#it’s very like. childish and lighthearted!! like how much of a rush were u getting dressed omg calm down!!

[eggsdrawings]

i love how you draw the little shirt tags sticking out i love it i do

hehehe thank uuuuu!!! it’s such a small detail but it makes me happy 🫶🏻

[imaginethathaikyuu]

tis the damn season

atsumu miya x fem reader 

the first fic in a series i like to call “Me Writing Whatever The Hell I Want” (a working title) hope u like it or dont idk im not ur boss!!!!!!!!!!

synopsis: Running away was easy when you were chasing hazy dreams of a big city that was destined to be yours, when your rear-view mirror showed nothing but your hole in the wall hometown. But now it’s all waiting tables and failing auditions. You were still running, but somehow, these winding roads always lead you back to Miya Atsumu - a man you’ve loved and left, until you return home for the holidays. 

tags: friends to lovers, exes to lovers, angst without a happy ending, established pre-relationship, friends with benefits, reader lives in Undisclosed Big City lmao who has celebrity dreams, atsumu is ur good ole southern boy (sort of), canon divergent, not edited, light nsfw, beginnings of sex but isn’t very detailed 

word count: 4220

song inspo  (tis the damn season by taylor swift)

-

i won’t ask you to wait if you don’t ask me to stay… 

. . . 

The soundtrack of this early morning replayed in your head as you made a hazy drive to the neighborhood’s hardware store, cutting left onto the correct street and forcing the car’s back tire over the curb you couldn’t miss. 

The replay of events looping in your mind? A whirring, then a splashing, then your father’s booming voice shouting curse words at anyone who could hear them. Your name was laced in there somewhere with demands for you to get to the kitchen, and you couldn’t tumble down the stairs fast enough to see what in the hell was going on. 

It was your first day home for the holidays, and already it was a catastrophe. 

Somehow your dad had busted a pipe underneath the kitchen sink and a strong stream of water was spraying halfway across the room because of it - your feet landed in a shallow pool when you finally reached the first floor. You didn’t have time to think of any questions before the man at fault, who was on his knees with his head hidden under the sink relentlessly trying to turn the water off, sent you out the door with more shouts, telling you to go to Miya’s Hardware and buy… something. 

“A connector?” You were talking to yourself, thinking out loud as you finally parked, but it didn’t help you remember. All you could do was walk inside the store and hope someone knew what you needed. 

It’d been years since you had been in this shop, but it looked just the same as when you were following your dad through its isles. You didn’t even bother browsing now, though - you went straight to the back of the store to the counter, expecting to see a familiar, perhaps older, face eager to help you. 

That isn’t what you found. 

“Well, hey stranger.” 

That voice rang in your ears like you’d just heard it through a megaphone pointed directly at you. Something about it was so warm, but it left you with a shiver down your spine and goosebump ridden skin. You could feel the hair on the back of your neck standing up, and you hadn’t even turned in the direction the words came from. 

But you didn’t have to look in order to know just who it was. “Atsumu.” 

“What in the hell are you doing back in town?” His voice rang with excited confusion; it carried the same inflection as anyone who’s happy to see you. Like nearly forgotten family members at a reunion before it all goes to hell, or the way the tone of your father’s voice changes when you tell him you’re doing well and mean it. People don’t speak that way often. 

He pulled you in for a hug and you gladly reciprocated, already forgetting that you were supposed to be in a hurry. 

“Home for the holidays. How have you been?”

“I’ve been alright,” he replied. “I’ve missed you.” 

His voice felt more like home than your four bedroom walls did, the charming drawl and depth in his words immediately reeling you in. It was familiar. You had spent a long time trying to forget about that familiarity; too long learning how to straighten out your words and lose any hint of the small town you came from. But Atsumu - he sounded like the epitome of this place. 

He didn’t give you time to reply, for one reason or another; instead he decided to push you back by your shoulders and get a good look at you. Up and down and up again, likely noticing every change you had made to your appearance in your time away. 

