#Reader inserted

[toastyliltoasts]

"I promise"

A/N : Yall I miss the damn SMP so I wrote this .. It has a happy storyline dw dw ..

Warnings : Light swearing (It has 'ass' lmao and some *cough cough* other stuff) , Sort of panic attack but not really ?

Type : ANGST AND FLUFF MOTHERCLUCKERS LES GOOOOO

You try to adjust your baby blue coloured hoodie to 'almost' perfection using a mirror .. Today was the big day .. Your best friend Meme was getting married in less than 3 hours and you still couldnt figure out how to get your hair let alone clothes to look right ..

It was quite a ... fiesta when Meme announced his upcoming marriage to the lovely Wictoria (whom you've only heard of once or twice) .. Fiesta as in Socks refusing to believe Meme got engaged , Blaza and Tbh laughing their asses off and them almost getting sent to the ER just by the glares Meme was sending them (Because if looks could kill , They already dropped dead weeks ago) .. So it was quite obvious that everyone was underprepared for the wedding , Even the groom himself ..

Your job in the wedding being assisting with decorations , You had to get to the venue early and help the boys out with the chairs , the food (which you did not trust them with) and fixing the aisle but firstly you had to look like you could do all that .. After a few moments , You huffed a sigh of relief as you finally got your hair to a presentable sight and you took one last look in the mirror as you dashed off .. You're going to change before the wedding anyway , Might as well not ruin the good outfit ..

°•°•°•°•°

You flick a bead of sweat off your forehead as you looked around the venue , checking the mental checklist one by one ..

Chairs ? Check.

Aisle ? Check.

Flowers ? Check.

Food ? Ch- Well .. Half check ? .. You had to keep Muffin and Nadwe from turning the wedding into a war somehow ..

Your checklist gets interrupted by a sound of your own name and you crane your neck from your spot to see the one and only , Socksfor1 .. He's dressed in his usual spaceman outfit without the helmet ..

"Hey , You're early" You muse while dusting your hands on your already messy jean sleeves ..

"Eh you dont see Meme getting married to a cow everyday" He smirks as you both hug ..

"That for sure .. Meme said she's lovely though" You offer after you both break apart ..

"Yeah yeah .. Is that her ? Wictoria I mean .." Socks asks (after almost calling Meme a woman) , Tipping his head towards the wedding altar ..

"Uh I think so ? I havent been able to talk with her yet except for a few 'Hi's .. You're the one that invited her right ?" You question while your eyebrow travels to your hairline ..

Socks just shrugs while changing the subject ..

"Not to be a killjoy but are you wearing a hoodie and jeans to the wedding ?" He asks with a snicker ..

You immediately acknowledge your current outfit and nudge him in the ribs as payback when he laughs ..

"Of course not , You dumbass .. Says the person who wears an astronaut costume to the wedding and would you rather me wearing some fancy shit but drenched in sweat " You say , playfully rolling your eyes ..

"Ow .. No need to be so mean" He whines with a pout , slightly rubbing the area of impact on his ribs ..

"Yeah yeah you big baby .. I'll go change anyway .." You say while he replies with a 'be back soon please , I'll be bored if my favorite 'dumbass' is gone' to which you stick your tongue out at him ..

It doesnt take you long to change into your outfit , pat down the creases and fix your hair for the second time today .. Planning weddings were hard but as said before , You dont get to see Meme get married to a cow everyday ..

Socks smiles as you leave the changing room and sees your attire .. He'll be lying if he said you didnt look absolutely amazing .. He compliments you when you dramatically twirl to show off and asks you to come with him to get the guests .. You both run around , 'goofing around' being the correct terminology (I mean you worked hard , It was just a small reward) , until Socks sees Oompa and playfully calls him out for not being ready for the wedding while you act mock-offended ..

"Is that even legal" Oompa asks as you three wonder whether its okay to marry a cow ..

"I dont think this is legal" Socks replies with a light laugh .. You , Socks and Oompa share a look of nervousness until you hear Blaza ..

"Heeey Blaza .. Looking good , Looking good" You say as you greet him with a hug ..

"Could say the same to you , brudda" He replies as he ruffles your hair ..

"OH COME ON MAN .. I just fixed this" You cry out as you shield your hair from his wrath while he had the audacity to chuckle ..

"Blaza with the DRIP ?" Socks greets while bumping fists with Blaza ..

"Yeaaah .. Im looking kinda fly for this wedding , Y'know ?" Blaza says confidently while Socks starts to vent to Blaza about Oompa not being prepared at all ..

The wedding venue slowly started buzzing with people over the next hour as you and Socks greeted more guests .. You saw Muffin (With a weapon , might I add) looking at Socks with soulless eyes as Socks , Blaza and Oompa freaked out at being threatened with Muffin's 'weapon' .. You greeted both Muffin and Tbh with a hug (Eh Muffin's not bad at all .. Just has a questionable mentality but dont we all ?) and see Tbh doing some sorta crab dance with Socks and Blaza but just shrug it off ..

And you finally see the groom himself , Wearing a wedding dress .. You and Socks have a laughing fit , almost toppling over the carpet of the aisle itself .. But manage to keep it together long enough to greet Wolfster (Who confessed that he was just in it for the cake) .. And when Meme along with Laff start coming up the aisle , Socks definitely did not shake with silent laughter ..

"Memeee" You drag the last 'e' as you run over to hug him ..

"(Y/NNN)" He mirrors your actions and envelopes you in a hug ..

"You should've told me atleast a month before , You idiot .. I would've made it more presentable" You say flicking him on the forehead ..

"OW .. Im sorry IM SORRY .. That hurt like shit-" He cuts himself off mid-sentence seeing your glare ..

"You should be .. Anyways , Im happy for you" You grumble out reluctantly ..

"Thanks man" Meme says genuinely while patting your shoulder .. And soon you can visibly see the adrenaline start to set in in Meme ..

"Im actually getting married" He says while doing some dance that manage to crack both you and Socks up and also gets Laff to have an inner conflict with himself ..

"Im so happy for you Meme" Socks congratulates while doing a cursed dance himself .. Then Socks proceeds to 'compliment' Meme on how his dress matched his , soulless , eyes ..

Then before the actual wedding begins , Socks nervously realizes (and confesses) that he has infact invited not Wictoria but Bella , her sister .. And shamelessly murders her while you and all the others half-scream (Apparently , It 'had to be done') ..

And Nadwe coincidentally brings the real Wictoria and the wedding finally begins ..

Laff , as the priest , reads them the vows and Meme respectfully replies with an 'I do' to each rite (Even Wictoria responds... Verbally ? Even though Socks claims it could be a no) And halfway through the ceremony Nadwe interrupts the exchange of vows because he has to go to the 'bathroom' while in reality he goes behind a tree and proceeds to play vine boom sounds ..

