gig, but always chats about his pet cat that he can’t wait to get back to. You guess that was his family to get back to.

Tengen Uzui; Mister Casanova with the other counselors, but he’s rumored to be otherwise attached. Which was fine by you, Tengen was all talk, no action. Besides you didn’t want any action from him – his fan club would hunt you down and no matter how many defense classes you took, you would not be able to stop them.

Giyu Tomioka; the quiet one. He was great at his job but not the best at talking with the other counselors. He usually sat and listened to all of you talk on, interjecting a few times with his opinion. He was a genuine and good guy, you enjoyed talking to him one-on-one.

Kyojuro Rengoku; no one else could handle the little rascals than him. He worked with the younger children since he was as kind-hearted as they come. It takes a special type of person to do his job and no one could do it better than him, except maybe Mitsuri.

Mitsuri Kanroji; also works with the nursery and younger kids. She was a nurturer at heart, caring for the young ones was her specialty. You kept in contact with her and Shinobu the most outside of camp.

Shinobu Kocho; was the head of the infirmary, in case a child got a pretty bad scrape or needed medication. She may appear stern, but she was actually a big softy when it came to caring for the injured.

Obanai Iguro; head of the kitchen and helps lead exploration hikes. Obanai didn’t talk much either, he had that mysterious bad-boy thing going for him – which unfortunately Mitsuri fawns over. He was also Sanemi’s best friend.

The bonfire was an annual party held the day before camp starts. There was a rocky clearing at the top of the waterfall that fed into the lake. This spot had a perfect view of Camp Maple, overlooking the soft glowing lights and some people rushing around for last-minute chores. Memories intertwined themselves with the breeze rushing through the trees surrounding the group. It was like a second home up here or maybe more of an escape. Either way, the light feeling growing in your chest was a welcomed change from knowing you’d have to work with Sanemi. It wasn’t the worst thing in the world to happen to you. It still felt like a firecracker ready to explode in your face at any moment. There was bound to be trouble with this arrangement.

You glance at him, his eyes reflecting the warm glow of the fire. He’s grinning as he chats with Obanai, bringing a can of beer to his lips. You watch as his throat bobs, a dribble of liquid pooling at the corner of his mouth and eventually trickling down his neck. Before you can look away his eyes catch yours, a smirk lifting his lips as he pulls the can away. He raises his brows and your back straightens, your gaze quickly darting away.

“Hey YN, have another drink.” Shinobu nudges you, passing you a bottle of liquor. You grin as you take it from her.

The cool glass feels great against your mouth as you take a swig. The liquor burns a little as it slides down your throat, but it has a nice fruity taste to it. “Thanks,” You raise your glass to clink against hers.

Mitsuri is on your other side, nervously wondering if she should talk to Obanai. “YN, would it be…weird for me to interject in their conversation?” She whispers in your ear, motioning discreetly to Obanai and Sanemi. You let out a soft sigh before chugging the rest of your drink. Your body fizzes with the warm gooey feeling of alochol. Mitsuri watches you with wide eyes, they sparkle in amazement. “Woah, that was really cool!” She exclaims. You huff out a laugh, extending your hand for Shinobu to hand you another. She does as you request and you pop open the cap with your teeth, letting the contents of the bottle slip into your mouth. Mitsuri claps excitedly, gaining the attention of the guys next to her.

Sanemi stares at you, his brows knitting together slowly as he watches you swig one more bottle. You stand, swaying slightly as you turn to Sanemi. His gaze is trained on you, standing up as you stumble toward him. You crash into his arms, a dumb grin lining your lips. The group now looks on at the spectacle. “Nemi~” You coo, swinging your arms over his neck. Sanemi’s throat bobs, wrapping his muscular arm around your back to stabilize you.

He laughs nervously, smiling with gritted teeth toward the rest of the group. “I’m going to take her back down,” He begins, pressing you tighter into his grip. You’re frustrated with how good his body feels against yours and when your shirt rides up a bit his skin feels like fire. Everyone seems in agreement, but you twist in his arms to shoot Mitsuri a thumbs up and a wink. Her face erupts in a red flurry and your goofy smile turns back to meet Sanemi’s gaze.

You giggle at his stern expression. “Boop!” You squeak, tapping the tip of his nose with your finger. His brows raise slowly as he takes in your slumping condition.

Sanemi turns around, squatting down on his haunches. “Get on.” He motions with his head for you to climb onto his back. You hum excitedly, slinging your arms over his neck. Your legs wobble as you try to position yourself over his back. He sighs, reaching behind him to swipe your calves out from under you. You squeal as he repositions you, sliding his warm big hands under your thighs. “Hold on tight darlin’.” He instructs and you listen well by pressing into his back, nuzzling your chin onto his shoulder. “Well, have a good night everyone.” He tries his best to wave, the group saying their goodbyes.

The view from his back is enjoyable as he hikes down the trail. “You’re so strong,” You mumble, spanning your hands down his chest absentmindedly. Sanemi pauses, his muscles constricting as you touch him.

He shoots a look over his shoulder as you grope him. “Yeah, I work out, now please stop harassing me.” He jumps you further up his back to keep you from slipping off. You giggle at the jostling motion.

Despite his earlier complaint, he lets your hands roam over what parts of his body you can reach. There's a comfortable silence that falls over you both but as you peer into the woods a memory you’d rather not think about seeps into your mind. “Sanemi,” You start, trying to swallow the way your heart is beating – hopefully, he couldn’t feel it against his back. “I’m sorry I was so angry at you.” The apology comes out of nowhere, but Sanemi knows what you’re talking about.

He stops in his tracks, shutting his eyes for a beat. “Don’t apologize for what you have every right to feel.” He takes in a deep breath, you can feel his body rise with the motion. “I didn’t think your mother would do that, I-” His voice cracks and he clears his throat before continuing. “I was just worried about you. I was too scared to find you so I went to your mother.”

Your brows scrunch and you feel your chest tighten at his words. You tap his back. “I want down.” He silently helps you slide down his back. He still holds onto you, making sure you can stand on your own. You glare into his soft expression, bottom lip trembling. “You should’ve found me,” Your nose stings with the pressure of tears welling in your eyes. He watches you with a solemn frown. “You should’ve come to me!” Your voice raises, a tear falling down your cheek. You hit his chest, letting out a choked sob. “You knew Sanemi, you knew she’d be angry.” Your fist drops from his chest, coming up to cover your soaked face. “I hoped beyond everything that you would appear over the hill, not her.” You throw your hands down, shaking your head. He just stands there, letting you drunkenly yell and cry like an idiot in front of him. Letting you hit him, throw your words at him, and relive a past you’d rather forget.

He takes a step forward, yearning to reach out for you. “YN…” His voice is soft and comforting – you hate the fact you want to fall into his arms again. Have him carry you to safety like he should’ve done all those years ago.

You step away from him, raising your hands in front of your face. “No, no, I need time.” Your voice trembles and as you leave Sanemi standing there in the dark you cry all the way back to your bed.

❦❦❦❦❦

“Welcome to Camp Maple Woods!” Your mother clasps her hands together excitedly. You groan from your position against the back wall with the rest of the counselors. She continues with the opening speech, her grating voice making your hangover that much worse. Mitsuri bumps shoulders with you, an all too happy smile on her face.

You wish for just a second that you could have her resilience, but being perfect sounds like too much work. “Hey!” She whispers loudly to you. You peer around you, acting like she was talking to someone else. Mitsuri isn’t pleased with your antics because she crosses her arms over her chest and gives you a pointed look. You immediately halt and motion for her to continue. “Obanai and I texted all night.” Her stern expression lifts into a grin as her cheeks light up with a rosy color.

You’re about to celebrate with her when Sanemi walks through the back doors. The happiness you share with Mitsuri washes away. You swallow hard, eyeing him as he leans against the wall next to Obanai. Unfortunately for you, Mitsuri is very observant. She glances between you and Sanemi, narrowing her eyes. “Now campers are you ready to go on your tours!?” Your attention is drawn to the front where your mother claps her hands together. For a brief moment, she meets your gaze and your blood boils. “May all our wonderful counselors head up to the stage!? We’ll be getting into our sections now!”

You put on your best smile, following Mitsuri to the stairs. Sanemi jogs up behind you and the resolve you’d built up this morning before heading to the main hall nearly crumbles to the ground. You had done your best to wake up early, hate your life as little as possible, shower, get ready, and escape the cabin before bumping into him. His presence behind you is an annoying warmth you want to swat away. Mitsuri joins Kyojuro and you awkwardly stand next to Sanemi with a strained smile.

His shoulder brushes against yours and your breath hitches quietly. Your mother appears in front of you both, a blank expression on her features as she holds out a caterpillar sign to you. Your throat tightens, but Sanemi swipes it from her before she can shove it in your hands. You glance at him, brows knit together. The last thing you hear from your mother is a click of her tongue as she moves down the line. “Thank you.” You whisper, heart thumping in your chest. Was he trying to make up for what you talked about last night?

