#he can still be thankful. in a normal way
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âcatalyst.
pairing: hwang hyunjin x reader
genre: fluff, pining, non-idol au, best friendâs little brother au
word count: 5.4k
summary: when your best friend points out how there seems to be something more than just a platonic friendship going on between you and hyunjin, you couldnât help but start questioning everything youâve been doing together so far.
a/n: and we finally get y/nâs pov!! (and a little bit of hyunieâs as always lol canât help myself). there is a lotttttt of overthinking on her end so please go easy on her, she just got hit by facts she hadnât thought twice about before (thank u chan).
if anyone comes across this in the tags, this is part 15.2 of a social media series called heart out! you can read it as a stand-alone but i wouldnât recommend it since there are a lot of references to the previous parts of the story.
as always i hope you all enjoy! if you do, please let me know your thoughts on it<3
When you woke up that day, you never wouldâve expected to end up with so many unanswered questions by the end of it.
It was supposed to be a normal day â a great one, actually. You were having lunch at the Hwangâs household, and that itself was enough to make you happy as ever.
It had been a while since youâd last seen Hyunjin and Yejiâs parents, let alone shared a meal with them, so you took it upon yourself to get up extra early that morning in order to make some dessert for them âa lemon pie and a chocolate one, as they were Mr. and Mrs. Hwangâs favouritesâ and still have enough time left to get ready.
Yeji called you out as soon as she and Chan arrived to pick you up, ranting about how it wasnât necessary for you to bring anything, while you and Chan could only laugh, knowing well enough she was already eyeing the lemon pie and thinking of how many pieces she would have.
What only made it funnier to you was that you knew youâd get a similar reaction from Hyunjin once you met him at his parentsâ, only heâd be eyeing the chocolate pie instead.
Said and done, as soon as you entered their house and Hyunjin came up to greet you ânot without first letting you know just how hurt he was over you sharing a ride with your friends instead of himâ, he began to go on about how he told you that you didnât need to bring their parents any presents, like you said you would after his mother had so generously made you some soup when you were in bed with a fever a week ago. Nevertheless, you could see the way he stole a few glances at the chocolate pie, before offering to take it to the kitchen, while Yeji did the same with the lemon one. You could never get bored with these two.
Their parents, you knew very well by now, were just the same as them. It was clear where Yeji and Hyunjin got their humor and antics from.
You always had a very nice time with them, as theyâd always find the right topic to keep the conversation going. But then for some reason your dating life made it to the conversation at one point and Mingyu was brought up by their mother asking you about the âhandsome young manâ they met a couple of times; and somehow that alone would be the catalyst that set off a series of events that ultimately left you questioning your entire relationship with Hyunjin later that night.
âSo you are definitely not getting back together with him?â Their mother asked at last, once the whole âMingyu loreâ, as Yeji called it, had been covered.
âUmâŚâ you hesitated, eyes unconsciously locking with Hyunjin next to you, before you looked for Yeji, who was in front of him. âNo, weâre notâ.
âOh, dearâ she lamented. âWhat he did was such a shame, the two of you certainly made a very nice coupleâ.
âYou heard how he turned out to be an asshole, thoughâ Yeji pointed out, taking the words from Hyunjinâs mouth and inevitably having him and Chan nod in silent agreement.
âItâs a good thing youâre moving past himâ their father chimed in this time.
You nodded, giving him a gentle smile. You were trying your best, for sure.
âHis parents must be devastatedâ Mrs. Hwang lamented again, bringing your attention back to her.
This time, you couldnât help but let out a breathy laugh. âI mean, I got along really well with them, but I wouldnât go as far as to think theyâre devastatedâ.
âLosing a daughter-in-law as beautiful and attentive as youâŚâ she explained, bringing some heat to your cheeks that you tried to play off by taking a sip of water. âThe two of you wouldâve made such beautiful childrenâ.
The water you were drinking didnât follow the path down your throat it shouldâve at the sound of her statement, and you inevitably ended up choking on it.
âYah, mumâ Hyunjin called her out, gently patting your back as you tried to catch your breath. âCan we not mention children and her ex in the same sentence?â
âRight, sorryâ she apologised, handing you a napkin and giving you a soft smile before her eyes focused on her husband; ignoring the way Hyunjinâs hand remained unconsciously drawing small circles on your back until you were able to breathe normally again. âBut just imagine if we had that kind of genes in the familyâ.
âDid she just call us ugly?â Yeji frowned, locking eyes with Hyunjin, who couldnât help but chuckle instead of acting offended like his sister â in his eyes you were on a whole other level of beauty after all.
âHonestly though, even I feel offended nowâ Chan butted in. âI donât recall you wanting my genes this badâ.
âThey met you when we were already a couple, she probably wouldâve tried to bribe you too otherwiseâ Yeji let him know with a cynical laugh, having you all follow right after.
âTrust me, sheâs already pictured how cute your children will beâ Mr. Hwang let the couple know.
âCan we not?â Yeji pleaded with red cheeks this time. Chan, on the other hand, could not let the opportunity to tease her pass, poking her cheek and repeating in a squeaky voice just how cute their kids would be. âBack to the topic of Y/Nâs genes, pleaseâ she begged.
âJeez! Thanks, best friendâ you ironically said amidst an incredulous laugh, earning a finger heart and an obnoxious smile from her in response.
âMy point was,â their mother resumed her previous train of thought. âNow that Y/Nâs single, Iâm kind of wishing we had an older son. Imagine how beautiful their children would be if she became a Hwangâ.
Well, that certainly felt like a bucket of ice cold water being thrown right at Hyunjin.
âHyunjinâs right here, though?â Chan pointed out before the youngest could begin to get lost in his âquite angstyâ thoughts. âTheyâre both in their twenties, Iâd say thereâs hope for Y/N to become a Hwangâ.
And maybe, if you werenât too busy kicking Chan under the table, you wouldâve noticed the shy smile curving up Hyunjinâs mouth, as well as his slightly rosy cheeks as he looked down to his still nearly untouched food.
Maybe if Yeji wasnât too busy laughing at her boyfriend after getting hit and ever so poorly trying to comfort him, she wouldâve noticed her brother being all flustered, too.
But, thankfully for him, his parents did. And that was enough for them to nod their heads in silent understanding.
That was the last comment they made about your dating life that afternoon, having no trouble directing the topic once again towards Chan and Yejiâs relationship instead.
You, on the other hand, although had managed to do a pretty good job at following whatever topic was brought up for the rest of the meal, could not seem to let Chanâs comment go.
It was out of place. Way out of it. What did Hyunjin have to do with it anyway? Like, yes, they were talking about you becoming a Hwang and, yes, he was the only son they had, but that didnât immediately make him an option?
He was three years younger than you. He was only seventeen and still in high school when you met, whereas you were in your second year of university. It felt wrong to even think about it. And it was even worse considering that there was a reason his mum had explicitly mentioned her wish to have an older son instead of pushing you towards Hyunjin right away. It didnât seem right for them either, as far as you could tell from what had just gone down.
Which is why you couldnât let it go. Not even after you and Hyunjin got back to your place, like you had agreed to earlier that day when you decided to share a car with Chan and Yeji instead of him, and he wasted no time to secure his much needed alone time with you once you were done at his parentsâ.
Youâd excused yourself to the kitchen to make some popcorn while Hyunjin was comfortably resting on your couch as he looked for any romcom movie to watch while he sipped on the hot chocolate you made as soon as you got home, and you took those few minutes away from him to text Chan and ask for an explanation.
And, God, did you get one.
You re-read the conversation over and over after he went offline, unable to understand where the hell had it all come from.
âHeâs 23 nowâ.
âYou may have met when he was 17 but heâs an adult nowâ.
âConsidering whatâs currently going on between the two of youâ.
âIâm just trying to make you see and actually consider all your choicesâ.
âHyunjin is not a little boy anymoreâ.
Every single text, hitting harder than the other.
Of course he was no longer a little boy. He stopped being one a long time ago, you werenât stupid. But he was still Hyunjin, Yejiâs little brother. Nothing would ever change that.
You were supposed to care for him just like she did, to be there for him and protect him when the time came. He wasnât supposed to be âa choiceâ for you like any other guy could.
He was Hyunjin, the teenage boy who hardly talked to you the weekend you first met and would stutter almost every time he did, and who would so shyly let you and Yeji know dinner was ready whenever you stayed at theirs after that.
Hyunjin, the high school student youâd give some advice regarding the university admission test and applications throughout his last year of it, and whose graduation you attended later on.
Hyunjin, who made it to your university and would constantly ask for your help in his assignments, regardless of him having chosen a completely different major; and who youâd constantly check up on to make sure he was doing okay in his first year of it.
Hyunjin, who held you tight as ever the night Mingyu left you, and refused to go home like Yeji told him it was okay for him to until he was sure you were sound asleep and no longer crying, which didnât happen until way past four in the morning.
Hyunjin, who would text to check up on you every single day after your breakup, even if it meant getting very short, cold answers from the heartbroken and detached persona that had taken over your body the following weeks.
Hyunjin, who included you in his New Yearâs Eve plans and kept you company the entire weekend Yeji and Chan were away.
Hyunjin, who made it known he missed being as close as you once got to be years ago and took the lead to propose picking up where you left off.
Hyunjin, the man who had spent the entire past month making your days better by simply texting or showing up at your place â being there for you even when you didnât need him to.
Had you really missed how much he was there for you? When was it that the roles reversed and he started to look after you instead?
You jumped when the microwave started beeping, letting you know the popcorn was ready. Shoving your phone into your pocket, you rushed to pour the popcorn into a bowl before making your way back into the living room.
Hyunjinâs head snapped in your direction, unable to hide his smile as soon as he saw you.
You gulped, trying your best to calm your heartbeats down before you took a seat next to him right as he placed the now empty mug on the coffee table. Maybe you shouldâve texted Chan later that night, when Hyunjin was back at his place and you wouldnât have to face him right away after being hit with so many questions.
âI was like one minute away from going over there to see what was taking you so longâ he confessed.
âJust making us a small snackâ you smiled cutely, shaking the bowl in your hands to make your point.
âIâm pretty sure popcorn takes like three minutes to make in the microwave,â he pointed out, shoving a single one into his mouth. âYou took like sevenâ.
You scoffed in amusement. âDid you set a timer or something?â
âNo, but I watched three whole movie trailers,â he admitted, earning a breathy laugh from you. âAnd that without counting the minutes I spent scrolling through movies to watch. Iâd say you took at least ten minutes, actuallyâ.
âDid you miss me that much to actually count the minutes?â You couldnât help but joke.
âWell, yesâ he answered with no hesitation, and no signs of joking either; very unfortunately for your already shaken up heart. âI told you earlier that I hadnât seen you all week and wanted to spend time with youâ.
âWeâve been together nearly all dayâ you reminded him sweetly.
âNot alone, thoughâ his words made you feel warm inside, like they seemed to be doing a lot lately. âItâs not the sameâ.
âSorry,â you pouted, and that was enough for him to melt. âI got kinda caught up texting and⌠here, Iâll just leave my phone on the table so weâll just focus on the movieâ.
Placing your phone next to his on the coffee table in front, you leaned back against the sofa, tilting your head up towards the TV, so heâd hit âplayâ and you could get started on your movie night.
When five seconds went by and he didnât move an inch, you focused your eyes on him instead.
âHyunie?â You called him, moving your hand in front of him to pull him out of his thoughts and smiling once you did. âEverything alright?â
âYeah, um, I justâŚâ he struggled, having his eyes going back to your phone. âWas it work related? Like, was it⌠was heâŚâ
âI was talking to Channieâ you clarified when you got what was going through his mind. âDonât be silly now, you really think Iâd spend ten minutes of my life texting my ex boyfriend?â
âI mean, you guys have a project together now, soâŚâ
âStill, we can just get it over with by emailâ you stood your ground. âI only spend that long texting people I actually enjoy talking toâ.
He smiled, happy to know you would usually spend that amount of time texting âif not moreâ and, therefore, he was one of those lucky ones you enjoyed talking to.
Beaming after that realisation, and with the possibility of you talking to your ex out of the way, he grabbed the remote and pointed it to the TV.
âIs this one okay?â He asked, motioning towards the title â10 Things I Hate About Youâ displayed on it.
You nodded quite effusively. âWhat are you waiting for, itâs one of my favouritesâ.
He bit his lip, but not even that was enough to hide the wide smile taking over his face as he leaned back against the couch as well and finally hit âplayâ. Of course he knew you loved that movie. He wasnât choosing one only he enjoyed after all, and maybe knowing youâd get happy about it was the reason he ended up going with this particular one.
To be fair, he knew heâd spend half of the movie looking at you instead anyway. It was quite cute how you wouldnât notice, being way too immersed in the plot you mustâve watched a hundred times by now.
Every now and then, he would reach for the popcorn at the same time as you, with the mere intention of his fingers faintly touching yours, but by the third time they touched and he got no reaction from you, he decided he wanted more â having your fingers touch without you noticing was not enough.
So, he slid slightly down the sofa, just enough for his face to be on the same level as yours, and then he rested his head on your shoulder.
That, you noticed. Hyunjin realised by the way your body tensed up under his touch.
And, for a moment there, he considered sitting up and going back to his previous position, hating the thought of his proximity making you feel uncomfortable; but you greatly surprised him by leaning your head on his before he could do so, silently letting him know right then that you did in fact enjoy being this close to him.
In the end, he had nothing to worry about when it came to touching you, for you had made it clear a while ago that it didnât bother you. But, then again, he wasnât sure whether you were only enduring it or actually enjoyed it. He didnât know which touches were okay and which ones were crossing the line. And the thing was, so far, you enjoyed every single kind of physical contact he had tried with you. They were all brief, innocent even, sweet.
Him leaning his head on your shoulder hadnât made you tense up because he crossed some kind of line, but because, unknown to him, your head was a complete mess right then. Unable to let your previous conversation with Chan go, you were now questioning the meaning behind this small action of his.
âConsidering whatâs currently going on between the two of youâ.
Was this what he meant by that? You and Hyunjin being this kind of close?
This was the first time he rested his head on your shoulder out of all the times youâd been sitting down on your couch just like this, and now you couldnât tell whether you were overthinking too much because of your friendâs words, or whether you wouldâve started overthinking just the same regardless of it.
Yes, he had held your hand before, but it was an act for the hotteok lady not to feel ashamed after thinking the two of you were a couple.
Yes, you had cuddled through the night on this very couch, but it was only because you passed out without either of you noticing.
Every other âmajorâ touch you shared had an excuse behind it. Hyunjin lying his head on your shoulder, however? It didnât have one. He just felt like it, wanted to be close to you. And ultimately you ended up giving in and resting your head on his simply because you felt like it, too. It felt nice. Regardless of the mess going on in your head, you wanted to be close to him, too.
Was it even an overthinking matter anyway? Friends did this all the time, right? Both you and Chan used to do it a lot before you and Mingyu started dating. You and Yeji still did it a lot, too, up to this day. Why did it suddenly feel different with Hyunjin?
Damn you, Bang Chan. You certainly didnât need this right now.
Once again, your thoughts were interrupted by a sound. This one was softer than your microwaveâs beep, though, more like a buzz coming from one of the phones on the coffee table. Considering your phone wasnât on silent mode right then, you knew it was Hyunjinâs.
âYour phone just buzzedâ you let him know when he wouldnât budge.
âLeave itâ he replied simply, shoving another handful of popcorn into his mouth.
âWhat if itâs important?â You wondered.
He sighed, already giving in â as easily as he always did when it came to you. âIâm too comfy, can you pass it to me?â
You nodded in a second, unable to hold back the chuckle that escaped your mouth when you leaned over to grab his phone and he followed your movement, as he refused to lift his head from its comfortable spot on your shoulder.
Just as you were back in your place and about to hand him his phone, though, its screen lit up, letting you see a single message from Dahye.
As soon as you saw it, you panicked, practically shoving the phone into Hyunjinâs hands.
âSorry, I shouldnât have read thatâ you apologised, shamefully looking away.
Hyunjin frowned, sitting up in clear alert before he could check what you were talking about. His eyes opened wide once he read Dahyeâs text and he immediately realised what it mustâve looked like to you.
It was a simple question: âAre you coming over tonight?â
No hello, no âHyunjinie~â; just straight to the point, which couldnât help but lead you to wonder whether texts like this and him going over to her place at night were an usual occurrence by now.
Hyunjin had told you all about her at New Yearâs Eve. From how they kissed when he was drunk to how she wouldnât leave him alone even years after it happened. He told you it was one sided, that he was tired of her constant insistence. But then why did that one text from her make it seem like that wasnât precisely the case?
Unlike him, you hadnât read Hanâs message following Dahyeâs, for it had just been delivered when he checked his phone right then. You hadnât read the one message that gave the whole context to Dahyeâs obscure text.
âShe means to the pregame,â he was fast to clear up. âHan just texted me and apparently weâre going to a noraebang tonight and pregaming at Haeunâs. Dahyeâs staying with her, soâŚâ
You nodded, feeling like you werenât in the place to say anything. It was his life, after all. He could be with whoever he wanted. He didnât owe you any explanations. Fuck, did you want any explanations?
You didnât know if you were feeling embarrassed for reading a text message that was supposed to be private, or if you were upset over the idea that Chan had just planted in your head being tainted not even an hour later.
Maybe youâd been thinking too much over something that wasnât even there, being influenced by your best friend and what he thought was going on between you and Hyunjin. Maybe it was nothing after all.
But you couldnât deny that you did feel quite uneasy over her text.
Were you upset that she was talking to him? Were you upset they were possibly hooking up? Was it being about Hyunjin you were upset about? Or were you just upset over how much the scene playing right in front of you resembled the times youâd just started questioning Mingyuâs relationship with Hayun while you were still together?
The times youâd catch the suspicious text messages popping up on his notifications, how nervous he would get and how he would start to throw excuse after excuse for you to believe he had nothing to do with her⌠You knew this feeling all too well, and you hated that you were feeling it again, with Hyunjin of all people, when you were not even together, you had no feelings for him as far as you knew, and, most importantly, you knew he was nothing like Mingyu at all.
And yet, here you were, feeling the goddamn lump in your throat you had felt one too many times by now because of a guy.
âY/N?â He brought you back to reality. He looked worried. âI promise it doesnât mean what it looked likeâ.
You had to hold back the hopeless laugh that threatened to escape your mouth at the sound of his words.
Words you had heard and decided to let pass way more times than you were proud of, and which brought you right back to the downfall of your last relationship.
You didnât know which one of your concerns had to do with the trauma of your past relationship and which ones were actually related to the current situation you had just found yourself in.
When did it all stop being about Mingyu and it started being about Hyunjin?
âItâs okayâ you gave him the most genuine smile you could give him, to let him know you were alright. Still, he didnât look convinced. âYou should get going, thoughâ.
âI mean it, thoughâ he pushed it when he could tell you werenât convinced. âYou can go through the tââ
âHyunie,â you cut him off, this time with a soft chuckle. âItâs okay. I believe youâ.
Did you?
âBut apparently there is a pregame taking place in a bit, so you should get goingâ.
âYou donât even know at what time it isâ he pouted.
âItâs a little past seven right now,â you pointed out, checking the time in your phone. âIâm guessing at seven thirty? Eight at most?â
Looking down to the group chat with his friends and realising you were right, he only made his pout more prominent.
âAm I right?â You wondered with a teasing smirk.
âYesâŚâ he let out a defeated sigh.
When you laughed triumphantly, he leaned in to rest his forehead on your shoulder.
âI donât wanna go yetâ he mumbled.
âYou have to if you wanna make it in time with your friendsâ.
âI can always just skip pregameâ he suggested, then sitting up again and looking at you with a mischievous smile. âOr skip night out as a wholeâ.
âYah, Hwang Hyunjinâ you scolded him. âYou are not pulling a New Yearâs Eve stunt on me againâ.
âA New Yearâs Eve stunt?â He wondered rather amusedly.
âYou know, when you said youâd only stay with me until midnight and then ended up not going back to your friends that nightâ you explained.
âThis is different, though. We had plans beforeâ.
âStaying on the couch watching movies with me canât even compete with going out with your friendsâ.
âNo, youâre rightâ he nodded. âIt canât compete because staying in with you would win every timeâ.
âHyunjinâŚâ you tried your best to sound stern and not melt over his words. âGoâ.
âButâŚâ
âIâm not letting you skip yet another night out with your friends because of meâ.
âCome with me then?â He asked with puppy eyes.
You were quick to look away, knowing well enough you would fall for his charms otherwise. âIâll have to pass this timeâ.
âIs it because of Dahye?â He carefully wondered, taking your following silence as a yes. âWe can skip pregame and then Iâll tell my friends to make up some excuse for her not to join us at noraebangâ.
âHyunjin,â you couldnât help but chuckle. âYou donât have to do that, just go have fun with themâ.
âBut I wanna be with youâ he pouted once more.
âHyunieâŚâ it sounded like you were begging by now. âThe movieâs about to end anywayâ.
âAnd we were supposed to watch another once once it didâ he reminded you, later allowing a taunting smirk to curve up his lips when a certain idea made it to his head. âAre you so set on making me leave right now because youâre afraid you might not want me to leave at all if I stay any longer?â
You snorted, playfully yet gently poking his forehead. âSomeoneâs gotten a little too cocky, donât you think?â
âAm I wrong, though?â He pushed it. âDo you really want me to go?â
âHm?â
âDo you want me to go?â He repeated.
âYour friendsââ
âThatâs not what Iâm asking youâ he cut you off. âYou have this really bad habit of always avoiding my questions, you know?â
You found yourself lowering your head, feeling oh-so-little under his piercing stare.
Although Hyunjin loved seeing you nervous because of him and it was a very rare occurrence coming from you, right then, he wanted your eyes on him. So, placing two fingers under your chin, he tilted your head back to his eye level â both of you only realising how close you actually were when your eyes met.
âItâs a simple yes or no questionâ he specified, gently removing a strand of hair from your face. âDo you want me to go?â
âNoâ you answered truthfully this time.
He smiled brightly.
âButâBUT,â you emphasized before he could celebrate, leaning slightly back and lifting your index finger for him to pay attention. âLike I said, Iâm not letting you bail on your friends again, there will come a time theyâll get tired of it. You deserve to let loose and have some fun only with themâ.
âBut we were supposed to hang out todayâŚâ
âAnd we did?â
He frowned, clearly not happy with your answer.
âCome onnn,â you tried your best to convince him. âWeâll hang out again tomorrow anywayâ.
âWe will?â He perked up instantly, enough to make you feel shy all over again.
âI mean, if you want to, of courseâŚâ you corrected yourself. You had really become that used to seeing him both days every weekend now for it to be more of a given, huh?
âI believe itâs pretty clear by now that I always want to hang out with youâ.
You tried to hold back a smile â needless to say, your efforts were miserable. âOkay then, weâll see each other tomorrowâ.
âOkay,â he smiled, satisfied with your new plans. âLetâs go out this time, since staying in is too boring for you nowâ.
âWhen did I ever say that?!â
âWhen you said that this,â he motioned around your place. âWasnât competition for a night outâ.
âThat is so not what I meant?â You argued.
âStill,â he laughed, eyes softening when they locked with yours. âIâm taking you out for lunch, okay?â
You smiled timidly, nodding your head. âLetâs see if youâre not too hungover first. Might have to end up taking care of you insteadâ.
âNow I might get blackout drunk just to have you taking care of me tomorrowâ.
You shook your head in disbelief, unable to hide your amusement as you looked away. âNever mind, I will be sending either Yeji or your mum insteadâ.
âIâm joking, Iâm jokingâ he laughed, looking for your eyes to lock with his again and gently grabbing your hands that were resting on your lap. âIâll behave. Just let me take you out for lunch tomorrow, hm? Just us twoâ.
Staring down at your hands in his warm, soft ones, you couldnât help but get invaded with more questions than answers.
It felt nice⌠being touched by him felt nice. Being close to him as a whole made you feel all warm inside. And he was right when he joked about you being scared you wouldnât want him to leave at all if he stayed any longer, because truth was you already didnât. You wanted him to stay, as close as you were minutes before.
Was it okay for you to be this close? Both physically and also emotionally? To the point of talking every single day and finding a way to see each other more than you saw your own best friends?
Did you enjoy his touch so much because it came from him? Or was it because you missed being touched?
Was he like this with everyone else? With Dahye? Anyone else at all? Did he treat you differently from them? Or was he just a flirty person and what you were now considering to be some kind of special treatment was just him acting the same as he did with every other girl?
Were you beginning to fall for him? Had you really been that oblivious to your own feelings? Or were you just looking too much into it now because of Chanâs influence, and mistaking a platonic âand rather strongâ connection for something more?
Would Yeji be okay with it?
Too many questions were invading your mind, one right after the other, and you couldnât find a single answer to any of them just yet.
However, although you didnât know what you were feeling and were unsure about what demons were from your past and which ones were new, you did know one thing for sure: You were never as happy as when you were with him.
So, with a soft smile and a nod of your head, pushing any other thought for later tonight when you went to bed, you said the only thing you could answer to his request right then. âOkayâ.
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Hi, Mrs. Hughes...
quinn hughes x reader
synopsis: where y/n meets the family for the first time...in a slightly compromising position...
warnings: suggestive themes, allusions to sex, heavy makeouts
wc: 1.7k
*not my gif*
It wasn't y/n's first time staying the night at Quinn's apartment. In fact, it had become quite normal during their time together. Quinn and y/n had only been seeing each other for about 2 months. Quinn hadn't even told his family about you yet. He was enjoying the time with you all by himself. He knew the second he introduced you to his family that they would fall in love with you the same way he had.