And they move on from that incident as the time finally comes for the wedded couple to kiss .. Everyone cheers and hoots but your stomach churns .. You're happy for them , Really .. You know you are but something is just off .. Your eyebrows furrow together and your gut just screams at you when Meme nears Wictoria with passion some people only feel once in a lifetime .. Unbeknownst to you , You legs take you to the altar and push both Wictoria and Meme ..

It feels like time is messed up as you hear a sound of something loud followed by your friends' screams .. You feel the impact like bricks to your torso as you hit the ground , hard .. Your lungs feel like someone ran over them with a car .. You can still hear your friends screaming but its all oh-so distant .. All you wanted to do now was sleep for a bit .. I mean , Haven't you earned it ?

Your plans come out as foiled when you feel your arms and shoulder shaking .. Huh ? Definitely not doing that .. You try to focus on nothing but universe was just not having it .. It takes a long while for you to realise that you are being shaken .. Why cant people just leave you alone ?

You can feel your throbbing head being pulled towards something and your arms flailing around something ? Someone ? .. Damn , That must've been one hell of a fall .. Did you hit your head or something ? You must've .. That explains your head feeling like someone just performed surgery on you (Might be Meme , Who knows ?) ..

You lightly hear the far-off voice of the person dearest to you .. Socks ? What the hell was he doing ? Even when you're almost-dead (You guessed you were) he cant leave you alone ? Just why man .. You decide to try to open your eyes to savour him for his attempts atleast one last time ..

You see Socks' usual goofy , happy demeanor overshadowed by one of greif and concern .. You wish for the ringing in your ear to just scram so that you can hear what Socks is oh-so desperately trying to say .. Years of close friendship lead you to believe Socks is trying to tell you to get your shit together and focus (Atleast the latter part) ..

Warning : Small panic attack

You try to do just that and you can hear him trying to tell you to.... Breath ? But you're already breathing ..

You mentally roll your eyes and do so just so you could tell him to shut up .. Surprisingly , The pain in your lungs lessen and lessen the more you breath .. And , accordingly , You see a bit of relief etching on to Socks' face ..

Scene over

"God you scared the shit out of me" Socks whispers dejected ..

"That easy?" You croak out , a broken sentence to cheer him up , to which he offers a half-hearted smile ..

Then after some time you see Meme running over to you with a bit of gauze and some sort of bottle .. His face mirroring one of Socks' own , As if worry was permanently drawn on to his face .. Yet his hands are steady and swift as he cleans your.. head ? You mustve actually hit it or shit .. Well that explai- FUCK THAT HURTS

"FUC-"

Your train of thought gets interrupted as Meme pours the liquid in the bottle onto an area on your head .. Your arms scramble around and not-so graciously holds on to Socks' hand as you grit your teeth after not-so graciously swearing .. Next time a warning would be nice , Yeah ?

After what seemed like decades , Meme wraps your wound with gauze and gives you a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder .. You weakly smile to lighten up the mood , making a mental note to not mock Meme's medical degree for atleast a month ..

"You should get some sleep" Socks offers ..

"Mm" You agree while your eyelids already droop ..

After that torture you definitely wanted to sleep so you slowly slip in to slumber , praying to everything to let you have this ..

°•°•°•°•°

You open your eyes to blinding light and immediately regret your actions .. You try to slowly creek open your eyes to minimise the impact and succeed .. You look around to see that you're in some place totally different , Your house ?

You recognize the familiar surroundings .. Bed , desk and windows- These are your ones .. Yet you take one more look around to confirm and see a tired Socks hunched over the bed , with his head on the said furniture , sleeping soundly while gripping on to your hand as if its his lifeline ..

You smiled to yourself as you carefully detached your hand from his , reached over your hand and ran it through his soft curls .. The spaceman awoke with a groan while rubbing his eyes as you retreat your hand to yourself .. Recognition flashed in his tired eyes as he scrambled to straighten up , all sleep gone from him ..

"(Y/N) ?" Socks asks disbelievingly ..

"Sup .. What'd I mi-" You croak out only to get cut off by a bear hug from the man himself ..

"My god I thought you were- dead" He forces out ..

"Me too ? The hell ha-" You start ..

"You fucking jumped on to that altar and hit your head on the steps like the dumbass you are .. Thats what happened" Socks said angrily as if he read your mind .. You let out a condescending sigh ..

"Im sorry .. I just-.. had a bad feeling and didnt know what else to do" You replied in a soft voice , hanging your head on your shoulder ..

"You shouldnt put yourself in last place .. Your life matters as well" Socks whispers , on a different approach which just did more to piss you off other than to see him so worried ..

"What else was I supposed to do ?" You ask quietly , anger slightly showing through ..

"Anything .. Anything else .. You could've atleast told me .. Did you even think of what would've happened if you got hurt ? What would you do then , Huh ?  What the hell am I supposed to do if something bad happens to you ?" Socks frustratingly runs his hand through his messy brunette hair as he shouts the last part which betrays the raw emotion like hurt and worry in his voice .. You place your hand on his hand , The one that isnt messing with his hair right now , and try to calm him down ..

"Im really sorry .. I didnt think that through .. Its dumb , I know" You say while settling on a hug to calm Socks down .. He hugs back immediately and buries his face in your shoulder ..

"Please dont do that shit again" He asks you so quietly that you barely pick it up ..

"I promise"

°•°•°•°•°

YOOOOOOO

2609 words duuuuuudes (Btw 609 *Insert troll face*)

Update : Sadly it is 2662 words :'c

Update : GUESS WHAT ? ITS 2669 >:DDD

Les gooooooo

Im officially a certified writer /j lmao

Anyway , Hope you enjoyed

[thatboisus]

me logging onto tumblr after consuming a new piece of media

[innerenigma]

•Normalize Fanart for Fanfics Again You Fools•

It's not cringe anymore (it SHOULDN'T be cringe anymore), just do it. You're doing something you enjoy, who cares what anybody else says! So spread the words my fellow internet brethren.