He glances down at you, his smile shifting to something different. “Come find us caterpillars!” He yells and you gawk at him. He shoots you a wink and your lips part in awe. Did he just wink at you? That was so… weird. You shake your head and flail your hands in the air.

Children start surrounding you, awkwardly shuffling to make room for others. Sanemi hands you a slip of paper with a list of names on it. Attendance doesn’t take long since everyone seems to have gathered around you. “Alright crew, let’s head out on that tour!” You exclaim, pointing your hand toward the double doors in the back. “Squirm to it you little caterpillars!” You shoo them down the stage, giggles erupting from a few of them as you jump off the edge.

Sanemi follows the rest of them down the stairs, still holding the sign in the air. You giggle at how seriously he’s taking the task. “Mister Sanemi?” A small girl tugs on his shorts once everyone is outside. He peeks down at her with an award-winning smile. “Why is she not miss Sanemi?” She points to you and your eyes go wide as you tense. What kind of question is that!? Was there some code of conduct that camp leaders had to married to each other? Was two names that hard to remember?

Sanemi squats down and suddenly you get a flashback of him doing the same thing last night for you. You swallow, watching as he jerks his head in your direction. “Miss YN isn’t my wife, so she doesn’t share my name.” He explains. You drag a hand down your face. You didn’t expect this type of question to be asked so soon or at all.

The little girl frowns and another kid points at Sanemi. “B-but I saw you wink at her!” The boy yells accusingly. Shit.

Sanemi glances at you with a ‘I fucked up’ look. He turns back to the group of children swarming him. He laughs easily. “I had something in my eye…” He deadpans. All of them suspiciously glare at him.

You step into the circle, patting the top of Sanemi’s head. “It’s our secret leader code,” You begin, nudging him with your hip. “Whenever we have info on the big bad boss we wink at each other.” You wink at the children and their little faces light up. “Now you’re all in on our secret mission. Ready caterpillars!?” You stomp your feet and salute them with seriousness. They gasp and follow suit.

“Yes miss YN!” Sanemi shoots up from his squatted position, saluting you with a stupidly handsome grin. You stutter for a moment, before going back to at ease. “Now, what do you say we drop all these heavy bags off at the cabins and start exploring?” Sanemi suggests, pointing to the small path that led to the caterpillar cabins. As he excitedly starts leading them off into the distance you make sure to gather the stragglers. A smile of your own tugs on the corners of your mouth. Maybe you did make a pretty good team.

Sanemi takes a seat on the stairs of your cabin, observing the kids form cabins of their own. You plop down one stair down from him, an amused grin forming on his lips. “What are you grinning about?” You quiz, glancing at him.

He shrugs, shifting himself onto the same step as you and leaning back against the other steps. You can’t help the way your heart seems to pick up river dancing, beating fully. “Just figurin’ since we’re agents together we should be close.” You glare over your shoulder, met with his lazy smirk in your direction. A huff compresses out of your mouth as you roll your eyes. “What? I like the way you act when I get close to you.” He laughs, eyeing your reaction – which was exactly what he wanted.

From his vantage point, Sanemi can just about manage to see your cheeks flush before you turn away from him, hiding away in your arm. “Like I’m being infected?” You shoot back, quickly standing up and – definitely pretending – to stretch.

Sanemi’s eyes slowly rake up the exposed skin of your back, his tongue swirling around in his mouth as if trying to imagine how you would taste. “Mmm, somethin’ like that.” He hums, grinning widely when you narrow your eyes at him.

The group of children start lining up in the grass, playing with each other while waiting for the rest of them. Some of them you recognize from last year, it’s crazy how fast kids can grow and change. Once you recognize all of their faces you and Sanemi start the tour.

There are specific things that a sleepaway camp needs to have. Such as the obvious answer, cabins. The next obvious thing on the list is a beautiful lake. “Lake Maple was discovered way back when and this camp was built around it to preserve the landscape. There are canoes, swim gear, and a nice dock to carefully jump from. Make sure if you go to the lake that you have either Mister Sanemi or myself with you for safety.” Sanemi watches you recite the information you were supposed to give out, but you seem genuinely excited talking about the camp’s history. It was endearing… and the way your eyes gleam reminds him of when you were little, climbing trees and always reaching your hand out to him. You never left him behind. He sighs, turning away from your speech.

The next thing a camp needs is huge buildings where lots of kids can gather. “This is the mess hall, where we’ll have breakfast, lunch, and dinner! It’ll also be where some indoor activities are held. If we don’t gather here, we’ll meet up by the picnic benches back at Caterpillar Circle. Over there is the infirmary where Miss Shinobu will gladly help you out. The main office is the building you should’ve passed when you were dropped off, that’s where Mrs Yena will be with, sadly, the only phone that has any service.” You point out, then turn toward the woods on the other side of the main camp area. You gesture widely to the expanse, taking in a deep breath. “And this, my little squiggles,” the children giggle, “Is Maple Woods, where we will hike trails, explore the wonders of nature, and fight off the evil boss.” Without thinking you wink at Sanemi. You can tell by the way his eyes bulge that he wasn’t expecting it, but as the little heads slowly turn to watch his reaction he quickly winks back at you. You catch yourself sighing in relief that you wouldn’t have to lay in bed staring at the ceiling for too long tonight because of that.

A little girl you recognize from previous years – Himari you think – raises her hand. You nod to her in recognition. “Are we going to have the first-day campfire?” She jumps up and down, the girls around her getting excited as well. You glance down at your watch, then up to the sky, then do the girls.

It was already late in the afternoon, the kids would have dinner and then gather back at Caterpillar Circle for an evening get-to-know-each-other campfire session. You grin, kids always enjoy the fire for some concerning reason. “Way to steal my job Himari!” You laugh and she giggles along with you. “Okay everyone, you heard Himari, head back to your cabins and get ready for dinner. Then we’ll have some time to get closer before bedtime. We have a busy day of fun tomorrow.” When they stare at you blankly, obviously waiting for one of you to start leading the way, you start marching your way down the path with as much vigor as you can muster.

Soon enough, you and Sanemi are back in your positions on the stairs to your cabin. That comfortable silence blankets you again, like the setting sun’s warmth. “Ya’know you’re really good at this,” Sanemi begins before blowing out a breath and turning to face you. “M’glad we get to work together.” He finishes, a distant glimmer of emotion swirling around in his lilac gaze. You suck in a breath, a storm brewing in your stomach.

Sanemi was a good guy, that much was obvious, but all those years ago had driven a wedge between you two. He hadn’t said the words ‘I’m sorry’ yet, which was a small nuance in the grand scheme of things. Sanemi was never really the type to say an apology, instead, he showed you. You can’t expect that much to change within him and you’re kind of glad. He would make it up to you until you were sure the wounds had begun to heal. He was giving you time to make up your mind on whether or not you wanted to forgive him. “Me too,” You whisper against the breeze.

A whole column of picnic tables lined up edge-to-edge belong to your crew as you file into the mess hall. A couple of other groups are already sitting down with food, including the littles. Mitsuri and Kyojuro wave excitedly at you and Sanemi. You grin, waving back. “Alright squiggles, show me how nicely you can line up to receive dinner. Then come sit down and we’ll have a little camp saying before we start eating together.” They scramble toward the food and you kick your legs under the table part, deflating slightly.

Sanemi comes up behind you, placing a hand on your shoulder. It makes you straighten your back and whip around to look at him. His lips curl in a playful grin. “Want the usual?” You glance at the kitchen, your stomach growling softly. You look back to Sanemi, nodding eagerly.

As he walks away you think back to when he’d grab you dinner all the time, sitting in this exact mess hall. “Don’t disappoint me Shinazugawa!” You yell and he shoots you a smug grin as he scoots in line next to one of the boys in your group, Kenji.

Mitsuri peers at you from her table, glancing back at Sanemi. Something seems fishy, she just can’t put her finger on it. Before this month you were complaining about seeing him again and now you two appear to be chumming again. Did something happen that you weren’t telling her? She pouts, nuding Kyojuro. “Do those two seem friendlier?” She asks in a hushed tone. Kyojuro furrows his thick brows, humming as his gaze flips between his white-haired friend and you. He’s about to tell Mitsuri she’s off her rocker, but he catches Sanemi throwing a look back at you while you are otherwise occupied with kiddos sitting down next to you.

Kyojuro turns to Mitsuri, concern written all over his face. “Yes,” He hisses and now Mitsuri is concerned you may have ingested a little too much alcohol trying to help her out.

After a couple of minutes, Sanemi places a tray of vanilla pudding, tater tots, and chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce in front of you. “M’lady.” He grins, slipping onto the bench across from you with a tray of his own. Hana smacks Sanemi’s arm and he peers down at her with a surprised look. “What was that about Hana?” He questions, holding onto his arm where she hit him.