“Are you still wearing your pajamas, or is this a new… trend?” 

You looked down at yourself, “Shit,” and closed your jacket tight over the old graphic t-shirt you wore, but nothing could cover your pink polka-dotted pants. And you’d have been hit in the face with embarrassment if the image of your dad and the broken sink and a flooded kitchen didn’t smack you first. “Shit, no, um… I need something to fix a broken sink. Are you… do you work here now?” 

“I do - and you’re gonna need to be more specific.” 

“I don’t know, Atsumu,” you laughed, slowly realizing the bizarreness of what you were about to tell him. “I woke up to my dad shouting and water shooting out from under the sink, literally flooding the kitchen. He told me to get a part for the pipe… a connector, or a couple, or something - I don’t know.” 

“...A coupler?” 

“Yes!” 

“...He didn’t happen to tell you what size to get, did he?” 

The look on your face must have been a good enough answer for him, because he took off into a random aisle and left you wondering just how many sizes of couplers there could be. 

“This one will probably do the job,” he said as his path rounded the counter. “If it doesn’t, then, I can ignore the return policy for you. Just this once, though.” 

“Thanks, ‘Tsumu.” You made your payment and he slid your product over the counter as his elbows landed on it, leaning down to make himself comfortable. Like he thought he’d be there awhile. 

“How long are you gonna be in town?” 

“Two weeks. Why do you ask?” You knew why - you just wanted to hear him say it. 

“We should catch up.” 

He was grinning and shrugging and fidgeting with his fingers, just like he always did, and you would never turn down any offer he made you. 

“We should. I’ve got to get home, but are you free tonight?” 

“We close at six,” he said. “I’ll pick you up at seven.” 

“I’ll be looking forward to it,” you said, meaning every word. You wondered if he knew that. 

“So will I,” he replied, and then you made your way out before you convinced yourself to stay. 

It’d been three years since you last spoke to Atsumu. In that time, you had done a lot that felt like nothing, living in a different city that felt worlds bigger than this town - that city was a place you had once convinced yourself was all yours. You had pulled off running away effortlessly. 

But it didn’t matter how much time goes by between your meetings with Atsumu. There was something there that you could never shake, the hold you had on each other was anchor tight. Ten years could pass and you would speak to each other like it had only been one day. You’d have world ending fights and one of you would always come crawling back, letting the other win as long as it meant things would go back to normal. 

You couldn’t describe it. You never tried, you didn’t need to. The unspoken acts between the two of you didn’t need to be explained. It was something akin to a best friend with all the benefits included and most of the strings attached - confusing and nerve wracking but still so comforting. 

Atsumu was the closest thing to home you had in this town, and somehow every road always leads back to him. With a few detours on your part, of course, because you just couldn’t stay away too long. Even moving across the country didn’t change that - not like you thought it would. 

You just barely missed the turn into your driveway, being so distracted by your thoughts. So much was rushing back, so much that shouldn’t be - it isn’t a big deal, it’s just Atsumu, but it felt grand, like this was some massive reunion. 

But it wasn’t. You were only here to celebrate Christmas with your family. You weren’t even planning on seeing Atsumu, let alone meeting up with him or rekindling any kind of flame that was once there. 

And it was such a rush that you couldn’t even question why he was working at his father’s store - or why he was even in this town at all. What happened to the dreams he was chasing? 

For what felt like the first time in your life, you had questions for him. But you’d have to wait all day to ask them. 

. . .

You were thankful to come home to a dry floor and a calmer father - he finally figured out how to turn the water off and decided to fix the pipe later. You knew he’d inevitably be paying someone more qualified to repair it, but your mind had no space for that problem. 

You were still trying to figure out how you’d meander the night with Atsumu by the time he was picking you up, and when the two of you arrived at his home you still hadn’t found your answer. 

Easing into this would be best, and once alcohol was introduced to the equation it would turn into a slippery slope. 