Spread the Word :)

[reiyaus]

fem reader intended

husband nanami who quit working overtime because he hated seeing you stay up so late- dozing off on the dining table, a warm plate of food waiting for him at 11:37 on a tuesday night.

husband nanami who carries you to bed, making sure you were warm before focusing on getting unready himself. putting your health before his, like always.

husband nanami who make sures to eat the food you’ve prepared for him, appetite or not, because putting your cooking to waste would make him feel even more guilty (if possible).

husband nanami who likes waking up and catching you in the kitchen, dancing to the music while preparing his lunch. sometimes he even sees you taking small samples of his food before stopping yourself from eating the whole thing.

husband nanami who goes to work with his bento inside his bag, staring at it his whole shift and counting the hours until he gets to read what you’ve written him for the day.

husband nanami who stores all your letters inside the first drawer of his desk, rereading them as if they’re motivational quotes on a coffee cup whenever his coworkers and boss start testing his remaining bits of patience.

husband nanami who leaves the office building the moment his shift is over and heads straight to your favorite café, ordering every single one of your favorite pastries- not minding how the number keeps increasing with every beep.

husband nanami who surprises you, freshly out the shower, with a huge bag full of bread you’ve been craving the whole week.

husband nanami who helps you with your post-shower routine while ocassionally feeding you, laughing at how your eyes never left the bag the moment he came home.

husband nanami who makes sure you actually get to sleep before 10 pm, leaving no excuses as he carries you to the bed again, but this time you’re laughing and gripping onto his shoulders.

husband nanami who traps you in his hold, lulling you to sleep as he apologizes for all the times he made you stay up late- sleeping uncomfortably on the table.

husband nanami who gets to sleep another night with your face as the last thing he sees.

and husband nanami who wakes up another morning, with your skin being the first thing he feels.

[meiramenu]

Hii!! This is a series that I will mainly be focused on hope you enjoy!

Soul Switcher

☆ The classic story of two unknown lovers. ☆

The sun shined brightly into your window. The delicate music of the birds has brought a tin of hope and glory into your room. You ran down the stairs after fixing your hair, and putting on your clothes for school. The starchy smell from your mom's dark coffee lingered in your nostrils, tickling your brain. 

“Hey honey, ready for school?” your mom said, bringing the rim of the porcelain cup to her lips.

“Yes,” you said picking up your backpack. The bell rang, You stepped into your History class flopping your backpack down next to you. History class was one of your favorite classes. Yeah, learning about the different periods of time and learning about different cultures, was fun but staring at Krist’s gorgeous face was even more amazing, just as he is, I mean he WAS the captain of the swimmer's team. You have been thinking a lot lately about maybe going to one of the games. 

“Okay, class settles down.” Mr Stayser said, clapping his hands together in one swift motion. The whole class fell into silence, everyone was now staring at Mr Stayser.

“ I hope you guys had an amazing first day of school yesterday,” He said while replacing the number 4 on the board with a 5. 

“Well, let's get our first project ready”. Everyone's eyes rolled in sync one student sprinted out their arm and yelled without waiting for the teacher's approval to talk.

“It's literally the  2nd day of school why the hell do we already have a project.” He spoke out everyone's thoughts.  The teacher put a pause to his writing before ignoring the student’s statement and continuing his commotion on the board. The student sank into his seat. Partner culture project. He spelled it on the board. 

“So today I will assign you guys a partner for a project,” he said putting down his black marker.

“ It will be a year-round project so it will count for half of your grade,” he said, crossing his arm over his torso. 

“This project will require you and your partner to make very deep and insightful Google slides, or posters on a culture that I will be chosen by me” I could feel all the students ready to bounce on Mr Stayser like he was some kind of bush meat. A student nervously put up their hand. 

“Yes,” Mr Stayser said, giving the student permission to speak.

“Can we pick our own partn-” 

“Nope software will be randomizing you guys’ partners,” He said making his way to his desk and projecting his computer onto the board. 

you hear groans and exciting noises, you were partnered up with Krist, and you are excited, you turn around to see Krist's reaction, and he rolls his eyes. Oh. 

  “Go,” Mr Stayser said, the person next to me got up, and just as fast krist sat next to me, 

“Say hi to your partner, get used to them” you gulped

“After all you will be spending the rest of the year with them” Kirst stayed silent, did you really think he would talk to you? How pathetic. 

Mr. Stayser came up to you placing a roughly folded paper in between you and Krist. Krist reached out his veiny hands and unfolded the paper. 

“Italy,” he said. 

“Should we meet at my house?” you said.

“yeah whatever,” he said leaning in his seat and staring at the ceiling, his Adam's apple bopping up and down while he spoke. 

“Here is my number,” he said giving you the small piece of paper your country had previously been on. 

“Oh ok I will just text you my address,” you said holding the tiny piece of paper in your hands. Did Kristofer Smith, just give you his phone number? The bell rang. 

“Oh well see you there,” he said getting his backpack. 

“Y-yeah sure” you replied. 

He gave you a small nod before stepping out of class. His girlfriend was waiting for him.

You took your bag and walked to your next class.

[rissouu]

“the fuck are you doing, woman? you keep wakin’ me up,” sukuna woke up to your tossing and turning in bed. you’d been rolling around for the past hour now, not finding much comfort in the small breeze coming from the window. it was so god damn hot you felt like you were on fire.

the irritation in your boyfriends voice was clear, you almost felt bad for keeping him up, even if it wasn’t intentional. “‘m in pain ryo. i told you i started my period yesterday, my cramps are jus’ now showing up.”

your body was sprawled across the edge of the bed, a shaking mess. you couldn’t stop moving or the pain in your lower stomach would get even worse. you learned that over the many years of being cursed by this cycle all woman had to go through.

“tch,” he took one look at your shaking body through the darkness. the demon would never admit it, but he actually felt bad. he knew about women and how they usually endure this torture every month, but yours had never been this bad— from what he’s seen at least.

“y’think you’d feel better if i..” sukuna trailed off while staring at the pitch black ceiling. “cuddled you? i think that’s what they call it,” his hand played with the hem of your shirt. even though it was dark, he could still feel the gaze of your addicting eyes.

“you don’t have to ryo! i know that’s not your type of-”sukuna cut you off so quick, almost as if he already knew what you were going to say, and he didn’t want to hear it.

within a blink of an eye he gripped at your waist and pulled you closer to him, hands wrapped around you so tight that there was no room for escape. “shut up brat, n’ just let me do this for you.”

you gasped at the quick change in position, still shocked by how fast he moved. sukuna’s body heat was enough to put you at ease and before you knew it, the shaking had finally stopped.

it was probably because of the rather large hand rubbing at the skin of your lower stomach, or the soft hint of cologne engulfing your senses. you didn’t know what it was, but sukuna fixed your problem in an instant. the cramps were still there, coming and going here and there but they weren’t as painful anymore.

maybe now he could finally get some damn sleep.

©rissouu 2024 :D

[shortnsweetsposts]

Child!Damian: *Trying to hug Bat!reader*

Bat!reader: Leave alone, baby.

Child!Damian: *Looked up at Bat!reader with them big ol'eyes*

Bat!reader: ...