Jack and Luke would be absolutely smitten with the prospect of having a sister soon. Jim would love to have his first daughter, and Ellen... well, Ellen would be over the moon to see her eldest so happy.
Quinn absolutely planned to introduce you to his family soon, but he wanted to soak up these moments before he was constantly bombarded by his family.
That is how he found himself this morning, you wrapped in his arms, soft snores coming from your mouth. He watched your chest rise and fall steadily, reaching his hand out to brush a strand of hair behind your ear. Maybe it was creepy, but he loved to see you so peaceful. He traced a finger along your cheekbone and watched as your lashes fluttered and a small smile graced your lips.
"Good morning, handsome," you whispered to Quinn as you slowly opened your eyes, meeting his gaze. Quinn dipped his head down to place a chaste kiss on your lips before responding, "Good morning, angel. Did you sleep well?" Quinn already knew the answer to this, yet he still asked you every morning. You sat up against the headboard of his bed and interlaced your fingers with his, "I always sleep well in your arms, Quinny."
Quinn sat up as well, pulling your intertwined hands to his lips to kiss the back of your hand. "You flatter me, babe. I'm glad you slept well because I know I did." He leaned over again to give you a kiss. it was sweet and you could feel the love he poured into it. You felt his tongue sweep across your lower lip, a slight groan reverberating from his chest as you opened for him. Before it could get any further you pulled away, rubbing your thumb across his lips, "Handsome, as much as I love your kisses, my breath is absolutely gross and we need to get ready for today."
Quinn groaned and fell back against the pillows. Ah yes, today. The day of the infamous Hughes Bowl and the day you would be meeting his whole family. He hadn't even told them that you would be there. He wanted it to be a complete surprise.
He rolled out of bed, kissing the top of your head on the way by as he made his way to the bathroom for his morning shower. You slowly got out of bed, making it and putting all of the pillows back against the headboard. You walked into the bathroom, brushing your teeth and telling Quinn that you would be making breakfast for when he gets out of the shower.
You slipped on one of Quinn's hoodies and a pair of sleep shorts before walking out to the kitchen. You opened the fridge, eyeing the leftover pancake mix from the previous morning. Pulling out the mix along with some fresh fruit you began heating up a skillet and prepping the fruit. You heard the shower stop and knew Quinn would be out in just a few minutes for breakfast.
You were standing at the stove flipping pancakes when you felt two strong arms wrap around you from behind. Quinn peppered kisses along the side of your neck before humming, "Thanks for making breakfast, angel. Do you need any help?" You flipped the last pancake before shutting off the burner and turning to face Quinn, "All set, handsome. if you want you can pull out the orange juice from the fridge? Or you can brew some coffee, I didn't get that far yet."
Quinn released you from his hold and moved to grab the juice out of the fridge. You grabbed two plates out and dished out servings for you and Quinn, placing them on the counter and waiting for him.
You and Quinn stood in silence eating your breakfast, simply soaking up the silence. Both of you knowing that tonight would likely be a whirlwind and neither of you would be able to get away. After finishing your meals, you set the plates in the sink, getting ready to wash them. Before you could get very far you felt two strong hands grip your waist. In one quick motion, Quinn had spun you around, lifted you up, and set you on the countertop.
You let out a quiet gasp as Quinn stepped in between your legs. Your hands coming up to the nape of his neck and looking into his eyes. He looked at you like he was still hungry, like he wanted to devour you in this moment. You opened your mouth to say something but instead he grabbed the back of your neck and brought your lips to meet his. The only way you could describe this kiss was dirty. Quinn kissed you like it would be the last time. One of his hands curled around your waist to pull you closer until your legs were wrapping around his waist. Your hands moved from his neck to comb through his hair, lightly tugging until he was groaning into your mouth.
Quinn pulled away, trailing his lips down your neck as his hand slipped up your (his) hoodie. His lips detached from you for only a moment to pull the hoodie up and over your head, depositing it on the counter behind you. Left only in your tiny sleep shorts and a white cropped tank top that you slept in. Not wearing a bra, the cold air immediately made your nipples peak beneath our shirt. Quinn took notice of this and leaned down to mouth at your collarbone while his thumb came up to rub over your nipple. Your body arched into his as you felt the pleasure flow through you. You gasped as he lightly pinched your nipple, "Oh god! Quinn- I- it's so good. You're so good, handsome... Please!"
You could feel Quinn smiling against your neck as he relished in your whines, "Please what, angel? What do you need, use your words, honey." Now your hands were grabbing at the back of Quinn's shirt, your hips bucking forward, trying to seek some friction. Quinn gave you a little reprieve and brought his mouth back to yours while his fingers trailed to your inner thigh.
Both of you were so caught up in the moment that neither of you heard the front door open. You also didn't hear the sound of voices coming from the hallway, coming closer to you both.
"Quinn! Honey, we came to see yo- OH!"
Both you and Quinn pulled apart to see not only Mrs. Hughes, but the rest of the Hughes behind her as well. Ellen's eyes were wide as she watched you slide off the counter, hastily pulling the previously discarded hoodie over your head. Jack and Luke were standing there trying their best to hold in their laughter. Jim stood there just smiling softly.
You and Quinn both stood there with flushed cheeks before you finally spoke up, "Mr. and Mrs. Hughes it is great to finally meet you. Plus Jack and Luke! Quinn has told me so much about you all!"
You were trying your best not to burst into tears, having been caught by your boyfriend's family, who you hadn't even met yet, in such a compromising position was beyond embarrassing. Quinn was quick to jump in after the shock had worn off, "Mom, dad, this is y/n. My girlfriend of about 2 months. I was going to introduce you to her tonight at the game but clearly that did not go as planned..." Quinn trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly before meeting his mom's eyes.
She seemed to break out of her trance when she made eye contact with Quinn, she cleared her throat before smiling and rounding the counter. She pulled you into a tight hug and then Quinn, kissing his cheek lightly. She stepped back from both of you,"y/n it is so great to meet you, dear. I can't believe Quinny here has been able to keep you a secret!" She shot Quinn a slight glare before addressing him, "Quinn, why on earth would you keep her from us?! We want to know you are happy, sweetheart. I can see you are from the way you look at her, but let your mother know!"
Quinn smiled at his mom sheepishly before shrugging. y/n let out a little giggle at that, looking over at Jack and Luke. Once she made eye contact with them they both burst out laughing. Jack nearly falling over as he cackled at his older brother. The rest of the men made their way over, giving y/n a hug and telling her how happy they were to meet her.
Quinn easily fell into conversation with his dad and younger brothers, while his mom turned to y/n, "Dear, we really are so excited to meet you! Please do not call me Mrs. Hughes, it makes me feel far too old. Call me Ellen, and we will definitely be texting Quinn before we try to show up again" Ellen let out a laugh, winking at y/n and wrapping her in another hug.
It was safe to say that the Hugheses absolutely loved y/n, even if the meeting was a tad unconventional. They stayed for another hour, talking with both Quinn and y/n about anything and everything before they left. Once they had walked out the door, y/n turned to Quinn, walking up to him and smiling. She then smacked him on the chest, "We are never doing anything in the kitchen ever again! That was so embarrassing!" She whined at him while he just tucked her into his chest and smiled.
At least she could say that meeting the family was done and over with...
note: my first time writing and posting it! let me know if you like it :)
#quinn hughes#quinn hughes x reader#quinn hughes imagine#quinn hughes fic#luke hughes#jack hughes#nhl hockey#nhl players#nhl#vancouver canucks#quinn hughes smut
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camraderie || mv1
summary: come right on me, i mean camraderie...but do you? warnings: FILTHY SMUT, friends to lovers,, no plot just filth, quite rough? a/n: ...i have no idea how this came to be. i feel deeply ashamed. this is honestly just pure horny, please do not interact if you're uncomfortable
you're supposed to be friends. hell, you have been for the past 3 years. but friends don't make out after winning a race, or do they?
friends don't pin each other against walls and slip their tongues in each others mouths, do they? but fuck, you just did.
max's hands wander over your body as he kisses you roughly, tugging at the hem of your shirt, pulling it over your head.
you pull away from the kiss and lean down to attach yourself to his neck. you're not sure if you can, but you leave a small purple mark on the juncture of his neck and shoulder.
in a moment of clarity, you look up into his eyes, seeing nothing but pure desire. you raise an eyebrow, asking for consent. he responds with a passionate kiss, his hand slipping down under the fabric of your pants.
he kisses your neck while his fingers reach lower and lower, pushing the fabric of your panties to the side. his teeth nip at your sensitive skin, sending little waves of pain contradicting with the pleasure of his fingers on your clit.
you let out a sharp gasp, burying your head in his chest with embarrassment. you feel too much but not enough at the same time. combined with his other hand lightly brushing against your nipples, you're sure you're going to cum soon if he doesn't stop.
"fuck, max," you whisper, breathing heavily, leaning against the wall behind you. he grins. "fuck me, please..."
that seems to switch something inside max because he pulls his hand away carefully and carries you to the couch of his hotel room. the soft pillows feel nice when you fall onto them.
you tug your pants off, seeing max do the same, and fuck, he's gorgeous. he attaches his lips to yours again, lightly biting and you can feel his hard-on press against your thigh, so close but so far from where you need him.
he leaves you again, but comes right back with a condom in his hand. you giggle at the way he's walking around the room butt naked, still seeing him as your best friend more than anything.
his finger dips into the heat of your cunt, collecting some of your wetness, bringing them up to his mouth. you almost moan at the sight of him sucking his own finger clean.
with a kiss to your lips, he lines himself up with your pussy and pushes in with a shudder and holy shit, you have to cover your mouth to not be too loud.
he starts to move, setting a fast pace. you place your hands on his chest, holding onto him like a lifeline.
you feel heat pooling down in your stomach, wrapping your legs around his waist to pull him even closer, allowing his cock to reach even deeper inside you.
"oh fuck," he groans, hips snapping against yours, fucking you like it's what he was made to do. he decorates your neck with messy kisses, making sure to leave a few marks as well.
a moan escapes your mouth when he begins to rub your clit again, the pleasure maddening. you feel beads of sweat start to form on your forehead and your climax approaching. max places his lips on yours, swallowing all of your noises.
his fingers on your clit pick up their pace and you cry out, suddently thankful for him silencing you. "i'm so fucking close, max, baby, please don't fucking stop-"
your orgasm washes over you like a massive wave, pussy tightening around his cock and he moans as well, thrusting up into you, overwhelming you with pleasure. with a few more snaps, he spills inside the condom, drops his forehead on yours, completely spent.
you run your hand through his slightly damp hair, letting him rest against your chest. caressing his back, you sense your brain coming back to its normal state.
max groans when he gets off of you. you expect it to be awkward, but really, it's not. it almost feels...natural.
he sits next to you after throwing away the used condom, looking right into your eyes.
you giggle. "gee, at least take me on a date first, verstappen."
#f1#f1 x reader#formula 1#f1 fic#f1 fluff#f1 fanfic#f1 imagine#formula one#formula 1 x reader#f1 smut#max verstappen#max verstappen x reader#max verstappen x you#max verstappen smut
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Sleep tight, dear
Alastor x doe reader, fluff, slight angst
Just a short story about Alastor cuddling you until you hibernate <3
During the whole fall, you had concentrated getting as much nutrients as possible. After all, you are a doe demon. You need those nutrients to survive the harsh winter. Deer don't normally hibernate, but for some reason, you do. Perhaps it's because your body hasn't gotten used to Hell yet, so it protects itself by hibernating. Even though it has been two years now...
You would often be found in the kitchen, sitting at the table while surrounded by food. Your form had gotten even softer and cuddlier, which your mate Alastor did not mind.
The moment you arrived in Hell and met the tall, dark, and creepy Radio Demon, had also been the moment when you knew your single days were over. Alastor had wasted no time getting close to you, fascinated by your doe-form. He had offered you a job at the Hotel. Of course you couldn't deny his offer!
It was a quiet evening as you carefully gathered up the softest blankets and plushiest pillows to build a makeshift nest on your bed. You had even found two body pillows to make the nest stronger. You carefully folded the pillows inside the blankets. This was serious. You would spend the next 9 weeks on the nest after all!
Your handsome mate was examining your each move, leaning his form against the door frame, his arms crossed, a sly smirk playing on his lips. He always found it endearing when you had a pout like that on your pretty little face. He loves seeing you so concentrated, so devoted.
"Building a little nest are you my dear?" he spoke with a soft voice.
"Yes! I think I'm going to need more blankets though... " you gazed at the nest. It was forming up nicely, but still looked a little... Boring.
"My dear you've done spectacular job building the nest! Leave it to me to get some more blankets for you!" he smiled at her before disappearing in the shadows.
You smiled at your mate's helpfulness and climbed on the nest, seeing how it felt. You curled up in the nest, placing pillows between your knees and under your head, trying to find the perfect position.
"Oh my, you look absolutely adorable!" he reappeared next to your nest. You didn't even flinch, as you had already gotten used to his teleportation tendencies. He laid next to you on the nest, placing blankets over you two.
"Thank you, dearest."
"Of course, anything for my special doe", he hummed, petting your hair, admiring those perky doe ears. "You know... I'm going to miss you", he said, his smile dropping, something he only dared to do with your presence.
"I know", you say quietly, nuzzling in his chest, the soft red shirt tickling your nose. "I'm going to miss you too, so much."
As you looked at your dear mate deep into his crimson eyes, you could see tears pricking from the corners of his eyes despite his small smile.
"I will miss you more", he whispered. "I don't want to let you go."
You chuckled at your mate's dramatic tone. Brushing your fingertip around his jawline, you say: "I won't be going anywhere. I'll be right here and you can visit me anytime."
"I hate seeing you in hibernation... So unresponsive..." he pouted. "I adore our banters, our walks around Cannibal Town, the way those gorgeous doe-eyes of yours gaze at me..."
"Alastor dear", you whisper, "I won't stay gone."
"I know..." he sighed, cuddling you tighter. "I just wish you didn't have to hibernate."
"I know", you speak quietly, your hand resting on his cheek. "Will you stay here until I fall in hibernation?" you request.
"Of course I will, my dearest", he kissed your forehead. "That's it... Relax, darling", he spoke, his voice soothing. "I'll be right here."
"You're too good to me", you smile faintly, feeling your body relax. You feel his long lean arms wrapped securely around you, his breathing calm and heavy. You inhale his scent as you feel yourself giving in to the deep slumber awaiting...
"Only the best for my dearest mate", he chuckles as he witnesses your eyelids pressing down, your eyelashes casting long shadows over your soft cheeks. "I love you my dearest. Sleep tight."
Alastor let a few hot tears roll down his cheeks as he felt you fall into hibernation. The mere idea of you just sleeping for 9 weeks was unbearable. Who would he have breakfast with? Who would walk with him at the parks, who'd hug him after a stressful overlord meeting?
He sobbed softly as he carefully got up, tucking the blankets securely around you. He gazed down at you as if you were the most precious thing ever which you definitely were. He sighed, running his fingers carefully on your hair.
He took a deep breath as he sat there, imagining all the things he'd miss about you. He smiled at the memories, such as your adorable face peeking behind the radio tower door. His heart melted at the way you two would sit in a comfortable silence on that same bench at that park nearby your favorite bakery... His heart fluttered at the memory of your soft lips pressed against his cheeks. You'd always find ways to make his life a tad more bearable.
He caught himself in a dark place, reminiscing all those things. On the other hand, he knew all those things were a good reason to keep up the hope, to suffer the waiting.
Before leaving your cozy room, he turned to look at you one last time. With a soft loving voice, he whispered: "Sleep tight, dear."
#hazbin hotel#alastor hazbin hotel#alastor hazbin#alastor x reader#alastor x reader fanfic#alastor x doe reader#alastor x reader fluff
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LOVE IS BLIND
( ㌼ ) â â loving in blind , loving as one . to love without judgement , leaving it pure and fragile , like a child to its bed.
CONTAINS ⍠SIM JAKE x blind!reader + fluff + f!reader + strangers to lovers + slight angst , short / series fic , 1029 wc
âââ ę° đĄđ˘đ§đđŚ ⍠i do not know how it is to be blind, so I apologise in advance if there are any mistakes. Also got this idea from the Veil manga !! This might become a sort series.
reblogs + feedback always appreciated !
YOU HATED THIS, the restrictions and bounds that they had set up. Just because you were blind did not mean you were hopeless on your own. While you understood why they worried so much, you also didn't conprehend why they cared. They rarely looked at you, they only seemed to notice you when it came to your 'disability'. You wanted to tell them that they should stop pitying you and treat you like a normal person. Sure, you might miss a step while walking up or down the stairs, but other than that, you might just be better than them at sensing and understanding your environment. You just never had the courage to tell them that.
Your sisters were busy, and so were your parents. That meant you never had time to spend time with them, so your only company were the maids and butlers that were hired around the mansion. They weren't exactly boring, but obeying the rules seemed to bore you, so once you were sure that you were alone, you sneakily exited the building through the main gate without someone seeing you, because well, how would a blind girl make her way out on her own? While outside, you felt the cold breeze grace your cheek softly, content with the new atmosphere that made you smile.
You walked down the unfamiliar path, feeling something soft and pat from under your boot soles. Recently, the maids had been discussing some dinner for Christmas and that it was soon time to decorate the Christmas tree. You figured that it was winter and that this must be snow. Curiosity was too great, and you bent down, letting your fingers comb through the cold material. "What are you doing?" It was a deep voice, so it must've been a man, and you heard his heavy foot steps trail behind you as he approached you closer. You got up on your feet, and tried to figure out where he stood. "Hello?" You called out, and you felt how someone grabbed you by the shoulder, telling you to face them. "Thanks. I'm just here enjoying the snow!" You answered his previous question with a geek smile. "Have you never seen snow before?" You shook your head and said, "Sir, I'm blind." "My apologies, ma'am."
The air turned stale for a minute, you were clueless, but the man in front of you was sweating due to the tense atmosphere. "May I ask for you name?" he asked, and you placed your pointer against your chin, acting as if you were thinking of something deeply. "No, no you may not." You teased, a smile creeping across your lips. "How else are you suppost to find your way home? I'm sure you're lost." You shook your head at his statement. "No sir, I am not lost. And how can I be sure I can trust you to bear my name?" You cocked back. "If it reassures you, I can tell you that my name is Officer Sim Jaeyun, working for the police in this town." Your lips pursed at his words, not realising what hassle you might've caused with your attitude. "oh! I'm so terribly sorry, officer, my maids always tell me I should calm myself," you chuckle awkwardly. "I'm (name)." You reached your hand out aimlessly to shake his. The leather glove wrapped around your bare hands, yet, you still felt the heat of his palm beam through the thick material.
"You should make your way home, ma'am." "But I just got out and started exploring." you argued, and you heard the man sigh. "Do you even know the adress to your home?" Jaeyun asked, and you stayed silent before answering, accidentally cutting him off, "Then why-" "I know the adress, but walk me around town and then I'll tell you it." You made a preposition, and you could sense how he was agreeing to it. "Alright, follow me." You grabbed onto his bicep, being less careful with your steps now that you had someone to accompany you. "Why were you out alone?" Jaeyun asked, and you replied, "Well, I'm not really let out so I guess I sneaked out." You chuckled, feeling how his palm laid over yours, helping you down the stairs.
"Let's go to the cafĂŠ. It is really popular." He suggested, and you trusted his sense since he was an officer after all. You licked your lips slightly at the sound and nodded your head. "I love cafĂŠs! Don't you, officer Jaeyun?" You asked, perking your head up at where you heard his voice. "I quite like them." You heard the small announcement of the bell upon opening the door that led into a nice and warm environment. "So cosy.." you whispered to yourself. "What would you like to order, madam?" He asked, and you told him you only wanted a cup of tea with one sugar cube. "alright." He said, and walked you over to an empty table, telling you to stay put and not scurry off somewhere. You observed the surroundings with your sharp hearing managing to figure out that there were quite a lot of people around and that pets were allowed in when you heard a dog bark.
"And here's your tea, y/n." His voice pulled you out of your thoughts, and you commented, "Why did you just sound like a server?" "I try my best to make you feel welcomed." He says, and someone's feet kicked against yours from under the table when they sat down. You heard him mutter a quiet 'sorry'.
It's been a while since you actually enjoyed yourself like this. You liked the feeling of friendliness that had already bloomed. You hoped that this new friend didn't feel burdened by you, and that maybe, just maybe he also saw you as possible friend. "Where did your smile go?" He asks, upon seeing that your empty eyes were turned to his hands that encased the small porcelain cup in between his two palms even though you were unable to see. "Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking of something." He shrugged and went on with his meal while you pondered some more.
#yuvany's work๨ŕ§#sim jake fanfic#sim jaeyun x reader#sim jake x reader#sim jaeyun#jake x reader#jake sim#enhypen jake#jake fic#enhypen jaeyun#enhypen jake x reader#sim jaeyun x you#jake x you#jake fluff#sim jaeyun fluff#jake soft hours#jake soft thoughts#enhypen x reader#enhypen#kpop x reader#kpop#enhypen fluff#enhypen drabbles#enhypen imagines#enha x reader#enhypen scenarios#veil kotteri#enhypen x you#enha fluff#enha imagines
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Bucktommy with some âhad a crushâ ChimTommy. (Inspired by the stills for episode 6)
(AO3 Link)
âDo you know I used to have a crush on you?â
Tommy almost chokes on a piece of white bread and wouldnât that be hilarious? Pulling an Evan right in front of Howie?
Howie, who is responsible for Tommy and Evan meeting in the first place? Without Howie, this wouldnât be possible. Nothing of this. They wouldnât sit at the table in Evanâs loft. They wouldnât eat dinner together. They wouldnât talk about old and new times.
Tommy wouldnât be even alive without Howie.
And now âŚ
âWhat?â He sputters, baffled.
âYeah.â Howie is patting Tommyâs back with a half-amused, half-worried expression. âPlease donât die on me now. Not again. I might be too drunk to make good decisions right now.â
Tommy shakes his head and reaches for his bottle to pour the pesky bread down with some beer. âIâm good. But ⌠What do you mean you had a crush on me?!â
Howie shrugs. He takes another sip of his beer, his cheeks a little flushed. âLook. No one can blame me. Youâre ridiculously handsome and cool.â
âThank you,â Tommy says, flustered. He feels a sting too though. Old guilt. âI wish I wouldnât have been such an asshole. You tried so hard even though the first impression you got from me was a racist remark. And I pushed you away.â Hard. He pushed hard. Still remembers the irritation he felt when that new guy just wouldnât give up. Wouldnât shut up. Wouldnât stop being so heartachingly nice. Tommy didnât know how to deal with that.
Howie hums and nods. âI remember. I was there. Look. We talked about this. Many times. You apologised. I told you I forgive you. We are good. So I really hope you donât think you still have some kind of debt to pay.â
Tommy swallows. He looks down at his feet, suddenly feeling guilty and bashful. âWell, thereâs something I should tell you ⌠I promised myself to be more open in general. We had some talks, Evan and I. About things like holding back truths. Keeping feelings a secret. And I don't want to do that anymore. So, um, you should know that I also had a little crush on you.â
âNo way, man,â Howie leans back and chortles. âNo way! That's amazing.â
âWell. Yeah,â Tommy smiles weakly. âYou were kind. Funny. Capable. Handsome. And after you saved my life ⌠When I saw you at the hospital, showing up and acting like itâs a normal thing to do. Well. I couldnât really help myself.â
He remembers their hug. He wanted to put everything he felt back then into that hug. Did he succeed? He'll never know. But he tried.
âImagine,â Howie says, his eyes getting a distant look like he really does already imagine. âEverything could have been so different. But hereâs the thing. As flattered as I am, I wouldnât want things to be different.â
Tommy nods seriously. âSame.â
âMaddie is the one, man,â Howie says dreamily.
Tommy smiles. âI can see that.â
Everyone can see the love. Itâs in the glances Howie and Maddie exchange. In the familiar gentleness of their touches and in the fond way they smile at each other when Jee does something cute. And Tommy is happy for them. For what they found and built. What they fought for.
âI would do anything for her,â Howie adds seriously, then raises a brow and moves to clink his bottle together with Tommyâs. âTo love.â
âTo love,â Tommy says, his mouth suddenly dry.
Love.
Later, when Evan comes home, Tommy still sits at the table and fidgets, lost in his thoughts and memories.
âHey. You okay?â Evan asks, tilting his head with a small smile and a barely-there frown. âYou seem ⌠distant.â
Tommy shakes his head, folding his hands. âNo. Iâm fine. I was just thinking. Howie and I talked a lot today.â
âWell, I hope he didnât tell you all the embarrassing stories about when I started at the 118 as a careless, reckless hothead,â Evan chuckles, putting a hand on his hip and leaning against the kitchen counter, his eyes bright and his cheeks flushed. âI talked to Maddie and Josh a lot too today.â
âOh?â Itâs Tommyâs turn to raise a teasing brow. âAbout me?â
âMaybe,â Evan says, the corners of his mouth twitching and the blush spreading on his face.
After that, a moment of silence stretches between them. It feels ⌠loaded with emotion somehow. It feels like they both want to say something but still hesitate because it feels so significant that they forget how to express it.
But Tommy has too much experience with keeping things to himself. He also knows that time is never a given thing. You never know what will happen tomorrow. Never know how much time is left in a lifeâs hourglass.
He clears his throat. âEvan. I have to tell you something. I -â
âI love you!â Evan blurts.
Tommyâs breath hitches. Everything seems to slow down until thereâs nothing but the echo of Evanâs words.