Nothing was hard with Atsumu. You knew that - that’s why you couldn’t figure out why you were having such a hard time talking to him. 

A lot had changed. Not between the two of you, not exactly. You were right back where you were three years ago: on his couch, sitting too close to him, laughing at something he had said that was only funny because he said it. 

But your lives had changed. Your worlds had changed. His mind had very obviously changed, and because of it all, you couldn’t keep pretending that the two of you were teenagers again. 

You had to bite the bullet and ask the question that was on your mind, completely knowing that he could throw a hard hitting question back at you.

It came out more effortlessly and lighthearted than you expected. “So… what happened to playing volleyball?”

Atsumu scoffed. “You still remember that pipe dream? Nothing happened, it was just childish.” 

You didn’t like his answer, so you pressed him. You worked up the courage to start this conversation, so you were going to get to the bottom of things. “You said you wanted to catch up - I know you, Atsumu. You get what you want and you wanted to play volleyball. You were going to be a pro, you were good.” 

“I know you know me,” he said, and the smirk on his lips didn’t go unnoticed by you. “I wanted to get drunk and chat, not start up a fucking therapy session.” 

You sat patient and waiting, eyes on him, refusing to go without the answer to your question. You were teasing, really, eyeing him up and grinning as you watched him struggle. The problem was: you didn’t expect the answer you’d get. 

“I - I had the chance.” There was a scratch in his throat that wasn’t caused by the whiskey he’d just swallowed. “I was being scouted and playing my ass off and there were talks of being on an Olympic team one day, but… shit happens, and that’s it.” 

“What shit, Atsumu? You didn’t just give up, did you? Were you scared or something?” 

You didn’t realize how close you were to him until his hand came down to rest on your knee, and both of you focused on that touch as his next thoughts became words. “Dad got sick. And ‘Samu had just opened the restaurant, and… there were bills to pay and the store to run. Even though I wasn’t his preference, Dad had no choice and left the legacy of Miya’s Hardware to me, so - that’s where I am.” 

“Oh. I… I had no idea - I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s fine. You were already long gone by then - don’t say sorry.” 

“I’m sorry,” you said, and you hugged him without thinking, but he hugged you back all the same. “I’m sorry, ‘Tsumu.” 

“It’s okay,” he told you, but you didn’t feel okay. You were sure he didn’t, either. “It’s not your fault.” 

You pulled away from him just enough to look at his face, and you hadn’t noticed the distance in his eyes until just then. As you looked at him, you realized it was only familiar to now. It wasn’t there years ago, when you got to look into those eyes every day. 

“I should’ve been there for you.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, but his words were dangling on an edge. He didn’t quite mean them. “You were off in your own dream. I got through it.” 

You only nodded. You weren’t sure what else to say after that. 

As Atsumu sat back against the couch, he brought you with him, tucking you under his arm against his chest. His lips on your forehead made you close your eyes and for a second, it was like you were both nineteen again. You could’ve been, if time would only slow down or freeze or go back - what wouldn’t you give for that? 

“I’m done talking about me,” he mumbled. “I wanna hear about your life now.” 

You laughed, but quiet, “My life’s been fine.”

“Only fine?” 

“You don’t see me on the big screen, do you?” 

He laughed this time. “Not yet. One day, though. Have you gotten used to the city yet?” 

“Oh… I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it, but… it does feel like home now. It’s so different from living here.” 

“I bet.” 

“I try not to romanticize it, but - I don’t know. It feels good, even if it’s not what I thought it’d be. The lights are pretty bright. Blinding compared to here.” 

His response was a nod, and that was it. If he had any questions or comments, he held them back. 

A break in the silence came soon, though. “You know,” he said, quiet, with a small laugh that was humorless, “I’m not as good at getting what I want as you think I am.” 

“That’s not true,” you replied, and you were setting up an argument you weren’t ready to make. “You got me.” 

“Did I?” 

“What do you mean?” 

Silence lingered, and after too long you sat up and looked at him, and that got him to talk. 

