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kuzuhinasecretexchange · 4 years ago

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Work Title: under the golden sun

Author: @starry-night (emily)

For: @like-an-alpaca-sir

Pairings/Characters: kuzuhina (hajime and fuyuhiko)

Rating/Warnings: self-doubt, gun, threats of violence, verbal harassment, mentions of sex but like. as an insult. (hurt comfort)

Prompt used: “Them working out how to go about their relationship due to their very different backgrounds”

Author’s notes: hi! the prompt above really caught my eye, especially in the regard of how their backgrounds have effected them mentally (hajime’s constant self doubt and fuyuhiko’s violent tendencies). i focused on these aspects and how they can clash, but in the end, how they balance themselves out. hope you enjoy! and happy holidays!.

The sky was clear for the first time in three days. Hajime Hinata had looked up at the cloudy sky for the past three days with vague annoyance, but now, with the sun shining above, he found himself smiling.

Hajime ran a hand through his hair as he looked across the plaza. He and Fuyuhiko had decided to meet outside of Hope’s Peak because it was a nice middle-ground for the two of them- and it meant that they didn’t have to use the Kuzuryuu’s limo. Riding in the fancy black car reminded Hajime that he didn’t exactly fit with his yakuza boyfriend.

“Hey, Hajime.” The boy blinked, turning away from his thoughts and looking towards his boyfriend. Fuyuhiko looked nice (well, Hajime always thought he looked nice, but that was beside the point), wearing a black trench coat over a white button-up. His freckles became easier to spot in the sunlight, and with today’s weather, Hajime could find constellations on Fuyuhiko’s face.

“Hey yourself.” The blonde snorted, rolling his eyes as he grabbed Hajime’s hand. “What’s the plan today?”

“Sonia recommended a café nearby. She’s one of the few people in my class with any fucking taste, so I trust the place.”

“Cool, cool. How’s Peko?”

“She’s doing okay.” Fuyuhiko began to lead them away from the school and into the main streets. He talked about how the animal breeder in his class was letting Peko watch over a cat that was in his care, and Hajime told him about the latest argument Natsumi had gotten in. It was nice- they hadn’t had a proper date in a while, with Hajime balancing his coursework and Fuyuhiko dealing with issues within the Kuzuyruu Clan.

Soon enough, Fuyuhiko was pulling him into a softly lit café that smelled like brown sugar and chocolate. Hajime chose their seats- a booth near the window- and Fuyuhiko went to the counter to order.

Hajime drummed his fingers on the table, idly studying the café. Then, behind him, he heard a female voice whisper, “Hey, that’s Hajime from the other class, right?”

Trying to be subtle, Hajime glanced over his shoulder. At a table a few feet away, he saw a group of four that he knew from the reserve course. He knew of them- not well enough to remember their names, but he knew that the boy with the purple hair was the other class’s representative and that the girl with the round glasses was good at math. And- that was about it.

He didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but hey, they were talking about him, so he didn’t feel bad.

“Yeah, that’s him. Wonder what he’s doing here?” Circular glasses asked. The boy Hajime didn’t know groaned. “He’s probably here with one of his Main Course buddies. I wonder why they hang out with him? What’s so special about him?”

Hajime flinched and turned away from the group. He heard the class rep scold his friend while the other girl laughed. It was fine. They were just random kids whose opinions of him didn’t matter. He knew that Chiaki wanted to be his friend, and he knew that Nagito (maybe?) liked his company, and he knew that Kazuichi liked having him around, and he knew that Fuyuhiko had feelings for him-

“Hey, Hajime, I got your disgusting fucking bitter coffee.”

For the second time that day, Hajime pulled himself out of his head. Fuyuhiko had returned, holding a black coffee in one hand and something that reeked of sugar in the other.

“It’s not disgusting. you just have the world’s worst sweet tooth.” The yakuza flushed pink, grumbling a curse under his breath as he sat down.

As Hajime reached over to grab his drink, he heard one of the girls from earlier say, “Who’s that? The blond with Hajime?”

“A Main Course student, duh. Wonder what Ultimate.”

“Hajime?” Fuyuhiko put down his drink, staring over at his boyfriend. The yakuza wasn’t the best at showing his emotions, but Hajime knew him enough to notice the concern in his golden eyes.

Hajime took a sip of his coffee, forcing a smile. “I’m good.”

And he almost convinced himself he was.

Then, from behind, too loud to ignore: “He’s probably sucking dick so he can hang out with a Main Course student. That’s it. That’s the only way someone as boring as Hajime fucking Hinata could do it.”

Hajime couldn’t breathe. He heard the glasses girl gasp while her friend giggled furiously. His face was bright red, and his heartbeat was pounding in his ears. Did- did people actually think-

Across from him, Hajime could hear the sound of a chair scraping against the floor, and then a loud, “What the fuck did you say, bastard?”

Against everything, Hajime looked up. Fuyuhiko had slammed his hands against the other’s table, and anyone could see the rage in his eyes.

The boy who’d spoken looked a little nervous, but not enough to shut up, as he said, “I said he-

"No shit, I know what you said. The real fucking question is, why the hell did you think you could say that about my boyfriend?”

Silence. Then, “So, is it true?”

The girl on his right slapped him, face hot with shame, but it didn’t matter. Fuyuhiko’s hand was already in his pocket. Hajime’s throat tightened as he saw a flash of black. Oh fuck. Fuyuhiko didn’t-

That was a stupid thought. Hajime was dating Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu, heir to the Kazuryuu Clan, the Ultimate Yakuza. Of course he would be armed. Then, the reality of that thought hit Hajime. He sprung out of his chair, grabbing Fuyhiko’s hand before he could pull out the gun. “It’s not worth it.”

“What? Did you hear what they said about you? Of course, it’s fucking worth it!” Hajime tightened his grip on Fuyuhiko. They were starting to get attention from the other customers, and Hajime could see one of the cashier’s calling for a manager. “We should leave.”

Fuyuhiko stared at him, confused. Then, everything seemed to click, and the yakuza let the gun slip back into his pocket. He let Hajime drag him away from the café, even as the class rep yelled apologizes after them. Neither spoke until the café was far behind them.

“Hajim-”

“Were you going to shoot them?”

Fuyuhiko looked at him, eyes blank. Then, in the softest voice Hajime had ever heard from him: “I- I don’t think so. It was instinct.”

“Instinct?!”

Fuyuhiko flinched slightly, and he gripped Hajime’s hand a little tighter as he spoke. “It’s what- it’s what my parents would have done. If any bastard insulted them, weapons would be out in seconds. It’s what they would want me to do. Defend what’s mine- honor or otherwise- through blood and fucking bullets.” Hajime sucked in a breath. He was no psychologist but did it really take one to piece together that growing up in the yakuza wasn’t a healthy lifestyle? He squeezed Fuyuhiko’s hand. “You’re not them. If you were, you would have ignored me and shot anyway.”