âI love you,â Evan repeats and heâs wide-eyed, tears glistening in the blue. âI do. And I know we have had some ⌠talks lately. About some serious things. About your past and my past. And, and you donât have to say it back. Not yet. Itâs okay. I needed to say it though. I needed you to know. Because -â
Before he can ramble on, Tommy is already on his feet and reaches for Evan, cupping his face and capturing his open lips in a kiss.
Love.
Thatâs love.
âI love you too, Evan.â
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Hello Dandy's World fans.
I've recently been playing the game on Roblox with my friends and sibling, and it's been a ton of fun! Sure, I'm horrible at it, but it's the thought that counts ig.
And don't worry, I draw normal things too.
Like these things.
But it's mostly angst and unhinged things lol.
Below is a silly goofy Shiny Shrimp (that's the ship name I made up for Glisten x Shrimpo lol) AU that's just angst and tragedy and bullying Shrimpo emotionally lol:
OKAY SO CONTEXT: I thought it would be funny if Shrimpo had to keep Glisten company while exploring the floors but was also the one to witness his change into his full twisted form and almost die lol.
SO, I'd imagine it going down like this.
Basically, during one of the missions below, Glisten doesn't make it to the elevator in time. Shrimpo gets wind of this and gets very pissed. Despite everyone's protests, Shrimpo decides to join on of their runs to gain iquor, but mostly to fine Glisten.
And boy does he find him and all his shattered face glory.
Glisten: "Shrimpo!?" Shrimpo: "G-Glisten?" Glisten: "I knew you'd come back for me!"
Shrimpo attempts to leave the situation, seeing that Glisten is indeed twisted, despite Glisten's insistence that he is not. As Shrimpo tries to leave, Glisten gets more attached, constantly asking Shrimpo to not leave and to stay with him. Another person in the party (haven't decided who yet), tells Shrimpo to stay with Glisten and keep him company until all the machines are done. Shrimpo reluctantly agrees (and says "I HATE YOU" a couple times) and spends the rest of the round with Glisten.
However, the whole time Shrimpo's trying not to get attached because deep down, he knows it's too late for Glisten.
At the end of the round, everyone is called to go to the elevator. Shrimpo goes to leave. Glisten tries to block him off. Shimpo forces his way through. Glisten gets pissed and rips off his ribbons in anger, letting the infection take over his whole body. As Glisten's shifting, Shrimpo grabs one of his discarded ribbon pieces and beelines it to the elevator (as fast as Shrimpo can run). However, it is not fast enough, and Glisten easily catches up. He knocked over Shrimpo and lunges at him, ready take him out.
That's when Goob comes in. While everyone is trying to get the elevator to close faster, Goob grabs Shrimpo from below Glisten and pulls him into the elevator. Glisten hits the floor and breaks his face even more. As he gets up, he shouts at Shrimpo, who is shaking in Goob's arms watch Glisten break down.
Glisten: "YOU PROMISED YOU'D STAY WITH ME-- YOU PROMISED!"
Then, the doors close. Glisten is gone, and Shrimpo is angry and traumatized. How fun.
Shrimpo does not do well after the whole incident. He is much more reserved, but still just as angry. Except to Goob. Goob saving him gave Shrimpo a soft spot for the guy. Also, Goob let's Shrimpo vent to him like the supportive icon he is.
Shrimpo: I think I miss my partner, Goob.
But he's not the only toon Shrimpo talks to.
Vee: "Geez. This crying is ruining your "tough guy" persona."
My sibling gave me the silly idea to have Shrimpo and Vee be "friends" in this bc Shrimp hates Dandy waaaaaaaaaay more after the Glisten incident. And Vee hates Dandy in general, so boom, situation friendship. However, Vee sucks at being a supportive friend.
And some silly stuff my friends requested. Shrimpo chucking Dandy into the stratosphere and Goob being Goob. Healing the world one crappy doodle at a time.
Thank you for looking at the dooles and mindless rant of a grown adult about a Roblox horror game for 9-year-olds. You're a real one. Have a good day broksies.
#mmmmmmmmm i love shipping characters who hate each other#dandys world#dandy's world fanart#dandys world fanart#roblox#roblox dandys world#shrimpo#glisten#twisted glisten#razzle and dazzle#rodger#teagen#goob#finn#vee#dandy's world shrimpo#dandy's world glisten#dandy's world goob#dandy's world vee#dandy's world rodger#dandy's world teagen#dandy's world razzle and dazzle#dandy's world finn#dandy's world au#glisten x shrimpo#shrimpo x glisten#shiny shrimp#doodles#katiekatdragon27
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An apple a day...
21st January 2021
Dr. Mikhail Varshavski, or how many people know him - Doctor Mike, is a famous succesful physician and an influencer making money out of his YouTube videos etc. Still taking a bit of his time to examine patients between his videos and interviews.
But today an elderly patient was suppse to come for a visit. Mikhail decided to make it a tv spot where the satisfied patient would come to the hospital and thanked him for treating him.
The patient's name was Arnold Jefferson, a 71 year old man suffering many conditions, such as diabetes, arthritis, hypertension and many many more. Quite common in older people.
Mr. Jefferson arrived an unaware of the upcoming spotilight was greeted by am assistant and led to a room with cameras.
Mr. Jefferson:"I was supposed to come for a vistit with Dr. Varshavski."
Assistant:"Doctor Mike wants to speak to you in front of the camera if that's ok? I am sure you have already signed multiple forms considering your privacy, while in his care. So we won't keep you long and I will go get doctor Mike."
Mr. Jefferson looked around confused. He came for a one on one dialogue, not an interview. He had no interest in all of this.
Docotr Mike arrived to the room. His hair ready, wearing his best scrubs that were ironed that day.
Mikhail:"Good morning, Mr. Jefferson. How are we feeling today?"
Mr. Jefferson:"Good morning. I.. well just as I normally do." he spoke nervously, looking at the cameras and the crew.
Mikhail spoke loudly for the microphone above them to hear and smiled way more than usual. "Amazing. We will do a standard check up and then we will take a look at your blood tests together. Is that ok?"
Mr. Jefferson nodded and was then examined in front of the camera. But they also did many photos where they were wearing masks and touched each other with elbows just to prove how safe they were while handling the ongoing pandemic.
He felt uncomfortable. "Could I please be examined alone for the part where I get to undress?"
The smile from doctor Mike's face disappeared. "Sure. Yeah. Can all of you from the crew go and take 5? Thank you. We will finish with Mr. Jefferson quickly.
The crew left and Dr. Mike was left alone with the patient.
Mr. Jefferson:"You complicated things for me, you know? I would have done this much sooner."
Doctor Mike had his stethoscope in his ears listening to Mr. Jefferson's heart. "What do you mean by that?" he said confused by what the patient said.
Mr. Jefferson placed his hands on Dr. Mike's head. "This". Flashes of lights shined between the two of them. Mikhail wanted to run away, but the force from Mr. Jefferson's hands was so strong. He couldn't let go.
Mikhail's eyes closed by themselves. He didn't see anything.
The first thing he saw as he opened his eyes was his reflection. Nothing unusual. He saw his face everyday in the mirror. But he felt anxious as soon as his body started moving on his own and flexed.
His body spoke out loud:"Oh my. It feels great to be this young again. It seems you take a great care for your body, Mikhail. Or I should say Arnold now."
Mikhail was in disbelief. What was happening? Is this all real?. "What did you do to me?"
Arnold:"I didn't hear that question for a very long time now. It will be easier to show you." he handed him the mirror. In the reflection was the same old man that he trested seconds ago. He touched his face and the reflection did the same.
Mikhail:"How are you doing this?"
Arnold:"Couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. I am honestly not sure."
Mikhail:"Why me? I am a doctor. I am not someone you should steal life away from."
Arnold:"You almost answered your question. If I don't have the right to do that then why should you? Remember my wife you treated? How you misdiagnosed her?"
Mikhail:"This is medicine. Mistakes can happen. It's not an exact science. Sometimes we don't have the power to save everyone."
Arnold:"Maybe. But my wife was special, like me, you know. We did the same thing I just did for you for almost a century. But we fell in love with the life that these bodies had. The love they had for each other, the family. We even had a new young couple found to move over to, but you just had to fuck it up. So... let my face be a constant reminder of what you messed up."
Mikhail:"You can't do this. No one will believe you. Everyone will find out. I will tell them."
Arnold:"Yeah, not really my concern. Whenever one of you does this, they end up in a mental hospital. So I guess it's up to you now, if you want to finish the shooting quietly or get a quick ticket for mental hospital for the short rest of your life you have left. So what's it gonna be?"
They finished the spot and Mikhail in Arnold's body was escorted out of the hospital. He was old now. His body ached. Every step he took was like a needle. He was picked up by one of his family members. He had no idea who it was. His son? Grandson? Maybe they'll know more about the swapping. Maybe the clues will be inside the house. Or maybe none at all.
18th February 2021
Mikhail sat in his new arm chair and held a mug in his hands. It has been almost a month since he lost his body.
One of his grandsons played with a tablet next to him.
Mikhail:"What are you doing there, Joe?"
Joe:"You wouldn't understand, grandpa."
Mikhail:"Maybe I would. How about you show me?"
Joe gave him initial instructions he would normally give Arnold, but Mikhail already knew all of this and confidently asked for him to put up YouTube.
Joe was surprised that his grandpa now knew all this, but he did what grandpa asked him to do.
They found Doctor Mike's channel. There was only one new video from the last time that Mikhail has posted anything.
The video had a bad quality. The one who edited the video was definitely an amateur.
The name of the video was: Why I decided to quit medicine
Mikhail froze. His life was all about being in the medical field. And now Arnold ruined it all.
He played the video. Arnold seemed very happy with his new body, because he kept touching his arms, his pecs and hair even while talking about how unsatisfied he became while working as a doctor.
Mikhail took the tablet and searched for more information about his old body. He found information about a lawsuit for malpractice, that the new doctor Mike how faced.
But something kuch worse caught his attention. An Only Fans account.
Mikhail left the room with the tablet and his grandson screaming behind him. But he didn't care about that now. He opened the page and immediately subscribed while entering his credit card info.
The page unlocked.
Mikhail had tears in his eyes. There were videos of his old body pleasuring himself, embarassing himself, pleasuring others...
All of that for a bit of money from horny peopl, that wanted to see the famous doctor.
Mikhail decided to send a message that cost extra money.
He sat there for a while and thought about what it would say.
"Dear, doctor Mike. Or maybe you still remember your old name, Arnold. I wanted to say something mean about you ruining my life. But after watching the videos, I have to say I miss my body. Even though I would want it back I don't expect you'd give it like that for free. But maybe you could let me enjoy that body once again from someone else's view? What do you think? It might get a lot of views.
Sincerley,
Dr. Mike Arnold Jefferson"
On the other side of the screen sat Arnold in front of the computer, his dick hard. Reading the message from his old body.
"This might be interesting" he said, grinning mischievously.
Two woman called out behind him from the bed:"Coming to bed, honey?"
Arnold smiled and turned around. "Ready for round three?"
Anonymous request from inbox
Could you please write a body swap story where an elderly patient steals Dr. Mikeâs body when he is seen by him for a visit?
#body swap#body switch#male body swap#body swapping#celebrity body swap#body swap story#M2m body swap#Old to young body swap#Young to old body swap
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Late night confessions | Spencer reid x Fem!Reader
only fluff allowed in this house
In which Spencer can't believe how oblivious you were.
Warnings: Pretty sure none!
Content: Love confessions, reader is oblivious, really cutesy, petnames (stuff like darling...)
--
Itâs a Saturday night, and youâre getting ready to go out with your friends from the BAU. Somehow, you guys got lucky enough to have this day off and decided to go to a bar and have some fun. Hotch and Rossi both said theyâre âtoo oldâ for this and decided to not go, which honestly left you relieved, you really did not want both your bosses to see you in the outfit you had planned for the night. Besides them, everyone was going, and you were excited to see the team outside of work â particularly excited to see a certain genius.Â
You and Spencer are the kind of friends that everyone perceived as âsuspiciously closeâ and everyone that didnât know thought you guys were a couple. Actually, there was a bet amongst your friends as to how long it would take you two to actually get together.
At first, you and Spencer found it uncomfortable and got awkward every time they made a joke about you two being together, but after some time, you guys started to join in a bit. Now, the irony of it all is, between all the flirty jokes, the way Spencer became so comfortable with you being clingy to him besides his germophobia and the way he cared so much about youâŚÂ You fell in love with him.Â
Arriving at the bar, you spot your friends all sat at a booth and head over to them.
âHey guysâÂ
âHi sweetie, you look gorgeousâ Garcia says, giving you a kiss on the cheekÂ
âThanks darling, you look stunning tooâ You say, taking a seat between Spencer and Penelope.Â
You talk to your friends, occasionally making eye contact with Spencer, who has been blushing ever since you came into the bar. You had always found it cute how no matter how many dates he had, he still would get flustered around girls he found attractive.Â
You spent the night dancing and gossiping with Penelope and Emily. Later, the group was starting to leave when you felt a hand on the small of your back, when you turn around you see Spencer standing there smiling at you
âHi Spence, wanna dance with me?â You say, putting your hands around his neck and smiling back, voice coming out a bit dragged
âNot now darlingâ He said, softly laughing at the way you were, not that usually you were super uptight but at this moment you seemed so relaxed and carefree he loved seeing you like that âDid you drive here?â
âNop, but don't worry, I'll take a cab back homeâÂ
âThere's no way I'm letting you take a cab alone this late at night. C'mon, let's say goodbye to everyone and I'll take you homeâÂ
You roll your eyes at him, but the way he was being so protective over you made your heart flutter. You thought about contesting him, something about you being a âscary FBI agentâ but you knew he was right and decided to just go with it.Â
You say your goodbyes to the rest of the group and go on with him to the parking lot. On the way to the car, Spencer is holding you by your waist to prevent you from stumbling, you're fully aware that you don't need it, you didn't even drink any alcohol, still you let him do it because there's no way you would ever shy away from being this close to him. Â
Back at your house, Spencer goes with you in the elevator, stopping at your apartment's doorÂ
âAlright, here you are, safe and soundâ He says, smiling at youÂ
âThanks Spenceâ You reach out to give him a hug, and it lingers for more time than it normally does
All you wanted to do right now was kiss him.Â
âDo you want to come in? I'm not sleepy at all, and I would feel guilty with you driving alone this late at night, we can make some tea and talk maybeâ
âI don't know, you really should restâŚâ Just as he began reclining your offer, you gave him the look you knew he would never say no to âAlright, I'll come inâÂ
âWhat's going on in that pretty brain of yours Spenceâ You say, leaning on the counter topÂ
You smile at him as you walk into your apartment, getting rid of your shoes and stepping into the kitchen. Spencer sits in one of the stools near the counter top and watches as you start to make tea. He watches every move you make, as if memorizing it, and maybe it's all in your head, and maybe you're just seeing what you want to see, but he has this look in his eyes, different from before.
âNot muchâ He smiles, and it feels like the world stops for a moment.Â
 âNow that's a surprise, when have you ever not thought about everything all at onceâÂ
âYou tend to have that effect on meâ His gaze lingers on you, as if he was trying to tell you something. You can't help but feel a flutter in your stomach.Â
âWhat's that supposed to meanâ You think you might know, but there's no way he reciprocates your feelings⌠right?Â
âYou know exactly what i mean, there's no way you're that obliviousâ He smirks at you, and god you think you might pass out right then and there.Â
âIf I knew, I wouldn't be asking you, SpencerâÂ
He laughs and stands up, getting close to you "Alright, what i mean is when i'm close to you, that's all I can think about⌠You. I've been in love with you for⌠honestly, I don't even know how long anymoreâ He takes a step closer, placing a hand on your waist and his voice drops to a whisper âI've made it pretty obvious too, maybe you took the âdon't profile each otherâ too serious. How did you not notice?âÂ
You're shocked, you can't even process your thoughts right now. Your best friend, whom you've been in love with for years, just confessed to you. You did notice his change in behavior towards you, you just didn't believe he could ever be in love with youÂ
âI noticed you treated me different, but I thought it was justâŚâ You lose your words when he reaches out and cups your jaw, you look into his eyes, and you can see the love in them, and it makes you feel something inside.Â
âCan I kiss you?â He asks, and all you can do is take a deep breath and lean into his hand, feeling your heart flutter. You give him a small nod and close your eyes as he gently presses his lips against yours, and at that moment, you know that this is real.Â
 He gently pulls you into his arms and kisses you on the forehead as he whispers âI love youâÂ
âI love you moreâ You say, looking up, smiling at him.
âImpossibleâ He says, smiling back at you.
#spencer reid#spencer reid x reader#spencer reid fluff#spencer reid x you#spencer reid x bestfriend!reader#spencer reid x fem!reader#spencer reid x y/n#spencer reid fanfiction#spencer reid self insert#spencer reid one shot#criminal minds blurb#criminal minds fanfiction
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UNSCRIPTED â toji fushiguro x female reader [chapter 2/?]
summary: youâre a faceless author of scandalous smut â great at writing steamy scenes but totally clueless about real-life romance (and with no one to match your freak). enter toji fushiguro, a hot stranger you (accidentally) throw up on during a drunken night out. surprise! heâs also the future voice actor for your smutty novelâs main character. can you survive the awkwardness of your disastrous meet-cute while keeping your identity (and dignity) a secret? welcome to the chaos of your own erotic fantasy romcom!
content warning & tags:Â (erotic) voice artist! toji, (smut) writer! reader, smutty content!! [will be added over the course of the series], sort of workplace romance, secret/anon identity, slight social media au, meet-cute, virgin!reader, single dad dilf! toji, kid! megumi, strangers to lovers (?), she fell first but he fell harder, mentions of other characters (satoru gojo, suguru geto, megumi fushiguro, shoko eiri, brief mentions of ryomen sukuna)
notes: hi friends !! i hope u're liking the series so far <3 seems like persephone! suguru can't catch a break huh D: i wanted to highlight the same scene[s] from suguru's perspective, just to give him a lil depth :") if u want to keep up with the series more quicker, i highly suggest keeping up with the series on ao3 [for quicker updates ^^] thank you to my taglist for their support too :)
read on ao3! â series masterlist
⤠related au: persephone [business tycoon! sukuna x reader]
the drive to megumiâs school was unusually quiet.Â
normally, toji would lean into his usual âcool, brooding single dadâ act â just enough to avoid attention but keep an edge. but today, heâd done something weirdly out of character: asked you to tag along.Â
not that heâd admit it was for any other reason than megumi, obviously.Â
nope. definitely nothing else to it.
just⌠kinda nice having you along for the ride, right?
the two of you settled into his car, and you couldnât help but smirk at how the radio was suspiciously off. toji didnât give any explanation, but you were pretty sure it was a preventative measure to avoid another âirisâ moment and the resulting accidental kiss.Â
which, okay, was kinda cute.
toji tapped his fingers against the wheel, casting the occasional sideways glance at you before finally saying, âso⌠just curious.â he cleared his throat, like he was trying not to make a big deal out of the question. âwhat made you, uh⌠you know, want to write those books?â
you blinked. âoh, my books?â
âyeah, the⌠passionate ones.â he coughed, looking anywhere but at you. âlike, what inspired you to write those⌠intensely worded stories?â
you laughed, caught off guard. âokay, first of all, âintensely worded?â thatâs one way to put it.â
âlook, iâm trying to be polite,â he said, giving you a sidelong smirk that made your stomach flip. âbut seriously. i mean, itâs a specific line of work. what got you into it?â
you chewed on the inside of your cheek, feeling the familiar blush creeping up.Â
âuh, well⌠honestly, i just thought it was something fun to try out. i like romance and, you know⌠writing what people connect with. people like the, um, more intense stuff, so⌠figured iâd give it a shot.â
he nodded, taking it all in. âhuh. so, all that⌠stuff you write ââ he paused, trying to phrase it carefully. âthatâs from experience orâŚ?â
you let out an awkward laugh, your face heating up even more. ânot exactly. i⌠well, i actually havenât⌠i mean, iâm still⌠yâknow.âÂ
you cleared your throat. âa virgin.â
tojiâs eyes went wide.Â
âwait, youâre telling me⌠all that detail, the way you describe things, and you havenât evenâŚâ
ânope.â you shook your head, biting back a smile at his shocked expression. âguess you could say i have a good imagination?â
he let out a low whistle, looking at you with something that was a mix of admiration and⌠something else you couldnât quite place. âwell, i gotta give you credit. you write it like youâve, uh, lived it.â
you shrugged, trying to play it cool. âguess itâs all about the research.â
he raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. âresearch, huh? well, youâve got some serious talent in the âresearchâ department then. iâd hate to see what youâd write if you actually⌠yâknow, had the experience.â
âwell, maybe one day i will,â you shot back, feeling a little bolder. âand then my books will be even better.â
he chuckled, leaning back in his seat. âyouâre something else.â
for a moment, the two of you just looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between you.Â
the tension was thick enough to cut, and toji looked like he was about to say something else when megumiâs school finally came into view. he let out a breath, the moment effectively broken as he focused on finding a parking spot.
but as you both waited for megumi to come out, you couldnât help but wonder what was going through tojiâs head⌠and if he was thinking the same thing you were.
the second megumi spotted you and toji at the school gates, he was off like a shot, running toward you with all the enthusiasm of a kid whoâd been waiting all day to see his favorite people. his grin was wide, and his little backpack bounced as he bolted up. and to your surprise (and toji's too), he didnât go for his dad first â nope, he ran right into your arms like you were his personal safe haven.
âyou came!â he squealed, hugging you tightly around the waist as if he hadn't just seen you yesterday. you laughed, hugging him back just as warmly, and you could practically feel the teachersâ eyes drilling holes into your back.
âof course i did,â you said, ruffling his hair. âwhat, you thought iâd miss out on picking you up?â
ânope!â he said proudly, pulling back and grabbing your hand as if to make sure you wouldnât vanish.
toji stood off to the side, his hands in his pockets, trying to hide his smirk as he watched the scene unfold. yeah, he wasnât about to complain about you being here â not at all.
as you all made your way back to the car, you couldnât help but notice a few teachers and parents exchanging knowing looks, no doubt remembering how toji introduced you as his âcolleagueâ yesterday. they didnât look too convinced anymore.
inside the car, megumi settled comfortably between the two of you in the backseat, clutching his backpack like he was about to embark on the worldâs most exciting road trip.
âsooo!â megumi started, a mischievous look in his eyes. âdid you two have fun while i was in school?â
toji let out a tiny cough from the driverâs seat, looking at you in the rearview mirror with a hint of a smirk. âmegumi, what exactly do you mean by âfunâ?â
âi dunno, daddy!â megumi rolled his eyes in that dramatic way only an eight-year-old could pull off. âyou were smiling all morning! you never do that!â
you tried to hide a smile yourself, glancing sideways at toji. âhe was smiling all morning, huh?â
toji shot you a playful glare before focusing back on the road. âyou got somethinâ to say about that?â
ânope, nothing at all,â you replied, suppressing a giggle.
âyouâre smiling too!â megumi added, turning his full attention to you with a face that was way too smug for a kid his age. âdid you like being with my dad today?â
your eyes widened as you exchanged a quick look with toji. âwell, yes, i had a great time working with your dad,â you said carefully, trying to dodge the landmine that megumi had unknowingly set.
âyeah, but did you and daddy, like, do anything else? like on tv?â
toji almost choked, and you couldnât stop a laugh from slipping out. âmegs! we just talked and laughed a bit, nothing like in the movies, promise.â
megumi looked skeptical, folding his arms. âthen why are you both acting all funny?â
âwhat do you mean, âfunnyâ?â toji asked, raising an eyebrow in the rearview mirror.
âlike⌠i dunno, all shy and weird,â megumi huffed, his brows furrowing in confusion. âlike when the kids at school talk about people who like each other.â
your cheeks were definitely heating up, and you could tell toji was trying not to laugh.
âsometimes people just⌠act like that when theyâre really comfortable,â toji explained, trying to sound nonchalant. ânot everythingâs like it is on tv.â
âoh,â megumi said, though he didnât look totally convinced.Â
âsoooo, when are you guys gonna have a playdate without me?â
âwhat?â you and toji both burst out at the same time, while megumi just grinned, proud of himself for catching you both off guard.
âyou two look like you want more playdates,,â he added with a shrug, like he was the expert on the subject.
toji shook his head, laughing under his breath. âhow about you let the adults figure that out, hm?â
âfine, fine,â megumi said, obviously pleased with himself. âbut i wanna know when you guys have another playdate, âkay?â
you patted his shoulder, chuckling. âdeal, kiddo. youâll be the first to know.â
as toji pulled out onto the street, you settled back, sharing an amused look with him in the mirror. and as megumi continued his non-stop chatter about school, dinosaurs, and how he wanted both of you to come to his next soccer game, you felt that fuzzy feeling again â the same one from last night. maybe having these two around wasnât so bad at all.
toji pulled up to his house, shifting into park before a sudden realization hit him like a freight train â you were still along for the ride. it was supposed to be a quick pickup, maybe a casual goodbye once megumi was dropped off, but here you were, in the passenger seat, smiling as megumi practically buzzed with excitement beside you.
"uh⌠so⌠yeah, this is⌠my place,â he said, scratching the back of his head, feeling uncharacteristically awkward. he wasnât sure if he should invite you in or just wave goodbye with some half-baked excuse.Â
but before he could even finish his internal debate, megumi had his own plans.
âthat means you can come see my room!â megumi exclaimed, his eyes lighting up as he threw open the door and scrambled out of the car.
