#regency megumi maybe

[chiarrara]

who do i need to project into to get past this tonight...

[lumelii]

Please, do go on about regency!Megumi, I just wanna [redacted]

Short Drabble. Half was written before I went to bed. I understand why babies stay awake when they’re overtired.

No tags necessary. If I’m missing a tag, please let me know.

Regency!megumi x afab!reader

Was this truly meant to be your fate?

“You can go mingle.” You murmured to Megumi beside you. “We don’t have to spend every moment together.”

“How else am I meant to show how much I adore you?” His words could have been honey, but his tone was vinegar. He stared at the dance floor with distain, the decorations around the ballroom with distain, even the other partygoers who came up to you both to make small talk got a hard eye from the tall man. Did honestly nothing make this man happy? Was he determined to make you as miserable as he was?

His attitude was beginning to affect your ability to socialize. You normally were the center of attention at a party. People all but stood in line to have a moment of your time, and your dance card was filled before the notes of the first quadrille even echoed through the ballroom. You didn’t mind the attention, nor did you seek it out either. But the isolating air surrounding Megumi had somehow enveloped you, only a handful of your acquaintances had come over to say hello and your dance card wasn’t even half full. Your beau had unenthusiastically written his own name down for the opening quadrille, but other possible suitors were deterred by Megumi’a icy reception.

“You could go fetch me some lemonade.” You offered, since he seemed to detest his existence at this point. “I believe my father is nearby with the other chaperones.”

“I’d rather not.” He looked around the room with a critical gaze. “Too many clucking hens over there.”

You pressed your lips together to avoid scolding him for his cruel words. Maybe this was a bad idea. Megumi was the only one you had thought of when it came to a partner for your pretend-courting scheme. Additionally, he was close with Yuuji. There was more chance your paths would cross, giving you the opportunity to let him get to know you.

“Miss (L/N).” You snapped out of your reflection to see Kinji Hakari standing before you, smiling politely. You returned it, though slightly less genuine. Looking over his shoulder, you saw Yuuta and Yuuji standing along the opposite wall, talking with some of their old college friends. Why hadn’t he even come over to greet you yet? He and Megumi were friends, were they not?

“Fushiguro.” Kinji’s tone was almost as harsh as Megumi’s had been the whole night as he acknowledged your partner. “I didn’t expect you to be here tonight. What a pleasant surprise.”

“Well, I heard Miss (L/N) was attending, who would miss that opportunity?” He responded. You pressed your lips together in a firm line at his comment. Kinji was not subtle when it came to his pursuit of wealthier ladies. You were your father’s only child and last of his line. Whoever married you would someday inherit his fortune of 6,000 pounds a year. With his known gambling habits, you were sure he was not looking for companionship when he pursued you.

Pleasantries aside, Kinji had already turned away from Megumi even before the latter had finished speaking. “Miss (L/N), I hope you still have room on your dance card. I was beaten out last time, I will not let the same happen again.”

Before you could speak, coming up with an excuse to avoid a dance with the sleazy man, Megumi was speaking.

“Her dance card is already full.” His indifferent tone had turned harsh. His presence had become domineering, but all the energy was not directed at you. Instead, it was directed at Kinji, and the two men had begun a staring match with you in the middle. “I don’t believe she needs to be lead by a known gambler.”

Kinji’s mouth turned into a deprecating smile. “At least I have money to spare, instead of living off the charity of the Gojo family.”

His hands moved to the dance card in your hands, but in an instant Megumi had snatched the card so quickly the friction burned your fingertips. In one fell swoop, he extracted a pen from his breast pocket and scrawled his name in large letters across all remaining space on the small piece of paper. Once he was done, he dropped it back into your hands and stared at Kinji.

“It is now.”

“Is there a problem here?”

Your trio turned toward the intrusion and saw Yuuta and Yuuji standing mere feet from the small group, the same hard expression that had been on Megumi’s face moments ago. It was Yuuta who had spoke, now coming to stand between you and Kinji purposefully.

“No, no problem at all.” Kinji’s air of grace was replaced just as quickly as it had left as he smiled at Yuuta. “My suspicions were just confirmed. Apparently ill breeding does beget ill-breeding.”