She puffs out her lips and points at you angrily. “Mister Sanemi, we just went over this. Miss YN is not your lady.” She crosses her arms glaring at him. His brows shoot up, giving you a look of amusement before patting Hana’s head.

She looks like she might bite him at first, but then she leans into his hand. “Only because Miss YN keeps rejecting me..” He smirks at you. Ha! As if!

You roll your eyes, but gather the attention of your tables. “Let’s sing my favorite camp song!” You lead them in the Camp Maple fighting song that ends with chanting the name of the camp. “Wake me up wake me up we’re going to camp! I can’t wait I can’t wait we’re going to camp! There it is there it is we’re going to camp! Which one which one!? C-A-M P…M-A-P L-E!” They seem to enjoy every second of it, mainly because they get to scream as loud as they can. Sanemi meets your gaze for a blissful second before you busy yourself with your food, biting into one of the chicken tenders. Delight rumbles from your chest as you swallow the meat.

Sanemi can’t help but watch you stuff your face. On one hand, he’s amused by how you still enjoy the simple things in life. On the other hand, he’s concerned when his heart races at you picking up the vanilla pudding. Being the heathen you were, as a child you’d just eat it with your finger. You claimed you could get more out of a cup if you used your finger. He grips onto the bench, gritting his teeth as you follow suit, sticking your pointer finger in. The creamy pudding sits there momentarily before you pop it into your mouth.

It’s a simple, innocent – completely fucking innocent – motion, but his thoughts shift to something more warm than the humidity. Fuck why was seeing you damp with light sweat making him hungry? When you let your tongue swirl around the tip of your finger it drives Sanemi mad. Is he panting? He feels like he’s panting.

A bit of pudding is on the corner of your mouth, waiting there. His heated gaze mimics how your tongue darts out to collect it. He sucks on his lips, regarding how your plump lips look so fucking delicious right now.

The only thing that snaps Sanemi out of his daze is Hana plopping a spoon in front of you with a disgusted look on her little features. “You know Miss YN, if you needed a spoon you could’ve just asked.” She grunts, shuddering. Your cheeks flush and for the briefest seconds, you gape, staring into his eyes. Your cheeks flush a vibrant pink and suddenly Sanemi is picking up the spoon and using it in his own pudding. Hana and you both gawk at him, but if he were allowed to feed into one desire this whole time, it would be watching you eat pudding with your finger. Especially if it meant you’d look at him like that again.

“This is the best pudding I’ve ever had.” Sanemi mumbles and Hana sighs frustratedly. “Something wrong Hana?” He asks. She whips her head toward him with a frown.

Sanemi has to roll his lips into his mouth to stop from laughing at how cute she’s glaring at him. “Yes, I’m going to have nightmares.” She huffs. Yeah me too, but they aren’t exactly going to be nightmares Sanemi thought.

Dinner finishes and children run around your feet as you walk out of the mess hall. The short walk back to Caterpillar Circle feels like an eternity with Sanemi walking silently beside you. “Can we wear our pajamas to the campfire!?” Aoi breezes past you yelling.

You quirk a brow. “How about we make it a race? Whoever is back at the picnic tables first… wins.” You eye the giddy looks on all of their faces. “Ready? Go!” You don’t expect Sanemi to bolt toward his side of the cabin. Oh, so he’s going to play it that way?

Kids scramble to their cabins, giggling and yelling. You’re also laughing as you quickly swing your door open. You spot the pajamas you’d laid out earlier this morning with a smirk on your lips. The one reason you suggested a race is because you had an advantage. Cheating? No, strategic gameplay.

You tug your clothes off, and toss them in the hamper beside your desk. A pair of shorts and an oversized shirt later you’re rushing out of the door in your slippers. You glance to your side, grinning mischievously when you don’t see Sanemi coming out of his door. You pump your hand in the air victoriously, spinning around in a mini victory dance. You proudly take your time prancing down the stairs, but when you turn to head toward the picnic tables Sanemi is leaning against the end of one with an amused smirk tugging his lips upward. Your mouth falls open, glancing back at his door. “How…? You…?” You slump in defeat as you reach him.

He chuckles softly, bumping arms with you. “Your victory dance was pretty cute.” He teases. You glare at him, shoving him back with your side.

Cute? In what way did he mean that? Sanemi must’ve talked too much with Tengen to pull one of those lines. You mutter a string of curses as you sit down in one of the green plastic lawn chairs. The arms dig into your hips and you grunt uncomfortably, pushing yourself into a less painful position.

Your thighs are pressed together as you squirm around in the chair and Sanemi finds himself ogling the space where your shorts disappear under your tummy. He wanted to run his tongue along that area while grazing his teeth along your thighs. A lascivious smirk pulls on his mouth as he clears his throat, turning his face to the sky.

The campfire starts with each kiddo introducing themselves, where they’re from, and three interesting facts about them. After the introductions, you bring out the s’more fixings with a twinkling grin as the kids scream enthusiastically. The night ends with you and Sanemi carrying some of them who fall asleep back to their beds. It was a euphoric space in time, something about today felt so right. Maybe the following weeks wouldn’t be so bad.

❦❦❦❦❦

You were wrong, so wrong. Sanemi stands to your side with his swim shorts on, assessing your outfit. “So… you’re not going to swim?” He cocks his head, quirking a brow. You lean back further into the armless beach chair, crossing your arms over your chest.

He closes his mouth, glancing at the group of kids playing with water toys in and out of the water. “Nope.” You reply. “Observing from a distance is more my thing.” You continue, sliding your sunglasses over your eyes so you don’t have to squint through the rays of the sun. Sanemi sighs, disappointment finding its way into his mind.

This morning when he saw you in a camp shirt with jean shorts he was sure you had a bikini on underneath. The only reason he got through a kid screaming about not getting any bacon this morning was the light at the end of his tunnel – you in a tight flattering bikini. “Y’know I knew you weren’t girly, but this is a whole new level.” Sanemi pokes at you, hoping that the fiery spirit within you will shoot out if he bugs you enough.

You glare at him, gesturing to your outfit. “This outfit is very girly I’ll have you know.” Sanemi shakes his head like he doesn’t believe you so you scoot as quickly as you can out of the chair. “Fine, watch the kids. I’ll be right back.” You snap. As you’re stomping back to your room you can’t help but think maybe you acted exactly how he wanted you to. If that was the case, then you’d give him what he wants, but he’ll pay the price. The malicious grin that forms on your lips as you pull out your lavender string bikini is grounds to have you locked away.

Sanemi throws a beach ball at a group of the boys in the face as they giggle. In the back of his head is a flurry of lewd images of you spread out on that damn beach chair with a revealing swimsuit on. The boys throw the ball back at him and it plinks against his chest. He shakes his head, reaching for the ball as the boys groan. Fantasies of you were a distraction so he couldn't even imagine what the real thing would do to him. “Woah…” He hears one of the boys whisper. He glances up, met with the heavenly picture of you walking down the bank in a light purple string bikini that laces across your front. The cups are simple triangles with a string wrapping around the back of your neck for support he would only suppose. The bottoms rise above the roundness of your hips, showing off the fullness of your body. Damn, his mouth felt dry as he can’t tear his eyes away from you.

His stomach was a trainwreck of emotions, the ball long forgotten by Sanemi. He blinks rapidly, trying to get you out of his eyes, but it was damn hard when you slowly lay back down on the chair, crossing your ankles over each other. He can see the side of your ass and for a beat, he feels like he might lose control. Then one of the boys throws the beach ball at him, it smacks against his face. This was torture. He expected you to look good, but the thin fabric allowed him to see the indent of your nipples – a vivid image he was never going to forget.

You smirk while lounging in the chair, studying the way Sanemi’s mouth falls open ever so slightly. It was a strange sense of gratification that he was so enraptured by how you appeared in the bikini. Almost like you were happy he was gaping at you, a fire lit behind his eyes that ignited something in your chest. If you weren’t careful you were bound to let it out at some point.

Since you were lost in your thoughts you hadn’t noticed Sanemi stalking up to your side. You squeak when he appears next to you, dropping a towel over your exposed skin. You glare up at him through your sunglasses. “Did you walk out of every boy’s fantasy?” He grumbles, running a hand through his damp hair.

Clicking your tongue, you toss the towel to the side and sit up in the chair. “Does that include yours Sanemi?” You inquire, pushing your sunglasses up through your hair. He stares at you for a while, mulling over what kind of response to give you.

Suddenly, he scoffs and turns his back to you. “Yeah. Yeah it does.” You swallow hard at his confession, the sun’s heat no longer feeling as hot. You scoff, leaning back into the chair. He gives you one last glance before running back to play with the boys in the water.

