#and he had to be extra pushy to convince her that they really were friends and he wasn't teasing her | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

heyheyloki · 4 years

Text

U&I

Summary: The reader begins to realize his feelings for Saiki.

Saiki x M!Reader

Word Count: 8711

1. The Best Friends

Being friends with a psychic definitely had its ups and downs. At first, you didn’t notice a thing out of the ordinary with Saiki, well, granted you were kids when the both of you met so naturally you just wanted to be friends and thought nothing more. However, he noticed something odd with you the moment you two met.

He couldn’t read your mind.

Actually forget being about to read your mind, none of his psychic abilities worked on you. He couldn’t see through you and when he touched you without his super thin transparent gloves on nothing happened. You were basically immune to him.

At first, he thought something was wrong with you, or that maybe you had some psychic powers as well. That wasn’t the case at all. In reality, you were a normal human without any powers or tricks. That stumped Saiki even more, but it also became the soul reason he wanted to be your friend as well.

For one, he didn’t have to deal with your thoughts. Two, his image of you wasn’t ruined because he can’t see under your skin. Three, your calmer personality made him relax. And of course all those other things like your kindness and stuff, but those were irrelevant the moment he knew he couldn’t read your mind.

It’s been years since he met you in the park during recess, and now here you guys were, 16 years later and still friends. Oh, there was one thing that bothered him about you.

“What to hang out today?” You asked as you slung your bag over your shoulder.

“Sure.” Saiki said. Yep. That’s right, since he can’t get in your mind, he actually has to move his mouth when he talks to you.

It was a bit weird to others that he never did it with anyone else other than you, but he didn’t care.

On the way home he couldn’t help but notice you eyeing his antennas, the things that keep his powers stable. He turned his head towards you and gave you a curiosity look.

“Do those things poke at your head at all?” You asked, moving you hand up to poke at the top of the pink ball. “Like, does it make your head ichy?”

Saiki shook his head. He knew he had to talk to you at some points, but times like these he didn’t. He enjoyed that about you too, that you don’t force him to talk all the time. You knew it was a bit weird for him to talk, he explained it to you when he told you all about his powers.

“Hm,” you hummed out. Your hands going back at your side and into your pant pockets. “It would for me, if I was you. They just look painful, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do if you don’t wanna blow up the world.”

Saiki nodded his head, his eyes continuing to linger on you. It was one days like these when he saw you thinking so hard about something that he wished he could just take a peak. At some points, he loved the silence, especially when the both of you were watching movies, but right now, especially in this moment, he’d give anything to know. It was mostly prominent when he’d stare at you during class and you’d have this far out look in your orbs, you drew him in, and perhaps that’s why he fell for you.

Though, there were other factors that won his favor. Mostly the fact that, unlike everyone else, he can’t stare right through you and just see your raw muscles and pumping organs. Instead, he was able to focus on your handsome face and not get side tracked about your racing thoughts. You were the only person in the world that make him feel somewhat normal. That was a love-hate relationship at times.

“Think I could sleep over tonight?” You suddenly asked, “we don’t have school tomorrow.”

Saiki stared at you for a moment just to relish in that fact that nothing worked on you. No telekinesis, mind control, no nothing. He was going to have to win your favor just like everyone else. To him, it wasn’t normal, but looking at you, he didn’t seem to mind the extra work.

“Sure,” Saiki said. He still had trouble talking aloud, hell, sometimes he will actually use telekinesis and wait for your response only to have pure silence. “My parents are leaving for a wedding, so the house should be free for a while.”

When the two of you got to Saiki’s house, it was a bit peaceful until his parents had to head out. You liked his mom and dad a lot, they were like your second family, so you wanted to wish them a good time. It was for one Saiki’s dad’s coworkers.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna come with us?” Saiki’s dad asked his son. “You’ve met Kirishima before, and you can bring [Name] as your plus one date.”

You knew Saiki wasn’t going to be interested in a wedding. He always told you normal happy events for others is misery for him since he can hear the jealousy and pity that the crowd is thinking. You felt sorry that he couldn’t turn it off, but you were glad that you were the only person he could catch a break with. However, when you looking over at Saiki, he seemed to entertain the thought.

It was a new side to Saiki, one that made you confused. It was always either you or no one. You could tell the way he wanted to get away from many of the people in his class that seemed to have declared themselves his friends from a small interaction. Sure, you felt their interest, but it was just a bit sad to you that Saiki could never actually enjoy friends unless they were pure. Otherwise, he could hear all the backstabbing thoughts or otherwise stupid comments that go around in their brain that was thought to be private to them.

“I’m going to have to pass,” you commented. “I don’t have a suit, besides, you two should enjoy the night. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you both go out alone.”

Saiki’s mom smiled widely at you. Her eyes clouding over with a wet film before wrapping her arms around you for a tight hug. “Ah, thank you, [Name]! What would we do without you?”

You chuckled softy at the comment before saying, “Who knows, I rather not think about that.”

When she finally let you go, you and Saiki waved the both of them off as they left. Honestly, you weren’t sure if they’d even make it back at a reasonable time. It was a wedding, after all. Oh well, as long as they make it back drunk and safe rather than drunk and not safe, you didn’t mind. You were sleeping over anyway, so right now, you just wanted to hang out with your childhood best friend.

“What do you wanna do?” You asked with a calming tone.

Saiki turned his head to you. “TV?”

“Sure,” you smiled. However, as soon as you turned to the living room, you noticed the absolute mess his parents left behind. So, out of the goodness of your heart, you said, “How about you find something and all clean up this in the meantime. Sound good?”

Saiki nodded once more. He truly thought your actions were kind, but he rather have you watching TV with him than picking up his dad’s dirty clothes. He knew his father tended to be sloppy, but this was just a mess.

As you were about to pick up a pair of jeans, all the clothes that were strewn about the floor suddenly started to float in the air and shoot into the open washing machine. The trash floated itself into the garage while everything else was moved around to make it look clean until otherwise.

You pressed your lips together as your brows furrowed in annoyance. Once you turned to Saiki and saw his innocence face, you knew you couldn’t be angry but you had to ask, “Do you really want me to watch TV with you that bad?”

“Yes,” Saiki stated.

You sighed, your lips parting as you left the oxygen leave your lungs. “Fine, but let’s both clean up a bit before than. It’ll be a nice surprise and a way to thank your parents for letting me stay the night.”

Saiki nodded. “Okay.”

It took a bit of convincing on your end to let him let you help out. You may not have powers, but you didn’t want to take advantage of his. You knew it was effortless and he made it seem like it didn’t affect him whatsoever, but you knew every time he does something it takes a toll. His powers aren’t perfect.

You both ended up cleaning the living room, Saiki’s room, and now you were in the kitchen sorting the trash. Saiki was using his powers to sort while you whipped down the countertops.

“Good grief,” Saiki said aloud, his voice drawing your eyes to him. He was crouched down with two bags in front of him and the garage floating upside down, it’s contents was either going in the first or second bag.

“What?” You asked curiosity. It wasn’t all the time that he speaks from his mouth without you talking first.

“How could anyone have let it get this dirty in here?” He asked aloud. “I mean, really it’s a wonder we don’t have bugs.”

You were going to respond. That was until he suddenly shut his mouth, a chest deep grunt leaving him as you notice him stare at something on the furniture next to him.

It was a cockroach.

Mind you, the moment you realized what it was you weren’t the least bit surprised when he suddenly teleported. Saiki hates bugs. He could read the minds of humans, as well as animals, but he couldn’t with bugs. He thought they were small minded icky things. Hell, he couldn’t even let his powers touch the thing.

You counted down the seconds before he came back. It was around ten, maybe fifteen. He also teleported right behind you.

“Welcome back,” you greeted and watched as his eyes dart towards the floor.

“Sorry, I may have overreacted.” He muttered. “I just hate them.”

“I know,” you hummed out before looking around and grabbing a cup and piece of paper. Saiki watched you as you let the roach crawl on the piece of paper before placing the cup over it so it didn’t run away. You were quick to put it outside and close the window after so Saiki didn’t worry about it coming back in.

“All gone,” you cheered with a smile. “Now, let’s watch TV, ya?”

2. Saiki’s Pushy Friends

PK Academy was a school were many different personalities and people collided. It was always fun to meet new people in this school, yet on the other side of the coin, sometimes they were more than a little odd. Not like you can speak, your best friend was a psychic. Though, he wasn’t delusional like this one guy in your class that declared himself Saiki’s friend. His name was Kaido. He thinks he has powers and has an evil organization following him around.