Fuyuhiko seemed to consider it before sighing and resting his head on Hajime’s shoulder. It was a sign that the stunt at the café drained him; it wasn’t like Fuyuhiko to do anything that reminded anyone of his height. “What about what that bastard said?

"What?”

“About you being boring and all the other bullshit.” When Hajime didn’t respond, Fuyuhiko glanced up at him. “You don’t believe that bastard, do you?”

Hajime let out a weak laugh. “I mean, I don’t blame him for saying it. Someone like me being with someone like you-”

“-you’ve got to be fucking with me, right?” Fuyuhiko interrupted, his body tense beside Hajime. “Oh my god. You believe that shit.”

“How could I not? I’m boring- I’m completely average. And you’re an ultimate. You’re incredible.”

“You’re such as dumbass.” Hajime blinked, looking back at Fuyuhiko. The yakuza looked like he wanted to slap Hajime, but someone restrained himself. “You’re basing all of this shit off the fact you’re in the reserve course right? That’s bullshit! We both know the test you had to take to get it isn’t easy. And so what, you’re not an ultimate? You’re Hajime Hinata. You’re the last person I text every night, and the first person I text every morning. You put up with my bullshit without a second thought. You care about everyone in my class just because you know they’re important to me- and Chiaki, but this is about us. I fucking like you, Hajime, and that has nothing to do with Hope’s Peak. It has to do with you. You’re the incredible one, not me.”

By the time his boyfriend finished, Hajime’s face was bright red. “Oh. Oh, really?”

“Yes! I just gave you a fucking speech, and you’re asking me, ‘Really?’ you bastard?”

Hajime laughed, all the weight in his chest gone. “Okay yeah. Maybe you’re right.”

“Maybe? I am goddamn right. You’re incredible, Hajime and if I have to beat that fact into your thick skull, I will.”

“If you say so. There’s a park not far from here- wanna go on a walk? Maybe we’ll find a street vendor selling fried dough cookies on the way.”

“That sounds good. Let’s good.”

Walking hand and hand, Hajime let out a deep breath. He wasn’t stupid- he knew that one speech wouldn’t kill his doubts and fear, just like how one moment won’t stop Fuyuhiko’s violent instincts. But as the sun began to set, and the world seemed bathed in gold, he thought that maybe things would really be alright.

#kuzuhina #kuzuhina secret santa 2020 #starryy-night #like-an-alpaca-sir #submission

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kuzuhinasecretexchange · 4 years ago

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Work Title: How To Learn To Enjoy Coffee In Four Days

Author: @jagopolis

For: @starryy-night

Pairings/Characters: Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu/Hajime Hinata, Peko Pekoyama

Rating/Warnings: General audiences, warning for a lot of foul language

Prompts used: Coffee Shop AU, urban fantasy

Author’s notes: I am so sorry for the foul language. And the other thing, I hope this small piece is to your liking! I adore modern/urban fantasy so I immediately jumped on board, and while coffee shop AUs are not something I often write, I think I did decently! Enjoy this small piece and glory to the lovely kuzuhina ship! Also, 10°C is 50°F.

Nobody liked Mondays.

And that was the fact as true as the sun setting every morning, the stars showing up at night, or that every full moon werewolves would go a bit feral.

Even the weather seemed to agree that Mondays are shit. The temperature was no higher than maybe 10°C if not for the wind, and the sky had that ugly, grey color of clouds that won’t bring rain, but will obscure the sunshine just because.

Amidst all that, just after they got a moment off their duties, Peko approached Fuyuhiko with an offer. Apparently, a new coffee shop opened nearby, and she was looking for a friend willing to visit it with her.

And, you know what? Yeah, sure, why not, any break from the bleak reality will make this boring day much more bearable.

Turns out the shop wasn’t even far from their workplace, they didn’t have to take a short-distance teleport, just a quick train ride. At least, it would be quick, if not for the elf who suddenly decided to argue with the driver. Seriously, even goddamn dragons aren’t that proud.

But finally, they arrived at their stop and headed towards their destination. It was in one of the more rural districts. With narrower streets, mainly small houses and equally small gardens.

“So, this is the fuss is all about?” Fuyuhiko mused out loud, judging the rather modest front of the cafe.

Peko nodded quietly, though what interested her more were the fluffy cushions leaning against one of the windows. Knowing her, they won’t leave without a new one.

This was actually a good opportunity to take a peek into the cafe. And it wasn’t anything stellar, truth be told. Just a few tables with chairs or more comfortable sofas, a small counter, and a single, tired employee checking something on his phone. No customers at this hour? Sheesh, if this is another shitty place… Fuyuhiko sighed and pushed the door, walking inside. What hit him immediately was the sheer intensity of magic woven into this place. It felt as if they transitioned from a shitty autumn Monday to a bright summer Sunday by just taking a single step. The interior transformed from a cheap look to a full-blown forest. With trees and birds singing and all that shit. And, yeah, Fuyuhiko was aware this is all just very good illusion magic at work but y’know, this shit is still impressive. Especially since he tried and failed miserably at learning it.

And then Fuyuhiko noticed that there is a fucking window with soft cushions next to him and all immersion went poof.

Peko, however, was absolutely taken in, and he knew that from the way her lips twitched in the slightest of smiles.

“…come on, let’s not keep the barista waiting,” he grumbled, before moving to the counter, now overgrown with moss and flowers. But behind it was the same, very bored barista, checking his phone. The audacity! Fuyuhiko very loudly clears his throat, and the guy finally has enough common fucking sense to look at his customers. “Welcome to our small shop, what do you desire?” barista’s voice was no less enthusiastic than the way he greeted his only customers, and Fuyuhiko was so, so fucking tempted to curse this idiot out right there and then. Let’s go. Let’s fucking go.

“What we fucking desire, is–” There was a hand on her shoulder, and Peko’s voice quickly cut him off. “We don’t desire anything, Fae. However, we would like to order an espresso and a caramel latte. With almond milk.”

…of fucking course it’s a fae. As if anything today can go right, he almost told his desires to a fae. Good job Fuyuhiko! Good job you idiot!

The fae barista nodded and got to making their order, while Peko, with her hand still on Fuyuhiko’s shoulder, guided him to a table far away from the counter. The shorter man huffed angrily and sat down.

“…This was close. You need to watch your tongue around faes.”

To that, Fuyuhiko just grabbed a handful of moss growing from his chair and ripped it off. “It’s not my fucking fault that bitch tried to scam me out of my wants! How the hell was I supposed to know he’s a fae to begin with? These stupid illusions make him look almost amagi–”

Peko cut him off with a nudge before he could continue his angry rant as the barista approached them. He placed their orders on the table. It didn’t appear as if he heard anything, then again, who knew with these sly bastards. “Anything else?” Your stupid head on the platt–

“No, thank you very much.” God bless Peko for her natural unshakable composure.

