#haru kato x you

[kuroopaisen]

07:42 pm || haru kato

➵ haru finds intimacy in the most mundane of actions.

wc: 916

warnings: gn!reader, nudity

a/n: fandoms-on-main, this one’s for you! i saw your little comments on the preview for this fic and they warmed my heart. thank you for your support (i see you in my notes all the time) – i really appreciate it :( i hope you enjoy!

Haru never expected to find a partner so young.

Sure, he’s twenty-nine, but he expected to give it at least five more years before the prospect of actually settling down became a reality. Or maybe it’d take ten. However long it would be for his job to become less risky. Of course, he’d planned to get married at some point in his life – lest his mother have a tantrum – but he never thought it’d be like this.

Or with you.

The two of you stand in the shower, huddled close to each other as the steam curls up around you. There’s not a lot of space, given that Haru’s apartment is nothing to brag about, but you’re determined to make the two of you fit.

You smile up at him, your chest pressed against his.

Haru can’t tell if his cheeks are hot from the heat or from his embarrassment.

Being naked together isn’t new or rare, but the intimacy of it still surprises him. He’s known you for well over ten years, but romance is still something he needs to acclimatise to. 

He’d always taken himself as the kind of guy who’d be ‘married to his job’ – at least, until he had enough of a career to speak for itself. And he’s well-aware that what he does has a strong element of danger. Strong enough to litter marks across his body, at least.

“What’s this from?” You murmur, running a gentle thumb over a bruise on his shoulder. It’s yellowing already, and it stopped aching a few days ago.

“Uh…” He glances at it, his brow furrowing. “I don’t remember.” He’s genuinely not sure where it’s from; probably a chase or something. Or maybe just a collision with a wall. To him, it’s just another part of his job.

You tsk, shaking your head. Water droplets flick from your hair, and Haru smiles.

“It looks nasty,” you pout, looking up at his face.

“It’s fine,” he smiles, bringing a hand up to cup your face.

You tilt and press a gentle kiss to his palm. His eyes widen in surprise – though maybe he shouldn’t be so taken aback.

You treat him with such tenderness that it almost overwhelms him, but you never treat him like he’s fragile. You just treat him with care, kissing all his cuts and bruises, running your hands over his aching muscles, reminding him to take care of himself.

You remind him constantly that you care about him. That you love him.

Really, it was easy to fall for you. Far too easy, given how reticent he’d been to date during his days in the field.

Falling in love means potentially leaving someone behind.

But you’ve been such a constant force in his life, long since the two of you graduated. And Haru doesn’t know what he’d do without you.

For the longest time, it was only catch-ups on a Saturday evening, soaked through with sake and laughter, until one night, he kissed you.

He still doesn’t know why he did it, but he’s sure it had something to do with just how pretty you are when you laugh.

One thing led to another, and one stuttered love confession later the two of you found yourselves in some semblance of a romantic relationship. Some part of him wanted to push you away, to reject this.

But he just couldn’t. Not when you brought him so much stability.

You tap his neck gently with one hand – a sign you want him to lower his head.

He complies, hanging his head forward into the spluttering stream of water.

You lean up and give him a peck on the nose. Haru smiles at the gesture, bringing a hand up to squeeze your hip.  

You giggle, taking a moment to bend down and grab some shampoo. 

You hop back up to full height, shampoo in your cupped hand and a smile on your face.

He leans forward again, this time out of the stream of water.

You lather up his hair and Haru’s eyes flutter shut on instinct. He loves the feeling of your fingers in his hair, no matter the context. Something about it is so soothing, so grounding. It’s such a little gesture, but it’s one that reminds him that he’s cherished. You always give him such a good head massage; no matter how tired you are, you never skimp on it.

He watches you with unrelenting fondness; each and every act of love you make is so purposeful, so full of intention.

Every long night when he can’t sleep, every time he feels too exhausted to take care of himself, every time his past haunts him… You’re there to bring him a little warmth, a little light.

Your fingers are so gentle as they work the shampoo through his hair, and Haru prays that this moment can last a little longer.

It’s not always easy. He knows he’s difficult sometimes. He knows that he must be difficult to care about, given his line of work. And you can’t chase away every nightmare, every regret.

But none of that matters to you. You offer what you can – a hand to hold, a safe place to land. And you understand your limits, what you can and can’t achieve. You encourage him, support him, cherish him.

You may have stumbled your way into a relationship with him, but every moment you stayed was your choice. Your wish.               

And that, perhaps, is the most precious thing.