Then, you have Nendou. Basically, he’s stupid. Not that you minded, but sometimes being stupid isn’t the best thing in the world, especially now.

It was the sports festival at PK and Saiki and you had to participate in it. You both were on the same team since all the teams were decided by class. This also gave you a good idea of the friends Saiki has made. It was safe to say that Kaido was growing on you. You felt a little bad for the guy, what can you say.

Let’s not forget about Hairo as well. You knew him a bit more from hearsay than the others, plus he was class rep. Though, you had to say, he was a little too overly enthusiastic.

It was kind of a surprise to see Teruhashi, the most popular girl in school, try and interact with Saiki. Though, it was a bit amusing since to him, she’s nothing more than walking muscle. However, you did think he would swoon over her like all the other guys in your school if she was like you. However, you knew Saiki had no interest in romance so you don’t care either way.

Finally, Nendou. You were originally going to say that you didn’t mind the guy that much and thought maybe he would be a good thing for Saiki. However, after just watching him take out one of the antennas from Saiki’s head, you started to wonder how much of a danger his stupidity is to Saiki.

You watched that pink haired friend of yours collapse to the ground with a hard thud as soon as Nendou pull the thing out of his head. You were quick to rush over to him and sit by his side. When you flipped him over, since he fell face forward, worry grew about your body and infected your bloodstream.

You heard protests about turning him over, but at this point all the worried voices drowned before they were even audible to you. His lips were parted as drool leaked from his mouth and went down his chin, his eyes dead and without life as darkness surrounded them. It didn’t take you long to recover and swipe the antenna Nendou was holding and pop it back in its rightful place in his pink locks.

You didn’t know how long it would take for him to wake up, or if he’d wake up at all. All you knew was to sit and wait for him to wake up. To your surprise, he woke up rather quickly. Maybe a mere minute or so after you fixed him up. When his eyes opened, you felt yourself suddenly get surrounded as Saiki’s friends crowed over him to ask how he was.

You noticed him using telepathy to talk to everyone when Hairo said, “You passed out after Nendou took that think out of your head, lucky for you, [Name] put it back right away!”

“Yeah, he saved your life!” Kaido spit out next, their hands placing on my shoulder out of respect and gratitude.

Saiki’s eye then direct to you, his voice never leaving his lips for a moment before you noticed him flinch.

‘Ah,’ you thought. ‘He tried to use telepathy with me again.’

When he noticed, Saiki just nodded in your direction. You knew he was thanking you, he didn’t need to word it out to you. The look in his eyes was enough.

Lunch came immediately after Saiki ended up waking up, and it was understatement to say he didn’t want to be bother with anyone else besides you. He was quick to drag you to the roof of the school to eat.

The both of you sat against the railing, lunch in your laps. You wanted I just forget about the scare that Saiki gave you, but the after effects he was having wasn’t making that easy. He was having trouble, and it was easy to see when his hands were shaking so much that he couldn’t even pick up his food without it falling back in the box.

You side eyed him, his expression one of concentration as he tried to pick up his food again. Though, he dropped it again.

He sighed quickly after that, only looking down at his food as you saw his mind wonder off.

Once you finished chewing whatever food you had in your mouth, you placed your food to the side and moved so that you weren’t side to side, but rather across from Saiki’s body now. He didn’t register your movements until he saw a hand come into his view and pick up an item of food with his chopsticks.

When he turned to you, you had the chopsticks in your dominant hand and your other under the food so it didn’t drop to the filthy ground.

“C’mon, lemme help,” you said. It was easy for Saiki to pick up the worry in your tone, however he knew not to address it or else you’ll just either deny it or baby him. “Open up.”

He obeyed your command after a moment, opening his mouth wide enough for you to place his food in his mouth. The hand that was meant to catch the food if it fell made sure Saiki closed his mouth, his fingers placed a bit of pressure under his chin to shut his jaws before slowly trailing away. The food wasn’t nearly as satisfying as the chill that ran down his spine at your lingering touch that crawled on his skin.

“I could hurt you.” He suddenly spit out. It was pained. “Having my antenna taken out messed up my powers.”

You leaned your head to the side, your eyes never falling from his. “Yeah, I kinda figured.”

“You should go.” He stated.

“Why?”

“I just told you.”

You smiled. “Saiki, you could never hurt me.”

He looked at you like you had something stuck in your teeth. “You don’t know that, I may not be able to read your mind, but I don’t know how my other powers react to you.”

You remained quiet for a moment before shuffling your body side by side again, your head falling to rest of Saiki’s shoulder. You felt him flinch at the contact, his muscles even began to tighten just out of fear.

“Yanno,” you started out saying, your hand coming up to play the antenna that you could reach. “It’s odd to me how these things are the only thing keeping you stable.”

“Is it?”

You chuckled and nodded. “Small things like these verses your powers. The thing that gets me is that these things actually win in that fight. Though, I suppose it does complete the look you have.”

“And what look is that?” Saiki asked as he gazed down at you to see your eyes already on him. He could feel his fingers twitch as he watched you say shamelessly, “The cute, mysterious loner type.”

Saiki’s lips parted as he gazed at you. He quickly recomposed himself when he noticed you waiting patiently for him to respond. He sighed before asking, “Mysterious loner? Where’d you get that?”

You laughed before sarcastically questioning, “yep, I wonder where.”

3. Your friends are my friends

You don’t know how you got wrapped into this, but perhaps it’ll allow you to know Saiki’s friends better.

Currently, you were walking with Kaido, Nendou, and Saiki to a good ramen shop Nendou suggested. You were dragged along when Nendou remembered you from the Sports Festival and as Saiki’s friend. They never really got the chance to speak to you since you’re usually out the door as soon as the bell rings, but today they finally caught you.

At some point Teruhashi joined the group, though you feel like she kinda took over since now the boys, except for Saiki and you, were fawning over her. Saiki and you took it upon yourselves to give them all room to talk to her, so you both sorts trailed behind.

It was silent for a while, the only noise was Nendou or Kaido talking to Teruhashi. However, you caught the, “what does that even mean,” that Saiki mumbled under his breath.

“Hm?” You hummed. “What does what mean?”

It was obvious to you he didn’t realize he said that aloud. But he just seemed to be glad that only you heard that.

“Teruhashi wants me to go ‘oh wow’ or something to her.” Saiki revealed. “I don’t even know what that means.”

You kept your gaze on Saiki for a moment. “So, she likes you?”

“I guess,” he muttered. “I think it’s more that I’m the only guy that isn’t kissing her feet.”

You watched Teruhashi interact with Nendou and Kaido. You know that, normally, she wouldn’t take time to hang out with these guys. However, because of her crush on Saiki, she bares with them. In all honesty, she seems a bit perfect. Being able to deal with them just for the person she adores. It’s easy for anyone to do, and not a lot of people would even bother.

“She seems like a good fit for you.” You suddenly uttered out.

When Saiki heard that, he felt his hands twitch. He didn’t like that, not one bit. What irked him the most was that it seemed natural, like you actually meant it. And, of course, he had no way of knowing if those words were genuine or actually forced.

“No way,” Saiki stated coldly. “Never in a million years.”

“Damn, that’s cold, Saiki.” He heard you say, a teasing tone wedged in your voice.

“Why do you keep calling me Saiki, anyway? We aren’t acquaintances.”

“Hm?” You questioned. “I thought you don’t like me calling you by your first name in public?”

Saiki sighed. “Well now I’m telling you I don’t care.”

Saiki knew this way of showing that you were closer to him than anyone would ever be may have been childish on his part, but when he heard his first name come from your lips in front of his other ‘friends’, he felt more than satisfied.

4. Friendship Can Bring Romance

Being able to rest during class was one of your guilty pleasures. Even if you got called out by your teacher, you didn’t mind. It was better when it was raining outside, the patter of rain when it hit the window made you want to nap.

“Hey,” a voice called out to you. You didn’t listen though, it wasn’t important.

“Hey, [Name],” it called out again. Okay, maybe you should wake up. Then again, sleep. You could always sleep later though.

You fluttered your eyes open as you felt your body being pushed around. When your sight became focused, the blurry figure in front of you showed a blue hair kid. You knew him, but from where?