Was he being serious? He couldn’t have been…right? It wouldn’t make sense for Sanemi Shinazugawa, the guy whose seen you eat a bug, to have a fantasy – or whatever he meant about you. The confusion made the victory bikini less fun.

At dinner, the kids are enraptured in a conversation about tomorrow’s canoe outing in the afternoon. This might seem silly, with you being a sleepaway camp counselor that has a giant lake as its main attraction… but you never learned how to fully swim. You can keep your head above water if you’re able to touch the bottom. It's something you haven't mentioned to anyone due to the fact you would die of embarrassment. “How quickly can you go Miss YN?” Hana’s eyes are pleading with you to answer her inquiry.

So you smile, despite the obvious anxiety of where this answer might lead you. “Faster than Mister Sanemi.” You reply, jerking your thumb toward the white-haired male sitting a bit further down from you.

He perks up at the mention of his name, meeting your eyes. “Did you just say you’re faster than me?” He laughs, scooting down to sit across from you. Hana nods ecstatically before you can brush off the challenge dripping from his voice.

You sigh, shaking your hands in front of you. “Of course not. I wouldn’t dare reveal the truth about you being a slowpoke.” You tease. Sanemi quirks a brow, letting his eyes look you up and down. The simple motion makes your muscles tense with a buzzing sensation.

He hums to himself, leaning back with a shake of his head. “I bet you can’t win in the beginners' course against me.” Sanemi smirks, the boys around him snickering.

Your eye twitches at the smug look on his stupid face. You clasp your hands together, smiling with gritted teeth. “You’re on Shinazugawa.”

That was your second mistake of the week as you shakily got into a canoe the next morning dressed in a white shirt and comfortable black shorts. The kids were fine with pushing off the hike to another day to witness this extraordinary event. Sanemi is grinning victoriously already. It makes you want to slap him with the paddle you’re holding. “Ready?” He asks.

The grip you have on the paddle tightens as you nod curtly. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” You respond. Sanemi nods to one of the kids who starts a countdown before they all scream GO! Everything is going fine until you reach the turn. Sanemi is already far ahead of you and this becomes more of proving you can do it to yourself than winning against that smug bastard.

With the paddle dipping into the water you manage to turn around the flagged buoy, children cheering your name. Your heart nearly explodes with happiness at the accomplishment. You make it a few more feet before you get too overzealous and the canoe starts to flip. As you crash into the water you knew you’d just have to flip yourself back over to – well, not drown. But something goes wrong and you slip out of the canoe, into the deep end of the lake. Murky water crowds your vision and a few thoughts crowd your mind.

Will you get out of this alive? Is this some sort of divine intervention about how you’ve been previously living your life? Was this your canon event? You’d laugh at that one if you weren’t still sinking to what felt like the depths of the lake.

Would your mother even care? Okay, that one stings, but it’s something you think about a lot. When you’re driving and have one of those intrusive thoughts about wrecking. Would she care? Noticing a creepy person walking behind you at night. Would she come to your funeral? And now, as you lose the will to breathe. Would she remember what you smelt like, sounded like, looked like?

Sanemi crawls out of his canoe, raising his hands in victory. He turns around to gloat in your face, but he’s met with your canoe upside down. You are nowhere in sight and after a second of you not popping back up, Sanemi frantically dives into the water. Where are you? His hands glide through the water, searching for any sign of your body. Where are you? Water fills his ears, only making the pounding in his chest louder with each stroke of his arms. He breaches the surface, gasping for air and twirling around to see anything – anything that would lead him to you. “Mister Sanemi! There!” A child screeches, pointing to the front side of your canoe.

He plunges back in after taking a large gulp of air. He will find you this time. He’s not scared anymore. Not like all those years ago. He couldn’t lose you, not like this.

Amid some plant life is your floating body. If Sanemi were above water he thinks he’d cry with joy. He quickly moves toward you, scooping you up and pushing both of you toward the surface. Please please please don’t be too late. Sanemi’s mind is whirling with anxiety and his heart is pounding with the lack of oxygen. You both break through the surface, Sanemi pulling you along with him to shore. He deposits your limp body on the sand, panting and scanning for any sign of injury.

You’re not breathing. Damnit. Sanemi’s jaw ticks as the children rush toward him. “Mister Sanemi give her CPR!” Hana yells, stomping her foot and mimicking the pushing rhythm he should be performing on you. He wipes his mouth, nostrils flaring as he slides to your side. His insides were twisting in unbreakable knots, squeezing his lungs of all air.

He pinches your nose and lowers his mouth to yours. “You can yell at me later,” He breathes quietly before connecting his lips to yours. As he pushes air through your lungs his lecherous mind drifts to how very wonderful your lips feel against his. They’re wet and taste like lake water, but they’re so damn soft. After a few more blows he worriedly looks at your chest. He doesn’t want to break your ribs, but if he has to in order to save your life – he’s going to.

Luckily, you chose now as the moment to gasp in air and then start hacking up lake water. Your eyes wildly scan your surroundings, locking onto the man hovering inches from your face. You squirm away from him, coughing into your hand. Sanemi and the children watch you with concern-stricken faces. You touch your throat gingerly, meeting the swirling lilac gaze of the male in front of you. “You saved me,” You croak out as it all falls into place, furrowing your brows.

Hana pops into your view shaking her head. “Took him a long time to kiss you!” She yells, an annoyed pout on her lips. You glance back to Sanemi, his gaze still locked onto you.

He cocks a grin in your direction which makes your heart swell. “I gave you mouth-to-mouth.” He explains and the worry about you being unconscious for your first kiss with Sanemi – not that you’ll have a first kiss with him – drifts away. The thought of his mouth on yours stays wandering in your head regardless. “Kids, can you hang out in the mess hall while I take Miss YN to the infirmary?” Sanemi questions, the children eagerly following instructions. He peers down at you once they’ve all scurried toward the big building.

With a grunt, he slides his hands behind your neck and knees, hoisting you up bridal style. You yelp at how easily he holds you against his chest. “Hey, I can walk,” You grumble, glaring at his concentrated expression. He shakes his head, climbing up the bank.

As he climbs you nearly tumble out of his arms. He cracks a smile, shifting you in his grasp. “Might wanna hold on tighter than that darlin’. Don’t worry, I won’t mind.”

Begrudgingly you wrap your arms around his neck. The walk to the infirmary takes less than a couple of strides when he reaches the walkway. Shinobu worriedly meets your gaze when Sanemi kicks open the door with his foot. She stands from her desk, hurrying over to his side. “What happened!?” She assesses you with a scrutinizing look. “Put her down on that bed. I need to go get another bottle of aspirin from the main office. Sit tight.” Shinobu huffs, running a hand through her hair before slipping out of the door.

Sanemi gently lays you on the bed, giving you a scan of his own. You swallow hard, wondering why your body feels so warm despite the brisk ac making your wet clothes stick to you. The way his lilac eyes regard you made something inside of you switch. He’d shown you how deeply he cared for you by saving your life. Granted, any decent person would’ve jumped in to pull you out of the water – but Sanemi looks shaken up. Like he almost lost you. It makes your chest heave, a heavyweight tugging on it as you reach up to touch his cheek.

His worried look turns to you, a slight wobble in his irises as your thumb strokes the side of his face. “Hey… I’m here. I’m okay. You did such a good job.” You whisper, but yet your voice seems too loud. Sanemi leans into your touch, shutting his eyes as he takes in a shaky breath.

It was all fun and games until he had to think of a world without you in it. The bottom line is he wouldn’t have a world without you. The grass would shrivel, the color would drain, and sunlight would simply cease to exist. “You should’ve told me you couldn’t swim.” His brows furrow and he opens his eyes to stare into your very soul. “Why didn’t you tell me? I was so worried YN.” He rolls his lips into a thin line, his chin trembling.

It’s like you lose your breath all at once. This man, the one you thought didn’t have an ounce of compassion for you, was about to start crying because you failed to mention your lack of skill. You bump your forehead against his head, kissing his hairline. “You’re right, I’m sorry.” At your words he jerks away from your head, his eyes wildly scanning your face. Your breath holds tightly in your throat as time seemingly slows.

Then his eyes fall to your lips and everything in the universe pulls you two together into a soft brush of the lips. Given the state of it, hidden behind a white curtain on the infirmary bed, the kiss felt too precious. Too wonderful. Your hand falls from his face and before you have a moment to give in to whatever was happening, Sanemi pulls away. He shoots to a standing position, turning on his heel. Your body cools instantly. Oh. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have,” He begins, taking a couple of steps toward the curtain. Oh. He quickly glances over his shoulder. “I shouldn’t have done that.” He hisses, then rushes out of the building nearly bumping into Shinobu as she walks back with a pill bottle in hand. She jumps back, eyes widening as she watches Sanemi stalk toward the mess hall. If it hadn’t been for the heat she might’ve mistaken the red on the tip of his ears as something else.