Bat!reader, starts ugly sobbing and hugged child!Damian back: YOU'RE MY BABY. YOU'RE MY BABY AND I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

Batfam: Oh wow

[fromduck]

Me with you guys simping over hot men

[mcntsee]

me when i get asked why i suddenly dislike a character (i can’t tell them it’s because i read a fanfic where said character made y/n’s life miserable and now i have personal beef with them)

[dreadheadmadi]

“Reader has black hair and blue eyes-“

THEN ITS NOT AN X READER!!???

Edit below cut

Hey guys, so when I made this post, I was extremely frustrated and annoyed. Now that I’m way more mellowed out and had the chance to read a lot of reactions and responses, let me act my age and actually clarify some things.

First, I want to apologize to those who were deeply upset by my post. My post overall was towards those who claim they don’t write for a specific audience, and yet put specific descriptions in their work. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with adding certain details to your reader, such as gender or body type. The issue comes in when you don’t properly title and tag it as so, or completely ignore it altogether.

If you see my post as an eye opener and want to change up your work, then you have every right to do so, but please do not think that this is an attack or jive directed at you. It’s just that some of us readers want exactly as promised. Like for example, imagine if someone asked if you wanted some fresh fruit they grew themselves. You agree, and when they show up, instead of handing you fruit, they give you a carton of eggs. Now, you might not mind eating eggs, but you were promised fresh fruit, not eggs.

I know some writers have said that they want to be more inclusive in response to my criticism. If that is what you truly want, then by all means, but I cannot stress enough: write what YOU want to write. Do not feel as though you’re being pressured to change what you put out; it’s just a means of how you categorize it.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read, respond, and engage with my original post. I truly appreciate the perspectives shared, they’ve helped me see things more clearly and refine my thoughts.

[minus-plus-zer0]

Comparing Hand Sizes

This was the stupidest love advice Bakugou ever received. But he had to give it a shot.

Bakugou approached you at the house party, steeling himself for the worst. The Bakusquad would have hell to pay if this didn’t work.

“Oi,” Bakugou said. “Wanna compare hand sizes?” 

“Um… sure?” 

He feared that you might’ve already caught onto his little game, but you still held up your hand against his. 

“Guess mine’s bigger,” Bakugou said, as instructed. 

Bakugou didn’t know where to fucking go from here, because the idiots didn’t give him the full instructions for this dumb trick. Bakugou went with his gut instead. His fingers intertwined with yours, letting both your hands drop. His hand still gripped yours firmly. 

You laughed in his face. “Really? This is how you finally make a move on me? You’re such a dork!”

“S-so what? It fucking worked, didn’t it?!”

After that, Bakugou didn’t let go of your hand for almost the entire night. He didn’t endure that embarrassment for nothing. However, he knew he needed more.

“So... ya wanna compare lips too? Wonder whose is better.”

“Wow. You are sooooo dorky!”

“Will you just get over here?!”

[toastyliltoasts]

Accompanied (Blaza x Reader)

Today wasnt the worst day , per se , but it wasnt the best either .. You woke up 20 minutes late , So you skipped breakfast .. You got ready for work while shoving a peice of toast into your mouth , munching also being a quite difficult task when you're trying to change into casual work clothing ..

You raced down the stairs of your apartment building when you bump into someone .. Well , You didnt have time to pick up all your stuff let alone take a proper look at the figure .. You scrambled to pick up your , scattered , stuff from the ground , The stranger helped you with steady motions .. "Thank you so much .. Im really sorry by the way" You said  with a smile as you finally looked at the person .. You didnt notice much as he wore a weirdly cute face mask that covered half his face .. "Its fine honestly" He said as he smiled (Which is obviously covered by the mask) .. You awkwardly let out a bye and ran off ..

You almost miss your bus as you manage to make it without a second to spare .. You sat down on a window seat as you watched the raindrops race , quite childishly might I add .. Your peripheral vision caught people moving around and some even sitting next to you .. But you didnt even think to pay them attention for some reason .. You gaze outside the window , the same sceneries you've seen for the past few years or so .. So undoubtedly , The boring view- well, bored you as your eyes start feeling droopy ..

So that led to you missing your stop and getting off the bus , muttering a small 'thank you' to the driver , at a couple stops ahead from your original stop .. You tried to hail a cab and drove all the way there , completely anxious ..

You reached work 35 minutes late .. But to your absolute luck , You boss was also late and you got off scot-free .. Well , You still had to do the work that you delayed by 35 minutes so not exactly scott free .. So you made a mental note to never fall asleep on the bus ever again .. It might've even scarred you for life ..

You reach home absolutely wasted and dropped on your couch like some heavy , lifeless limbs .. You re-adjust yourself to find a better , comfortable way to sit but that's next to impossible due to the stuffiness of your couch .. You debate if whether or not you should go to your spot *A/N : You crackheads , Get. Your. Head. Out. De. Gutter lmao* ..

Aah , Your favorite spot .. Living in an incredibly small apartment apparently has it own perks .. The rooftop of the apartment building was something you accidentally stumbled upon all those years ago .. It had a spectacular view of the whole city especially  at night with the artificial lights providing a calm aesthetic .. It was also isolated , Making it the perfect place for some time alone when having a bad day .. For example ; Today ..

You decide to just wing it and open your balcony door which leads to the spiraling staircase *A/N : Just imagine the stairs from Spider Man lol* .. You climb it like muscle memory .. To be honest *A/N : Pun absolutely intended* , It might as well be since moving into a new place is-  difficult to say the least .. So to say that you spend a lot of time there would be an understatement ..

You absent-mindedly reach the highest floor as you step on the cement block placed to provide some stability without difficulty .. You walk over to the edge of the building which was surrounded by waist-high walls ..

You gape as you see a figure sitting at your normal spot .. You didnt want to sound selfish because the building wasn't and wont ever be yours, but you cant help but feel a bit of anger with confusion because well , You've certainly been there more than them .. Because-

The person turns towards you , Obviously alerted by your footsteps and startled .. You see a strangely familiar guy with fluffy , dirty blonde hair and piercing eyes .. You swear you've seen him before .. You think back to last week to possibly remember if you've seen him before but you come up empty handed ..

"Uh hi" A deep voice drags you out of your thoughts as you look at him sending you a nervous smile .. Then it hits you like a train that he was the person you met earlier today at  the stairs .. "You're not here to mug me or possibly kill me are you ?" He jokes as you laugh/giggle/(whatever youre comfortable with cuz u rock <3) .. "Nah im not intrested in that" You say playing along while still having a huge smile on your face .. "Im broke as hell so you probab- OH have I taken your spot ? Im so sorry if I have" He says , already getting up , as sudden realisation hit him .. "Its fine honestly" You say mirroring his words he said prior to you .. He grins .. "Im Blaza" He introduces himself as he sheepishly rubs the nape of his neck .. "(Y/N)" You reply , smiling yourself .. "You can stay here if you want" You assure him ..