âoh, i donât wanna intrude ââ you started, already moving to say goodbye, but megumi was way ahead, bounding up the steps and glancing back with an impatient wave.
âcâmon!â he insisted, practically dancing in place with excitement. âyou gotta see my plushies and my legos! oh, and my origami stuff, and ââ
toji opened the front door, and as soon as you were inside, megumi was by your side again, tugging at your hand with a grip surprisingly strong for a kid. âyou gotta see everything!â he said, eyes gleaming.
âokay, okay!â you laughed, letting him lead the way.
toji watched, a little dumbfounded. heâd seen megumi excited before, sure, but this was a whole new level. âhey, uh, megs, maybe sheâs tired. we donât wanna overwhelm her, yâknow?â he said, trying to sound casual and almost hoping youâd back out to save him from his own nerves.
âno way!â megumi protested, his voice emphatic. âsheâs gotta see my dinos and my race cars and my drawings too! pleaseeee?â
âdonât worry, i think i can handle it,â you chuckled, shooting toji a reassuring look.Â
he let out a sigh, feeling a mix of relief and⌠something else he really didnât wanna unpack at the moment.
megumi practically dragged you down the hall toward what toji modestly called his âsuite,â which was more like a sprawling kid paradise decked out in a swanky setup. it was undeniably luxurious â the kind of suite most people would call their whole apartment â but it was still a kidâs space through and through. plushies lay scattered around in a trail leading to the bedroom, where legos, crayons, toy cars, and origami creations decorated the floor in random bursts of color. every available surface was covered in megumiâs little projects and treasures.
âwow, megumi, you werenât kidding!â you said, genuinely impressed. you walked over to a group of origami animals on his desk. âdid you make all of these?â
âyep!â he puffed up his chest with pride, holding up a particularly crumpled paper crane. âthis oneâs my favorite. it didnât come out great, but itâs special âcause daddy helped me with it.â
toji felt a funny warmth spread through his chest. he tried to brush it off, but it was hard to ignore seeing the two of you in his home, talking like it was the most normal thing in the world.
âand hereâs mr. wiggles!â megumi said, suddenly pulling over a massive, well-loved teddy bear that looked like itâd been through a hundred battles. âdaddy got him for me when i was little.â
âmr. wiggles is a great name,â you laughed, crouching down to inspect the bear. âi bet heâs been on a lot of adventures with you.â
âyeah, heâs been to the doctor with me, and the dentist, and he helps me with my homework sometimes,â megumi explained with the seriousness only an eight-year-old could muster.
toji chuckled, folding his arms as he leaned against the doorframe. âheâs a busy bear, huh?â
âsuper busy,â megumi agreed, pulling you over to his lego city next.Â
âthis is where the ninjas live, and over hereâs where the dinosaurs hide.â
âoh, and here i thought ninjas and dinos couldnât get along,â you teased, glancing over at toji, who was doing a poor job at hiding his amusement. âyou must be the peacekeeper, megumi.â
âi am!â he laughed, then suddenly looked up at toji.Â
âdaddy, can she stay for dinner?â
tojiâs eyes widened slightly. he hadnât even considered dinner yet.
but the thought of you here, in his space, a part of his evening routine with megumi⌠it felt way too good to resist.
âuh, well, if sheâs got the time,â he mumbled, scratching his neck and pretending to be cool about it. âyou donât gotta stick around if you got other things.â
âactually, iâd love to stay, if thatâs okay?â you said, glancing between them both.
toji tried to act casual, even though his heart was doing a little victory lap. âyeah, sure. why not?â
âyes!â megumi cheered, already running out the door. âiâll get the table ready!â
âis he⌠always this excited?â you asked, turning to toji with a chuckle.
ânot usually,â toji admitted, scratching the back of his head. âguess you got that effect on him.â
the three of you settled around the table, megumi proudly munching away on his ironman-themed plate, the red and gold colors a little faded from years of use. he shot you a grin, already halfway through explaining ironmanâs latest mission to save the world⌠for the third time.
toji, meanwhile, sat across from you, feeling inexplicably fidgety as he set down the fine china heâd pulled from the back of a cabinet. he'd dusted off every inch of those plates â his mind still spinning with why he even bothered.Â
he wasnât usually one for this kind of thing, but when he saw how carefully you ladled the stew into the bowls, he couldnât help but notice you gave that same care to megumi too, nodding along as he chattered away about his superhero theories.
âyou know, daddy never gets the cool plates out for anyone else,â megumi piped up, completely oblivious to the faint flush creeping up his dadâs face.
âoh really?â you chuckled, raising an eyebrow in tojiâs direction. âwell, i feel honored then. iâll try not to drop it.â
toji groaned internally, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. âkidâs got a big mouth,â he muttered, shooting megumi a faux warning look, though his own ears were burning.
âyouâve got good taste, though,â you teased him lightly, glancing down at the pristine white china with intricate blue patterns.
âyeah, well⌠sâjust plates. theyâre old,â toji shrugged, hoping that downplaying it would erase any significance you might read into the whole situation.
âold but pretty,â you said, not looking up as you ladled some stew for megumi, who was eagerly waiting with his bowl stretched out. âhere you go, megumi. i made it a little less spicy for you, just like you asked.â
megumiâs eyes sparkled as he accepted the bowl. âthanks! you make the best stew!â
toji watched as you smiled back at megumi, completely absorbed in whatever he was babbling about, offering little âuh-huhsâ and âreallysâ as he animatedly described his favorite ironman scene. watching you like this, giving his kid your full attention even while busy in the kitchen, felt so⌠weird.Â
like something he didnât realize was missing, but now that it was there, he couldnât imagine going without it.
âand then ironman totally blasts the villainâs robot suit â kaboom!â megumi finished, flinging his arms wide as if to demonstrate the explosion.
âkaboom, huh?â you laughed, sitting back in your chair, clearly enjoying his enthusiasm. âsounds intense.â
âyeah! ironman doesnât mess around,â megumi said with a sage nod, as if passing on some universal wisdom. âbut heâs gotta protect everyone, even the people who donât like him.â
âsounds like a pretty cool guy,â you mused, glancing over at toji with a small smile. âmaybe you two have something in common.â
âoh, god,â toji groaned, but he couldnât fight the smirk that tugged at his lips. âdonât give him ideas, heâll think iâm gonna go fight crime or somethinâ.â
âwouldnât that be so cool?â megumi interjected, eyes sparkling. âyou could be like⌠iron dad!â
toji rolled his eyes, but he caught the look on your face â amused, warm, like you were seeing a side of him that no one else really noticed.Â
and for some reason, that was way too close to the truth for comfort.Â
he cleared his throat, glancing down at his stew to avoid meeting your gaze.
âmaybe iâll just stick to keeping this kid in one piece,â toji muttered, but his heart was beating a little faster than usual.
and as megumi kept up his enthusiastic rambling, it all started to feel too cozy, too right. the clinking of plates, the soft warmth in the air, the way you didnât rush megumi but let him take center stage as he shared his endless thoughts â it all blended together into something that felt like home, even if toji wouldnât dare say it out loud.
as you reached for another spoonful of stew, listening intently to megumiâs latest story about his lego creations, toji realized that, yeah⌠this felt pretty damn right.
megumi clutched his book eagerly, eyes shining as he snuggled into bed, clearly over the moon that youâd agreed to stay for his bedtime story. he gave toji a serious look, announcing, âsince daddy canât do girl voices â cuz heâs a voicing actor, but heâs not that good â you gotta help with the girl lines, okay?â
âoh, yeah?â toji shot him a mock glare. âthatâs a pretty big request, squirt. you sure i canât just, yâknow, growl like a tiger or something?â
megumi shook his head, adamant. ânope! youâre supposed to be the bear prince, and sheâs the bunny princess! and then they meet at the river â just read, daddy.â
toji rolled his eyes, though he couldnât hide the faint smile as he settled in beside megumi,Â
taking the book from his sonâs hands. âalright, alright, letâs do this right. bunny princess and bear prince â sounds about as weird as it gets, but weâll make it work.â
with megumi sandwiched between the two of you, you leaned over to see the page.Â
âthe bunny princess hopped through the forest, searching for her friend, the bear prince, who was known for his wisdom and strength,â you read in a soft voice, giving it your best princess tone.
megumi nodded, satisfied. âmuch better than uncle gojo,â he whispered to you in a conspiratorial tone, âhis princess voice is just⌠weird.â
toji stifled a snicker, picking up the next line.Â
âthe bear prince, with his deep, growly voice, stepped out from behind the tree, saying, âi hear youâre lookinâ for a friend. well, look no further.ââ
megumi giggled, clutching the blanket as he looked up at toji in admiration. ânow thatâs a good bear voice, daddy! you donât gotta growl or nothing.â
you shot toji a playful look. âsee? youâre already halfway to voice actor stardom.â
âsure, sure, as long as i donât have to wear princess crowns, i think iâll survive,â he smirked, giving the book back to you to read the bunnyâs next line.
ââoh, bear prince, iâm so happy to see you!â the bunny princess chirped, hopping closer. âthe forest feels so safe with you here.ââ
toji took his turn, grinning.Â
ââthatâs right, princess. stick close to me, and nothing can harm you â not even that pesky fox from the riverbank.ââ
megumi, eyes already starting to droop, nodded in sage approval, mumbling, âbears are super strongâŚâ
as the story unfolded, with each of you taking on your characterâs lines, you couldnât help but notice how megumiâs little body relaxed more and more, eyelids growing heavier as he listened to the tale of the bunny princess and bear princeâs forest adventure.
 finally, after youâd read the line where the bunny and bear bid each other goodnight under the stars, you heard megumiâs soft, even breathing.
you and toji shared a glance, both of you lowering your voices.
âlooks like our audience conked out before the big finale,â you whispered with a smile, your voice barely above a murmur.
âheh,â toji chuckled, glancing at his sonâs sleeping face. âusually he stays up longer, keeps asking for more.â he paused, watching you with a look that seemed to say more than his words. âmaybe heâs just got a soft spot for princess voices⌠or maybe, you know, a good storyteller.â
a soft warmth settled in the quiet room, the gentle rise and fall of megumiâs breathing filling the space as you both stayed still for a moment, neither wanting to break the spell.
you stood up slowly from megumiâs bed, glancing down at the little guy, still out cold, his mouth slightly open as he clutched his iron man plush. the clock on the wall blinked â9:00 pm,â and your stomach sank a little â hadnât you meant to leave hours ago?Â
but when you made a quiet move toward the door, toji was right there, leaning in the doorway, hands shoved in his pockets.
âyou, uh, really donât have to rush,â he said, almost nonchalant, though his gaze flicked over to megumi. âi mean, for his sake, yâknow. wouldnât want him freaking out if he wakes up in the middle of the night and youâre goneâŚâ
âoh, of course,â you murmured, feeling a warm, slightly strange fluttering sensation at his words.Â
âjust⌠so he doesnât get scared. yeah.â
you glanced down at yourself. god, what were you going to sleep in? your work clothes?Â
toji seemed to read your mind, though, tilting his head a bit. âi think i got some old clothes you could wear if you want,â he offered, looking you up and down with that calm, appraising look that made you feel like he saw a bit more than he let on. ânot the most fashionable, but theyâre clean.â
âthanks, thatâd be great,â you said, offering a small smile, and you turned to head toward the door to the guest room â then stopped. âwait⌠i think i left my phone on his nightstand.â
before you could overthink it, you turned back abruptly, intending to slip past toji back into megumiâs room.Â
but somehow, in the dim lighting, the narrow doorway, the warmth of the moment⌠your face collided with his chest, and then, your lips met his, soft and sudden and all-consuming.
for a heartbeat, everything else fell away: the gentle ticking of the clock, the faint whirring of the a/c, even the warmth of megumiâs room.Â
you felt nothing but the weight of tojiâs lips against yours, the subtle intake of his breath as he seemed to register just what was happening. there was a moment of hesitation, and then his hand instinctively moved to your waist, pulling you closer with a soft, undeniable insistence.
his voice was a low whisper, barely more than a breath between you. âso⌠you were just gonna leave without even saying goodbye?â
for a split second, everything froze â the dim hallway, the soft, ambient sounds of the house, the fact that you were standing right outside megumiâs door, where one sleepy sound could catch you both.Â
but that one breath against tojiâs lips, so close, melted everything else away.
he didnât pull back; if anything, his hold on your waist only tightened, fingers pressing just enough to send a warm ripple up your spine. his eyes met yours, slightly wide, as if he couldnât quite believe he had you like this, so close. you could almost feel his heartbeat thrumming in sync with your own, and you let out a shaky breath, your lips brushing his again.
âthis⌠is not what i planned when i came over,â you murmured, barely able to get the words out as your forehead touched his. ânot â not in front of your kidâs room.â
âmm,â he whispered, gaze dropping to your lips, that barely-there smirk flickering across his face, âitâs a first for me too.â he held your gaze, his expression softening, something almost tender in his eyes as he raised his hand to gently brush a strand of hair from your face.Â
âbut if you wanted to leave⌠you wouldâve pulled away by now.â
you bit your lip at the way his thumb lingered on your cheek, his breath warm against your skin, and before you knew it, your lips found his again. this time, it was slower, unhurried, like you had all the time in the world to feel the way his mouth moved against yours, soft and then a little firmer, as he seemed to lose himself in the moment.
he leaned into you, pressing you just slightly against the wall, his hand sliding from your waist up to the small of your back, drawing you close. the quiet was filled only with the shared breaths between you two, a quiet hum that passed between your lips, as if even the smallest sound might wake megumi just on the other side of the wall.
you found your hand on his chest, fingers curling in his shirt, pulling him a little closer, wanting to deepen the kiss even though every bit of common sense told you to stop. his lips parted, pressing small, lingering kisses along your lower lip, his fingers tracing gentle circles along your back as though he was trying to savor every second. you were barely breathing, lost in the warmth of him, feeling him melt just a little against you.
âgod, youâre making it hard to stop,â he murmured against your lips, his voice almost a growl but so quiet it barely even registered.
âi donât think i want to,â you whispered back, eyes meeting his in the dim light. he held your gaze, his thumb tracing a soft line along your cheek, but he didnât move away, staying close, his nose brushing yours in a way that was so tender you almost forgot how precarious this was.
you both laughed quietly, the sound soft and low, the kind of laugh that was more of a breath shared between you. toji glanced back at megumiâs door, and for a second, his face softened in a way you rarely saw, as if he couldnât help but feel this moment was just a little forbidden.
âmaybe we should⌠try this somewhere a little less dangerous,â he muttered, though he didnât make any move to let go, his gaze flicking back to yours.
âyou mean⌠like a first date or something?â you murmured, lips curling into a soft smile.
âguess i donât mind a second kiss either,â he replied, brushing his lips against yours one last time before stepping back, the space between you suddenly feeling too cold, too quiet.
as he stepped back, the reality of the hallway â the very literal door to his sonâs room right beside you â set in, but the warmth still lingered, and the smile he gave you as he walked you down the hall felt like a promise for something more, something you both couldnât wait to explore.
the âboys nightâ at gojo-sonicâs swanky office was nothing short of its usual absurdity, with gojo dubbing it the âgreatest tradition everâ as he practically threw around the âfinestâ sweet alcohol like it was candy.Â
toji was there, albeit begrudgingly, mostly due to gojoâs persistence (âcâmon, youâre the only one who knows how to enjoy this premium stuff!â), and suguru joined from a dimly-lit zoom window, his face half-smiling, half-tired as he sipped on a glass of his own.
âmissing out, suguru,â gojo teased, tilting back his drink. âoh, but thanks for the wine, by the way. nothing says âwish i were thereâ like sending over a box of booze from you and your business partner.â
âoh, for heavenâs sake,â suguru muttered, though his smirk suggested he didnât mind. âit was a halloween release. figured itâd keep you all happy andâŚunbearable.â
toji chuckled, swirling his glass and trying not to roll his eyes as gojo feigned offense.
âunbearable? me?â gojo put a hand over his heart. âif you actually joined us in person, youâd see iâm the highlight of this âboys night.â itâs practically a public service, sugu-boo. oh, and shoutout to persephone for making it possible, of course.â
âyeah, yeah, youâre a real gift to mankind,â suguru replied, his tone deadpan, but his smile lingered as he took a sip.Â
âso whatâre you boys talking about? since i canât be there to hear it firsthand.â
toji shifted, debating on whether or not he wanted to launch into the mess that had been swirling in his head all week. but with the alcohol settling in and gojoâs usual chatter as encouragement, it was hard to hold back. he sighed, resting his elbow on the arm of the chair, looking anywhere but the screen.
âoh, just, yâknow⌠kid stuff.â
gojo raised a brow. âkid stuff? you mean, how megumiâs practically obsessed with y/n?â
âplease,â toji groaned, rubbing his temple. âthat kidâs dragging her around like sheâs his second parent.â
âsounds like heâs got good taste,â suguru noted with a grin, sipping his wine. âand from what you said last week, heâs already planning on keeping her around for life, huh?â
toji shot him a look through the screen, but he knew they were right. megumi was over the moon whenever you came around, from showing off every little toy he owned to making you part of bedtime stories.Â
it was adorable, sure, but it made this whole situation way more⌠intense than heâd signed up for.
âkid talks about her all the time,â toji admitted, swirling his glass again. âlike, even his teachers thought she was his mom or something. and sheâŚwell, sheâs good with him. sheâs damn good.â he looked down, a smirk tugging at his lips. âwhich, believe it or not, i didnât expect when we first met.â
âohhh?â gojo leaned in, that smirk of his spreading as he raised a brow. âand you? what did you expect?â
toji glanced away, that hint of a smirk still there, despite himself. âdonât make me say it.â
âoh, weâre making you say it,â gojo teased, sliding another drink his way. âso, youâre saying sheâsâŚwife material?â
suguru nearly choked on his drink, and the way he was watching toji from the screen made it clear he wasnât missing a second of this.
toji scoffed, taking a gulp to keep from saying anything too embarrassing. âsheâs⌠special. hell, i didnât plan on getting attached, and yet ââ he paused, chuckling almost self-consciously. âi feel like a damn teenager.â
âand here i thought you were the king of nonchalance,â suguru teased, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
âyeah, yeah, laugh it up,â toji muttered, trying to shake it off.Â
but the truth was, the second he was alone, he found himself thinking about you, about the way megumiâs face lit up when you were around, the way you just⌠fit into their little world without even trying.Â
it was surreal.Â
the damn wine probably didnât help, either.
gojo slapped him on the back, clearly enjoying this way too much. âwell, for what itâs worth,â he said, his voice surprisingly sincere, âmegumi deserves someone good. and maybe you do too.â
toji rolled his eyes, but he didnât bother denying it. if anything, he felt the tiniest glimmer of hope.Â
that maybe, just maybe, he wouldnât screw this one up.
gojo snickered, his smirk all-knowing as he raised his glass. âiâve got it,â he said with way too much enthusiasm, the kind he only had when he was on the brink of embarrassing the hell out of someone. âtoji, you and y/n could do a joint wedding with suguru and his âbusiness partner.â i mean, if suguru grows a spine and confesses, that is.â
on the other end of the zoom call, suguruâs smirk vanished as fast as it appeared, and he looked away, running a hand through his hair. ânot happening,â he muttered, all but glaring at the screen. âitâs⌠complicated.â
gojo pouted, tilting his head in mock sympathy. âoh, come on. âcomplicatedâ? itâs not that deep. just throw her some wine, flash that tragic backstory, and sheâll be yours in no time.â
âitâs not that simple,â suguru snapped, though his face softened as he leaned back, sighing.Â
âbesides, weâre in⌠limbo, i guess. weâve had our confessions, but thereâs no label. not yet, anyway.â
âawww,â gojo teased, his voice dripping with feigned sympathy.Â
âlook at us! a bunch of grown men, all hung up on love troubles. what happened to the days when it was just work, money, and some good old-fashioned ego trips?â
âthose days are over,â toji grunted, crossing his arms as he glanced at the screen. âbut youâd know a thing or two about those âego trips,â wouldnât you?â
suguru let out a snort of laughter, finally letting himself relax a little. âand donât forget ryomen sukuna,â he added, the name alone making everyone groan. âthat bastard practically swooped in to turn our business lives upside down and make everything more⌠interesting. joint venture or not, the guyâs insufferable. heâs like a cat, always hissing and scratching his way to the top.â
gojo laughed, tipping his drink toward the screen. âtell me about it. itâs like everyone has a thorn in their side when it comes to love these days.âÂ
he smirked, nudging toji. âand you, my friend, are no exception. so whenâs the confession, huh? are we waiting on some fairytale moment here?â
toji rolled his eyes, swirling the last of his drink. âiâm not confessing to anyone,â he grumbled. âiâve got megumi to think about.â
âright, right, megumi,â gojo said, drawing out the name with a grin that was anything but innocent. âand here i thought you liked y/n for yourself.â
âand here i thought youâd shut up at some point tonight,â toji shot back, but his lips betrayed him with a faint, reluctant smirk.
suguru leaned forward, his voice softer. âwell, at least megumiâs happy with her around, right? maybe⌠itâs worth taking a chance.â
tojiâs smirk faded, his expression thoughtful. âmaybe.â
âsee?â gojo beamed, practically giddy. âlove is in the air, boys. even for the most stubborn among us.â
suguru shook his head, a smile creeping back onto his face. âwell, hereâs to complicated feelings and maybe, just maybe, getting them right someday.â
they all raised their glasses, clinking to their shared madness in work, love, and everything in between.
you flopped back on your bed, barely able to keep the grin off your face as you hit the facetime button for shoko. she picked up after a few rings, a cigarette lazily dangling from her fingers, eyebrows raised as she took in your expression.
âuh-oh. whatâs got you looking like that?â she asked, smirking.
you let out a giddy little laugh, immediately burying your face in your hands. âshoko, i swear iâm losing it. iâm a grown woman, but i feel like a teenager. itâs embarrassing.â
âthis better be good,â she drawled, putting the cigarette to her lips and leaning back, looking every bit the part of the unimpressed but totally-invested best friend.
âokay, okay,â you said, voice dropping to a dramatic whisper. âtoji kissed me. twice â by accident, both times. twice, shoko!â
she let out a low whistle, blowing out a plume of smoke. âso the âbrooding single dadâ finally made his move, huh? you know, twice starts to sound less like an accident and more like heâs got a thing for you.â
you laughed, covering your face with your hands. âoh my god, donât say that! i canât even handle it. and heâs just⌠so close all the time. itâs like every time i turn around, heâs there.â
âthat sounds terrible,â she said, rolling her eyes in mock sympathy. âa tall, ridiculously hot single dad, right up in your personal space. how are you surviving?â
you groaned, flopping back dramatically. âitâs not just that! i mean, megumiâs there too, and heâs the cutest kid. he loves me, shoko, iâm actually losing my mind. i feel like iâm part of their lives, and itâs⌠weirdly nice?â
shokoâs smirk softened a little, her gaze warmer. âsounds like youâre finally finding something real,â she murmured, her voice thoughtful. âi mean, not just with toji, but⌠you know, with people. gojo insisted you needed someone to keep you on track, but honestly, it sounds like youâre just finding your own way.â
âthank you for not thinking iâm insane,â you muttered, grinning at her.
âplease, iâve been waiting for something juicy like this to pop up in your life,â she replied, flicking some ash into an ashtray with a smirk. âso tell me everything â i want the full rundown on these âaccidentalâ kisses.â
you launched into the details, recounting the flustered stammering, the way you could hardly breathe when he got that close, how you felt like you were in some kind of slow-motion rom-com. shoko didnât bat an eye, laughing in all the right places, raising her eyebrows at the moments you whispered, and shaking her head whenever you sounded downright ridiculous.
âyâknow,â she finally said as you caught your breath, âif this is what being your manager is gonna be like, i might just be here for it. international author and all,â she teased, quoting gojo.
âiâm just glad i have someone who gets it,â you admitted, voice softer. âthis is all new to me⌠the book success, this... love life thing.â
she gave you a small, knowing smile. âwell, get used to it. sounds like thereâs a lot more coming your way.â
the month flew by in a series of stolen moments that made you feel like you were the protagonist in one of your own novels.Â
and, true to his nature, toji somehow managed to sneak in a kiss (or two, or three, but who's counting?) whenever he found you alone at the studio, away from gojo's incessant commentary, the other voice actors, and the wandering eyes of your new manager, shoko ieiri.
you still couldnât forget that first almost subtle kiss, right outside the recording booth.Â
youâd just handed him his revised lines, trying to ignore the way his fingers brushed against yours as he took the pages.
âyâknow, you keep handing me all these steamy lines,â he murmured, voice dropping, his mouth way too close to your ear. âsomeone might think youâre just giving me an excuse.â
âi-itâs for the story,â you stammered, and before you could process it, he leaned down, catching you in a quick, teasing kiss.
âmm. very convincing.â he smirked, straightening just as someone walked by.
âtoji!â you hissed, glancing around like a guilty teenager.
âwhat? i thought itâd help with the performance.â he gave you a half-shrug, that lazy grin of his making your pulse jump. âgotta sell the romance, right?â
then there was the time in the elevator after one of his late recording sessions. youâd been babbling about something mundane, trying to fill the quiet, but he wasnât paying attention to your words; instead, he just watched your mouth.Â
before you knew it, the doors slid closed, and he had you pressed against the mirrored wall, his mouth on yours, hands braced on either side of your head.