“Nothing,” he insisted. He pulled you closer with two fingers holding your chin, and you didn’t resist. “Nothing, baby. Let’s just… just be quiet for a while.” 

There wasn’t time for you to say anything else. His lips were on yours the moment he got his last word out. And even though you expected him to kiss you, it still made you gasp. 

You couldn’t describe how much you missed kissing someone you wanted to, and Astumu’s kiss was like finding home. His lips were like candy, sweeter than sugar; his bite was a freezing shock that always pulled a giggle and a whisper of his name out of you. He knew how to kiss you, slow and deep with a hand on your jaw to keep you there, never leaving you wanting more because he gave everything you could ever need. 

It didn’t take long for his kisses to trail down your neck, or for his shirt to come off, or for your back to land on the couch. You had already reached euphoria just seeing him hovering over you, eyes soft and hair askew; you didn’t need anything but this. You’d never want anything but this. 

You did what you always did - trailed your hand down his torso, over his golden skin, stopping just after every freckle or scar or mark. This time, you were looking for something new. You didn’t find anything. You didn’t stop until your hand landed on his waist, and there, you squeezed - 

“Stop, you little shit,” and he laughed, right along with you. A real and genuine laugh - you hadn’t heard that song in a long time. “Why do you always do that?” 

Finally he moved down to press his chest against yours, his hips locking in place between your legs. A perfect combination. 

“Why do you always give me the chance?” You were still laughing, not able to get over the cute sight. Atsumu was always so ticklish there, right on his waist, and when you made that discovery you swore you’d never forget it. And he sure as hell wished you would have. “You’re so cute. I’ve missed that smile.” 

“I’ve missed you,” he replied. Somehow you just knew that he meant it. 

“Don’t. I’m here.” 

“You’re here,” he repeated. Like he was reassuring himself. 

You took the initiative to unbutton your shirt yourself, so that there was no way for him to think that you wanted this to stop there. It couldn’t, not when you had him this close. And his eyes followed the popping buttons like stalking prey. 

“And you’re still the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Fucking hell.” 

You cringed - you couldn’t help the feeling in your gut when he gave you those sweet words. You knew he meant them in some way; you knew Atsumu wouldn’t lie to you. He’s never told you anything just for the sake of it. But how many times, in the last three years, had someone done just that? Told you just what you wanted to hear so they could get inside you? It was vile the first time. The second, it made you ache. But now, you’re used to it. Nobody means what they say. You’re used to it. 

And Atsumu could snatch up any girl he wanted. A girl who’s used to blinding lights and expensive wine and lying - or a girl who would stay with him, who wouldn’t push his buttons, who would be effortless in her charm and wit and beauty. 

You couldn’t put yourself in either category. 

“You haven’t seen many, then.” 

“Why would I even need to when I’ve got you? You’re a fucking dream. All I ever think about.” 

You shook your head, not even noticing you were doing it. Atsumu wouldn’t have it. 

“Don’t do that,” he said. “Not when you know what you do to me. You’ve got my heart beating out of my chest, for fuck’s sake - it has been since you walked into the store.” 

You never knew him to be so open with his feelings, or maybe you had just gotten used to being lied to. You weren’t sure and you didn’t care - all you could think about was kissing him, so you pulled him in, and you were sure he would devour you. You’d have no problem with that. 

It was desperate when you said, “I need you.”

And reassuring when he replied, “I’m right here.” 

He wasn’t close enough. You didn’t think he ever could be. And it was right then, when you were swimming in desperation, that you realized you shouldn’t have been doing this. It would only make leaving even harder. Doing it the first time was hell, letting him watch you leave and be okay with it. You hated yourself for wishing he wasn’t. And you were drowning. 

You hated yourself for leaving. 

You hated yourself more for coming back. 

And you didn’t want to be there, all of a sudden, despite the ache in between your thighs and the addicting warmth he had you trapped in. You didn’t want to be there and you didn’t want to leave, either - you only wanted something easy, but you’d never have it. Not here, and not in the city, and not with Atsumu. 