❦❦❦❦❦

Weekends are set up for the kids to decide what they want to do. It’s a free period within reason. Most of them hang out in groups around the buildings, playing games or swimming. Weekends allow the leaders to get chores done around the campgrounds, like picking up trash, organizing things for the next week, arranging laundry, and supervising more involved things.

You happened to spend most of the first weekend with a group of girls who wanted to use the craft supplies for next week. Since Sanemi was your co-leader there were times you had to speak with him, which made avoiding him incredibly difficult.

The thing that upset you the most was even after he ran off, your heart still flutters at just the sight of him. Weren’t you supposed to be the master of your own emotions? It frustrated you to no end how you sought him out in crowds. At first, you tried to convince yourself it was a strategy to avoid him, but when he didn’t come to talk to you somehow your heart sank.

Before you know it, Monday morning arrives, casting a stormy forecast for the rest of the week. It’s pouring heavily outside the mess hall windows. Fortunately, your group of kids are behaving even though it couldn’t be easy stuck inside all day. Your eyes are drawn to the other group happily stringing beads onto yarn.

Sanemi sits amongst them with a warm smile on his face, actively trying not to glance at you. He can feel your gaze on him and it was making his heart feel weird, like he’d just run a mile or hiked up a trail. He presses his lips into a thin line, laughing absentmindedly at one of the boys spilling beads everywhere.

The kiss. That’s all he could think about and it was ruining his life. All night he tossed and turned thinking about knocking your door down so he could do it again. Regret ran through every fiber of his being when he walked away. He thought he’d gotten over his fears, but it turns out that realizing you might have feelings for your good friend is not the easiest situation to be in. He was in a panic, fucking terrified you would hate him for kissing you. He didn’t even ask you, it just happened. What kind of scumbag was he?

He groans, turning to face away from you. You huff, rolling your eyes. Fine, he could be that way if he wanted. He’s the one who kissed you anyway. This was all on Sanemi. Hana nudges her friends Keiko, Mai, and Akane. They all slowly turn to stare at you, then toward Sanemi. Keiko narrows her eyes while tying the knot on her bracelet. “Somethings wrong,” She mumbles, slipping the adorably crafted jewelry onto her arm.

Mai and Akane nod vigorously. “Why are they avoiding each other?” Akane hisses, glancing back at their other leader. Hana shakes her head, stroking her chin in thought.

Kenji appears behind the group, causing them all to jump. Mai slaps his shoulder and he giggles. “What’cha talkin’ ‘bout?” He pokes his head in between Akane and Mai’s shoulders. They collectively sigh, rolling their eyes at the annoying boy.

Hana gestures to both leaders, pinching her brow. “For some reason, Mister Sanemi and Miss YN are avoiding each other.” She explains snappily.

Kenji pops his head up, glancing at both of you. His mouth forms in the shape of an ‘o’. “Ah, this reminds me of when my mom and dad would fight and then ignore each other.” Hana perks up at his suggestion, slowly turning to look at her friends.

Mai raises a brow and then grabs a piece of yarn. “There’s only one way to fix this.” She valiantly collects a bunch of green beads to mix with lilac ones. She picks out two heart-shaped beads that sit on either side of a letter in the middle. When she’s done, two bracelets sit in front of her. One has an ‘S’ with two red hearts on either side, followed by a pattern of lilac and green. The other is the same, except in the middle is the first letter of your name. “Matching friendship bracelets,” She holds them up, smiling triumphantly.

Hana claps her hands together. “Wonderfully done Agent Mai, now let’s give it to them!” She grabs the ‘S’ one from Mai’s hands, running over to your side. “Miss YN!” She yells. “We made this for you!” Without much consideration for your wrist, she shoves it past your hand.

“Here you go Mister Sanemi!” You turn to see Kenji holding what seems to be the same bracelet in front of Sanemi’s face. A roll of thunder shakes the valley outside and his eyes meet yours momentarily. It sends a shock of emotions through you.

Later that night as the rain plips against your window you stare at your wrist in awe. A growl echoes around your room and it takes you a moment to realize it was your stomach. It almost makes you crack a smile. You would’ve if you weren’t in such a daze as you walk out into the living room area.

What you don’t expect to see is Sanemi leaning against the counter shirtless, with his sweats hanging loosely around his athletic hips. You swallow, taking your time to rake your eyes up his bare chest. When you end up meeting his gaze his lips tug into a smirk. “Enjoy the view?” He mutters, picking a peach up off the counter.

Your brows furrow and you cross your arms over your chest defensively. “As a matter of fact, no I’m not.” You snap, scoffing and lying through your teeth.

Sanemi shrugs, biting into the juicy peach tantalizingly slow. Juices leak from the broken skin, dribbling down his chin as he takes the flesh into his mouth. His tongue darts out to lick up a droplet escaping down the side of the fruit. You gulp as he continues to eat. The noises alone were enough to drive a woman mad, but the fact you were ovulating made everything so much worse. “Want one?” Sanemi asks, licking his lips of all the sticky juice.

If you were crazy your mouth would fall open, allowing him to put the one he was eating into your mouth. “No.” You grumble, yanking a can of Pringles out of the cabinet.

Sanemi watches how your ass curves as you stretch to reach into the upper cabinet. “Suit yourself,” He mutters, biting into the peach again. You roll your eyes and march right back into your room, tossing the pringles onto your bed. You ruffle your hair, silently screaming into the night. Fuck that guy for being shirtless. He waltzed around like a whore scrounging for some loose change obviously trying to get a rise out of you. Would the kiss go unmentioned forever? How were you supposed to be around Sanemi when all you could think about was how badly you wanted to jump his bones? You’re absolutely fucked. You grit your teeth together as you glare at the door. But damn did he have such a perfect body. The sweats, the lazy smile, the damn peach he bit into. It was all torture and he damn well knew it.

He wasn’t likely to figure out the full extent of your feelings– hell you didn’t even know exactly what you felt, but if he kept this up you might as well walk around with a neon sign on your forehead that reads I’d like to fuck Sanemi Shinazugawa. Maybe then your mother would pay attention to you. Not that you care.

You glance down at your wrist again, the letter ‘S’ spreading a grin across your face. This was stupid. So stupid. What if Sanemi was still in the other room? Or using the bathroom? What would you do then? You have a pit of desire and you wish Sanemi would clean it off with his teeth. Were you jealous of a peach? Groaning, you slip out of your bottom layer of clothing, discarding it on the floor. Things were getting dangerous. Your thoughts were supplying you with a fantasy world and you were about to become delusional. At least then you wouldn’t have to face the reality of this stupid – well, whatever it was.

Positioning yourself against the corner of your bed, you spread your legs apart. The cool breeze from the ac hits your damp pussy and the sensation makes you slump against the wall. If Sanemi were between your legs right now he’d probably lick his lips and spread them even wider so he could have full range to lavish his tongue against your sensitive clit. A tiny moan whines from your throat.

The image drives you to reach between your thighs, hissing when your fingers brush against your clit. His tongue would feel warm, wet, and slick as it laps at your folds. Your fingers plunge deeper, a strangled moan falling from your mouth.

Your breathing pattern stalls, hiccuping as you work yourself into a frenzy – the inside of your stomach feeling gooey and hot. His long thick fingers would slip into your pussy, teasing the entrance where you’d beg for him to fuck you later. He’d smirk, pleased with how you’re so desperate for his cock, for all of him. But he’d make you wait, good girls always wait for permission. You groan – a guttural pleasured groan. It rolls through your chest, cracking into a whimper at the end as you edge yourself closer to your crest.

It’s like you’re seeing stars with how your fingers feel, you only wish Sanemi were here, ready to please like he usually is. His words and touch always elicit a response from you. He had to know that. What kind of response would he get out of you as he lined the tip of his cock up at your entrance? Making you bed for him to fuck you unconscious. You’d be such a good little slut for him. Taking all of him inside your hungry cunt until he clung to your hips, spilling his seed inside of you.

A tense pinch of pleasure squeezes your core, crashing through your body with a string of perfectly pretty moans. Sanemi hadn’t meant to listen to you masturbating. It was an accident – he’d come to your door to apologize for allowing you to misunderstand his intentions. His knuckles had brushed against the wood of your door when he heard you gasp. Wondering if you were okay he pressed his ear to the door. Then, his muscles tensed as you purred out a moan.

Sanemi was a decent man – or so he thought until his hand slips down to his growing bulge. He hisses as you whimper, gasping for air – your bed squeaking with movement. He wants to swing the door open and take in the sight of you sprawled out. What kind of face were you making while moaning like that? More importantly, what were you thinking about?

You’re whimpering and the glint of the beads around Sanemi’s wrist sends his thoughts spiraling. The very same bracelet he wore on his arm was around yours. It was like he was between your legs, pressing his thumb against your clit to proudly watch you squirm in pleasure. His mouth waters, imagining how you’d taste after cumming. His cock aches to burrow into your wet warmth and stay there forever.

