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yorshie · 1 year ago

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Hello, fellow raccoon here 🦝 If it’s not too much trouble, could you write about sharing a bed for the first time with the Bay!verse turtles?

Ah! Another raccoon! Thank you for the request, I had a lot of fun writing this one! I went with head canon style.

Bayverse x reader, SFW other than bedshare, set in 2023 so turtles are 24-25

Tags: @jackalope-in-a-storm @tmnt-tychou

MICHELANGELO

This sweet turtle got his nest all ready when he heard you were finally spending the night. Brought in your favorite snacks, hunted down all his extra pillows from around the Lair, and restocked his mini fridge in case you got thirsty.

So when the time finally came and you go drop your bag off in his room, there is not a free spot to be found. His bed is a mountain of pillows and blankets, the small coffee table shoved in front of his tv has everything from pizza, microwavable food, and what looks like three different flavors of cookies piled on top of it.

Not gonna lie, its a bit intimidating. You might even have faltered, if sunshine boi wasn't right behind you with your toiletry bags, happy go lucky energy rubbing off until it felt like the spotlight wasn't directly on you.

the rest of the night is spent in typical Mikey fashion, a.k.a. a game and movie marathon. His brothers occasionally wander past his open door to say hello and to see what the two of you are up to. They might have a bet running on how much Mikey smothers you and how long you'll allow it. Even Splinter is in on it, thought the old rat refrains from making an appearance so his youngest doesn't feel like he's doing something wrong. He wants to marry his sons off eventually, after all.

When you eventually get tired and it's time to delve into the towering abyss of pillows that have taken over his bed, Mikey's territorial side makes an appearance. The door gets shut and locked to avoid anyone that might think it's a good idea to pull a prank (none of his brothers would but Mikey is paranoid because he is the prankster), and he wastes no time diving in after you for some cuddles.

oh. ok, maybe there's too many pillows, because now he can't find you! He's lost his significant other! Cue a mini chase where most of his bounty ends up in the floor in his search. You are not getting out of cuddles. No amount of wiggling or hiding will save you.

the actual cuddling is quite nice. Mikey's warm and his bicep makes for an excellent pillow. He likes to lay face to face, with your head tucked under his chin, limbs entangled and churring up a storm that you knew would have his brothers wincing in second hand embarrassment if they ever heard all the turtley noises he made when it was just the two of you.

He definitely snores, though. And farts in his sleep. Fact of life, don't get mad, because we all do it sometimes, most of us just aren't a mutated turtle man with a noxious gut fueled by pizza and sour patch kids. Dutch oven him with his own farts as payback.

in the morning you'll definitely wake up first, though as soon as you start to move Mikey will be alert. Call it sixth sense, but all the turtles are hyper aware of their own personal spaces and who's in them. I hope you weren't planning on getting an early start that morning, because now that Mikey's awake he's ready to continue the movie that you getting sleepy paused the night before. While getting more cuddles and eating breakfast in bed, of course.

LEONARDO

he internally started creating lists as soon as you accepted his sleepover proposal. Panics a little and moved the date once to make sure his sheets are washed the day before. Everything in his space has to be perfectly so. If someone interupts his cleaning and prepping, they better expect to have their head bitten off. Will have a literal panic attack if you arrived early.

You, of course, notice nothing out of place when he presents his room for your inspection. Yes, you read that right. This turtle will practically sweat as he waits for your verdict on whether the nest is good enough. No, he doesn't realize what he's doing. If you pick up on it don't tell him or else he might start panicking again.

The two of you will actually not spend too much time besides sleeping in his room, most of your time will be hanging out in the main living area. This serves two purposes: as the eldest Leo wants you to get along with all his brothers, and two, the thought of his bothers coming by his room to say hi to you absolutely drives is reptile brain crazy. So you'll eat and hangout with everyone else, and try not to laugh at the subtle teasing you know your turtle is going through with the whispered jokes and laughter that seem to stop every time you turn around.

When it gets late enough and everyone starts peeling off to do their own thing, you'll have to let Leo know you are ready to go lay down. Hilarious if you think He's going to suggest it's time to head to bed to you, he's trying his hardest not to think of the words "you" and "nest - BED! he meant bed!" in the same sentence.

when you finish your nighttime routine and make your way back to Leo's room, don't be surprised to find him on a makeshift pallet on the floor. There is no way you couldn't have seen this coming, but don't worry, there's an easy fix. Simply get in his bed, close to the wall, and start shivering. Loudly. Ham it up. In no time flat you'll have a turtle sneaking up next to you to keep you warm, though at first he will be hesitant. Cuddling you in the privacy of his own room with the expectation of sleep is very different from just chilling with you.

despite Leo trying to be a gentleman during the beginning, leaving you a bit of space and trying his hardest not to crowd you, by an hour in he will be wrapped around you. As he slowly gets tipped closer and closer to the edge of sleep, the more loose he will become. And once he gives in and gets used to the cuddles, he will never want to stop.

He clicks and chirps in his sleep sometimes. You woke up thinking there was a baby bird or something in the room, only to discover the high pitched noises were coming from him, before he transitions into deeper churrs from his chest right in front of your eyes. If you keep very still and quiet he might not wake up, but he will be traumatized if he does and discovers he makes these noises

There is very little chance of you waking in the morning before Leo. This turtle gets up early, but maybe just for today he can slip back next to you, after morning training, just to feel close to you for a bit longer. When you wake up you could just spend the morning talking, he won't mind being lazy as long as it's with you

You'll most likely be the one making breakfast if the other brothers aren't up yet, as Leo is banned from making anything other than tea or using the strict guidelines Mikey placed next to the microwave. But, he is an excellent sous chef, and after you're both fed he will be quick to suggest an activity so the two of you can hang out longer. Just know he's already weighing his chances of getting you to spend the next night as well.

DONATELLO

Dee had about 50 reminders set in the days leading up to your first sleepover, and a mental list he was practically grappling with in between projects. Anytime he'd focus on what was coming up too much, the butterflies would start going haywire in his stomach and he was likely to drop whatever it is he's holding at the time

Needless to say, he was in a bit of a panic by the time you showed up. Technically speaking, logically speaking, he knew his bed and room where both clean. And he knew you liked spending time with him, so why the anxiety? Why the nerves? He's so nervous, he doesn't even realize you've arrived, moved around his habitual pacing to set your bag on his bed, and now you're simply watching him with fond curiosity.

He shrieks when he finally notices you. Practically has a heart attack and knocks over at least four stacks of meticulously arranged cds and various technological components. Eventually joins in your laughter after he's calmed down enough to see the humor in the situation.

Just this once, Donnie has cleared his timetable of various projects to focus soley on you. That isn't to say that before he's blown you off or ignored you, but by now you are well aware how hard he has to work to contain his wandering mind, al lthe little tips and tricks he uses to keep his focus on the here and now and not bouncing from idea to idea.

The two of you will not be spending too much time out in the main area. The time it takes the two of you to procure dinner is more than enough brotherly interaction for the tall turtle. Not to mention, it turns almost awkward as the other's try desperately to not make prolonged eye contact with anyone else. They learned a long time ago not to tease the brother that controls all their devices and the access to the wifi.

Once Donnie and you are comfortable back in his room, the true hang out will begin. You'll play rock-paper-scissors to pick a movie, Donnie always lets you win, but he gets to pick the music that plays in the background. If you want, he'll access his computer and set up the program to make the lights in his room dance to the beat. Curled up in his arms, it is the easiest place to fall asleep, surrounded by fluttering lights that mimic being underwater.

Donnie may not actually sleep, but he stays with you the entire night. If you wake at all it might be to the idle scratching of pen on paper as he writes, his hand moving in your hair or along your back, or to his soft breaths caught in a light doze, a soft churr rumbling in his chest. If you're also the type to burn the midnight oil, you both might stay up talking long enough that the morning slowly creeps up on you before you both pass out.

Splinter often stops by the Lab in the morning on his way to meditate, if only to wrap a blanket over his son's shoulders and move his glasses to a safe spot. It's an ingrained habit, so much so that it doesn't even register that you spent the night until he quietly opens the door. He takes on look at the two of you holding each other close, and turns away with a smile.

Dee can cook, but most likely he'll order from the diner one block above their preferred manhole cover, and the two of you will sneak out for eggs, bacon and pancakes before secreting it away in his room so you don't have to share.

RAPHAEL

If the two of you are close enough for a sleepover, Raph is going to be the calmest of his brothers about you being in his personal space. Sure, he'll clean up, make sure all his dirty clothes are in his hamper and all the drawers actually shut on his dresser, but don't expect much in the way of fanfare.

He doesn't care where you wanna hang out in the evening, as long as you're comfortable. If you're out in the Lair proper however, get ready for some brotherly jockeying. Mikey almost can't help teasing Raph about having a guest over for the night, but the bigger brother will take it in stride as long as its only Mikey. Donnie tends to stay out of the limelight when it comes to teasing, but you better hope Leo doesn't so much as raise an eye ridge in Raph's direction. To be fair, the blue turtle is likely only drawing attention to how soft for you Raph is, but the two of them earning a trip to the Ha'shi might put a bit of a damper on the sleepover.

Leo's right though, Raph is completely soft for you. You want something to eat? He'll go get it for you without even a huff. You want popcorn for the movie? He'll bring back soda as well. You ask how much he can bench? He'll toe the line between showing off and making sure he can actually handle the weight. You neck hurts from having to crane around him to watch the movie? He'll lay on the ground and let you splay across his shell. You blink at him and sleepily ask to be carried? You're already up in his arms before you can even finish the sentence.

When it comes time to sleep, Raph will insist you take the inside of the bed, close to the wall, but he's thought ahead and gotten you your own pillow so you don't have to share with him. Yes, technically its from Mikey's room, but don't worry he disinfected it with a shit-ton of Lysol and Frebreze and washed the cover. This doesn't mean he doesn't want to cuddle, but of all the things Raph understands in his life, the very first few are the difference in size between the two of you, just how much he weighs, and how strong he is. So he'll tuck you against the wall and lay out on his stomach in one of the few positions that makes it hard for him to tip over. There's just enough room between the lip of his shell and the mattress for you to slot yourself against him, and he'll take the opportunity to slide his arm around your waist and bury his snout in your hair.

He'll hold you there throughout the night, breath slow and even. If you wake, be prepared that any movement will rouse him. He can't exactly help it, and he tries not to make you feel guilty over it, but you can always make out the green shine of his eyes peering down to make sure you are ok before he drifts back off again.

This turtle churrs sometimes in his sleep, but it's not the cute or soothing churr of contentment. No, someone parked a diesel engine in his man and is revving it like he's driving up an inclined gravel mountain road. The only way to get him to stop is to poke the thin strip of skin along his side, repeatedly, until he snorts and shifts. 50/50 chance the shifting will stop the churring. If not, you'll have to repeat the process.

In the morning, he'll dip before you wake, and come back to the room with warm pastries and whatever he's seen you drink in the morning. If you want your breakfast right away however, you might have to bribe him with turtle smooches as he tries to steal back his spot and catch up on the cuddles he's missed being a good boyfriend. Yes, he's holding you hostage, unless you want to try climbing over him. You might succeed if you make him laugh.

At some point in the day, after breakfast and whatever morning routine you keep, Raph will ask you what you want to do. If you want to go home, decompress, he'll take you home, but if you want to stay again and hang out some more you'll get to see the sweetest, softest smile break across his face.

#bayverse tmnt fanfic #tmnt bayverse #bayverse tmnt x reader #TMNT leonardo #TMNT raphael #tmnt michelangelo #tmnt donatello #bayverse donatello #bayverse leonardo #bayverse raphael #bayverse michelangelo #bayverse mikey x reader #bayverse leo x reader #bayverse raph x reader #bayverse donnie x reader #my writing requests

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madlori · 5 months ago

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there are a lot of headcanons about tommy becoming resentful of the time buck spends with eddie, but give me the reverse. give me eddie resentful of the time buck spends with tommy.

eddie's alone and sad with chris gone. both buck and tommy, together and individually, try to do things with him and be there for him but sometimes they actually do want to be alone together, and eddie just...can't seem to stop getting in the way. he invites himself along to stuff. he asks if he can come hang out when they're having a night at home together. he takes up their free evenings with obsessively making plans so he can avoid being alone in his house and they're just starting to get worn down.

eventually buck has to sit him down and say, eddie, my man, my dude, you're family to me, i care about you so much, so does tommy, but for the love of all that's holy please understand that sometimes i need to be alone with my boyfriend.

and eddie is embarrassed that he's been so clingy but also low-key hates that they have this relationship with each other that doesn't include him. he's happy that buck's found the love he always yearned for and deserved, but he can't stop feeling hurt and left out and there's just no way to make it better.

so what does he do? does he stay resentful and let it fester until it becomes anger and it ruins his friendship with buck?

maybe at one point he would have done that. but this time...this time he recognizes the path he's on and decides to take action to not let that happen. buck is too important to him. he has to find a way to occupy himself without relying soley on buck.

so he joins a boxing gym that nobody else goes to and starts working out there. he makes a friend who's also dealing with loneliness.

he starts volunteering on off-shift mornings at a botanical garden and finds that digging in the dirt and getting sweaty and dirty is very therapeutic. after a few weeks, some of the other volunteers invite him to come to brunch after their shift.

he discovers the LAFD Discord and that it has a whole bunch of sub-groups where first responders from all over the city get together for activities. he joins the golf group. he joins the cooking group. he goes on an axe-throwing outing.

he makes other friends.

there are no other friends like Buck. there will never be another friend like Buck. but there are people he can spend time with now, and give Buck a break so he can spend time with Tommy and also just have time to himself.

buck still brings dinner over once a week. he takes eddie on hikes. he and tommy fly him to san diego for the day and they go to the beach. but eddie also goes golfing with the LAFD Discord club. He goes to Station 133, which has the nicest kitchen in the LAFD, for the cooking club and learns some new recipes.

He has brunch with Chim and Maddie. He and Hen take Mara and Denny to mini-golf. He helps Bobby do DIY work on their new home to bring the kitchen up to his standards.

He learns to live without Chris. He learns to have support that doesn't entirely revolve around Buck. He watches Buck and Tommy get more and more serious, but now he's not resentful or scared - he's only happy, to see his best friend so happy. When they move in together, the three of them spend the first night Buck lives with Tommy eating pizza, drinking beer and watching baseball on TV.

And the first time Buck and Tommy ask him to come on a hike with them, and he has to decline because he has other plans, he's relieved, because they still want him around. They still want to be his friend. He hasn't worn them down.

He will always need Buck, he will alway love him. But he knew it wasn't fair to make Buck his entire support system...so he built a bigger one, and it's big enough to support them all.

When Chris facetimes him, he notices that his dad is looking less despondent. he has things to talk about, like the botanical garden and Bobby and Athena's new house and the firepit he's helping Buck build in Tommy's backyard. He's more open and honest. He doesn't sound so desperate. So Chris says he wants to come home, and when he does, Eddie's just happy he's back. Not desperate, not resentful or angry. And he has these new friends.

One of those new friends is another volunteer at the botanical gardens. she's a trauma nurse and does gardening to help her cope. eddie suggests she might like to try boxing as exercise, and she loves it. she is invited to a firefam BBQ at Buck and Tommy's house, and chris can't help but notice that she looks at his dad like he's really something -- and he's looking back the same way.

and if Chris had been worried that his time away would have hurt his dad, or made him sadder -- which he definitely didn't worry about, totally didn't, never at all -- he's not worried about that anymore.

#i made myself emotional about eddie #eddie diaz #bucktommy #platonic buddie #buddie friendship #9-1-1 spec #9-1-1 spoilers #evan buckley #tommy kinard #tevan #kinley

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heyimkana · 1 year ago

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24 Hours with You (Satoru Ver.) - Ep. 2

Series Masterlist Chapter Summary: The second episode of a mini-series where you’ll live through the hours you spend together with your husband, Gojo Satoru. Pairings: Gojo Satoru x Female Reader Genre: Domestic AU, Fluff, Romance, Humor Word Count: 9K Warnings: no plot, just a compilation of fluffy scenes that you share with your whipped, super annoying husband, Satoru. there's a bit of a smutty scene but it's not explicitly written.

Episode 2: Daylight

07.04 AM

The morning sunray seeps through your windows, kissing your skin with familiar warmth. The red roses Satoru bought you yesterday greet you with their sweet scent as they sit prettily in a glass vase that glimmers like crystal underneath the light. You take a quick scan around, expecting the worst but surprisingly, besides the bedroom, your place is still recognizable despite the drunk antics that you and your husband did last night after finishing a whole bottle of wine to yourselves.

Your work doesn’t start until nine, and although usually, you would leave at 8.15 to avoid the risk of turning up late, after noticing what day it is, you reckon that traffic won’t be so bad. Plus, your home is only around ten minutes away from your office anyway. It’s the main reason why Satoru insisted on buying this condominium in the first place—to give you more time to yourself (and for him to cuddle with you on the sofa because you always look so snuggly in the morning). Maybe you can take it easy today. Brushing your teeth and changing your nightgown into an oversized hoodie (Satoru’s) and a pair of comfy sweatpants, you get yourself to work.

Among the clutters on the floor are your cocktail dress and Satoru’s expensive suit and tie, scattered all over the carpet, giving you a quick flashback of what happened after you arrived home from the fancy restaurant he took you last night. The exchange of heavy, scorching kisses in the elevator… Your spine pressed flat against the wall with his head between your thighs the second the front door was shut close… A bottle of red wine tasted directly from each other’s tongue… And…

You glance down at your hands, feeling heat flaring in your cheeks as your eyes land on the thin, but quite noticeable, purple bruises that circle your wrists like dark bracelets.

Last night was… wild.

“God, we’re not young anymore,” you mumble to yourself, shamefaced, as you head toward the kitchen. There are empty plates and half-filled glasses left abandoned on the aisle, and a pizza box that you ordered at two in the morning for an emergency snack (Satoru always gets hungry after sex), but it will only take you a few minutes to clean everything up, so everything’s fine.

Today’s start isn’t so bad.

The condo that you and Satoru bought together felt too spacious and grand at first. The neat white walls somehow screamed lonely, desperate for human touch. But after living here for three years, three whole years of a happy marriage with occasional fights that never lasted a night, it felt truly like home—the kind that you’ve never had the joy to experience before.

Silly Polaroid photos of the two of you are plastered all over the fridge. A collection of your favorite novels sits on the bookcase among healthy pileas that tumble elegantly over the shelves. Satoru’s favorite Hatsune Miku figures are there too, despite your constant begging to just throw them away, but that’s marriage, isn’t it? You just have to compromise on every single thing. Even when the color of Hatsune’s stupid hair—why does it have to be turquoise of all shades?—ruins your aesthetic.

A huge, beautiful mural showcasing the map of the world can be found painted on one side of the wall. In some countries, there are words written by colorful markers, telling a story of the memorable journeys you’ve had together. Satoru’s messy handwriting used to be there but you scrapped them all because drawing a bunch of arrows pointing at different cities and writing down the words “We did it here” or “We also did it here” and “We toooootally did it here” with wink faces on the sidedon’t exactly seem appropriate, especially since Megumi’s son often comes by to visit his favorite uncle. (The word ‘favorite’ here is self-proclaimed. Megumi never said that. His son also never said that. Satoru is just delusional.)

You catch a whiff of your husband’s perfume, still somewhat lingering close, a sweet reminder of your chaotic days in high school and the moment your romance bloomed during your college days. Oh, also, coffee. You’re gonna need a lot of that if you want to get through all of your work meetings today. The smell of freshly brewed coffee is one of your favorite scents in the world and you smile to yourself as you pour it into your mug.

“Someone looks happy,” Satoru sniffles as he places his chin on your shoulder, long arms winding themselves around the dip of your waist. And cuddly, he adds in his head. Though he always finds himself swooning seeing you in your cocktail dress or work attire, he adores this look the most. Messy bun, bare face with acne patches on your chin and nose, his hoodie covering your body to the middle of your thighs. You're precious.

He won’t say this to you though, not today.

“Someone sounds a bit grumpy.” You tilt your head just enough to peck him on the cheek. “Took you long enough to finish.”

“Well, it would’ve only taken me ten minutes if somebody was kind enough to lend me a hand.”

“What, your two hands aren’t enough?”

“They don’t feel as good as yours.” He’s pouting. Even if you can’t see it, you can tell he is. “I didn’t finish, by the way. Thank you for asking.”

A chuckle escapes you. “Honey, you finished, like, four times last night.”

“You’re missing the point,” he sighs. “I don’t think I’ve told you this but…” He turns your body around, making you face him with your cup between your hands and your back leaning against the kitchen counter. He’s still in his boxer shorts, you notice, but he’s made the effort of throwing on a green pastel shirt, hanging loose on his body and unbuttoned to his chest. Satoru rests his palms on the surface, trapping you between his arms. “I think I’m getting so dependent on you now that I can’t even cum on my own.”

“You can’t do anything without me these days, actually,” you comment, running your mouth without realizing that he’s desperate for your sympathy. He gives you a look, staring flatly at you. “And I can’t do anything without you, my love,” you add with a smile, tapping his cheek. “There. Happy now?”

“Wouldn’t kill you to say it once in a while,” he answers, and you roll your eyes. “I’m just saying, I used to do it so easily, you know? I didn’t even need to look at actual porn to jerk off. I was so in control of my body. Just had to picture you naked on your knees with my di—”

“Careful.”

He cuts himself short. “—and I’d be done in, like, two minutes.”

“I see. And here I thought today was going to be boring,” you reply, sarcasm running thick in each word.

“But these days…” His eyes droop. “It hasn’t been that easy. Sometimes I couldn’t even, umm… get it hard,” he admits, blushing. It’s a bit of a confession that he’s been trying to keep to himself for a while.

“What, really? Like, at all?”