“Saiki asked me to wake you up, sorry,” he confessed.

Oh, right. That’s Kaido, Saiki’s friend.

“Hm? Where is Kusuo?” You asked in a groggy voice, your hand coming up to wipe your eyes.

“Oh, he went home.” Kaido informed you. “Something just came up, I guess.”

“Alright,” you hummed before the end of your lips pulled upward. “Thank you, Kaido.”

It wasn’t easy for Kaido to wake up the quiet kid. Kaido only met the guy once or twice, and when he was hanging with him, you only stayed close to Saiki. It was kinda odd, but Kaido understood your attachment to the pink haired man. Saiki was Kaido’s first friend, after all, so he knew how awesome the guy was.

Though, he’s never got the chance to speak to you. He knows Saiki never really goes anywhere with you, and somehow you always end up by his side. He just always seemed to miss you when it came to getting the chance to introduce himself so Kaido was pretty glad when you came along the trip to that ramen place, even if it was a dumb and he got distracted by Teruhashi.

Kaido knew you were the closest person to Saiki. He’s pretty sure that not even Nendou is as close to Saiki as you are. And those two are best friends. Kaido didn’t know the extend of how long you two have been friends, but he does know from watching that Saiki has respect for you. So, it was critical that he makes a great impression with you so that he can become closer to Saiki and maybe you as well.

“S-Sure, no problem!” He stuttered, his bandaged hand retracting from your shoulder and holding them up in the air in a surrendered notion.

“Do you live around here at all? I’ll walk you home as a thank you.” You said as you stood from your seat and began to search for your bag.

“What? You don’t have to do that, really, it isn’t necessary!” Kaido spit out quickly, his words jumping all over the place.

“It’s really no trouble at all,” you stated as you put your bag over your shoulder. “C’mon, let’s get going before the rain gets worse.”

The rain eventually stopped when both teens got closer to your house. Kaido’s was further ahead, so he thought it would be better if he just walked you home instead so you didn’t have to walk more than you have to already.

“So, you’ve been friends with Saiki since he was little, huh?” Kaido asked as you explained why Saiki trusts you so much. “That’s pretty awesome! What was he like back then?”

“Pretty much the same.” You answered. “Though he did get more handsome throughout the years, and he used to be kinda sweet. Now, not so much.”

“I see, so you guys have been through it all together.” Kaido replied.

“Basically, though, he did start to worry me a bit since I was his only friend for a really long time,” you confessed. You paused as you looked up at Kaido and gave him a smile, “But I’m glad he finally made a friend like you.”

Kaido could feel his heart beat a million miles an hour just at the words you strung together. He never heard kinder words than those, and he was even more thrilled that he succeeded in making a good impression on Saiki’s childhood friend!

“It’s, uh, n-no problem, really!” Kaido muttered out as his whole face began to fluster, his hands going everywhere.

“Oh,” you hummed out.

“Hm?” Kaido questioned. His nerves going down. “What is it?”

“Did you know you were dragging your scarf the whole time?” You asked curiosity as your hands started to real in the extra fabric.

“What?” He asked out of pure shock. Though, realizing that he doesn’t make a fool out of himself he said, “O-Of course I did! It’s a fashion choice.”

“Not the best one,” you stated as you stepped closer to the blue haired male.

Kaido’s eyes widened as he stated directly into your colored orbs, watching them dance solely for him. It was like getting attention from a loved one, but this attention make him nervous to the point where he thought his face was going to explode with red. Kaido’s lips slowly started to disappear as the scarf started to build up around his shoulders and neck.

“There you go,” you said, “much better. Now your scarf doesn’t get more dirty and you look even better.”

‘Even better? What’s that supposed to mean? Does it.. does it mean he thought I looked good before?!’ Kaido thought.

Kaido let out an awkward laugh as he played with the end of the scarf. “O-Oh, haha, thank you.”

“Sure,” you hummed. “Now let’s get going.”

5. Blessing Turned On Jealousy

What’s that saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend? Yeah, that’s it. See, that could apply to this yet at the same time it would go a little different.

More like, the enemy of my best friend is my friend. At least for your situation. You see, walking home with Saiki has now turned into walking home with Saiki, Nendou, and Kaido. Not that you mind, but sometimes you really do wish it was back to when Saiki and you got to spend time alone together. However, being friends with Saiki and then having his friends automatically become your friends may have some perks.

Like now. Bumping into Kaido’s mom was totally accidental. But, in the end it payed off. Why?

Because coffee jelly.

“I know it’s not easy being friends with my son because he’s so shy, but please be patient.” Kaido’s mom announced as she placed the coffee jelly down in front of Saiki and you.

“Please don’t say that mama—I mean—mother.” Kaido pleased, his voice cracking as it got higher with embarrassment.

Overall, the beginning was a very nice. Hell, it was damn near perfect. Although, you just had to snoop around. Well, it was more like exploring Kaido’s room.

Your fingertips brushed along the spines of the many books Kaido had stacked up in his bookcase. It was seriously amazing how many books he had, he even had some original copies of some famous old books.

“This is pretty awesome,” you muttered to yourself before your eyes spotted something that didn’t quite match with the others. In all honesty, you were simply curious. However, curiosity did kill the cat. In your case, more like awakened the Saiki K.

“Hey, Kaido, what is the Jet Black Wings?” You asked aloud as the group sat down eating whatever snacks were about. You would always hear either chewing or at least some conversation, but after that question left your mouth it was dead silent. You felt like you killed something, but when you looked over you noticed Kaido’s face beat red. Seriously, his entire face was as red as a blood moon.

“P-Put that back!” He stuttered out, the blue haired boy suddenly running up to you to snatch the book from your hand.

As he reached for it, you held it higher. Even if he was about the same height or maybe a inch or so taller, you just needed to make him miss his hand from grabbing it.

“Don’t be embarrassed, I’m just curious.” You calmly said. “Is it bad or something?”

“N-No! It’s nothing, uh, bad! Just give me it back!” Kaido begged this time around, his hands trying desperately to grab it from you. Okay, maybe you were being a little mean at this point, but it was kinda fun to tease him.

You began to back up as Kaido trying to nab the book in your hand. “Just explain it!”

“No! Never!” He shouted.

You couldn’t help but laugh a little, though, that was your fatal mistake. Having yourself distracted by your own humor, your mind didn’t take into account the pile of prep books scattered about until it was too late. You quickly lost your voice, as well as your balance before slamming your head hard against the wood floors.

“Woah! You guys okay?” Nendou asked out of genuine concern.

As much as you would have liked to answer him, you were too concerned with the pain pounding into your skull like a jackhammer. Seriously, this is gonna give you one massive headache.

You scrunched your nose as your finally gave effort to open your eyes, though, they permanently remained open when you noticed a face staring down at you, a body on top of yours. You guessed that during the fall Kaido tried to save you, but only got dragged along instead.

“H-Hey, um, are you okay?” He asked under his shaky breath.

You only nodded before trying to avoid his gaze in any possible way. The position you were in didn’t help whatsoever in that department. Instead, you hoped that Kaido would take the hint and get off. That plan wasn’t looking too good cause all that was running through his mind was how you looked under him. Let’s say, the thoughts he had left a distaste in Saiki’s mouth.

Originally, he was just gonna let you handle it, but after hearing Kaido’s perverted thoughts about you, that plan blew up.

Saiki stood up, leaving his coffee jelly half eaten before grabbing Kaido by the back of his shirt and yanking him off of you. Saiki gave some strength into that but not enough to launch him into the bookshelf like he wanted too. He knelt down to come to your level and help you up, your massive headache being noticeable when you held onto the back of your head.

“Damnit, that really hurt,” you muttered to yourself but Saiki heard it clear as day.

It wasn’t long after that he took you home as well as the left over coffee jelly. Saiki advised you to stay home a day just to let the pain die down a bit before going back to school, so, the pink haired boy was all alone today. And all alone to everyone else meant to bother him more than usual.

Teruhashi, Nendou, Hairo. All of them. Though, it was a bit weird that Kaido wasn’t bothering with him today. Not that he was complaining, but he couldn’t pinpoint the answer until he heard Kaido’s thoughts, ‘I need to ask Saiki for permission. They’re best friends, it would be rude if I didn’t ask permission to ask out [Name].’

Never mind. He didn’t need to know that.

It was around lunch time that Kaido walked up to Saiki for the first one, the blush that littered his cheeks made Saiki want to gag for a moment.