He presses his forehead to the wood, letting out a tight breath as he strokes his length through the cloth of his sweatpants. If he stayed here any longer it would surely result in him knocking down your door. Not the valiant way he had thought about confessing. Sanemi steps away from your door, cursing under his breath. He holds up his arm, staring at the matching bracelet until he notices the first letter of your name. His gaze slowly makes it way back to the door. Was there an ‘S’ on yours? For his name? His eyes flutter shut, a trickle of possessiveness racking through his body.

Tuesday is finger painting. The kids each get their own easel and insist you and Sanemi paint with them. The morning ends with Sanemi having paint smeared across his face and you with splotches on your arms. The afternoon is bubble painting, which results in bubbles being blown everywhere. Wednesday is crafting things with clay. You proudly present your monstrosity at the end of the day. Sanemi and the kids try their best to compliment whatever you had created, but you can tell they’re just being nice.

When Thursday rolls around the kids want to draw and color all day so Sanemi and you make sure they have lots of construction paper, colors, and other supplies. You’re sitting with Hana’s group of friends and Sanemi is across the room with a group of boys, drawing furiously.

Kenji peers down at what Mister Sanemi had drawn. “Hey, that kind of looks like Miss YN,” He points at the stick figure holding the hand of the other one. Sanemi covers the page and shakes his head.

Kenji somehow manages to push his arms off, grabbing the paper. “Oi! Brat, give that back!” He yells as Kenji runs over to your side. You smile down at him as he hands you the page.

You cover your heart and your smile grows. “Aww, Kenji did you draw this?” You ask, your voice softening.

He shakes his head vigorously. “Nope! Mister Sanemi drew you and him holding hands!” You glance up, meeting the flushed face of Sanemi standing over Kenji. His eyes look pleading as you drop your eyes to the drawing again. It did kind of look like you, but that would be impossible. Why would Sanemi draw something like this?

“YN, listen…” He starts, brushing up against you. Your body stiffens at his close proximity. “I hadn’t finished, I was going to draw the kids in next.” He explains. You wish he would step back from your side because his warmth is driving you insane.

Kenji giggles as he rushes back to his group of friends. “It wouldn’t matter anyway.” You state, handing the drawing back to Sanemi. “I could honestly care less what you draw.” You smile sarcastically and turn back to your group. Sanemi stands behind you for a moment, his heart yearning to reach out and touch you again – but he doesn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable. He obviously already fucked up when he kissed you, after all you’d been avoiding him. It was best that he kept his distance to figure out how to talk to you and give you space so you’d listen to him.

The next morning you manage to chow down your breakfast before Sanemi enters the kitchen area. In all honesty, you were aware thinking about someone you were mad at while masturbating… wasn’t the best look. You didn’t want to think about the realities of what that meant for you since Sanemi was still being an asshole about the whole innocent kiss thing. The thoughts going through your head last night were far from innocent.

You’re sitting in a lawn chair, writing down some ideas for today’s craft. The kids had to make puppets and come up with a script to perform in the afternoon. With your group of kids, things were bound to go smoothly. You grin, shutting your notebook and checking the time on your phone. It was almost time for the kids to meet you and Sanemi near the picnic benches. You glare at your cabin, waiting for the white-haired male to step out of his door at any moment. The knob turns and you quickly act like you weren’t blatantly waiting for him. “Mornin’ YN,” Sanemi calls, jogging up to your side. You roll your eyes, glancing at the casually attractive outfit he has on. A pair of fitted black shorts that accentuate the size of his muscular thighs with a loose gray shirt tucked into one side.

He plops down next to you. “Why were you so late?” You interrogate. Sanemi quirks an easy smirk, eyeing you out of the corner of his eye.

Sanemi props one of his legs over the other, leaning further into the chair. “I had to take a shower,” He begins, raising his brows. “Could’ve used the company.” He cocks his head toward you, his lilac eyes filling with an expression you couldn’t pinpoint.

Your brows furrow despite the blush spreading across your cheeks. “Scared of showering by yourself just like you’re scared of kissing people?” You snap and his playfulness is immediately wiped off his face. Where were these words coming from? Were you going crazy? The inside voices are becoming the outside voices! It’s too late now to back peddle. You scoff, turning away from him. “Don’t, I know you regret and it’s fine. I just figured you would’ve cut back on the flirting.” You push out of the chair. “I’m not some girl you can flirt with for the summer and then fuck off to wherever, okay? If you’re going to accidentally kiss me then fucking own up to it and talk to me like an adult. You made me feel so uncomfortable because I somehow thought it was my fault. So this whole cool-guy act needs to stop. Until we have a real conversation about what happened I would rather go back to friendly hating each other.”

As you stomp away Sanemi feels the ‘oh shit’ factor roll through him. While he’d been trying to figure out his feelings toward you, he’d been allowing you to figure it out for him. You assumed he wanted some summer fun and thought better after kissing you, but that wasn’t it at all. Sanemi was falling, so fucking deeply in love with you. He had been ever since you were kids, but as a boy who grew up barely knowing what kindness was, it was hard to seek out those emotions. Now looking back to how he felt when you ran away into the woods that night… he realizes the panic of finding your mother was so you would be found as quickly as possible. No one saw you for a week after that and he’s still not sure what happened, but he knew it wasn’t good.

He was stronger now and he’d stand up to your demons, slaying them with you by his side. He would protect you no matter what, but right now he had to explain this misunderstanding before it was too late. Kissing you was the best thing to happen to him – accident or not. It made him forget how shitty his life was and how blissful it could be by just seeing you. He’d fucked up.

After cooling off you wandered back to the growing group of children that rush you when they spot you. It makes your heart warm that they’re so excited. Sanemi watches you from a distance and you’re glad he seems to finally be listening to you.

Leading the kids to the mess hall through the light morning rain is more peaceful than it should be. No one tries to jump in the mud, they stay in between you and Sanemi, walking politely. When you explain in detail what they’re supposed to do all of them get to work using craft paper and whatever was leftover from the week. The morning blows past and suddenly you’re sitting in a seat next to Sanemi as groups of kids put on puppet shows. Some of them make you snort with laughter and others are downright works of art. Then, Hana and her group of friends present their show. A spikey white-haired puppet and one that looks eerily like you pop up into the makeshift theater.

Your eyes widen realizing what’s going on. “Hi there darling! I sure do love your face!” Kenji yells, playing the white-haired puppet.

Slowly you and Sanemi make eye contact. “We should love each other’s faces forever. Then love our baby’s faces. Then love our-”

You shoot into a standing position, clapping your hands together. “Okay, that’ll wrap up the puppet shows everyone!” You demand, laughing nervously. What the actual fuck? You whisk around to glare at Hana and Kenji dramatically making the two puppets kiss. “Oi, William Shakespear and Agatha Cristi get over here, now.” You point to the spot next to you and Sanemi. Akane and Mai scurry away with the rest of the kids heading toward the snack table.

Kenji and Hana meander toward you; pouts puffing out their bottom lips. “Guys, you can’t keep doing this.” Sanemi gestures to the puppets on their hands. “Miss YN and I aren’t some story you can just use willy-nilly. We’re real people with real emotions.”

A scoffed laugh falls from your lips. “Mister Sanemi has a hard time with emotions anyway, that’s why this show wasn’t even true to life. He would never call someone darling.” You explain dully.

Hana shakes her head, pointing to Sanemi. “Nu-uh! He called you darling the other day!” She exclaims. You glance at Sanemi and then drag a hand down your face.

“Hana, this isn’t something you should be concerned with.”

“But we just want you and Mister Sanemi to make up.” She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. “It’s no fun while you guys are fighting.” Your eyes bulge as she talks. Did the kids care that much? And they noticed? Gosh, that was kind of sweet.

Sanemi leans forward, ruffling Hana’s hair. “Don’t worry about it kiddo, we’ll work on it.” He glances at you with a slight smile. A sigh rushes through you as you nod in agreement. Kenji and Hana rush off to the snack table to join their friends. You can remember a time when you and Sanemi played pranks on the camp leaders. A growing ache suffocates your next breath. You peek at him, wondering where things went wrong. Part of you was mad that he walked away after the kiss and another part was angry because you enjoyed it so much. No matter what happened it felt like you couldn’t be friends with him. It was like the universe was keeping you away from each other for a reason unbeknownst to you.

When you both get back to the cabin nothing gets talked about. It’s an awful feeling, like abandonment all over again. Sanemi didn’t care enough about you to talk or explain why he kissed you. Everything was so nice until that stupid kiss that you couldn’t stop thinking about. The fact that it was that good, yet lasted about two seconds drives you mad.

