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makethiscanon · 20 days ago

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The Colors of Twilight

Ojiro Mashirao x Fem!Reader Word count: 5,247 words Summary: Dreaming of getting away from the city and opening up a country-side tea shop, you decide to sell most of your possessions and move to the village of Faerie’s Brook. However, you would never have expected that the stories about the magical creatures of the countryside were actually real. Genre: Fantasy!AU, fluff, romance Warnings: Mentions of food, a recounted story of death by faerie magic, some minor angst, kissing Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖 Also, I'm posting this a bit early but it's already the 28th in Japan so whatevs. Happy birthday Ojiro!

Ever since you were little, your head had been filled with stories about the wild magic of the countryside. Faeries sleeping in flower meadows, dragons flying overhead, briefly blocking out the sun with their wings, trolls lumbering through the vast forests. Your parents always insisted that every single word was true! Once you became an adult, you could only scoff at such childish ideas.

But even if the wild magic wasn't real, you still held on to your childhood dream of moving to the countryside. The fast-paced life of the capital was wearing on you. It might be too romantic an idea, but you longed to wake up to the sound of birdsong rather than shrill cries of street vendors. To be able to sit in a quiet cottage garden, sipping tea and chatting with your neighbors, rather than being hollered and cursed at if you slowed your pace even the tiniest bit. And if you happened to spot a faery or two - well, that would just be an added bonus.

One day, you decided to take the plunge. You quit your tearoom job, sold nearly everything you owned and purchased an old but fully furnished tavern -which you’d decided to turn into your very own tea shop- in a village called Faerie’s Brook. The name certainly sounded promising. And the village was located on the main thoroughfare leading to the country of Tiria, so your little tea shop ought to have plenty of customers.

You knew you’d miss the city, miss the convenience of the capital, miss walking down to the harbor to watch the ashen waves of the Cinder Sea, the smell of salt and seaweed pulling at your nose. You’d miss the convenience of the shops around you, being able to order things like jam and garnish for the tearoom sandwiches rather than making everything yourself. And it would no doubt be difficult at first to be away from your family; even if you had lived on your own for a couple of years now, they had always been nearby, ready to help if you needed it. Once you moved, it would take at least a couple of hours with a stagecoach to reach you.

You shook your head firmly. This had been your dream for so long. And you wouldn’t let something as fickle as convenience stop you, not even if you had to make your own jam!

You peered up at the sun-bleached sign above the door to your new home, squinting as you tried to read the faded letters. It was no use; the sign might as well be blank. Shrugging, you sat on the wide doorstep, searching through your bags. If the sign was as good as blank, it meant that you could reuse it - it looked about big enough to fit the name you’d picked for your tea shop. Now, where had you put the key?

Pausing your search for a moment, you let your gaze glide over the quiet main street, lined with little shops. Just from where you sat, you could see a milliner, a flower shop, a bakery - the scents from the latter was making your empty stomach rumble. You needed to stop by soon and see if you could get a deal on sandwich bread for your tea shop.

Every single storefront had wicker baskets filled with flowers placed next to the door, yours included. Leaning over, you inspected the basket which held a colorful assortment of crocuses and pansies. You frowned. Pansies in mid-April were normal, but it seemed much too late for crocuses. Shrugging, your gaze moved from the flowers to the flower shop right across the street. Surely these flowers were just a particularly late-blooming variety, or a different flower altogether, nothing more than that. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask the florist. And you wanted to thank them for keeping the flower baskets alive while your soon-to-be tea shop had been sitting empty.

As you watched, the door to the flower shop opened and a puppy was let out into the street. It sniffed the cobblestone for a moment before it abruptly stopped, its head whipping around to look at you. You couldn’t help but smile at the little, honey-colored fluff ball. And you couldn’t hold back your laughter when the puppy began yipping happily as it galloped towards you, stubby little front paws thrown high and wide with each leap.

Stretching out your hand, you offered it to the puppy. The puppy, however, ignored your hand, instead trying to climb onto the doorstep, hind paws scratching against the stone. You lifted the puppy onto the doorstep next to you, then scratched it behind one soft ear. It wasn’t enough; the puppy clambered onto your lap, then tried to lick your face.

“He really likes you.”

You looked towards the unfamiliar voice, arms full of wiggling, ecstatic puppy. A man -the florist, you assumed- was leaning against the open door of the flower shop, a soft smile on his face. His sleek, golden hair looked as soft as the fur under your fingertips. Black eyes crinkled at the corners. Crossed arms making the biceps peeking out from underneath his short-sleeved shirt pop. Your face burned; you didn’t even know his name, and yet you couldn’t help but feel affected by his good looks. Smiling back at him, you tried your best to keep your blush in check.

Taking in your neighbor’s features had made you let down your guard. The puppy seized his chance, licking your chin. It jolted you back to reality.

The man let out a chuckle. “Amaranth is always very curious about strangers, but he’s rarely this excited.” Pushing off the doorframe, he crossed the street, extending a hand. “I’m Mashirao Ojiro.”

Pinning the puppy to your lap with one arm, you grabbed Mashirao’s hand and shook it, introducing yourself.

“Amaranth,” you mumbled, scratching the puppy behind an ear. “That’s an interesting name for a dog.”

“He picked it himself.”

You looked up at Mashirao, trying to gauge whether he was joking. “What do you mean?”

Mashirao shrugged. “He started speaking shortly after I got him. Told me that that’s the name he’s chosen for himself.”

You raised your eyebrows at him. “He… speaks to you?”

Mashirao seated himself next to you, trying to coax Amaranth onto his own lap. Amaranth, however, turned his rear to Mashirao, settling in for a nap. Mashirao chuckled, then looked at you again. He gave you a soft, genuine smile. “You’re not from around here I take it?”

You tilted your head, trying to prompt him to explain what not being a local had to do with anything.

“Things are different out here,” he explained. “Amaranth is not like the dogs you know. He’s a distant descendant of dragons.”

You could barely contain the derisive laughter that bubbled up through your chest. “Oh, really?”

Mashirao nodded earnestly. “He’s a dragon pup. The faeries told me that his wings will start to grow soon.”

“Faeries?” you asked incredulously.

Mashirao laughed. “Yes, faeries. They inhabit the fields outside town.” He nodded his head towards the far end of the main street. “They offered me some of their magic so I can grow my flowers. That’s how I can make crocuses bloom this late in the season.” Gesturing to the puppy on your lap, he added, “And they entrusted Amaranth’s care to me.”

Pulling the sleeping Amaranth closer, you began getting up, drawing in a deep breath to tell him off for lying to you, when you spotted something moving next to him. It made you sink back onto your rear, breath leaving your lungs.

“You have a tail…” you said stupidly.

Mashirao laughed again. “You have a lot to get used to.”

You just looked at him for a moment. “How come things are so different out here?”

“You’re aware that Faerie’s Brook is close to the border to Tiria, right?” he asked.

You nodded silently.

“I don’t know if this is common knowledge in the bigger cities, but Tiria is known for its abundant wild magic. It has allowed human magic to flourish, too. I’ve heard that there’s a university for mages in Sun City. The wild magic has spread past the borders for the past couple of centuries. The countryside along the border is seeped in magic; we might have as much as Tiria at this point. Creatures from the wild side thrive here.”

Pointing to Amaranth, you asked, “The wild side? So like him? And the faeries you mentioned?”

Mashirao nodded. “The wild magic has begun to affect the humans here, just like it does in Tiria. I was born with a tail. My mother has one as well but hers started growing after having lived here for a couple of years. Other people develop magic powers. The smith is able to handle red-hot metal without gloves. The baker can make it snow on command; they say having cold hands makes baking easier.” Grinning at you, Mashirao added, “If you stay here long enough, you might begin to change, too.”

Biting your lip for a moment, you then broached the question on your mind. “It doesn’t bother any of you that you’re… different?”