âyou know,â you whispered breathlessly when you finally broke apart, âif shoko sees us, sheâs gonna kill me.â
âgood thing weâre alone then,â he murmured, not bothering to step back, his eyes dropping to your lips. âwouldnât want her thinking youâre getting⌠distracted on the job.â
âme?â you managed, swallowing a laugh. âyouâre the one who canât keep his hands to himself!â
âmaybe iâll try harder,â he whispered, brushing his thumb along your jaw in a way that felt anything but apologetic. âor maybe i wonât.â
of course, he didnât.Â
the next week, youâd been huddled over a script in the empty break room, reviewing edits from gojo. you barely heard him come in before he slipped up behind you, one hand casually planted on the table as he leaned over your shoulder.
âneed any help with those lines?â he asked, voice low, right against your ear.
you barely suppressed a shiver, trying to focus on the paper in your hands. âi, uh⌠no. no, i think iâve got it.â
âyou sure?â he murmured, lips grazing your ear this time. âbecause i think i could add a little⌠flair.â
you turned, and his face was right there, too close to pretend this was anything but what it was.Â
before you could tell him off, he closed the gap, kissing you slow and deep, like he had all the time in the world.
âtoji,â you finally managed, pulling away, your face burning. âwe are at work!â
he shrugged, utterly unbothered. âyeah, but no oneâs around, are they?â
you glared, trying to look serious, but he just leaned back, smirking. âbesides, iâd say that counts as research.â
âresearch?â
he grinned, eyes twinkling with a playful light. âgotta stay in character, right?â
every encounter was a tug-of-war between professionalism and⌠whatever this was. you couldnât deny you looked forward to the thrill of these secret kisses, even though you spent half your day looking over your shoulder, waiting for shoko to round a corner and catch you in the act.
toji, on the other hand, was infuriatingly nonchalant. like he didnât care if anyone saw â like he almost wanted to be caught. and he never missed an opportunity to remind you of that.
âso, whatâll it be?â he asked one afternoon as you tried to dodge his latest attempt in the hallway. âyou gonna keep hiding from me? or are you finally gonna admit you like it?â
âiâm not hiding,â you replied, trying to ignore the heat rising in your cheeks.
he laughed softly, the sound low and warm. âyouâre a terrible liar.â
just then, footsteps echoed from around the corner. you froze, but toji just gave you one last teasing look and walked off, as if nothing had happened.
and maybe that was the worst part â no matter how many times he pulled you in, kissed you breathless, he could just walk away, leaving you wondering if youâd imagined it all.
toji fushiguro, love-struck fool of the century.Â
and he hated it.Â
heâd scoffed his way through plenty of rom-coms, rolling his eyes at any lovesick protagonist with that stupid, half-dazed smile, lips still parted like theyâd just been kissed breathless.Â
he never thought heâd be one of them. yet here he was, pacing around his apartment, occasionally touching his lips like some starry-eyed teenager.
âyouâre acting like a damn idiot,â he muttered to himself, brushing a hand through his hair, but even that couldnât erase the lovesick grin creeping onto his face. he barely noticed his phone buzzing with the weekly roster of sugar mamas and daddies, all waiting for their weekly breadcrumb texts from him. hell, he even felt guilty about it now.Â
because compared to you? they didnât stand a chance.
case in point: a text popped up from mona, the one who liked to send him extravagant gifts just for existing.
mona [7:40 pm]: missed u this week. dinner on friday, baby?
toji squinted at the message, thumb hovering over the keyboard, debating if he should even respond. yeah, he probably should. he sighed, cracking his knuckles before halfheartedly typing out a response.
you [7:45 pm]: kinda busy friday. rain check?
there. short and sweet.Â
in a past life, he wouldâve at least flirted his way out of it.Â
but now? he couldnât muster up anything more.Â
god, youâve got it bad, he thought, half-annoyed at himself as he imagined the smirk gojo would throw his way if he ever found out about this pathetic show of loyalty.
and speaking of the devil â
âtoooji!â gojo sang as he slid into the studio the next day, obnoxiously loud.
âman, youâve been⌠awfully serious lately. not a single call from mona? or was it alicia? both?â
toji barely glanced up, trying to keep his face as neutral as possible. âiâve been busy. work.â
âwork,â gojo echoed, eyes narrowing with a knowing gleam. âright. and what kind of work are we talking about? the kind that comes with a certain⌠authorâs name attached?â
tojiâs lip twitched, but he ignored him. he figured the less he reacted, the less ammo gojo would have.
âoh, come on!â gojo crowed, leaning over the soundboard with an irritating grin. âyou really think i havenât noticed? the lingering looks, the way you sneak off for like ten minutes every time sheâs around. youâre a mess, toji.â
toji rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest. âiâm not a damn kid, satoru.â
âcoulda fooled me,â gojo teased. âgod, you look like youâre on the verge of a love confession every time i see you two. why not just go full rom-com mode and declare it in the rain or something?â
âshut your damn mouth,â toji muttered, feeling his ears heat.Â
the idea had crossed his mind. he thought about it every damn time he saw you smile or catch his eye across the studio.Â
and it was driving him insane.
âspeaking of confessions,â gojo continued, not missing a beat, âheard youâve been turning down⌠basically everyone these days. sugar mamas, sugar daddies â wow, your self-controlâs really kicked in.â
toji groaned, half in frustration, half in something else. it was true. he hadnât even looked at his inbox in days.Â
just not interested, heâd told himself, ignoring how pathetic that sounded.
âoh, oh, oh, donât tell meâŚâ gojo grinned, the realization dawning on his face. âyouâve gone monogamous, havenât you?â he snorted.Â
âgod, youâre whipped.â
âiâll let you live if you shut up now.â
gojo snickered, unbothered. âwhat? iâm just giving you some friendly advice, toji. tell her already. do the whole romantic declaration thing. maybe some roses. oh, or better yet, just kiss her the way you keep fantasizing about.â
toji rolled his eyes, shaking his head. âfantasizing, right.â
âadmit it, youâre lovesick,â gojo replied with a smirk. âhowâs that feel, big guy?â
just then, his phone buzzed again, and he glanced down to see a new message from larry, one of his sugar daddies.
larry: fancy a weekend trip? all expenses on me, baby ;)
toji groaned and quickly sent back a âno thanks, busy,â before slipping his phone away. he looked up to find gojo staring at him, practically vibrating with amusement.
âsee? whipped!â gojo announced, loud enough for half the floor to hear.
âkeep it down,â toji growled, but he couldnât keep the ghost of a smile off his face. he knew gojo was right, even if he hated admitting it. he was done pretending it wasnât true.Â
hell, he could barely go an hour without wanting to text you, wanting to see you.
âyou donât get it,â toji said, more to himself than gojo. âsheâs⌠different.â
âoh, i bet she is,â gojo said, nodding like he understood. ânow, are you gonna be an idiot and keep pouting like youâve got something to say? or are you gonna tell her?â
toji didnât answer, just glared at him before heading for the studio door. but he knew gojo was right.Â
heâd run out of excuses, out of distractions. maybe it was time he did something about this ridiculous crush.
as he walked out, he could practically hear gojoâs smirk follow him.Â
great.
toji could barely keep his heart from jumping out of his chest as he slipped the little origami ring into your hand, all smooth-like, muttering, âmegumi made it for you.âÂ
but even as he said it, he could feel the heat creeping up his neck, knowing damn well it was mostly his work.
heâd sat down with megumi, who, after a long day of being âhelpful,â had finally agreed to show him how to fold paper into something that resembled a ring. and it hadnât exactly been easy.
âso, kiddo,â toji had started, fidgeting with the corner of a bright blue square of paper. âthink you can show me how to, uh⌠fold this thing into a ring? for⌠you know⌠someone.â
megumi squinted up at him, hands on his hips like a pint-sized supervisor. âfor her, right?â
toji cleared his throat, looking away. âyeah. something like that.â
megumi snorted, already getting a bit too wise for his age. âyou donât even know how to fold paper, daddy?â
toji groaned. âitâs harder than it looks, alright? just show me how you do it.â
the kid just shook his head, exasperated, but started showing him each fold with careful, precise fingers. they worked through a couple attempts, most of which looked nothing like rings and ended up in the growing pile of crumpled paper on the table.Â
it was late, and toji couldnât remember the last time heâd concentrated this hard on something so⌠simple. why the hell am i doing this? he thought, glancing at the clock.Â
he had work in a few hours, a whole recording schedule to plan for, and yet here he was, folding paper with his son.
âthink sheâll like it?â toji asked, holding up one of the finished attempts.
megumi shrugged, but he looked oddly serious as he studied the makeshift ring. âi think she will. âcause itâs from you.â
something in tojiâs chest squeezed at that, and he clapped a hand on megumiâs shoulder. âdonât go telling anyone about this, alright? not even your uncle gojo. especially not him.â
âwhy?â megumi asked, genuinely curious.
âbecause heâll never let me hear the end of it,â toji muttered, trying to ignore how ridiculous he sounded even to himself.Â
yeah, making a paper ring at one in the morning for someone? absolutely insane, but he couldnât shake the thrill of it, of imagining you smiling when he handed it over.
so, fast-forward to now: the ring was in your hand, your fingers slowly unfolding to reveal it. you glanced up at him, eyes soft with a mix of confusion and surprise, and damn if he didnât feel his heart do a backflip right then and there.
âhe⌠made this for me?â you asked, voice quiet, almost disbelieving.
âyeah,â toji replied, trying to sound casual but failing spectacularly. âthought youâd like it.âÂ
he rubbed the back of his neck, fighting the urge to look anywhere but at you, but he couldnât resist sneaking a glance at your reaction.
you turned the ring over in your hand, a small smile tugging at your lips. âyou sure it was megumi who made this?â
his throat went dry. âuh⌠mostly,â he admitted, feeling that warmth creeping up his neck again. âi mightâve⌠helped a little.â
âa little, huh?â you teased, eyes sparkling as you slipped the ring onto your finger. âso, is this, like⌠an official thing now? sealing the deal or whatever?â
toji felt his mouth go dry, a mixture of nerves and excitement coursing through him.Â
he hadnât planned on this meaning anything official â well, maybe he had, but he hadnât exactly thought it through.Â
yet seeing you wearing it, even if it was just a silly piece of folded paper, felt⌠right.
he shrugged, trying to keep his voice steady. âjust thought you deserved somethinâ nice,â he said gruffly. âeven if itâs⌠you know, paper.â
your fingers brushed his, a soft, barely-there touch, and he swore his heart skipped a beat. âi think itâs perfect, toji. no oneâs ever⌠done something like this for me before.â
he felt his chest tighten, the weight of everything he wanted to say pressing against his ribcage.Â
all those dumb, sappy things heâd been feeling lately, the way he couldnât stop thinking about you, the way he felt like a lovesick idiot every time you smiled at him. but he couldnât bring himself to say any of it, not yet.Â
so instead, he settled for squeezing your hand, his thumb tracing a soft circle over your knuckles.
âgood,â he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper. ââcause i donât think i could stand it if you didnât like it.â
you laughed softly, leaning into him, and he swore he felt the world narrow down to just the two of you, the faint rustle of the paper ring against your finger.
âguess iâll have to keep it safe then, huh?â you murmured, looking up at him with that smile that made his heart do all kinds of dumb things.
âyeah,â he replied, voice low, unable to stop himself from leaning down to press a soft kiss to your lips. âyeah, you do.â
tojiâs eyes nearly pop out of his head when he spots you at the office, that damn paper ring dangling from your phone charm. his paper ring â okay, technically megumiâs paper ring, but still, the one heâd folded with his own hands. heâd thought you might just tuck it away in a drawer or something.Â
but here you were, letting it swing around proudly like some priceless gem. heâs not gonna lie â his heart just about catapults itself out of his chest.
heâs doing his best to keep his cool, but the urge to grab you right then and there, haul you over to a quiet corner, and ask you out on a real date feels stronger than ever. propose even.Â
god, if he wasnât too far gone already.
âwhatâs that little add-on?â gojoâs smug voice cuts through the air, and you laugh, holding up your phone so the charm dangles freely. gojo squints, pretending heâs inspecting it, but thereâs a glint in his eye. âwhoâs the secret admirer, huh? must be a serious romantic to give you something⌠hand-crafted.â
you shrug, grinning a little too wide. âoh, just⌠something someone special made for me.â
tojiâs face heats up, and he tries to look busy adjusting his microphone levels.Â
dammit, did you have to say it like that? he catches gojoâs gaze lingering on him, eyebrows raised.Â
oh, heâs got an idea all right.
âhm, special someone?â gojo teases, nudging you, then pretending to look around the room as if your admirer might jump out from behind the studio wall. âwonder who that could be, huh?â
you shrug, pretending like itâs nothing, though you shoot a sly glance in tojiâs direction. âmaybe heâll make a move someday. heâs pretty bold but⌠you know, takes his time.â
tojiâs pulse hammers away like a damn drumline, and he clears his throat, trying to sound nonchalant. âyeah, maybe heâs just⌠tryinâ to find the right time or somethinâ.â
âaww,â gojo coos, looking between you and toji with a mischievous smile. âpoor guy. wonder if he knows heâs got competition. think he can handle it?â
toji rolls his eyes, shooting gojo a glare. âainât nobody competinâ,â he says, voice low but firm. âwhoever this guy is⌠heâs got it handled.â
you laugh softly, the sound filling the room, and you hold up the charm, letting it dangle right in front of him as if itâs some sort of challenge. âthink heâs ready to seal the deal?â
tojiâs gaze flickers to the paper ring, then to you, and suddenly he feels this overwhelming urge to just⌠go for it.Â
he could give you a real ring, sure, someday maybe, but thereâs something about this little thing youâve turned into a charm that makes it feel so much⌠bigger.
âactuallyâŚâ he mutters, feeling heat crawl up his neck. âi was thinkinâ⌠maybe i could take you out this weekend. just us.â he looks at you, eyes intent, and thereâs a rare seriousness in his voice. âsomeplace nice. no studio, no interruptions.â
you blink, clearly a bit surprised, but your smile grows, softer now, almost shy.Â
âare you asking me out, toji?â
he shrugs, feigning nonchalance but failing miserably. âyeah. maybe⌠maybe i am.â he reaches out, tugging the charm lightly, letting it dangle between you. âfigured it was about time we took this thing seriously.â
gojo bursts into laughter, clapping his hands. âohhh, i knew it! all this sneaking around, and here you are, finally getting down on one knee â metaphorically, of course.â
you nudge gojo, laughing. âshut it, satoru.â
but toji doesnât even hear gojoâs teasing anymore. all he sees is you, with that damn paper ring swinging from your phone, smiling at him in a way that makes his chest feel tight.Â
and suddenly, the idea of getting down on one knee doesnât seem all that far-fetched after all.
âso⌠this weekend?â he asks, his voice a little softer now, just for you.
you nod, still beaming. âthis weekend,â you confirm.
toji, scrolling through your message with a slight frown, reads your rain check about having to edit your book draft instead of going out this weekend.Â
he's in the middle of what can only be called a hurricane of preparation â megumi is zipping around the house, declaring heâll help his dad look âvery handsomeâ for his âplaydate with the pretty lady.â in the midst of this, toji canât even get a word in to explain that, uh, the plans may be changing.
princess [7:08 pm]: hey! i am SO sorry, but i may have to rain check today. i really thought iâd finish up the first draft of the dragon kingâs sequel. but i got so behind, and now i have to edit this whole thing </3 you [7:09 pm]: canât believe my competition is a bunch of words on a page, butâŚi get it. you [7:09 pm]: any chance you could still use some company for that âediting?â
heâs barely finished typing his message when megumi tugs at his shirt, holding up a navy button-down that practically drags on the floor.
âisnât this the one she likes, dad? wear this!â he says with a look that might as well be called âfushiguro persuasion.â toji chuckles, ruffling megumiâs hair.
âhey, buddy,â he says, crouching down to megumiâs level. âplans changed a little. sheâs gotta work, so iâm going over there instead, alright?â
megumi narrows his eyes in the way only an eight-year-old can. âso... no fancy date?â
ânah, kid,â toji says, trying to sound casual as he rolls up his sleeves. âiâm just gonna keep her company while she works.â
megumi grins, a mischievous glint in his eye. âso like, a home date?â he asks, with all the implications an eight-year-old can muster.
toji chuckles, ruffling his sonâs hair. âsomething like that.â he gives megumi a quick fist bump. âhold down the fort for me, alright? iâll be back before bedtime.â
and with that, he heads out, his heart pounding just a little too fast for his own liking. heâs ready to face you with a low-key offer: if youâll allow it, heâll stay in for a âworking dateâ and keep you company, just the two of you, with no plans other than being there.
toji ^.^ [7:15 pm]: well, what if the mountain comes to you instead of you coming to the mountain? iâll bring snacks and stay out of your way. iâll even help you proofread if you need it.
your heart nearly stops when you see tojiâs message, and you almost drop your phone⌠straight into your bowl of instant noodles.Â
he wants to come over? to your place?Â
you glance around your apartment, and itâs a scene straight out of a disaster movie.
thereâs a pile of bills stacked haphazardly on the coffee table, all of which youâre waiting for shoko to graciously come sort through for you. right next to it is a mountain of pr packages you havenât had a chance to open â typewriters from some luxury brand, fountain pens with gold-tipped nibs, notebooks wrapped in satin, and⌠is that your favorite set of lingerie drying on top of the lampshade?
âoh, god.â
you glance at the time and frantically calculate: how long would it take to clear at least half of this mess?Â
no, scratch that. how long would it take to get yourself presentable? you rush to your room, tossing things left and right in an attempt to find something clean and comfortable, feeling your face heat up just imagining toji seeing your place like this.
you [7:17 pm]: are you sure you wanna come over? iâm warning you. itâs, uh, very lived-in here. toji ^.^ [7:20 pm]: hey, iâm not gonna judge. besides, how bad can it be?
you stare at his reply, chewing on your lip, and quickly text back.
you [7:21 pm]: imagine a tornado hit a bookstore you [7:21 pm]: and a clothing store you [7:21 pm]: and, maybe a warehouse full of typewriters and fountain pens. toji ^.^ [7:23 pm]: you know what? sounds cozy. iâll bring some snacks and maybe a cleaning crew if necessary đ
the doorbell rings before you could even realise, and your heart nearly leaps out of your chest.Â
youâve got a solid three seconds to take it all in: youâre wearing a three-day-old shirt that, if you recall correctly, was originally your dadâs from the 80s, your hairâs in a bun so messy it might as well be a birdâs nest, and there are bags of trash youâve hastily crammed into every drawer within reach.
thereâs no hiding the pile of unopened pr packages by the couch, though â one of which has a half-torn label boasting a âvintage, limited-edition typewriter experience.â right next to that, thereâs a fancy pen set, still in its plastic wrap, resting on top of⌠is that a stack of half-eaten takeout containers?Â
oh, god. why couldnât you have had a warning before he showed up?
you take a shaky breath and yank the door open, plastering a smile on your face as if this is all completely normal.
"hey," toji says, looking you up and down with an easy grin. âlookinâ cozy.â
âuh... thanks?â you blurt out, mentally slapping yourself. cozy was definitely one way to put it.Â
âcome on in. sorry about the⌠ambiance. i wasnât really expecting to have a, uh, guest.â
you step back, and he strides in, immediately taking in the organized chaos that is your apartment. his eyes linger on the tower of pr boxes and that unmistakable stack of overdue bills. he whistles low under his breath, clearly trying not to laugh.
"so, this is the writer life, huh?" he asks, picking up a typewriter package with a raised eyebrow. "fancy stuff. do you, uh⌠actually use any of this?â
âi try,â you mumble, crossing your arms defensively, though you canât help smiling. âbut the whole âstarving artistâ vibe means these typewriters just end up as very expensive paperweights. which, ironically, i canât even afford.â
toji laughs, setting the box down before glancing around again. his gaze falls on the lampshade, where your black lace lingerie is very prominently draped. you feel your face go hot as he smirks.
âi like the decor,â he says, nodding toward the lingerie with a wicked grin.
âoh, my god,â you groan, covering your face. âlisten, i was not expecting company today, so please, feel free to avert your eyes.â
"nah, i think it's got⌠character," he teases, leaning in just a little too close. âbesides, i donât mind a little mess.â
"well, great, because this is as real as it gets," you reply, huffing as you try to look anywhere but at him. "youâre in the trenches now, toji.â
he chuckles, moving to pick up a crumpled, half-empty bag of chips from the couch. "hey, trenches i can handle. iâve got an eight-year-old at home, remember? my place is an organized war zone on a good day."
you snort, still feeling a bit mortified. âand here i was thinking i could at least fake having my life together in front of you.â
âoh, please,â he says, brushing a stray hair from your cheek. âyou shouldâve seen me back in college. this? this is nothing. plus,â he adds, his voice dropping slightly, âitâs kind of⌠cute.â
cute. did he actually just call your disaster zone cute?
before you can respond, he grabs one of the unopened PR boxes and raises an eyebrow. âso, whatâs in this one? wanna have an impromptu unboxing?â
âtoji, i swear if you open that ââ
âcâmon,â he says, grinning as he peels the tape back. âthink of it as the highlight of our first âofficialâ homebody date.â
you shake your head, both amused and exasperated, watching him fish out an overly ornate fountain pen, which he holds up like itâs the holy grail.
âlook at this thing,â he says, turning it over with a smirk. âyou could probably sign million-dollar deals with this alone.â
âor, you know, sign off on all my overdue bills.â you laugh, unable to stay embarrassed. âgo on, add it to the pile. itâs practically a landfill at this point.â
he laughs, setting the pen down and stepping closer, his voice low. âlisten, i get it. my place might not have bills stacked up, but itâs full of⌠reminders that iâm a work in progress too.â
you glance up at him, and suddenly, all the embarrassment melts away. youâre in your messy apartment, standing in an ancient t-shirt with this man whoâs managed to turn your chaotic night into something unexpectedly comforting.
"thanks for not⌠judging," you say softly, feeling yourself relax for the first time since he walked in. âi know iâm not exactly put together, but ââ
âhey.â he cups your face with a gentle smile. âdonât worry about it. youâre perfect like this. messy, comfy, real.â
before you can stop yourself, you lean in, and he meets you halfway, his lips brushing softly against yours. itâs not hurried, not desperate. just⌠perfect.
it hits you about a second too late â youâre kissing toji in the middle of your apartment, clutching a bag of trash. oh god, and it reeks of stale mountain dew and monster.Â
classy.
you pull back with a mortified look, though tojiâs face is the exact opposite, his smirk spreading like heâs just unlocked a secret treasure.
âdonât stop now,â he murmurs, glancing down at the offending trash bag in your hand. âbut, uh⌠maybe lose that first?â
âyeah, i think weâre past the first-date mystique at this point,â you mutter, feeling your face heat up as you chuck the bag towards the corner, praying itâs out of sight enough to ignore.
âoh, yeah, youâre really blowing my mind here,â he teases, chuckling as he takes in the apartment around you. âall the caffeine fumes, that questionable takeout smell. smells like home already.â
âoh, shut up,â you laugh, covering your face, because this man is about two seconds from making you combust. âiâm surprised you even wanted to stay for dinner after walking into this disaster.â
âwell,â he says, trying and failing to look innocent, âyou havenât seen the other disaster i brought.â
you raise an eyebrow as he gestures to the counter, where multiple takeout bags are somehow all stacked up.
âtoji, what is all this?â you blink, shuffling over to the spread.
âlook,â he says, scratching the back of his neck. âi couldnât decide what youâd like, so i just⌠went with options.â
options is a gross understatement.Â
thereâs a bag from the local thai place with an array of curries and pad see ew, another filled with boxes of sushi, and an entire tray of tacos, complete with mini bottles of hot sauce. you spot a large pizza box (of course), and is that⌠baklava?
âuh, toji? are we feeding a small country tonight?â you laugh, bewildered. âwhat were you thinking?â
âhonestly? wasnât thinking. just grabbed whatever looked good,â he says, giving you a sheepish grin. âbut câmon, if you donât like one thing, thereâs a million others.â
you give him a look, half-amused, half-exasperated, but itâs endearing in a way only toji could pull off. who even does this?
âi mean, donât get me wrong,â you say, nudging a pizza box to make space for the taco tray, âiâm glad you thought of all the options, but⌠what exactly were you planning for us to do with all this?â
he shrugs, coming up beside you to open one of the sushi boxes. âeat as much as we want, throw the rest in the fridge. âcourse, thatâs only if youâre not gonna make me eat it all myself.â
you snort, imagining him single-handedly tackling all of it. âif you can handle it, be my guest.â
he leans in close, voice dropping to a rough whisper. âoh, i can handle it.â
you roll your eyes, but youâre grinning like an idiot. âgod, youâre impossible.â
âhey, you invited me over,â he says, opening a little container of wasabi and gesturing for you to try a piece of sushi.Â
âbesides, i figured itâs a good way to cover all bases. what if you didnât like tacos? or pizza? or⌠god forbid, baklava?â
you canât help laughing as you pop the sushi in your mouth, appreciating the deliciously over-the-top effort he put into this. âfor the record, i love all of it. but you, on the other hand, have a questionable appetite if you thought this much food for two people was necessary.â
âtrust me, if this is what it takes to keep you happy, iâll bring twice as much next time,â he says, dead serious.
âoh no, please, i donât think i can handle that.â you give him a look, incredulous. âiâll end up eating myself into a food coma, and then what? you gonna carry me to bed?â
âwell,â he says, leaning in again with a devilish grin, âi wouldnât mind. but i was thinkinâ more along the lines of a movie marathon to work off the calories.â
âmovie marathon and food coma?â you raise an eyebrow. âtoji, youâre dangerously close to making this a slumber party.â
he shrugs, his face playful but thereâs something softer in his eyes. âwould that be the worst thing?â
you feel a flutter in your chest, something that almost surprises you with how much it settles you. here he is, surrounded by mountains of takeout and your chaotic apartment mess, looking like this is exactly where he wants to be.Â
itâs⌠kinda nice.