You felt him freeze, felt things shift. You hadn’t even noticed the way your energy had completely dropped. 

“Something wrong?” He moved up to hold your face. He noticed the tears in your eyes before you did. 

It was hard to look at him but you held his gaze, and his touch hurt more than it healed but you yearned for it. The concern on his face was genuine, the gentle strokes of his thumb on your cheek weren’t forced, and it all was making your stomach turn. 

He cared for you - obviously he did - but not enough to ask you to stay. Not enough to find trouble in letting you leave him. So maybe you shouldn’t have a problem with it, either. 

“No,” you said through a sore throat and a locked jaw. “Sorry, just…” 

“We don’t have to do this,” he told you. “We can just talk - I want to talk. If it’s too much -” 

“It’s okay,” you said. You tried to mean it as much as, “I miss you, Atsumu. I want you - touch me, I miss you.” 

“I know,” and he was wiping the tears off of your cheeks as he kissed your lips, “I’ll take care of you, baby, just let me. Stop thinking so much. Let me take care of you like I always do, yeah? You want me to help you feel good?” 

You always had a problem with that - thinking too much. He never hesitated to call you out on it. You nodded your head, strong and fast, like you were trying to knock the thoughts right out of it. 

“Please, ‘Tsumu.” You were crying for him, pulling him closer. “Need you. Make it better, please.” 

“I’d do anything,” he said. “You gotta quit crying, baby. You’re acting like our first time again.” 

You laughed at that, wiping your own tears and knocking his hands away. “God, that was so embarrassing.” 

“It was cute.” 

“It wasn’t.” 

“It was kinda hot, too.” 

“Atsumu!” 

It was his deep grin that made you relax again, and so did another blissful kiss that took your breath in a way that you enjoyed. 

“You can cry, baby,” he said, popping buttons on both of your pants, “as long as it’s because of how good I’m making you feel. That’s what you need, pretty girl. Let me show you how much I’ve been missing you - get these pants off, baby, let me see you.” 

He didn’t give you the chance to cry any more, at least not in an emotional sense. Your mind was stripped with your body, filled with nothing but him, no space between the two of you left for insecurities or questions. 

It wasn’t until he coaxed you into his bedroom that those things had the chance to creep back. 

Atsumu was out cold, cuddled into your chest and holding on tight to your waist, after smothering you in soft kisses and sweet sleepy words. You were comfortable there, warm and safe and content, but the pit in your stomach only grew. You watched him sleep, his mouth slightly open and eyes softly closed, and you wanted to reach down and kiss him but you resisted. 

It was late and you should be asleep but you couldn’t rest. You couldn’t stop loathing yourself long enough to close your eyes, and the more you thought, the harder it got to breathe. Your throat was sore again. Your eyes were watering again. And every word you wanted to say to Atsumu was tumbling out of your mouth and falling onto sleeping ears. 

“Why didn’t you ask me to stay?”

He didn’t stir. It was still rumbling breaths and the whir of the air conditioner filling the silence. 

“Everyone else did. But you. Why… You of all people should know I’m just as worthless there as I am here - I’ll never make it - I’ve changed everything and still…” 

You sucked a hard breath into your lungs to stop a wracking sob, just barely holding it in. 

“I just ended up here again. With you. I’m so alone without you but I can’t - fuck.”

It didn’t even matter what you were trying to say anymore, because you had no clue. You didn’t know why you couldn’t just stay with him regardless of his choice to let you go, but something in you made you run. Maybe it was worthless pride or a childish desire to be something more - you didn’t know. 

You didn’t belong in any industry you dreamed of working in. You weren’t born to be a star. You should know by now - should accept your failure and come back home for more than just one night. 

But you couldn’t. 

There was still a chance, wasn’t there? 

A chance to belong somewhere.

A chance to be led home.

A chance to make it. Would you die trying? 