Mashirao hesitated for a moment. “No offense meant,” he then said, “but out here you’re the one who’s different. This is our normal.” Tail twitching, he continued, “We generally see it as being enhanced by magic. For the majority of us it causes a neutral change in appearance, like a change in eye color. For some the changes are outright beneficial, though those who develop magic need to learn to control it properly. I’ve heard of one person who developed wings strong enough to fly. It’s very rare that these changes cause an actual problem; at most it’s just temporary growing pains. To me, my tail is just an extra appendage, like an extra arm or leg. I learned to use it as I was learning to walk.”

You watched, unknowingly holding your breath, as Mashirao wrapped his tail around the flower basket and lifted it off the ground with ease.

Exhaling, a wide grin slowly spread across your face. When Mashirao first told you that Amaranth was a dragon pup, you’d thought that he was pulling your leg. But this? This was indisputable. Your parents had been right all along; magic was real!

You looked at Mashirao again, your eyes sparkling. “Will you help me learn about magic? Will you introduce me to the faeries?”

He beamed at you. “It’ll be my pleasure!”

The next few days disappeared in a whirlwind of unpacking, restocking, and getting the old tavern cleaned up and ready for opening. Mashirao was kind enough to stop by at the end of each day to lend a hand with some of the heavy lifting. He refused any forms of payment except cups of your homemade tea blends which he had very quickly grown fond of. And every day you begged him to tell you more about the wild side.

Amaranth, you learned, was only newly hatched when he was handed over to Mashirao. The puppy’s words were still garbled and hard to understand but you were getting more meaning out of them with every passing day.

You were standing in the kitchen of your tea shop one late afternoon. Amaranth was once again nestled in your arms as you looked out at the herb garden behind your house, every bush wet with rain. Petrichor mixed with the lingering scent of the oil you had used on the wooden counters. Your fingers ran over Amaranth’s back, gently massaging the sore wing nubs growing under his skin. Amaranth stretched in your arms, letting out a deep sigh.

A flicker of light under a bush caught your attention. Another appeared, and then another. Soon, a little cluster of lights were hovering close to the ground.

“Fireflies?” you wondered out loud. “Or glow worms?”

Amaranth wiggled in your arms, suddenly alert. “Wanna see!” he squeaked.

Behind you, Mashirao got to his feet, a steaming tea mug in his hands. “What are you seeing?” he asked as he stood next to you.

Settling Amaranth on the deep window sill, you then pointed at the floating lights.

Mashirao let out a soft exhale, a wide smile spreading on his handsome face. “Congratulations. You’ve seen your first court of faeries. And these are a rare kind.”

You whipped your head around to gawp at him. “Those are faeries?? And… kind. There are more than one kind?”

He grinned at you. “Multiple different courts, yeah! I only really deal with one of them, but I know a little about the others. Each court is usually named after a physical attribute of their faeries. These are from the Luminous Court due to how they glow. They are particularly small from what I understand, and they rarely get this close to human settlements. I assume since the tavern has been empty for months they decided the garden was a safe space to wait out the rain.”

The two of you stood in silence for a moment, watching the faeries light up the dusk. The lights began moving with more purpose, forming a single line. Then they darted from bush to bush, slowly making their way out of your garden.

You let out a breath you hadn’t been aware of holding in. “Faeries…” you whispered. Then you turned to Mashirao. “Will you tell me about your faeries?”

Mashirao laughed. “They’re not my faeries; if anything I’m their human. Have been since I was a child.”

You kept looking at your garden, hoping to catch another glimpse of the Luminous Court, as Mashirao spoke about his childhood in the neighboring village.

“I spent most of my free time in the fields. I would sit still for hours, just watching, studying nature. I guess the faeries decided that I wasn’t dangerous. They let me pick some of their flowers and I made a few coins selling them at the market.

“One day, one of them came to me for help. Her humming bee had gotten too close to the surface of a puddle and couldn’t get out. And she was too small to help.”

“Humming bee,” you repeated to yourself. “Do they produce honey?”

“They do!” Mashirao replied. “But it’s not fit for human consumption. Spotted bears like it though. The faeries had a huge problem with bears raiding their hives, so we eventually struck up a deal. I got a touch of their magic, I get to pick a few of their flowers and take some of the seeds and bulbs to grow on my own throughout the summer, and I’m on standby to protect their hives during bear season.”

You frowned. Despite having learned to not judge any book by its cover since arriving in Faerie’s Brook, this seemed just a bit too far-fetched to you to be true. “Can you really go up against a bear that easily? Are the bears out here different from the ones in the northern mountains?”

Mashirao laughed. “Sorry, I should have made that clearer! They’re very small, compared to the bears from the northern mountains. The adults are only about twice the size of Amaranth, and they’re pretty calm so they usually aren’t a problem for humans; they tend to run as soon as I show up. But the faeries are much smaller, to the point where dealing with just one spotted bear is a dangerous undertaking.”

“What happens if they don’t run?” you asked.

“I carry them back to the woods. They’re not very smart, and they’re so busy licking honey off their chops that they’ve forgotten all about the actual hive by the time I set them back down. At most I get a scratch or two from their hind claws, but the faeries can heal those in no time.”

“And you said the faeries asked you to take care of Amaranth? Is he too big for them?”

Mashirao nodded. “They got him as an egg, and cared for him once he hatched. But I think they always knew that once he started moving around he’d be too much for them to handle. So they put him in my care.” Reaching out to scratch Amaranth behind an ear, Mashirao continued, “He’s like a little brother at this point. He’s a pain in my rear at times, but I love having him around. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Amaranth leaned into Mashirao’s touch, brown eyes closing. “Luv you too,” he squeaked. Then he turned his attention back to the garden.

Your heart beat faster. The scene in front of you was almost too cute to handle. You struggled to continue your original train of thought. “Where did the faeries get him?” you eventually asked. “Is it normal for faeries to raise dragon pups?”

Mashirao’s features darkened. “No. It’s not. They got his egg from a group of poachers.”

You felt an unpleasant chill down your spine. This was not how you had imagined the conversation going. “Oh no… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have--”

He turned to face you, forcing a smile. “Don’t apologize, you couldn’t know. But it’s something you need to be aware of so I might as well tell you now. Dragon poachers are a problem around the border. The eggs, egg shells, bones, scales, all of them are valuable magic ingredients. Some people treat them like collectors’ items. The dragons don’t nest around here, but we occasionally get poachers traveling through the area. They had a bad turn of luck running into a faerie court, and they got rightly disposed of. Faeries don’t take kindly to poachers of any kind.”

“Wait, hold on…” The new pieces of information had two burning questions rising in your mind, and you couldn’t figure out which one was more important to ask first. Mashirao waited patiently as you got your thoughts in order.

“You say dragon poachers, not dragon pup poachers… are they the same thing or different species?”

Mashirao sighed. “This is the worst part. They’re different species, but their nests and eggs look so similar even experts have trouble telling them apart. The poachers go for any type of dragon, most types have at least some use to them. But seeing how dragon pups aren’t true dragons, they’re the exception. Amaranth’s nest was raided for no reason. His was the only egg that was still viable when the faeries got to it. His siblings died for no reason.”

Mashirao’s voice cracked. You reached out, gently rubbing his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” you said, unsure what else to say.

He just nodded.

The two of you kept silent for a moment, just looking at the one surviving dragon pup. Amaranth seemed wholly unbothered by the conversation, his full attention still on your garden.

You drew in a breath. “Can I ask another question?”

“Sure,” Mashirao responded. “We need to get through this subject so we can talk about more pleasant things.”

“If the faeries can ‘dispose’ of human poachers, why can’t they deal with the bears?”

Mashirao grinned wryly. “The poachers ran into the Vespula Court - the wasp court. They have venomous stingers. I believe they could deal with bears if needed, but they don’t keep humming bees so I don’t think the bears ever bother them.”

You hesitated for a moment, but you couldn’t keep your curiosity in check. “They’re venomous?”