The barista nodded and then walked away, all while Fuyuhiko dug his sharp claws into the living wood of the illusionary table. Meanwhile, Peko picked up her espresso and took a long, slow sip. She was someone who not only knew a lot about coffee but also enjoyed this devilish brew of the evilest of demons. No, seriously, how the fuck could anyone ever enjoy its bitterness? Fuyuhiko let out a frustrated growl, before finally taking his cup and sipping some of probably the single sweetest coffee in existence. It still tasted like coffee, and that meant absolute garbage though. “For being clearly a front for fae activity, their coffee is rather delicious.” Peko mused, setting down her cup. It was already empty, much to Fuyuhiko’s horror. His latte was barely started and he already had enough!

“If you say so. I just think it’s a very shitty business practice to try to extort desires from your clients,” he muttered, grip tightening around his glass. “I’m just gonna go pay and then we’re out. And never, ever coming back.”

Peko looked at him with that slightly amused look of hers, before turning her eyes to the weird-ass not-illusion-hidden window with the cushions. Oh no… “Please don’t tell me you want a souvenir.” She nodded. He cursed out his life again. Then got up and walked to that counter and damn barista, who somehow already got back onto his phone. Fuyuhiko had to try real hard to not start growling at the fae. But he was a distinguished dragon, and way too old to growl at people he disliked. “I’m paying, card, how much is it?”

The barista looked up at him with these annoyingly green eyes of his, then on the register.

“830 yen.” And at that moment Fuyuhiko started growling. What a fucking steal! He could get coffee that’s equally as horrible for what, a 100 yen? Fucking faes and their fucking shady business practices!

No, Fuyuhiko, remember your goal here.

“…you’ve got quite the prices.”

The barista just shrugged. The bastard-

“I didn’t set the prices, I just work here.”

The eyeroll Fuyuhiko made was one of the more subtle kinds. Absolutely.

“Alright, whatever. Can the cushions you have by the window be bought?”

And that, for fuck’s sake FINALLY, got a reaction out of the bored guy. His brows furrowed in genuine confusion, as he looked over Fuyuhiko’s shoulder and at the window.

“Well, no, they’re a part of the interior…”

Aha. Sure sure, anything a fae has in their sight can be acquired through a bit of rule-bending.

“What about exchange then? You can exchange anything for anything with equal value.”

Gotcha bitch.

The barista sighed, before rubbing his temples and hesitantly nodded.

“That… Is true, but you’d have to bring me an equally as fluffy cushion for trade. You’d already have a cushion though, so why-”

“Then it’s a deal!” Fuyuhiko took his card out and quickly made the right payment. For the coffee. But the more important and tricky one will have to wait. “I will bring you that cushion tomorrow.”

Barista didn’t say anything, visibly too stunned by the weird happenings. Haha, 1-0, shitty customer service guy. With everything taken care of, and his power and pride flaunted, Fuyuhiko turned around and gestured at Peko to follow him. She sighed, with that smallest of amusements on her face. She was lucky to be his best friend, he wouldn’t bother for anyone else.

“I’m never doing you any favors again.”

To which Peko just laughed, as they walked out of the enchanted cafe and into the much less gray Monday of the city.

—

So, Tuesdays.

On most occasions, Fuyuhiko didn’t mind Tuesdays as much as he did Mondays, for a simple reason. His work started later and he could wake up at a reasonably late hour and not be late. Sure, not much happened, but there wasn’t any reason for outright hatred either.

That is, usually.

Because today, he had to carry a fluffy fucking cushion to a stupid cafe and uphold his end of the deal with a fae. Because, in his own stupidity, he shouted ‘it’s a deal’ in front of a being known for making shady deals with other magical and amagical creatures for a living. But this was fine. Everything was fine. This was a harmless deal with clearly stated conditions. Pillow for a pillow, exchanged today. That’s all, the fae really had no room to scam him out of his soul or some shit.

And so, after work, he made it very clear to Peko how dissatisfied he was with what she put him up for, before leaving with his sacrificial pillow, one he extorted from Souda with a few threats and curses. What? He doesn’t have stuff like that just laying around, he prefers smooth materials.

He took one look at the traffic and decided to not bother with a train, instead preparing to pay quite a bit for a teleport. Really, fuck whoever thought that instead of making this perfect means of transportation free, one has to pay stupid amounts just to make a short jump.

The machine situated on the end of his street happily swallowed a few whole bills while he typed in the address. Glass doors of the booth closed behind him, the low hum of magic filled the closed space, before pulling him under for just a moment and spitting out at a different machine. THANK YOU FOR USING OUR SERVICES flashed across the screen, as the glass door opened to the narrow street from yesterday. “Thank you for ripping me off, assholes,” Fuyuhiko muttered to himself. At least he wasn’t one of the losers who were nauseous after teleportation. He covered his mouth with his hand. Just in case.

The street was as empty as yesterday. Actually, everything looked exactly like yesterday, even the weather was the same. Pushing the annoying deja vu aside, Fuyuhiko quickly made his way to the coffee shop, pillow in his hand. A plastic bag, but who cares.

Inside the exact same illusion has greeted him. His eyes wandered to the counter, behind which the same shithead from yesterday was standing, but this time just mindlessly fidgeting with some coins instead of being on his phone. What an improvement.

So Fuyuhiko walked over, slammed his cushion on the counter, and stared the barista dead in the eyes. “My end of the deal. Your turn.” And the barista looked at him with such deep confusion Fuyuhiko was sure the last time he saw emotion as strong as this on someone’s face was when he breathed fire during a party to get everyone’s attention. So he just stood there, waiting for the idiot to remember what this is all about. Up until now, he didn’t really have the time to examine his target of curses. He had the appearance of a guy roughly his physical age, with a standard built and brown, spiky hair. So spiky in fact that some strands seemed to completely defy gravity and just stand upright. Fuyuhiko briefly wondered what kind of hairspray the guy was using. He was dressed in a brown apron and striped shirt, just standard work clothes. No one would wear that atrocity without being forced to.

“…wait, you’re the guy who wanted to trade pillows-?” the barista finally spoke up, examining the bag. He reached into it, and took the cushion into his hands, squeezing it.

But Fuyuhiko really had no patience for this place, nor this guy.

“Yes. Now, which ones can I trade this for?”

The barista stared at the pillows stacked up against the window as if he saw them for the first time in his life.

“Any, I think. Just, uh, bring one to me and I’ll decide?”

Without waiting for any further encouragement, Fuyuhiko bolted towards the window, grabbed the single fluffiest bastard situated there, almost tripped on a tree’s root on his way back, and placed the soon-to-be-his pillow right next to the one he brought.

The barista blinked in great confusion again, before nodding.