"Ill take you up on that offer"

°•°•°•°•°•°

You two sit down on the edge of the building , parallel to the streets and the other side of the building .. You talk for hours about , everything to be honest .. You learn that he's new to the neighborhood so you do the honor of filling him on what information you need to have about living here .. He seems grateful as you two talk like old friends who havent seen eachother in a long time .. You flail your arms around when explaining some things and use other  dramatic gestures to back up your point .. He finds you amusing and you , vice versa .. After the talk dies down , You start to gaze at the stars and try to make shapes out of certain constellations .. And emphasis on 'try' ..

"That looks like an among us character" "Ha ha very funny .. Its 2023 , Get some new jokes" "Oh cmonnn .. You have to admit it was funny" "Do I look impressed to you ? You can do bette- OoOO That ones a monkey" "It kinda does look like one , doesnt it ?" "That ones a crown .. You see that ?"

As it hit almost midnight you two exchange numbers while your heart pounded .. Get your crap together .. You're barely friends .. And you two bid eachother goodbye as you heart flutters ..

°•°•°•°•°•°

Hehehehheheh ..

Wattpad literally deleted my draft mid-writing so I wrote this AGAIN .. See my dedication folks ?

[thatboisus]

reading a good ass fanfic up until it said something that just makes you want to stop reading

[savi0rr]

Darling Wife .ᐟ

Viktor x Fem! Reader

In which, Viktor has a sweet wife that, weirdly enough, no one really knew about.

a/n: hi divas! Erm this is my first time writing for Viktor so I'm sorry if he sounds out of character.

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"Viktor? What is that on your finger?" Jayce inquired, suddenly appearing behind Viktor and peering curiously over his shoulder. Viktor felt a knot form in his stomach as he glanced down at his hand, where a gleaming wedding band rested snugly on his finger. He cursed under his breath, realizing he had meant to remove it but had completely forgotten in the whirlwind of his work.

"Just a ring," Viktor replied evasively, casting a quick look back at Jayce while clicking his tongue in annoyance. Jayce, however, was undeterred. He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest, a teasing smirk forming on his lips. "Isn’t that the same finger where wedding rings typically go?" he challenged, his eyes narrowing with curiosity. "Don’t tell me you actually have a wife?"

Viktor maintained his silence, his heart racing in response to Jayce’s playful interrogation. "Even if I did, I wouldn't share that information with you," he said tersely, redirecting his attention back to the Hextech gemstone in front of him, his mind racing as he tried to refocus on his work.

Jayce, still leaning casually against the desk, raised his eyebrow further, the smirk on his face beginning to fade away. He studied Viktor’s expression closely, a frown of confusion.

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“Viktor has a wife? That’s just absurd,” Mel declared, waving her hand dismissively as if to brush away the very notion. 

“No, I swear! He’s actually wearing a wedding ring. When I asked him about it, he responded with, ‘Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you,’” Jayce insisted, leaning closer to Mel's desk, his hands planted firmly on the surface.

Mel rolled her eyes in disbelief, leaning back in her chair and letting her hands fall into her lap. “Who on Earth would marry Viktor?” she whispered, her curiosity piqued as she leaned forward slightly, her expression a mix of intrigue and skepticism. “No offense, but…” she trailed off, momentarily glancing away, her thoughts clearly racing.

Jayce sighed, exasperated. “I mean, it’s not the best image, is it?” he muttered, shrugging as he contemplated the idea. His mind seemed to wander as he contemplated the strange pairing. “Plus, why do you even care?” Mel asked, raising an eyebrow at him, a hint of playful challenge in her voice. “Because I want to know what she looks like!” he responded with a hint of frustration, glancing off to the side, and groaning.

Mel pondered for a moment, her brow furrowing. “Even if he did have a wife, wouldn’t she be here at the Academia with him?” she pointed out, her curiosity beginning to overshadow her previous skepticism. “That’s exactly what I’m saying!” Jayce exclaimed, running his fingers through his hair in agitation. “It doesn’t add up!”

With a sigh, Mel straightened up, her expression turning serious. “Look, I have much bigger problems to deal with than figuring out who Viktor is married to,” she stated firmly.

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"When do you think he sees his wife?" Mel asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she peeked around the corner of the dimly lit hallway. The soft glow of fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting shadows on the walls of the Academia. Jayce followed her gaze, cautiously poking his head out to get a better look.

"Hmm... maybe when he isn’t buried under a mountain of work," Jayce mused, tilting his head and furrowing his brow in thought. His dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, and he swept it back with a casual motion. Mel, with an exasperated huff, rolled her eyes dramatically. 

"You should know this! You’re his partner, for crying out loud," she murmured, her tone tinged with disbelief as she crossed her arms. Jayce's expression shifted to one of sheepishness, his cheeks flushing slightly as he glanced away, avoiding her accusatory gaze.

"But I leave before him. I'm already gone by the time he usually starts his day. And when I come back to the lab, it’s always just him—working away, lost in his experiments," Jayce replied, his shoulders lifting in a shrug that conveyed both confusion and resignation. He could sense Mel's frustration, but the truth was, Viktor’s work schedule was a puzzle he had yet to solve.

Mel sighed heavily, her brow knitting together in thought. "How do you not know… never mind," she grumbled, her voice trailing off as she turned her attention back to Viktor, who was at that moment preparing to leave. 

"Shhh!" Jayce hissed urgently, his eyes widening as he quickly placed a hand over Mel's mouth, the sound echoing loudly in the stillness. They both watched in silence as Viktor slowly began to rise, gripping his crutch tightly under his arm while gathering his belongings with meticulous care. He seemed unaware of the two pairs of eyes on him, lost in his own world.

Viktor gripped his documents as he walked down the hallway, his eyes narrowed. He made his way down to the back of the Academia, opening a door. Jayce and Mel looking out the window from the other story. "The hell is he doing?" Jayce muttered under his breath. "Look," Mel said, spotting you not too far in the distance. "Is that his wife?" Jayce whispered.

"Viktor." You spoke up, smiling when you saw him. You stood up from the bench you were sitting at. Viktor eagerly wobbled over to you. "I've been waiting." You teased lightly, taking the documents from his hand and placing them down on the bench. Viktor could only stare at you. He hadn't seen you in a while. But he'd never say that he missed you. "How are you doing?" You asked gently, guiding him to sit down, placing his crutch aside. "I've been...well," Viktor said plainly. "I could be better." He muttered, glancing off to the side. You nodded, sitting beside him. You glanced down at his hand, raising an eyebrow. "You wore your wedding ring?" You asked, a small smile forming on your face. Viktor's cheeks warmed a bit, sighing. "I meant to take it off." He grumbled as his fingers ran over the wedding band. "I'm glad you wore it. It suits you." You giggled lightly, placing your hand over his.