He sheepishly nods. “There’s this one time when you were away on a business trip and it had been so long since we had sex so I wanna… You know…”

“Play with your carrot?” You suggest, taking a sip of your coffee. “Rub the eggplant? Stroke the banana?”

There’s a momentary silence where he just looks at you, unamused.

You, also, stay hushed.

Then, “Caress the fresh zucchini—”

“I think that’s enough, babe.”

“Oh, so when I say it, you don’t like it. But when you say it—”

“You’re not saying it at the right time—You know what? Forget it.” Satoru pushes himself away from the counter, fuming and you laugh.

Catching him by the wrist, you whirl him back to you. “I’m sorry. You’re just so cute. I think this is the first time I’ve seen you act like this.”

“Can you be serious, please? This is actually very important to me.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” You stand on your toes, kissing his pout away. “I’ll pay attention, I promise. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

“I’m a bit scared,” he says, his shoulders sagging. He looks like a sad puppy. A giant, 193cm tall sad puppy. Even your puppy didn’t look as depressed as him now when she was on the verge of death. “What am I going to do when you’re away for two weeks and I can’t even jerk off once?”

You know you don’t have to jerk off, right? Your mouth is itching to say the words. “Two weeks aren’t even that long.”

“Of course, they are!”

“Okay, so you can’t jerk off for two weeks. What is the big deal—”

“What’s the big deal?!” He gasps, as dramatically as ever, one hand slapped against his chest. “You’re asking me what’s the big deal?! What if this is a sign of early erectile dysfunction?!”

Hereeee we go. “From someone who came four times last night, what are you saying?!”

“Excuse me, are you a doctor?” His voice drops, his face solemn. “Are you an urologist?”

You sigh. “No.”

“Do you have a penis?”

“Satoru—”

“Do you?”

You’re rubbing your head, headaches incoming. “You wouldn’t have married me if I had one now, would you?”

“Not true but okay. Anyway—”

“Wait, hold up, what does that mean—”

“The point is,” he puts pressure on his words, pinching your nose so you’ll stop talking. “No penis, no opinion. Also, multiple studies by Chinese researchers have shown that in order to avoid getting prostate cancer, men should release their sperm around two to four times a week. And—” He holds up a finger in the air, shutting you down before you even begin to open your mouth. “When you orgasm, your brain releases a surge of dopamine, right? I need that, especially when you’re not around to help me manage my stress.”

You press your lips together, as tightly as you can, afraid that you’ll break into another bout of laughter if you don’t. “I see.” It’s so hard to keep your voice away from shaking. He’s so serious, it’s almost out of character for him to be this serious. “So you’re, uhh… You’re stressed, huh?”

“Oh, I am, baby. I’m so stressed out.” He swats his bangs out of his eyes, pushing back his hair. “Look at me. I just woke up and I look like this. You think it’s not stressful to look this handsome every day? I have to work twice as hard as anyone else in my building just to be taken seriously. Especially by the CEO.”

“You mean your daddy.”

“My CEO.”

“Who’s your daddy.” Right after you hear yourself saying the line, you snort, failing to contain your laughter. “I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you. I just had a flashback of the time when you said those words to me in bed and—” You wipe a tear away, your body shaking from your titters. “God, that was cringe.”

Satoru narrows his eyes. “So you are laughing at me.”

“Yeah, but not because of the things you’re saying right now.” The more you try to explain, the more he seems insulted. “Sorry. Continue.”

His nose flares. He would’ve been vexed if you didn’t look so adorable holding back your giggles. “All the other workers think I’m not fit to be next in line—to lead the company. They think I get everything I want just because I have a pretty face and I’m his only son.”

Well, I mean, they’re not wrong, you ponder to yourself, though you know if you mention it out loud, he’s going to cry. “They’re jealous of you.”

“And then of course there’s that guy, Kenjaku, who clearly wants to take my place so he’s been trying to get close to my dad,” Satoru clicks his tongue in annoyance. “Can you believe they went golfing together? Gol. Fing. My dad never even let me touch his golf club!”

Oh, he’s ranting. He’s so upset, he’s ranting like a tired housewife and it’s hilarious. “I’m sorry, sweetie.” You spread your arms, offering him a smile. “Do you want a hug?”

“Okay,” he mumbles cutely, moving toward your embrace with his lower lip jutted out. He goes down to his knees, tangles his arms around your waist, and nuzzles his face against your belly.

“I think they just feel intimidated by you.” You land a hand on his head. For some reason, his hair is always extra fluffy in the morning. “Smart, charismatic, and sexy? They don’t stand a chance against my husband.”

Usually, you would have him go back to his feet (figuratively and literally) right away after hearing such words, but Satoru only lets out a small hum—responding but not quite agreeing—as he buries his nose deeper in your fabric. Seems like this one is serious. “Toru, you’ll be okay.”

“I can’t do it without you, babe,” he says, his voice muffled by your hoodie.

“What, getting that promotion without people judging?”

“No. Cumming.”

“Oh, we’re going back to that.” You chortle lightly, stroking his strands. “Okay, listen.” Cupping his cheek, you lift his face to meet your gaze. “You don’t have erectile dysfunction.” You return the small space between you, your lips curving up beautifully as you bend down and give him a light kiss on his forehead. “And next time, I’ll take care of your needs. Promise.” Noticing how his eyes take a quick look at the kitchen counter, you add, “Not right now, Satoru.”

“Meanie.” Your husband groans, playfully biting your hand. “And how are you planning to take care of me the next time we’re separated from each other?”

“I’ll do something to help you, uhh… do whatever it is you need to do.”

His eyes light up. “Will you FaceTime me and give me a strip dance with Closer by Nine Inch Nails playing in the background?”

That’s… oddly specific… “And why does it have to be that song, if I may ask?”

“No reason, really…” He averts his gaze. “Just… You know, it makes me think about you…” He seems a bit shy.

Wait. Shy? Satoru is?

How does the song go again?

You tear down my reason It's your sex I can smell You make me perfect Become somebody else I wanna fuck you like an animal

You send your husband a blank stare. Look at him. This pervert is asking you this while acting like an embarrassed schoolgirl standing in front of her crush. “If it’s not too much to ask,” he says, so cutely as if he was asking you to make him his favorite dish for dinner.

Of course, it’s too much to ask, are you insane? “Or,” you suggest calmly with a forced smile. “We can do slightly more romantic stuff like calling each other on the phone and—”

“DO PHONE SEX?” Stars in his eyes. There are stars in his eyes.

“Uhh…”

“Please say yes, please say yes!”

That isn’t exactly what you have in mind, but can you even decline when he’s like this? Telling him no right now would feel just as awful as when you (because of Satoru, of course) accidentally revealed the truth about Santa to your nephew, giving Megumi a hard time feeding his son who started a hunger strike as he went into depression mode for three days. (This is a horrible comparison, by the way. One child was asking about Santa while this one is asking for the opportunity to whisper “I wanna fuck you like an animal” in your ear when you’re a hundred miles away from home. Two totally different cases, but you know Satoru will behave the same way as your nephew if you reject his wish. Probably even worse.)

With your head throbbing, you murmur, “Maybe just a little…”

“Promise?” He holds up his pinky, grinning from ear to ear.

All that positive energy you had this morning? Drained. “Promise…”

“Yaay~”

As you break into a cold sweat thinking about the unfortunate event that will soon befall you (aka the phone sex), Satoru, is already back to his giddy and frisky self. Well, as long as he’s happy, I guess.

“What are you having?” He asks, jumping back to his feet. “Coffee?”

“Mm. You want some?”

“Nah. I’m craving hot chocolate.” He reaches a hand toward the high drawer to get hold of his favorite mug, looming above you and intentionally knocking his chest against your face as he traps you in between. He giggles when you glare. He’s childish that way.

“How very girly of you.”

“It’s to relieve my stress.” He pokes you in the stomach. “Also, liking hot chocolate doesn’t make me look girly.”

“Sure, but trying on my skirt does.”

“Babe, come on,” Satoru whines, his earlobes turning scarlet. “How many times are you going to hold me on this? I was just messing around!”

“Honey, you were alone in our bedroom, wearing my maxi skirt and checking yourself in the mirror.”

“It was a dare from Suguru.”

“And taking selfies.”

“So I can send some proof to Suguru.”

“Not the point, Satoru.”

“That is the point! Babe, can’t you see? Saying no to the stupid dare would’ve made me seem less manly than he is.”

“So you’d rather put yourself in a skirt?”

“Well, duh!”

You can’t find the logic in his excuse, you really can’t. “In my defense, though,” he adds. “I thought you were gonna be out for a little longer.”

“What would’ve happened if I were? Gonna put on my thong next?”

“No,” he scoffs, trying to regain whatever amount of dignity he has left. “Also, it’s not like you’ve never done something embarrassing before. Remember that time when we went to Megumi’s birthday dinner and you ended up telling his nana a dick joke?”

“That was also you.”

“No, no. I meant, that one with the salaryman meeting a guy in a horse costume—” His realization falls upon him. “Oh my God, it was me.”

You shake your head, amused. “It’s okay.” You turn to face the counter once again, placing your mug on the surface before you reach forward to grab a bit more cream. “After being married to you for three years, the only thing that will surprise me is if you grow another head. Anything else, I can manage.”

“Why does this sound comforting and insulting at the same time?”

“Because it’s both.”

With his lower lip protruding, Satoru hugs you again from behind, his chin settled on the top of your head this time. This is why he claims to be all stressed out whenever you’re away. He’s so keen on physical touch that he can’t bear even a few inches of distance between you when you’re around. He reaches up to open the counter, grabbing a jar filled with cocoa powder. His chest is pressing against your spine, his other arm never leaving your waist. “I think we run out of sugar,” he says. “Wanna drop by the mart after work? I’m gonna have meetings all day today, but I can ditch the dinner party.”

“You’re not coming?”

“Hell no. Suguru’s hosting. He makes the worst parties.”

“Isn’t he the guy who’s rumored to be in love with you? I heard about it from Shoko.”

“Yeah,” Satoru snickers, very childishly. “I was the one who started the rumor by putting a note on his desk that said ‘I wish one day you’ll look at me the way you look at your wife. Your silver hair and pretty blue eyes have captivated me from the moment I laid my eyes on you. I dream of tasting your soft lips every night.’ It was so easy to copy his handwriting, I just couldn’t help it. Yuki found out about it and she started gossiping and by the end of the day, everyone knew. I took the note away before he noticed. Suguru never found out I did that, didn’t even know what was going on. He was so confused when people tried to cheer him up. I saw Choso giving him a pat on his shoulder, saying ‘We all love you for who you are, never change.’ And Suguru was like, ‘Uuuh, thanks, but I don’t want to be a salesman forever.’ And so both of them were confused.”

Your mouth twists into a grimace. “You are evil.”

“I prefer the term genius,” he corrects you, seemingly proud of his deed.

“Also, soft lips?”

“Aren’t they?” He seductively raises an eyebrow. To be fair, yes, they are. Even on the coldest night, they’re still as soft as a butterfly’s wing. He has claimed many times that he only used a lip balm if necessary but you don’t buy it. There must be witchcraft involved. He puckers his lips, ready to kiss you and make you experience the thick jealousy you have of his pretty mouth—because, really, all these lip balms you have and your lips are still chapped during winter. You dodge, pushing your palm against his face instead. The big puppy that he is, he licks it.

“I think I’ll be out of the office around seven today,” he informs as you scrunch up your nose in disgust, wiping his saliva away.

“Okay. Pick me up first?”

“Like you need to ask,” Satoru smiles, granting a cute kiss on your forehead. He dabs his thumb on the corner of your lips, rubbing off a little bit of sugar from the leftover doughnut that you enjoyed with your coffee. He cleans it off his digit with his tongue, randomly ruffling your hair as he makes his way to the living room.

“Oh, wait, almost forgot,” he says, retracing his steps.

“Hmm?”

Satoru snatches a jar from the counter—the one that you just used, filled with cream—and puts it in the highest drawer, the closest one to the ceiling. “Just a little payback,” he sniggers. “For giving me blue balls this morning.”

With him being 193 cm tall, he simply needs to stand on his toes for a little bit to reach it, but you? “I think you’re gonna need a ladder.” His teeth flash in an irritating grin. “Enjoy your creamless coffee for the next few weeks, Sweetcheeks—OUCH—BABY, THAT’S MY KNEE!”

“Grab the jar.”

“Fine.” He retrieves it with a grumble, handing it back to you. “But I’m reporting you for domestic abuse.”

You raise your wrist, showing the actual bruises he left on your skin. “I’ll see you at court then.”

“Babeeeeeee~”

***

07.21 AM

“Satoru.”

Your dear husband has been lying down on the couch for the past ten minutes, a head of velvety hair—which somehow still smells pleasantly like your favorite shampoo—resting on your lap. With a pair of round glasses perched on his nose, he turns deaf ears to everything that’s going on, focusing on nothing but moving his thumbs to win the next round of Momotetsu. As his eyebrows wrinkle in deep concentration, Satoru punches the buttons on his Nintendo Switch, glaring at the screen and swearing under his breath.

“Satoru.”

“Wait, babe, I just need to choose this card and—NOOOOOOOO!” He launches himself forward, sitting up with his mouth gaping, his eyes shaking in horror. “Did I just—yep, lost a million yen. Fuck this game. A Martha card?! A fucking Martha card?! Oh, I’m gonna—” He slams his console against the cushion. Repeatedly. He’s 29, and he throws a bigger tantrum than Megumi’s three-year-old son.

“Watch your blood pressure, Honey.”

“Who even invented this game?! Stupid as shit. Babe, do me a favor and don’t ever let me play—” His phone rings before he can finish. Throwing one glance at his screen, Satoru mutters, “Oh, great. Here we go.”

The name Dumbass Monk is written on his phone. You wonder who it is.

Satoru answers through gritted teeth. “Fuck you, Suguru.”

Ah, yes, of course.

“No, how the fuck should I know that the card was gonna choose me?!” he barks, his voice bouncing off the walls. “I wanted it to choose you—oh fuck off, asshole, you’re broke as hell, you smell like wet socks, and your wife hates you. Wait, what was that?” He suddenly switches his voice, doing his best impersonation of a nosy old lady talking about the latest gossip. “You don’t have a wife? Not even a girlfriend?” He maniacally cackles. “I don’t know, man, I don’t think I’m the loser here. Unlike you, I’ve got a super hot wife who loves me unconditionally.”

You flip a page of the book you have sitting on your lap. “Only ‘cause you’re rich.”

“And—” Satoru continues yapping on his phone but he makes sure to poke you on your side for your unnecessary comment. “She’s not just hot. She’s a complete package. She smells like daffodils, she makes me breakfast every morning and she looks so fucking gorgeous when she fucks—”

You slap a pillow against his head.

“—feeds me cookies,” Satoru finishes lamely, wincing, one hand raised in the air as a form of surrender before he takes another hit. “No, I’m not gonna pay you, idiot, you won purely by luck!” He then gasps, his jaw dropping low. “Did you just call me a monkey? Oh, that’s it—”

Satoru is on his feet, shouting, growling, fingers jabbing and clenching as his mouth runs wild. You can somewhat hear the other man’s voice, giving you enough idea of what they’re arguing about although you can’t make out every word. Suguru’s tone is always soft and melodious when he speaks, but his insults are truly on another level. Chuckling to yourself at the strings of expletives that tumble out of their mouths, you watch your husband yell until blood pools on his face, “Fine! Don’t come crying to me when you have erectile dysfunction, which, based on all the non-existent sex you’ve been having, I know you will! Good day!” Suguru is still calling him names when Satoru ends the call with, “I SAID GOOD DAY!”

You flip another page of the novel you've been trying—and failing due to someone’s endless shouting—to immerse yourself in. “Seems like you two are close.”

“Oh, he can die, I don’t care.” Angrily, he tosses his device away, landing his head back on your lap with the loudest groan he can muster. “Whatever. I’m still a better player than he is.”

“Of course, you are, honey,” you respond, your hand naturally falls back to his hair, caressing it like you’re stroking a cat’s fur.

It only takes a few seconds before your husband stops shaking in vexation, even looking a bit sleepy from your comforting touches. “Were you talking to me before?”

“Mm. There’s something I wanted to ask you.” Placing a bookmark in between the pages, you close your book and set it down on the coffee table next to you. “About before, when you told me about your co-workers. How did you know that they’ve been thinking about you that way?”

He blinks, not expecting you to return to your previous conversation. “Aaaw, honey, are you worried about me?” From wishing someone to suffer crucially from impotence to wiggling in joy like a thirteen-year-old girl at the slightest sign of affection, your husband really does have an emotional range of a teaspoon.

“Of course, I do. You’re my husband.”

His mouth curves upside-down, his eyes glimmering, “Babeee, that’s so sweeeet.”

Though you're not so sure why he’s so happy when you just stated a fact, you let him be. “So what happened?”

“I heard them chatting when I passed by the smoking room one afternoon. I don’t smoke—you know I quit a long time ago—so I didn’t know they were ganging up on me and talking shit about me behind my back. Isn’t it gross for a bunch of thirty-year-old men to gossip?” His face scrunches up in disgust. He, the same man who spent two hours on the phone talking to the Dumbass Monk about the recently hired secretary, Maki Zenin (who’s apparently so strict and vicious that, in Satoru’s words, “Almost made me cry in fear when I arrived late at my lunch meeting last week.”), actually had the audacity to ask that question.

"What did they say?” You ask him.

“They said if it wasn’t because of my family name, I would’ve never gotten promoted to C-level.”

“But that’s not true!”You catch him off guard with your sudden fervor after spending the last conversation acting so dull. “I’ve seen how much you worked for this! Satoru, you earned that position fair and square!” Your husband might act frivolous almost every hour of the day, but there were times that he missed his sleep trying to come up with a new marketing strategy to promote their upcoming products. There were hours spent with him taking one conference call after another with his clients, even at two in the morning from the comfort of your living room due to the difference in their time zones. He’s the CEO’s son, true, but he worked just as hard, if not more, as everyone else in the company.

The more it sinks into your brain, the more irked you become. “Who said this?” You snap. “Huh? Who talked shit about you behind your back? I want names.”

Satoru lets out a chuckle, his eyes thinning into a line. It’s been a while since he last saw you being this protective of him. It reminds him of the old days in high school when you, despite acknowledging yourself as being his archenemy, were always quick to defend him when someone threw shade at him. “Honey, relax—”

“Was it Naoya? Or was it Toji? It was Toji, wasn’t it? Oh, that bitch—”

“It wasn’t Toji,” Satoru says, holding you by the hand in a futile attempt to calm you down. “Though you could still punch him if you want.”

“Why, did he do something to you?”

“I just hate his face.”

That’s very Satoru behavior of him that you don’t even bother to comment. “Nobody talks shit about my husband. If they think you get things done easy for you, it’s because you’re so smart, you make things look easy.”

He sits up, turning around to face you with warm, round eyes. “You think I’m smart?”

“Are you kidding me? You’re the smartest man I know.” You give him a light punch on his chest. “If I were your dad, I would’ve still given you that promotion, regardless of our relationship. You’re just that good at your job.”

“That’s…” He swallows. “This is the first time you’ve complimented me like this.” It’s a surprise to him, a very pleasant one, causing contentment to fill his heart.

You feel awful once you notice that even though you constantly thought of him this way, you never spoke your appreciation out loud. “Satoru, I’ve always admired you.” You rest your fingers on his knuckles, apologizing. “I know you complain about having to wake up early to go to work every morning, but despite your flippant attitude, you bear a deep sense of responsibility. You always manage to surpass people’s expectations—surpass mine and I already thought highly of you.” You give him a squeeze, smiling more with your eyes than your lips. “You make me proud. Every day you make me proud.”

Satoru mirrors your expression, a soft blush painting his cheeks as his joy engulfs him whole. He wraps his arms around you, sinking his nose in your hair as he pulls you close. “You’re not throwing compliments at me just to cheer me up, are you?” He whispers and it’s only during times like this that he lets his vulnerability show. Satoru always shines like the brightest star, his eyes brimming with confidence, but there’s still a part of him—part that he conceals from everyone else except you—that needs to be consoled. He’s still a little boy who wishes for a gentle pat on the head and you always give the warmest one.

“I’m not complimenting you, I’m telling the truth. But yes, I am trying to cheer you up.” You return his embrace, your hand sliding up and down his back. “I wouldn’t have said this if you were okay ‘cause I know it’s gonna boost up your ego even more. You’re already annoying the way you are, so…”

He titters. “Can we stick to you being nice to me?”

You echo the noises he made, returning the space between you just wide enough to kiss his cheek. You cup his face with your fingers, your thumb caressing his cheekbone. “I’m sorry people said mean stuff about you… Are you okay?”

“I am now.” His smile is softer than the clouds. He leans close, cutely nuzzles the tip of his nose against yours. “This is why I need you in my life. You act aloof around me but you always think about me more than you think about yourself. You pretend to be ignorant, but you never fail to notice all these efforts I made. You care about me more than anyone else.”

Watching him put your feelings into words makes you feel flustered but you don't deny it. Not when he speaks only the truth. “I can also kick everyone’s butt for you.”

“As someone who has witnessed your heroic tales in high school, yes, you can, one hundred percent.” You feel his smile forming on your skin as he kisses your temple. “But just having you around me right now is enough. And it’s fine. I don’t care what anyone else thinks about me, at least not anymore. As long as you’re proud of me.”

“I am,” you say without missing a beat. “I’m proud of you, Toru.”

He takes away your hand that’s been warming his face, kissing your wrist while he maintains eye contact with you. “That’s all that matters to me.”

Your stomach swirls at the intensity of his gaze, his voice—just above a whisper—bears the same kind of tenderness and affection he portrayed on the day he asked you to marry him. His lips rub against your veins, the softest kiss against the softest skin. Your hand seems tiny in his grip but it’s a perfect fit. Every part of you is when it comes to him.

“So, uhh…” You clear your throat. “What are you going to do now?”