“Yeah, sure, this looks about equal in volume…”

Which, to be fair, surprised Fuyuhiko. Was this fae just. Agreeing to the terms of a different being? What the fuck. What the Fuck.

“Would you like to order anything, though?” the barista continued. Fuyuhiko shook his head.

“No, that’s all I wanted out of this place. Bye.”

He grabbed his bag, the newly obtained gift, and turned around. “Wait!” the barista’s voice caught up to him. “…we also serve tea?”

Did that bastard notice that he didn’t drink his coffee yesterday? More importantly, remembered it? That’s very fucking weird of him.

But also rather rude of Fuyuhiko to just walk in, demand a pillow, and walk out? Fuck this shit… a single cup of tea couldn’t harm anyone. Even if served by a fae. If they used some illegal charms they’d be shut down before they could even open.

“…single cup of green tea then.”

As Fuyuhiko turned around, he caught the barista smiling to himself. Yeah, good job dipshit, you just convinced a guy to become your customer again. This time though, instead of sitting by a table, the dragon decided to sit by the counter. Maybe to observe the sly fae. Maybe.

Said fae in question easily maneuvered between the shelves and picked out what seemed to be Fuyuhiko’s ordered tea, then scooped some into a tea infuser, placed that into the cup, and poured hot water onto it. And it’s not like Fuyuhiko has never seen someone make tea, for fuck’s sake he makes it himself, but damn this man had some moves.

“Enjoy your drink.”

Fuyuhiko looked at the cup with still brewing tea with the slightest hint of suspicion. But he just went over all the arguments, so he just picked it up and took a sip. “…that’s one sweet green tea.”

The barista laughed a bit, before scratching his neck. “Yes, you see, I picked a sweeter mix, I thought you’d like it after your last order.”

“Do you remember every order you get?” Fuyuhiko could not contain a snark. The barista answered with a slow nod.

“Pretty much-? That’s what I’m paid for.”

The dragon just stared at him as he continued to sip his tea. The fae shifted his balance from left to right, then searched for something to look at, finally landing on the pillow.

“…that girl is really lucky to have you. I mean, not everyone would make a deal with a fae to get a gift!”

And to that, Fuyuhiko spat out his tea for the first time. He coughed loudly, to the barista’s bewilderment.

“Peko is like my sister!”

The barista shook his head with stunning speed, his voice seemed to get a tone higher.

“No, I wasn’t trying to insist anything like that-! She’s lucky to have you, as a brother-?”

Fuyuhiko continued to cough his lungs out. The barista leaned forward and, after hesitating a moment, awkwardly patted his back. And while Fuyuhiko would prefer for a stranger to not touch him, the gesture was somewhat appreciated (and, damn, his hands were warm). A few more coughs and the cursed tea finally left his lungs in its entirety, it would appear. He could finally breathe freely. Barista went back to standing at a distance of the counter (would it be strange to be disappointed by that?).

“Uh… Sorry about that. So, your ‘like sister’s’ name is Peko, and yours is?” That was probably the most awkward segway into a different topic Fuyuhiko has heard since he met Kazuichi. Anyway, it’d be pretty rude to not introduce himself.

“Name’s Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko.”

The barista’s eyes went a little wide, no doubt recognizing the family name. But he made no comments about it, instead just nodded.

“I’m Hinata Hajime. It’s nice to see new faces around here.”

That’s… An underwhelmingly typical name. The dragon hoped to at least find a family connected to this fae, but it seems he truly was just. A guy working in a cafe.

The momentary quiet apparently startled Hinata, as he reached to scratch his arm.

“So, you-”

“Before we change the topic again,” Fuyuhiko cut in. “Let me finish this tea. It’s getting cold.”

Hinata gave an apologetic look and a nod, before shuffling off to poke some buttons on the cash register. From the side, Fuyuhiko could appreciate just how. Nicely he fit into the scenery, with his green eyes, and hair in a shade similar to the trees, and–

Hinata turned his head and flashed him a quick smile, before going back to work, and Fuyuhiko was almost sure his heart stopped. Gh, get yourself together, you useless fucking homosexual!

“Actually, there’s something I want to ask you,” quickly start a conversation maybe then he won’t judge him for staring. “You behaved like a completely different person yesterday. I’m not tryin’ to pry, but what’s up with that?”

Hinata stopped for a moment, before resuming the apparently absolutely pointless fidgeting with the register.

“Yeah, I. Apologize for that, not very professional of me, hah?” from just the tone of his voice Fuyuhiko could guess that he stepped into something he shouldn’t have. “It was just. A long day, I barely got any sleep, and–” “Y’know what, nevermind, forget I asked.” Good job Fuyuhiko. You absolute moron. You idiot. How do you ruin your chances in a single sentence.

“Oh, no, it’s fine! I get it, it must look pretty weird from the outside, like two different people, or something!”

“Like, identical evil twin shit?”

Hinata’s smile got wider for a moment, covering up a laugh. “I wish! Someone to cover my shifts, that’d be fantastic.”

And, alright, listen. Fuyuhiko was prying way too much, but this a matter of planning his week ahead and knowing when to come to this cafe and when to ditch it all and not expose himself to any bullshit from faes.

“So you work here alone? Sounds tough.”

“Well, not really. I’m just the only one on shift right now. My coworker will come to give me a break eventually.” said Hinata, following it with a dismissive wave of his hand.

So of course Fuyuhiko followed it with:

“Then, when are you free?”, praying inside that his hidden intention is not picked up just yet.

“Uh, I finish my shift Friday evening?”

The intention wasn’t picked up but if Fuyuhiko had any more tea, he’d probably spit it out again. Luckily, the cold, half-finished cup laid abandoned next to him. “…it’s Tuesday.”

“Yes, well, fae don’t really need to sleep as often as most sentient species, so I can take 5-days-long shifts without much issue.” and he had the audacity to say that as if it was just a common occurrence to work for 100… something hours nonstop!

But that. Did give him quite a bit of time to get to know Hinata better…

“Sounds fuckin’ awful, I can barely stand 8 hours at work.”

Hinata responded with a chuckle, just shrugging.

“You can get used to it, I guess. Are you going to finish your tea, or-?”

Aw, shit, the tea. Yeah, it was undrinkable now anyway, and it’s not like Fuyuhiko liked it that much in the first place.

“I’ll pay, how much is it?”

“A cup will be… 300 yen.”

OH FOR FUCKS SAKE– the prices here will kill him! Drain all of his goddamn earnings!

He just took out enough bills and handed them over. Staying longer than this would be rude, even if nobody else was in the cafe. Or, that was an illusion, he just fell for an illusion, and it’s all fae tricks designed to make him lose money.

He grabbed his pillow and stood up.

“Till next time, then.”

Hinata’s brow slowly raised.

“Next time?”

But before he had to answer that question and no doubt embarrass himself further, Fuyuhiko walked right out of that cursed place.