“The only venomous court from what I know,” Mashirao replied. “I don’t know much about it, other than that it drives the victims mad enough to attack whatever is around them. It’s… I’ve never seen it myself, but I’ve heard that it’s horrifying to watch.”

You pressed your lips together, trying your best to keep your next question silent. It was rude, it was unnecessary, you really shouldn’t ask. But it almost seemed like Mashirao could read your mind.

“You’re wondering if I’m worried about my own safety since I spend so much time with the faeries, aren’t you?” The question was asked with a soft smile.

You nodded, looking away.

Mashirao chuckled. “Don’t worry, I get asked that a lot. And the answer is no. I’m genuinely not worried. The faerie courts are peaceful towards humans as a whole. We benefit from each other. And since I have no plans on becoming a poacher or otherwise bringing discord to their courts, I don’t have anything to fear.”

You hummed, thinking about all the new information. Then you spoke up again, deciding on a lighter topic. “The faeries we just saw were the Luminous Court. And there’s the Vespula Court. What court are your faeries from?”

“The Twilight Court,” Mashirao replied, “due to their wings bearing the colors of twilight as they say.”

The sound of running water grew ever louder. Pebbles shifted under your feet as you walked. Ahead of you, Mashirao held up a low-hanging branch, waiting for you to duck under it.

“It’s just around the bend,” he said as you passed him.

You nodded, walking on. But you stopped in your tracks once reaching the bend in the path, breath torn away from you at the beauty of the scene.

A wide expanse opened up before you. Mashirao had led you to a big, crystal clear lake, splitting the forest in two. A cliff blocked your view to one side, a waterfall flowing into the lake from the top. The air around the falling water shimmered in the sunlight.

“This…” you said, trying to force your mouth to work again, your mind still busy trying to take in everything. “This is…”

“Told you it was beautiful, didn’t I?” Mashirao laughed. Then he gently grabbed you by the shoulders, pointing towards the waterfall. “Looks like we made it just in time!”

You turned your attention back to the waterfall. At first you saw nothing but the shimmer of water drops in sunlight. But then the shimmer moved. Or rather, it seemed like something almost invisible, frail like spider’s silk, moved through the water drops. The mist settled on a long face, leaf-shaped ears flicking away drops of moisture. The creature stopped once she was fully drenched in the mist, snorted, then shook herself, flinging a rainbow into the air.

You couldn’t help but gasp. “A mist mare,” you whispered.

She heard you. Standing still for a long moment, head turned partly towards you, she gazed at you with one invisible eye. Then, deciding that you weren’t a threat, she snorted again, slowly moving into the lake. You almost lost sight of her when she entered the shadow; the only sign was the water parting around her body as she moved. Then she disappeared with a splash.

“Oh,” you sighed, disappointed. “She’s gone.”

“She’ll be back,” Mashirao ensured you. “The mist mares are too curious to scare away easily. Do you still want to swim?”

With the mist mare gone, you became painfully aware of how close Mashirao was. He still had one hand on your upper arm, his chest pressed against your shoulders. You could feel the heat radiating off him. Face flushed, you nodded, unsure if you could keep your voice even. Cooling off in the water sounded like a great idea.

Leaving your shoes and bags with towels and snacks at the far end of the lake, the two of you waded into the water, cold enough to make your skin prickle. But it was a refreshing contrast to the early summer heat.

“Don’t go farther than the middle,” Mashirao warned. “The current gets stronger the closer you get to the waterfall.”

You swam for a while, the water feeling warmer as you kept moving. When you were ready for a break, you moved towards the shore and Mashirao.

Just as you had gotten close enough to the shore to be able to wade, something brushed up against your leg, pulling at your skin. Letting out a shriek of terror, you threw yourself towards Mashirao, throwing your arms around his neck. Mashirao wrapped his arms tightly around you to stabilize you.

“Something touched me!” you cried.

Mashirao just chuckled. “Told you they were curious. Look behind you.”

You turned in his arms, looking over your shoulder. Water drops hovered in the air in the shape of a long, leaf-eared face. A mist mare -you couldn’t tell if she was the same one from earlier- had poked her head out of the water, looking at you. She almost seemed offended that you had screamed.

Slowly, you reached out your hand towards the mare, offering her your palm. She moved closer, pressing her muzzle in your palm, mouthing at your fingers with rough lips. Then she decided that you weren’t interesting, and returned to the water.

Next to you, Mashirao let out a breath. “You handled that pretty well, all considered.”

It was only then you realized that you were quite literally in Mashirao’s arms. And it seemed that Mashirao realized at the same moment, judging by his deep blush when the two of you pulled away from each other.

But every time you peeked at him on the walk home, he had a soft smile on his face, a smile that only grew brighter whenever he caught your gaze.

Feelings slowly grew between you and Mashirao over the next few weeks. He seemed less shy about casual touches, he complimented you more freely. And you often found him reaching for your hands when walking next to you. You found yourself smiling wider when thinking about him, and returned every touch and compliment in full.

Mashirao led you by the hand down a path just outside the village. A waning moon peeked over the horizon, bathing everything in a slanted silver glow.

“Are you ready to meet the faeries?” he asked for what felt like the tenth time that night.

You laughed at his fervor. “Yes! For the umpteenth time, yes!”

Tonight was the night of the summer meteor shower, lovingly nicknamed the ‘star sprinkle’ by the locals. Mashirao had told you that the meteor shower was sacred to the faeries from the Court of Twilight. They believed that during this night the moon goddess left her home in the sky, descending to the ground to visit the graves of her loved ones, her tears leaving streaks on the night sky. Mashirao had a standing invitation to join the Court of Twilight for their solemn worship, and he had decided to extend that invitation to you.

The flowers on the field in front of you blinked with pinpricks of light; lanterns, Mashirao had told you, to guide the moon goddess on her journey. Leading you down the path winding through the flowers, Mashirao stopped at a dark spot in the sea of light, just big enough for the two of you.

“This is our spot,” he said, gently stepping onto the grass as the first meteorite streaked across the sky.

You laid together silently on the blanket Mashirao had brought, your fingers intertwined, Mashirao continuously running his thumb over the back of your hand as you watched the sky.

A lantern blinked on in your peripheral vision. Then a tiny voice sounded, “The Moon Goddess weeps tonight. Have you come to pay your respect to her too?”

Turning your head, you looked at the small, humanoid creature in the flower, purple butterfly-like wings lit by the pearl-shaped lantern. The faerie met your gaze with glowing, orange eyes.

“May she find solace,” you replied, just like Mashirao had taught you.

The faerie nodded, returning her gaze to the sky. You did the same.

“May she find solace,” Mashirao echoed next to you. Then he shifted closer, squeezing your hand. “You did good,” he whispered into your ear.

His breath ghosting over your skin made you shiver.

“Cold?” he asked, making you shiver again.

“Yeah, a bit,” you lied, scooting closer to him, leaning your head against his shoulder.

Mashirao let out a grunt which, you’d learned over the past few weeks, meant that you’d managed to fluster him once again. But you’d also learned from a little bit of trial and error that he didn’t mind getting flustered. This was confirmed when he gently lifted your entwined hands, pressing his lips to the back of your thumb.

“So? What do you think?”

You could barely keep yourself from bouncing as you walked home, once again hand in hand with Mashirao. “Oh, it was beautiful!”

He chuckled. “Not as beautiful as you.” He hesitated for a moment, then spoke up again, “Do you think you’ll come next year too? The faeries should know you better by then.”

You stopped, turning to look at him. “We’re already making plans for next year? I mean of course I’ll come! As long as you want me to…”

Mashirao’s smile grew soft. “I hope to have you in my life for quite a few years to come.” Reaching up, he cupped your cheek in his free hand, running his thumb over your skin. “I’ve never felt about anybody the way I feel about you. I feel so fortunate that you picked my village for your tea shop.”

His thumb moved lower, brushing over your parted lips. “Is this okay,” he asked, suddenly sounding uncertain. “I can stop if--”

“It’s more than okay!” you interjected, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Please don’t stop.”