Meanwhile, with Jayce and Mel, they could only stare in shock. "Of course, he has a pretty wife too!" Jayce groaned as he shook his head. "Of course," Mel muttered as she sweat drops. "Who knew she was so darling?"

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[yanderedrabbles]

Yandere Yakuza

When your brother gets himself deep into debt, one yakuza is surprisingly willing to help you get him out. Word Count: 4.3k

When your brother asks you to visit him in Tokyo, something about his voice makes your big sister instincts buzz.

He's great at putting on a show, but there's a twinge of nervousness to him that you've seldom heard before.

You spend your first week in the city with your hackles raised, trying and failing to figure out what he's hiding from you. And you might never have figured it out.

But then he showed up.

Yandere! Yakuza who kicks open your brother's door at three in the morning, a cigarette in one hand and a baseball bat in the other.

You scramble out of bed, convinced you're about to be murdered. And it's only your brother's hand hastily slapped over your mouth that keeps you from screaming bloody murder.

"Relax, I know these guys."

Despite his words, your brother doesn't look relaxed at all. His eyes dart around the room and he balls his fists into his jeans. It's a habit he hasn't broken since childhood and before you know it, you're stepping between him and a dangerously scarred yakuza.

Your Japanese is beyond rudimentary and your course didn't exactly cover how to have conversations with members of an organised crime family, but you tilt your chin back and try to keep your voice steady.

"Naze anata ga koko ni iru no ka? [why are you here?]"

Yandere! Yakuza who shamelessly leers at your tiny summer pyjamas. He pulls at his cigarette and when he speaks, his English is heavy with an accent.

"Came to collect what he owes us."

Of all the possible answers he could have given you, that was one you don't expect in the slightest. You turn to your brother and the way he avoids your eyes is answer enough. God, how could he be so stupid? Didn't you teach him better?

Yandere! Yakuza who came prepared to smash furniture and rough up a stubborn debtor suddenly finds himself at the mercy of your glare. You're at least a foot or two shorter than him and somehow it feels like he's the one being overpowered.

"How much does he owe?"

"Sis really I can-"

Yandere! Yakuza who scoffs and names a number much, much larger than you expected. It takes every ounce of will power not to scream at your brother right then and there. How could he get himself into such a mess? He's barely been here more than six months!

Yandere! Yakuza who watches the emotions flicker across your face and has to admire the way you fight them back. The only sign of your fear is a slight tremble in your hand.

"How much do you need tonight?"

The amount he names is just about everything you have in savings. You bite your lip. One look at him tells you everything you need to know. This isn't some small time crook. The pin on his suit jacket is clear as day, even to a foreigner like you.

You pull your coat over your pyjamas and grab your handbag.

"Let's go then."

When you step out into the hall, you're met with two other Yakuza. How didn't you notice them?

You meet their eyes, trying your absolute hardest to seem unruffled. Predators get violent when they sense fear, right? So don't like them catch that smell on you, no matter how fast your heart is racing.

The night air nips at your skin as you head to the nearest ATM.

"Sis it isn't that bad, I swear -"

"We'll talk about it later, ok?"

Yandere! Yakuza who walks close behind you. You can catch the smell of his cologne - something woody and pleasantly sharp.

When you slip your card into the ATM, he leans against the wall next to you and pulls out another cigarette. He watches you while he lights it, the flame throwing his cheekbones into sharp relief.

"You got a boyfriend?"

You're genuinely surprised. Your relationship status isn't exactly on your list of things dangerous criminals should be concerned about.

"No. I don't."

He let's the smoke curl up between his teeth.

"Good. Pretty girl like you shouldn't bother with relationships."

"Why not?"

The ATM spits out your cash before he can answer.

He doesn't take the money immediately. Instead, he let's his eyes roam down your body, like he can still see what's underneath your bulky coat.

"You're never gonna pay it off at this rate."

"You're offering me advice? Didn't think that was part of your job."

"Sōde wa arimasen [it isn't]. But what kind of man would I be if I didn't help you out?"

He digs in his inner pocket and you catch a glimpse of the gun holstered under his jacket.

He pulls out a business card and scribbles something at the back of it.

"He hasn't told you, but we've got his passport. He can't leave until he's settled what he owes."

You suck in a sharp breath at that. How much worse could this situation get?

He holds out the card. "Come work for us and maybe we can work out a better deal, yeah?"

You scoff. "Does that deal involve selling my organs?"

He smiles a little at that. "Īe - no. It's easy work. Come by tomorrow and see for yourself."

You look down at the card and the hand offering it. His tattoos peak out of his sleeve, blue-black and twisting in patterns you can't recognise. Better to not offend a gangster, right?

You take the card.

"Iiko [good girl]."

He turns to go, his baseball bat slung over his shoulder. "See you tomorrow hanī [honey]."

He's barely out of sight before you're grabbing your brother's ear and dragging him back to the apartment.

You spend the rest of the night talking to - or more accurately, interrogating - your brother.

"Gambling? What the hell where you thinking?"

"I was drunk, okay?"

You hiss and rub at your temples. And the worst part? The yakuza was right. You can't pay it off. Not without a very well paying job.

His card glares at you from the kitchen table. An easy job, huh?

The address on the card leads you to a hostess club in the middle of the Red Light District.

He isn't going to kidnap you in the middle of the day in the middle of the city, right? Slightly comforted, you make your way into the club.

It's cool and dark, lit by colorful lamps more than anything. You show the card to the bartender and a few minutes later your yakuza is sitting across from you and ordering you both drinks.

Yandere! Yakuza who wears a suit in the slouched, lazy way of a school delinquent. Shirt unbuttoned so you can see the edge his tattoos and the gold chain gleaming at his neck.

He gestures at the bar and the room around you, his cigarette hanging lazily between his fingers. "The Family owns this place. And my kyodai manages it."

He studies you while he smokes, eyes dipping to your chest and lingering. "You can work as a hostess here. Make good money and we'll take a cut of it to pay off what your brother owes."

You take a sip of your drink to avoid answering him. The sake leaves a tingle on your lips.

"But I'm not exactly fluent in Japanese. How am I supposed to entertain customers?"

He grins wolfishly at you. "Just wear something tight and you won't have to talk at all."

"Perv," you mutter into your drink.

On the surface, you can't see anything wrong with his offer. It makes perfect sense - the club gets a new girl they barely have to pay and your brother's creditors don't need to keep tracking him down.

But he's a yakuza and you'd be a fool to trust him.

"Fine. I'll work here, try my hardest to learn Japanese and sell drinks."

You hold his gaze. "But I'm gone the second I think you're being shady. Got it?"

Yandere! Yakuza who smiles like he's won the lottery. "Wakatta [got it]."