Just one glance, through the window. And, sure enough, Hinata stood there, stood there, alive, and probably real since apparently glass resisted the illusion. Luckily, his eyes were still stuck looking at the door, so he did not see Fuyuhiko questioning his existence.

Turning away and walking down the street, the dragon took out his phone and quickly opened the chat with Peko.

FUYU: How do you learn to enjoy coffee?

KOKO: Why are you asking? FUYU: None of your business! KOKO: It’s that barista. FUYU: …… KOKO: I knew you’d enjoy that place. :-)

#kuzuhina #kuzuhina secret santa 2020 #jagopolis #starryy-night #submission

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kuzuhinasecretexchange · 4 years ago

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Work Title: Hold Me Tight

Author: @monkeecore

For: @scribbletea

Pairings/Characters: Hajime Hinata/Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu

Rating/Warnings: Teen (warning for swearing)

Prompt used: jealousy

Author’s notes: this was really fun to write !! i had a wonderful time this entire exchange and i hope you enjoy it !!

“You ok man?” Kazuichi asked. Fuyuhiko just grumbled in response.

Fuyuhiko likes to think he isn’t someone who gets easily jealous. But sometimes, it’s fucking impossible to stay calm. He’s always known to get possessive of things that he cares about for example, when he was younger he wouldn’t go anywhere without his favorite stuffed bunny, Betty. Betty was like a safety blanket for Fuyu, so when it was suggested that Betty should’ve been put away after years of falling apart, he refused and cried for hours, begging his mother to let him keep it in his closet.

That habit was no exception to people.

Anyone would tell you about his close relationship with Peko, which seems to be stifling for the two of them at times. Whenever Peko left for even a simple errand, he would be found pacing around his room, hand clutching his chest as if a simple grocery trip could possibly kill a person. It also left a huge stain on both of their values of their own self worth for years, believing they wouldn’t live without the other.

Then Hajime came along.

He was a blunt, awkward, and snarky piece of shit. He couldn’t have found anyone more perfect. Sure the two danced in circles for months, Fuyuhiko especially but they made it work. A simple grip on the shorter’s hand seemed to keep him at peace, and they were simply content to be with each other.

But right now, someone else seemed to want to disrupt that.

Courtesy to the school, they had a day off and his class planned a beach day. Fuyuhiko obviously invited Hajime along, who was already friends with Chiaki and everyone else seemed indifferent to the reserve course student joining in their little vacation. Everything was going well, Fuyuhiko was busy constructing a castle with help from Mahiru and Kazuichi, the others were splashing around in the water.

What caught Fuyu off guard however, was that someone was currently ogling at his boyfriend.

Sure he didn’t mention it but, it was still uncomfortable for anyone, at least that’s what he thought. Gundham was currently swimming with Hajime, who continuously gripped onto Hajime’s arm, with the occasional glance at his chest. Fuyuhiko knew that look, he did that all the fucking time before he confessed and he does it now. If he didn’t know any better, he was sure Gundham was interested in him.

He didn’t want to disrupt it though, cause one no one knew they were dating, and two it would be humiliating for both parties if he just stormed on over there so he simply resorted to muttering curses under his breath as it continued.

Kazuichi seemed to catch on though, as he heard him ask “What’s going on? You’ve been glaring at Gundham for five minutes”

“He’s acting weird with Hajime” Fuyuhiko answered

“That guy acts weird with everyone” Kazuichi laughed

“I know but this is different…like he’s trying to flirt with him or something” Fuyuhiko stated.

“DUDE HE MIGHT HEAR YOU” kazuichi sputtered

“Good.” Fuyuhiko muttered.

He couldn’t hear the rest of Kazuichi’s warning as he stomped his way towards Hajime, who was clueless as ever.

“Stop looking at him like that ass wipe” Fuyuhiko fumes.

“Now why would a simple glance put you at unease Kuzuryu?” Gundham laughed

“I know that fucking look and believe me, you like looking at Hajime don’t you?” Fuyu argued.

“I’m right here you know?” Hajime interjected, however the two couldn’t hear it at this point.

“Are you accusing me of lusting after a fellow student? Or is there a more sinister reason?” Gundham accused

“Oh I have a fucking reason buddy, you see that guy over there” he then pointed at Hajime, who was currently thinking through the event that was taking place as Fuyuhiko finished his statement.

“He’s my fucking boyfriend and you have to get through me first before you look at him like that ya bastard” Fuyuhiko growled.

Everyone was now looking at the event taking place, murmurs of confusion and a little bit of concern, much to both Fuyuhiko and Hajime’s dismay. Before Fuyuhiko could continue, he felt a tug on his arm as Hajime began to drag him away from the beach. As Fuyuhiko was about to apologize, he couldn’t seem to find the words. As they trudged on, he continued to fiddle with his free hand, fully taking the situation.

Well that was fucking embarrassing.

Hajime then proceeded to open the door to their shared cottage, leaving Fuyuhiko at the entrance as he proceeded to change out of his trunks.

“I’m not mad you know?” Hajime called out, breaking Fuyu out of his trance.

“I wouldn’t think you’d be” he responded

Fiddling with his fingers, Fuyuhiko carefully stepped inside the cottage, joining the other who was currently sitting on his bed.

Slowly wrapping himself around Fuyuhiko, Hajime gently laid them down. Taking one of his hands that was on Fuyu’s waist, he released to gingerly take one of his hands, rubbing comforting circles like motions on the back of his hand.

“I looked like a real ass out there didn’t I?” Fuyu jested.

“I mean…it was on us that we didn’t tell anyone so yeah” Hajime chuckled

“But really I try to not act like that but…it’s hard you know?” Fuyu stated

“I know my anger and clinginess are problems and I try, I really do but…some days I seem to be working for nothing” he lamented

Hanging on tighter, Hajime responded, “Are you kidding? You have changed so much from when we first met. I’m proud of you, you know?” Hajime expressed

Looking up, Fuyuhiko gave Hajime a small smile as he said, “You always have the right words to say don’t you?”

“Well how else am I supposed to say that I adore you?” Hajime cooed.

When Fuyu didn’t respond, Hajime glanced down to find the smaller boy asleep, his chest slowly rising and falling, with a little grin plastered on his face. Grinning, he gently kissed the top of his head and slowly fell asleep himself.

They could tell the others later but for now, being with each other is enough.

#kuzuhina #kuzuhina secret santa 2020 #monkeecore #scribbletea #submission

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kuzuhinasecretexchange · 4 years ago

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Work Title: cryptic shells, orange juice, and candid talks

Author: @fieldofsunflowers8

For: @serpenteaus

Pairings/Characters: Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko/Hinata Hajime, No Additional Characters

Rating/Warnings: Teen Rated, No Content Warnings Apply

Prompt used: “postgame mundane shenanigans”

Author’s notes: hi! i apologize for this leaning towards the shorter side, but this was a lot of fun to write! i really hope you like it :D

Hinata swings around his cabin at the same time he always does, knocking and waiting patiently as Kuzuryuu heaves his ass out of bed.