Mashirao gave you one of his brilliant smiles. Then he leaned in to kiss you.

One year after moving to Faerie’s Brook, you found yourself in front of your bedroom mirror, marvelling at the short, curled horns peeking through your hair. They had begun growing only a few months after arriving, though it took you a while longer to realize why your scalp was constantly sore. Mashirao had theorized that your horns began growing so quickly due to your willingness to accept the wild side.

“You’re admiring them again.”

Mashirao came up behind you, arms circling your waist, and pressed a kiss to one of your horns.

You turned in his embrace to grin at him. “They’re something to admire! They make me feel like I’ve been truly accepted by the wild side, how could I not marvel at them?”

Mashirao hugged you tighter. “You’re a marvel.”

You felt a paw press against your thigh. Looking down you saw Amaranth standing on his high legs, stubby vermillion wings spread out to help him balance.

The dragon pup met your gaze. “Me too! I wanna hug too!”

You giggled as Mashirao let you go, bending over to pick up Amaranth. “You’re getting too big for this,” he huffed.

“Am not!” Amaranth shot back. “I’ll never be too big to--” He abruptly stopped, letting out a strangled sound. “Haaah…”

Mashirao’s face fell. “Oh no. Not now.”

“Haaaaah…”

You knew what was about to happen and quickly backed out of the way. Mashirao shifted his grip on Amaranth, hurrying over to your bedroom fireplace, kicking the grate out of the way and shoving the dragon pups snout into the flue.

“Hachoo!!”

A roar of fire followed Amaranth’s sneeze, finished with an odd popping sound as the fireball exited the chimney. Amaranth sniffed.

“‘Scuse me,” he said, voice echoing through the chimney.

You couldn’t help but laugh. Your whole life was a marvel these days. There was not a doubt in your mind that you wanted to spend the rest of your life in Faerie’s Brook.

#if this is not the perfect reblog for ojiro day #i have waited for the full version of this fic for so long #I AM APPEASED #this is beautiful #domestic fairytale life YES #ojiro mashirao x reader #fairytale au #no but come on its perfect #and the found family vibes hnghhh #and the water scene #no please i love it #so worth the wait #thank you Birin I love this

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makethiscanon · 20 days ago

Note

Good afternoon! I am pushing you personally in order to offer you an idea for a sketch with the character Ojiro. The idea is that if the reader were a painted character comforter for Ojiro, how would his love for this character manifest itself? Was he hiding from his classmates, or were there people who knew this? What words of comfort would he want to hear in his moments of greatest vulnerability? Unfortunately, I can't find the time to implement this myself , at least in a sketch due to my studies in college, but I don't want to postpone this idea and I would like this idea to be released, even if not in my implementation.

Ojiro Mashirao: If You Were His Comfort Character.

Yesss! I love it. As much as I hate to see it, I can absolutely see Ojiro as being the introverted type who hides his insecurities, and needs that type of internal validation. I love it. Love him. Here we go:

------

It’s no secret that Ojiro flies below the radar and is often seen as plain and boring.

He’s not oblivious to how others see him.

But god it hurts.

Amidst his insecurities, he finds solace in his favourite thing in the whole world: you.

He’s not entirely sure where the image of you came from; maybe a dream. Maybe in a piece of media he saw once but can’t remember now. All he knows is that when he thinks of you, he finds comfort.

You’re not someone he can tell people about. How could they understand that the thought of you, someone he’s never seen physically standing in front of him, can make him feel so much better in himself?

Just the thought of your smile, of your voice in his head, is enough to leave him feeling that there might still be a chance for him to be everything he’s ever wanted.

No matter what he does, who he is, or what he’ll ever achieve, he feels a warm light in his chest because he believes you’ll be proud of him just as he is. No one knows him like you.

Ojiro wishes he could be the type of fanboy that Deku is; the outwardly crazed and overtly adoring guy who buys merch and anything with his comfort character’s likeness on it.

But alas, if Ojiro wants merch then he’ll have to supply it himself. And that would require admitting to his dark secret that he gets through life by believing that his comfort character is rooting for him.

The closest Ojiro has ever gotten to that is doodling crude artworks in the margins of his textbooks.

He’s building up his confidence to commission works of art. Nothing too crazy. Just your face. Just something he can hang in his room and look at for motivation. For hope.

Each time he hears someone calling him plain, or that his quirk is lacklustre, he’ll think about you and how you might stand beside him, cheering him on, reminding him that his tail is powerful; more powerful than any normal human limb could ever dare hope to be.

And when he imagines your eyes sparkling as you shout his name in praise, he can’t help but feel a surge of self-assurance that you’re right. He’s strong. If no one else can see that, he knows deep down that if he ever met you, you would be proud, and amazed, and would never let him doubt his abilities again.

You are his wonderful comfort character.

He cherishes the moment he found you, and despite holding you secretly in his heart, in his heart you’ll stay forever.

------ [WRITING MASTERLIST]

#Happy birthday Ojiro #Happy Ojiro Day #Comfort Character #Ojiro Mashirao #Headcanons #request #Ojiro x Reader #x reader #x you #x yn #fictional other #Ojiro out here selfshipping and I love to see it #inbox

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makethiscanon · 20 days ago

Text

'Beauty and the Beach' - Ojiro x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 3,300

Rating: T

Tags: Beach Day, Tiki Bar, First Meetings, Pining, Wingwoman Hagakure to the Rescue, Second Person POV, Ojiro's Perspective, Extroverted Reader

Warnings: Alcohol themes

'If Ojiro won't be pro-active about his love life, Hagakure will.'

------

“Don’t be such a chicken, Ojiro. Go talk to her.”

Hagakure caught Ojiro glancing across the beach at you for the umpteenth time today. He looked so much like a wistful puppy that she couldn’t hold her tongue. She knew she wouldn’t be much of a friend without trying to wipe that look of longing off his face one way or another.

But it seemed Ojiro thought he was being surreptitious. Hearing Hagakure calling him out like that made his whole body turn ridged, right up to the tip of his tail and the tops of his ears.

To his credit, he didn’t deny what he was doing.

“Don’t be crazy, Hagakure. I can’t.”

Ojiro and Hagakure often came to the beach to wind down after tough missions. It was a place they both enjoyed for different reasons. Ojiro liked the peaceful sound of the waves against the shore, and Hagakure liked the cool waters that eased her muscles after battle.

But recently, Ojiro had found another reason he enjoyed coming to the beach. The local, pop-up tiki bar had taken on some new hires and amongst them, you stood out like a diamond. Your smile had caught his attention from the get-go, stopping him midsentence the very first time he saw it. You radiated kindness and optimism, and never failed to welcome anyone who came to the bar looking for refreshments. Your positive energy had him hooked. Not to mention, you were very cute in the bar’s uniform; a bikini-top and wrap-skirt combo.

“I’m not in her league. There’s no way she’d be interested. I’ll stick to looking, thanks.”

Hagakure rolled her invisible eyes, annoyed but not surprised by Ojiro’s self-depreciating attitude.

“Coward. You won’t know until you try.”

“I do know. I don’t need to try.”

Hagakure grabbed a fistful of sand and threw it at him.

“Alright. Fine. In which case, go get us some drinks. I’m thirsty.”

“No, you’re not.”

Ojiro’s tail flicked the dry sand off his bare shoulders as he chuckled. If Hagakure actually did need a drink, he would be the first guy to go and get it, but was reluctant to help when he knew she was only trying to play matchmaker.

“Am too!” She demanded, burying her feet in the warm sand. She put her hand to her forehead dramatically, feigning heat exhaustion. Given that she was covered in sand, Ojiro had no trouble seeing what she was up to. “I’ll collapse any moment. Be a dear and go get some water.”

Ojiro couldn’t stop himself smiling, watching her flop onto her back. Against his better judgement he started getting to his feet, heaving himself up with his hands on his knees. For all the rambunctious energy Hagakure had, he couldn’t believe she had just come off night patrol and was yet to actually go to sleep.

