#shiki: i don't want to be branch head but i'm going to do a good job because my work ethic demands it

[yuesya]

Not Gojo clansmen casually inviting themselves into the Tobiume branch because Shiki is just plain reasonable and charitable compared to basically every over Branch Head, thereby increasing the actual power Shiki has as Tobiume Branch Head and slowly stacking the deck to make her responsible for more and more Gojo clansmen to the point where refusing to become Heir was worthless anyways, and at the same time fostering a loyal and competent workforce inspired by Shiki's own clumsy kindness and work ethic

Truly boggles the mind, doesn't it xD

[spinnerprincess]

"Get Your Attention" (The World Ends With You, Shiki/Eri, 1,124 words)

Femslash February prompt for 2/16: Doll

Some hints of internalized homophobia.

Eri looks over Shiki's new design sketches with a slightly critical eye. "Is this your new friend's fault?"

Well, that's not the question Shiki expected. "Which one?"

Eri gives her a sly smile. "That boy. Not the cute one."

"Oh, Neku," Shiki says, giggling. Eri's interest in Beat is pretty funny when it isn't also really heartbreaking. "No, I just wanted to try branching out a little, you know?"

"You sure? This kinda seems like his style." Eri has a sneaky look on her face that suggests she's already laughing at the slight she's about to deliver. "It's giving, like, scene that wishes it was cool enough to be punk."

"Stop!" Shiki says, laughing and giving Eri a nudge with her elbow. "Stop insulting my friend. You can just say you don't like it if you don't like it."

"Don't put words in my mouth!" Eri shakes her head. "I'm just saying it reminds me of him; I didn't say it was a bad thing."

"So I should make this outfit for you?" Shiki asks, skeptical.

Eri rolls her eyes. "I'm your dress-up doll. Of course you should."

Shiki grips her arm with her hand, a nervous gesture that she can't help. "You - you don't have to be, you know? If you ever don't want to be. Your body is yours. I don't ever want to overstep-"

"Shiki. Chill." Eri presses a finger to Shiki's lips to shut her up, and Shiki turns bright red. Unfortunately, Mr. Mew is across the room, sitting on top of her backpack instead of in her hands where she can clutch him for security. Eri continues, "I love modeling your designs. Even when you're branching into something new. Got that?"

"Got it," Shiki squeaks.

"Good." Eri removes the finger, smiling.

"Maybe," Shiki says, hoping she can tease Eri a little in return, "I should make you an outfit that matches Beat's style. Do you think you'd catch his eye if you had a cute little beanie with a skull pin like his?"

"Doesn't his little sister wear that, too? I'm not going for sister vibes." Eri shakes her head, snickering.

"Okay, so not that. I could definitely nail that skater aesthetic though." Shiki looks at the ceiling, thinking. "Some cute cargo pants and a v-neck?"

Eri side-eyes her.

Shiki closes her designs, turns off her tablet, and adjusts her glasses, not sure what's she's done wrong. "It was just an idea."

"Yeah, I think you're getting the wrong one. Or I'm just bad at this, as usual." Eri sighs, tucking her hands behind her back. "Look, Bito's cute, but it's… It's not about that."

"I know you like him," Shiki mumbles. "I just want you to be happy."

"Ugh. No. Look. I'm - I'm jealous," Eri admits, looking anywhere but at her. "It's like, you joined that little group and suddenly got all these friends that weren't me! And they're nice people, too, which sucks. I can't even take it out on them, really. But I also don't fit with them the way you do. It's some kind of particular vibe I'm missing."

Shiki finds herself speechless, for several reasons, including how little it feels possible to explain that she and her new friends share a 'vibe' because they were dead for three weeks.

"And that's okay! You can just have other friends! Obviously! They've been really good for you, too! But I like being your dress-up doll. I like having all your attention on me. I was super jealous, so I started trying to make you jealous." Eri pouts. "It just pushed you away instead. So can we just, you know, forget about the Bito thing?"

By now, Shiki has turned bright red; she feels hot all over. "So… You're not into Beat?"

"Well - I mean - it's not his attention I'm trying to get, is it?" Eri responds. Shiki doesn't know if she's ever seen her this flustered.

Shiki gathers her courage. If Eri's not going to be very direct about it, maybe she should. Just to be sure. "Eri, do you like me?"

Eri presses her eyes into the palms of her hands. "How could I not? You're… You're amazing. I'm just me."

Shiki wishes Eri wouldn't say things like that about herself, but she can throw stones at glass houses later. She carefully peels one of Eri's hands away from her face, giving her a shy smile. "Eri, I like you, too."

"You're just saying that."

"I mean it. I've wanted to tell you that for ages. I really hated myself about it for a while, actually." Shiki looks down. "I didn't know… I'd never felt that way before. And you only ever talked about boys…"

After a pause, Eri quietly admits, "It's easy to like boys. I don't know how to like a girl. I don't know how to like my best friend. I'm sorry for making a mess out of it." Shiki still doesn't want to look up and see Eri's expression, but her heart is racing with anticipation. "Like, should we kiss, or something? Or go on a date? But it's not like I need to get to know you, or anything. I don't get it."

Eri sounds so baffled, Shiki can't help but laugh a little. She dares to look up. Eri is sitting stiffly, looking at her, wide-eyed, then looking away. She's actually a little scared, Shiki realizes, startled. Normally, Eri is so fearless, a social butterfly who throws her whole self into things. But for once, Shiki's the one who's more comfortable with herself here. She's had plenty of time to think about it, after all.

Shiki nudges Eri's foot with her own. "How about today we just finish going through my designs? We can, um, try something new, another time. When you want to. When you're ready."

"Okay." Eri ducks her head. "You're not messing with me? You really like me? You want to try something new with me?"

"I want to try everything with you," Shiki blurts, before she can think that maybe her answer is too much, or too fast.

"Y-you can't just say things like that!" Eri says, blushing. "Just - just shut up and give me your tablet back, okay? I want to see more of your designs! Even the scene ones!"

Now Shiki really wishes she could bury her face in Mr. Mew. Her arm will have to do. With a nervous giggle, she shoves her tablet in Eri's direction. "Take it and pretend I never said anything!"

Eri turns her tablet back on, scrolling through photos with a beleaguered sigh. But when Shiki recovers her composure enough to look again, there's a pleased little smile on Eri's face.

There's a matching one on hers.