It’s a really minor routine, in truth. There’s nothing super interesting about that repetitiveness– coming around at 8 AM, walking with him to the dining hall, bantering with him over some toast while they talk to their other friends, and spending the rest of their day working on the island or just relaxing. It’s the same shit every day, the same shit they do unless it’s like, someone’s birthday or something, and it should probably bore Kuzuryuu at some point.

It kind of doesn’t, though. In a sense that Kuzuryuu isn’t going to complain about seeing his boyfriend in the morning, or getting to vibe around the island with him, even if it’s similar to what they’ve always done. All of them find ways to keep things interesting– accidentally, like Komaeda, or on purpose, like Imposter– and the island always feels dynamic.

They’ve been through a lot. Having a kind of stability, yet one that shifts according to what they want Jabberwock to be, is sort of relieving. Kuzuryuu rarely got that relief in the past, and he sure as hell isn’t going to pass it up now.

Kuzuryuu makes his way over to the door, unlocking it. Hinata looks a bit more disheveled than usual, dark brown hair messy and growing a bit long, shirt half buttoned and his hands in his pockets, but he still gives Kuzuryuu a smile. “Hey,” Hinata says tiredly, “woke up late. How are you?”

Well, that explains it. Hinata likes routine, too, on most days (and sometimes he hates the tedium of it, but hey, Kuzuryuu can accommodate that too). “I’m fine. Just got up ‘nd shit. Let me brush my teeth and, like, get dressed. Is it hot outside?”

“Well, we’re on a tropical island,” Hinata deadpans, “so I would assume so. Bit cooler, since it’s November, but that’s how it always goes.”

Kuzuryuu nods, throwing open a dresser and changing into some shirt Hinata gave him a while back. Everyone on Jabberwock has a bad tendency to not remember who owns what clothes, so sometimes Komaeda shows up to lunch in Mioda’s skirt, or Koizumi ends up with Owari’s jacket, or Sonia nestles into Tanaka’s scarf. Nobody really minds, though– they’re all sort of a family, after all.

And, y’know. Kuzuryuu likes wearing Hinata’s clothes. Not that he would, like, outright admit that to him, but. Hinata has a nice scent of sandalwood and citrus, and Kuzuryuu thinks, as his boyfriend, he has the right to indulge in it.

‘Course, Hinata still has to point it out smugly. “That’s my shirt, isn’t it?”

Kuzuryuu gestures to the pattern on it– sunflowers, or something. Bit flashy, but Kuzuryuu can cut him some slack for it. It looks really nice on Hinata, either way, so. “Who else would have this shit?”

“Maybe Komaeda,” Hinata suggests while Kuzuryuu opens the bathroom door, pulling out the green toothbrush (there’s a spare blue one, for Hinata, in case he stays over) and putting on some mint toothpaste. “He’s picked up gardening, hasn’t he?”

“Him and Owari, yeah.” There’s a lull in the conversation, as he can’t exactly talk with toothpaste in his mouth, but he picks it up where he left off after he finishes. “Not sure how Owari got into it, actually, ‘cuz gardening never seemed to be her gig.”

Hinata leans against the wall. “The food, probably. Even though Komaeda’s luck keeps fucking up the strawberries, according to Hanamura. I wouldn’t really know, I don’t swing by there much, y’know, but. Probably for that.” Kuzuryuu nods, sliding on some pants and picking up his phone. Hinata straightens, already moving to nudge the door open. “Ready to head out?”

“Don’t know what else I’d be doing.” Hinata just snorts in lieu of a response, gesturing for Kuzuryuu to walk out first before closing the door behind them.

Hinata’s right, it is a bit cooler. It’s a subtle kind of difference, one that comes from knowing the island like the back of his hand, being able to tell when a storm’s about to hit and give them a shit ton of rain, or when it’s about to be super fucking arid, enough to give at least one dumbass heatstroke (fucking Souda and his stupid ass machine work, in the middle of the sun, with metal, and no water, for hours, in the fucking sun). It comes with time, basically.

And it’s sort of a neat thing. It should be boring, once again, but, eh. He likes it.

He thinks about that, sometimes.

Then Hinata makes an awkward gesture in an attempt to subtly ask to hold Kuzuryuu’s hand, and he stops focusing on the weather and all that bullshit, and more on his stupidly endearing boyfriend.

Kuzuryuu intertwines their fingers and mumbles, “You can just ask to hold my hand, dipshit.”

“You looked like you were thinking about something,” Hinata defends mildly. “So I didn’t want to, uh, just. Jar you straight out of that?”

It’s pretty considerate of him, Kuzuryuu considers, even though it’s kind of just inefficient, like the weird waffling they did when they first got together. Which is always really funny to think about in retrospect, because, like, the two of them have always been close. Back in the simulation, they got along decently well, and in the miserable months after waking up, the two of them would stay the night with each other all the time, doing scattered things across the island to distract themself, hugging each other when the days got shitty.

It only really made sense, then, that they had some kind of charisma between them back then. It only took everyone waking up and shit calming down, managing to get some kind of therapy across the shitty telephone lines that the Future Foundation got them, for them to even think about that shit. But, hey, they got there in the fucking end, with the help of the others, like, trying to get them past the yearning into an actual confession.

(Kuzuryuu still remembers the humiliation of Souda and Komaeda– fucking Souda and Komaeda– being the ones that helped him talk to Hinata about it. Souda, who is the definition of running himself in circles, romantically speaking, and Komaeda, who wouldn’t know how to confess to someone normally if a walk-through manual slapped him in the fucking face.

… Not that Hinata’s help was much better. Sonia and Tanaka were pushing for him to confess to Kuzuryuu with a fucking shell. Like, just a cool looking shell, that they thought would appeal to Kuzuryuu’s fiery energies, or something.

Hinata still ended up giving Kuzuryuu the shell, for the record. But Kuzuryuu was a lot more invested in kissing his new boyfriend, at the time. It’s still… somewhere in his room. Just, as a little memory. Or something like that.)

Hinata squeezes his hand again, and Kuzuryuu jolts back to reality. He laughs at himself a bit. “Sorry, I was just, like, thinking about the shitshow that was us trying to get together, all that time back.”

He tilts his head, olive green eyes softening. “How come?”

“Because you trying to hold my hand was awkward as hell.”

The soft eyes are immediately hidden with an eye roll. “Fuck off.”

Kuzuryuu snorts, nudging him with his shoulder before they continue walking to the dining hall. “Seriously, though. That was such a fuckin’ week, wasn’t it? Hell, I still think about Komaeda looking me straight in the eyes and calling me an idiot.”