It’s not until Saturday morning as the sky quakes with thunder and heavy rain, that you decide enough is enough. If he wasn’t going to talk to you, then you’d have to take it into your own hands. That was until there was a knock on your outside door. You get out of bed and open it to find Yena holding an umbrella. Her eyes are filled with some sort of sorrow as she blows out a heavy breath. “YN, deary, I need to speak with one of your kiddos. Can you bring Kenji to the main office? His mother is on the phone.” She explains, a sad smile creasing her lips. You nod your head, looking toward the cabin you knew Kenji was sleeping in.

You look back to Yena, wondering how serious it was for her to be so affected by it. “Yeah. Let me get dressed and I’ll bring him over before 8.” You reply, a cool wash of anxiety coating your insides. Yena nods.

“I’ll see you then.” She turns to leave, walking out into the downpour. You study her retreating form before shaking off the dreadful feeling that was wrapping around you. After slipping into a comfy pair of shorts and a hoodie you run over to cabin 3.

Knocking on the door a sleepy boy answers the door. You recognize him as Mikey, one of Kenji’s close friends. “Hey Mikey can you get Kenji for me, please? Tell him to get dressed and meet me out here.” You explain and the little boy shuts the door.

A couple of minutes later Kenji pops out of the door, eagerly running up to you. He hugs your legs and bounces up and down. “Are we going on a special mission Miss YN!?” He yells, grabbing onto your hand. For some reason your heart aches, sensing something is off.

You bend down to his level anyway, putting on your biggest grin. “We sure are! I needed my bravest soldier to help me on a secret quest.” Your face becomes stern and Kenji giggles, running around in a circle.

“Don’t worry Miss YN! I’ll protect you! Did’ya know I’m stronger than Mister Sanemi!?” He squeals, punching the air. You stand up, laughing off his comment about your co-leader. All those years carrying you around and taking care of his little brother were bound to build up excess strength. Plus those muscles of his were no joke…

Kenji latches onto your hand again as you walk the path to the main office. It’s not raining as hard as it was moments ago, but thunder still rolls through the sky. You walk him through the main office door, Yena waiting behind the counter with the phone pressed to her ear. She spots Kenji and waves him over. He sends a look at you over his shoulder before releasing your hand to walk to Yena’s side. She hands him the phone and his face instantly drops.

The hands of your past crawl back into your stomach, clawing out anything good and leaving behind gouges of trauma, boiling toward your throat. Kenji’s eyes start trembling as he clutches the phone to his ear. “No! No! You can’t!” He suddenly yells, pushing the phone away from him, sobs flooding from his mouth. You take a step toward him but he angrily glares at you before bursting through the front door. Yena slumps defeatedly against the wall.

You glance at the door still swinging shut. “Yena, what’s going on?” You inquire softly, terrified of the answer she’d give you.

She looks up, a pained expression taking the light away from her face. “Kenji’s parents are divorcing. His father isn’t going to be there when he gets back.”

Her words coast around in your brain before you turn on your heel and bolt after Kenji. No, no, please no. The similarities between your past and this moment is laughable as you cut through the trees. Your eyes wildly search for little Kenji, anywhere, somewhere. Thunder claps above your head but you ignore it, traveling further into the woods. “Kenji!” You scream, rain spitting into your eyes. “Kenji please come back!” You yell, cupping your hands around your mouth. You feel empty, yet full of terror. The same way you felt back then when your mother kicked your dad out of your life. The man that would take care of you when your mother got too angry or too drunk. He was gone forever, your protector. Left you to be fed to the monsters your mother harbored.

You split through a clearing, breathing heavily as the rain comes down with torrential intent. You feel like crying, screaming, throwing yourself off a cliff even, but you catch a glimpse of Kenji’s red shirt huddled up against the hallow of a tree. “Miss YN!” He cries, holding out his arms for you. “I’m scared.” You rush to his side, bringing him tightly to your chest.

The both of you cling to each other under the cover of the tree, sobbing with the sky. “It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here.” You breathe, stroking his head. Kenji curls up in your arms, trembling with tiny hiccups. You knew these woods like the back of your hand, but as the rain blurs your vision the realization crashes over you.

You had no idea where you were.

Sanemi watches the rain from his window, wondering what you were doing right now. He grunts as he slides off his bed, heading through the kitchen area to your door. He knocks lightly, aware that you might still be sleeping. “YN?” He calls out softly, but you don’t respond. He furrows his brows knocking harder. “YN?” His voice is firmer, but yet nothing comes from your room. He reached for the knob, twisting it open with ease. The door swings open revealing your empty room. He glances around, breathing in your scent and trying to push down the excitement of being in your personal space. He moves around your room, heading toward your outside door. He walks through it, feeling the cool breeze of the storm against his skin.

Where were you? He spots a group of boys sitting outside their cabin. He jogs over to them through the rain, stopping under the cover of their deck. “What’cha up to?” Sanemi inquires, planning on asking them if they’d seen where you went.

One of them looks at him. “Miss YN took Kenji and we’re waiting for him to come back because he wanted to play games with us.” He explains and Sanemi quirks a brow.

What was that about? “Do you know where?” Sanemi pushes. The same one that was talking to him shakes his head.

“They were headed toward the main office, but I’m not sure where exactly they were headed.” Sanemi thanks the group of boys before running toward the main office. When he swings open the door Yena is sitting at her desk with her head in her hands. She glances up when he walks further into the door.

Her features soften, a worried expression crossing her face. “Oh Sanemi, thank goodness. I’m so worried.” She rises from her seat, crossing over the carpet to his side.

A sense of dread hits the pit of his stomach like a weight of bricks. What was going on? Where were you? Why did Yena look so anxious? “What’s wrong?” Sanemi glances around the office, wishing that you’d pop out to surprise him.

Yena places a hand on his shoulder, turning his attention back to her. “Kenji ran into the woods and YN followed him.” She explains.

The feeling of concern amplifies as his blood cools. Not the woods again. “When?” He snaps, a strike of lightning illuminating the sky. Yena sighs, glancing at the clock on the wall.

“About an hour ago,” She trails off, furrowing her brows together. “Sanemi, please, find them.” Without a second thought, he runs into the woods. A flash of when he was younger causes him to halt at the tree line. His heart is beating erratically in his chest as he stares through the trunks of thick forest. He’d been too scared to continue on back then, but you were probably frightened too. Who was he to love you if he couldn’t face your terror? It’s then that he lifts up his wrist to view the matching bracelet. He shakes off his nerves and starts jogging through the foliage.

The rain soaks through his shirt, slicking his hair to the side of his face. He had to find you. Just a week ago you nearly drowned on his watch because of a stupid bet and now you were lost in the woods during a strong storm. Were you trying to test his patience? No… you most likely ran after Kenji because of your inner child. Something wanted to heal that part of you. Being a child was difficult, especially when you were taught that emotions were wrong.

Sanemi can remember the way your mother screamed as he pulled you angrily by your arm. Her grip left marks on you, red splotches of hatred spanning your tiny arm. She was cursing, screeching about how much of an embarrassment you were, if you loved your father so much then why didn’t you go find him? She was a pure blur of her past demons boiling up into one entity – against her own daughter.

Now, he would plunge a sword through her heart and save you from the wild beast. Take you away somewhere safe. If only he’d understood more back then. It was all his fault. He had no right to have these feelings toward you when all he caused you was turmoil. Yet, he can’t help but see your smiling face, blushing cheeks, and sparkling eyes. The way you stop to smell the breeze of the lake. How joyful you are with the kids, genuinely caring for them. Your sassy remarks when he got too flirtatious with you. The way your lips felt against his in that blissful moment. He… truly loved you. Every ounce, curve, and flaw. “YN!” He screams, the beating of his heart echoing in his ears.

Sanemi wants to tell you everything, instead of running to someone else. This was between you and him. He couldn’t last another second without telling you how much you meant to him. “YN! Where are you!?” He’s scanning the treeline, worry creasing his brows.

You and Kenji still, then look at each other. “Is that Mister Sanemi?” He asks, eyes welling with tears again. You brush your thumb over his plump cheeks, soothing him.

It’s not helpful that your heart picks up its beating rate at the thought. Sanemi had come to find you – well you and Kenji. Regardless, you’re a little too happy about it. “Over here!” You scream, covering Kenji’s ears.

Sanemi’s heart thumps against his ribcage as he hears you scream back for him. He glances around his surroundings, his eyes finally landing on a hint of red in the distance. “Hold on! I’m coming!” He charges toward the area your voice came from.

He sees your face, a sloppy mess of tears and wet hair, and he wants to drop to his knees. “Thank goodness…” You whisper, letting Kenji run to hug Sanemi’s legs. His eyes are locked on your every movement, studying if you are okay.

“We need to get you back, I don’t think you could’ve made it out of the forest.” Sanemi holds Kenji’s hand, waiting for you to start following him. Something holds you back though, a sinking feeling of guilt or shame – you weren’t sure which.