“So, uh, Saiki, I have to ask you something.” Kaido uttered out lowly. Clearly, this was nerve wracking for him.

“What is it?” Saiki asked telepathically.

“Well, it’s about [Name], yanno, our [Name]?”

‘What other person has that name?’ Saiki thought. ‘And don’t say our, it’s creepy.’

“You see, I, well, I think I like him and I’d like your blessing to ask him out!” Kaido shouted, his body bowing at an almost 90 degree angle.

Normally, Saiki would just say to do whatever since he could read [Name]’s thoughts and see that he doesn’t like Kaido in that way. However, the one person in the world that Saiki actually wants is immune to his powers. He knew he needed to shut this down fast.

‘No way.’ Saiki responded.

“Thank you so much, Saiki, you won’t—wait—why not?” Kaido asked aloud, his voice getting higher the more he freaked out. He thought this would be easy, he means, it was Saiki. The most chill guy ever actually gave him a hard ‘no’ to asking out his best friend. Kaido shouldn’t be surprised, even though he is.

‘Because I said so,’ Saiki strictly put. He knew it was wrong to say this, who was he to say no to something that isn’t his business. Though, the feeling of relief that he still had a chance was more satisfying in the end.

By the time Saiki got to your house it was basically as soon as school ended. He used teleportation to get here as fast as he could, as well as just appear in your room. He wasn’t expecting you to still be asleep, though, he supposed this wasn’t too bad.

The pink haired male carefully walking up to the bedside of his best friend. It was odd to see your hair going in one direction instead of all over the place like normal, and don’t even get him started on the soft snores that came from your nose. Snoring isn’t usually the most attractive thing in the world, but this light snores from you made him think of the habit as cute.

Now, he would normally wake you up. But, just allowing himself to look at you for a moment longer without any consequences never hurt anybody. Saiki sat himself down on your floor, his eyes keeping to your closed ones as they slowly began to travel down to your lips. He doesn’t know what came over him, but it seriously began to freak him out when he started think about Kaido touching his lips with yours. After the freak out, jealousy was spiraling around in the psychic. He never knew that Kaido, of all people, would actually develop romantic feelings for you. If he did, he would have never allowed the both of you to interact the way you did at his house the other day.

Saiki let out a sigh before standing up once more, his hand came up to your shoulder slowly and began to shake it. It wasn’t long after that your eyes fluttered open and gave him that soft smile that caused his heart to skip a beat.

6. School Trip

The school trip was always the most looked forward to activity in high school. This year it was a three day trip to Okinawa. While you were excited to spend some time at a gorgeous place like Okinawa, Saiki was definitely less excited.

As kids talked with their friends in a group or just at their desks, you were currently sitting on top of Saiki’s desk with the pink haired boy sitting in the chair. This wasn’t something you always do, especially since at times Saiki has pushed you off out of retaliation, but after a moment or two of still being there, you knew he didn’t mind today.

“You excited?” You asked him.

“No. I don’t get the appeal.” He spit out, his eyes closing as he moved his head down. “I could get to Okinawa in three minutes.”

“Kusuo, not everyone is like you.” You explained. “So don’t go getting moody on this trip, I’m not letting you ruin it for me.”

“I won’t, I’m just saying a fact.” He replied.

You were about to continue with things you’re excited to do during the trip before Hairo came around to the both of you with a clip board in hand. He was responsible for dividing rooms.

“Saiki, [Name], did you guys decide on your group for the class trip?” He asked politely. “You should have three boys and three girls in your group.”

Saiki didn’t say anything, instead he just rested his head against your forearm. Perhaps he wanted Hairo to think he fell asleep and leave it to you, or maybe he was actually saying that he didn’t care as long as he was with you. Either way, you smiled at the contact and said to Hairo, “Kusuo and I will be rooming, it doesn’t matter who else is in our group.”

“Okay, great!” Hairo exclaimed as he wrote it down. “Kaido and Nendou are still available so I’ll just place Kaido with your group, and then randomly place you guys with a girls group.”

“Thanks, Hairo,” you hummed out as he walked away to probably inform Kaido about the rooming.

You never minded contact with Saiki, in fact, you sort of enjoyed it. However, seeing him still like this, even with Hario now gone, you worried.

“Hey, Kusuo,” you called out.

No answer.

“Kusuo?” You asked this time. And when he didn’t answer again you unconsciously moved your hand up to his head and moved it back to where you could look him in the eyes. Saiki’s face was still without expression, though, those eyes worried you. He seemed, almost, upset.

“Kusuo?” You asked. “What’s wrong?”

He shook his head, signaling that nothing was wrong. You knew he was lying.

You tilted your head, some of your hair moving with gravity to expose part of your forehead. “Why are you lying to me?”

“I’m not.” He said, his voice was steady and yet, that look in his eyes still bothered you.

You knew he wasn’t going to budge but still, just because you’re going to let it go now doesn’t mean that you weren’t about to keep an eye on him.

Throughout the beginning and the first day of the trip, you kept an eye on Saiki. He seemed way more tired than usual, but that didn’t startle you. Instead, it was how he was by your side more often now when Kaido was around. You weren’t an idiot, it was pretty obvious. You didn’t mind Saiki’s attention, but you didn’t want him to think just because you were friends with Kaido that he’d be put second.

“Kusuo, can we talk?” You asked him as the two of you had the room to yourselves. The others were out and about, but the two of you decided on an early night.

“About what?” He asked as he set up his sleeping area.

“Today.” You started out. “You’ve been acting weird around Kaido. Did something happen?”

You watched Saiki carefully, so carefully that you noticed his fingers lightly curl around the blanket. You didn’t want to push him, so instead of pushing him to speak, you allowed yourself to be silent and let him take his time. You don’t remember how many minutes pasted, but you swear it felt like decades.

“Nothing happened.” He informed you. “His thoughts just aren’t for my taste at the moment.”

“His thoughts?” You questioned as you slowly approached Saiki on his blanket until you were right in front of him. “Okay, then, what’s got you all bothered? Let me guess, he’s thinking dirty things, right?”

“Sort of.” He replied.

“I bet it’s about Teruhashi,” you theorized. “Is that why you don’t like it?”

“No, it’s not about Teruhashi.”

“Really? Then who?”

Saiki went quiet once more.

You sighed. Your head moving down to get a glimpse at his face. It wasn’t until you moved your hand over by his, your finger tips brushing with his accidentally to get more stability as you leaned in did you hear him finally confess.

“It was about you.”

To say that you needed a minute to take that in was an understatement. Kaido was a good guy and all, but it was kinda startling to realize he liked guys, as well as girls, since you didn’t suspect that even for a minute with him.

“Seriously?” You asked once more.

Saiki nodded. “He asked me if he could ask you out.”

“And what did you say?”

“No.”

You couldn’t help a smile crawl upon your face with that one. You knew it was a bit hard to read Saiki, especially when it came to you, but you were just beyond happy to hear that.

“Good,” you suddenly shot out. Saiki’s head moving back up in an instant to see your happy features. “I don’t like Kaido like that anyway, saves me from breaking his heart.”

“You don’t?”

“Nope.” You hummed out. You knew this may backfire on you in more ways than one, but right now, you didn’t care. The happiness you felt told you to take a chance and throw out the bait. “I know you can’t read my mind, but I actually do have someone I like.”

Saiki aimlessly stared at you for a moment and took in the words you confessed to him. It was an odd feeling, the rapid beating of his heart, but perhaps this was finally the start of things going his way for once.

On the second day of the trip, everyone went to Emerald Beach. It was one of the many places were people could stare at others and no one would think anything of it. A perverts dream. Though, for Saiki, he just wanted to hang out with you.

“Where’s [Name]?” Kaido asked Nendou as Saiki stood behind the two.

“He said he had to go buy a swimsuit. The one he brought apparently went missing.” Nendou told the blue haired boy.

Now, that want a mistake. Sure, it may have been a dirty trick but Saiki rather die than see you in the swimsuit you brought. After all, you bought a shirt with it. He knew you didn’t take off your shirt often, even at the beach, but he was determined to see you with just a pair of shorts.

Much like how all the guys that crowded around the girls changing house waited patiently to see Teruhashi in a two piece swim suit.