âalright,â you say, nudging him with your elbow. âyou win. letâs have the weirdest, most food-filled homebody date ever. just, uh, ignore the mess. and donât laugh at me if i pass out halfway through a movie.â
âpromise.â he raises a hand, eyes glinting with humor. âcross my heart.â
the two of you start to dig in, laughing as you make jokes about how this is probably the strangest spread of food youâve ever seen. every now and then, heâll steal a quick kiss when he thinks he can get away with it, and youâre reminded just how much this man has wormed his way under your skin.
youâve got no idea where this is going, but, staring at his smirk as he attempts to down an entire taco in one bite, you kinda hope itâs somewhere good.
the two of you stand side by side at the sink, the remnants of your feast sprawled across the counter. youâre scrubbing a particularly stubborn pan when you decide itâs the perfect time to hand toji the aux.
âalright, mister fancy chef,â you say, smirking as you pass him your phone. âyou get to choose the soundtrack for our post-dinner clean-up. no pressure.â
âoh, no pressure at all,â he deadpans, scrolling through your playlist. you catch a glimpse of the mischievous grin creeping onto his face as he lands on an old favorite.
the unmistakable intro of dancing queen by abba fills the kitchen, and your mouth drops open in disbelief.Â
âseriously? this? right now?â you laugh, a mix of amusement and embarrassment bubbling inside you.
âhey, donât knock it till you try it!â he shoots back, raising his hands as if to defend his choice. âitâs a classic. plus, it takes me back to that night at the bar when you were all... well, you.â
you roll your eyes, but you canât help the smile that creeps onto your face. âi was a mess.â
âyeah, but you were a cute mess.â he chuckles, and you feel the heat rise in your cheeks at the compliment.
as the upbeat tune plays on, you both start washing the dishes, swaying your hips to the rhythm.Â
âyou can dance, you can jiveâŚâ the lyrics echo through the air, and tojiâs energy pulls you in.Â
you catch him glancing at you with that smirk again, and the way his eyes light up makes your stomach flutter.
âjust imagine,â he says, a teasing glint in his eye, âthe two of us back at that bar. you, all over the place, and me just trying to figure out how to survive the night.â
you laugh, feeling nostalgic. âyeah, and then i somehow managed to puke all over your shoes.â
âmy favorite shoes,â he says dramatically, rolling his eyes, but thereâs a playful warmth in his tone. âbut, honestly? worth it.â
the song builds, and youâre both lost in the moment, laughter and soap suds flying everywhere.
âsee that girl, watch that sceneâŚâ
âhow did we go from that night to this?â you ponder aloud, glancing at him. âi mean, here we are, washing dishes and dancing to abba.â
âitâs an upgrade he says, giving you a lopsided grin. âyou know, from drunken disasters to⌠kitchen romance.â
âromance?â you raise an eyebrow, challenging him.
âoh, come on,â he says, stepping closer, the teasing slipping away from his tone. âthereâs definitely something romantic about this. a pair of idiots like us, sharing this weird, beautiful mess.â
you canât help but blush, your heart racing as you take in the way his gaze lingers on your lips. âdigging the dancing queenâŚâ
âyou know, if this song gets stuck in my head, iâm blaming you,â you quip, trying to deflect the intensity of the moment.
âgood luck with that,â he chuckles, moving even closer, the space between you almost nonexistent now.Â
ânight is young and the musicâs highâŚâ
his fingers brush against yours, the innocent touch sending sparks up your arm. the beat continues, your breaths getting heavier as the song builds up to the chorus.Â
âdancing queen, feel the beat of the tambourineâŚâ
youâre both staring at each other, and suddenly, the kitchen feels too small, too charged with the electricity of the moment.
âtojiâŚâ you start, but the words die on your lips as he leans in, his intent clear.
âjust one kiss,â he murmurs, the corner of his mouth lifting in a seductive smile. âfor old timeâs sake.â
before you can reply, he closes the gap, his lips capturing yours with a gentle yet insistent pressure.Â
itâs like a scene from a movie â the soft warmth of his mouth against yours, the playful scent of the takeout wafting around you, the soft glow of the kitchen light illuminating his features.
you melt into him, heart racing as you kiss him back, losing yourself in the moment. the lyrics of the song seem to fade into the background, leaving just the two of you â the world outside disappearing entirely.Â
when you finally pull away, both of you breathless, thereâs a glint of something deeper in his eyes.Â
âwow,â he breathes, still holding your gaze. âi think i like this new tradition.â
you chuckle, still buzzing from the kiss. âyeah, who knew washing dishes could be so⌠eventful?â
âwell,â he says, leaning in closer again, voice low and teasing, âwe havenât even finished the song yet. you ready for round two?â
youâre half-dazed, your heart racing as you sit on the kitchen counter, tojiâs arms caging you in, keeping you close. dancing queen continues to play in the background, but all you can focus on is the warmth radiating from him and the way his breath mingles with yours.
âyou have got to stop making these kisses a regular thing,â you tease, half-heartedly trying to sound serious, but the playful glint in your eyes gives you away.
âespecially when iâm propped up on my kitchen counter like this,â you add, trying to maintain some semblance of decorum, but you canât help but smile as you wrap your legs around his waist, pulling him in closer.
âliar,â he laughs, a low rumble that sends a thrill through you. âif you didnât like it, you would have pushed me away, not this.â he gestures to your legs around him, grinning like the cat that got the cream.
you roll your eyes, but you canât hide the warmth spreading through your cheeks. âokay, fine. maybe iâm a little into it,â you admit, and his grin widens, satisfaction dancing in his eyes.
âa little?â he echoes, raising an eyebrow, his hands tightening around your waist. âyouâre a whole lot more than a little, and you know it.â
the cheeky banter flows easily between you, and as you gaze into his eyes, you realize just how much youâve come to enjoy this â the closeness, the warmth, the undeniable chemistry crackling in the air.
âyou know, itâs a bit unfair,â you say, tilting your head back slightly to meet his gaze. âhere iâm trying to be responsible and not let you distract me, and yetâŚâ you trail off, your fingers playing with the collar of his shirt.
âand yet,â he finishes, leaning in slightly, his breath warm against your skin. âhere i am, being irresistible.â
âdefinitely not irresistible,â you say, feigning indignation. but the way your heart races gives you away again.
âoh, come on,â he smirks, tilting his head slightly. âwho else do you know can kiss you while washing dishes?â
you laugh, shaking your head, and the movement sends a wave of giddiness through both of you. âyou might be right about that one,â you concede, biting your lip.
the song transitions into another upbeat section, and toji shifts his weight slightly, nudging your legs apart just enough to step closer, creating a tighter cocoon of warmth between you.Â
âso, what now?â he asks, his voice dropping an octave, the playful tone replaced with something more serious, more intimate.
âwhat now?â you echo, feeling the tension shift slightly, the air thick with possibilities. âwe could, um⌠finish washing dishes?â
âhow boring,â he murmurs, and before you can say anything else, he dips his head down, capturing your lips again in a slow, lingering kiss that makes your head spin.
this kiss is different â softer, more explorative, as if heâs savoring the moment, the taste of you lingering on his lips. you respond eagerly, forgetting all about the dishes, the mess, everything else fading away until itâs just the two of you.
when you finally break apart, breathless, he grins down at you, that charming smirk making your heart flutter. âthatâs what iâm talking about,â he says, a satisfied gleam in his eyes.
âtoji, we really should ââ
âdonât say it,â he interrupts, shaking his head with an exaggerated look of horror.Â
âdonât ruin the moment with responsibility. just⌠letâs enjoy this.â
you canât help but laugh again, the tension between you easing as you lean back against the countertop, your heart racing in a way that feels undeniably good.
âenjoying this, huh?â you murmur, running your fingers through your hair, still feeling the heat of his body against yours.
âyeah,â he replies, that charming smile still plastered on his face. âjust two people enjoying a perfectly normal evening â you know, singing abba, eating takeout, and making out in your messy kitchen.â
âthe most normal thing ever,â you agree, rolling your eyes, but you canât suppress the smile that breaks across your face.
âso,â he says, tilting his head, his expression turning slightly more serious. âhow about we make this a regular thing? you know, minus the messy kitchen. maybe my place next time?â
your heart skips a beat at the suggestion, and you find yourself nodding before you can think twice. âyeah, iâd like that.â
âgreat,â he says, his eyes sparkling with excitement. âbut for now, letâs get back to the dishes, dancing queen.â
âfine, but only if you promise to keep playing abba,â you reply, giving him a mock-serious look.
âdeal,â he chuckles, and as you both start scrubbing the remaining dishes, the music playing softly in the background, you realize you wouldnât trade this moment for anything.
toji walks into his house, the dopey grin plastered across his face like he just won the lottery.Â
his heart feels light, still buzzing from the night with you, and heâs practically floating as he kicks off his shoes and heads to the living room.Â
he stops dead in his tracks when he sees gojo sprawled on the couch, a half-empty bottle of whiskey in one hand and a look of sheer mischief on his face.
âwhat the hell are you doing here?â toji asks, trying to sound annoyed but failing miserably as he canât help but grin back.
gojo lifts the bottle in a mock toast. âjust your friendly neighborhood babysitter, here to keep an eye on megumi,â he says, glancing over to where megumi is sound asleep, sprawled on the floor with a gaming console still clutched in his tiny hands. âfigured iâd check out your bar situation while i was at it.â he gestures to the empty bottles lined up on the table. âyou know, for quality control.â
toji rolls his eyes but canât suppress the chuckle escaping his lips. âyouâre a real piece of work, you know that?â he says, moving closer.
gojo leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, a grin spreading across his face as he studies tojiâs expression. âbut seriously, you look like you just got off cloud nine. spill. what happened?â
tojiâs grin widens even more, and he canât help but let out a little giggle, feeling giddy. âyouâre not gonna believe this,â he starts, plopping down on the couch next to gojo, who leans in closer, eager for the details.Â
âit was⌠well, it was amazing.â
âamazing? now youâre really making me curious!â gojo presses, his eyes sparkling with interest. âtell me everything! every little detail!â
toji glances back towards the sleeping megumi, suddenly feeling a bit shy about sharing all the intimate details. âokay, okay. so, we were just supposed to have dinner, but it turned into this whole thing.â
âdinner? boooring. give me the juicy stuff!â gojo teases, waving his hand dramatically. âi want the scandalous details! were there kisses involved?â
toji feels his cheeks flush, and he canât help but laugh at how ridiculous this all feels. âyeah, there were some kisses⌠and then we ended up washing dishes together, and somehow ââ
âwashing dishes? how romantic!â gojo interrupts, dramatically placing a hand on his chest as if heâs been mortally wounded. âyouâre a true romantic, toji.â
âshut up!â toji retorts, laughing harder now. âbut it was nice, okay? we were just⌠comfortable with each other, you know? and then we ended up kissing while the song was playing.â
âwhich song? was it a love song? was it dancing queen?â gojo leans in closer, eyes wide with excitement. âtell me you two were blasting abba and getting all lovey-dovey!â
âyeah, actually!â toji canât help but laugh again, the memory flooding back. âwe were. it was so ridiculous, but it felt so right at that moment.â
âridiculous how?â gojo presses, leaning back with a smirk. âwere you two dancing around the kitchen like a couple of high-schoolers?â
âpretty much,â toji admits, a sheepish grin crossing his face. âi mean, it just happened, and i couldnât help myself. iâve never felt like this before.â
gojo raises an eyebrow, leaning back with a knowing smirk. âso, what youâre saying is that youâre head over heels for y/n? youâve gone soft on us, toji.â
âyeah, yeah, laugh it up,â toji says, trying to sound annoyed but failing as he canât help but feel giddy about it all. âbut i think this is different. she makes me feel⌠i donât know, like iâm actually living instead of just existing?â
gojoâs expression softens slightly, nodding in understanding. âthatâs deep, man. iâm genuinely happy for you. but seriously, how did you go from makeouts to dinner to feelings so fast?â
âhonestly? i have no idea,â toji shrugs, still riding that high. âbut it just felt natural. like we were meant to do this.â
gojo is quiet for a moment, taking a swig from the bottle.Â
âdamn, it sounds like you really like her.â
âlike? itâs more than that, i think,â toji admits, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. âiâve never let myself feel this way about anyone, and now i canât stop smiling like an idiot.â
âgood. you should let yourself feel,â gojo says, his tone lightening again.Â
âjust donât forget youâre still my bro and not some mushy romantic lead in a romcom.â
toji snorts. âright, because iâm so good at playing it cool.â
âexactly,â gojo grins. ânow, whatâs the next step in this romance novel? are you going to take her out on an official date, or are you just going to keep sneaking kisses in her kitchen?â
toji thinks for a moment, that dopey grin returning.Â
âi want to take her out. something special. not just a random dinner but a real date.â
âawww, look at you being all suave!â gojo teases, clapping him on the shoulder. âiâm actually proud of you, man. just donât screw it up.â
âthanks for the vote of confidence,â toji rolls his eyes but canât help but feel encouraged.
ânow, letâs celebrate your new relationship status! i say we finish off the rest of these bottles and toast to your love life!â gojo suggests, already grabbing for another bottle.
toji chuckles, shaking his head. âyouâre going to end up getting us both in trouble, you know that?â
âwho cares? tonightâs all about you, my guy! letâs make some bad decisions!â gojo grins, and as toji laughs, the two of them settle in for a night of ridiculous stories and plans for the future â the dopey grin still plastered on tojiâs face.
the day of the audiobook launch dawned bright and buzzing with excitement at gojo-sonic, and the atmosphere was electric. employees and investors milled about the sleek, modern venue, the air filled with chatter and the faint sound of clinking glasses.Â
it was a low-key affair, but the anticipation crackled like static electricity in the air. you were among the few chosen to celebrate this moment, standing on the cusp of something big.
you had spent hours getting ready, and with shokoâs help, you looked stunning in your gown. it was a flowing number that hugged your curves just right, accentuating your figure while allowing you to move with grace. your hair was styled in soft waves, framing your face perfectly, and your makeup enhanced your features without overshadowing them. you caught glimpses of yourself in the reflective surfaces, a wave of pride swelling in your chest as you realized just how much effort went into this moment.
toji, on the other hand, was a mix of nervous energy and utter admiration. dressed sharply in a tailored suit, he felt a blend of pride and anxiety as he watched you mingle with the guests. but the moment his eyes landed on you in that gown, his body betrayed him.Â
a rush of heat shot through him, and before he could even think, there it was â a very real, very embarrassing hard-on that he scrambled to cover up.
âshit, not now,â he muttered under his breath, cursing himself for being such a damn clichĂŠ. he quickly shifted his stance, pretending to adjust his tie as he tried to focus on anything other than the vision of you in front of him.Â
like a decent man should, right?
âtoji! you okay?â gojoâs voice cut through his thoughts, a smirk creeping across his face. he was leaning against the bar, a glass of something strong in hand, eyeing toji with amusement. âyou look like you just saw a ghost.â
âiâm fine,â toji snapped a little too quickly, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks. âjust⌠adjusting my suit.â he gestured wildly, trying to deflect the attention away from his embarrassment.
âuh-huh. sure,â gojo replied, barely hiding his laughter. âjust keep it together. we wouldnât want you to embarrass yourself in front of everyone, especially her.â he nodded subtly towards you, who were now laughing with suguru, your charm radiating like a warm glow.
toji shot him a glare, a mix of irritation and amusement battling for dominance on his face. âthanks for the reminder, genius.â
the event continued, and you were seamlessly blending into the crowd, engaging in conversations with stakeholders and employees, your confidence shining through.Â
when you shared a laugh with suguru, toji couldnât help but feel a pang of jealousy at how effortlessly charming you were. why the hell canât i just say something nice instead of standing here like an idiot?
âthere she is,â toji mumbled to himself, catching a glimpse of you as you made your way to the makeshift stage for the speeches. he admired how you carried yourself with such poise, the way your eyes sparkled with excitement. and in that moment, he was utterly captivated.
as you stepped up to the microphone, a hush fell over the crowd.Â
âthank you all for being here today,â you began, your voice steady and clear, filled with warmth. âthis launch means so much to me, and i couldnât have done it without all the support from my friends and family. especially from those at gojo-sonic, who believed in this project.â
toji watched you intently, his heart swelling with pride. this was your moment, and you were absolutely shining.Â
but as you spoke, he felt that familiar urge to approach you, to wrap his arms around you and tell you just how incredible you looked.Â
but no, he stood rooted to the spot, reminding himself of the conversation they had before about maintaining a professional facade.
âand of course, a huge thank you to my amazing voice actor, toji fushiguro,â you continued, and the crowd erupted into applause, pulling him back into reality. the sound sent another rush of heat through him, and he felt like he was about to explode â both from embarrassment and pride.
âthatâs me,â toji muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. gojo was right beside him, clapping exaggeratedly with a teasing grin. âyouâre gonna have to give her a proper compliment after this, you know?â
âyeah, yeah,â toji grumbled, still flustered as he tried to focus on your words instead of his growing embarrassment.
when you finished your speech, the crowd cheered, and you stepped down, a satisfied smile on your face.Â
you caught tojiâs eye, and for a moment, the world faded away. he could see the joy radiating from you, and all his earlier doubts slipped away.
âtoji!â you called out, your eyes sparkling. âwhat did you think?â
âyou were amazing,â he said, finally finding the courage to step forward. âreally. you owned that stage.â
âthank you,â you replied, your cheeks slightly flushed. âi was nervous, but it felt good to share this moment with everyone.â
as you spoke, tojiâs heart raced. he leaned in closer, his voice lowering as he added, âand you looked absolutely stunning, too.â
âoh? just stunning?â you teased, a playful smile dancing on your lips.
âokay, maybe breathtaking,â he admitted, a genuine smile creeping onto his face.Â
âand just so you know, i had a minor⌠situation back there, thanks to how beautiful you looked. so, you know, just keep that in mind.â
your laughter rang out, the sound warm and inviting, making toji forget all about the earlier embarrassment. he realized that whatever the two of you had going on was something he wanted to cherish, something worth pursuing.
and as the night continued, surrounded by the buzz of celebration, toji felt a sense of hope blooming in his chest â this was just the beginning.
as the excitement of the launch continued to swirl around you, suguru approached, a wide smile lighting up his face.Â
âthere you are! i was beginning to think iâd have to drag you out from behind that mic,â he teased, wrapping you in a warm hug.
âsuguru! thanks for coming!â you beamed, feeling the familiar comfort of his presence. âit means a lot to me.â
âwouldnât miss it for the world,â he said, stepping back to take a look at you. âand wow, you look incredible. seriously, how do you pull off that look?â
gojo chimed in, practically bouncing on his heels. âitâs like she stepped out of a freaking fairytale, right? sheâs basically a model now. iâm just a guy over here trying not to ruin the vibe.â
shoko smiled, her eyes soft as she observed the camaraderie. âyou all did great tonight. it really was a wonderful launch.â
toji stood slightly apart from the group, hands shoved into his pockets, watching the dynamic unfold. he was proud of you and knew you deserved this moment, but he couldnât shake the feeling of being on the outside. seeing you laugh and joke with suguru and gojo tugged at something deep inside him, a mix of admiration and protectiveness that made him feel a little more possessive than he expected.
âso, whatâs next for you?â suguru asked, leaning in closer, his tone genuine. âanother book, or are you taking a break?â
âa bit of both, actually,â you replied, glancing at toji. âi want to explore some new ideas, maybe branch out a little.â
just then, a lecherous-looking man stepped into the conversation, an air of arrogance radiating off him.Â
âwell, if it isnât the famed author herself,â he sneered, a condescending smirk plastered on his face. âi have to say, itâs impressive how youâve managed to carve out such a niche for yourself.â âfree-use woman, is that what they call it? quite the career choice, huh?â
the moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere shifted. toji's heart raced, a cold wave of irritation washing over him. he could feel his jaw clenching as he shifted his weight, bracing himself for whatever would come next.Â
the man had no idea what he was stepping into.
gojoâs expression darkened, his casual demeanor evaporating. âwho the hell do you think you are, talking to her like that?â he snapped, stepping in front of you protectively. âyouâre clearly out of your depth.â
shoko frowned, her eyes narrowing at the man. âthatâs incredibly disrespectful. you should apologize right now.â
suguru, leaning closer to you, was already assessing the situation, his gaze piercing. âitâs brave of you to come here and talk to her, but if you think you can just waltz in and make those kinds of comments, youâre sorely mistaken.â
toji felt a surge of possessiveness overtake him, and he stepped forward, arms crossed tightly over his chest. âlisten, buddy, you donât get to come here and treat her like sheâs some sort of object. sheâs worked hard for everything she has, and youâre just jealous that youâll never get anywhere close to her level.â
the man scoffed, clearly unfazed, but the looks on the faces of gojo, shoko, and suguru sent a wave of intimidation over him. âoh, what? youâre one of her little fanboys now?â he mocked, trying to play off the tension.
âsheâs not just some girl for your amusement,â toji replied, his voice low but full of intensity. âif you canât see that, then you donât deserve to be in the same room as her.â
you were taken aback, a mix of shock and warmth flooding your chest at tojiâs fierce defense. it was a side of him you hadnât seen in this context, and it made your heart race. you quickly interjected, trying to defuse the situation.Â
âitâs okay, really. i donât mind ââ
âno,â suguru cut you off gently but firmly, glancing back at you with concern. âyou shouldnât have to put up with that kind of trash talk. youâre better than that, and weâre here for you.â
âyeah,â gojo added, his expression serious. âthis guy doesnât know who heâs messing with. just because you think you can get away with it doesnât mean you should.â he turned to the man, a fire burning in his blue eyes.Â
âiâd suggest you leave before things get ugly.â
the manâs bravado faltered, and he hesitated, clearly weighing his options.Â
âwhatever, man,â he spat, finally backing away, a look of disdain on his face. âi didnât want to talk to you losers anyway.â
as he walked off, toji felt a wave of relief wash over him, but it was mingled with something else â something like pride for you and his friends, who had stood up for what was right.Â
he turned to you, catching your eye. âyou alright?â
you nodded, still processing what just happened. âyeah, thanks. i didnât think heâd go that far.â
âheâs a fucking idiot,â toji replied, shaking his head. âyou deserve better than that.â
âyou all really stood up for me,â you said softly, feeling gratitude swell in your chest.
âof course we did,â shoko replied, her expression warm. âweâre your friends, and weâll always have your back.â
toji stepped a bit closer, and for a moment, the noise of the event faded into the background. âjust remember that,â he said, his voice low and sincere. âyouâre not alone in this.â
and as the night continued, surrounded by friends who cared deeply for you, toji felt a sense of belonging that he hadnât anticipated, realizing just how much he wanted to protect that warmth â protect you.
the event wrapped up smoothly, but leave it to gojo to suggest a âgirls day outâ to celebrate â the âgirlsâ in question, of course, were all of you.
âcome on!â gojo insisted, practically bouncing as you all filed out of the venue. âa little lunch at this fancy new place! i already reserved us a table. trust me, youâll love it.â he flashed that signature grin, one that sparkled with both charm and mischief.
âi thought you called this a girlâs day out?â toji raised an eyebrow, looking mildly exasperated. âyouâre delusional if you think iâm your girl, gojo.â
gojo only smirked, looping his arm through tojiâs despite his attempts to shake him off.Â
âtoji, honey, everyoneâs my girl,â he teased. âbesides, i knew youâd say yes deep down.â
âkeep telling yourself that,â toji muttered, though a small smirk betrayed his amusement.
suguru shook his head, amused, as he watched their dynamic. âsometimes i think we enable him too much.â
âyou definitely do,â shoko chimed in, already lighting a cigarette as you walked along. âbut at least lunch on gojoâs tab makes it worth it.â
soon enough, the five of you strolled into the swanky restaurant, where the hostess greeted gojo with a wide smile. âright this way, mr. gojo,â she said, leading you all to a secluded table with an impressive view.
gojo waited until you all took your seats before he threw himself down, stretching out like he owned the place. âorder whatever you want, my treat!â he announced, flashing a grin at the menu. âthe foie gras here is to die for.â
âyouâre ordering foie gras?â you raised an eyebrow, half-amused and half-horrified.
gojo shrugged, feigning innocence. âwhat? itâs delicious.â he turned to toji. âyouâre in, right?â
toji gave him a dry look. âi donât even know what that is, gojo.â
suguru snorted into his drink. âyouâre so cultured, toji.â
toji rolled his eyes, shoving a breadstick into his mouth with exaggerated indifference. âas long as itâs not something gojo personally cooked, iâll eat it.â
gojo gasped dramatically, clutching his heart. âyou wound me! i make a mean ramen!â
shoko raised an eyebrow at him. âinstant ramen doesnât count, gojo.â
as you skimmed the menu, suguru leaned over to point out some of the more ânormalâ dishes.Â
âiâd stick to these if i were you,â he chuckled. âunless youâre ready for gojoâs idea of exotic.â
âgood call,â you replied, grinning. âiâm not trying to eat anything that still has a face.â
just then, gojo noticed a seafood platter being served at a nearby table, and his eyes lit up. âoh, look at that! whoâs in for oysters? fresh from the coast, or so they say.â
toji grimaced, pushing the menu away. âyouâre kidding, right? i donât eat anything slimy.â
gojo wagged his finger at him, smirking. âtoji, youâll never know the finer things in life with an attitude like that.â
âif the finer things in life involve slimy food, count me out,â toji retorted, crossing his arms.
you couldnât help but laugh, catching suguruâs eye. he shook his head, a faint smile on his lips.Â
âsome things never change, huh?â
âyeah, especially gojoâs tastes,â shoko muttered, taking a sip of her drink.
as the food finally arrived, the table was soon filled with laughter and stories, everyone swapping tales about work, life, and everything in between. gojo, unsurprisingly, dominated the conversation, though he was more than happy to playfully drag each of you into his stories.