“I’m still not entirely sure that one happened,” Hinata jokes. “Like. I know Komaeda is kind of… a lot, but the fact that he just called your ass out, then and there, is so much. Then again, Sonia called me a dense motherfucker, so.”

“You are a dense motherfucker.”

“I am not a dense motherfucker.” Kuzuryuu shoots him a look, and Hinata sighs. “Okay. Sometimes, I am a dense motherfucker. But I did know you liked me! I just can’t, uh, interpret half my emotions at any hour of the day.”

The Kamukura effect, Kuzuryuu calls it in his head, but he doesn’t, like, verbally say that. Not that it would be an issue– Kuzuryuu is kind of adjusted to Kamukura suddenly fronting, and the two of them get along decently well, but. Y’know. It’s just kind of a weird thing to say, he thinks. “Yeah, I mean, that’s fair. We were still pretty fresh out of everything, I can imagine you had more going on.”

“Yeah.”

Kuzuryuu shoots Hinata a look, taking in the slightly pensive expression, before impulsively standing on his toes to kiss his cheek. His face erupts in a blush, because Hinata isn’t the most accustomed to physical touch, still, and Kuzuryuu takes the chance to say, “You aren’t stupid, though. You’re, like, really fuckin’ smart. And I get it. We all do.”

Hinata glances away in some failed attempt to hide his expression. “Thanks,” he mumbles, but he squeezes Kuzuryuu’s hand, so. He knows that the other gets what he’s getting at. He’s just flustered, sort of adorably, but Kuzuryuu would never admit that. He is not a sap.

(Well. Hinata’s eyes sometimes remind him of the times long ago, back at home, where it was sunny and he felt sort of okay, actually. And he has nice hair, y’know, falling into his eyes but nice to touch. And he’s nice, like, a real sweet guy with a closed off heart that you can still sort of trust. And he reminds Kuzuryuu of the sunshine, just, entirely.

… So maybe a little bit, but, hey. One of them has to maintain the romantic coherency around here, and if they have to pass the baton of sentiment, so be it.)

“You’re contemplative today,” Hinata remarks.

“You spend half your time brooding and getting lost in thought, and you’re getting on my ass?”

Hinata laughs, which makes Kuzuryuu’s scowl soften. “Fair enough. Sorry.”

“You’re fine.” Kuzuryuu sighs. “Just. Thinking about us, again.”

“That’s, uh, pretty sweet of you. Or just really, really sappy, I guess.”

“Shut the literal fuck up.”

“It wasn’t an insult.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” They’re at the dining hall, now. As Hinata opens the door for them, the sound of the others becomes pretty apparent. Hanamura in the kitchen as usual, Tanaka and Souda’s voices distinct amidst the sound of everyone eating. There’s probably a few people missing– Komaeda and Owari come to mind, since Owari eats food unreasonably early sometimes, and Komaeda tends to show up when fewer people are there– but, since Hinata and Kuzuryuu got up sort of late, the rest are probably there.

It’s… nice. Another one of those expected things, mundane as all hell and probably boring to literally anybody else, but Kuzuryuu likes it. Likes the way things flow, likes the routine, likes it all. Even when it’s, yeah, sometimes decently repetitive.

Hinata gets the door for them again– chivalrous dumbass– and Sonia immediately issues them a, “Good morning, Hinata-san, Kuzuryuu-san.”

“What’s up.” Kuzuryuu lets go of Hinata’s hand to go and grab some food, his boyfriend engaging in an actual conversation with Sonia and Nidai. Kuzuryuu would like to later, no shit, but he’s hungry and Hanamura’s food calls to him. He gets himself some orange juice (that Hinata will probably steal from him, prompting an aghast orange juice and coffee, at once, are you fuckin’ serious? but, eh. Better than grabbing, like, milk or something). He also grabs some food, toast with some kind of spread Hanamura would give them the details of, before taking a seat.

Souda slides across him, leaving whatever conversation he had been having with Tanaka to the wind. “Hey there, soul bro! How we vibing?”

“Fine.” Kuzuryuu says with a shrug, instinctually scooting over as Hinata sits next to him.

Souda gets out another, “Soul bro number two! How are you?”

“Doing fine, Souda,” Hinata steals Kuzuryuu’s juice from the get go, so he kicks him under the table. Hinata stifles a laugh. “Tanaka’s giving you a death stare, though.”

“Ugh, dammit. Prick’s been getting on me over crystals, or some shit.” Souda gets out of the chair, already walking back over to probably start another argument with no other pretense. It’s early enough in the morning that Kuzuryuu doesn’t second guess the weird interaction, though Souda has a tendency to start and end conversations in the worst, most abrupt way.

He’s off, watching Souda and Tanaka go at each other while Koizumi sits tiredly near them, looking as if she’s debating whether to interfere or leave before Tanaka throws out an archaic insult, when Hinata moves to grab his hand and squeeze it. Kuzuryuu turns to look back at him, eyebrow raised. “What’s up?”

“Uh, nothing, really,” Hinata replies, and Kuzuryuu almost looks away again before he blurts out, “I love you.”

Kuzuryuu flushes, trying to roll his eyes to counteract it, but the awkwardly fond expression on Hinata’s face gives the impression that his plan didn’t work. Still, he keeps his voice casual (if not a bit softer, dammit Hinata, fucking contagious sentimental hours) as he replies, “Love you too, dipshit. Give me back my fuckin’ juice.”

“Of course.” Hinata takes one more swig before giving it back, and it’s almost a quarter empty, so maybe Kuzuryuu should have let the bastard keep it, but, eh. He’s too busy focusing on the I love you thing, which they’ve said fairly often throughout their relationship, but, still. He used to think– and Hinata must have, too– that it needed to be saved for big occasions, like birthdays or anniversaries or the days that come particularly rough. But, Kuzuryuu thinks that they’re worth hearing any day, even the particular slow ones, like these.

Later, they’ll probably go off to work around the island, separate for a bit to apply their talents wherever needed. Kuzuryuu will talk to his friends, hang out with Pekoyama a bit as she trains, and probably spend too much time contemplating to be productive.

But, it’s still a nice day. Slow, and a bit chilly comparatively, but a nice day.

And, hey. He can roll with that, he thinks. That they’ve earned their share of peaceful days after everything.

He shoots a glance over at Hinata while he’s eating. His face is neutral as he fiddles with his sleeve and thinks about something, either entirely random (like the light fixtures, or something), or a topic a bit more serious that he might bring up to Kuzuryuu later. He’s come a long way, in being open with that, but also with just… everything. Both of them have. Hell, the reason they could get together was that growth, getting through it all, that bullshit. All of that shit, to get here.

And, to be honest? Despite all the shit they went through, the shit that Kuzuryuu wished they didn’t have to go through, wouldn’t have gone through again no matter what…

… he’s pretty fucking happy that the two of them are here.