It was a while after Teruhashi came out, and when everyone was in the water that you made your appearance. You had your hands wedged into your swim shirt pockets as you allowed your feet to take in the hot sand that felt magical between your toes. You gazed around for a moment before noticing pink hair sitting under an umbrella.

A devilish smirk crawled on your features as you began to slowly approach the male. This may give Saiki a heart attack, but it was worth it. As you stood over him from behind, you attacked. Your body shot down as your arms wrapped aruund his neck and pushed your chest into his bare back.

“Hey, what’s a cute guy like you doing all alone at a place like this?” You teased, allowing your voice to go on for some time so that he realized it was just you.

Saiki immediately flinched at the contact before noticing it was just you. However, when he noticed the touch of your skin against his, he could feel his entire body heat up. The sensation was new, he’s felt his face go hot before, but his entire body was a new one.

“What took you so long?” Saiki tried to play off.

You just sighed and got a tighter grip on the male, your chest pushing more into his back. “Someone stole my swimsuit. Sadly, I didn’t have enough money to replace the whole thing, so I had to go by some swim shorts.”

“Hm, as least you’re here.” Saiki stated, making sure not to comment on the ‘stolen swimsuit’.

“Yeah,” you uttered as you released Saiki from your grasp and sat down next to him. You gazed out at the beautiful ocean that was filled with laughing people with this loving look in your eyes, all the while not realizing Saiki’s held that same gaze as he stared at you.

When you did turn to him, he completely lost himself in his mind as his eyes wondered about your figure. You weren’t the most fit guy in the world, but you did have these subtle yet enchanting muscle lines along your upper body that made Saiki lose himself.

“I saw that.” You suddenly said. Saiki’s eyes now darting back to yours. “You just checked me out.”

Saiki saw no way out of this one. So, he just confessed it. “So what if I was?”

In all honesty, he just expected you to laugh and tell him that it’s only fair if he does the same. However, the twist was unexpected and, well, definitely appreciated. He watched as you gazed down, this bashful look in your eyes as you did everything to avoid his gaze. Your body language wasn’t helping either. Your fingers were tapping against the towel and the heel of your foot was moving back and forth.

Maybe this trip wasn’t totally for nothing.

7. All That Was A Secret

Spring break. It was one of those weeks that Saiki went to go visit his grandparents all the way in the middle fo nowhere. So, for the most of this break, you were home alone.

It was kind of boring. This break was definitely not one that you looked forward to, more now then before, especially after the beach during the class trip. Those words always ended up repeating in your mind, way too much then you thought they would. Then again, you shouldn’t be surprised. All those days that you’d try to subtly touch him, tease him, it was just a way to relieve yourself of the pent up emotions you’ve had for him for a few years now.

Currently, you were in your room upon your bed, hugging one of your pillows close to your chest. You never tried to dwell on if Saiki felt the same or not, but recently, it’s been clawing at you more and more. It wasn’t like you didn’t think you had a chance, but more if Saiki was more comfortable just staying friends. You would understand, even if it would hurt, you’d do it for him. You’d do anything for that guy.

You sighed before slowly lifting your body off the bed. Today wasn’t a good day for being sad, it was summer break, after all. You knew you had to get your mind off Saiki, and him being away made it a bit easier. So, you grabbed some clothes from your closet and laid them on the bed. You weren’t sure what you were going to do, but you were determined to fine something to take your mind off him.

You let your pants drop to the ground before taking the ones on your bed and letting your legs slip through each of the pant legs. Next, you stripped your shirt off and took in a deep breath. You paused for a moment before dropping the dirty shirt on the ground and grabbing the new one. In all honestly, you never really pay attention to your surroundings when changing. But, does anyone? It wasn’t until your head went through the hole on the top of the shirt did you realize that the bed in front of you was now missing and the wall you were staring at was not the wall of your bed room. When you turned your head, you locked eyes with Saiki in an unfamiliar room.

“Huh?” You uttered under your breath before your eyes widened, your face felling hotter than usual before frantically pulling your shirt all the way down. Once down, you opened your mouth and said, “You can’t do that without me knowing! What if I was in the middle of a shower or something and not just changing?”

“I would have given you some of my clothes.” He replied nonchalantly.

You bit the inside of your cheek before crossing your arms over your chest. “Why did you teleport me anyway?”

“I can’t stand it here.” Saiki confessed. Of course, you knew he didn’t exactly enjoying visiting his grandparents but he has never done this before. “Just hang out with me. I’ll send you back after.”

You sighed. You can’t exactly say no after that, so, with that Saiki and you began to watch a movie. It wasn’t one you two watched before so it was easy to get lost in it. Though, it was also easy to focus on Saiki when he suddenly placed his hand on top of yours as you guys watched. You weren’t too sure if he thought you wouldn’t notice, but there was no way you were going to pull away. After all, it’s not like he placed his fingers between yours, if he did that, you don’t know if you could handle it.

After a half an hour into the movie you finally got the plot of it, and you weren’t amused at all. It was a best friends to lovers troupe. More specifically, childhood friends that drifted apart only to be brought back together by work and now slowly are developing feelings for one another. Let’s just say now, you were a little more than nervous.

Thank god Saiki couldn’t read your mind, because now, you feel like you’d give him a headache. You couldn’t help but ask yourself if he knows and is only doing this to taunt you, or maybe this was all just a big coincident. Yeah, one massive coincident. In reality though, Saiki was just teasing you. He had no idea of your feelings but he wanted to watch the movie with you to implant the idea in his mind of the possibility.

Well, his plan was working. Maybe a little too much. Though, as you were about to spit something out, your eyes suddenly shot down to the floor in embarrassment. Yep, a make out scene. Of course, Saiki had no idea about that, but it was better than just the sappy stuff cause now it was really ingrained in your head.

Once it was over and you had somewhat of your cool back you couldn’t help it. You needed to ask. If it blew up in flames, then so be it.

“Hey, Saiki,” you uttered out lowly. Saiki caught it immediately and turned his gaze on you. “I have a.. question.”

“What?” He asked.

“Well,” your voice trailed off as you moved your eyes down to where both of your hands connected. “We’ve been best friends for a long time now but, have you ever, um, thought about doing...that?

Saiki remained quiet for a moment, his thoughts going everywhere before thinking to himself, ‘All the time, actually.’

As much as he wish he could have said that telepathically, he could never try to say that vocally. So, he just opted for a nod and watched your body flinch. The hand he touched growing warm.

“You’re hot.” Saiki suddenly spit out. This time, you brought your hand back to your body so he couldn’t tell anymore.

“S-So what?” You stuttered out.

To say that Saiki didn’t like this side of you was an understatement. He’s never never seen you so flustered before, and it was really adorable to look at.

“It’s cute.” Saiki commented, his body leaning in just to see your face closer.

You turned your head to the side, eyes darting to the tv just to look away for a moment to compose yourself. You knew that there wasn’t gonna be another perfect moment like this so, you slowly reached over to place your hand on the back of Saiki’s neck. It was warm. When he noticed what you wanted as you started to lean back and gently pull him with you, he complied quickly until he gazed at you from above. Suddenly, he was jealous at the fact that Kaido got to see this view before him.

He stared at you for a moment before watching you bite down on your bottom lip, his mind doing backflips at the want to read your mind, but also at how good you looked under him.

“Kiss me.” You whispered under your breath, just loud enough for him to hear.

“If I do,” Saiki uttered lowly. “I might not be able to stop.”

“That’s okay.”

#male reader #saiki k #kusou saiki #the disaster of psi kusuo saiki #saiki k x reader #saiki k x male reader #saiki x reader #saiki x male reader #the disastrous life of saiki k.#the disastrous life of Saiki k x reader #x reader #saiki k headcanons

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writerofthecourt · 4 years

Text

ushijima, sakusa, iwaizumi, and shirabu being protective of their mute!girlfriend

warning: some bullying and harassment, very slight time skip spoilers, slight mention of injury and blood

a/n: for you, anon! i hope you guys enjoy

EDIT: this is a reupload because tumblr kept deleting me from the tags

ushijima wakatoshi

honestly, you guys were a weird couple

ushijima’s a man of few words, while you’re a person of no words

tendou was 100% convinced that you guys had some weird couples’ telepathy going on

(no one tell him that it’s just text messages and a pen and paper)

for the most part, everybody at shiratorizawa was cool with your relationship

everyone except for ushijima’s fangirls

“i don’t know what he sees in her. she’s not even that pretty”

“maybe he likes charity cases”

you ignored the two girls as they followed after you, your indifferent attitude only further fuelling their anger

“oi, [l/n]. don’t ignore us. you really think you’re too good for us just because you’re dating ushijima-kun?”