“I guess I’ll just have to keep doing my best so I can prove them wrong.” His grin returns. “I’ll make my wife feel even prouder of me.”

He replies to your little chuckles with a kiss, light but sweet. Despite your heart wanting more of his touch, of the heat of his lips against your own, you focus on the matter. “Why have you never told me about this before?”

“Because I never cared about it too much,” he replies with a shrug. “Work only feels overwhelming when you’re not around. When you’re with me, no matter how stressful my workplace is, I’ll feel at ease instantly.” He lays his forehead on your shoulder, rubbing his face against the fabric. “So, don’t leave me, okay? If I have to go out of town, I’ll have you hide inside my suitcase so I can carry you around.”

You chortle lightly. “And if I have to go?”

“Well…” He pulls away, his eyes fixated on the shape of your lips as he caresses them with his thumb. He looks back at you, his fingertips resting on your nape, holding you still. You find your breathing stalled as his own fanned your lips. “I guess I’ll just have to convince you to stay.”

And when he kisses you again, you know that he doesn’t mean with his words.

***

07.34 AM

“Bunny!” Satoru calls from the bathroom, his voice reverberating loudly through the hall. “Baby, come over here!”

Standing in your apron with your hands moving to fetch your chopped onions from your kitchen aisle, you try your best to focus on your cooking while answering him at the same time. “For the last time, Satoru, I’m not interested in taking a shower together with you!” You sprinkle some pepper into the dish, wiping your sweat away from your temple with the back of your hand. You take a glance at the digital clock nearby. “Not when we have to leave in an hour!”

“But I’ll let you shape my hair!”

“Not interested!”

“I’ll even let you give me a mohawk!”

“Not intere—oh shit—” It’s a given, really, that you’d accidentally pour too much salt into your cream soup from all this diversion. Taking a deep breath, you start to glare at your ceiling as you chant don’t get angry, don’t get angry inside your head. This is the reason why you try to keep him off the kitchen floor as far away as possible whenever you’re making food but even when he’s meters away from you, he still manages to annoy you somehow.

“Babe, I couldn’t hear you. Was that a yes?”

“NO!”

***

07.41 AM

“Oooh~ Something smells good~” Satoru chirps, popping back into the living room with a toothy grin and a white towel wrapped around his hips. It’s hanging low on his body, showcasing very distracting V-lines that you (secretly) adore. You look away. No good can come from staring at your husband’s lean, perfectly shaped stomach at this time of the day.

But then you catch a glimpse of the scratch marks you left on his back from last night, your face aflame since you can barely remember how hard you dug your nails into his skin. Satoru always likes it when you’re not careful with him—just like how you love it when he’s rough with you—but were you really that… desperate to keep him close, clutching onto him like that?

You shake your thoughts away. “Dry your hair properly,” you mutter, keeping your eyes on the plates you’re currently setting on the dining table. “I just mopped the floor.”

“Okay, Mom.” Dabbing a smaller towel against his hair, Satoru walks closer to your spot and pulls back a chair.

You eye him cautiously. “What are you doing?”

“Taking a seat, what do you think I’m doing?”

“You’re not gonna wear your clothes first?”

“Do I have to?” He takes a sip of your half-finished coffee, smacking his lips before he throws a naughty grin. “I mean, I fucked you right here last night. Surely you won’t mind eating breakfast with me only in my towel?” Before you can say a word—and you have lots to say—Satoru adds, “I’m just giving you a chance to ogle at my body as much as you want as you enjoy your food. I know you’re too embarrassed to ask, so you’re welcome. And if you’re willing to take a day off, I can be your dessert too.”

You make a face. “Gross.”

“And yet, you don’t deny the fact that you’re planning to stare.” Peering into your eyes, he places his chin on his hand, resting his elbow on the table. The haughty look he displays on his face is supposed to irritate you, but what it does is make your heart pound harder. “You’ve seen and touched these babies for years, and you still can’t get enough? Babe, come on.”

“You seriously calling your abs your babies?”

“Yep.” He wiggles his eyebrows. “But if you play nice, I’ll let you call them—”

“Just eat your breakfast.”

***

07.46 AM

“Babe?”

“What?”

“I have something to say but promise me you won’t kill me after I said it.”

“Okay…” You look up from your plate, feeling a bit concerned. “What is it?”

Satoru has never looked this serious in his entire life (because face it, Satoru and the word serious don’t really belong together now, do they?).

Taking hold of your hand, he gently squeezes it, providing the comfort that you might need.

“This soup is salty as hell.”

***

07.58 AM

With the taste of salt still lingering thickly on his tongue (and a bump on his head, a masterpiece done by your fist), Satoru steps inside the bedroom with a yawn, his fingers scratching his undercut. He unwraps the towel from his waist, tossing it onto the sheets without care.

Your husband smiles the second he notices the way you’ve prepared his clothes so neatly on the desk, all the way from his tie, his belt even down to his socks. His dress pants are ironed to a crisp seam, and his phone is fully charged (after being married to him for three years, you’ve learned all of his little habits). You’ve selected a matching dark tie to go with his suit, one that he recalled was given to him as a gift during last year’s anniversary. He loves it. He loves how you always buy the things he needs instead of what he wants, even when he, himself, didn’t realize how essential they were. But what makes him the happiest is when he sees the way it makes you smile so warmly every time he wears it, like a painter landing a final stroke on her masterpiece. For someone who doesn’t speak romantic words so often, your little gesture never fails to portray what’s on your mind. You love him and it shows.

“I’m being spoiled, huh?” Satoru mumbles to himself, nothing but elation in his chest. He spots the little notes you left him on the same table, your handwriting scribbled on a piece of paper. “Ooooh~ A love note?”

Dear husband, If you leave your wet towel on the bed again I’ll kill you.

“Not a love note.” Wincing, he immediately retrieves the towel from the bed, his mind playing a traumatic flashback of you scolding him about it for two hours straight (because suddenly it wasn’t just about the wet towel, was it? The forgotten toilet seat. The countless jackets hanging on the coat rack because he kept grabbing a new one. The pile of hentai doujinshi piling up on the coffee table. All of them.)

With the thought of skipping today’s work lingering in his head, Satoru forces himself to dress. As he turns around to face the mirror, he captures a brief look at the kiss marks blooming on his neck, ones that you painted on him last night. They’re faint because, unlike someone in this condo, you make sure to always be considerate of his appearance (though Satoru wishes you weren’t), but even the lightest shade of red seems vibrant on his fair skin.

Although he acts nonchalant most of the time, your husband is quite the possessive type, so it’s a given that he likes the idea of having his marks on you. He gets a kick out of watching you struggle to hide the love bites he left on your neck, even more so when someone notices it. But, of course, nothing beats the feeling of having your marks on him. If you allowed him to, he would’ve worn every bite and bruise like a medal. Proudly. Contentedly. The same way he exhibited every present you’ve given him. Satoru just loves the idea of having a wife—of having you as his wife—and he would showcase that to the world in every second of his life if he could.

He traces the bruises with his fingertips, drowning himself in the thoughts of you gasping against his ear, your teeth grinding against his neck as he pushed your knees further against your stomach with every thrust of his hips. He wasn’t lying when he said you looked absolutely gorgeous during sex. The way you parted your lips. The way your eyebrows stitched together in pleasure. The little noises you made when you breathed out his name as you bounced on his lap—

Satoru looks down. There it is again, the ache between his legs. Funny how you’re already so distracting even without doing anything—or being in the same room for that matter. Sighing, he grouses, “Guess she’s right. No signs of erectile dysfunction.” Willing his indecent thoughts to go away, he tucks his hands into the sleeves, buttoning up his shirt before he circles his tie around his neck.

“Satoru!” He hears your voice resonating from the bathroom. “Toru, can you come here for a sec? I need your help!”

“Oh, now she’s calling me to have sex with her.” He rolls his eyes. “After I finish taking a shower. So much for playing hard to get,” he scoffs. It’s ironic that he says this because right now he’s the one who’sacting that way. With giddy hands, he unfastens his tie, rushing to take off his pants again and almost tripping on his way out. He dashes toward the bathroom, opening the door while he strives to keep his excitement in check.

“WHOA!” You yelp in surprise, your body nude and drenched, hiding behind the door with only your head peeking out. “Why are you naked?!”

He frowns, confused. “Cause we’re about to have sex?”

Now you’re confused. “Uhh, no?”

“Why did you call me then?”

“I forgot my towel.”

“You’re asking me to get you your towel?” He sounds so appalled as if that thought never occurred to him when it’s supposed to be the first thing that should pop out in his head. Before you can respond, however, his mind, delusional as always, answers the question for him. “Oh, I see,” he smirks. “You’re using codes.”

“What?”

“‘I forgot my towel’—isn’t that, like, our code for ‘let’s have sex in the shower?’”

“Satoru.” You hold yourself back from ripping the silver strands out of his head. He’s testing your patience. Again. “We don't have any secret code.”

“We don’t?”

“Nope.”

“Oh…” It almost feels a bit cartoonish the way his shoulders sag upon hearing your words. There he is, a 29-year-old male standing in front of you in all his naked glory, saddened to his core over the fact of not having a cipher for sex. Well, for three seconds anyway. “So… You wanna make this our secret code, effective immediately, or—”

“Get the damn towel.”

With a stomp, Satoru leaves the bathroom only to return with your towel in one hand and his eyes squinting in a glare. Being the brat that he is, instead of handing it directly to you, he lets the thick cloth fall to the floor just a few inches away from where you’re standing.

“Oh, you’re so annoying.”

“Isn’t that your secret code for saying you love me?”

You throw a jab to his stomach.

***

08.24 AM

Pushing your hair out of your coat, you call out your husband’s name. You examine your appearance one more time in the mirror, tidying your strands until they frame your face perfectly. The condo is fairly clean. Your stomach is full though you can’t seem to wash away the saltiness of your soup just yet. You’re only seven minutes late from your original plan, which isn’t bad. You’re all set.

“Toru, you’re ready to go?”

Your husband is still yawning when he meets you in the foyer, carrying his handbag with his shoulders sagging forward. He’s dressed sharply in a white button-up shirt, combined with a black suit that accentuates the broadness of his shoulders. He looks handsome. He always does.

“Well, well, well, hello, Mr. CMO,” you snicker, pulling him by the tie while seductively batting your eyelashes at him. “Do you have time to spare? I would like to have a private meeting with you.”

He’s so tired, he doesn’t have the strength to keep up with your flirting, which says something since it’s usually the other way around. He spreads his arms wide open, his pout turning more prominent by the second. “Come here.”

“What?”

“I need my twenty-second hug.”

So, apparently, Satoru believes in this theory he found recently on the internet that said when you hug someone for, at least, twenty seconds, your body begins secreting the hormone oxytocin which is known to boost the immune system and reduce stress. He said that but you know that he’s just doing it so he can squeeze your ass, and that’s a fact, not a theory.

“Fine, but don’t grope my ass.”

“As long as you don’t grope mine.”

“I literally never did that.” You bury your face in his chest, tangling your arm around his waist. Satoru’s warmth is really one of a kind, or maybe he’s just as warm as a normal human being and you’re just too intoxicated by his scent that you stop making sense. No matter what the reason is, it’s comforting to be in his arms and if he doesn’t make a big deal out of it every time (acting like you’re the one who desperately wants to embrace him), you’d probably spend hours of your day just hugging him like this.

He buries his nose in your strands. “Your hair smells different.”

“I used your shampoo.”

“Yeah? That’s hot.”

You close your eyes, basking in his warmth and enjoying the smell of his perfume. He’s wearing a different brand today, just for a change, and although it’s not as sweet as his other one, this somehow feels much more comforting. Soft and fresh, reminding you less of summer and more of spring this time. “You smell different.”

“I used your perfume. And your bra.”

You’re not sure if you’re laughing over his terrible joke or his deadpan delivery, maybe a bit of both. Nuzzling your face against his chest, you titter, “Yeah? That’s hot.”

And he’s not sure if he’s smiling over your reply or the way you just sounded so cute giggling like that—no, definitely both. He tightens his arms around your shoulders, squeezing your body against him until you start pounding your fist against his chest, begging for a time-out before he steals all the air in your lungs. “I think we should just skip work today,” he mutters as he releases you. “We can watch a wildlife documentary and count on how many times Benedict Cumberbatch mispronounced the word “Penguin” as ‘Pengwings.’”

“That sounds productive. If you want Maki to kill you.”

He shudders in fear, pulling you back to him. “Just for that, I’m gonna need another twenty.”

Though you feel the urge the roll your eyes, you let him tug you back into his arms and rest his chin on your head. After all, he’s your personal teddy bear. You can spend your eternity just sinking into his embrace like this.

“Satoru?”

“Hmm?”

“Your hands are on my ass.”

“Yeah, but I’m not groping them.”

“You are now.”

“Well now that you mentioned it, I just have to, don’t I?”

You break away, giving a playful slap on the chest. “Enough, we’re running late.”

“Where do you find the energy to go to work every morning?” He asks with weariness in his eyes. “I am this close to throwing myself back to the bed.”

Funny how literally an hour ago, he promised you that he’d work harder to make you feel even prouder of him. “Well, I guess, it all started when I turned into a fully grown woman.” You smiled at him, fixing his tie before you dealt with his collar. He might be the youngest person to enter C-level in his company, but he still dresses as clumsily as a five-year-old if it wasn’t for you to keep his appearance in check all the time.

“I’m a fully grown man too and I still wish I could lay around all day,” he sulks.

“You’re a man-child.” Tugging on his tie, you pull him down until your lips meet his in a chaste kiss. “But I love you. Body, mind, and soul.” You beam at him with your widest grin. “How’s that for your energy booster, Gojo-san?”

To your surprise, Satoru answers you by tossing his handbag to the side and dipping his head down once more to re-attach your lips together. He kisses you with the same fervor he had last night, tongue sneaking inside to taste the minty scent of your toothpaste. You gasp against his mouth, fingers fisting the fabric of his suit as you struggle to maintain your balance. Can’t help but take a couple of steps back from how hard he’s kissing you, you stop only when your spine meets the wall. “Satoru—” You attempt to push him away by placing your hand on his chest but he clamps his fingers around your wrist, bringing it over your head.

With his body pressed against yours, you wonder if he can feel your palpitating heartbeat beating against his own. There’s no stopping him when he gets this aggressive with his kiss and it’s not like you can find any willpower within you to stop him. Fortunately for you, he breaks away, wetting his bottom lip once as his eyes still glaze over your bruised ones.

“Spirits lifted,” he smiles against your lips, sending blood to pool in your cheeks. “Thanks, babe.”

When he lets you go, you find it almost impossible to stay composed. Three years… Three damn years you’ve been married to him and he still knows how to make your knees buckle with a single kiss.

“Babe?”

You push yourself away from the wall, your fingers tangled in your hair when you try to fix it. “W-what?”

Putting on his sunglasses, he casts a smirk, “You might want to fix your lipstick.”

“Oh, I hate you.”

He pecks your cheek. “I love you too, baby girl.”

***

08.32 AM

Despite you being the better driver—better as in I’m not gonna try and bribe an officer with a brand new iPhone whenever I get pulled over or threaten him with my family name when things don’t work out my way—Satoru always insists on having his hands on the steering wheel every time you’re with him. “A gentleman wouldn’t let his lady drive, especially when she looks this pretty in that skirt,” he always says, and yes, maybe this is his gentleman sidetalking—even when the said gentleman had put on the same skirt and caressed his own butt in front of the mirror a few days back. But honestly? You know this is just a part of his master plan to control the music playlist for the next ten to fifteen minutes.

“We’re not listening to Hatsune Miku again,” you say, putting on your seatbelt.

“Oh, we totally are,” Satoru cackles, his fingers sliding up and down the touchscreen. He has seventeen different playlists consisting of more than a hundred songs in total, all taken from his favorite albums. Which is not much, really, considering Hatsune Miku is featured in around two thousand songs by now (a fact that you, honest to God, don’t care but he keeps reminding you of).

“Satoru, if you play one more Hatsune Miku song, I swear I won't put out tonight.”

“Well, if I have to listen to cookbook again—”

“Jungkook.”

“If I have to listen to cookbook one more time then I won’t put out tonight.”

“That's fine with me,” you shrug.

“Fuck,” he clicks his tongue, desperately jumping to the next option. “Okay, uhh… Oh, I know! You’re not getting my credit card ever again.”

You have one finger hovering above the screen. “So which Hatsune album are we listening to today?”

He sends you a dead stare. “Do you only love me for my money?”

“Oh, honey…” You rest your palm gently on his face, cupping and stroking his cheek. “Of course, I do.” You give him a tap that goes a little too hard than you intended but then again, he kind of deserves it. “Now, drive.”

Satoru doesn’t even have the energy to come up with a retort. Exhaling in defeat, he kicks in the gear while you, with your face crumpled in repulsion, try to pick the least insufferable Hatsune Miku song. Unfortunately for you, Satoru catches a title that steals his attention.

“OOOH go back, go back! I want to listen to that one!”

You sigh, selecting his song choice. “It’s too early to listen to—” Beaming with joy and oblivious to the hatred you have for that one song, Satoru sweeps in and cranks up the volume until you feel your ears ringing from the inside.

“Oh my God—” You flinch. If his loud nagging didn’t bust your eardrum, this definitely will. “Does it have to be this loud?!”

“Of course, my goddess is singing!” He shouts, grinning from ear to ear. He starts singing along, just as loudly, if not more. At this point, you swear there are people jogging on the sidetracks looking at your car with their faces contorting into frowns.

“I’m the number one princess in the world, so that's how you'll treat me,” he sings, slamming his hands against the wheel, head bobbing to the beat. “Oh my God, this is the soundtrack of my life!”

Still scowling, you have no choice but to listen further to the lyrics.

It's not like I'm acting selfish, I'm not asking for much I just want you to think from the bottom of your heart that I'm adorable I'm the number one princess in the world Notice me! Hey! Heeey! Keeping me waiting is out of the question Just who do you think I am? Whatever, I think I could go for some dessert! Yes, right now!

You grimace. “It really is.”

***

10.54 AM

11.45 AM

01.10 PM

01.29 PM

02.05 PM

02.29 PM

03.22 PM

04.02 PM

05.28 PM

06.11 PM

07.06 PM

***

AN: Thank you so much for reading! I'm so sorry for the amount of cringe that you had to suffer through while you were reading this 😭

#gojo fluff #gojo smut #gojo satoru x reader #satoru gojo x reader #gojo x reader #satoru x reader #satoru smut #satoru fluff #jjk x reader #gojo satoru smut #gojo satoru fluff #gojo satoru #satoru gojo #jjk smut #jjk fluff #jujutsu kaisen smut #jujutsu kaisen fluff #fics.24hourswithyou

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sturnstars5 · 1 day ago

Text

i’ll show you how to be quiet- chris sturniolo

when chris won’t shut up for 2 seconds, you force him to be quiet and let you take control.

bf!chris x dom!fem!reader

warnings(mdni): oral (m recieving), swearing, suggestive terms, orgasm denial

enjoy!!

“so then, i looked at that bitch and told her how much of a bitch she was!” nick says, talking about some girl from his brand meeting.

“nick!” matt and you say in disbelief.

“i mean, someone had to say what we were all fucking thinking! she told me that-“

“do you guys want pizza for dinner?” chris interrupts.

“chris shut your mouth i wasn’t done.” nick replies.

“sorry, i’m just hungry. i saw this ad for pizza and then i got to thinking about places that have good pizza, then i thought about mini pizzas, then i realized how hungry i was-“

“chris, shut the fuck up! can you not go two fucking seconds without yapping about fucking nonsense?” nick says.

“whatever, but seriously, can somebody go pick up some pizza?” chris says, making everyone giggle.

“fine, matt and i will go pick up pizza for dinner. are you happy?” nick says.

“yep!”

“alright, see you in a little bit. don’t drive y/n crazy, either.” nick says, walking out the door with matt.

“while they’re gone, do you wanna watch a movie?” chris asks, cuddling beside you on the couch.

“sure!”

chris puts on you guys’ favorite movie, scream.

“have you seen that one video of that dog and that bird?” chris asks.

“mhm.” you reply, focusing on the movie.

about 2 minutes later, chris asks you another question.

“do i snore really bad when i sleep? because matt says i do but i sleep with you more, so i figured you would know-“

“nick was right, wasn’t he.” you interrupt.

“what do you mean?” chris says.

“you really like to talk a lot don’t you?” you ask.

“yeah, i guess so.”

“come with me.”

you lead chris back to your shared bedroom.

“lay on the bed, i’ll show you how to be quiet .” you instruct.

chris does what he’s told, laying on the bed while staring up at you. you’ve barely done anything, and you can see the tent growing in his sweatpants.

you reach over on you nightstand, grabbing a roll of tape that’s laying in the junk drawer. you rip off a piece, taping chris’ mouth shut.

“you stay quiet for me, alright?” you say. he nods in response.

you grab the waistband of his sweatpants, and you slowly pull them down, throwing them off of the bed once they’re off. his underwear go next, and now his lower half is completely exposed.

you straddle chris’ bare lower half, and you start to slowly stroke his length, teasing the tip as you run your hand down him.

you can hear his muffled needy moans through the tape, begging you to go faster so he can release.

“you wanna come, chris?”

“mhmm!” he desperately moans out.

you go faster, finding a good pace that pleasures chris, but leaves him needing more. he cries out into the tape, desperately begging for you to let him come.

“wow, so desperate, aren’t you? you really wanna come, don’t you?” you say.

“mhm! mhm!” he muffles out.

“well, you haven’t been very quiet, so i’m gonna make you wait a little longer.”

chris groans in response, desperate to release.

you graze his tip again, your finger dampening as he leaks precum onto it. chris whimpers with need.

you take pity on him, so you lower mouth onto his tip, swirling your tongue around and gathering his precum.

you run your mouth down his length, hollowing your cheeks and tightening your lips around his dick. you place your hand at the base, stroking up and down.

you go faster, and in response chris moans against the tape.

you keep going until you see his stomach flex, and you feel his warm cum coating your throat.

you rip off the tape, chris still speechless and breathless.