“Maybe I should just let you pass out then drag you back to campus like a sack of potatoes.”

Hagakure shot up to a sitting position.

“Oi! I’d be as light as a feather, and you know it.”

Ojiro rolled his eyes with another chuckle.

“Sit tight, drama queen.”

He dusted himself down then headed off towards the tiki bar. The walk wasn’t nearly long enough to prepare himself. He spent the first while wondering if he should have dumped Hagakure in the ocean instead of giving in to her demands, only to realise he had spent too much time wondering and was almost at the bar. Then he became painfully aware that he had no idea how to talk to pretty women.

He tapped the pocket of his swim shorts, checking for his wallet as he came up to the bar. There was no queue to give him a moment to prepare. As soon as he was within reasonable distance, you waved hello with that heart-fluttering smile of yours, calling out,

“What can I get you?”

Ojiro stalled for a split second, caught offguard by the way your optimism was aimed squarely at him, then managed to recover fast enough not to come to a complete stop.

“Hi,” he said, trying his best to return your friendly expression. He had so many things he wanted to say, but as he sidled up to a barstool and saw you up close for the first time, his mouth fell open as his brain short circuited. The phrase you’re so beautiful nearly came tumbling from his mouth, but thankfully the first syllable got stuck in his throat.

You kept your eyes on him, tilting your head with a playfully happy expression while he carried on failing to give you his order.

By grace of the gods, he managed to catch himself when another customer appeared at the side window, asking you for a straw, and you turned your attention away for a moment. It was your eyes. He had not expected them to be so… oh man, he was down hard.

He sat up straight, rigid but alert, when you turned your gaze back on him.

“A water,” he said, sounding so calm it shocked him. “Please.”

You nodded, already turning to reach behind the counter for the mini fridge stocked with colourful cans and bottles.

“You got it.”

You took out a bottle of water then popped the cap and put it on the counter, keeping your fingers wrapped around it. You smiled mischievously, tilting your head as you looked at him.

“Surely that can’t be everything? No one sits on a barstool and asks for water.”

Apparently today was the day women were going to call Ojiro out on his poorly veiled intentions.

“Ah. Actually, the water’s for my friend...” He pointed over his shoulder without taking his gaze from you. Your eyes lit up like fireworks.

“That’s more like it. So what’ll you have?” You pushed the bottle towards him, leaning over the counter a little. Ojiro felt his heart begin to hammer at the sight of you leaning towards him in that bikini. He found himself striking you with very intense eye contact all of a sudden, whilst his entire tail wound down the central pole of his barstool to keep a grip on reality. He reached into his pocket for his wallet.

“I’m good, thank you—”

He cut himself off, completely unguarded against the babyish pout that hit your lips before he could finish his sentence.

“Aw, really? It’s such a nice day. You should treat yourself a little.” You leaned your chin on your hand, looking up at him through your lashes. “Come on. I can recommend you something, if you’d like?”

Ojiro was only thankful that his sheer willpower was enough to stop him looking lower than where your chin rested on your hand.

He hadn’t intended to buy something for himself, but despite your obvious sales tactics, he was rather enjoying the interaction.

“What would you suggest?”

You stood up straight, the pout disappearing as fast as it had come. With a wide, happy grin, you grabbed a menu then opened it to face him.

“What are you feeling? Fruity, smooth, dry, or fizzy?”

You fingered over the different parts of the menu, with Ojiro enjoying the way you tucked your hair behind your ear as you focused on what you were showing him.

“Um. Smooth, I think. Something refreshing.”

You nodded and drew back, grabbing a glass from overhead.

“Any allergies?”

It was hard to believe you’d only been working at the bar for a few weeks, given how confident you were. As casually as breathing, you grabbed two bottles with long spouts in one hand then started pouring them into a shaker.

Ojiro smiled, watching you.

“No, nothing.”

With a nod, you pursed your lips then flittered around the small bar, filling the hurricane glass with ice, and the shaker with colourful liquids and sizeable measures of liquor.

“Do you want me to hold off on the decorations? Or do you want a big, bendy straw and a little umbrella?”

Ojiro chuckled, surprised you would offer him a choice.

“You can put the decorations on.”

You grinned wider, your eyes sparkling.

“Good. I thought I liked you. The best kind of guy is one who doesn’t mind a little silliness.”

Your words sent a ripple of warmth through his whole body, and it was only his tail still wrapped around the barstool pole that stopped it wagging hard enough to become a dangerous weapon.

You started filling the glass with fruit and decorations, then without warning, you leaned across the counter and slipped a blue paper umbrella into his hair. Your fingers traced the shell of his ear as you pulled back and he shivered, enjoying the goosebumps. His stool creaked as his tail tightened around it like a vice. If he looked silly, he didn’t even care.

“Are you like this with all your customers?”

The words slipped out of his mouth before he knew what he was doing. Internally, he winced. But you chuckled as you lifted the shaker into the air, eyeing what you could see of him up and down.

“What do you think?”

At least you took it well. Ojiro mulled over the question as you shook his drink, coming to the conclusion that he would be delusional to think anything other than you were just very good at your job. You had him feeling very special after only a few sentences and a little flirty body language.

You poured the cocktail then set it down on the counter and added the last of the garnish.

“One Tequila Sunrise.” You quirked an eyebrow with a smile. “ID please.”

Ojiro looked at you, wondering if you were being serious. He chuckled, reaching into his pocket for his ID, regardless.

“Aren’t you meant to card someone before you make the drink?”

“Maybe I get to drink the ones I have to refuse.”

Ojiro laughed at the cheeky answer then slid his ID across the counter.

“I can’t remember the last time I got carded.”

He said, noticing the way you looked back and forth between the ID and him once you picked it up, your smile growing with each passing moment. By the time you handed it back, you looked both pleased and giddy. He had to wonder why until you popped the cash register then closed it again.

“Drinks are on me.”

“Wha—”

You cut him off.

“Look, I don’t get to serve the Number 32 Pro Hero, Tailman, every day. Seriously. It's free. Thanks for working so hard all the time.”

Ojiro’s tail nearly ripped his barstool out from under him.

“Wait- no- I don’t mind. Please.”

Ojiro pulled his debit card out, his cheeks flushing pink from the fact you recognised him. He had given you his civilian ID; it didn't mention anywhere that he was a hero. The only information was a photo and his name. Which meant not only were you aware of Pro Hero: Tailman's existence, but knew that Tailman's real name was Mashirao Ojiro. And very few people cared enough to know that.

He jerked in his seat, his tail very nearly tipping him off the barstool in its attempt to wag.

You raised your hands, palms open to refuse his card.

“Absolutely not. This one’s on me.”

He wanted to push it, but didn’t want to refuse your kind gesture. He relented, taking back his ID and tucking it, along with his wallet, back into his shorts.

“Thank you.”

Every fibre of his being wanted to ask you questions; Had you known he was Tailman the whole time? Did you follow his work? Maybe one of your friends did, and you knew of him through them? He desperately wanted to believe it was you. Or maybe you were like Pro Hero: Deku, and fanatically followed the Hero Billboards for fun. That was more likely it, but he just couldn’t shake the pleased feeling from his chest that you knew his real name.

Ojiro was very careful when he pried his tail off his chair, focusing hard on extracting it without taking down the tiki bar in the process. He grabbed his drinks, feeling the paper umbrella fluttering in his hair as he turned into the gentle breeze.

If he was a more confident man, he’d flirt and say it wasn’t fair that you knew his name and he didn’t know yours. He’d ask for your number. He’d joke that he’d be back if your cocktail recommendation was bad, or maybe he’d be back to tell you if it was great.

If he was a more confident man.

But instead, he gave you a curt nod goodbye, taking one last look at your radiant smile, before turning away. He nearly walked straight into two guys headed to the bar. He heard your honey-sweet voice, calling to them,

“What can I get you guys?”

He couldn’t help but smile. He wondered if you’d pull them into a few minutes of bliss, like you had with him. He wondered if they’d appreciate it like he did.