You would leave in the morning. And you wouldn’t ask Atsumu to wait for you as he started getting ready for the day. And Atsumu wouldn’t ask you to ditch your own plotted destiny just to stay with him. 

But this would happen again. Every time you would swear it off and every time, you would travel roads that take you right back to this town, this bed, these arms. 

Running away would never get easier, but this is all it would ever be with him. He would never stop you leaving - and you would never ask him to.  

. . .

...so i’ll go back to LA

[charonic]

Little Red Riding Rabbit and Mr Wolf (Chapter 1)

Lavi has always had a penchant for anything that's not from the human realm. When his friends warned him to stay out of the woods because of a rumoured "werewolf", he didn't exactly heed their advice. All the books that he's ever read about on faefolks didn't prepare him for who he met in those woods. 

Chapter 1

The Beginning Of Winter Is Always Solemn But Interesting

Since he was a child, Lavi has always had this fascination with fae folks and their legends. Anything that doesn't belong in the human realm is sure to catch his attention, any tale that speaks of supernatural phenomenon never fails to have him listen intently, you can practically see his eyes shimmer with awe whenever he does.

His love for strange tales and stranger beings never ceased as he grew older. Most teenagers his age would wave off folklore as childish nonsense that's only meant to serve as bedtime stories for little kids, but with Lavi he still soughs out for any new reading materials that he can get his hands on.

Problem with the town he's living in as of now is, the library and bookshops don't have any books that he hasn't read yet.

"Lavi, come on!"

Allen's voice rang pass his ears and his eye caught sight of a blurry shade of white run past him. The commotion managed to bring Lavi back down from the clouds, but the abruptness of it had the red head almost drop his newest book on Selkies into the fountain.

Allen was already a few good metres away from where Lavi was, his body half turned towards his red haired companion.

"Let's go, Lena and Kanda are waiting!"

There was a faint sheen of sweat on Allen's forehead, the boy likely ran all the way from his house to the centre of town for that to happen. Lavi's lips curled into a smile as he placed his book back into his satchel before getting off the fountain's stone edge. He watched Allen bounce on his heels ever so subtlety as he made his way to the younger teen.

"I swear you're only rushing me because Lenalee made rice cakes for us today."

He was met with Allen's wide grin in return. "Can you blame me? They're just that good."

"You're addicted." Lavi snorted with a slight roll of his eye. His smile took on a cheekier edge as he leaned down close to Allen. "Pretty sure all that glutton is bad for you." He poked at Allen's stomach, yet again amazed that there was only a slight pudgy middle. The kid eats so much yet never gains much weight (if at all), lucky brat.

When Allen smacked his hand away, Lavi had to snicker. Both at Allen's displeased huff and his impatience when food is involved.

Lavi can't help but think it was a mistake to introduce rice cakes into Allen's life, then again no one knew he would come to love the treat so much.

His stomach gave out a quiet rumble, all this food talk has made Lavi wonder what kind of rice cake the Lee family has prepared for them (Allen) today. He glanced at his satchel for a moment, there was only a few pages left on his book, he could finish it when he's at Lenalee's place. Or after he's done with Bookman's work, whichever one works.

"Lavi, let's go!" Allen hollered from afar, the boy was already way ahead of the redhead.

Yes, a mistake indeed.

-.-.-.-

They got puffed rice cakes. Not Lavi's favourite, but still tasty nonetheless.

After helping the Lee siblings bring in heavy wooden crates of empty glass vials-plus unpacking, cleaning them individually, placing them in the storeroom, checking for any ill-fitted corks-they finally settled down in the small dining area, tired but satisfied with the rice cakes Lenalee provided them.

Lavi sat across where a large wooden cabinet was, the panels were made from glass and he can see some of the vials that Kanda had arranged inside. It won't be long until they're all filled to the brim with Komui as their owner. He wondered what weird new concoction Komui was going make this time round, hopefully nothing too disastrous.