“have you learned your lesson?” you ask.

“i’m gonna talk more often so we can do this more.”

“christopher!” you giggle.

“pizzas here!” you hear nick and matt yell from the kitchen.

“good timing.” you and chris say, walking into the kitchen.

thank you for reading, i hope you enjoyed!

#chris sturniolo #christopher sturniolo #matt sturniolo #nick sturniolo #nicolas sturniolo #sturniolo fanfic #sturniolo triplets #chris smut #chris sturiolo fanfic #chris x y/n #matthew bernard sturniolo #sturniolo x reader #sturniolo smut #matthew sturniolo #christopher owen sturniolo #nicolas antonio sturniolo #nick x reader #matt stuniolo fanfic #matt x reader

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moonferry · 3 months ago

Text

some sam puppyboy antics because i literally can't get this man out of my head.

* we all know he loves to do the "big dog who thinks they're a lapdog" thing where he will literally demand to be little spoon despite being Massive but please consider: sam with a really strong partner who actually picks him up and sam looks like those pics of huge dogs who aren't used to being held.

* loves i mean LOVES having his hair played with . i feel like he'd just spontaneously combust if you ran your fingers through it or scratched his scalp with your nails.

* gets those big, wet puppy eyes when he really wants something and it's impossible to say no to.

"farmer, can we please get/do [crazy antic]"

"sam..."

"🥺🥺🥺🥺"

"fine."

* he probably gets the zoomies lol. like if he's been working on one thing for too long, the energy just starts to build up and he needs to run around to let out some steam.

* definitely sticks his head out of the bus/car window. he's smiling the whole time, too, like a goober. and then you laugh when he gets smacked in the face by a tree branch or road sign.

* takes up the ENTIRE bed when you leave the farmhouse / it takes you too long to return at night and you just shake your head.

* wants to be super helpful so he follows you around the farm. he'd gladly hold your tools for you.

* literally holds anything you give him without hesitation or question. like you hand him a strange black and red egg? sure why not. anything you need him to hold, he's going to hold it like a good boyfriend.

* likes to receive words of encouragement/praise when he's done something good. "i watered the plants!" "oh, good job, sammy. thanks." ":D"

* little treats are a must. he isn't picky, but if you have him a joja cola or a mini pizza, he would be so happy.

* i think it would be hilarious if the farmer were to do the "dog owner talk" just to tease him like "oh, who's a good boy?! who's such a good boy? that's right, it's sammy-wammy!" he thinks it's hilarious, too, a bit annoying but funny nonetheless.

* he just likes being in the same room as you. it doesn't matter what's going on. he could even be on the other side, doing his own thing, but if you walk in you two could sit in silence and he'd be content.

* very physically affectionate & (if you're okay with it) loves to give you affection any chance he can get.

* i think he does that little excited shake/butt wiggley dogs do when their person comes back. he'd just be like yeaaah!!!! probably does it as a joke, but he's still super excited to see you. i think it would actually translate more into him running to the door and wrapping you into the biggest hug ever.

* nicknames & pet names are what you primarily call him but if he does something particularly stupid you just pull out the "samson."

* i think he'll just go off in the woods for a period of time and come back with a random trinket and then he's like "hi. i found this and i brought it back because i thought it was cool & that you'd enjoy it."

* very accident prone & is always covered in bruises from running into things or getting himself hurt.

* can fall asleep anywhere - even in positions that seem physically impossible or extremely uncomfortable.

* unrelated to the puppyboy thing but adhd sam has my heart.

* if you put your hands near his face, he is going to lick you. i'm sorry. like he has a stray hair and you try to push it out of the way? he licked your hand. it's mostly to annoy you and because he wants to be a little goober

* HOWEVER, if he's feeling very soft, he may smoosh his face into your hands and demand you cup his cheeks . just like *gently holds* yk?

* makes little noises or is constantly quoting things. i think he's a big vocal stimmer.

* loves to show you his favorite things!!! it could be some silly video on his phone or whatever but he'd be so proud of it and immediately want to show it to you.

* he would definitely go play in the mud when it's raining outside. you probably have to hose him down with the gardening hose before letting him back in the farmhouse. which also means you'd have to chase him because he does NOT want to shower

adding to this:

* he loves kisses. like a lot. he will definitely cover your face in kisses any chance he gets.

* loves it when you gently hold his face and give him kisses too. bonus points if you give him forehead kisses. he goes crazy for these and doesn't get to receive them that often bc he's so tall.

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icycoldninja · 10 months ago

Note

Cuddling with Dante (DMC 3) headcanons would be so cute

Aww yiss! Here ya go, enjoy the hell out of it! (I sure did)

Cuddling headcannons (DMC3! Dante x Reader)

-Likes being the little spoon; Dante is a sweet lil softie who just wants to be cuddled and snuggled.

-Doesn't mind being the big spoon if you want him to be, but he still prefers being cuddled rather than the person doing the cuddling.

-If currently being the little spoon, he will bury his face in your chest or shoulder, wrap his legs and arms around you, and just cling to you like a koala. If you want to get up, woe is you--he ain't moving for anyone or anything.

-If being the big spoon, he will wrap his legs around your back and his arms round your shoulders. Then he'll just lie there until he falls asleep.

-Never ever try to free yourself from Dante's cuddling clutches. It is an impossible feat; attempting to do so will only cause the cuddle monster to tighten his grip and whine until you cease your futile resistance.

-Very, very warm, almost like a mini heater. When you snuggle with Dante, there isn't a need for blankets.

-Sometimes puts on a movie or a show or something for you guys to watch while lying together; it's relaxing and is the perfect pre-bedtime cool down.

-Loves to play with your hair and loves it even more if you play with his.

-Will braid/brush your hair if you ask him to. He's also surprisingly good at it. Probably picked it up from Eva

-Also owns a pair of pizza themed pajamas that are very fuzzy and look super cute on him. He will definitely get you a pair if you want to match.

-At night, when he's asleep, he gravitated toward you. If you aren't already in each other's arms, he will scoot over to you until you are. More often than not, he ends up rolling on top of you, squashing you with his weight.

-But it's alright, Dante's not that heavy, and if squishing you makes him happy, then so be it. Besides, it's not like you'll feel the loss of circulation--you'll be asleep!

#Dmc #Dmc3 #Dmc3 dante #Dante #Dante Sparda #Dante x reader #Cute #Fluff #Fluffy #headcannons #fluff headcanons #Dante x reader headcannons #devil may cry 3 #Devil may cry #devil may cry 3 dante #dante devil may cry #icycoldninja writes #thanks for requesting!#Requested

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daisynik7 · 1 year ago

Text

Tall Idol Takada-Chan's Birthday

Pairing: Aoi Todo x f!reader

Rating: Mature

Word Count: ~4.0k

cw: reader is mentioned having long-ish hair (enough to put into braids), reader has curves, Todo being slightly pervy, explicit language, sexually suggestive dialogue, mentions of food

Summary: You and Sara attend a Takada-Chan birthday celebration at a local café, where you run into two unsuspecting acquaintances.

Author’s Notes: Here’s chapter four, enjoy! Thanks for the support on this so far, I really appreciate it. Divider credit to @/saradika.

Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter

Todo hangs the signed Takada-Chan poster on the wall right next to his bed. He wants it to be the first thing he sees when he wakes up. There are, of course, many other Takada posters already displayed around his studio apartment, but this one is different. This one is special. It has his name and his future wife’s name on it.

“I still can’t believe you got to meet Takada-Chan today. That’s wild,” Yuji comments, biting into a slice of pizza. Tonight, the brothers are watching a collection of action movies and stuffing their faces with junk food.

Todo sits on the opposite side of the couch, staring up at the ceiling with a small grin on his face. “I knew this day would come. My patience all these years is finally paying off! I’m this much closer to being Mr. Aoi Takada.”

Yuji snorts. “Dude, you’re going to take her name? Really?”

“We don’t abide by conformist laws in this household. I will proudly take Takada-Chan’s name,” Todo declares, dramatically clutching his chest over his heart.

With his mouth full, Yuji muffles, “Isn’t it weird that you had to lie to get her attention though? I mean, she thinks you and that other fan are a couple.”

“It’s not weird. It’s strategic.”

His brother shrugs. “I guess. It’s pretty cool of that girl to go along with it. She must really be a huge fan if she’s willing to put up with you, even if it is just pretend. She even let you keep the poster.”

He still can’t wrap his head around what happened earlier in the day. He was already exhausted after the mission, but when he saw that long line, it put him in a worse mood. Who knew that his rival would be the one to come to his rescue? Well, her and Takada-Chan, of course. When he saw them standing in front of him together, he couldn’t help feeling elated. And after today’s experience, he starts to think that maybe him and his rival can start being cordial with each other. She is the mastermind behind this whole scheme. And she did give him the poster. The least he can do is be less of an asshole to her, right?

~~~

July 16th is a Saturday, though most importantly, it is Takada-Chan’s birthday. You find out your favorite café, Club Coffee, is hosting a Takada-Chan birthday celebration. They’ll have different types of treats and drinks that are Takada themed, as well as life-sized cardboard cut outs of the pop idol for photos.

When Saturday arrives, you and Sara get ready for the café event. Inspired by her outfit from the Meet and Greet, you decide to dress up for the occasion in an off-the-shoulder black blouse and plaid mini skirt. You accessorize with a red choker and black combat boots. Only Takada-Chan could pull off platform heels, so you don’t bother. Also, knowing yourself, you would definitely eat shit walking around in those. Not wanting to copy Takada’s look completely, you style your hair into two braids instead of pigtails. You twirl around for Sara, asking her, “What do you think?”

“Like you’re totally ready to seduce a teacher,” she teases.

“I wasn’t trying to go for a schoolgirl look!” you protest, self-conscious.

Sara grabs your shoulders and faces you towards the mirror. “No, it’s cute. Very cute, I promise you. Now let’s go before it gets too crowded.” You can always count on Sara to give you that confidence boost you need.

The two of you make your way to Club Coffee. There’s a huge banner over the storefront reading, “Happy Birthday Tall Idol Takada-Chan!” A life-sized cardboard cutout of the pop idol doing her signature pose is placed near the store window. Fans gather around the front, taking pictures with it. It’s not nearly as crowded as the previous events you’ve attended because multiple cafes and shops around the area are hosting their own celebrations. As soon as you walk inside, you hear the distinct beat of one of the pop idol’s songs blasting through the speakers, giving the establishment a night club vibe, which you love.

As you stand in line to order, you and Sara peruse the menu, both of you shimmying to the music as you decide what you want. There are a variety of dishes, savory and sweet, that are special for today. You order the Caprese Sandwich, one of Takada’s favorite meals, and the “Matcha Takada Latte”, which comes with latte art of the idol’s face. For dessert, you pick something called the “Taka-tan Beam Sweet Dream”, which is basically a slice of vanilla cloud cake with strawberries and cream. Sara goes for the “Love Gem” cookies and a black coffee, both of you agreeing to share the sandwich. As you place your order with the barista, Sara finds a booth near the back of the café. You make your way towards her, stopping once to interact with another female fan complimenting your outfit.

“This is awesome!” you exclaim, sitting next to Sara, setting the buzzer on the surface. “Even if Takada-Chan isn’t physically here, I feel her presence all around me.”

“It’s probably because there are all these creepy cardboard cutouts of her. I feel like I’m in a weird Takada-Chan fever dream,” Sara shudders. “Also, the food and drinks we ordered might take a while, considering how busy it is.”

“That’s alright, I don’t mind waiting! Thanks for coming with me.” You sidle right next to her to give her a big hug.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t get sappy with me. I’m only here because you agreed to pay for all the food.” She nudges you playfully.

As you wait for your order, the crowd grows larger. Most of the tables are now taken. The other booth across from you is still unoccupied. You and Sara chat while bopping along to the music, thankful you found an open spot when you did. A couple of minutes pass when Sara elbows you, pointing your attention to the entrance. “Look who’s here. It’s Todo and Yuji.”

Of all the cafés hosting Takada-Chan birthday celebrations, why did they have to pick this one? Are the pop idol gods punishing you for lying to Takada-Chan about your fake relationship? That’s definitely it. This is karma.

You groan into your hands as Sara laughs giddily. “We should invite them to our table! We have room.”

“Don’t you fucking dare, Sara. Can’t I have one moment of peace at one of these things?!”

“But he’s your boyfriend!”

“Shut up!” you hiss at your best friend, who continues to giggle, amused at your distress. “We’re all the way in the back, so they probably won’t see us.” You slouch into the seat, attempting to hide.

“But what if they can’t find a table?” she whines, shaking your arm.

“Good, then they’ll leave.”

“Oh, c’mon! I thought you and Todo played nice at the last event.”

“Yeah. I played nice. Then he told me we could never be friends.” The memory of that still stings as you recall it.

“He doesn’t know you yet, maybe he’s shy.”

You let out a loud “Ha!” and add, “I don’t think shy is in his vocabulary. Unless he’s around Takada-Chan. Then he becomes speechless, which is hilarious.” You cross your arms and slide further down the booth.

“They just ordered. Now they’re looking for a table.”

You grab hold of Sara’s sleeve and pull her towards you. “Sara, I swear to god, if you invite them to our table – “

“Yuji! Hey, Yuji!”

She did it. She really fucking did it.

~~~

Todo searches his surroundings to identify the source of the woman’s voice calling out for his brother. Yuji, who is next to him, turns and waves. “Hey! Sara!” He follows him towards the back of the café., approaching a table with two women already sitting on one side. He notices Sara immediately; it’s that girl’s friend that always breaks up whatever argument they’re having at Takada-Chan events. The other is slouched so much, her head is level to the table. She holds both hands up to cover her face.

“Hey ladies! You’re lucky you found a table. Can’t find a spot anywhere,” Yuji says.

Sara, with a grin, offers, “We have space at our table. Join us. It’ll be fun. Right? Won’t it be fun?” She directs her last statement to the girl next to her, trying to get her to come out of hiding.

When she finally reveals herself, Todo recognizes her immediately: his rival. “Ha, I should have known you’d be here. And here I thought today was going to be a good day.”

She sits up, arms crossed with an annoyed expression on her face. “Oh please, we were here first. You’re the one ruining my day.”

Sara shoves her friend lightly. “She’s just joking. Seriously, you two can sit with us. We’re still waiting for our food too.”

Yuji beams. “Thank you, Sara! Glad we ran into you.” He slides into the booth across from them. Todo grunts with disapproval but follows anyways. I guess this isn’t so bad, he thinks.

Sara and Yuji instantly start chatting to each other, like old friends catching up after a long time. Since when are these two so close? They’ve only met each other once. Todo glances at his rival across from him, who is now scrolling through her phone, making it a point to ignore him.

He clears his throat, attempting small talk. “So, what did you order?”

She looks up and gives a curt response. “Food.”

Todo rolls his eyes. “Yeah, obviously. I mean which special item did you order?”

“Why do you want to know?” she throws back at him.

“I’m just trying to make conversation.” His patience wears thin and he almost regrets even trying. She’s extra venomous today. His last words to her from the meet and greet must have struck a chord. I don’t think we’ll ever be friends. He didn’t mean for it to sound so unkind. Todo doesn’t have very many friends, let alone female friends. All the girls at his high school despised him. And since he’s loyal to Takada-Chan, he has no interest in having any type of relations with other women. But this girl did him a huge solid, especially at the last event. He can’t forget that. This might be a good time to right his wrongs. “Listen, I’m sorry for being such an asshole to you. I get very defensive about Takada-Chan. Still, that’s no excuse.” Her expression relaxes as she sets her phone aside, listening in silence.

He continues. “Let’s call it a truce. Maybe we can both be Takada-Chan’s #1 fan,” he holds his hand out to shake on it, knowing deep down he’s the biggest fan. But for the sake of peace, he’ll keep that to himself.

She eyes him carefully, contemplating. Finally, she reaches over and grips his hand firmly. “Okay, truce.” She flashes him a genuine smile.

There’s a strange tightness in his chest upon seeing this. Weird. He clears his throat again and asks once more, “So, which special dish did you choose?”

They chat about the food and drinks they ordered. They both got the Matcha Takada Latte. Apparently, she loves matcha while Todo admits to ordering it only because it has Takada-Chan’s face on it. She asks him if he really knew Takada in middle school, to which Yuji interrupts to debunk this very true theory. Sara joins in their conversation, mentioning how the “brothers” look nothing alike, with Yuji again exposing the fact that they are not blood related. The girls laugh as he recounts the story of how him and Todo first met, skillfully leaving out the details about Jujutsu sorcery and the Goodwill event. Yuji mentions Todo’s infamous catchphrase: What kind of girls do you like?

He cuts off Yuji’s story to ask, “Wait, since we’re all here, what kind of girls do you like?”

Sara snorts. “I’m not answering that question.”

“C’mon! It’s just for fun. Todo asks this to everyone.”

Sara elbows her friend. “We all know what kind of girl she likes. She adores Takada-Chan.”

His rival (maybe he should start acknowledging her as an acquaintance now) giggles, explaining, “She’s just so talented and confident! How can you not admire that?” Yawn. Boring. Todo should have expected this.

“Also, she has a nice butt,” she adds, smirking shyly. Now this gets his attention.

Yuji whoops. “Ha! You’re just like us! High five!”

They slap hands, then she clarifies, “It’s just nice to see an idol with a more voluptuous body type. Something I can relate to. Makes me more confident, I guess. It’s dumb.”

Sara wraps her arm around her friend. “It’s not dumb. Takada-Chan has a nice badonkadonk and so do you. All asses come in different shapes and sizes and they’re all great!”

Todo watches her curiously. To say he is surprised would be an understatement. He’s already admitted to himself that she has a nice butt. To hear her talk about it out loud is fascinating. And anyone who appreciates Takada-Chan’s butt has his respect.

Suddenly, one of the buzzers vibrates. “Oh! Our food is finally ready.” When she shimmies out of the booth to stand up, Todo’s mouth parts open, fixated on her mini skirt. His gaze follows her as she walks away towards the front counter, the hem grazing against the back of her plush thighs. She looks good. Like, really good. Why is this the first time he’s noticing this about her?

“Hey!” There’s a hard slap on his shoulder. He turns to find Yuji and Sara staring at him, her arm stretched across the table, the source of the smack. “What do you think you’re doing?” Sara demands, glaring.

Todo smirks. “I’m just enjoying the view.”

Her eyes widen, nostrils flare. Yuji puts his head in his hands, shaking it in disapproval. “Dude…”

“You fucking pervert!” Sara yells, both hands reaching towards him as Yuji holds her back.

“Sara! He didn’t mean it! Right, Todo?! You were just joking!” He’s desperately trying to contain her.

Todo waves it all off, unfazed. “Yeah, I’m just joking around, no need to get all protective of your friend.” He focuses his attention back to her making her back to their table, a tray of food in hands, that skirt swaying dangerously on her hips. Damn, she’s really wearing the hell outta that thing, Todo muses. It’s a similar outfit to what Takada-Chan wore at the Meet and Greet, except it’s different. She’s made it her own.

Damn, he thinks again, watching her slide into the booth, more alluring than ever. He notices how her tantalizing shoulders are exposed in the skimpy blouse she wears, the way it hugs the curves of her breasts. How soft her lips are as she smiles at the food in front of her, excited to stuff it all in her pretty little mouth. He lingers on the tight red choker around her neck, teasing him, making him imagine all kinds of interesting and naughty thoughts…

Shit. Maybe he really is a fucking pervert.

~~~

When you pick up your order from the counter, you are amazed at the “Matcha Takada Latte” art. You rave to the barista at what an amazing job she did. In the background, even amongst the music blasting, you hear Sara’s voice yelling, but you can’t make out exactly what she’s saying. Back at the table, you slide the tray of food towards Sara, who is scowling at Todo with her arms crossed. You ask nervously, “Is everything okay?”

Everyone is silent for a moment, then Yuji speaks. “Todo passed gas, that’s why Sara is pissed.”

Todo’s head whips towards Yuji. “What?! Brother, why would you say that?!”

Sara’s expression softens, glancing at you with a small smile. “Thanks for getting the food. Let’s eat.” As the two brothers argue, you and Sara split the Caprese sandwich, chowing down. Sara remains unusually quiet until the other buzzer rings, both Todo and Yuji leaving to retrieve their order.

Sara stops eating, her voice hushed as she leans into your ear. “Hey, just so you know, Todo is totally checking you out.”

You almost choke on the last bite of your sandwich, sputtering a confused, “What?!”

“He was staring at your ass while you were at the front counter. Fucking creep.”

“You’re the one that is encouraging this! You invited them to our table! You said I should have hot angry hate sex with him!”

“I know, but that was before I knew he was a fucking pervert!”

You panic. How do you even respond to this news? Should you be creeped out? In a normal situation, this would be incredibly inappropriate, right? But why is a small part of you flattered? This big hunk is checking you out. It makes you feel good. It makes you confident.

But you can’t forget what he told you after the meet and greet: I don’t think we’ll ever be friends.

You tried to be nice. You were nice. If it weren’t for you, he would have never gotten that close to his beloved Takada-Chan. Even after all you did, he still said what he said. You both agreed to make peace today, but that doesn’t mean you are friends. It doesn’t erase the stress he’s caused you ever since you first ran into him at that mall concert. Maybe this is time for a little bit of payback. And with this recent revelation from Sara, you have new ammo to fire at him.

“Hey, what are you thinking right now?” Sara asks, worry in her tone.

You give her a mischievous smile. “I think I’m going to have some fun with this.”

Is it petty? Yes. Do you care? Absolutely not.

This is going to be fun.

~~~

When Todo and Yuji return with their food, the two women are now sitting across from each other, one in each booth.