“he’s probably just taking pity on you since no one else would want your mute self”

their insults didn’t stop, not even as you approached the gym

“why does ushijima-kun even bother with you?”

“yeah, he would be so much better off without you”

it was at this time that ushijima had just returned from refilling his water bottle and happened to overhear the conversation

“i’d have to disagree with you,” your boyfriend proclaimed

“u-ushijima-kun, where did you come from?” one of the girls stuttered

“[y/n] is a wonderful person, and i’m lucky to have her,” ushijima continued unwaveringly. “i don’t agree with your comments. apologize to [y/n] at once”

at this point, the two girls knew that there was no winning in this situation

they exchanged a nervous glance with one another before hastily throwing out an apology. “s-sorry, [l/n]”

you tried not to smirk as the two girls quickly walked away, embarrassed that their idol had seen them in such a bad light

you sent your boyfriend an appreciative smile before he happily took a hold of your hand and led you towards the gym

in conclusion: no words were needed when the two of you were together

sakusa kiyoomi

when news broke out that you and sakusa were dating, sakusa was livid

not only was it an invasion of privacy, but the fact that it was atsumu’s fault made sakusa even more mad

the idiot forgot to crop you and sakusa out of the background of his stupid selfie

#sakusaandmysterywoman started trending online before sakusa had to eventually tell everyone the truth

“[y/n]��s my girlfriend. leave us alone,” was all sakusa tweeted before social media caught on fire and exploded

like with any celebrity dating scandal, there was some backlash from the fans, especially from the crazy ones who accused you of stealing away their precious omi-kun

eventually, everything settled down, and the fans became a lot more supportive of you and sakusa’s relationship

this led sakusa to being more comfortable about sharing pieces of his relationship with you online

although he was clearly happy, this didn’t stop his overzealous fans from constantly insulting you

“why does [y/n] never say anything when omi-omi gives her a compliment?”

“ngl [y/n] seems kind of rude. i feel like sakusa deserves better”

“omi-kun should be with someone who’s actually worthy of him. [y/n] ain’t it chief”

the only reason why sakusa didn’t respond to any of these people was because you told him not to, and he wanted to respect your wishes

it wasn’t until an especially concerning tweet about a fan “paying you a visit” that sakusa finally had to put a stop to all of this nonsense

“to anyone insulting or even going as far as to threaten my girlfriend, just stop. if you can’t support my decision, then i don’t need you. you are not a ‘true’ fan. i love [y/n], and i’m happy with her. to all of you who have been supportive of my relationship with [y/n], thank you. i don’t say this enough, but i truly appreciate you guys”

after sakusa’s tweet, #omi[y/n] started trending in support of you and sakusa’s relationship, which finally put a stop to all of the online hate

in conclusion: blame atsumu

iwaizumi hajime

when iwaizumi asked if you wanted to go see a movie with him on the weekend, you were over the moon

you knew just how busy your boyfriend was with volleyball practice, so you weren’t too pushy when it came to dates

you made sure to put a little extra effort into your outfit and appearance that day because you wanted to look cute for you boyfriend

unfortunately, this also caught the eyes of guys other than iwaizumi

“hey, cutie. you by yourself?” a flirtatious male close to your age asked. “i wouldn’t mind keeping you company”

you tried not to blanch as you took a step back and shook your head, indicating that you weren’t interested

this did nothing to dissuade the flirtatious guy, as he offered you a charming smile. “you can pick the movie if you want to. come on, it’ll be fun”

you were about to walk away when an all too familiar arm securely placed itself around your shoulder in a protective hold

“leave her alone. she’s not interested,” your boyfriend scowled

“says who?”

“says me. got a problem?”

“w-whatever, man. you can have her”

as the flirtatious guy began to walk away, the harsh glare on iwaizumi’s face soon transformed into worry as he turned to look at you. “sorry i’m late. are you okay? you’re not hurt, right?”

you nodded your head in reassurance while offering iwaizumi a gracious smile

your boyfriend smiled back before placing a gentle kiss just below your eye

“i’ll always be there to protect you, okay?” iwaizumi reminded you

you nodded your head once again, never doubting him for a moment

in conclusion: don’t mess with the seijoh arm wrestling champion

shirabu kenjirou

for the most part, you liked being the manager of the boys’ volleyball team

the shiratorizawa players were always chaotic and funny, and you were proud to call yourself a part of the team

although, if there was one thing to complain about, it would definitely have to be some of their fans

you were in the middle of bandaging shirabu’s injured finger when a chorus of high-pitched cheers rang out from near the gym doors

“[l/n], go deal with that,” coach washijo grumbled in annoyance

you sent your boyfriend an apologetic smile before signing to him to continue applying pressure in order to stop the bleeding

grabbing your pen and notebook, you wrote down a quick message before walking over to where the three girls were standing

please keep your voices down, your note read

“we’re just cheering on the players," one of the girls said

"yeah, what’s wrong with that?” another girl remarked

you’re distracting the players from practice

“well, must be easy for you since you can’t even seem to speak at all,” the last girl replied mockingly, followed by the laughter of her two friends

shirabu, who had been listening to the conversation, immediately got up from the bench to go stand next to you

“you three have been nothing but nuisances this whole time, and everyone agrees with me,” shirabu snapped furiously. “if you can’t be quiet, then leave!”

after shirabu’s angry outburst, the three girls promptly quieted down

you’re too nice, your boyfriend signed after the two of you returned to the bench

well, you know what they say. opposites attract and all that

oh, shut up

you only smiled in response as you finished bandaging shirabu’s finger before pressing a light kiss to the back of his hand

“stop mocking me with your cute couple-y-ness!” tendou screeched from across the court, having just witnessed your adorable exchange

“tendou! five laps around the school!”

in conclusion: stop yelling in the gym!

#ushijima x reader #ushijima wakatoshi x reader #sakusa x reader #sakusa kiyoomi x reader #iwaizumi x reader #iwaizumi hajime x reader #shirabu x reader #shirabu kenjirou x reader #ushijima wakatoshi #sakusa kiyoomi #iwaizumi hajime #shirabu kenjirou #haikyuu headcanons #haikyuu scenarios #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu reader insert

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qitwrites · 3 years

Text

a numbers game

Fandom: BNHA

Pairing: Kiribaku

(AO3)

Bakugou knows his personality and general rage-filled disposition towards everything, in general, isn’t winning him any favours, but the texts have made him contemplate just how shitty he must’ve been in a past life to deserve a fate like this.

Because no one - and Bakugou knows such assholes as Monoma - but no one deserves to be on the receiving end of unsolicited dick pics. From random numbers. At all times of the day. For the last 3ish months.

“I am going to throw my phone out the fucking window, I swear on all that is good and pure, fucking bull-“

“More dick pics?” Camie interrupts with a wide grin, plucking the phone out of Bakugou’s hand.

“What the fuck else?” Bakugou snaps, trying to pull his phone back in vain. Camie holds it just out of reach, eyeing the disgusting penis with a critical stare.

"Hmm,” she says, passing the phone back to him before taking a sip of her terrible grass juice that smells like a badly mowed golf course, “the lighting is bad and he hasn’t done like, any grooming at all. 3/10.”

“You’re being generous,” Bakugou huffs, deleting the picture immediately and swallowing the still raging urge to fling his phone at the nearest wall. “It’s unsolicited. And his fingernails are fucking filthy. -100/10.”

Camie rolls her eyes. “You’re being dramatic again Kitkat.”

Bakugou counts to 10 in his head, tries to find that last shred of patience he knows is somewhere deep in his dark pit of a soul and breathes out in a rush.

“I need to fucking figure this out before I actually lose it and track down one of these fuckers and choke the life out of them.”

Because here’s the thing- Bakugou has been receiving dick pics and dirty text messages like hi bby want sex? and imma dick you down gud boo – he’s positively swooning, what a lovely way to be wooed – and he has no idea how to stop it. Yes, he could cancel his number and get a new one, but all of his bank details are linked to this one. He’s had it since he first got a phone in middle school, and now all of his documents are attached to the damn thing. The very idea of going to the banks and the DMV and every other stupid establishment to get it changed makes him grimace hard enough that he decides to bear with it.