When you show up later that evening, he's your first customer. He orders you a bottle of champagne and keeps topping up your glass without ever touching his own.

A few drinks in you manage to finally loosen up enough to hold a conversation. He asks you endless questions - about your childhood, your hobbies, the movies you've been watching.

But in return, he dodges any question you throw at him. "Don't ask about my family." "My childhood was boring. You don't want to hear about it." "Hobbies? Does puss-"

"No."

"Then no."

He's surprisingly fun to talk to. And when he gets a call and has to leave you, there's a pang of disappointment that you can't quite mask.

He grins and flicks your forehead. "Don't miss me too much."

When you pick up the bill, you realise he left you a hefty tip. You stare at it and then at his retreating back. Just what is his angle?

Yandere! Yakuza who's back the next day and the one after that. He sprawls in the booth like a spoiled prince, his arms thrown across the headrest and his legs spread.

"Let me teach you Japanese."

You perk up. A native teacher would be so much easier to learn from compared to the dense textbooks you've tried using.

"Repeat after me. Onegaishimasu. It means 'please'."

You try and imitate his intonation. He walks you through a few more common phrases with moderate success.

"Need to work on your accent, but that was decent. Ready to try something longer? Anata wa totemo hansamudesu ne [I think you're very handsome]."

"Anato wa...wa totemo hansam... hansamudesu ne."

He smirks at you over the rim of his glass. He seems immensely pleased.

"What does it mean?"

"Just another way to... greet someone. Kinda tricky though, so you should just use it on me."

He spends the rest of the day explaining kanji and grammar. You take notes on the back of a receipt and promise to rewrite them when you get home.

Your shift is practically over when he finally stands to leave.

"Say goodbye like I taught you."

"Anata wa totemo hansamudesu ne."

He grins at you again, his voice a bit sweeter when he replies. "Anata mo totemo kireidesu ne [you're pretty too]."

You tilt your head, struggling to understand. You don't recognise the phrase, but he's gone before you can ask what it means.

Yandere! Yakuza who requests you almost everyday. Until the house mother snaps at him to give it a rest, there are other clients who want to talk to you.

He scoffs and throws back his drink, Adam's apple bobbing like he's swallowing down his anger too.

"If they want to talk to her so bad, they should get here earlier. Watashitachiha kono basho o shoyū shite imasu [we own this place]. So go and get me my girl."

When you finally make it to his table, he's back to being all smiles. The only person who notices his jealousy is the house mother and she's far too busy to mention it.

"My head is killing me. Give me a massage please?"

He flops down into your lap before you can say no.

You sigh and run your fingers through his hair, trying to remember where the pressure points are.

Yandere! Yakuza who practically purrs at your touch. When you lift a hand away to take a sip of your water, he barely waits for you to swallow before he's dragging it back.

There's something very strange about having a deadly gangster in your lap. With his eyes closed, you can almost forget just how much he scared you when you first met. Can forget how he still scares you.

He opens his eyes and catches you studying him. He reaches up and catches your hand as you draw away from him. His touch is gentle, softer than you would expect from looking at him.

"Go on a date with me."

You aren't sure if it's an offer or a command. There's something so intimate about the way he looks at you, the club lights carving hollows into his cheeks, eyes dark and sweet.

And God help you, he's so close. Only the thin fabric of your stockings between his skin and yours.

"Okay."

His lips quirk into a half smile, boyishly handsome.

"Good. You'll like it."

By the next evening, you're already regretting your decision. What kind of idiot goes on a date with a yakuza? You blame the alcohol and the closeness of his body and your stupid, stupid hormones for getting you into this.

But when he picks you up, you find yourself smiling. He actually knocks on the apartment door this time and you open it with the full intention of teasing him.

"My brother's landlord-"

Your words die in your throat. You always knew he was handsome but the man waiting for you takes your breath away.

His hair is slicked away from his face and a sparkling cross dangles from one ear. His lazy suits are gone, replaced with a suit that's pressed and tailored. Hell, even his shirt is buttoned up properly.

He looks good. Dangerously good.

He takes you in, eyes lingering at your curves. You swallow and try not to blush. You do your hair and makeup everyday for the club and he's seen you in this dress before, but he looks at you like it's all new to him, like he wants to drink in every inch of you.

You somehow manage to find your voice and it has none of its usual bite. "You look good. Really good."

He smoothes a hand over his hair self consciously. "Arigatō. Shall we go?"

He offers you his arm and you take it, your heart thundering. He opens the car door for you and helps you in like a proper gentleman. You catch a whiff of his cologne - the same woodsy scent from the night you met.

He takes you to a skyscraper restaurant and sits down right next to the window. The city is a sparkling sprawl at your feet.

"I didn't think you'd be into a place like this," you say.

"What? You think I don't got class?" He grins and points his fork at you, "I've got the best damn taste in this whole city."

"Explains why you asked me out then."

"Obviously." He leans forward. "Only the best for my girl, yeah?"

"I'm your girl? Since when?"

"Since..." He makes a show of checking his watch. "Since the night I met you. You just didn't know it yet."

Ah, now that's one way to make a girl fall for you. And despite your better sense, you feel yourself falling.

You can still taste the lingering sweetness of dessert when he walks you back to his car. His leans against the car door and loops his arms around your waist.

"You had fun tonight?"

"Yes. More than I expected honestly."

He pulls you closer to him, softly enough that you can step back at any point. You don't.

"Gonna give me a kiss to say thank you? It's a very important part of our culture."

You clasp your hands together behind his neck.

"You liar."

He grins that boyish half smile of his. "Can't blame a guy for trying."

He doesn't feel like a gangster or a creditor or a customer. In that moment he feels like just a man - someone strong and handsome that you desperately want to kiss.

Your gaze flickers down to his lips and then back to his eyes. You pull gently at his neck and his head dips lower. You stay like that for a moment, lips almost touching. Too nervous to make the final move.

His hands move to cradle your waist and he closes the gap between you.

You pull him closer, your hands slipping from his neck to his jaw. His stubble scrapes your palm and makes your whole body tingle. He tastes of wine and sugar.

When you finally pull away, you draw your thumb across his lower lip. His eyes are half lidded and when he moves, it's with a sluggish reluctance. Like he doesn't want to let go of you.

He keeps one hand on your waist and draws out a stack of cash with the other. When he speaks, his voice is husky.

"How much for tonight?"

"What?"

His draws his hand up your waist to rest against your sternum. Like he wants to dig his hand into your heart.

"How much to take you home?"

A bucket of cold water would have been less shocking. You pull away from him, your mind racing.

God, why are you such an idiot? Of course he only wants to fuck you. He's just a thug, what did you expect?

And worse, you feel like a small part of your heart is breaking. Why be so sweet to you, why go out of his way to spend time with you, if all he wants is a one night stand?