The first thing Hagakure spotted was Ojiro’s goofy grin as he wandered back over to where she was sunbathing. She sat up, spotting the cocktail and the umbrella in his hair.

“Did you have fun, by any chance?”

Ojiro laughed, knowing what she was probably looking at.

“You could say that.”

He handed her the water then used his tail to lower himself to the floor without spilling his drink.

As he landed in the sand, he finally seemed to snap out of it. He looked at Hagakure’s water, then his cocktail.

“Oh. Damn. I should have got you a proper drink. Do you want mine?”

Hagakure started laughing.

“Put you in front of a pretty girl and you turn to goo. Forget the drinks, did you get her number?”

Ojiro’s entire face turned scarlet now that he didn’t have to worry about holding his composure.

“Are you crazy? Of course not.”

“What do you mean, of course not? You have an umbrella in your hair! Unless you’re woefully bad at flirting and put the damn thing in yourself, that was an open invitation.”

Ojiro supped his drink bashfully, though his tail wagged a little more as the flavour hit him.

“I lied,” said Hagakure. “I want a proper drink. Go back. Go. Back. You’re not fighting me on this. Go back over there, you hopeless bag of muscle.”

Despite his embarrassment, Ojiro couldn’t help laughing as Hagakure scrambled up then tried hauling him up by his tail.

“I can’t. I’m scared I’ll put her out of pocket again.”

Hagakure stopped dead.

“Did she… did you get a free drink?”

Ojiro knew he was digging his own grave by offering up the information, but he was still enjoying the fact that you knew him.

“Yes. She paid for it as thanks. For… all my Pro Hero work.”

Ojiro heard the slap as Hagakure put her hands to her face in shame.

“You didn’t boast about being a hero to get a free drink, did you? God, I knew you were bad with women but—”

Slipping straight past those blows to his ego, Ojiro raised his hands in defence.

“I didn’t! She recognised me. I didn’t say a thing about being a hero. I’m off duty. I wouldn’t.”

Ojiro yelped as Hagakure grabbed his tail again, doubling down on trying to pull him up.

“Get your butt back over there and ask her out immediately.” She demanded. But then she suddenly let go. “No. You know what? Stay there.”

As Hagakure started marching off across the beach, Ojiro went against his better judgement and stayed put. Hagakure seemed pretty adamant. Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to stop her without force, he chose to look out at the ocean and enjoy his cocktail, taking little sips as he tried not to think of what Hagakure could be doing, saying, or scheming.

He leaned back on one arm, letting the sun bask against his bare chest. He lifted his face, his eyes shutting as the day’s warmth settled over him, and focused on the sounds of the waves. With his eyes closed, he pictured your face again; that smile as you realised who he was. He didn’t think he would ever forget it.

He twitched a little in alarm, hearing Hagakure’s sudden and not so subtle squeal of excitement on the winds. He wondered what that was about, refusing to let his hopes get too high. For all he knew, she might have just seen something especially fluffy. He kept his eyes closed, focusing all his attention on the taste of his cocktail.

It wasn’t long before he heard the familiar patter of feet through the sands towards him. He opened his eyes and looked Hagakure’s way, only to nearly drop his drink. It wasn’t Hagakure. It was you.

Ojiro shot up in greeting, trying not to let his alarm slip onto his face as he staggered and smiled your way. He wasn’t prepared last time, and he definitely wasn’t prepared this time.

“Is everything okay?”

Even with you walking towards him with your arms out wide like a child keeping her balance and that smile on your face, he couldn’t believe you were here to see him in anything other than an emergency capacity.

You laughed as you came to stand in front of him, your hands clasped behind your back.

“Your friend said she’d man the bar for five. She’s really nice.”

Instinctively, Ojiro looked past your shoulder to double check that the tiki bar wasn’t already on fire, then looked back at you.

“Hagakure didn’t force you to come over, did she?”

You shook your head.

“Not at all. She told me a few things, but coming over was my idea.”

Ojiro flinched, wondering what Hagakure could have possibly said, but he was far more interested to know you were in front of him of your own doing.

“Really?”

“Mhmm.” You nodded, then slipped your hand into the cup of your bikini top. Ojiro stiffened and looked skyward, his heart melting when you giggled again. “Don’t worry, I’m not flashing you.”

He didn’t think you were, but it was too much like temptation for him when your hand was so close to an area he knew would be rude to stare at.

While he kept looking at the clouds in the sky, you said,

“I thought it was you when I saw you coming towards the bar. It’s hard to miss your tree-trunk thick tail. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself if I was wrong, though. But I let myself get hopeful anyway. To answer your question earlier, no, I’m not like that with every customer. That flirting was just for you.”

Ojiro’s gaze shot back down to you, his eyes widening.

“It was?”

He was so surprised by the revelation that he didn’t notice what you were holding out towards him for a moment. But then he spotted the slip of paper, folded neatly in half. He took it in one hand and flipped it open with his thumb. Then his tail started wagging again.

“You’re giving me your number?”

You tucked your hair behind your ear as you nodded.

“Hagakure said you’re bad with women. I don’t mind. It’s pretty sweet, actually. I was just happy to talk to you. But she said you have a bit of thing for me, so…”

Ojiro laughed despite himself, realising Hagakure probably hadn’t spared any details of his pining from you.

“Yeah, I do actually. Even if I wussed out on telling you.” He sighed, looking into your pretty eyes now that he felt he could. “But with the cat out of the bag… can I ask what time you get off work? I’d love to take you to dinner.”

Thankfully you didn’t pause before giving him an answer.

“I finish at six.” Ojiro felt humbled, seeing the slightest hint of nerves touching your face as you asked, “So I’ll… definitely see you then?”

You had nothing to be anxious about. You were stunning, and charming, yet for some reason you looked like you were worried about him saying no to you. He held your note to his chest, his smile widening effortlessly as he took in every detail of you, the sun shining down on you, making his heart warm.

“It’s a date.”

------

[WRITING MASTERLIST]

#Happy Birthday Ojiro #Happy Ojiro Day #Ojiro Mashirao #2025 #MTCrb x

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makethiscanon · 20 days ago

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Yes we do, yes we do. 👀

I love the way @jbwashere draws Ojiro, so you bet I jumped at the chance to get a commission. Much love for this adorable, wholesome piece.

What I wouldn't give for a cuddle from the Tailbean.

#Happy birthday Ojiro #Happy Ojiro Day #2025 #MTCrb x #jbwashere

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makethiscanon · 21 days ago

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Happy Birthday 2025, tailbean! 💛🖤🤍🩶🩵

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, OJIRO!

Warning: Swearing in song lyrics.

Song: Dark Days - Point North

I've never seen a full length Ojiro AMV so for his birthday I had to change that.

WE LOVE OUR TOUGH, RESILIENT L'IL TAILBEAN.

#Happy Birthday Ojiro #2025 #Happy Ojiro Day #Ojiro Mashirao AMV

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makethiscanon · 21 days ago

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Snuggle Bug - [Ojiro x Reader]

Word Count: 3500

Rating: G

Warnings: none

Tags: Reader-Insert, Pining, Class 1A Shenanigans, House Party, Fluff, Slow Burn

------

One evening during summer vacation, the entirety of Class 1-A decided to pile into the Yaoyorozu family estate, ready to celebrate a few weeks of freedom from your studies.

Yaoyorozu was more than happy to host, and her parents were even happier to retire to their summer home so that everyone could relax without any parents cramping their style.

"Let's play a game!" Declared Ashido excitedly, barely waiting long enough to let everyone settle in.

"Did you have something in mind?" Jirou asked with a roll of her eyes, knowing fine well Ashido had been scheming from the moment today's plans were first announced.

"You bet."

Her smile was devious. It unsettled many.

Just to her left, you were sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with Hagakure on one of the many plush armchairs dotted across the lounge. You were interested in what Ashido had to say, but couldn't help smiling as you looked around at everyone.