“Come sit next to me, Todo.” She pats the seat next to her.

Todo’s brows are knit in confusion, sliding next to his rival. Their knees touch as they sit side by side. Did the booth get smaller? Why does it seem like there is way less room?

Sara and Yuji talk among themselves. Todo stares down at his food, oddly nervous being so close to her. What is she up to? He uses all his willpower to not ogle at her skirt, which is now riding up her thighs.

“Sorry for switching seats. I just wanted to sit next to you so we can talk.” She studies him with her elbow propped on the table, head tilted, resting on her palm. Todo quickly glances at her. God, she’s cute like this. “What do you want to talk about?” he asks, taking a bite out of this steak sandwich.

From his peripheral, he sees a playful smile spread across her face. “What do you think of my outfit?”

It takes all his strength not to spit out the food in his mouth. He did not expect her to ask him that. “It’s…fine,” he mutters.

“Just ‘fine’?”

He growls, “Yeah, what else do you want me to say?”

She leans in closer, breath on his ear. It sends shivers down his spine. “I heard you were checking me out.” He has to maintain his composure. He can’t let this chick make him lose his cool. There’s no other woman out there that can do that expect Takada-Chan.

Very calmy, he replies, “Yeah, and so what if I was?” She seems taken aback by his bluntness. He continues. “I know what you’re doing. You’re wearing the same thing Takada-Chan was wearing at the meet and greet. Sorry, but you’ll never be her. Quit trying so hard.” Harsh. So much for a truce. Turns out it’s not so easy for him to turn off the assholery. No wonder all the girls at Kyoto High hated him.

“Aren’t you just a little bit embarrassed that you got caught being a pervert?”

He faces her fully now, challenging her. “I’m an ass man, what do you expect? You strut around with a mini skirt like that, of course I’m going to check you out.”

She doesn’t back down. “Have you no shame, Todo? Fucking hell, she’s really trying to push his buttons today.

“Shame? You wanna talk about having no shame, you wannabe?” Without thinking, he reaches out, tugging gently on one of her braided pigtails. “What are these supposed to be, her pigtails? Try again.”

Her hand is suddenly on his thigh. “You can pull on my hair a little harder if you like. I bet you’re into that.”

Fuck. What is she trying to do to him? Whatever it is, two can play at that game. He says in a low voice, “Yeah, maybe I do like it a little rough. I can show you sometime.”

Her eyes widen and she clenches against the fabric of his pants a little tighter, gulping loudly.