"Are you serious?"

"Obviously. How much do you charge?"

You act without thinking and slap him right across his face.

The sound of it is terribly sharp in the open quite of the parking lot. It leaves your palm stinging. You freeze, terrified of what you've just done.

He doesn't move, his head turned to the side from the force of your slap. Slowly, he touches his fingers to his cheek. His expression is unreadable.

Oh, you're so dead. You just hit a yakuza. A guy who probably breaks faces everyday, who has who knows how many felonies to his name.

Your first instinct is to apologise, say you weren't thinking and that you're so so sorry. You lift your chin and squash down that part of you.

"I'm not for sale."

The quiet stretches out, tense and dangerous. He turns away and opens the car door for you. He doesn't meet your eyes.

"I understand now. Gomen'nasai [I'm sorry]."

The drive home is terribly quiet. You keep expecting him to lash out - hit you or humiliate you for daring to slap him like that.

He doesn't. He just keeps eyes on the road.

When you reach your building, he follows you to the door and rests his hand on the frame above your head. You can feel him behind you, close enough for his breath to tickle the back of your neck.

"I can't buy you."

"No."

"But I want you."

You pull in a shuddering breath. "Earn it."

You shut the door without turning back.

He doesn't show up at the club for the next week. At first you're on edge - what if he gets you fired? Or worse, does something to your brother?

But your boss doesn't mention anything and your brother keeps coming home in one piece. Slowly, you relax. Tell yourself that he's done with you now that you won't give him what he wants. You try and ignore the way it hurts.

When he does finally show up, he's dangerously tipsy. He yanks you out of your booth in the middle of a date and leaves the house mother to bow and apologise to the customer.

You try not to make a scene as he pulls you along behind him. But you look about desperately for any of the other yakuza. Where the hell are they when you need them?

Finally, he drops you in a booth in the corner of the club and collapses across from you. His hair is messier than you've ever seen it and there's a feverish wildness in the way he looks at you.

"Fine. I'm here. Let me earn your love."

You rub your arm and scowl at him. "Your idea of winning me over is to leave a huge bruise on my arm?"

He runs his hands through his hair. "Hell, I don't know. I've never had to win a girl over before."

"Yeah right. I've seen the girls you go out with. There's no shortage of women in your life."

He looks you in the eye. "Bought and paid for." He gestures at the table and at you. "Not like this. Not like you."

That gives you pause. It makes sense. Gangsters don't exactly have the time to go on Sunday morning brunch dates or meet the family.

"So why not just pay someone else?"

You don't say it out loud but the rest of your question is clear. Why me?

"I...I don't want to. Setsumei suru no wa totemo muzukashīdesu [It's so hard to explain]. But I don't want anyone else."

A confession from a yakuza was not at all on your list on fun and lighthearted tourist activities. You're not entirely sure how to deal with it.

Your sense is screaming at you to be smart. And when is dating a criminal ever smart? You're supposed to get yourself and your brother away from the underworld, not get roped deeper in. And what happens if you want to break up? When has a man with a gun and too many scars ever taken a heartbreak well?

And yet...

You want him. Stupidly, against all sense, you want to be with him. He's dangerous. He probably only wants to fuck you. He has too much power over your life. He might never let you leave him.

And still you want him.

You take a deep breath. "Come over tonight and I'll cook you something. And if my cooking doesn't change your mind then... then we can talk about it."

He smiles at you and the wild look in his eye seems to finally dim.

"Anata ga watashi o oidasou to shite mo dekinakatta [Baby, you couldn't get rid of me if you tried]."

You weren't lying when you said you were a terrible cook. When he finally arrives, the rice is somehow both burnt and slightly undercooked and your curry is severely under-salted.

You scrunch your nose when you take a bite. "This is awful."

"You cooked it." He takes another bite. "And I hate to say it, but I've had worse."

You push your bowl away and mutter, "I didn't think rice could be so complicated. I followed the instructions and everything."

He takes another bite. "I can make decent rice. And udon."

"So between the two of us, there's only one good cook? Shameful."

He adds some salt to his bowl. "Neither of us ever has the time to cook anyway, so I don't know why you're surprised."

You shake your head and watch him. He's halfway through your abysmal culinary concoction and somehow not green in the face.

"You never talk about yourself," you tell him.

He avoids your eyes. "I'm not that interesting."

"But I am?"

"Yes." There's a quiet fierceness to his answer that makes your heart stutter.

"Tell me a secret about yourself."

It's his turn to study you. "A secret."

"That's what I said."

He considers you for a long moment before reaching up and undoing his shirt buttons. He turns his back to you and let's his shirt fall away.

You gasp. His tattoo covers his entire back. It's every bit as intricate as you suspected - there's lotus flowers between his shoulder blades and a spider inked below his ribcage.

But it's the snake that takes up most of the space. It curls and unwinds across his back, every scale painstakingly inked. It's hissing mouth rests on his shoulder blade, opposite his heart.

He flinches when you touch him, but doesn't ask you to stop. You run your fingertips up his back, tracing the snakes coiling body.

"It's incredible."

He doesn't answer you. Eventually your fingers come to rest on his neck.

He reaches back and takes hold of your wrist. He draws it forward and tilts his head to press a kiss against your pulse. You wonder if he can feel the way your heart jumps when he touches you.

"Do you want to know the real secret? I go home at night and lie awake thinking about you."

You lean forward and rest your forehead against his bare back. "What do you think about?"

He inhales sharply. "Your voice... your lips... your body."

You laugh a little and your warm breath on his skin makes him shiver. "You're shameless."

"Mattaku hajishirazuna [totally shameless]."

You tilt his head towards you and kiss his cheek.

You can feel him smile against your lips. When you pull away, he turns to you and cups your jaw.

Your Japanese has gotten better, but you don't understand what he whispers before he kisses you.

"Watashi Kazu anata ni koiwoshiteiru, soshite watashi wa tomaranai [I'm falling in love with you and I can't stop]."

He presses his lips against yours, so much hungrier this time. His hand slips from your cheek to the nape of your neck to pull you closer to him.

"My girl, my pretty girl. Hanaretakute mo hanare rarenakatta [I couldn't let you go even if I wanted to]."

He presses hot kisses against your throat. His grip on your neck almost painfully tight.

"Hitsuyōniōjite, anata no kyōdai ni wa nan-nen mo shakkin o showa seru koto ni narudeshou [gonna keep your brother in debt for years if I have to]."

The rest of his sentence is little more than a growl. "Nanrakano hōhō de anata ni watashi o aishite morau tsumoridesu [gonna make you love me back one way or another]."

The one downside of courting a yakuza is not understanding everything he says. But maybe it's safer that way.