Lenalee's elder brother, Komui, is one of the town's doctors. The townsfolk trust him and his vast medical knowledge despite his method being mostly unheard of in this region. He's known to be quite the eccentric fellow by everyone because of his tendency to experiment around with herbs. He's probably the only guy around this part of the land who's still learning and trying to create new alternative cures using methods that were deemed ineffective by renowned researchers.

Doctor by day; 'mad scientist' by night, or so Lenalee once said.

"Thank you so much for helping us with the moving." Komui said with a grateful smile. "It would've taken me hours had it only been me doing the work."

"No biggie, we're glad we could help!" Lavi answered, his smile just as wide and genuine.

Beside him, Kanda grunted what sounded like an agreement. And Allen nodding vigorously next to him with a mouth full of rice cakes. The three very different responses made Komui laugh a bit.

"I'm still glad you were about to lend a hand. I couldn't let my dear Lena do it, I'd rather bear the back pain myself."

"Brother..." Lenalee murmured, looking both peeved and embarrassed at her brother, who in turn flashed her toothy grin, but stopped his gushing regardless.

Allen and Lavi shared a wryly smile with each other at how oblivious Komui is when it comes to his sister's physical strength. He would've loved to mention how she managed to lift Allen up off the ground this one time, but that would be sending his friend and himself into an u painful death.

"Is there anything else?" Kanda asked.

"No, that's about all that needs to be done. I've troubled you all enough today." Komui gave them another smile before turning to leave for the kitchen. "Eat up! You'll need the energy after all that hard labour."

And with that, the man went off to prepare food for dinner, leaving Lenalee and the others in the dining area. The silence wasn't uncomfortable between them, but the mountainous pile of rice cakes set in the middle of the table felt... overbearing.

There was a few hours to spare before dinner time, but Lavi didn't want to spoil his appetite from overstuffing himself, he still ate a few blocks of the puffed rice cakes though.

He sat there twirling what's left of his rice cake chunk while watching his friends talk about mundane things. Usually he'd be joining in with the chat, adding a joke here, a pun there, some informative stuff that he's read about. Today he decided to let the others' voices fill the room, only nodding and giving a small laugh whenever Kanda said something snarky.

Maybe it's the seasonal change that's making him feel so quiet, even when he's among his friends. Winter was never his favourite season.

Some time passed and before they knew it, the sun was beginning to leave them of its light and warmth. The darkening sky meant it was about time Lavi left to find Bookman. He sighed, a guy can't even eat some rice cakes with his friends without worrying about more work.

He popped the remaining bit of rice cake into his mouth and grabbed his satchel before getting up. The squeaking noise his chair made got the others' attention, Lena was the first to ask.

"You're leaving already?"

Lavi forced a smile, it came out looking apologetic and sheepish. "Sorry guys, I have to help gramps with his work."

He wasn't too fond with the silence that came after that, nor stares that he was being given.

"Being Bookman's apprentice doesn't come with days off, huh?" Allen spoke up with a mouth full of chewed rice cakes.

"Hey, that's not true! I get to fool around plenty, and it's not like gramps keeps me on a tight leash or anything."

While his voice was full of lighthearted jest, Lavi's eyes didn't quite meet with the smile he was flashing.

Allen was right though... Bookman always gives him tons of work, and just as much books to read and memorize. He does get a break from time to time, but as of late Bookman has been giving more assignments than usual. And Lavi can't help but think it's probably because his grandfather planned on passing down his position soon.

He's getting old after all, Lavi mused.

Not to mention he's turning nineteen in a few months, there was a good chance Bookman will want him to succeed his title when that time comes. He didn't realize his smile slipped off some time ago, his face now sporting a tired frown, one that the others could see.

"You guys know where to find me, so drop by whenever you're free this weekend."

He heard Kanda's exasperated sigh and looked up.

"Bookman's house is on the other side of the woods." He said, giving Lavi a pointed look. "It takes an hour more or less to get there on foot. I'm not about to waste precious time just to see your dumb face, rabbit brat."