Ha. Got her.

~~~

Too far. This has gotten too far.

You only wanted to embarrass him, make him blush a bit, make him admit he’s a creep. You were just trying to get a rise out of him, but you didn’t think he would respond like that.

How can you let this neanderthal get you all hot and bothered? You can’t shake the thought of Todo manhandling you. Your mind conjures all sorts of scenarios, and your body can’t help but react. At the same time, the logical side of your mind, which apparently has shrunken ever since meeting this man, is screaming at you. Where is your self-control, woman?! He has no intention of being anything more than a nuisance to you. He’s only saying these things because you started it! He’s not backing down. He’s trying to outlast you. He’s trying to win. You must fight fire with fire. There’s no backing down. You started this mess; you have to finish it. Whatever fucked up game you two are playing with each other, you must come out on top. “How about today? I’ll keep the skirt on while you show me how rough you like it.”

Checkmate.

He looks at you, his expression not faltering, anticipating what he’ll say next. Finally, he chuckles and goes back to his sandwich. After a bite, he relents. “Fine, you win. I surrender.”

You’re not proud of it. Who would be? You’ve thrown all your dignity out the window. But who needs pride and dignity when you have victory?!

At last, you relax against the booth, satisfied. Thankfully, Sara and Yuji are too engulfed in their own conversation to have noticed what just occurred in front of them. For the rest of the meal, you and Todo don’t exchange another word with each other.

Everyone finishes and agrees to leave the table for others to take. You walk around the café, taking pictures with the Takada-Chan cardboard cutouts. Todo’s gaze on you as you pose for pictures, expression unreadable. It makes you flustered, for some reason.

When it’s time to go, you head outside. Sara and Yuji hug goodbye, while you stand awkwardly next to Todo, unsure how you should part ways with him. You made peace, then exchanged highly suggestive comments to each other in a strange battle for dominance. Where does this leave you two? There’s this weird tension between you, different than before. It’s not necessarily hostile, but it’s heavy.

“Ready to go?” Yuji asks, motioning to his muscular friend.

“Yeah. Bye Sara, thanks for letting us sit at your table.”

Sara smiles. “Yeah, thanks for hanging out. It was fun.”

He faces you, sticking his hand out. “I guess I’ll see you around.” A handshake? That’s odd.

“Sure. Bye.” Not wanting to leave him hanging, you take it.

Suddenly, he pulls you forward and leans down close enough that his mouth is to your ear, his warm breath tickling your skin as he whispers softly. “I guess we’ll have to reschedule.”

He lets go, stepping alongside his brother towards the station, leaving you speechless.

Fuck.

#aoi todo #aoi todo x reader #aoi todo smut #aoi todo x you #todo aoi x reader #todo aoi smut #todo aoi x you #todo aoi #jjk x reader #jjk x you #jjk todo #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen x you #idol fan wars #aoi toudou #jjk fanfic

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ifearzombies · 2 years ago

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The Little ‘I Love You’s

Lucifer:

- Wakes you up early so you can have quiet moments alone with tea or coffee and food that Beel won’t have a chance to steal. - Brings you little things back from the human world when he goes. While he knows you want to stay where you are, he knows humans miss ‘home’ too. - Steals a smooch when no one else is looking.

Mammon:

- Steals from you less than anyone else. He can’t help his nature, but he avoids your room for items to steal as much as he can - On days you’re feeling down, he will interject and tell you that you’re doing something. He never tells you why, but it’s clearly to distract you. - Nights when you have nightmares he is always the one that hears you and comes to cuddle you and hold you. You don’t know how he always knows, but you’re glad all the same.

Leviathan:

- He’ll wait for you for the latest episode of whatever “has too long a title” anime he’s been passionate about. Fantasy is an experience, and it should be shared. - He makes you outfits you see in the shows you say you like. They’re made just for you- your size and shape despite him not having ever measured you. - His snack and ramen rations now include some of your favorites so that the next time Beel destroys the kitchen, you can come to him.

Satan: - He cleans his room on the nights you want to spend in his bed. Well. He makes a path and clears off the bed- but you can at least walk through the room and use the bed with him. - He has a shelf with just books he thinks you’ll like based on what you’ve told him. A mini library in his room for your quiet night time moments where you cuddle and read. - Like Lucifer he steals smooches when no one is looking. You will never tell him of this shared habit of theirs. Asmodeus: - He paints your nails and brushes your hair while he tells you how beautiful you are inside and out. He’s more complimentary when you’ve had a bad day - You are allowed to use his bath, even if you do not want him to join you. - He tucks a flower in your hair every chance he gets. Beelzebub: - He saved you a snack from his snack bag. He heard you mention you were craving it and wants to share it with you. - He carries you every chance he gets and uses that as an excuse to give you affectionate nuzzles. - He lets you climb him like a tree to sit on his shoulders to reach stuff and holds you steady. Belphegor: - He will go to demon form just to wrap his tail around you while you cuddle. - Invite you to the attic for what he and Beel call ‘Sandwich Cuddles’ and when you do, you get to use his favorite pillow - He makes it a point to drink stuff with high amounts of caffeine when you have plans to stay awake just for you. -------------------------------------------------------- MC: - On days Lucifer runs himself ragged and it’s his turn to cook, you message the household and say you feel like cooking. Lucifer knows why you do it and says a secret thank you once the meal is over. - You know Mammon can’t help but steal. You have a place in your room that you know Mammon looks through. You put some money in there whenever you see it empty. Mammon knows you do this and never steals from anywhere else in the room. - You show up for your anime-fest with pizza and drinks and bring your futon mattress so you can cuddle on it while you enjoy the fantasy anime together. - You bring a new mystery book with you every time you spend the night with Satan. You haven’t clued him in that Cat Mystery is a genre of mystery novels yet, but with each one you bring, he’s started to catch on. He’s eager for the next one. - You treat Asmo to a spa day and get facials and massages with him. You tell him that maintaining his beauty is a lot of work and he’s SO GLAD someone finally sees that!

- Beel is an easy man to please. The way to his heart is quite literally his stomach. It takes days of planning, but Beel always loves when you do a feast day and spend an entire day cooking to make enough food to make him full. He’s cried literal tears of happiness over it. It can only be done once a month, but the absolute pure joy in his eyes is worth it.

- You hold Belphie and tell him. He struggles so much with thinking you could never forgive him for literally killing you. But you hold him and tell him you love him. You run a hand through his hair and tell him you forgive him. And when he says he doesn’t deserve it, you remind him that forgiveness is a gift. And you gave it to him a long time ago.

#obey me #obey me one master to rule them all #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me levi #obey me asmo #obey me beel #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphie #obey me belphagor #obey me shall we date

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afreakingdork · 19 days ago

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You Are My Sunshine, My Only Moonshine - Chapter 17

RotTMNT x Reader

Mikey's been caught in this week's chapter art by @sheep-turtles-and-pizza

Rated: Teen and Up Audiences

Relationships: Michelangelo (TMNT)/Reader, Michelangelo (TMNT)/You, Donatello (TMNT)/Reader, Donatello (TMNT)/You

Warnings: POV Second Person, Gender Neutral Reader, Anxious Reader, Introverted Reader, Stuttering, Aged-Up Mutant Ninja Turtles, Romance, Love, Love Confessions, Falling In Love, Unrequited Love, Rejection, Aromantic Asexual Michelangelo (TMNT), Bisexual Donatello (TMNT), Pansexual Leonardo (TMNT), Lesbian Cassandra Jones | Foot Recruit, Demisexual April O'Neil (TMNT), Implied Cassandra Jones | Foot Recruit/April O'Neil/Sunita, Endgame Donatello (TMNT)/Reader, Romantic Love, Platonic Love, Panic Attacks, Sexuality Crisis, Agoraphobia, Social Anxiety, Happy Ending, Fluff

Synopsis: You’ve lost most of your life to anxiety and fear. Now, in your late 20s, you are desperate to reclaim it and during one such outing you encounter the sun personified. With his and his similarly celestially inspired family, will you finally reach your goal or will you lose yourself along the way?

Also available on Ao3

First 💛 Previous

How many messages had you sent?

Hundreds, maybe even thousands.

No, that was impossible, but there were a lot.

With the promise of an official date, you and Donnie started texting. The first message sent was a joke from him asking if you made it safely home. You immediately sent him one back about the perilous journey down your hallway and from that moment on you nearly always had your phone in your hand.

You worried about it. It kept you up and distracted as you conversed about everything from stream of consciousness to in depth analysis of TV show theme songs. If it was eating up your time, and it was, then you figured it was surely bothering him. You locked your phone up at work to keep from getting in trouble and when you came back for it at lunch you found not only a sea of messages, but a few acknowledgements that you were probably busy. He then immediately circumvented his concern by giving a declaration that he wouldn’t be stopped as he apparently had more to say than what he considered possible to expound on for several lifetimes.

You believed him and were glad to be on the receiving end.

Even if he had ultimately gotten your number without permission.

At least he apologized.

That too meant something.

It also helped fill the time until you could go to the planetarium. While shows happened regularly, Donnie requested that you wait until next month when there would be a more titillating selection. Trusting him wholeheartedly when it came to the science related pictures, the date was set. You thought you might feel forlorn about the wait, but it was difficult to mourn the time when he had nothing but an abundance of it for you.

He never went more than a few seconds before replying.

You tried to bring it up, hoping he understood that he didn’t need to rush, but he dismissed you and continued talking. Curling up with your phone became your preferred evenings and it was around the week and a half mark that he suddenly got quiet. Thinking that he finally heeded your warnings, you meant to close off the conversation by saying you were going to watch a movie, but a text from him immediately popped up where he requested to video chat.

You then spent six straight hours talking to his mini visage and wrecked your sleep schedule that night.

You liked him.

You liked him so much.

Your anxiety melted at the mere thought of him and any wayward residuals were dismantled in his wake. A sturdy source, he would remove your worries without batting an eye. You wondered why in the few moments you had free between when you plugged your phone in and sleep. You bet there was something about his middle child placement in his family that made him uniquely crafted, but even that wasn’t enough of an explanation. He read you a little too well for what you knew about the other Hamato. You always meant to ask, but in the blossoming stages of getting to know each other, you didn’t feel like it was quite time to pick apart his psyche.

Instead, you took everything he said as truth. He was like Mikey in that way, but you never thought to compare them. They were similar only because of their undeniably Hamato upbringing, but that was applicable for the entire clan. Otherwise, their existences varied immensely and even your assignment of a cosmic entity to each brother had you feeling remorseful because you’d reduced them to something too obvious.

They were more than celestial bodies.

They were people.

Just like you.

“To which I said, do you even know how long it took me to wire the lair with the latest network?!” Donnie huffed through your phone’s screen.

You watched him fondly as it had become a routine to call him as you walked your commute back home from work. “What did he say to that?”

“‘It’s WIFI, why would there be cords?!’” He roared and the screen shook as he presumably hit something.

“Does he know where the router is?” You tempered yourself in watching him.

“Routers! Plural! And, no! Dad just cares about the doohickies working just like he always has!”

“You do so much for him.” You sympathized as your building approached.

“All of them!” He grouched another correction. “All the time! Always!! Ahh!!”

You let him have it out and momentarily lowered your volume as you hopped the steps to your stoop. “Indoor plumping and everything.”

Instead of a verbal response, Donnie flailed and grunted out a series of noises that indicated you knew exactly what he was talking about.

“I get why you said roommate agreement.” You unlocked your door and headed up the stairs to your apartment.

This sent Donnie on an actual loop where he physically threw himself away after setting his phone down and did a lap around his room.

You giggled and it gave you just enough time to sneak into your room and successfully drop all your stuff before collapsing into bed.

“Welcome home.” He gave exhausted affection. “Another day.”

“I did it.” You murmured back and curled up with your device close. “Thanks for always talking me through it.”

“You’ve made it without me.”

Your face burned. “I-it’s b-better with you…”

He grinned.

“How long did it take you to rewire?” You tilted your head.

Donnie sighed. “The equipment was easy enough to build, the new fiber runs took some excavating so… a week? Give or take…?” His eyes darted with the mental math.

“Is it hard digging underground?”

“There was some wiring installed for the depot, but we quickly subverted our need for that. I pulled existing city plans and, after memorizing those, I’m pretty much good to do whatever without mistakenly collapsing anything important.”

You frowned slightly. “Wait, then t-that means…?”

“If!” He interrupted your accusation. “You count the original lair which I started modifying when I was a child.”

“So you haven’t…?”

“I haven’t collapsed the subway lair.” He spoke proudly and then out of the corner of his mouth. “Yet.”

“Donnie!”

He beamed and cocked his brow. “Always a chance, but who’s to say?!”

You feigned shaking your head.

His attention drifted toward the side.

The natural pause said it was time to go.

He would be onto his next project and you should wash up.

You opened your mouth to speak the parting, but he moved first. “Would you like the tour?”

You blinked wide at your phone.

“You’ve had multiple, but not like mine. I can detail all I’ve done…” He seemed self conscious. “If you were actually interested. I understand it can be heady and not everyone particularly cares for carpentry or electrical engineering…”

“Y-you’re asking…?”

He finally looked at you.

“… me…? To come by? Now?”

“Yes.” He nodded and you could see the color to his cheeks. “It’s out of the blue but-”

“I need to wash up and change!” Your voice broke as you shot upright.

“S-sure?” He clearly didn’t follow.

“So-so… so I can come by… Don’t want to head over straight with work s-stuck to me…”

He lit up with a growing of his plastron as his chest bobbed. “No problem. It’ll give me just enough time to tidy up!”

“Okay!” You began to move and tried to parse together what you should wear. “W-which entrance?”

“I’ll send you coordinates! We can start from where I tapped the city line!” His teeth gleamed with an excited smile.

“Walking, lots of walking.” You spoke mostly for yourself.

“Yes. Your sensible footwear is recommended.”

“Right!” You grinned. “I-I’ll see you soon!”

“Quite.”

Your phone led you to a manhole that was concealed in an alley. It seemed covert enough that no city worker would berate you for tampering with city property. New Yorkers passed without looking which left you with only one final challenge: you had no idea how to lift the cover. You weren’t instructed to bring a crowbar and you didn’t particularly want to touch it. The turtles moved these giant steel plates like they were mere pizzas, but you didn’t have the same strength or learned leverage. Debating the best course of action and wondering if you should add a mini crow to your emergency kit, you heard a clank from the other side.

You backed up and the manhole cover cracked and then slid aside with a metal claw curled around it.

You peered down and found Donnie staring up at you with an easy smile. “Welcome.”

“Hi…” You greeted him and crouched down to see him better.

“Come down, there’s a ladder.”

“Okay.” You nodded and he stepped out of the way to presumably give you more room. The first few steps in were perilous as you only had the dirty ground for a hand hold. Then, your body blocked the hole in a way that didn’t allow you to see your feet. Donnie didn’t rush you as you nervously took each rung at an aching pace. Your rhythm got better once your head dipped underground and you felt safe enough to check in with your awaiting steward.

Donnie stood, seemingly nonplussed, with one of his battle shell limbs extended and ready to close the grate when you gave the command. You passed him a quick smile before counting down the last ten rungs down to the ground. Resuming your trek, the floor closed in, but your latent nerves had you moving at same pace in case you missed a step.

You still were mobile and reached a point where Donnie made a noise to signal that he was going to close the manhole. You froze and held tight in place as it clattered above. Counting out a few more seconds and then adjusting to the darker lighting of the tunnel proper, you let out a small sigh to steady yourself.

Donnie took a step that sounded loud in the enclosed space. “I’m sorry.”

You were about to ask what he meant when you sensed he was now right behind you.

You tensed at his proximity.

You could no longer descend.

Your brain churned with a thousand possibilities of why he blocked you.

Waiting for what seemed like far too long, nothing else occurred.

“May I?” He eventually asked with a timid tone.

“M-may you… w-what?” You cracked your eyes from where they had screwed shut.

“You can, obviously, get down on your own. You were doing a fine job, but I’d like to help... If that would be… alright…?” There was a worry in his voice.

You were slow in making sure you were stable before you looked over your shoulder at him.

You expected him to be impatiently waiting.

Instead, Donnie stood there with the nervous energy of a middle schooler trying to ask his crush to dance.

It occurred to you then why he stopped you.

It wasn’t to speed up to the process.

He wanted to escort you.

He wanted to be chivalrous.

He hadn’t wanted to overstep.

He trusted you.

He asked.

You would have totally let go if he were clear about how his help was going to play out. “A-alright, w-what should I…?”

“The most I’ll touch is your hips if that’s alright? It will be one firm grab and release. Not handsy and not your waist.”

Butterflies threatened to consume all your organs.

He was perfectly understanding.

“T-that’s f-fine!”

Slow hands first tapped the rungs to signal where they were. You eased a breath as he stepped closer and watched with a clear view as only one of his hands came near your hips. You searched to find the other held up in an offer. You shuffled on the ladder to make sure you would be alright before you released a hand to take his. It was then that his other appendage made contact with your hip and he lifted you off.

In a graceful turn, he appeared in your vision and you were lowered to him like something out of a dream.

As if guilty, he got you firmly on your feet before letting go and bringing his hands up and away. Still staring at him owlishly and swearing you saw little sparkles about from the magic of the moment, you watched him take a wary step back to give you additional space. You saw many things pass over his features and you meant to temper any assumptions, but his reaction seemed clear.

He was excited.

He couldn’t help himself.

He wanted you.

He wanted to show it.

It propelled you a step forward and you saw a flash of regret in his eyes.

You knew that all too well.

He thought you were about to comfort him for his mistake.

He was wrong.

You were doing this because you wanted him just the same.

Translating it through your hands, you made it obvious you were reaching for his arms.

Your third time doing the maneuver, he was prepared and offered himself to hold.

You stumbled a step into him and, in it, you caught his eye to send up all your endearment.

His worries leaked from him and he dipped down to press his forehead to yours.

You pushed hard into him and he took it with a nuzzle of his beak to your nose. “My apologies.”

You shook your head against his. “Were you planning that?”

“I may have practiced.”

You cuddled into him. “Silly. How?”

“My battle shells have wall ports about that height.”

You tried to picture him lifting carapace casings off the wall again and again.

“I meant to save it for another occasion. I understand one is not supposed exert too much romance too soon, but…”

You pulled away enough to check with him.

“But you are here and when I realized, I was overwhelmed. I needed some type of action. You were almost off the ladder and I surely could have caught you after the fact, but-”

“Donnie…” You chastised him lightly.

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” He explained.

You couldn’t help the shining warmth that went straight to your eyes. “You don’t. Never do.”

He was startled at the moisture there. “That is both too much faith and patently untrue…”

You gave him a playful smile. “So you didn’t worry about my wellbeing before. How much do you think about it now?”

“All the time. Every action I take with you is one I consider.”

His expression had a clinical severity and that was the last clear image you saw of him.

Your lids fell as you lightly touched his plastron in question.

“That’s too much… Please… don’t stress. You’re wonderful…”

His arms slipped behind you and he aided your boost with a slight squeeze. “Based on your reaction I’m beginning to think I should be inclined to agree…”

You met in the middle for a kiss.

He adjusted so you wouldn’t have to lean so far up and you gave an unintentional dreamy sigh.

It broke him away for a small puff of laughter as he nosed against your cheek. “It’s good to see you.”

“It’s different than on a call.” You agreed.

“Yes, well…” He cleared his throat to get control of himself and threw his gaze towards the tunnels. “Let’s start when the sewers were first built! The year was 1849-!”

You almost slipped from his grasp, but he caught your hand in a tight squeeze as he began to walk and talk. Threading your fingers so he knew you were an active participant, you listened as he first delved through history before catching up to when the Hamato’s burst onto the scene. He wove through the tale with a tongue that was careful to place things piece by piece. The sewers stretched on, but you sensed you were getting closer to the lair in a way that made you wonder if he had also practiced this speech to find the perfect distance with which to start.

That ended up being exactly right and you found him all the cuter for it.

Making sure not to miss his explanation though it was getting more technical by the second, you entered the highest level of the lair and bypassed his lab. There he connected his tale to spaces you knew and explained waterlines. One he had once been chained too, he didn’t seem to hold animosity and instead gave your hand a quick squeeze to translate he needed his appendage. You released him and tried to fight off the faintest dampening to your features at the loss. He caught the look and came down to steal a kiss from your cheek before moving straight to the wall. He looked more gecko than turtle as he mapped where certain pipes and cords were laid with his fingers.

He traced down a wall and then took on the job of air traffic controller as he flagged you down the stairs. He talked all the while about where he could and couldn’t make space for the fiber internet. You followed with careful steps until you dropped down into a lobby. He returned to the wall with the tenacity of a fly and spoke of building this new home amongst Krang recovery. He explained what it was like to heal while also starting from scratch with a tone that didn’t seem to match the significance of the history.

You, however, slowed somberly until he took notice.

“Y/N?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Did you miss something? I had picked up the pace because we made it down the stairs 0.67 seconds faster than I calculated…” He pondered openly.

You, in contrast, hadn’t noticed anything like that. “You saved the world then…had to go… back underground…”

Donnie made a faint grunt as the reality hit him.

“That e-even now… you all barely get the credit that you deserve-”

He approached with a clear contemplation. “That’s how it is.”

You sent him your disdain.

He shared the commiseration.

“S-sorry… Y-you were e-explaining how you picked what to repurpose…”

Letting silence beat a second longer, he gave a little sigh. “Did you have dinner?”

You searched him.

“How about…?” He mimed looking at his tech gauntlet, but the screen never woke. “We take an intermission. I’ll need to recalculate the schedule regardless. We can partake in an aperitif! You know it doesn’t have to be alcohol and I have a better equivalent!”

He gestured toward the kitchen and you couldn’t help but be swept up by him.

“Flavorless juice!” He cheered and took a few hopping steps. “It has all the necessary nutrients with none of the flavor!”

“N-none…?” You paled.

He turned the corner for the kitchen and you were forced to chase after him. “Why stimulate appetite with a depressant?! It never made sense to me!”

You found him with his head in a cabinet. “W-wait…!”

“Best served blended with ice!” Donnie tipped back with wildly unfocused eyes.

He seemed excited, but you were no longer sold.

“Two cups to tide us over!” He busied himself in getting a blender.

You crept closer and wondered if this was a way of coping or if he simply wanted to move on from the topic.

With a spoon, he scooped some grayish muck out of a jar he’d retrieved and plunked exactly four ice cubes into the blender to blitz.

“U-uh, Donnie… I’m not-!”

“Hm?” He looked at you with his finger extended to the button.

“T-the f-fruit?” You pleaded with him to explain. “O-or v-vegetable, I guess? Shouldn't juice have…. something else?!”

“Already added.” He jammed his digit into the machine, but did not depress the button.

The wet ice was turning the matter in the cup into sludge. “Shouldn’t it be refrigerated?!”

“No, it’s shelf stable.” He continued to not see the problem.

“D-Donnie!”

“Try it! I’ve consumed it for years and look at me!” He put his whole body into turning the blender on. “I have quite refined tastes, I assure you!!!”

You sat there with a miserable look on your face as he finished blending up the viscous drink and poured it into two glasses.

“Bon appétit!” He pushed one to you and scooped up his other.

It numbly took the mixture that looked worse now than ever.

He took a hardy gulp and punctuated his satisfaction with a spewing exhale.

Thinking of a specific cartoon dog, you squeezed your eyes shut and took a sip. Though the fluid still had a chunky look, it had the smooth consistency of a well blended smoothie. It went down without fail and no matter how hard you tried to parse out, it didn’t have a hint of flavor. “H-huh?”

Donnie smirked.

You swirled the fluid before sending him your dismay. “How!?”

“Science.” His grin widened and he held out his glass. “Cheers to new experiences.”

There was something more to that toast, but you clinked your cup to his. “To more.”

“More.” He repeated fondly and drank while eyeing you.

Your cheeks heated as you turned and took another tentative sip.

“I heard a blender!” Raph’s voice rushed in from the stairwell. “Don’t tell me! Milkshakes, smoothies, or that nasty stuff Donnie always-?!”

The eldest brother saw both of you and froze in place.

You gave a little wave.

Donnie tipped his glass.

“Uh… Hey, Y/N…” Raph drifted and stumbled over to the counter. “Didn’t know you were coming by today.”

“O-oh…” You checked with Donnie who only shrugged. “I-I’m sorry, were you… busy?”

“No, no!” Raph waved his hands. “I just…”

From what you could glean from Donnie, he wanted to see where this was heading.

You looked back to Raph to see yourself.

“Well, I just saw Mikey and he was… Well… I just didn’t know y’all were hanging out today. Didn’t seem like it.”

You moved to clear up the confusion, but felt Donnie covertly tap your wrist.

It seemed like he wanted to do so, so you gave him the floor.

“There is no current standing appointment with our dear Michelangelo.” Donnie oozed a smarmy air.

“There’s…?” Raph looked around the space for a moment as if he were waiting for a TV crew to pop out before he grabbed the counter and leaned over it. “Not current means there’s one soon! Don’t tell me I missed Big Man’s birthday!? It’s not coming up is it?!”

Donnie set his glass down and mirrored Raph’s serious attitude. “If it were, then what do you have to offer?”

“You ain’t boxing me out of the surprise again. Raph can keep a secret.” Raph’s eyes narrowed and you felt privy to negotiations of some kind.

It was sort of exciting.

“You blabbed four years ago.” Donnie countered.

“Four years!” Raph reared his head. “How about you forgetting to jump out at Leo’s shindig last year?”

“Dismissive sigh, ah, but I was in attendance.” Donnie twirled a hand in the air. “We’d had four false starts. You can’t blame me for assuming there’d be another.”

“Put me down.” Raph pointed a finger into the counter. “I want my name on this.”

“It’s a shame…” Donnie tipped his head and looked down coyly at the counter.

“Come on!” Raph complained.

“We’ll have to see…” Donnie’s voice said it wasn’t so.

“Donnie!”

“In six months on Angelo’s actual birthday.” Donnie grinned wickedly.

It took exactly six seconds for the reality of the situation to hit Raph. “What?! What was all that?!”

Donnie cackled and wiped a tear. “A bit of a farce for your conclusion jumping!”

“Ugh!” Raph gagged. “You don’t even have anything good to steal. You just have your gross not-juice.” He stomped over to the fridge and yanked it open.

You almost felt bad and looked at Donnie.

He gave you a sympathetic tip of the head that said the game had to be played and finished his drink.

“What are ya up to then?” Raph emerged with an entire stick of salami in his fist. “You two scheming?”

“I invited Y/N over.” Donnie rinsed his cup and checked to see if you were done.

You offered yours as you’d mostly finished.

He took it graciously.

“Why?” Raph chomped down on his meat stick and chewed with a full mouth.

“I was regaling them on how I built the lair.”

“We.” Raph corrected with a smug air.

“All the tech I installed to make it livable! Electricity, running water, plumbing.” Donnie’s teeth showed in an irate state.

“I seem ta remember doing about half of that.” Raph’s brow ridge raised haughty to one side.

Donnie growled, but had no argument.

You looked between them with a growing smile.

“I’m something of a handy man myself!” Raph popped a lazy hip. “Someone tries to steal credit, but I get the day to day stuff that’s beneath him.”

“You finish things in my queue because you’re impatient!” Donnie threw up his beak.

“Sure.” Raph seemed assured and unbothered.

Donnie puffed up in further irritation.

“Need schematics ta help you with your next Mikey outing?” Raph asked you genially.

You stared at him for a moment, unsure.

His own brow ridge wrinkled his mask. “What?”

“Raph.” Donnie stepped up beside you and smoothed himself out. “As I said, Y/N and I are spending time together.”

Raph swallowed hard and pointed with his pepperoni. “Yeah, I see that. I’m just trying to figure out-”

Donnie made a disgruntled noise and pointed a finger between you and him.

Suspended, Raph stared a moment longer before using the hand with the meat in it to raise and block you out as he spoke something supposedly secret to his brother. “Uh… ee-klay… or-fay… your… um… crush-eh?”

You stared at Raph’s giant grimace and watched his pupil nervously dart to you.