Megumi’s hand reached out as if he were going to grab Kinji by his lapel but was stopped by Yuuji grabbing his wrist and bringing it back down to his side. “Not here.” He whispered. It didn’t matter anyway. Kinji was already walking away, though his eyes lingered on you as he moved. An involuntary shudder passed over you while you wrapped your arms around yourself to combat the sudden chill.

“Come, (f/n). Uncle was looking for you.” Yuuta offered you his arm. “Megumi, I think I saw Miss Kugisaki in the gardens with the elder Miss Zenin. You should say hello.” It was an excuse he could easily use to get some air. But as you walked away, he stayed in his spot, his gaze burning into your back.

Why had he tried to protect you? He had been borderline cruel the past two weeks, doing the bare minimum to maintain the facade of your courtship while doing little to actually get to know you or at least enjoy the ruse together. He seemed to mock you as he asked how your plan was going while offering no help to accomplish your goal. You were sure he would have relished watching you suffer through a dance or two with that eel a man. Why did he step in, instead of allowing you to be thrown to the wolves?

You looked over your shoulder at Megumi and Yuuji. Sure enough, Yuuji had his back turned to you, talking to Megumi with a level of animation that probably was not appropriate for a ballroom, given how his stepmother was quickly crossing the floor toward him. Megumi was watching you though, with an expression that would only be described as concern. Just what was his game?

It didn’t matter. He had had done a service for you. It was only polite the words you mouthed to him next, over your shoulder.

Thank you.

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[lumelii]

!!! ok ok, can i request fake dating au with your choice of character? it's been my favorite trope lately!! <3

Oh hoh hoh 😈

Well I’ve been obsessed with Bridgerton lately, and you didn’t specify a time period so TO REGENCY WE GO

Regency!au - megumi fushiguro x afab!reader (I don’t think I used any specific pronouns though)

“What would it benefit me?”

You blinked owlishly at the man in front of you, far too interested in his bird than the proposal you had laid before him. Did he even hear you? He must have, or else he wouldn’t have asked how your idea would help him. Arrogant man. You had just proposed a temporary courtship with him, one that would undoubtedly benefit him more than it would benefit you, and he had the audacity to question you?

Megumi Fushiguro turned to you with a characteristically blank expression. He never showed emotion, unless it was annoyance. You don’t think in the several seasons you had been out in society together, you had even seen him smile.

“Your proposal.” He reiterated as if you had forgotten. “How would it benefit me?”

“You would get all the society mamas out of your hair for the whole season.” You explained. “Not to mention if we were courting, my father might introduce you to his business.”

That gave him pause. The Fushiguros had their fortune squandered by Megumi’s rake of a father after his mother passed. Megumi had only been able to go school through the goodwill of an old family friend and was still living in his care and tied by his pursestrings. You could see the promise of financial independence made him slightly more interested.

“And you?” He asked. “What would it benefit you?”

Could you lie? You turned to look at your cousin Yuuta standing just mere yards away, discussing the hard ride out on the Gojo estate with a college friend. Your heart clenched as Yuuji Itadori threw his head back with a loud laugh. He never noticed you. In the six years you had known him, not once had he noticed you. Maybe this would change that.

You clenched your fists as hard as the squeezing around your heart while you tore your gaze away from Yuuji and back at Megumi. He had seen. Who wouldn’t have seen? His expression was still blank, though there was a spark of curiosity behind his eyes. Perhaps pity? It mattered you not. What he thought of you didn’t matter. He would be a means to an end.

He didn’t allow you to answer. Instead, his stone facade cracked as an almost malicious grin spread across his face. He set his falcon off and grabbed your hand suddenly in his ungloved one, yanking you to him so you were standing almost breast to breast. Your breath quickened as his proximity, bringing in a spicy sent that must have been the cologne he was wearing. The pleasing smell did nothing to calm the quaking in your bones at Megumi’s devilish smile. Just what had you gotten yourself in to?

“This will be fun.” His smile didn’t waver as he stared down at you like a wolf about to devour its prey. “Let the play begin.”