Good ol' Kanda.

Somehow the less than warm response lifted Lavi's mood a bit.

"You know I wonder why Bookman doesn't want to move into town... I mean, he is getting old and wouldn't you be able to keep a better eye on him if he lived closer?" Allen asked. Lavi noted how there were crumbs around his face, and the way Kanda was looking at him with mild disgust.

"He's a stubborn old panda," Lavi said, a snort followed after. "Man if I call him old in front of him again he'll throw another book at my head."

A pause, then, "And! You can actually reach his house under twenty minutes if you walk through the woods." Lavi finished with a proud huff, his eye closed and his smile wide like he'd won an argument.

His friends don't share the same sentiment, in fact all three of them looked at Lavi with a mixture of shock, bewilderment and worry. Of course the red head didn't sense the tense air in the room when he's too busy being surrounded by his own imaginary victory.

"Lavi, the woods are dangerous to walk through. Especially alone." Lenalee's voice was unusually hushed. Kanda whipped his head to look at Lena, then back to Lavi.

"Wait, don't tell me the rabbit brat's been taking that route-" Oh dear here we go.

"Only recently!" Lavi loud retort managed to at least stop Kanda from giving him an earful, he only wished it would help him with the looks he was being given from his friends. He hung his head and let out a dejected sigh, shuffling his feet ever so slightly under their stares.

"I mean, I only did it once or twice..." The red head murmured, "I was carrying a lot of stuff and my feet were hurting and there was still a long distance to go before I could get there so I cut through the forest..."

None of his friends seem pleased with this newly discovered information, especially Lenalee. She found it fitting to be the one who breaks the news first.

"Lavi, haven't you heard? About the rumours."

That got his attention.

"What rumours?" Lavi asked.

He saw how Lenalee's throat seemed to tighten up before she went on, her voice even lower than before. "There are wolves there."

Kanda rolled his eyes when Lavi's face remained unfazed. Of course the rabbit brat doesn't think wolves are a big deal. "Not just normal grey wolves, idiot."

"Werewolves." Lena finished.

"I wouldn't call them werewolves per say." Allen piped in, and Kanda shot him a levelled look for interrupting that the younger boy ignored. "Not sure of the term but, they're more like shape shifters. Think Selkies like in the book you're reading, but like, wolf and not seal."

Another moment of tense silence fell between them, Lavi looked at his friends with a look that can only be described as incredulous and surprise, his mouth slighty ajar from what Allen had said.

"You guys... believe in those things?"

"Oh please, like you're one to talk." Kanda scoffed as he crossed his arms over the front of his shirt. Allen and Lenalee stifled a laugh beside him, the former failing to suppress his laughter when Lavi fumed with cheeks pink and puffy.

"Ugh, whatever." Lavi used his free hand to pull his red cloak off the chair before stepping away from the table. His friends were still staring at him, they were giving him the same unimpressed paternal look.

"...Alright fine, I'll stop taking the short cut."

That finally got them to stop, in an instant their faces morphed back into the default expressions they have on all the time. Lenalee with her golden sunshine smile, same with Allen, and Yu with his grumpy stink face.

When had his friends become as overbearing as that stack of rice cake from earlier?

While in amidst of his pouting, Lenalee had taken a few pieces of the leftover rice cakes off the plate and wrapped them in a linen cloth.

"Here, take some back with you. If Bookman can't eat them, well, more snacks at night for you!"

Lavi didn't miss the jab about gramp's old man teeth, he grinned at the cheeky remark and reached for the wrapped treat.

"See you guys in a few days."

Kanda emitted a grunt as he bit into his partially eaten piece whilst Lenalee waved him goodbye at the door.

"Bye, Lavi. Remember to stay on the path!" Allen called out from behind him, waving both hands at the red head's turned back.

Lavi returned the gesture with a lazy wave of his hand over his cloaked shoulder before he shut the door closed.

To Be Continued

((You can find the fic on AO3 too))