Donnie slapped a hand to his face. “You didn’t even try at the end!”

“Pig latin doesn’t make sense! Consonant clusters, like what even is that?!” Raph complained.

Donnie groaned with shut eyes before blowing out steam.

Raph waited and inched the salami closer to his mouth for another bite.

Donnie shook his head before looking at you.

You met his gaze and he openly let his expression flood with hopeless affection.

It immediately cropped a concurrent one in your chest and you knew he was asking permission to name what was happening between you two.

In light of your upcoming date, you hadn’t discussed such a thing yet, but you were curious to see how he phrased it.

You gave him the go ahead.

Donnie accepted with a lingering look as if it gave him strength before walking over and slinging an arm around Raph. “Raphael, my wonderful albeit distracted older brother, Y/N and I are mutually smitten. We’re spending time together to explore this.”

Raph processed.

It took him through several stages of creasing his brow ridge and at one point, he jut the salami in Donnie’s direction which the younger brother pushed away with one repulsed finger.

You felt a little on trial as the consideration went on and it pulled Donnie to you.

He snuck you a supportive glance before turning to face Raph by your side.

Now a pair, Raph stared you both down, before he finally decided on an emotion.

Anger.

You immediately wilted under it and Donnie’s hand shot protectively around the back of your body.

“I’ve had just about enough of this!” Raph growled, looming larger.

Donnie moved to shield you. “What now!? What could possibly be the problem that you haven’t overshared already!?”

Raph held his rage for several more seconds before he grew weepy. “I just don’t get it…”

Both you and Donnie sat stunned.

“Did Raph do something? None of you come to me anymore! You haven’t… in a long time, I think. You used to always come to me. Even when I stopped being leader… and now-!” He turned and looked close to sobbing. “Don’t you all trust me!?”

Donnie shot you a quick reassuring glance before immediately moving to his brother. “No, big guy, that’s not it!”

“I’m the last to learn about Mikey! I’m the last to learn anything! Big Man’s gone through leagues and then you liking Y/N and now you’re dating and again, what?! I’m the last to know?!” Raph shirked away from Donnie’s touch.

Donnie hovered. “Raph…”

“Y-you’re wrong!”

Both brothers turned to where you had suddenly blurted out the protest.

You felt close to crying yourself, but pushed through the agonizing spotlight. “H-here, y-you’re the first to know! D-Donnie and I h-haven’t… we haven't gone out y-yet… Our date… it’s well, coming up… but we haven’t been d-dating… N-no one else knows t-that now… but you…”

Donnie touched Raph’s arm and added, “That’s correct on all accounts.”

Raph looked between you two and shrank a little. “I didn’t lose your trust?”

“Of course not!” Donnie squeezed his older brother’s arm. “We’re older and we’re busy, but that’s not the point. In our case, it’s new. For Mikey, he didn’t know! If he did, you know he would be the first to shout the development in your tympanum!”

Raph gave an anxious look. “Ya think?”

“I know.” Donnie nodded and nothing about his look said anything other than honesty.

“I’m sorry…” Raph slunk to one side. “Lately it’s felt a lot like you guys don’t think Raph is worth your time…”

Donnie made one irritated face before he surged forward to hug as much of his brother as he could.

It made the tears in Raph’s eye dance before he switched to scoop up the smaller turtle into a bear hug.

“Too tight!” Donnie quacked.

You felt compelled to walk over and touch Raph’s arm in sympathy.

“We’ve got another taker!” Raph cheered and pulled you close.

You were slotted right against Donnie and similarly crushed, but it felt good.

You were eventually put back on your feet where you a few more affirmations were peppered on for good measure. Raph was given the go ahead to gloat what he learned over Leo and scampered off. He then promptly returned to grab his almost forgotten salami before he truly left with a wink.

For a moment you were quiet as Donnie did an obvious decompression.

“Smitten…?” You spoke small and teasing after an appropriate amount of time had passed.

Donnie raised his chin as if he had a complaint before he dropped down low on a playful prowl. “What do you prefer, huh?!”

You squealed with laughter and moved as if to run.

He caught you immediately in a hug. “Shall I say ‘courting!?’ How about ‘enamored?’! Maybe ‘carried away?!’”

He held you in his arms and paraded you around the kitchen island while you giggled.

“Which is it?” He set you down and stayed close.

You made a great show of taking his face.

He cocked a waiting brow.

“All… of the above?” You spoke with a sugared gaze.

He gave an excited trill before he kissed you.

You melted into him until a soft hum built in your throat and he retreated to see why.

“Y-your tour?” You sent him a sweet smile. “I like this a-a lot, but I do… want to hear the rest.”

Donnie’s eyes rolled with euphoria. “Have more romantic words been said?”

You snickered and he stepped away with a wiggle to adjust himself. “Let’s see… We addressed the difficult subject matter which correlates to room assignment… That means we need to head toward our rooms or the tracks to more aptly name what they were at the time!”

You nodded and you headed down the next staircase. Donnie ran through the lines of his presentation to find where he left off and located his spot just as you hit the bottom floor landing where all the converted subway cars were. There, he explained how these were acquired with a painfully lackadaisical mention to how one of the cars had been possessed by the Krang which spooked you nearly as much as a hunched figure that appeared when you turned a corner.

Donnie gave his own sort of surprised yell that shrank directly into apathy. “Ah, I see why Raph talked about you the way he did.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” With a sweep through disheveled hair, Mikey appeared looking more slovenly than you had ever seen him. With stained sweats barely hanging onto his hips, he’d looked like he’d been stationary and soaking in a bed of processed cheese dust for at least 24 hours. “Y-Y/N?!”

You felt the need to point yourself out. “Y-yes?”

“Y-you! W-what are you doing here?! We didn’t have plans, did we?!” Mikey patted himself down for his phone.

Donnie threw up an irritated hand. “Why is this so unbelievable?!”

“This?!” Mikey turned his horrified attention to Donnie.

“I asked Y/N over!” Donnie clicked his tongue.

“You…” Mikey’s wide eyes processed before he slammed a fist into his shell which righted his posture with a sickening crack. “Wait, no, yeah, I get it now. Sorry!”

“A-are you o-okay?” You stumbled forward with hovering hands.

“Yeah? Why? Oh! My spine? Sure! Had that since the bowling ball incident like four…?” Mikey threw up his whole hand and stared hard at it.

He then tucked his thumb in which left two digits up.

Blinking hard at his palm, he then unfurled his thumb and brought his other hand in for an official tally of four. “Four years ago!”

That only increased your worries. “Uh… Mikey…?”

“Yeah?” He appeared his usual chipper.

“Are you… sure?”

“Sure what?” He seemed to genuinely not know.

“Okay…?” You tested. “Are you sure… you’re okay?”

“Oh!” He blew a raspberry and waved you off. “Yeah! I was doing some sweet veggie patch stuff!”

“V-veggie…?”

“Vegetating! Becoming one with the cabbage. The mean green…” Mikey pinched one of his fingers on each hand to their respective thumb.

You watched on.

He dropped his arms with a smile. “I’m being gross on my day off.”

“O-oh!”

“Yup.” He nodded. “Sorry about the whole…” He waved a hand over himself before it shot to cover his mouth. “I haven’t brushed my teeth!”

You chuckled. “I didn’t smell anything.”

“Don’t lie!” He complained from behind his digits.

“I’m not!” You puffed a little at the accusation.

He laughed brightly. “What are you guys doing down here? Shouldn’t you be upstairs?”

You tilted your head and wondered if Mikey knew something about the tour that you didn’t.

A moment ago, he didn’t know you were going to be here.

Now, he seemed to have the itinerary.

He buzzed with giggles. “Yeah, Don’s latest project! It’s in his lab! I figured he wanted to show it off!”

“P-project?” You looked back to Donnie where he was staring at Mikey without an exact emotion.

“Yeah! He loves showgoating!” Mikey beamed.

“Boating!” Donnie snapped. “Showboating!”

“You definitely showed goats once.” Mikey sent his brother a serious glare.

“I th-thought…?” You put a curled finger to your lips because you were sure Donnie had said the last thing he was working on was laying the new internet lines.

Those spanned the lair.

It seemed like a strange thing to lie about.

He’d been so passionate.

It was the whole reason you were here.

“Yeah! He’s got the revamp bug so there’s these massive AC units upstairs! They’re so big that they’re in all these pieces. They look way more futuristic than the rocket ever did.” Mikey made hulking gestures.

You nodded and wondered how exaggerated the shapes were.

If Mikey was being accurate then they were far bigger than you.

You supposed for the size of the lair that made sense.

“Ah!” Mikey tossed his hands away. “I can’t explain it! I gotta show you! Come on!”

In a pendulum swing, he caught your hands.

“W-wait, M-Mikey!” You were dragged away.

“That’s where y’all were going anyway, right? This way!” Mikey plowed forward and at the turn around the train cars you caught a glimpse of Donnie.

You only saw a flash of him, but it haunted you up the next two flights of stairs.

Donnie had sad resignation painted over his entire body.

Your arm stung.

Mikey was an impenetrable force.

There was no way to go back or break away.

You were going to the lab.

The thought chilled you.

That was Donnie’s space.

The lab was his sanctum.

Even if, by chance, Donnie video-chatted from there, he ensured the angle of his camera only captured himself.

He had been very clear in the past.

He had mentioned just tonight that his family didn’t value his work which was housed in that specific place.

You were going to violate it.

You had never been able to stop your best friend.

You were left only to mourn your time with Donnie.

You watched it shrink in both a literal and figurative sense as you got further and further away from where he’d been left behind.

In your excitement to spend time with Donnie, you hadn’t considered this would happen now.

It was an occurrence you had pondered long about; you knew you were eventually going to have to figure out how to hang out with Mikey and Donnie simultaneously. Since the night market, you’d been weighing the best way to do so. Though only a few key things had changed, it felt like all the dynamics were shifted. There was Mikey’s settled feelings and the new normal for how you classified your love for each other. Mikey had made it clear, more than once, that it was okay for you to pursue Donnie. He had helped facilitate your dumpling excursion and for that you were thankful. However, while time with Mikey was something you knew well, you hadn’t had near enough time to explore your budding feelings with Donnie. All you wanted was to catch up with him and thus it felt impossible to fairly divide your time between them.

Mikey commanded your attention with learned ease and because he burned with endless energy.

Donnie didn’t have the same enthusiasm.

You didn’t want to leave your best friend out.

You didn’t want your crush to feel sidelined.

Reaching the lab, Mikey put a passcode into a panel beside an enormous door.

There was beeping and it was in that moment you felt a bubbling thought vie for your attention.

You had barely texted Mikey since the night market.

Your attention had completely shifted to messaging Donnie.

Your messages to your friend had been scant and now here he was cooped up at home.

Was that because of you?

Had you already been ignoring him without even realizing it?

Somewhere along the line had there been a grave cosmic mix up and now Mikey only thought he could go out if you were there as his buddy?

Did he no longer think he could go it alone?

Feeling as though you irreparably damaged the Hamato balance, the door opened and Mikey disappeared inside without toting you.

“Stay here! Let me make sure there’s nothing dangerous!” You heard him call from the bowels. “You know! Sparking wires, trippable cords, and the dreaded used tissue!”

You felt like crying.

You weren’t worried about refuse.

You were worried about Mikey.

Here he was caring for you.

You accepted coming over for Donnie without a second thought.

You let your romantic feelings eclipse your sensible ones.

You were blinded.

This was as much Mikey’s house as anyone else’s.

You intruded on his space.

You interrupted his comfort.

His day off.

Something touched your shoulder and you flung away from it, bumping into a corner of the lab door.

Donnie stood still with his hand still outstretched.

You sent him a water logged look.

Several emotions passed over his face.

He worried over your demeanor.

He withheld from soothing you since you appeared scared.

He released it with that damned resignation you saw earlier.

Why?

“All clear!” Mikey yelled.

“C-coming!” You ran.

You turned and ran.

You ran right into the lab, right in front of its owner, and violated Donnie’s space.

After he had been nothing but be careful to preserve yours.

The guilt compounded where you were already spiraling and might have consumed you had your environment not been so unique. Stunned and slowing, you took in the futuristic purple glow. The walls were lined with machinery in both messy and clean order. There was a litany of worktops all sporting their own projects. On one side, a giant computer loomed while on another, there appeared to be an entire woodworking bench. With everything in between, you rotated and felt smaller by the second.

“Here, here!” Mikey beckoned and was clearly close.

You found him when his head popped up from behind an enormous slatted screen.

“The AC units!” He cheered and came around to stand beside you.

It took you a moment to place the pieces, but you estimated there were at least four total machies in various states of construction. They looked completely different than what you imagined even industrial sized units looked like. Minus Raph, you bet all the other brothers could be stuffed into just one and you marveled at Donnie’s handiwork.

“See, D?” Mikey chirped.

From where you’d taken a few enthralled steps, Mikey now stood between you and Donnie.

Donnie scoffed. “This wasn’t a destination on the-”

“He was worried about what you’d think.” Mikey told you.

“I was not!” Donnie hissed.

You wanted to look between them, but you couldn’t manage it.

You kept your eyes squarely on the air conditioners.

Mikey elbowed you.

You made sure to send your gaze to only him.

Mikey’s head tilted, but no real confusion crossed his face.

“Since we’re here and to prove it was not a concern…” Donnie’s voice led and he took a spot across from you.

You mentally thanked him.

You thanked him for avoiding you.

You were a miserable sad sack.

How could you?

What wouldn’t you ruin?

Donnie began to talk about the units themselves and why he was replacing them instead of renovating the ones they had, but all you could do was stare at a line of rivets. All perfectly arranged, they had one job and did just that. They stayed in their little queue and kept things together. They didn’t pop out under pressure or peel back so easily. They were locked in as necessary. It was a harmonious balance that you yearned to be a part of just once.

Mikey sounded a melodic question which prompted Donnie to step away.

He continued to talk.

The speech funneled through your head and you felt an impulse to touch the cold, unrelenting steel.

“Y/N.” Mikey spoke in your ear.

You didn’t have it in you to jolt so you only looked at him.

His features were flat, but his brow ridge creased. “Donnie wants to demonstrate.”

“Y-yeah?” Your fingers flinched away from where you had been about to touch the AC.

“Mhm.” Mikey walked around the machine to where Donnie’s goggles were down and something was in hand.

From your current position, it made the most sense to go the other way and join Donnie’s opposite side. Instead, you gave the rivets one last glance before chasing after Mikey. You felt both men watch you as you half hid behind your best friend and waited to watch whatever the spectacle was. Donnie snapped his head forward with a sharp aura of duty and began to click multi-colored cords in place.

Mikey jostled you for what felt like the sake of it. You gave him some space and hovered awkwardly to the side. He was looking at you again and you wished he would stop. You weren’t sure why he was so honed in on you. You wanted to leave and take the time to restore the balance you had so selfishly ruined.

“Alright!” Donnie reared and suddenly had a huge tablet in hand.

“Here we go!” Mikey’s fists came up in excitement.

Was this the flashy kind of demonstration?

Your heart wasn’t ready.

Now you really wanted to flee.

You couldn’t take any more stimulation on top of the misery you were already holding. Arm overtaxed, you took a fearful step back as Donnie tapped his screen a few times. The most complete of the AC Units started up with a low hum before revving to steady life. You stared at where a spinning fan was barely concealed and imagined getting chopped up.

“The rule is 1 ton for every 600 square feet!” Donnie yelled to beat the sound.

Mikey nodded enthusiastically.

“With these four I can cool or heat the entire A line!!!” Donnie cackled and you saw the pad he had was charting readings of some kind.

He was fine.

Mikey was fine.

They were themselves.

You were the only one out of sorts.

Taking another step back, you stewed in anguish.

Was it all in your head?

One interruption had thrown you off.

Was Donnie always planning to show you this?

Is that why his timeline had been interrupted?

He had been giving an obvious presentation.

Mikey would know about it.

Maybe he practiced with Mikey.

You were the wrench ripping the rivets out.

Donnie was talking again.

You should listen.

You wanted to listen.

There wasn’t even a voice in your mind drowning your ears out.

There was only the silent weight of your failures.

The lab was too dark.

You needed light.

You needed to breathe.

Something clicked off.

Voices conversed.

It was all garbled noise.

You were afraid to look for fear their faces would be scrambled too.

“I don’t like this.”

The quiet tried to consume you.

You didn’t like it either.

You hated this.

You hadn’t spoken.

Someone had.

Mikey had.

Your eyes flew up to find him and Donnie did the same.

Mikey had a watery expression and his fists balled at his sides.

“M-Mikey?” You leaned to see him better instead of taking a step.

“It’s safe! I can assure-” Donnie held up his pad.

“This!” Mikey yelled at him and pointed at you.

Donnie flinched.

You stared down the barrel of a finger and felt the shot.

“I don’t know what you think you’re both doing, but you aren’t saving my feelings!” Mikey blew out an irritated exhale and paced back a few steps.

“What do you mean?” Donnie didn’t look at you as he set his tablet aside.

“You’re acting!” Mikey spun and had positioned himself to clearly address you both. “You’re avoiding each other!”

Donnie had a protest on his lips, but Mikey threw that dangerous digit out towards him instead.

“Is it me? Do you-?” The younger brother swirled his hands to conceptualize what he was trying to say. “Do you think I can’t handle seeing you two together or something?”

“That’s-!” You started.

“Correct.” Donnie cut through with bitter emphasis on himself. “I don’t.”

“What?” Mikey retorted, his eyes wide.

You made a fearful sound and looked at Donnie in a similar way.

He didn’t spare you a glance. “You appeared and dragged Y/N away without so much as a word to me.”

Mikey reeled. “We talked.”

“You thought the plans were yours and took over as if they were!” Donnie’s teeth gnashed on the sentence.

“I…?” Mikey thought for a moment before shaking it off. “No! You’re not going to distract me! You think I can’t see?”

“I’m not distracting you, that’s what happen-!”

Mikey threw both his hands out, one for each of you. “Look at you two! Donnie, you’ve been sending Y/N looks like Todd’s puppies every few seconds and, Y/N, I don’t think you’ve looked at Donnie at all! When I first saw you two, you were all buddy-buddy! You can’t tell me that doesn’t have something to do with me!”

“Yeah, you-!” Donnie growled.

“I d-didn’t w-want to u-upset y-you…” You meeked out.

You felt only betrayal in the way Donnie spun toward you.

Your gaze slammed into the floor.

“Well, first off: you failed.” Mikey spoke casually.

Your eyes closed.

“Second: why would I be upset?!” Mikey stomped over to you and bent all the way at the hips to put himself in your eye line. “I’m an adult or did you of all people forget that?”

Your gaze shot wide with guilt.

Mikey hated how his place as the youngest translated to him being demeaned.

You’d gone and spit in the face of that.

Of the lab.

Of everything.

“Yoink!” Mikey took his thumbs and equivalent forefingers and pinched your cheeks around your mouth. “Do you trust me?!”

You jarred and stared at him hopelessly.

He waited with his gaze unmoving.

You gave a small nod though it stung.

He released. “Then trust what I’m saying and not what that worry wart brain of yours is going on about!”

You rubbed your cheeks and gave him a weak look.

“Question time then more judgment!”

It was a demand that seemed fair.

Mikey chuffed. “Do either of you have trouble talking when I’m not there?”

Your lips rang a wrinkled line.

“Were you fighting?” Mikey tried again.

“No.” You managed.

“Were you two having any problems before I got there?”

“No.” You spoke a little more forcefully.

“Have you started to ask each other questions like normal?”

You weren’t sure what he meant.

“I had to help before! When you couldn’t ask each other to hang out! Is that better?”

“Yes.” You pleaded with him.

“Good, then it is about me.” Mikey decided.

Donnie tried to interject, but Mikey threw a stopping hand up.

“M-Mikey…” You offered in his place.

“No.” Mikey told you clearly.

Your expression fell.

“Not gonna work. Tell me how you think you were upsetting me?”

There were many ways; you weren’t even sure which to start with.

Mikey folded his arms to translate that he would wait.

“I d-didn’t… tell you about…” You almost looked at Donnie.

“Okay. We haven’t talked lately and there’s been some kind of development. Alright then. I haven’t heard from you, but you haven’t heard from me either, have you?” He tipped his body weight back in a knowledgeable way.

You blinked once.

That was true.

You hadn’t messaged much, but there had been some texts.

You had been distracted, but now faced with it, Mikey was just as much a part of that.

He usually messaged you constantly and without a care.

With clarity, you now realized he hadn’t been blowing up your phone like he usually did.

You let him lead because he always sent the first message.

In the last few weeks, it had been you to reach out and he had been the one who had returned scant responses.

Your realization met his cocked smile.

“Right, but you know what I saw?�� Mikey’s lopsided grin swung as he gestured widely to Donnie. “This guy.”

“Mikey, you can’t just-!” Donnie tried again to interrupt.

“He was either-!” Mikey cut him off. “On his phone, texting, and smiling like a dope 24/7 or…” He tipped his head the other way. “On his phone, talking, and totally unavailable because he was absorbed in hour’s long conversations. I wonder with who?”

Donnie chuffed, still miffed about a dozen other things.

“Which is something I’m hyped about, but the reason why you haven’t heard from me is because I’ve been doing my own thing.” Mikey gestured down his body. “I’m not schlubbing it up because I’m down in the dumps! I’m doing it because I want to! I need to recharge! The Italia fair was tough! I pulled back to back 12 hour shifts for five straight days! Plus, we still do hero stuff, people seem to forget, so I needed some me time!”

Guilt reared its monstrous head again.

“Nope!” Mikey slayed the metaphorical dragon. “You didn’t know because I didn’t tell you! I was too wiped to complain! I just wanted to sleep and binge watch like ten shows! I knew you were in good hands and so I totally cocooned myself without anyone worrying unnecessarily about Duke Michelangelo, best of his namesake.”

Your shoulders drooped.

Mikey nodded as if ready to disarm any more complaints you had.

You gave a slight sigh before looking at him anew.

He dropped his guard some and there stood your best friend.

Soul mates came in all forms and he was absolutely yours.

You gave him the first vestiges of a smile. “I’m sorry-”

“I don’t accept!” Mikey poured on the insult before turning to Donnie.

Your face fell around your frown, but you felt oddly buoyed by his response.

“That’s my call!” Mikey turned to his older brother. “Now, you!”

Donnie was itching for a fight.

It took two steps for Mikey to hug him.

Donnie’s hands turned into itchy claws, but he was miserably disarmed.

“I hijacked your hangout and I’m sorry.” Mikey squeezed Donnie off the floor.

“No! Down!” Donnie snapped.

Mikey avoided being bitten and did as he was told. “It wasn’t because I was trying to bust you two up. I genuinely didn’t even think anything… No wait, that’s a lie. I thought you two were going to the lab and I threw myself into the mix.”

“Hu-mph!” Donnie sneered.

“Which-!” Mikey chirped, adding in sweetness. “I should have asked if I could join in or if that was where you were actually going. Just because you two are hanging, doesn’t mean I assume I’m joining. I know that.”

Donnie gave him the side of his eye.

“Who asked who to hang out again?” Mikey had a gleam waiting.

“I already told you.” Donnie held onto his bitters.

“Tell me again.” Mikey turned up his shine as he clearly didn’t remember.

Donnie’s lids fell. “I asked Y/N.”

Mikey’s smile split his face. “Finally.”

“Enough.” Donnie gave the slightest gag.

“You did it all without my help!” Mikey gushed and made a kissy face.

“Ew! No!” Donnie revolted. “Stop and I suppose you are forgiven.”

“Yay!” Mikey cheered.

Donnie looked to you.

You startled at him.

“So that’s all my good stuff, but I’m sensing there’s like more to deal with that I’m not up to deal with. By the way, I was never up to deal with any of this because the emotional tank is running on fumes so I’m gonna go get a snack and you two can hash out the rest. Does that sound good?” Mikey threw questioning thumbs toward the door.

“Astute.” Donnie eyed his younger brother. “You are dismissed.”

Mikey grinned and waited for something else.

Donnie bumped him with a certain amount of affection.

“Exit stage orange!” Mikey waved Donnie off and walked toward you as that was the direction of the door. “Buy brunch and dish about all this and then maybe I’ll forgive you for thinking so little of me.”

“S-sounds right…” You gave him a spindly nod.

Mikey made it all the way to the door before turning around. “Oh and one last thing…”

Donnie groaned.

“What’s up with the will-they-won’t-they thing? I’m like so over it.” Mikey tapped the jamb impatiently.

“We have a date planned two weeks from now!” Donnie seethed.

“What?! No way?!” Mikey’s gaze sparked sunspots.

“You’re second to know!” Donnie shifted with a malevolent edge. “Maybe third depending of Raph’s speed!”

“What…?” Mikey withered. “No!!”

“Shoo so I can make sure I still have one for you to sulk over!” Donnie flicked his fingers.

Mikey saluted and marched away down the hall.

Donnie shook his head and took a few breaths before turning to you. “Y/N.”

The room was too big and you felt trapped.

“I’d like to close the doors to give us privacy.”

You looked away and rubbed an arm.

“Is that alright?”

You gave a shaky nod.

Donnie did nothing.

Did he want you to verbalize?

You were having a hard enough time as was.

How did Mikey do that?

He always appeared and spun your life up like cotton candy.

That was another oddly fitting descriptor for him.

“Y/N…?” Donnie tried, still standing in the same spot Mikey had left him.

“Y-yeah?”

“I’m… I’m sorry. If I overstepped… I spoke for me, but I may have implied I was your mouthpiece as well. That wasn’t my intention…”

“N-no…” You needed to feel something real and took a few steps toward the AC unit. “That w-wasn’t… You weren’t wrong…”

Spreading out your fingers, you brushed them against the cool steel.

You sought an edge and the rivets were there. “When I was with you, I… I forgot… to be me. To worry… For a while... it was nice, but when it came back… It came back and I was… useless…”

You felt Donnie’s aura spike.

You shirked closer to the machine.

He didn’t approach. “Y/N…”

“He said I didn’t… but when I thought I had forgotten about Mikey. I don’t want to… H-he’s my friend… He’s the reason I’m here…” Your fingers bounced on metal baubles. “I forgot him so e-easily! Just like how I f-forgot to be scared! Y-you once s-said that t-that’s not me, but if this is w-who I am…! I d-don’t want to b-be someone who forgets others… I don’t w-want to neglect you… or Mikey… or anyone! T-that’s not okay! I feel like… I’m stumbling and I don’t know what’s right…!”

Donnie rounded the machine so it separated you, but you were also across from him.

You couldn’t tell him how much you appreciated the barrier he created. “I want to be close to you. I like h-how I feel around you… I just…!”

Through the hollow metal, you felt Donnie place his hands against the unit.

You knocked it lightly so he could feel the reverb.

He returned it with two taps of his own.

“I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t.” He pleaded with you.

“I’m messing everything up.”

“You’re not.”

“Donnie!”

“Y/N!”

You both looked up in time.

“I’m not like Mikey.”

You knew that.

“I’m nowhere near as caring, if that at all.”

That was wrong.

“Do you know what I want?”

You asked him with your gaze.

“I want to hide you away.”

They were words you hadn’t expected and you stepped closer to the machine.

“Not because I want to protect you, but because I’m selfish. I want you all to myself. You know what I think when I hear you forgot about Mikey? I’m happy. Finally, I think! I have your attention! Competing with Mikey!? That no longer exists! He’s a better mystic! He’s a better brother! He’s a better friend! I didn’t just avoid my feelings for you because that was wrong to do to him, that was the bulk of the reason, but there was a portion of me that avoided the contest because it was a lost cause! The two of you have connection! I had to fight for your attention. I only got it when you were at your lowest or Mikey was distracted!”

Your fingers knotted in a grate.

“I’m not…” He sighed and his eye line plummeted. “I’m going to mess things up. I’m the one currently doing that. I will lash out again. I will feel the same.”

You built up your voice.

“It’s better you learn this now.” He sighed and plucked at something that gave a twang like a guitar string. “You should be warned. Even your growth, how you tame your fear, I don’t… necessarily care about it. I’m not trying to keep you from it, but I stand by what I said: the real you isn’t scared. You want to live. Your fear may be part of you, but it doesn’t define you. Nothing does. You aren’t definable. You’re cautious because you’re reasonable. If you want more from life then I want to see you face it only because you desire that.”

“I don’t know… I thought… the change was good, but now I wonder… ”

“This is the part where all I can think is: Mikey is fine. He doesn’t need you.”

“But you… do…?” You chanced and it felt like all your courage disappeared the moment you spoke it.

Donnie gave you a wounded confirmation.

“You’re making yourself out… to be this bad person, but Donnie you’ve done… some of the m-most selfless things I’ve ever seen…”

Donnie’s mood lifted minutely. “I’m at odds with myself.”

“I g-get that.”

He hummed an affirmation.

“W-will…?”

He looked up at you.

You shared a meaningful glance. “Will y-you keep me… from… Mikey…?”

“No!” His expression dripped with fear. “Never! I would never keep you! Not from the world and especially not from him!”

“But y-you’d…?”

“Think it?” He swallowed hard. “Yes. I may have… aimed for our tour to slip through my brother’s clutches, but that was for all of them. I wanted more time alone with you, but they move erratically no matter how long I track their patterns.”

He gnawed his thumb and you let go of the AC.

“Knowing me, if I were in the particular mood for it, I may be inclined to press… I’m saying now I won’t keep you, but later? I can see myself absconding you away with falsities if I… perceived myself as not getting enough attention...”

You took a few shy steps around the unit.

He didn’t seem to notice. “Ugh. It sounds grossly manipulative when I say it out loud… I would know it was wrong. I would backtrack immediately, but stopping the errant action completely…?”

“What if…?” You did your best to throw your voice.