âand then, get this,â gojo laughed, his shoulders shaking. âi convinced the poor guy i was a psychic! he walked around with a âcursedâ amulet for a week before he realized i was just messing with him.â
âi donât understand how anyone falls for your crap,â toji said, shaking his head, though even he was hiding a smile.
âitâs a gift,â gojo replied smugly, before winking at you. âisnât that right?â
âoh, definitely,â you replied dryly. âa gift and a curse.â
âmostly a curse,â shoko agreed, patting gojoâs shoulder.
after a few rounds of drinks, everyone had relaxed into the easy camaraderie, passing dishes and laughing as gojo continued his dramatic retellings, complete with hand gestures and questionable impressions.
âso, toji,â gojo leaned over with a sly grin, âhowâs⌠life?â
toji eyed him, wary. âlifeâs fine, gojo. what are you getting at?â
ânothing!â gojo held up his hands innocently. âjust curious about your⌠extracurriculars.â
toji rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath as shoko smirked, clearly entertained by tojiâs suffering.
suguru leaned in, murmuring to you, âyou think heâll make it through the whole lunch without snapping?â
you laughed softly. âheâs holding up pretty well, all things considered.â
as dessert rolled around, gojo ordered a massive platter of sweets âfor the table,â though everyone knew heâd end up eating half of it himself.
âi swear, if you finish all those eclairs before i even get oneâŚâ toji warned, eyeing gojo.
gojo winked, already reaching for a plate. âtoo slow, toji! if you want something, youâve got to seize it.â
âyeah? you wanna see me seize it?â toji reached over, snatching an ĂŠclair from gojoâs hand in one swift move.
the entire table burst out laughing, gojoâs indignant look only adding to the humor. it was one of those rare moments where everything felt right, like you were all in sync, just enjoying each otherâs company.
as you leaned back in your chair, watching everyone banter, you felt a warmth settle in your chest. these were the kinds of moments youâd remember â the laughter, the shared jokes, the way each personâs personality filled the room in a way only they could.
it was a good day.Â
and somehow, you had gojoâs âgirls day outâ to thank for it.
âsuguru! where are you going?â gojo called, laughing.
suguru gave a halfhearted smile. âjust⌠need to take this.â
you watched him go, a flicker of concern starting to build when minutes passed with no sign of his return. eventually, you excused yourself, hoping everything was alright.
turning the corner, you found him leaning against the wall, head down, shoulders tense and shaking slightly. the quiet sound of his breath catching, his barely-contained sobs â it was like a punch to the chest.Â
suguru geto never cried.
âsuguru?â you whispered, not wanting to startle him.
he looked up, his face streaked with tears, a raw, vulnerable expression youâd never seen. he quickly tried to brush it off, rubbing his eyes. âyou shouldnât⌠see me like this,â he muttered.
your heart clenched as you stepped closer. âhey, iâm your friend. you donât have to hide from me.â
he looked away, swallowing hard, his voice strained. âitâs⌠her. she made her choice.â he took a ragged breath. âshe doesnât love me. sheâs with someone else now.â
you felt your stomach twist at the pain in his voice, at the way his composure was unraveling before you. you reached out instinctively, placing a hand on his shoulder. âsuguru, iâm so sorry. i know how much she meant to you.â
he let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.Â
âi thought we had something real, you know? i thought⌠i thought sheâd see me the same way.â
âyou loved her,â you murmured, feeling his anguish like a weight pressing on your chest. âyou gave her everything. sometimes people⌠they just donât see whatâs right in front of them.â
âmaybe itâs me,â he choked, clenching his fists. âmaybe i just wasnât enough.â
you took his hand, giving it a firm squeeze. âdonât say that. youâre more than enough. she just⌠didnât see it. it doesnât mean you arenât worth it.â
his face crumpled, and for a moment, he was silent, holding onto you like you were an anchor keeping him from sinking.Â
âi feel so⌠empty,â he admitted, his voice barely a whisper.
âlet it out, suguru,â you said gently, wrapping your arms around him. âyou donât have to carry this alone.â
he leaned into your embrace, taking deep, shuddering breaths as he tried to regain control. you rubbed soothing circles on his back, feeling each tremble, each heartbeat, sharing in the quiet vulnerability of the moment.
âi donât know what iâd do without you right now,â he said, his voice barely audible.
âyou donât have to,â you replied softly. âiâm here. youâll be okay, suguru. even if it takes time.â
as you comforted him, you didnât notice that toji had also come looking for you. heâd been watching the hallway, glancing at his watch, wondering what was taking you so long.Â
a knot of worry twisted in his stomach, his mind flashing back to the earlier incident â that sleazy man at the event who had tried to approach you.
what if something happened again?
when he turned the corner, the sight he found stopped him cold.Â
you, hugging suguru, holding him so tightly, your hand stroking his hair as he buried his face into your shoulder.
a strange, hot flare of jealousy surged up in his chest.Â
his jaw clenched as he stared at you, his fingers twitching with the urge to do⌠something. here was suguru, wrapped up in your arms, his pain visible and raw â but still.
 toji couldnât help the spike of resentment. why did it have to be suguru you were comforting?
why couldnât you hold onto him like that?
his fingers tightened around the edge of his jacket, his thoughts spiraling. he knew he had no right to feel this way, knew suguru was hurting â but the sight of you so intimately close, your gentle words he couldnât quite hear, only made his jealousy deepen.
his eyes narrowed as he kept watching, trying to ignore the twinge of vulnerability he hadnât expected. why did he care so much? he gritted his teeth.Â
but when you finally looked up, catching sight of him, his expression was unreadable, masked beneath a carefully controlled look. there was a subtle stiffness to the way he held himself, and his gaze flickered briefly to suguru before settling back on you.
âtojiâŚâ you said softly, surprised to see him there.
he crossed his arms, giving a slight nod in suguruâs direction. âeverything alright?â
âyeah,â you replied, glancing at suguru, who gave a faint nod, still wiping at his eyes. âjust⌠a hard day.â
tojiâs eyes softened slightly as he looked at you, though his expression remained guarded. âyouâre a good friend,â he murmured, barely audible, though there was a hint of something deeper behind his words.
you offered him a small smile, sensing the underlying tension. âjust doing what anyone would.â
tojiâs gaze lingered on you a little longer, his jealousy ebbing slightly, though a part of him still ached to be the one you held so tightly, the one youâd stayed for so long just to comfort.Â
but he pushed the feeling down, knowing that tonight, suguru needed you more.
suguru excused himself to rejoin the table, likely gravitating toward satoru, who knew more about his heartbreak than anyone else there. that left just you and toji standing in your little corner, tucked away from the bustling restaurant.
he was looking at you with that smirk of his, the kind that had you already feeling flustered, but determined not to give him the satisfaction. he took a casual step forward, slipping his hands into his pockets, and leaned in close, voice low and almost playful.
âso⌠whatâre you doing over here, all alone with me?â he drawled, eyes trailing slowly from your eyes down to your lips.
before he could say anything else, you raised an eyebrow, folding your arms.Â
âyou mean, other than watching you try to pretend you werenât sporting a hard-on for half the event?â
the teasing grin on your lips was unmistakable, and his reaction was instant. tojiâs expression flickered, a hint of surprise in his eyes, followed by an intense gleam as he chuckled under his breath. âoh, so you noticed that, huh?â
ânoticed? please,â you scoffed, keeping up your confident front even as he closed the space between you with slow, measured steps. âhow could i not? it was right there.â
âguess you were too busy looking at me to focus on anything else,â he replied smoothly, his voice dropping a little lower. he leaned in, his lips hovering dangerously close to yours, breath warm against your skin. âmaybe i shouldâve been paying more attention to you instead.â
your heart skipped a beat, but you didnât let it show.Â
âwell, now you know better,â you murmured back, voice challenging. âmaybe you shouldâve acted on it then, instead of waiting until now.â
he raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. âoh, is that a challenge?â
âonly if you can handle it,â you shot back, the thrill of the back-and-forth sparking something between you two.
his eyes darkened, and before you knew it, he had one hand on your waist, pulling you flush against him, his other hand braced against the wall by your head.Â
âyou think i canât handle a little challenge from you?â he murmured, his lips so close they nearly brushed yours.
you swallowed, but kept your cool. âif you could, you wouldnât be hesitating.â
âtrust me, sweetheart,â he murmured, voice low and dangerously smooth, âwhen iâm done with you, you wonât be the one running your mouth.â
before you could come up with a retort, his lips were on yours, firm and demanding, as if heâd been waiting all night to finally do this. you couldnât hold back a soft gasp as he kissed you deeper, his hand sliding up to cradle your face while his other gripped your waist tightly, pressing you up against the wall.
your hands instinctively found their way to his shoulders, clutching him as he took full control of the kiss, his tongue brushing against yours with a fierceness that left your head spinning. he groaned softly as he pressed his body closer, one hand sliding up the side of your thigh, fingers grazing over the soft fabric of your dress.
âyou like getting me all worked up, donât you?â he murmured against your lips, his voice laced with that smug edge that made you shiver. âcanât get enough of teasing me, huh?â
âmaybe i do,â you shot back, though your voice wavered slightly as he bit down on your lower lip, sending a spark through you. âbut itâs not my fault you canât keep your hands to yourself.â
he chuckled darkly, his hands sliding up your sides, thumbs brushing just beneath your ribs as he pressed his hips against yours.Â
âyeah? whatâre you gonna do about it?â he murmured, leaning in to brush his lips over the sensitive skin of your neck, sending a shiver down your spine.
âyou really think youâre in control here?â you asked, voice challenging even as he continued to press you into the wall. âbecause from where iâm standing, it looks like youâre the one who canât resist me.â
âcareful what you say,â he warned, his tone thick with restrained desire. âiâm this close to dragging you out of here and making you eat those words.â
your heart raced, and even though you were half-tempted to keep pushing him, you couldnât deny the thrill of having him this close, his hands roaming over you, his lips brushing down your neck. you let out a breathless laugh, threading your fingers through his hair as you tugged him closer.Â
âthen maybe you should quit talking and show me what youâve got.â
he didnât need any further invitation. his grip tightened on you, his mouth covering yours in a heated, almost punishing kiss that left you breathless. his hands roamed over your body with a hunger that was practically palpable, every touch igniting a new spark.Â
he was practically devouring you, his breath coming faster as he pressed you harder against the wall, his fingers digging into your waist as he kissed you deeply, thoroughly, like he wanted to leave his mark.
âgod,â he murmured, voice husky, âyouâre driving me insane.â he leaned back just enough to look into your eyes, his gaze intense. âyou really wanna keep pushing me, huh?â
you smirked, your own voice barely above a whisper. âmaybe i just like seeing what youâll do about it.â
on the outside, you were holding your ground. confident smirks, playful retorts, the whole act. but on the inside?Â
you were freaking the fuck out.Â
here you were, basically mimicking every female lead youâd ever written, pulling from their limitless reserve of sass and self-assuredness to somehow keep pace with toji's relentless flirting. each comeback, each smirk â it was like a mental pep talk to channel all those characters whoâd never break a sweat in this situation.
but⌠oh god. what if things actually got hot and heavy?Â
you were standing there, going toe-to-toe with toji of all people, and it hit you â you were completely out of your depth here. this was not your usual flirting, the teasing banter youâd half-heartedly perfected through fictional dialogue.Â
this was real.
and suddenly the thought crept in like an alarm bell: you might actually have to⌠gn?
your eyes widened a fraction as you tried to keep your cool.Â
gn.Â
get naked, not even good night â although, maybe a good night after the get naked part, if you even made it that far without spontaneously combusting.Â
your mind raced, frantically scrolling through every bedroom scene youâd ever written, but realizing none of them really prepared you for this.Â
oh my god, you panicked inwardly, just because i write smut doesnât mean i know what to do when iâm the one gripping the sheets!
âwhat, cat got your tongue?â tojiâs voice interrupted your internal spiral, his smirk widening as he traced a thumb across your cheek, dipping dangerously close to your lips. ânot so confident now, are ya?â
you forced a grin, cursing the tremble in your fingers as they clutched at his shirt.Â
âoh, please, like iâm nervous,â you shot back, mentally crossing every finger and toe that your voice didnât waver.Â
inside, though, you were a swirling mess, praying he didnât catch the slightest tremor.Â
fake it till you make it, right?Â
only problem was, the longer he looked at you, the more he seemed to see right through you.
his eyes narrowed just a little, his smirk shifting into something⌠softer, a touch more considerate. you wanted to think heâd be gracious, that heâd at least slow down, but no, there was something else in his gaze. maybe a flicker of understanding?Â
no, that was too generous.
he was toji.
and as if he could sense your hesitation, he leaned in close, his lips brushing your ear.Â
ârelax, princess,â he whispered, his tone softer, maybe even gentle. âwe can go as slow as you want. besidesâŚâ his lips quirked up into a teasing grin.Â
âdonât think youâre getting out of this without admitting how much youâre enjoying it.â
relax? yeah, right.Â
your heart was doing backflips, your mind racing through every possible move youâd probably never have the courage to pull off. he had you right where he wanted you, and you couldnât stop the blush rising to your cheeks.Â
oh god, you thought desperately, please donât ask me to make the next move.
just as you were bracing yourself to somehow manage to keep up this charade of confidence, tojiâs phone vibrated between you, cutting the tension with a blaring ringtone. and of all people, it had to be gojo. you glimpsed his name flashing on the screen right as toji picked up, rolling his eyes before pressing the phone to his ear.
âwhat, satoru?â toji sighed, clearly irritated at the interruption.
âtoji! man, hurry up and get back here!â gojoâs voice screeched through the phone, loud enough for you to hear the dramatic urgency. âweâve got a very, very depressed mr. geto here whoâs having the existential crisis of the century. we need all hands on deck, and yes, that means you too. and preferably sober, mind you. no drinks this time! none.âÂ
gojo's voice dropped, muttering something about âbanging y/n later if you have to,â but you both caught it.
toji gave you a side-eye smirk, shaking his head at gojoâs predictability, before letting out a sigh.Â
âfine. but you owe me one, big time.â and with that, he ended the call, shoving his phone back into his pocket.
before you could even tease him about the abrupt change of plans, he leaned in and gave you a sharp smack! on the ass, grinning at the way you jumped.Â
âguess weâll have to put this on hold, princess. duty calls.â with a wink, he took your hand, leading you back toward the table.
it was gonna be a long night.
back at the table, the scene wasâŚwell, not what youâd expected.Â
suguru looked rough.Â
he sat slumped in his chair, swirling a glass of water (gojo had made sure of it) with a far-off stare that looked like he was seeing into another dimension. gojo and shoko were positioned on either side of him, each with their own ineffective tactics.
âcâmon, sugu, itâs not the end of the world,â gojo said, nudging him with a grin that looked a bit too forced. âi mean, i never liked her anyway. you deserve way better than ââ
âshe was amazing,â suguru cut him off, his voice flat but tinged with emotion. âyou wouldnât understand, satoru.â
shoko sighed, patting his shoulder. âshe wasnât that amazing. she had weird fashion taste.â
âand didnât she correct you on every little thing? constantly?â gojo added, crossing his arms with a small smirk.
suguru gave them both a look, unamused. âi liked her fashion sense. and i didnât mind the corrections.â
toji leaned back in his seat, giving you a subtle eye roll.Â
this was what youâd come back for.Â
he sighed, then leaned forward, slapping a hand on suguruâs shoulder. âyou know, sulking isnât gonna help anything. maybe itâs time to get back out there, stop dwelling on someone who clearly didnât value you.â
suguru let out a tired sigh, and gojo jumped in, eyes lighting up. âexactly! there are plenty of people whoâd be thrilled to date the great suguru geto!â he gestured around the room as if a fan club might spontaneously form right then and there.Â
âyouâre smart, youâre talented ââ
âand single,â shoko added dryly, sipping her drink with a shrug.
suguru slumped lower, clearly unconvinced. âi donât want to be single,â he muttered. âi wanted her.â
you winced at the defeated tone in his voice, exchanging a helpless look with toji, who looked equally unsure what else they could say to help.Â
gojo, though, was not one to give up. he clapped his hands, as if a brilliant idea had just struck him.
âokay! new plan,â he declared, leaning in with an almost manic enthusiasm. âyouâre going to go out with us this weekend. all of us. no work, no responsibilities â just a wild time. weâll find you a nice rebound ââ
suguru glared. âno, thanks.â
shoko groaned, propping her chin on her hand. âwell, iâm out of ideas. anyone else?â
you took a deep breath, deciding to give it one last shot.Â
âmaybeâŚyou donât have to forget her completely, but maybe you can focus on what made you happy outside of her. like, remember what you love doing?â
suguru looked at you, as if considering the thought, but then slumped back. âitâs not the same,â he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. âitâs justâŚnot the same.â
gojo groaned dramatically, throwing his head back. âi swear, youâre worse than me on my worst breakup day. someone call for reinforcements because i think weâre gonna need a miracle worker for this one.â
the table fell quiet, everyone glancing at suguru, who looked as defeated as ever, and it hit you that maybe tonight, there really wasnât a solution.
one month later, the dreaded wedding invitation arrived, dropped unceremoniously on suguruâs desk. it was embossed in gold, the bride and groomâs names announced in elegant script, and just looking at it made his chest tighten. this was her wedding â the woman heâd once thought heâd spend his life with, now celebrating a future with someone else.
gojoâs reaction was immediate, bursting out in an exaggerated laugh when he saw the invite on suguruâs desk.Â
âare you kidding me? sheâs really inviting you? thatâs low, even for her. come on, suguru, youâre not actually thinking about going, are you?â
suguru just gave a small smile, almost serene in the face of it all. âactually, i think i might.â
gojo gaped. âwhat?! dude, theyâre practically rubbing it in your face! itâs like sending a âha-ha, weâre in love, and youâre notâ postcard.âÂ
he crossed his arms, scowling at the offending piece of cardstock. âthis is the most tasteless thing iâve ever seen.â
shoko, who was nearby, raised an eyebrow, half-amused, half-curious. âmaybe she didnât mean it that way, satoru. maybe itâs her way of being considerate, keeping suguru involved as a friend.â
gojo scoffed, rolling his eyes. âoh please, you donât invite your ex to your wedding, especially if you broke his heart. she should be thrilled heâs not cursing her name in three different languages.â
but suguru only shook his head, calm as ever. âitâs not like that, satoru. weâve both moved on, in our own ways. i donât hold it against her. she chose what makes her happy, and if thatâs someone elseâŚwell, then i wish her the best.â he shrugged lightly. âi donât see any point in being bitter about it.â
gojo stared at him, as if seeing an entirely different person. âyouâre joking, right? this is not you. the real suguru wouldâve burned that thing or at least made a snarky comment about her dress being too âlast season.ââ
suguru laughed, an easy, relaxed sound that caught them all by surprise. âthatâs exactly it, satoru. i donât want to be that guy anymore. iâve spent enough time with those feelings. theyâreâŚexhausting. if going to this wedding gives me closure, then why not?â
gojo looked like he was about to combust. âclosure? closure is just a fancy word for âlet me put myself through hell for no reason.â honestly, suguru, youâre giving her too much credit. sheâs the one who ditched you, remember?â
suguru tilted his head, offering gojo a gentle but pointed look. âmaybe itâs not about her anymore. maybe this is just about me.â his voice was calm, but there was a certain finality in it, as if heâd already come to terms with everything.
gojo, meanwhile, huffed and crossed his arms, looking thoroughly unimpressed. âwell, i think itâs ridiculous. she doesnât deserve any more of your attention.â
suguru sighed, but there was a faint smile on his lips, as if gojoâs dramatics were somehow endearing.Â
âsatoru, not everything is a personal insult. people make choices. sometimes theyâre not the ones we wanted, but that doesnât make them wrong.â
gojo let out a long, exaggerated groan. âyouâre way too good for this world, suguru. like, way too mature. no one deserves you. iâd be sending her a glitter bomb or something, just for the hell of it.â
shoko chuckled, patting gojo on the back. âmaybe you should take a lesson from suguru. not everyone has to nurse their ego through every breakup.â
gojo snorted, still glaring at the invitation like it had personally offended him. âfine, go ahead and be the bigger person, suguru. but if you even think about bringing me as your plus-one, iâm causing a scene.âÂ
he folded his arms defiantly. âiâm talking upstaging the bride type of scene.â
suguruâs smile widened, genuine and peaceful. ânoted, satoru. but i think iâll be alright.â
and in that moment, watching suguru handle what should have been a painful reminder with quiet dignity, even gojoâs bluster faded just a bit. sure, he might think suguru was handling it all wrong, but deep down, he couldnât help but admire his friendâs strength.
tag list is open, comment if you'd like to be on it <3 [ @lemonlimecrystal-blog @mypashionisforfashion @crocodilethesir ] produced by creamflix on tumblr. all rights reserved. do not copy, steal, modify, repost â support your writers by liking and reblogging. ⥠banners by cafekitsune
#jjk smut#jujutsu kaisen smut#jjk x reader#jujutsu kaisen x fem!reader#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jjk x female reader#jjk x fem!reader#jjk x y/n#jujutsu kaisen x female reader#jujutsu kaisen x you#fushiguro toji x you#toji x reader#toji x you#toji x y/n#toji x self insert#fushiguro toji x reader#toji fushiguro x you#toji fushiguro x reader#fushiguro x you#fushiguro x y/n#fushiguro x reader
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Angel: Kick his ass, Adam
Angel flipped Vox off as he walked away.
Vox: You whore! Val will hear about this-!
Adam growled and stepped in front of Vox, blocking Angel from him.
Adam: You're here to see me, ass hair. The fuck do you want?
Vox: I have a proposition for you~.
Adam cringed: I'd rather not know what that is, thank you.
Vox: Oh, don't worry. This benefits you and your little hotel.
Adam: Really? Well, if it doesn't involve touching you, I'd be happy to hear it!
Vox: How childish are you, Adam? Really now. Touch ME!? I wouldn't give you the satisfaction~.
Adam: My, my. Look at how confident you sound. Hm... I like it~.
Vox blushes: R-Really?
Adam: No. Now, get on with it. I'm very busy.
Vox growled. He's remembering why he lov- hates Adam.
Vox: Fine. I'm sure you would like an advertisement deal for the hotel-
Adam: I can handle that.
Vox: Oh- come on, Adam! Radio!? Really!? We're not in the 30s anymore!
Adam: I'm still waiting for your proposal. And if you don't hurry, I will make you regret ever coming here.
Lucifer watches from the stairs as Adam starts to become more demonic. The lights flicker, and the air fills with static. Because of his increase in power, he looks a lot more terrifying.
Lucifer has to stop himself from laughing as Vox actually cowers.
Vox: F-Fine! Shit!
Within an instant, Adam returns to normal and fixes his suit.
Adam: Get on with it then.
Vox: ...I uh... yes- well... I would like to endorse your hotel!
Adam: It's not MY hotel, Vox. You should get the ownership right before you offer endorsement. Not that we need it. I'm perfectly capable of handling this place myself.
Lucifer could tell Vox was getting angry. Adam has that smug smile on his face. One that used to piss Lucifer off as much as it is Vox, but now he finds it charming.
Vox: You need me, Adam. Just- please... give me a chance. We used to be friends! Partners even!
Adam: We were never partners, Vox.
Vox: I know you say that- and I understand where you're coming from... as much as it hurts. I just... I need... you.
Adam: ...You need me?
Vox: I do. I'd like to work a deal out with you- a mutual deal. I have something that would really interest you.
Adam: A deal? Now you've interested me~. Go on.
Vox: Look- we should discuss this at a mutual place- come to the Vee tower tomorrow at 12pm-
Adam: That's not mutual ground, Vox. And you're making this sound like a trap~. You wouldn't do that to me, would you Vox?
Vox tenses as one of Adam's tentacles rubs past his face.
Vox: O-Of course not-!
Adam: Because you understand that you've never stood a chance against me~. And your two bedwarmers can't help you. So, if this is a trap or you waste my time, I'll show you pain you've never known existed. Ha! How ironic! I may even have you on my radio show! I'm sure my listeners would love to hear you beg and scream~.
Vox tried to fix his composure: U-Uh- yes! I'm sure! But luckily, that won't happen! You'll love what I have to show you, trust me.
Adam: I don't trust you... but I won't lie, I am interested. And, thanks to a recent development, I'm a lot stronger~. So, why not! I'd love the chance to blow off some steam, and if you three get in my way, that'll be double the fun~.
Vox: ...S-So- see you at 12?
Adam smiles, flashing his sharp teeth: Yes. See you at 12.
Vox: Fantastic! It's a date!
Adam narrows his eyes as Vox walks off. One day, he'll love to smash that screen all over again. Maybe fuck up the other antenna.
Lowkey want an au where Adam has Alastors' powers.
The tentacles
The eyes
The changing size
The shadows
The sass
The deal making
Him owning Husk and Nifty
The musical numbers
The radio control
The tentacles- have I mentioned that before?
The rivalry with Lucifer
Maybe he replaces Alastor entirely. No Alastor. Only Adam. It's always been Adam.
Thanks for coming to my tedtalk.
Only Adam lol This is good! His Husk and Nifty could be Lute and Peter.