You had cried and hidden away just like when you were younger. Sanemi didn’t come to save you… he came to prove a point. You were still just that little girl, running away from her problems. You’re silent the whole way back, emotions dancing with thoughts. Yena hugs you and then yells at you for running out without a map. Kenji is sent to get a check-up from Shinobu. Everything feels like it’s underwater, floating past you. Only when you’re in front of your cabin do you snap out of the daze, peering up at Sanemi. “You didn’t think I could make it out on my own…” You mutter. He turns to you, knitting his brows together. “I thought you were there to save me, but you were just there to prove that you could do it. It had nothing to do with me.” Your body feels frozen, numb even.

Sanemi opens the door to his room. “That’s not it at all. Just give me a moment and we can talk about this later.” He replies, closing his door behind him. Later huh? You didn’t want later. Now was later.

You rush to his door, swinging it open angrily. “No, you don’t get to walk away. We’re talking about this now.” You snap, taking in Sanemi without a shirt. Why did he always have no shirt on? You halt, mouth gaping.

He sighs, tossing his wet shirt into his hamper. “Fine, you want to talk, let’s talk. It was careless of you to just run after Kenji like that.” He hisses, motioning to you. “Do you know how worried everyone was? I understand why you did it, but what if something had happened to the both of you? What then YN?”

You march up to him, poking at his chest. “You don’t understand shit Sanemi! Kenji ran into the forest. What was I supposed to do? Stand there and wait for some big muscley man to go in and find him? I did what felt right and you cannot blame me for that!” Your voice is quaking, on the verge of tears.

Sanemi scoffs, throwing his hands up in the air. “I’m not blaming you! For fuck’s sake can you stop thinking that everyone is out to get you!? I am not your mother. I care about you and blame myself every fucking day for what happened back then.” Wow. Did he really just bring up your mother? A tormenting ache twists your gut, sucking up any energy you had left.

His nostrils are flaring and your body buzzes with a newfound heat. It’s anger, it’s sexual frustration, and its adrenaline all wrapped up into one. “Yeah well, you have a real funny way of showing how sorry you are. It’s so funny how you can kiss me one day and then act like nothing happened the next.” You laugh tightly and watch as his brows shoot up.

A sarcastic laugh bubbles out of his throat. “Unlike you, I don’t face everything head-on. I was terrified after I kissed you, because yes I kissed you. Do you have any idea how confusing it is to realize after all these years that I’m in love with you? Then to realize that I’ve fucked up so massively that there’s zero chance of anything ever happening?” He hisses, rolling his lips into a tight line after his confession. This wasn’t how he pictured telling you, but at least it was out there now for you to hear.

Your body tenses, staring at Sanemi with wild eyes. Love? He was in love with you? It was like a slap in the face and a warm blanket at the same time. “Then fucking change my mind,” You order.

Sanemi’s eyes widen and his throat bobs with nerves. “Y’know I love it when you get bossy,” He whispers, grabbing your face with gentle vigor. The kiss starts off soft and genuine. Your hands travel into his soft hair, moaning lightly against his lips when his hands find their way to your ass. That’s when something animalistic awakens in the both of you. Sanemi spins you around and walks you back against the wall, pressing his knee between your legs. You groan through your mouth at the lovely pressure.

His lips work against yours, deepening the kiss into something feral and needy. “God, I want you.” You huff out between a break. You feel a cocky smirk on your neck where Sanemi nips at the junction of your shoulder. All those times you imagined the quick peck between you both was nothing compared to this. Kissing Sanemi was like pouring hot magma onto a frozen lake. Your body was alive with pinpricks of electricity.

You peer down, shakily watching him explore the planes of your body. This was all too much. He was someone you cherished, someone you hated… someone you – was it possible for you to even love someone? You care deeply for your friends, the kids, and this camp… but love? It's something so deep, so pure that it transcends everything. Did you love Sanemi Shinazugawa or were you crushing on him? The line was thin, but at the same time a cavern impossible to jump over. “Hey hey hey, where did you drift off to?” His voice breaks you out of the daze you were in. Your eyes blink up to meet his, soft and beautiful.

His warm hand reaches up to cup your cheek. “Do you need me to stop? I got caught up in my own selfish desires…” He trails off, looking away bashfully. Huh? Was this gruff man actually…adorable?

Leaning into his hand you shake your head. “I was just thinking about insecurities,” You laugh, meeting his gaze. Sanemi’s face softens and for once you wish your home life had been different. There were times you were grateful that what happened to you made you stronger, more resilient to people’s bullshit. Spinning it into a postive made you think less about the trauma. Now… you want to be something soft Sanemi can mold with his love. You yearn to fall into his blanketed warmth where somehow you’d be safe. “But I’m better now.” You finish, realizing all at once that it didn’t matter if you loved him, because you could love him. Love was something you were able to feel, eventually, that is. He could teach you. “Sanemi, I really like you… do you think – do you think we could continue kissing?”

An airy laugh blows through his nose as he guides you into a sitting positon on his bed. “M’course, just let me know if you want to stop.” His eyes light up micheviously, bending down to peck your lips teasingly. He sinks to his knees, sliding his hands down your outter thighs.

Sanemi was never someone you thought would stun you into silence, but as his gaze drops to the apex of your legs it suddenly becomes hard to speak. “What? Got no smart ass response?” He glances smugly up at you, rolling his tongue over his lips. Instead of replying you spread your legs apart for him. Your action brings his longing attention back to your clothed pussy, which clamps on nothing. “Mmm, I guess your body can do enough speaking,” He hooks a finger into your shorts, pulling them down your waist. “S’pretty.” He hisses, reveling in the way your panties cling to the dampness of your cunt. “All mine,” He’s muttering to himself like a mad man and maybe he was, but it brings a flush to your cheeks.

You squirm to fling your short to the side of his room, wiggling out of your underwear next. He watches like he’ll die if he looks away. “Sanemi I can’t hold back, please, I need you to do something.” You give him enough room to stay between your legs. His smirk worries you only slightly.

He stands, the girth of his cock outlined in his pants. “Just remember you asked for this. We’ll have plenty of time to take it slow later, but right now I can’t wait anymore either.” His eyes are a dark brooding purple as he slips the belt out of its loops smoothly. It’s one of the hottest things you’ve ever witnessed. Your childhood friend was about to fuck your brains out and the fact that you’d been fighting only made the tension in the room that much thicker.

Sanemi’s cock is longer than anyone you’d been with before and you can’t seem to look away from it. How the head weeps and is blush pink with untouched desire. He’s barely holding on, but the weight of reality slaps you across the face. “Do you have a condom?” You quip and he freezes. His cheeks blush as he glances at his nightstand.

“Can’t think why I wouldn’t pack condoms coming to a job where I’ve never had sex before…fuck. I can stop if you want to, I wouldn’t dare-”

“Sanemi, I could care less. Right now all I want is you. We’ll figure it out together.” You grab the back of his neck to bring him in for a kiss. As his lips work against yours he lines himself up at your entrance, brushing the head of his cock against the slick of your arousal. He hisses into your mouth as the tip slips into your warmth. A shaky moan echoes through both of you as you push your foreheads together to watch his cock slide into your pretty pussy.

You blow out a breath, throwing your head back in utter bliss. Sanemi fills you out beautifully, stretching your walls just enough to send shivers up your spine. “You feel perfect…you’re perfect,” Sanemi kisses you, slowly starting to move his hips. The muscles in your stomach tense with a hot iron of pressure.

“Haa, Sanemi, please,” You begin but he snaps his hips into yours. A loud slap of skin rattles through his room. Your eyes go wide and a sharp gasp pushes through your body.

He grins over you, sliding back on his knees and bringing you with him. “Mmm, shh babygirl, m’gonna take care of you.” He strings your legs over his hips, rocking you on his cock.

Moans burst from your mouth as you cling to his neck. “F’ Sanemi,” You gasp, his cock plunging deeper into your pussy than the previous postion.

“That’s it, let go pretty girl,” Sanemi burrows into you, a fucked out grin coating his lips. You feel like you’re almost split in two, but the sting bleeds into a sharp pleasurable throb. It radiates through your core, spreading tingles across your skin. Your head lolls to the side a bolt of electricity twisting around your stomach, coating it in the crashing waves of your climax. You’re both panting as Sanemi fucks into you, gripping your hips onto him.

The overstimulation makes you squirm on top of him, but he chaces his own crest, finally finding it when you grip the back of his head, fisting his hair. Warm cum coats your insides, Sanemi gently laying you back down on the mattress. You feel gooey inside, but there’s a silent happiness that brings a smile to your face.

“Fuck, I’m so sorry, I promise next time I’ll last longer- I, I…shit let me go get you a rag.” Sanemi pushes himself up on his elbows but you caress his cheek, calming the anxious glaze in his eyes.

“No, stay.” He’d finally found you… and you weren’t about to let him out of your sight for a long long time.

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