It worked to an extent as he stared into the machine to work out his thoughts.

“… I gave y-you enough attention…?”

He mouthed what you said before his eyes widened some.

You reached his side by the time he looked up.

Finding you no longer across from him, he searched until he found you.

“What did you… think when I ran from you in the doorway…?”

There was an obvious weight in his chest. “I thought I saw your priorities and was jealous.”

“Of Mikey?”

“It made sense!” Donnie turned to you. “Not the jealousy, that’s an inane emotion, but your reaction. You pressing to include him shows a sense of normalcy. That’s a logical path… Even… Even knowing how much sense it made… I hated it. I hated that you avoided me, but I had to accept.”

“I was… scared.”

“I know that now.”

“I’m still scared.”

He searched you.

“F-from what you told me. I don’t know how to react… is what you're describing bad? Is that wrong…?” You fought dismay. “I kind of… like it…? Like me? You want time with… me that badly? How is that even possible? But at the same time… I feel… like that too. I want time with you too. I want to know you. I want to text you. I’ve lost so much time because I don’t want to do anything else! I j-just want to talk to you. I want to be around you. It’s scary… Caring that much-!”

He gave a shaky breath.

“I violated your sanctum…” You admitted tearfully.

He was ready to excuse it, but you shook your head to stop him.

You had always thought Donnie understood you.

He did.

You also couldn’t rely on only that.

He was still his own person with his own experiences.

You still needed to talk.

You still wanted to talk.

There was so much more to know.

There was even more of him to subvert.

You had to be party for that.

He was already doing that and you needed to catch up.

It wasn’t just that you were compatible, but there was something more.

You pushed each other.

For all your shyness, Donnie challenged you at every turn and you took him up on each exchange.

It was hard to believe that he needed improvement, but the closer you got to him, the more you realized you were on a level playing field.

You needed to trust him.

He needed you.

He gave too much of himself.

You needed to take care of what you took.

You needed to be wary.

It was your perceived flaw that he saw as a good thing.

“I like that you want me!” You announced.

He took you in as if you were an inspiration.

“I went out… because I wanted to live. I wanted… to see h-how far I could go… to finally… be me.”

Your partner was silent.

“I’m not done.” You shook out your hands. “Not with this. Not with any of this. I… still want to see.”

You could feel him watching.

“I want to see…”

Waiting.

“… how far this goes.” You looked to him.

“Let me hold you.” Donnie managed a watery smile and a phrase he couldn’t help but blurt out.

You nodded, readying yourself.

“Also, please let me close the damn doors.” His voice broke slightly. “If someone interrupts us I will scream.”

You gave your own broken grin. “Done, okay.”

In a single step you were both enveloped in a hug and you heard a metallic whoosh as the doors closed. “Say the word and they’ll open for you.”

You squeezed him tightly.

“You’re not stuck with me.” His reminder emerged soft like cautious moonlight.

You shook your head and burrowed into him at the same time. “You’re right.”

He pushed his chin down against your head in a nod.

“I choose you.”

You felt the excitement twitch across his body.

“I’m going to make repercussions for the lab intrusion up to you, no matter what. I’m going to figure out how to be there for the people I care about. This is all… new to me, but I’m going to do it. As best I can. I’m going to be me.”

An excited chirp broke free from him.

“And I’m picking you.”

He hid against your head.

“Stand by me while I figure it out?”

“Done. I will see to wherever you go.”

You chose the moon.

💛 NEXT 💛

My betas @tmntxthings and @thepinkpanther83 got a break this weekend since I'm still on vacation, but heck that doesn't diminish all the work we got to get here

#sunshinemoonshinefic #rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt x reader #rottmnt donnie x reader #donatello hamato #donnie x reader #rise donnie x reader #rottmnt donatello #rottmnt Donnie #me #fanfiction #my fanfiction

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erooca · 1 year ago

Text

daycare pt. 2

ellie williams x reader

description: ellie williams is forced to work at a daycare. in part two, she gets more comfortable with her new job and with you. 2.5k words

omg im so happy a lot of people liked the first one!!! i hope u guys like this one too. i love writing ab ellie and am open to any suggestions you may have!!

part one: https://www.tumblr.com/erooca/724971592933834752/daycare

ever since you met ellie, you started seeing her more around your campus. every once in a while, y’all would go study together or maybe grab a coffee, but she’s never invited you back to her dorm before, at least not until right now.

like the gentleman she is, she held the door open and you walked in, instantly getting hit with the scent of ellie. specifically a nice, light scent of tobacco vanilla, which felt very on point for the freckled girl.

her dorm was small, smaller than yours since she had one to herself, while you shared with roommates. all that was in here was a bed, a desk, a mini fridge, storage, and a door leading to a bathroom.

her back wall was filled with little sketches everywhere. you knew she liked to draw, but you had no idea it meant this much to her. you took in all the drawings, examining them one by one. you see sketches of horses, dinosaurs (no surprise there), sunsets and just a lot of landscapes in general, and you see a few of an older looking man. you assume it’s her father.

ellie is watching you nervously as you examine all her drawings. she was scared as shit that you were finally in her dorm, but she also had a tingling feeling in her heart because you were surrounded completely by her and only her at the moment. she could get used to this.

it had been two weeks since her first day at the daycare. for two whole weeks, her thoughts have been plagued by you. she was loving it. she loved spending a full eight hour shift with you. just to see you, she would even come in five or ten minutes early.

she wasn’t very secretive about her crush on you. she did a lot of things for you. if you went on break earlier than her, she’d pick you up something to eat and would forbid you from paying her back. she would also buy things you had mentioned you needed for the classroom. one time, she even brought you a candy bar since she noticed you weren’t as energetic as your usual self.

even after all these gracious gifts, you were oblivious. it drove ellie insane. she really didn’t want to have to confess it out loud to you. she was really hoping you’d just take the hint and ask her out yourself. ellie has a bit of a hard time with rejection and she can’t imagine pouring out her feelings to you just for you to tell her you didn’t feel the same about her.

“hey.. is this one of king’s drawings?” you said, pointing at a colorful and bright picture. it had two stick figures with a hell of a lot of scribbles.

“oh yeah, he said he drew it for me,” ellie smiled, reliving the memory. king had told her it was a drawing of her and him hanging out together. ellie asked if she could keep the drawing and of course king said yes.

“that’s so sweet,” you smiled brightly. you were so happy ellie already made a strong connection with one of the students. the best part about working with kids is seeing the way you influence them and make them better humans.

ellie nodded.

“so, did ya’ wanna order pizza and watch a movie?” ellie asked.

“that sounds like a perfect way to relax after a week of working.”

you guys settle onto ellie’s bed (since there’s no couch) watching a random movie on netflix waiting for the pizza.

it was a really good night. you wish you could spend every night like this.

the next monday, you were eagerly waiting for ellie to enter the classroom door. you were so excited to see her. you guys had such a great time on saturday, and you couldn’t wait to be in ellie’s presence again.

when the door opened, all the children screamed out ellie’s name, getting up to go give her a hug.

“ellie!! guess what my mom did this weekend!!” a blonde girl named charlie asked.

“i went to the park yesterday ellie!!” pippa told her.

“hey! hey! ellie!” another kid called for attention.

ellie laughed and listened to each of the kids one by one. it warmed your heart so much seeing your students gathered around ellie, telling her stories and giving her hugs. you felt like you could burst from the warmth that spread throughout your body.

when she was finished, she got up and locked eyes with you. she greeted you and that was when you noticed two starbucks cups in her hands. she sheepishly handed one of them out to you.

“ellie, you shouldn’t have done this,” you said, taking the cup from her even though it contradicted your words.

“gotta get a coffee for my favorite coworker,” her lips rose into a half smile.

you brought the drink up to your lips and sipped. you’ve had starbucks countless times, but this one tasted different. it tasted amazing and you know it’s because it was ellie who bought it for her. you thanked her.

the day continued on as usual. while you were outside, you watched as the kids ganged up on ellie to chase her and take her to “jail”. you watched her run, taking the game a little too seriously. it made you think how she’d probably survive a zombie apocalypse, if it ever happened.

she easily got cornered and king tugged her hand, leading her to the fence. some of the other kids did a locking motion, acting as though ellie was chained to the fence.

“don’t get out!!!” one of the boys, william, said.

you made your way over, innocently.

“how’s jail?” you ask.

“oh, ha ha,” she said sarcastically, then her eyes lit up, as if she had a great idea, “hey.. unlock me!” she said, glancing at her hands.

“you do realize you aren’t actually locked in, right?” you ask, laughing.

ellie scoffs. you follow through with her request anyway, motioning an unlocking gesture. then ellie bolted.

“HEY! they let ellie out! get both of them!” one of the kids yelled.

now both of you were running for your lives from a big group of three year olds.

once you guys came inside, you had lunch, and then nap time. when the kids woke up, you opted to do floor toys and just keep them all on the colorful alphabet rug.

you sat with the children, watching them build with the duplo legos. they were each having you look at what they made. you praised them each time, suggesting they add a different colored block or make it taller. soon, you felt a bit tired so you laid down onto the carpet.

this turned out to be a bad idea when half of your students rolled on top of you, leaving you no room to even move. all you could hear was the sounds of your three year olds giggling, as they tortured you.

you called out for help from ellie but was met with the response of laughter coming from her.

wow. your own friend. you thought up your revenge plan quickly, “everyone!!!” you shouted, catching their attentions, “go give ellie a kiss!!”

“what? no- no,” but it was too late. the kids ran up to her, giving her kisses on her arms and hands. a few even gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“payback,” you smirk at her, watching as she’s trying to control the kids now.

“oh you’re evil,” she responds, playfully narrowing her eyes at you.

the rest of the day went by fast, but this time ellie wasn’t leaving when you got down to less kids. maria had asked that you go through all the cleaning duties with her that are required for closing. you agreed, obviously excited to spend even more with her. you decided to wait until all the children were gone to start teaching it. it would allow you to give ellie your full focus.

all the kids were called to leave one by one and soon it was 6:00 and all the kids had went home. it was just ellie and you in the room. you could already feel the intense butterflies moving through you. god, your crush had gotten bad.

ignoring the feeling in your stomach that was so extreme it almost hurt, you showed ellie the closet.

“so we keep the vacuum and broom in here, and all of the cleaning chemicals. there’s bleach water, soapy water, floor spray, and a bathroom cleaner,” you explain to ellie.

you went inside to pull out the vacuum but with a mighty tug, the vacuum wouldn’t come loose. it was stuck in between the children’s mats. you said a naughty word but kept trying.

“here, let me help,” ellie said from outside the closet, stepping inside.

“wait! don’t let the door—“

click

“shut..”

“oh fuck. did i just lock us in here?” ellie asked, wide eyed as soon as she heard the click of the lock.

“uhh.. yeah. you did. it’s alright, i’m sure someone will find us soon,” you said, hopeful.

the closet wasn’t super tight, but it definitely wasn’t spacious. you were a little too close to ellie for comfort. you could already feel your heart racing. someone better find you guys soon, or you might have a heart attack.

“i’m gonna see if maybe i can like.. jam the door open,” you said, trying to switch spots with ellie so you were closer to the door. you couldn’t ignore the way your skin touched hers in an effort to get across.

you started wiggling the handle with all your might, trying to move it up, down, and side to side. it wasn’t budging.

“try moving it like this,” ellie had found her way right behind you. she rested her hand on the door handle where yours was. your pinkies overlapped and ellie started jiggling the handle too.

you looked to your side and noticed she had her other hand resting on the door, for support, to the right of your head. she was basically leaning over you, trapping you within her arms.

“yeah we’re not getting out of this any time soon,” ellie states, letting her hand rest on the door knob.

you finally turned around to face her and it both hit you how close you both had gotten. your back was against the door and she was right in front of you, only maybe a foot away.

ellie felt a dust of pink wash over her cheeks as she realized how close she was to you. she hadn’t meant to position you like this, but she wasn’t complaining.

ellie was keeping her eyes locked with yours and neither of you guys made an attempt to move. you could hear as her breath was moving more rigid.

it was becoming too much for you, and you glanced down, forcing your head to look at the ground. you tried to relax your heart that seemed as though it was clawing out of your chest.

a soft hand rose to the bottom of your chin, and pulled it upwards, forcing you to look back at ellie.

“don’t.” ellie whispered, not taking her eyes off of you.

you don’t think you’ve ever desired someone as much as you desired ellie right now. you were so close to grabbing her face, giving her as many kisses as she deserved, but instead you stood still, frozen under ellie’s dominant position.

ellie took the hand from your chin and moved it to gently tuck a wisp of hair behind your ear, “wanna see your pretty face…” she let her hand rest on her cheek.

your whole face turned a blushy color at her words. how was this girl you met only a few weeks ago making you sink into a puddle?

“ellie..” you breathed out, scanning her face, trying to decipher any thought she might have. from up this close, you could see how irregular her pattern of freckles were. how they were different shades of the same color. you could count them all from this position, and you happily would.

“can i please kiss you?” ellie asked, in almost a puppy dog voice.

you didn’t trust yourself with your voice right now (hell, you’d probably accidentally propose to her), so you gave a sweet nod.

she took a step closer to you, bodies mere inches from colliding, she watched your eyes and glanced to your lips.

“are you sure?” she asked, wanting to confirm that this is genuinely what you wanted. her eyes went back up to yours and she searched them.

instead of answering, you moved forward closing the gap. your soft lips met with her chapped ones. ellie made a noise of surprise at your sudden movement, but easily got comfortable, kissing you back.

she pulled back after a moment, but stayed close to your face.

“holy fuck,” she breathed out, trying to regain any sense of herself she had previously.

before you had a chance to say anything, she reconnected her lips with yours. she placed her hands on your hips, pulling you in closer. you crossed your hands around her neck. you don’t ever think you’ve felt this kind of rush before. all you knew was that you wanted ellie closer. you wanted to be surrounded by her completely. now that you’ve kissed her once, you don’t think you’ll ever be able to stop kissing her.

she slowly started kissing along your jawline, and then trailing her lips down your neck. you giggling at the sensation from the way it tickled your skin.

ellie liked the way your throat felt under her mouth. she continued to leave soft kisses all on you. you could feel your hunger for her grow stronger and stronger.

just then the door swung open, leaving you to fall on the ground, and ellie tumbling over you. you both groaned in pain.

maria stood in front of you two’s lying bodies. she cleared her throat awkwardly. it was obvious she saw what you guys were doing before you fell.

“i’m not gonna talk about what i just saw, but how many times have i told you not to let that door shut??” maria said, only acting angry to wash away the awkward feeling of walking in on her (basically) niece making out with one of her best workers.

“it was my fault, maria. i let the door close,” ellie said, taking the blame. she stood up from the ground, and then held out a hand to you. you gladly took it and she pulled you up.

maria sighed in frustration, “don’t let it happen again, and get this room clean. we lock up in 15 minutes.”

as soon as she leaves the room, you erupt in giggles, thinking of how shocked maria’s face was. ellie joined your laughter, just now realizing how silly the situation had become.

knowing there wasn’t any time left to dilly-dally, you two sped cleaned the room.

you hoped the next couple days would be full of more closet kisses, more of those loving looks ellie had given you today, or even wishful touches throughout the hours.

unknown to your knowledge, ellie was planning on giving you every single one of those for the rest of her life.

#ellie williams #ellie williams fanfic #ellie williams x reader #ellie williams x you #ellie x y/n #ellie x reader #ellie x you #the last of us #tlou x reader #tlou2 ellie #ellie the last of us #tlou fic #tlou part 2 #tlou fanfiction #ellie tlou #tlou 2 ellie #ellie x fem reader

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madaqueue · 7 months ago

Text

playlists

such a pretty house | "no surprises" x radiohead

synopsis: walking through the empty halls of what should have been your home, you reminisce on the life you could have had with gojo

pairing: satoru gojo x reader

themes/content: semi-canon curse au. angst. language. mentions of death/loss.

word count: 2.5k

a/n: thought of this mini series idea since i found this song and literally could not stop thinking about a tragic backstory to it with gojo, so if you wanna get the "real" experience listen to it while you read ! this is like...not conventionally happy lmao but here it is anyways :) i'll get back to the regularly scheduled series tomorrow but i just had to write this one

a sigh leaves your lips as you walk up the familiar stone path, now overgrown with long grasses, tickling against your bare ankles. the cool autumn air bites at your skin, dead leaves falling from the old maple trees and crunching under your shoes as you make your way up to the house.

this house.

reaching the front door, you turn the now-tarnished gold handle and step inside. the old wooden floorboards creak under your weight; it’s likely been years since anyone has been here, further evidenced by the thin layer of dust settled over the empty space.

the space that was supposed to be your home.

your eyes gaze to the right and your legs follow, taking you into the living room. the bay windows overlook the front yard, the wooden bench beneath them bare. it was supposed to have red pillows, a reading nook for you. he always knew how you loved those books, consuming knowledge like it was the only type of nourishment you needed. the stories, the worlds that let you forget time while he was away on missions. but now, every word you read feels baren. you haven’t picked up a book since then.

continuing your journey through the empty house, you find yourself in the kitchen. the cabinet doors are now falling off, and surely the stove wouldn’t turn on anymore - not that it really worked in the first place, but the two of you made do. you’d bring in pizza on nights when the shitty electricity died out, sitting on the floor lit only by candles, talking about your futures.

well, what was supposed to be your future.

the window above the sink looks over the backyard, the remnants of the flowers you planted now overgrown with weeds. what a pretty garden it could have been.

“can you plant me the blue ones?” he asked, his arms wrapped around you as you stood outside under the heat of the summer sun.

“you only like those because they match your eyes,” you tease, turning your head to face him.

“maybe so,” he grins. “how ‘bout this, let’s find ones that match your eyes too, so it’s like i’m lookin’ at you every time i see ‘em?”

“deal,” you giggle, leaning against him.

you find yourself at the stairs, slowly making your way up as your hand traces along the railing, dust collecting on your fingertips.

you aren’t even sure why you came here, after all this time, back to this house, the physical tomb of your past.

it was supposed to be for you and satoru.

–

you were just kids, stupid, young kids. when you met in your first year at jujutsu high, the two of you were inseparable. every class, every meal, every mission you did together. it got to the point where you practically lived together, trading off which dorm room you slept in so you wouldn’t have to be apart. the two of you were attached by an invisible thread that kept looping itself around your necks until it became too tight.

the mission was supposed to be easy: exorcise a grade 2 curse and save the family it had kidnapped. you’d done it before a hundred times, and having gojo by your side only simplified the whole thing.

that is, until you got hurt. until you were unconscious, at the brink of death. until you found out why they had sent gojo with you - you didn’t think much of it at the time, but this was the lowest grade curse he’d been assigned to for a while.

it was a test. the higher ups wanted to see what gojo would do when he lost someone. they needed him to prove that he was what they thought he was: the strongest.

except, like always, he never failed to surprise everyone. he wouldn’t let you go that easily; not you, his world, his love, his everything. they picked the wrong person to sacrifice.

by the time you awoke, it was too late. you couldn’t quite place it, but something was different inside you, inside your very essence. as your eyes fluttered open, all you could feel was the warmth of his embrace around you, his hair hanging forward as he clutched your body. hot tears streamed down his face and landed on your chest.

“i’m so sorry, i’m so sorry,” he muttered over and over, softly rocking on his knees as he holds you.

“s-satoru,” you manage to croak out, the taste of blood in your mouth.

his eyes shift up to yours, a darkness and fear in them you’ve never seen before.

“it’s okay, it’s okay now, i’m here,” he whispers, his voice shaking, pulling you into him.

–

reaching the top of the stairs, the empty hallway looms before you. you turn into the first room on your right, what should’ve been the library. empty shelves line the walls as you stand in the middle of the space.

“y’know,” his voice smooth as he sits across from you, “eventually i’m gonna get promoted, and i’m gonna need a big office.”

“oh yeah?” you respond, shifting so your head rests on your open palm, propped up against the table between you. “what makes you so confident about that? you know the higher ups literally hate you, right?”

“psh, they love me,” he pauses, reaching across the table to shut the book in front of you so your full attention was on him. “and then, i’m gonna fix up this house, and i’ll build you a library and an office for me, and we can spend every day in there together.”

you pretend to consider the option for a moment. “fine, but it’s still gonna be my library. i’ll let you put a desk in there but don’t you dare forget that it’s mine,” you joke.

his hand reaches up to the side of your face, his thumb gently caressing your cheek. “as long as i’m with you, sweetheart, it can all be yours.”

you sigh, leaning against the wall before sliding down to sit against the old wood beneath you. he would’ve given you everything, he would’ve done anything for you.

–

it didn’t take long after the mission to figure out what had really happened: the grade 2 curse was actually a special grade, something you were woefully underprepared for. however, the higher ups had planned for that, even wanted it - they needed you to die. not because of any inherent value you had, no, but for satoru. they needed to see if he could handle a special grade curse on his own, something he had already proven he could do, but with a new challenge: loss. could he control himself, his emotions, his power, when he was forced to confront your death?

no. he couldn’t.

the only good thing about this being a special grade curse is that it was smarter, more cunning, than an average curse. not smart enough to beat gojo, but still.

when satoru saw you, your body slumped in the corner of the room, blood covering your face, something happened inside him. he snapped.

so, he did what any completely irrational person would do: he made a deal with the curse.

if it would heal you, it could have your cursed powers. this sounded like an exceptional deal to the curse, thinking that surely with your cursed technique it could easily kill gojo and leave the ordeal more powerful than when it began.

but, like always, gojo surprised everyone. even with your cursed energy he managed to exorcise the monster. he was glad you weren’t there to see it, the way his body took over as he pulled it apart limb by limb, eviscerating any remnants of the thing that dared to harm you. he didn’t even use his cursed technique, he needed to feel the life draining from it in his own hands.

when it was done, he ran to you. he held you. he cried over you. until you opened your eyes, whispering his name.

–

stepping out of the library, you continue down the hall and into the next room. the bedroom, the one you and satoru spent weeks planning.

“okay, what about purple?” you ask, holding up paint swatches to the wall.

“bleh,” he stuck out his tongue. “no purple. what about a nice green?”

you rolled your eyes at his theatrics. “honey, we have too much green already. by the time you’re done with it this entire house is gonna be green.”

his eyes light up. “what about honey?”

“what about it?” you ask, tilting your head.

“that’s it, that’s the color! it’ll be perfect, it’s warm, and sunny, and it’ll make me think of you whenever i’m in here,” he explains, nearly running over to you and picking you up, spinning you around. your arms wrap around his neck as he holds you in the air, both of you smiling with joy.

as you look at the room around you, the unfinished grey walls feel more empty than any other part of the house. it’s like looking at a skeleton, the raw, old bones of something you once loved.

–

of course, after you lost your cursed technique, you weren’t allowed to continue at jujutsu high. they had no purpose for you there, and you felt out of place with everyone anyways. gojo begged them to let you stay, offering to let you live in his dorm so they wouldn’t even need an extra room for you, but his request was repeatedly and ubiquitously denied.

“fine,” he huffs, pacing around your room as you sit on the bed, all of your belongings stuffed into boxes around you. “if they won’t let you stay, then i’m going with you.”

“gojo, you can’t. you know you can’t,” you explain calmly yet sternly.

he stops momentarily, looking over at you. “i have to,” he murmurs, “this is my fault, anyways.”

you stand up and walk towards him, reaching a hand up to his face, cupping his cheek in your palm. “the only thing that’s your ‘fault’ is the fact that i’m still here, and you better not be blaming yourself for that.”

“but-”

your lips press into his, the only way you could think of to get him to stop talking. he’s soft against you, his arms lowering to loosely hang around your waist. for a moment, you stay like that, just the two of you in your empty room.

pulling apart for a moment, you just stare at each other. finally, he breaks the silence. “okay, but if you won’t let me officially leave with you, can i at least sort of leave with you?”

“gojo, what the hell does that mean?” you smirk, not understanding what he’s even asking.

a smile breaks through his lips as he looks down at you. “i have something i want to show you.”

the house.

he holds your hand, pulling you up the stone pathway next to him, leading you to the freshly-painted front door, gold handle practically glowing in the sunlight.

“ta-da!” he shouts, throwing the door open and allowing you to see inside.

“it…it’s an empty house?” you ask jokingly.

“no,” he turns to you, holding your waist, “it’s our empty house.”

“what-”

“i got it for us,” he cuts you off, beaming down at you. “when i first heard that you might be asked to leave jujutsu high, i bought it, thinking we could move in here together.” you don’t say anything, stunned by his kindness, tears beginning to form along your waterline as you think about just how much you love him. “i wanted to give you a home. i hope we can make it one, together.”

leaning up, you kiss him again. finally, together, in your home.

–

why did you even come here? the cold, stale air stirs around your lungs as you rest your head back against the wall.

despite everything that happened, you had to see it one last time. you overheard someone at the store saying how they were finally going to be tearing this place down, putting in some new luxury apartments or something. it’s not like anyone lived here anyways, maybe it’s for the best. give the grave of your past a new life.

it had been nearly ten years since you were here last. a part of you wanted to move on, to forget it, but it hung in your mind like it had been nailed there.

you finally stand up, dusting off the grime that clung to your clothes from the floor. every step another memory you had here, another painful reminder of the life you never got to have.

–

it started slowly, at first. gojo kept getting tasked with harder missions, and he kept handling them with ease. even the higher ups were at a loss with what to do with him, his raw power developing into something they had never seen and had no idea how to control.

as you sat in the empty house, alone, you tried to not let it get to you, but the feeling ate away at you all the same. the glares you’d get when the two of you went out together, the whispers from other classmates or the higher ups, they clung to you.

you knew you were less than gojo - you always were, and it never bothered you. but now, with no cursed energy, you felt like nothing compared to him.

the words replayed in your mind, reminding you what you were.

failure. broken. fragile. useless. a burden. a hindrance. a flaw. a weakness.

of course, satoru never said any of these things, going out of his way to make sure you never heard the insults his so-called colleagues muttered about you, but it wasn’t enough. it ate and ate and ate away at you until you were empty.

when you left, his world collapsed. he begged you to stay, pleaded to let him come with you. he’d leave jujutsu, all the sorcery, all the hierarchy, all the bullshit behind if it meant he could be with you. but you knew he couldn’t; if he left with you, you’d just be proving them right. you’d be dragging him down with you.

“i love you, satoru,” you whispered, your thumb wiping away the tears that fell slowly down his cheek as you stood in the doorway of the house you promised would be your home. “that’s why i have to leave.”

–

making your way back down the steps, you sigh again, a single tear rolling down your cheek, your heart heavy with loss, the loss of the life you should have had. you and satoru, making breakfast together in the morning, falling asleep next to one another, planting flowers in the garden. the simple, quiet life. but instead, you’re here, alone.

your steps are heavy as you trace back through the rooms, the last time you’ll likely ever see them.

the floor creaks in the entryway.

slowly, your eyes follow the sound.

white hair, black uniform, and those bright blue eyes. he has a few more wrinkles around his cheeks, but it is absolutely, unmistakably, him.

“satoru?” you whisper.

he smiles at you.

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