You were a few weeks into summer vacation, meaning you hadn't seen many of your classmates in that long. You were surprised by how much you'd missed them.

"Hey, stranger," Hagakure murmured, leaning close to your ear. "Don't think you're leaving here without arranging a hangout with us, Miss 'I never answer my texts'."

Her words lingered as you smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, Hagakure. It's been a busy few weeks."

Truth be told, you hadn't been busy at all. But something had happened in the final week of term that had left you dealing with feelings you didn't know what to do with. And you were sure hanging out with the gang would only make those feelings worse.

Without meaning to, your gaze wandered across to Ojiro. He was sharing a couch with Tokoyami, looking as calm and as cheery as always, wearing black sweats and a grey, sleeveless hoodie that kept pulling your gaze back to the broad definition of his shoulders.

He glanced your way as you watched him. He seemed surprised at first, but smiled and gave you a little wave hello. With a jerk, you sat up straight and dragged your attention back to Ashido, already feeling your cheeks threatening to burn.

You just couldn't look at him the same way now.

During the last week before vacation, you had found yourself in just the right place at the right time to overhear Ojiro defending you to a group of boys from another class. Apparently they had said some less-than-reputable things about you. Which wasn't unheard of. You knew you were a bit of an odd-bod and people did like to talk.

But you'd never heard Ojiro so angry before. He was quick to defend you, and even went as far as rattling off a long list of things he liked about you to prove that they had misjudged you.

Honestly, you'd never heard anyone say such nice things about you before. Let alone so many at once. Every time you thought back on the moment, you ended up flustered.

Trouble was, now you couldn't look at him without feeling nervous. He'd only defended you as a friend, but knowing that he had your back like that, and that he thought all those nice things about you... it was hard not to look at him differently. It was hard not to notice the softness in his expressions, or the deep lull of his laugh, and suddenly you were seeing handsome little quirks in his mannerisms that you were sure hadn't been there before.

Your feelings were getting out of control, and what was worse, you knew you were making a bigger deal out of him defending you than necessary.

You didn't like that your heart was trying to jeopardise your friendship, so you were doing all you could to hold Ojiro at arm's length until you got it under control.

"Let's play snuggle-bug!" Ashido announced.

The declaration was met by confused silence.

"Snuggle-what-now?" Hagakure asked. She sounded intrigued, but no less confused than anyone else.

"Snuggle-bug!" Ashido said again, like she couldn't believe no-one had heard of it before. "Oh, come on. It's like hide-and-seek. We draw lots to decide who the bugs are, then everyone spreads out; the bugs have to hide and everyone else has to find them. If a bug isn't found in ten minutes, they win. Otherwise the person snuggling them at the end wins."

"Snuggling them--?" Mineta nearly choked. "You mean actually, physically cuddling them?"

"Yes!" Ashido said with a gleeful grin. "And if someone else finds your bug before the end of the game, you've got to give up your bug and find a new one. So if you like your bug..." She made meaningful eye-contact with a few different people, including you. "You'd better keep them hidden."

The hairs along your neck stood up. For some reason you felt like your secret feelings had already been rumbled. But surely Ashido couldn't know. You'd told no one, and had done your best to keep things under wraps.

"Let's do it!" Kaminari said eagerly, leading a charge that rippled through everyone and got them into a man-hunting mood.

That, or everyone really needed a hug.

After some prep-work, Ashido had all of you pick a slip of paper from a bowl. Three of the slips were bugs, and the rest were blanks.

You checked your paper. On it were the words: 'snuggle bug.'

Your heart started beating nineteen to the dozen. That was a lot of pressure.

Faced with the uncertainty of who could be about to cuddle you, you suddenly became aware of all the different players. You glanced at Mineta, in particular. If he wasn't also a bug, you needed to make sure you hid well.

When the game began, Yaoyorozu shut off the lights then everyone fanned out. You had one minute to hide, then the claxon would blare to signal the start of the game.

You didn't know the layout of Yaoyorozu's home all that well, but luckily, aside from the class president herself, no one else did either. Hoping to use that to your advantage, you put as much distance between you and the lounge as you could. The main house was large. It would take anyone a while to search room-by-room. So you needed to find a far-away corner to sit tight in.

And you found just the spot in Yaoyorozu's parents' room. You hesitated at first, realising whose room it was, but figured that the same hesitation might stop others coming in to find you, too.

You climbed into the large ottoman at the foot of the bed just as the claxon sounded.

Ten minutes. You could do this.

As you waited to hear the second claxon, you congratulated yourself on finding such a comfortable hiding spot. You hoped Yaoyorozu's parents could forgive you for lying on their folded bed-linens, though. Even with ample wiggle-room, you tried to keep still so things wouldn't get too creased.

It was hard to tell how much time passed. You were in total darkness and the linens muffled most noises, but when you listened closely you could hear people running around. You wondered if another bug had been found yet.

The creak of a floorboard suddenly pulled you from your thoughts and back to your senses. The fact you hadn't had to strain to hear the noise meant one thing: someone was in the room.

Suddenly aware of how loud your breathing was, you clamped your hands over your mouth and stayed deathly still. You wondered what your chances were of remaining unfound. But then again. If you were anyone else, the person-sized chest would be the first place you'd check.

Their footsteps were quiet. You really had to strain to hear them -- which immediately put you on edge. They either had to be someone light-footed, or someone who weighed less than average because they were small.

That last thought horrified you.

You prayed not to see Mineta's purple hair as the chest opened.

Truthfully, you were only half-relieved when you saw it wasn’t him.

“Ah. You found me.”

You looked up at Ojiro, noticing that his tail started wagging when he realised who he had found, nestled amongst the bedding.

Even in the dark, you could see his pleased smile.

“I guess I don’t need to ask if you’re a snugglebug, then?”

He stepped back, offering you his hand to help you out of the chest.

But you hesitated to move. You could only be thankful for the lack of lighting. It hid the fact you were both giddy and panicking at the same time.

The game dictated that you and Ojiro had to cuddle. It was the best—no, worst—no... it was a situation, and you didn’t know how to feel. You weren’t sure if your heart could take having Ojiro cuddling up to you now, not when you were trying desperately to deny your own feelings for him.

But you supposed snuggling was the name of the game. You had to do it, to avoid the question of why you didn’t want to do it. It would only be for a short while. You could endure the cuddle, as long as your heart remained under strict instructions not to run off with your feelings.

Perhaps Ojiro caught wind of your hesitation, as he let his hand drop when you failed to climb from the ottoman. He cleared his throat, then sat down with his back pressed against the outside of the box. For a moment, he looked back at you with a friendly smile then turned his attention elsewhere.

When he seemed to look settled, you quirked an eyebrow. You opened your mouth to ask if he actually intended to cuddle you, but stopped when you realised it would come out sounding desperate.

You couldn’t ignore how disappointed you felt, lying alone in the ottoman now.

“Aren’t you… meant to hug me or something? That’s how the game works, right? You cuddle the bug?”

You did your best to play your nerves off as a playful dig as you sat up, resting your chin on the lip of the ottoman. Ojiro couldn’t help but chuckle when he saw what you were doing, how childish you looked with a small pout on your lips that you weren’t aware you were making. But then his smile faltered.

“I won’t force you into a cuddle you don’t want. I’d never want to… make you uncomfortable.”

Silence followed. You weren’t sure what to say. His words felt loaded, and you could hear a melancholy tone to his voice that made your chest ache. This wasn’t like him.

As Ojiro continued, he ran his hand up through the back of his hair awkwardly.

“…You’ve been acting different around me recently. Kind of skittish. The last thing I want is to invade your personal space if... you don’t want me there.”

Guilt hit you instantly. Of course Ojiro had noticed you keeping him at a distance. And instead of calling you a bad friend, he was being considerate of your feelings. Just another reason to add to the pile of why your heart increasingly, desperately wanted him.

However, his wording really caught your attention.

You cleared your throat with a quiet cough.