Except, every time he receives one of these horrible pictures, his urge to blow up the phone, nay, the entire world, simmers at dangerous levels.

“Cool it kitkat,” Camie croons, giving his forearm a squeeze, “you’re making your homicidal face. That cannot be good for wrinkles.”

“Like I give a fuck,” Bakugou grunts, flinging his phone away carelessly and watching it skitter around on the kitchen counter before halting dangerously close to the edge. “I just want it to stop.”

Camie puts her atrocity for a drink down and pulls the fridge open, rummaging around as she says, “I have a theory about all this.” She pulls out a jar of jalapenos and places it in front of Bakugou. The blonde yanks a fork out of the admittedly cute utensil bucket in the middle of their counter before snapping the lid off and spearing a good 3 pieces in one go. He chews on them slowly and directs a raised brow at Camie.

“Well,” she muses, picking her drink back up, “as a woman that receives a LOT of numbers from guys and gals and non-binary folks alike-“ Bakugou makes it a point to roll his eyes hard enough to knock his head back; Camie’s laughter is loud and boisterous “- I have a tactic for when I don’t know how to say no and don’t want to give my digits.”

Bakugou has another forkful of jalapenos in his mouth when he narrows his eyes at her.

Camie shrugs, “I usually change the very last digit of my number. Works like a charm. I never meet the person again, and they can’t contact me. Win-win.”

“Win-win my ass,” Bakugou seethes. “Do I look like I’m winning right now? I am this fucking close to killing someone, because of stupid tactics like yours.”

Camie finishes the last of her drink, and speaks around her straw, “You say that, but do you know how many people, and especially dudes, don’t take no for an answer? The only reason I give out any digits at all is when I can’t guarantee my safety. I know it’s not like, the perfect solution or anything, but I’m giving you facts right now.”

And Bakugou does, in fact, know that. He’s met those pushy assholes- people that don’t back down, people that don’t take no at face value, people that push and prod and get up in his space. It pisses him off to absolutely no end.

“Whatever,” he concedes. He spears another forkful of jalapenos before grumbling, “So, what the fuck do I do?”

Camie grins, minx like. “Why don’t you text the number one ahead and one behind your own and ask? I mean, in the best-case scenario you figure it out and get it all to stop, in the worst case, you get to yell at like random people. Isn’t that your second favourite pastime, right after yelling at that pigeon outside our balcony, the one with an agenda?”

“Don’t talk about that fucking pigeon,” Bakugou fumes, “fucking piece of shit bird and those dark, robotic eyes. Something is up with that; you can’t convince me otherwise.” He mulls over the rest of her suggestion before relenting, “Well, I guess I could spare a moment to yell at the fucking extras giving out my number to perverts with no manners and gross penises.”

“I find it so funny when you say the word manners,” Camie says as she walks to her room, “It’s almost like you know what it means!”

She isn’t even looking at him, but she manages to dodge the jalapeno that sails at her head. It hits the wall with a sick squelch, and when Bakugou hears Camie’s door shut, he drops his head on the counter with a loud, resounding thunk and muffles a scream into the marble.

He forgets to send out those texts, and when he receives yet another picture, not three days later, of someone holding their disgusting penis in their hand, like it’s an accomplishment or some shit, he sends out a text message to two different numbers typed with shaky, sweaty fingers.

>> xxx-xxx-xxx6 , xxx-xxx-xxx4

I don’t know who the fuck you are, and you don’t know me, but it’s possible that one of you assholes gives out my number to random people who, in turn, send me fucking dick pics. It’s been over 3 fucking months, so knock it the actual fuck off. And in case it isn’t you, fuck you anyway.

Bakugou wakes up from a restless sleep to sunlight sloping in through the blinds of his room, a dry mouth, and three new text messages from an unknown number.

Because his brain takes time to boot up in the mornings, he foregoes the phone entirely and makes his way to the kitchen in search of caffeine. Camie is always up before him, and he gratefully pours himself a mug of her insanely strong black coffee, the kind to palpitate your heart and make you vibrate in your seat. She calls it jet fuel, Inasa calls it death, Todoroki just blinks.

When he’s half a mug down, he finally retrieves his phone from his room and takes a seat in the balcony, surrounded by plants of all kinds. The sun is bright but not harsh, and he takes a second to enjoy it before opening his messages.

He doesn’t even recall sending the messages last night, and for a moment he’s enraged at the idea that someone sent him even more dick pics, but there’s no photos waiting for him, just three messages.

xxx-xxx-xxx4 omg omg OMG I didn’t think anyone actually used this number im sorry D:

xxx-xxx-xxx4 no really im so so sorry holy shit I was just following this idea that my friend gave me cause im terrible at turning people down but I didn’t realize they were messaging an actual other person OMG

xxx-xxx-xxx4 ofc I wont be giving your number out anymore im just so sorry bro, god, this is so damn UNMANLY of me

At least the person has the decency to sound apologetic. Not that it tempers Bakugou in any way, shape or form, but he takes note of it somewhere in the distant recesses of his mind.

Bakugou you better not give it out anymore fuckmunch. I should sue your ass for putting me under so much psychological distress.

The guy replies startlingly quickly. Bakugou opens the message with a quirked brow.

xxx-xxx-xxx4 shit can you actually do that?

Bakugou has no idea, but the key to selling anything is confidence, and he’s got enough to spare.

Bakugou try me

xxx-xxx-xxx4 IM REALLY REALLY SORRY OK TRULY D:

xxx-xxx-xxx4 and not just cuz you might sue me or anything, it was a terrible move on my part :’(

xxx-xxx-xxx4 can I make it up to you somehow??

Bakugou huffs, deflating a little. He’s angry yes, positively incensed for the most part, but the guy sounds genuinely sorry, and he’s finding it increasingly difficult to stay mad at someone that’s just being so damn decent and taking full responsibility.

Bakugou I don’t fucking know.

Bakugou just stop giving out my no.

Bakugou I swear to god if I get ONE MORE NUDE

Bakugou I will find you

xxx-xxx-xxx4 you don’t have to find me ill come to you

xxx-xxx-xxx4 cuz ill def deserve it at that point

xxx-xxx-xxx4 anyway, im sorry again. really ☹

xxx-xxx-xxx4 I gotta get some sleep, so tell me later about how I can make it up to you!!!!

xxx-xxx-xxx4 goodnight

Bakugou checks the clock at the top left corner of his phone screen. It reads 8:31am.

What the fuck does this guy do for work anyway? And does Bakugou care?

He decides no, he doesn’t, because he’s really too busy to care about anything, especially assholes that hand out his number to horny strangers because they’re too chickenshit to say no.

He nods at his own conclusion, downs the rest of his death-in-a-cup, and walks back inside, ready to start another long day of work. Bakugou gives himself an hour before he puts this all behind him, fully forgotten and finally taken care of.

Why the fuck haven’t I blocked this fucker yet, is the first thing Bakugou thinks when he gets more texts from them.

xxx-xxx-xxx4 heyyo!!!!

xxx-xxx-xxx4 did you think of anything????? How can I make it up to you??

Bakugou stop texting me, that’ll be a great start

xxx-xxx-xxx4 I will as soon as u tell me how to make it up to you!!!

xxx-xxx-xxx4 I was being so unmanly and cowardly, I need to fix it!!

Bakugou good for fucking you, leave me alone

xxx-xxx-xxx4 y don’t you keep thinking abt it and lemme know !!!

xxx-xxx-xxx4 if it helps, I can hook u up with some free drinks!! I co-own and bartend at a place downtown!!!!!

xxx-xxx-xxx4 just think abt it

xxx-xxx-xxx4 I gotta get back to work, talk soon!

Bakugou stop texting me dammit

Bakugou isn’t a naïve person, but he somehow convinces himself that this will be the end of things.

It is, predictably, not the end of things.

xxx-xxx-xxx4 I just realized I didn’t give u my name

xxx-xxx-xxx4 Kirishima eijirou!!!

xxx-xxx-xxx4 and you are?