Together.

#kuzuhina #kuzuhina secret santa 2020 #serpenteaus #fieldofsunflowers8 #submission

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kuzuhinasecretexchange · 4 years ago

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And with that, the Kuzuhina Secret Santa has come to a close! Thank you to everyone who participated and everyone who supported the wonderful writers and artists! (It’s been a blast to see the notifications light up, I hope all of you are as ecstatic as I was!)

We may come back with another seasonal exchange later, so keep an eye out, and Happy New Year!!

#kuzuhina #kuzuhina secret santa 2020 #danganronpa

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kuzuhinasecretexchange · 4 years ago

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Artist: @hyroid (harpoon__gun on twitter and instagram)

For: @moomin-butch

Pairings/Characters: Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu (SHSL Nurse)/Hajime Hinata (SHSL Yakuza)

Rating/Warnings: T for implied violence & injury I suppose? also various states of undress (but not in like the dirty way!! Get ur mind outta the gutter!!!)

Prompt used: Talent swap (also tried to fit elements of winter and historical in there!)

Artist’s notes: Happy Holigays! C:

#kuzuhina #kuzuhina secret santa 2020 #hyroid #moomin-butch #submission

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kuzuhinasecretexchange · 4 years ago

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Work Title: I Think We’re Alone Now

Author: @scribbletea

For: @hyroid

Pairings/Characters: Hinata Hajime/Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko, Hinata Hajime, Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko, Kuzuryu Natsumi, Pekoyama Peko

Rating/Warnings: General / No Warnings Apply

Prompt used: Dresses, Mob Family, Confessions, Non-despair AU

Author’s notes: Hey!! I was ur secret Santa and honestly, I had so much fun writing this that I got kinda carried away, I hope you enjoy it as much as I had writing it!!

Link to full fic here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28431786

“-And that’s all we’ll be covering on the test”.

The bell rings, signaling the end of another day of classes. The sound of metal chairs sliding against the tile floor and excited chatter quickly fills the room.

“Alright, class dismissed” Their teacher sighs, “Don’t forget to work on your projects, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Finally-” a voice groaned from Hajime’s right. He turned to look at them. Natsumi stretched out her arms in a dramatic yawn, looking particularly grumpy.

“Let’s go,” She said, readjusting her bag on her shoulder before hopping off the desk she had been perched upon. “Project’s not gonna work on itself”. Hajime followed after her, grabbing his own bag slung on the back of his chair before exiting the classroom as well.

“I can’t believe he’d assign us a project now, especially when we’re already swamped with work! I can’t wait ‘til winter break” Natsumi groaned, kicking a stray pebble off the sidewalk and sending it skittering into the street for good measure. Hajime hummed non-committedly, sipping on his juice. Sometimes it was just best to let Natsumi vent out the worst of her frustrations first, which was something Hajime had learned throughout the course of their friendship.

The day she and Sato had gotten into that argument, Hajime had followed her up to the roof balcony. Natsumi hadn’t exactly been the kindest to him in the past, but he couldn’t ignore the hurt he had seen in her eyes when she fled from the earlier scuffle. When Natsumi opened up to him, Hajime had been empathetic; he understood what it felt like to not have a talent, to feel like you’d do anything just to be special. Talent wasn’t everything though he told her, but he did admire her determination and drive to get into the main course, it was kinda inspiring. They weren’t really so different when he thought about it. They had similar goals, he realized, so they should stick together.

He remembered inviting her out for lunch after school that day, and how she had made a big deal about accepting, feigning disinterest.

‘Fine,’ she had huffed ‘as long as you pay for everything’

And they had become the unlikeliest of friends ever since. It wasn’t something he would have ever expected, but as they had gotten closer and Natsumi dropped her brazen attitude around him Hajime found himself genuinely enjoyed her company; looking back on that day, he found he wouldn’t have changed a thing. Since they had become friends, the hostility between Natsumi and Sato had deescalated slightly, with Hajime usually able to placate her; but there were still times where he had to intervene before things got too dangerous again.

“-It’s just so stupid, y’know?” Natsumi said, bringing him back to the present.

“Yea, definitely,” Hajime said, knowing he probably did actually agree with what she had been complaining about.

Natsumi slowed a little and stopped. “Well, we’re here”

“This is where you live?” Hajime asked, surprised; looking up at the building they had stopped in front of. It was a normal, unassuming townhouse.

“Well yes and no-,” Natsumi answered. “It’s one of several my parents own, we switch between them depending on the situation or whatever’s most convenient”

That made sense. He didn’t expect Natsumi to bring someone like him back to the clan headquarters, and frankly, he wasn’t exactly itching to visit the base of operations of the largest crime syndicate in Japan either.

“It’s usually just me and my brother here,” she says, pulling out a key from her bag and sticking it in the front door, opening it with a satisfying click “since it’s so close to school and all”.

“Your brother?”

Ah, that’s right. Natsumi’s older brother in the main course.

Natsumi pushed the door open just then. It was a modest home; the living area was open, separated only from the kitchen by a half-wall at the back, and on their left was a staircase that presumably led to the second floor. There was a low table in the middle of the main room and someone was seated there.

“I’m hoooome,” Natsumi called out to them.

“Hey, I was just about to head out,” The boy at the table said, looking up from the book he was reading. He glanced at Natsumi first, then at Hajime. For some reason, Hajime felt a bit nervous under the other’s gaze, but he didn’t look away.

“Who’s he?”

“Hajime-” He started a bit too strained so he cleared his throat and tried again, “My name is Hajime Hinata, you must be Natsumi’s brother. Fuyuhiko, right?”

“Yea.” Fuyuhiko said “So you’re Hajime? My sister’s told me a lot about you”

“Really?” Hajime inexplicably felt a little embarrassed. “Good things I hope.” He said, shooting Natsumi a playful look.

“Mostly,” she said, joking back.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Fuyuhiko says.

He extended his hand out towards Hajime and he took it, shaking it respectfully. Hajime feels something he can’t quite describe dance across his chest as he shakes Fuyuhiko’s hand.

“Alright guys break it up, me and Hajime have a project to work on” Natsumi cuts in and Hajime is embarrassed when he realizes they’ve been holding hands for a little too long. They both pull away at the same time, and Hajime’s hand reflexively reaches back to shyly scratch behind his ear.

“Right, it was nice to meet you too,” Hajime thankfully manages to say without stuttering. He thinks he sees Natsumi roll her eyes out of the corner of his eye before she grabs his arm and all but drags him up the stairs.

“Anyways, we have a project to work on. See you later Fu!” she calls down to Fuyuhiko.

“See ya.” He calls back after a moment.

As Natsumi continues to pull at Hajime he risks a quick glance back at Fuyuhiko, but the blond is already gone.

#kuzuhina #kuzuhina secret santa 2020 #scribbletea #hyroid #submission

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