He doesn't have to smile all the time does he?
Yessss, and he plays rock instead of jazz lol And yes of course there is a rivalry lol
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Black Dahlia - 17. Jealousy
Summary: Xaden and Garrick get their squads together to train, leading to some jealousy with someone unexpected.
A/N: I'm so sorry for the long delay on Dahlia. Kinktober took priority, but we are back in full force. I wrote so many parts in the last 24 hours for this, and I can't wait for you guys to see what I'm building up to in a few parts! Garrick Tavis x OC (Dahlia Aetos)
Black Dahlia Masterlist | Masterlist
âI donât know why you wonât give him a chance.â Liz says in an airy tone.
I turn to see her staring at Garrick and Xaden who have gone shirtless for their sparring warm up. And she wasnât the only one. There were more cadets here than normal for our night training session. Since bonding dragons it seemed a lot of the first years were wanting to make sure they kept their seat. And every single girl in the room was starting at them.
I canât help but let my eyes wander as I look over at them. Garrick was by far the most muscular guy in the quadrant. As if every muscle had been carved from stone. I shake my head in attempt to get those thoughts out of my head before turning back to watch Imogen spar with another first year.
âI wonât give him a chance, because he wonât give me a chance.â I reply bitterly.
âI mean, can you blame the guy? Youâve seen how your brother and father treat the other marked ones.â Liz murmurs, still lost in a trance as she watches them spar.
âI am not my brother and my father.â I nearly snap at her, my typical anger rising to the surface at being compared to them.
âTrust me, we know. Even if you were an angsty bitch when we first met you.â Austin teases from my other side, dodging my attempt to shove her away.
âThanks? Not sure if that was a compliment or an insult.â I say as I narrow my eyes at her slightly.
âLetâs go with both.â Bodhi says as he walks over and joins us, Garrick and Xaden close behind him.
I keep my eyes focused on Bodhi as I jokingly glare at him, but out of the corner of my eye I feel Garrick staring at me. Ever since our interaction in the hallway Iâd felt his eyes on me more. Almost as if challenging me to take the bait heâd laid out the other day. Which I was not. Yes I could admit he was attractive, especially while he stood there shirtless with his freaking muscles on full display as they glisten with a slight sheen of sweat. But even if I did get along with him, I was not becoming another notch in his bed post.
âAlright everyone, pair up with someone and start going through some weapon practice.â Xaden advises as he looks over us.
Tonight both his and Garrickâs squads were training together. Apparently a good way to broaden our training by going up against people we didnât really know. Naturally Imogen tagged along even though she wasnât in either squad. She made a habit of turning up whenever we were here. She kept saying it was coincidence, but I was starting to think it really wasnât. Our squads start pairing off, Liz and Austin pairing up as if on auto pilot. They worked well together as they were a similar skill level, often complaining Bodhi and I were too difficult to go up against.
I go to follow Bodhi, but a large figure steps into my path and Iâm forced to look up at Garrick. âHow about you and I pair up little Aetos?â His voice laced with a mocking tone as he looks down at me.
I roll my eyes and scoff at him. âNo thanks, wouldnât want to catch something from being too close to you.â I snap back, causing Bodhi and Imogen to snicker at my comment, Xadenâs eyes going wide as he looks between us.
âYouâre just scared Iâll finally show you up.â He mocks, arms crossing over his chest as he cocks his head to the side.
An idea forms in my head. A stupid idea. And I silently hope he doesnât follow through with it as the words leave my mouth. âIf youâre so confident about that maybe you should challenge me once challenges start back up. Unless youâre scared Iâll prove you wrong again?â
Another round of snickers pick up around us, Garrickâs brow furrowing as he glares down at me. Clearly me proving him wrong all those weeks ago was still a sore spot for him, and I couldnât help but smirk at him before pushing past him and dragging Bodhi with me.
âYou know heâs going to end up doing that and heâs going to kick your ass in front of everyone?â Bodhi whispers as I lead us over to a spot on the far side of the room.
âHeâs not going to kick my ass in front of everyone.â I throw back at him as I grab a sword from the weapons rack.
I turn around to see Bodhi looking at me like Iâm an idiot. âClearly you donât know him very well, or youâre delusional on the size difference between you two.â
âAnd he also doesnât know me very well.â I point out, Bodhi eyeing the sword Iâm waving around cautiously as if worried Iâm going to hurt him or myself with it.
âMaybe if you-â
âNope, not happening.â I say before settling into a fighting stance.
Bodhi clearly takes it as a sign this conversation wasnât going any further, his shoulders sagging in defeat before walking over to grab his own sword. As soon as he settles into a fighting stance I launch myself at him, Bodhi flailing to keep up with me. Each of my strikes fuelled with the hint of anger that had risen to the surface from my interaction with Garrick and words with Bodhi.
Bodhi didnât deserve how hard I was going at him, but I needed to let out my frustrations somehow. Everyone was so adamant I give the lumbering oaf a chance. But why should I when he wouldnât give me one? Since the day Iâd walked across the parapet, heâd made up his mind about me. Had lumped me in with my brother and father without even a second thought.
Poor Bodhi is quick to succumb to my attacks, my leg kicking his out from beneath him as he falls to the floor with a loud thud as his sword clangs loudly on the ground as I point the tip of mine at his neck.
Bodhi just shakes his head and laughs. âRemind me to never piss you off again.â
âYouâll be fine.â I tease as I move my sword from his neck as I hold out my free hand to him.
He grasps his around mine before pushing off the ground to help me pull him up. Clearly still wobbly from his fall he stumbles into me as he rights himself, causing him and I to laugh at his clumsiness.
âYou sure? I nearly just made a fool of myself by nearly sending us plummeting to the floor.â
âWouldnât be the first time youâve made a fool of yourself.â
Bodhi laughs as he playfully shoves me away before releasing my hand and heading over to get a drink of water from his pack. As he moves my eyes fall on Garrick who hasnât moved an inch, except to turn and look over at us. But for once his glare and eyes arenât trained on me. Theyâre focused on Bodhi. And it almost looks like he wants to murder him.
@imtoanonymousforyou @simplyme-fornow @omalmal @lalaluch @wolfbc97 @leptitlu @fullmoon-94 @the-fandom-ness @fan-of-many-bands @awkardnerd
#fourth wing#fourth wing fanfic#garrick tavis#the fourth wing#garrick tavis x reader#garrick tavis imagine#fourth wing x reader#garrick tavis x oc#fourth wing imagine#the empyrean#xaden riorson#bodhi durran#imogen cardulo#dain aetos
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Through The Dark
i made the mistake of listening to through the dark by one direction and this was born
The arena was quiet, a dim echo of footsteps fading down the hall as Y/N leaned against a wall, phone pressed to her ear. The dayâs practice had drained her, but it wasnât the drills or the rink. It was the constant barrage of sexist comments online, the whispers behind her back, the endless questions over whether she âbelonged.â The idea that she wasnât tough enough, wasnât skilled enoughâall of it had finally worked its way under her skin, leaving her feeling raw and vulnerable.
âMatt,â she whispered, her voice barely steady. âI thought I could handle it. But⌠I donât know if Iâm strong enough for this.â
On the other end, Mattâs voice was a steady hum of warmth and calm, his presence soothing even from miles away. âHey, you donât have to be strong alone. Youâre not in this by yourself, okay?â
âI donât want to be a burden, though,â she muttered, biting back the ache in her chest. âThe guys already have enough on their plates without worrying about me. They think Iâm⌠I donât know, some unbreakable little sister who can take anything. I donât want to let them down.â
Matt was quiet for a moment, his sigh full of tenderness. âY/N, theyâd want to know if youâre struggling. And I want you to know you donât have to pretend with me. Iâd carry you over fire and water if thatâs what it takes. Youâre not a burden. Not to me, not to them.â
âMaybe.â Her voice wavered, doubt still lingering. She thanked him, promising sheâd let him know if things got worse, though she knew sheâd keep holding it in, determined not to worry her team.
The next week, her frustration started bleeding into everything. Her usual easy laugh was nowhere to be found, and the weight of the comments had made her sharp, irritable. Nico was the first to notice, raising his brows when she brushed him off, ignoring his questions about why she seemed quieter than usual. Jack tried joking with her, poking her shoulder and teasing her, but she snapped, a harshness in her tone that silenced him. Even Dawson, normally so patient and easygoing, gave her a wary look when she brushed past him without her usual smile.
But Jack, relentless as ever, couldnât stand seeing her struggle in silence. After practice, he intercepted her in the locker room, stepping into her path and folding his arms over his chest, his expression stern.
âAlright, Y/N. What the fuck is up?â
His words were blunt, but his tone was laced with a protective warmth that made her chest tighten. She hesitated, trying to hold back the tidal wave of emotions that had been building all week, but Jack didnât budge, his steady gaze forcing the truth out of her.
She opened her mouth, the words caught in her throat, and thenâshe broke. The tears sheâd held back spilled over, her shoulders shaking as she gasped out the words she hadnât let herself say.
âItâs just⌠all the comments, Jack. All the hate, the judgment. They donât think I belong here, that Iâm not good enough. And I thought I could handle it, but itâs⌠itâs too much. Iâm tired of pretending Iâm okay.â
Jackâs expression softened, and he reached out, pulling her into his arms without a second thought. He held her close, his chin resting on her head as he let her cry, his hand rubbing gentle circles on her back.
âYou donât have to pretend around us, Y/N,â he murmured, his voice full of quiet strength. âWeâve got you. All of us. Youâre family.â
She clung to him, the truth of his words sinking in, her heart aching with gratitude as the weight of her burden started to lift. Jackâs hold on her was a reminder she wasnât aloneâthat she never had to be alone again.
Over the next few days, her teammates rallied around her, each of them lending their support in ways only they could. Nico would sit beside her in the locker room, wordlessly handing her Gatorade and giving her reassuring nods, his silent presence offering a steady source of comfort. Luke, ever the thoughtful one, showed up with her favorite snack, saying nothing about the tears heâd seen but making sure she knew he cared. And Dawson, with his goofy grin, doubled down on his ridiculous jokes, going out of his way to make her laugh even on the hardest days.
In the evenings, her phone buzzed with messages from across the country. Trevor sent a string of silly selfies and endless texts full of encouragement. Quinn called whenever he had a free moment, his calm voice a reassuring anchor. Matthew, never one for many words, sent her a simple message that struck straight to her heart: Youâve got nothing to prove. Just keep being you.
And Matt, her unwavering rock, was always there at the end of the day, his words gentle and grounding. âYouâre strong, Y/N. Stronger than any of those comments. But donât forgetâstrength isnât just about standing alone. Youâve got me, and Iâll carry you through this if thatâs what it takes.â
With each message, each shared laugh, each warm embrace, Y/N felt herself coming back to life, the pain of the comments fading into the background. She no longer had to shoulder the burden alone; her found family and the love sheâd found with Matt wrapped around her like armor, stronger than anything that could be thrown her way. And as she took to the ice again, she skated with the confidence of someone who knew she belongedânot just to the team, but to a family whoâd always be there to find a way through the dark with her.
#° braindead writes#nico hischier x reader#nico hischier fanfic#nico hischier imagines#luke hughes x reader#luke hughes imagines#luke hughes fanfic#jack hughes x reader#jack hughes imagines#jack hughes fanfic#dawson mercer x reader#dawson mercer imagines#dawson mercer fanfic#new jersey devils x reader#matt rempe x reader#matt rempe fanfic#matt rempe imagines#trevor zegras x reader#trevor zegras fanfic#trevor zegras imagines#matthew knies x reader#matthew knies imagines#matthew knies fanfic#quinn hughes x reader#quinn hughes imagines#quinn hughes fanfic#fic: baby devil
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till narrowly missing ivan in every universe, either literally or figuratively, makes me giggle and cry at the same time AUUHSHSJSH if he was a regressor/reincarnator and og/alnst!till was watching his later incarnations, mans would be bald from tearing his hair out in frustration
"LOOK BACK MF LOOK BACK, YOU JUST MISSED HIM"
"THATS NOT WHAT HE MEANT AND YOU KNOW IT"
"NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO HAVE YOUR NTH SEXUALITY CRISIS, IVAN IS MOVING AWAY TOMORROW. MOVE IT"
and imagine his previous incarnations from other failed lifetimes watching the current lifetime with him and theyre all in the same frustrated state đ
"can we PLEASE have one lifetime where we dont end up breaking his heart ? can we PLEASEâ"
â đŚď¸
HAHAHAHAHA LMAOOOOO
doomed lovers and tills watching it all happen, kicking and screaming
everytime an incarnation pops up in their little hell, he is kicked and beaten up and treated as a less-than-human being until the next one meets ivan. and then they're too focused watching how till (yes, that's you, a dumbass) misses every smile and glimmer of eyes and heartbreak that ivan shows.
"what the fuck?! what's he doing?! ivan is right there, don't go hitting on her - fuck! who is that idiot!"
"that idiot is you! do you remember how you made ivan your best man at your wedding?!"
"says the one had an arranged marriage with him then went to war and came home in love with a nurse!"
"all of you are idiots!"
and none of the tills know og till's backstory. most of the time he's writing songs and playing the guitar, as all of them do, but in a more extreme way. there's a little library with all the songs the tills have made, each shelf a different life. og till's is a whole bookshelf, but the ones about ivan only starts after he first appeared here.
(there's also the songs each and every ivan has made about till, for till, to till. those are treated much better than the ones the tills haphazardly throws into their respective shelves. they're encased in gold and glass, just as unattainable as ivan seems to be.)
extra reactions according to some of my aus (except it's all the bad ends and ooc??):
omegaverse
"...what the fuck?"
"WHAT'S A PHEROMONE?! ALPHA? THAT'S SO CRINGEY? WTF"
"GUYS!!! IVAN CAN BE PREGNANT-"
"-SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP-"
"holy fuck"
"it was indeed a fuck"
"did you know ivan could moa-"
"fucking hell we're all tills we're all here we all know!"
"BLOOD! GET A TISSUE YOU FREAK-"
"HALF OF US HAVE NOSEBLEEDS WDYM"
"please please please till hE IS PREGNANT-"
"..."
"what the fuck."
"HE'S DEAD?"
"guys i don't ever wanna get ivan pregnant if that's what's going to happen"
android au
"...he owns ivan..?"
"THAT'S NOT FAIR?? WHAT DID HE EVER DO TO DESERVE IVAN??"
"surely they fall in love, right?"
"don't fucking jinx it, you moron!"
"ivan's so cute... look! he's cutting the veggies into flowers!"
"hey! till! say thank you to ivan!!"
"ugh, can't he just get out the studio so i can see ivan??"
"till, can't you just be a stay at home musician?!"
"aww!! aren't those flowers in the stitching?"
"oh my god ivan hand sewed him clothes?!"
"that's not fair! ivan! you can't just give things to the idiot! or else!! ...or else."
"...you fucking jinxed it!!! ivan!!! you can't die!"
"how'd i know that they'd just shoot and never stop shooting?"
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM??"
"i'll fucking BEAT THEM UP I SWEAR."
"??? why's he only just checked the cameras now since he got ivan?"
"...ivan's voice is so heavenly."
"..."
zombie au
"is it another boring one? haven't we already seen till and ivan have normal lives and drift apart or something else?"
"maybe this time, till will..."
"shut UP! CROW'S MOUTH, I SWEAR"
"nevermind that is nOT NORMAL FUCK"
"OH MY GOD HE IS ROTTING AND MOVING??"
"IVAN GET AWAY FROM THERE -"
"...ivan?"
"FUCK! HE DID IT AGAIN!"
"TILL YOU FUCKER GO BACK FOR HIM!!"
"...at least we still have ivan."
"...and till knows he loves ivan."
"...and they kissed."
".....oh fucking hell, why are you so happy?! ivan's basically till's dog! till doesn't deserve him!"
"well, as long as they cure ivan, they'll be together for real, right?"
"..."
"YOU FUCKING JINXED IT-"
"WHY'D THAT RANDO JUST SHOOT IVAN???
mermaid au
"oh my god he's a fish -"
"- ivan looks like a prince!"
"??? how can you be so rude to ivan!"
"why are his thoughts so weird? ivan's a human, not some pearl! he has dignity!"
"he's much better than some pearl, too."
"till knows he loves ivan, right??? surely??? with those thoughts..."
"i wanna see ivan's eyes...."
"i wanna see ivan's smile..."
"fuck! till, just speak to him god damnit!"
"oh my god!!! ivan!!!"
"??? where's his fishy parts?? ow, don't hit me-"
"...he looks so fine."
"hey! he's sixteen! you are definitely not sixteen, you fucking homewrecker!!"
"homewrecker?! i didn't cheat!!"
"you wrecked your and ivan's house life!"
"what?"
"where'd the letter come from??"
"how's there sea foam???"
"IVANNNN!"
"HE'S DEAD? JUST LIKE THAT?"
"HE DESERVED MORE YOU FUCKER-"
===
anyways im going to edit my masterlist to be better ig
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Hey I think I asked you about your Detroit become human au before a bit ago but I love the idea so much! I know youâre super busy but if you can I would love to see more about it!
Sorry for asking about it again Iâm just really interested in it. đđ
No please don't be sorry I love to talk about it whenever I'm not creatively bankrupt!! I'm just sorry it took so long for me to actually think of new stuff to add
I had some of these doodles already prepared but never really finished them up until I came up with a cute little idea
I didn't think of where to put in Flapjack until I remembered that android animals existed, and then I had a brain blast moment where I realized that Hunter can still talk to Flapjack! They are little android buddies, they can interface and talk and be friends!! I think it would also help to make him feel a bit more comfortable with his identity as an android to be able to have his little buddy to have fun private conversations with. Camila introduces them (maybe he had gotten hurt by a previous owner and she found him and let Gus fix him up) and Hunter is a bit tentative about it at first, but Flapjack is adorable and sweet and quickly wins him over
I just now had the idea that Gus, since he's super into android stuff, would probably be a big resource for software and hardware difficulties. Oh, you fell and your arm is working kinda wonky? Call up Gus, he'll crack you open and take a look. The dude doesn't mind in the least, he freaking LOVES going down mechanical and coding rabbit holes to better understand how androids work. I like to think that if Hunter ever got hurt and chose not to accept help because of body/species dysphoria, Gus would be a really good resource for him to try and feel as normal as possible while he's getting fixed. Gus is his brother and he loves him and they're just good to each other okay? Gus would probably crack some jokes or something to get Hunter's mind off it, or infodump about android organs or something (and Hunter would be begrudgingly interested because they are nerds, and Hunter is interested in androids too underneath all the problems he has with deviancy. Like dude they're robots, what's not to love?)
Also some Gus being so over Hunter's "androids can't feel love" phase featuring Vee and Masha being very adorable and very obviously in love :) Hunter is a very silly stupid man. He will find any way to make literally everyone exempt from the terrible rules Philip fed him, except for himself
I'm trying to think of a potential situation that would parallel Hunter's possession, and I think it would probably be basically the same thing that happens in Connor's deviant path (when he deviates and joins the revolution as an ally) where Amanda (a separate AI in his programming that's basically how CyberLife keeps him in check) takes over Connor's programming last minute to try and put a stop to the revolution.
So my current thought is that Philip is basically using Hunter as a trojan horse. His main programming is to act and believe like he's a normal human but similar to Connor, he's basically a sleeper agent without knowing. I imagine that once Hunter gains access to his software (thanks to Vee and Gus), he starts finding programs and files that are labeled as pretty scary things. He shouldn't have to know the most efficient way to shut an android down or incapacitate a human.
If and when Philip finally goes looking for Hunter and sees the first android he's seen in Gravesfield besides Hunter (aka Vee), he's not going to take that well.
I haven't drawn anything for it but so far I'm thinking that he takes control of Hunter's programming, maybe through some taking advantage of his interfacing system, and locks him in his own head a la Connor and Amanda to sic him after Vee and Flapjack (assuming that Philip's main goal, similar to both canons, is to eradicate deviants). It's likely that his friends will try to apprehend him, Vee or Gus will try (and maybe fail a couple times) to delete the programming while Camila deals with Philip. The guy is old and decrepit and Camila would absolutely whoop his ass with the ease of swatting a fly.
Things will be fine; Vee is all good and they manage to delete whatever programming screwed with Hunter's control, but that kid is going to be HELLA anxious about interfacing again from then on since he's afraid of 1) losing his own control and 2) potentially passing the virus onto someone else. It could go two ways at that point: Hunter could either kill Flapjack since Flapjack is technically a deviant android and therefore a target, or we can be nice and let Flapjack live to help him heal from this brand-new trauma.
So yeah hopefully that sates some curiosity! I'm glad you're interested in it because I honestly really love to think of new stuff whenever my brain decides to work hahaha
#the owl house#toh au#toh dbh au#hunter toh#gus porter#camila noceda#toh hunter#digital art#toh fanart#fanart#my art#ask#doodle#flapjack#flapjack toh#gus toh#toh gus#vee noceda#toh masha#vee toh#philip wittebane
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Part 1 - Part 6 - Part 7
"Look, it's not like I didn't believe you, but woah", Winn said, gaping. Alex silently nodded in agreement.
"Thank you all for helping me", Lena smiled warmly, still a bit shy now that everyone suddenly saw her.
"Em, yeah, sorry, Lena, there is a catch", Winn winced, rubbing back of his head sheepishly. "We kinda can't hear you. Because you speak so quietly that only Kara's ears can catch it, so if I make you loud enough for us..."
Lena tilted her head, thinking for a bit. She signaled Kara to relay her words.
"But it's not like all sounds are deafening for Kara", it was strange to talk about herself like that, "So it means there is some biological adjustments for her hearing".
"Of course, but I didn't want fo experiment with something that could potentially end very bad".
Lena and Winn traded ideas back and forth, already creating precautions, when Alex interrupted them, looking amused.
"Sorry to stop you both from nerding out but J'onn said we can just talk in the red lamp room. It will solve all your problems, no?"
Two geniuses meekly nodded.
"This way, miss Luthor". J'onn smiled and gestured to the coridor.
/ / / / / / / / /
Winn (with Lena right behind his shoulder) inserted some new parameters into his tablet, once they settled in the red sun lamps' room. And when he nodded to Lena, she said tentatively:
"Thank you all for your help", she smiled.
"I'm glad to help fellow genius", Winn happily answered. "Now we just need to..."
"Find my body, yes", Alex and Winn winced. Kara stared at the floor, trying not to see Lena's face, as she was talking about it.
"Yes, that. But we need to do one very important thing first".
Everyone glanced at each other with confusion. J'onn seemed to know what's that already, but he still looked relaxed, so Kara and Alex just waited till Winn's desire for dramatics was satisfied.
"We need to introduce ourselves!" Lena laughed, and wobbled in the air a little. It seemed that being visible didn't take away her ghostly powers. And while Winn was listing all his accomplishments, Kara found herself thinking.
Lena looked much more real now. Even without her powers Kara could see tiny freckles lining up on the side of her neck. Red lamps gave her green eyes mysterious glow, making Lena look ephemeral in a way that didn't have anything with the her status of a ghost.
It pained Kara so much to see her like that. Like she would be soft and warm to the touch, like she could really hug Kara or pat her cheek, like they need to just save her and not to retrieve her body.
Still Kara couldn't help but reach out hoping against everything that the fact that everyone can see Lena meant she can touch her.
When her hand went right through the edge of Lena's jacket, Kara tried very hard to hide her disappointment, but she still caught J'onn's sympathetic smile.
"So... You are the woman my sister is seeing", Alex asked strictly, and Lena chocked on the words she exchanged with Winn.
"I- Well, technically... I guess I am..?" It was adorable to see Lena suddenly fumbling with words, and Kara decided to play the knight despite her own embarrassment.
"Alex", she shook her head, exasperated. "Don't mess with Lena".
"What? She is," Alex shrugged, but finally smiled. "It's not like I said anything wrong. And here you are, already nagging me".
"This is Agent Danvers, Supergirl's foster sister", J'onn intervened, when Kara opened her mouth to bicker. "We are currently in DEO, department of extra-normal operations. And I am its Director - J'onn J'onzz."
"It's good to meet you, sir", Lena nodded.
"Likewise. I promise, that DEO will do everything to secure your body and will protect it until we can hand it over to miss Arias".
"I... appreciate it."
Room grew somber. When Winn's tablet chimed, he scattered to read it, if only to avoid awkward atmosphere.
"Miss Arias send us the information".
"It was fast", Alex said, already scanning the data from behind his shoulder.
"Well, she had a password. I will put it over our map".
They gathered around small tablet, looking at the area north of National city. Lena's coordinats, the green dot on the screen, was constantly changing as the map adjusted, only to stop right above the red mark.
"It's a Cadmus base", J'onn said grimly and stood up, already giving out commands to the agents by his communication device.
"This one is Lilian Luthor's", Alex sighed and joined her director in getting ready. They didn't seem hurried, since they will have to wait until Kara restores her powers.
"I guess she's one of my relatives?" Lena asked carefully.
"Your adoptive mother, to be precise", Winn was already putting dossier up front.
He started to recount his files to Lena, but Kara, tense after mention of Cadmus and as attuned to Lena as she is, felt that something was wrong.
Lena was pale. She always had a bit of white hue when Kara was the only one to see her, but now even with Winn's invention she was almost transperent.
"It's her. This is the woman I talked with, when my car crushed". Lena's voice was detached and angry, her hands clenched. When she turned to look at Kara, her voice cracked in the middle. "She wanted to kill me".
#supergirl#supercorp#are you excited to see lilian?#winn and lena is so genius they forgot an easy solution#j'onn is the Dad#kara danvers#lena luthor
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