“So, um, just to clarify… do you want to cuddle with me, or not?”

Ojiro’s tail swished like a suddenly-wary cat.

“Not if you don’t want me to.”

You rolled your eyes at his answer, then sat up so you could lean out of the ottoman to look at him properly.

“I asked what you want.”

It was dark so you couldn’t see the full effects of your statement, but given that you only managed to hold Ojiro’s gaze for a moment before he glanced away, you had to wonder if he was blushing. His tail swished again.

“I’d… I’d like to cud—I’d like to cuddle you.” He stammered, though his final words were definitive. There was no chance for misinterpretation. And hearing them only made your heart ache more. Not only were you fighting your feelings, but now you felt guiltier. Because no matter what Ojiro was to you, you had pushed him away and he had noticed. And he wanted to cuddle with you – whether for comfort or something else, you didn’t care. You only knew that you weren’t going to turn him away now, your heart be damned.

Despite the turbulence inside yourself, your words came out in that same, playful and calm manner Ojiro knew from you so well.

“Come cuddle me then.”

You laid down in the ottoman, pressing yourself to the front of it to give Ojiro space should he actually want to join you.

You held your breath. You didn’t know how this would go. But to your relief, you heard Ojiro heave himself up from the floor then he carefully climbed in behind you, before pulling you tight against his chest with very little ceremony, his muscular arms holding you close to him.

You had to fight to hold in the gasp that threatened to burst out of you. You hadn’t expected Ojiro to be this willing to have you pressed so tight against him.

“Sorry,” he said immediately, his breath fanning the back of your ear as his words came out softly. “It’s a tight fit with my tail. It’s always getting in the way.”

You tried to reason with yourself then that, at least in part, Ojiro’s bold embrace was strategic. Holding you close was the only way to get you, him, and his small-human-sized tail into the ottoman all at once.

When he was settled, Ojiro’s tail flicked the ottoman closed, then he rested it over you, hugging you with it like a third arm.

Your face felt like it was on fire. So much of Ojiro’s body was pressed against you, and it felt even better than you could ever have dreamed. His strong muscles, now relaxed, were spongy and soft like pillows, yet you could still feel the strength in arms as he held you.

You weren’t sure you could utter a word coherently right now, so you kept quiet, and instead listened to his breathing as his presence invaded your senses. He was so close. He was so warm. His breath fanned gently against the back of your neck, and he held you so close that you could smell that familiar scent of oranges and vanilla that he liked to wear, mixed in with the comforting smell of his skin.

Unable to find the words, you stayed that way for some time, simply curled up in Ojiro’s arms as you fought to hate the feeling, but you couldn’t. It felt too good.

Just then, you heard the creak of a floorboard. You gasped in surprise, while Ojiro pulled you closer. His wasn’t a jumpy, knee-jerk reaction like yours. It was a slow and deliberate movement, like he was pulling you closer to make you feel safe.

Both of you listened for a while, waiting to hear another sound. But nothing came. Not from close by, anyway. You could still hear the muffled sounds of your classmates around the house, both yells and laughter, but nothing to make you think you’d been found.

You didn’t want to be found. You wondered if you might manage to stay here until the game ended, whenever that might be.

As you thought about that, a knot twisted in your stomach. You didn’t know how much longer you had left. What would happen when the game was over and you no longer had the obligation to cuddle with Ojiro… and he no longer had the obligation to cuddle with you?

“Ojiro…” you began, but couldn’t bring yourself to say more; to admit how you were really feeling. But as the quiet carried on, you realised it needed to be said. You couldn’t bear Ojiro thinking you were uncomfortable around him; that he had done something wrong. You didn’t want him thinking that this cuddle… that you were only willing to do it as part of a game. Because you knew that was the furthest thing from the truth.

You dared to bring your voice just above a whisper as you swallowed to clear your throat.

“I overheard you at school.”

Ojiro pulled you closer, lifting his head so his cheek was pressing against the side of your face so he could hear you better.

“When?”

“When you defended me against those boys. What you said about me.”

His body tensed. It was hard for you to miss.

“I…” he began to stammer, his voice barely contained to a whisper. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I’m sorry if I— I didn’t mean to speak out of turn. Is that—is it why you’ve been acting off around me—”

Hearing the desperation growing in his voice, you cut him off by finishing your thought.

“It made me so happy.”

Ojiro went quiet. He breathed a single word, like he couldn’t believe what his own ears had heard.

“What?”

You touched his arm as he held you, both as a sign of affection and to steel yourself for the rest of what you had to say.

“I’ve never heard anyone say such nice things about me before. It made me happy. Maybe… too happy.”

You paused to take a breath. You knew you had to tell him why you’d been avoiding him. You knew you had to come clean.

But before you could utter the words, Ojiro turned his face towards you to speak, his nose nuzzling your cheek as he did.

“I meant every word of it. You really are the sweetest girl. You might be a little different but that’s why I like you.”

“Ojiro, I—”

“That’s why I really like you.”

His words hung in the air. What had first sounded like a confirmation of friendship, now had your heart in a tizzy.

“You... like me?”

You murmured, sounding shocked and in disbelief.

Ojiro squeezed you. His tail started wagging, thump-thump-thumping against the side of the ottoman.

“I really do. And I only realised how much once I thought I’d done something to make you hate me. It made me realise… I don’t want to lose you.”

Your guilt at keeping Ojiro at arm’s length hit you all over again.

“I’m sorry. I only kept my distance because I was afraid of my feelings.”

Ojiro’s tail started thumping harder against the side of the ottoman. He couldn’t keep the excitement from his voice.

“Do you like me too?”

Unfortunately the revelation came too late, as Ojiro’s excited tail became a beacon for your location. He had no time to rectify his mistake, as in the next moment, the top of the ottoman lifted up and the pair of you looked up to see Kaminari peering down. Ojiro’s hold on you grew much tighter. You groaned at Kaminari’s terrible timing.

Oblivious to the moment he had just interrupted, Kaminari grinned triumphantly.

“Which of you is the snugglebug?”

Seeing no way to get the moment back, you begrudgingly raised your hand.

“I am.”

Kaminari’s grin only broadened. He threw his thumb over his shoulder, looking at Ojiro.

“Shift it.”

Ojiro hesitated. He made no effort to move at all. Then, suddenly, the claxon blared, making all three of you jump. Kaminari straightened up after hearing the sound, throwing his hands into his hair with an exasperated groan.

“Are you kidding me? I was just about to snuggle with a hottie. Come on!”

The fact he had technically won did not seem to matter. Kaminari felt robbed.

As he skulked off, Ojiro began untangling himself from you, then helped the both of you out of the ottoman. When you were out, in true Ojiro style, he started trying to straighten out the crumpled bedlinen out of respect for Yaoyorozu’s parents. You watched him with a smile, though you felt nervous. Both of you had just confessed your feelings like it was the most natural thing in the world, but you had no idea where that left the two of you.

You bit your lip as he straightened up then closed the ottoman with his tail, giving his attention back to you.

Now that your eyes were adjusted to the darkness, you could see the warmth in his expression as he looked at you. It eased your worries, but you needed to know for sure.

“So… what now?” You asked.

Without missing a beat, Ojiro offered you his hand to hold.

“How about a movie this weekend? Not with the gang, I mean. Just... you and me.”

You could hear the nerves in his voice, like he was putting his heart on the line for this.

With a warm smile, you slipped your hand into his then gave it a squeeze to reassure him.

“I’d like that.”

Now that your fingers were intertwined, the two of you headed back to the lounge, both feeling as nervous but as happy as each other. Neither of you were prepared for Hagakure’s happy, banshee-like screeching the moment she set her sights on you.

You smiled as Ojiro’s hand held yours tighter, then he led you into the room.

So, you didn’t manage to win snugglebug. But truly, you didn’t mind. What you had won, and what the future held, was much, much better.

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[WRITING MASTERLIST]

#Happy birthday Ojiro #Happy Ojiro Day #2025 #MTCrb x

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