Bakugou blocking you

xxx-xxx-xxx4 aww come on man, don’t be like tht ☹

xxx-xxx-xxx4 wait, r u a man?????

xxx-xxx-xxx4 PLEASE AT LEAST TELL ME THAT I DON’T WANT TO MISGENDER U OMG

Bakugou can you calm the fuck down holy shit

Bakugou yes I’m a dude, you’re fucking fine dumbass

xxx-xxx-xxx4 oh phew!!!!!!

xxx-xxx-xxx4 ok my dude

xxx-xxx-xxx4 please come down to the bar??????

xxx-xxx-xxx4 do you actually drink though?? If you don’t we still have great mocktails

xxx-xxx-xxx4 and I can whip up some awesome protein shakes

xxx-xxx-xxx4 ohhh and our food is bomb,,, I promise

Bakugou do you ever just stop talking

xxx-xxx-xxx4 NOPE :D

Bakugou Not a compliment

xxx-xxx-xxx4 what can I say

xxx-xxx-xxx4 im an opportunist

Bakugou you’re telling me

Bakugou fucker

xxx-xxx-xxx4 IM STILL SO SORRY

xxx-xxx-xxx4 PLEASE COME TO THE BAR LET ME MAKE IT UP TO YOU

xxx-xxx-xxx4 actions speak hella louder than words

xxx-xxx-xxx4 I must action you

Bakugou what the fuck

xxx-xxx-xxx4 you get what I mean!!

xxx-xxx-xxx4 <location> this is the place

xxx-xxx-xxx4 its name is RIOT, u cant miss it

xxx-xxx-xxx4 just lemme know when u can make it

Bakugou I haven’t agreed to shit asshole

Bakugou stop assuming things

xxx-xxx-xxx4 free food, free drinks, free live performance of whatever band’s performing

Bakugou …………………

Bakugou I’ll think about it

xxx-xxx-xxx4 HELL YEAH

xxx-xxx-xxx4 whats your name btw?

Bakugou like id tell you

xxx-xxx-xxx4 I need it for the reservation!!!!

xxx-xxx-xxx4 so that I don’t accidentally serve the wrong gentleman all your free perks

Bakugou didn’t say im coming yet

xxx-xxx-xxx4 im super optimistic

Bakugou I can tell, you’re giving me a headache

xxx-xxx-xxx4 so………… name?

Bakugou no

xxx-xxx-xxx4 I’ll get it out of you eventually

Bakugou try me

Bakugou fucker

If Bakugou finds himself smiling at the end of the exchange, well, that’s his business.

“So, you finally figured out who was responsible for the penis pictures?” Todoroki deadpans around his cosmo.

“That’s wonderful Bakugou!” Inasa booms, slamming his beer down on the counter with gusto. Bakugou throws a spoon at him.

“Shut it Baldy,” he grunts, going back to chopping veggies. “And yes, I did, but now this fucker won’t stop texting me, insisting on making it up to me or some shit.”

“And this is a bad thing?” Todoroki summarizes slowly. Bakugou turns around in time to see him mouth why to Inasa before taking another generous sip of his drink. Inasa shrugs his stupidly large shoulders before asking, “Why is that a bad thing?”

Bakugou throws another spoon at him. “Because, I texted them so I could stop people from texting me. Now this person’s volunteering information to me about being a bartender and shit and constantly apologizing and it’s fucking annoying.”

“You know what’s interesting?” Camie muses, stirring her bloody mary with a long ass celery stick. “You’re getting all these text messages from this bartender, and you can like, so easily block this one number and be done with it, but you like, keeping responding. And keep, you know, not blocking.”

He can’t see it, but he knows Todoroki is nodding, the fucker.

“That is a good observation!” Inasa booms again, and Bakugou has to resist the urge to fling his entire cutlery set at the man’s thick skull. “Do you like this person Bakugou?”

“What’s there to like, I don’t even fucking know him!”

“Well,” Camie starts, takes a bite out of the celery stick, continues, “he’s well-mannered. Clearly good looking, because you got a LOT of penis pictures these past three months, and that also leads us to believe the business is doing really well, if so many patrons come in begging for a number. All good things, don’t you think?”

“I hate you,” Bakugou says, stirring the curry with barely repressed rage. “I hate all of you. I hate humanity. Fuck people.”

“Or fuck this person in specific,” Camie says gleefully. “You haven’t gotten laid in like 8 months boo, you need to get some.”

“You’re the actual fucking worst.”

“In all seriousness,” Todoroki interrupts, putting his empty glass down delicately, “why haven’t you blocked the number? It seems like an easy enough solution.” The asshole has the audacity to sound genuinely curious, if not slightly amused.

Bakugou hates everything.

“I don’t, I don’t fucking know, ok?” He finally admits through clenched teeth. The blonde kills the heat and places the curry on the counter while Camie brings out the rice and some pickled vegetables from the fridge. She pulls out a beer and twists the cap off before handing it to Bakugou, who snatches it away and takes a quick swig before continuing, “He’s actually kinda nice to me, I guess. And I like watching him be so sorry about all those penises. I may have also mentioned suing him for psychological distress.” Bakugou catches Todoroki’s gaze. “Can I do that?”

Todoroki hums, “You can try, but I don’t think you’ve got that solid a case. Plus, haven’t you deleted virtually all the evidence?”

Bakugou grips the neck of his beer bottle harder. “I fucking hate everything.”

bartender asshole <image attached>

Bakugou what the fuck

Bakugou why are you sending me cat pics?

Bakugou also that cat is stupidly cute

bartender asshole I know right?????

bartender asshole her name is ruby

bartender asshole and id die for her

bartender asshole i just figured ud be a cat person

Bakugou ………….

Bakugou I hate u

bartender asshole :D :D :D

Bakugou ugh

Bakugou Bakugou Katsuki

bartender asshole :D :D :D :D :D

bartender asshole HI BAKUGOU SO NICE TO KNOW UR NAME

Bakugou I hate everything

bartender asshole except ruby. Its not allowed

Bakugou …………………………………

Bakugou except ruby

bartender asshole :D :D :D :D :D

Kirishima, it turns out, is a ray of fucking sunshine. Bakugou has a distinct feeling that looking at him directly would be a blinding experience.

Not that he knows who to look for though; he has no idea what this guy looks like. He guesses that he’s buff, with all the times he tells Bakugou about the gym showers running out of hot water and beating his best weights doing bench presses, but he knows nothing else.

He does know that he’s sweet as fuck, making it impossible for Bakugou to stay mad at him. He doesn’t blink at Bakugou’s cussing, and he sends him cute pictures of Ruby.

There is a part of him, small but steadily growing, that wants to meet this stupidly nice bartender.

Bakugou hates everything.

dumbass bartender so what do you do???

Bakugou front-end development and web design

dumbass bartender oh damn!!!

dumbass bartender so youre like smart smart

Bakugou obviously

dumbass bartender have I seen your work anywhere??

Bakugou I recently redid the website of that protein powder company you don’t shut up about

dumbass bartender ????????????????????

dumbass bartender that’s amazing!!!!!!!!!

dumbass bartender I just revisited the website, it looks so cool

Bakugou duh

Bakugou im the best

dumbass bartender I don’t doubt that!!! :D :D

Bakugou don’t you have work?

dumbass bartender aww bakubro are you looking out for me <3 <3

Bakugou call me that again and I will fucking end you

dumbass bartender before the free drinks??? That you are yet to redeem? ?? at my wonderful establishment?????????? :D :D :D

Bakugou I hate everything.

dumbass bartender D:

Bakugou except RUBY DAMMIT

dumbass bartender :D

“Just to recap,” Kaminari says with an incredulous look in his eyes, “this guy cusses like a sailor, is constantly insulting you, never initiates conversation, and you still like him?”

Kirishima’s answering grin is bashful. “I mean, when you put it like that it sounds not so great, but he’s really not that bad! He’s super funny and confident, and he LOVES Ruby. Plus, I don’t like him like that, I just think he’s cool.” Kirishima picks up another glass from the washer and starts carefully drying it with his dishcloth before saying, “And, you know, I did put him through a lot by giving out his number. His behaviour is kinda warranted if you ask me.”

“I mean, in the beginning maybe, but haven’t you guys been texting for over a week now?”

“Denki, are you forgetting that giving out another number was your idea?” Kirishima mutters, narrowing his eyes at his best friend. “I’m in this mess because of you.”

Kaminari suddenly seems to find the glass in his hand a lot more interesting. Kirishima’s laugh echoes around the empty bar.

‘What’s so funny?” Ashido muses, bringing a crate of bottled beer behind the counter.

“Kirishima is going gaga over angry dick pic man.”

“I’m not going gaga, what the heck-“

“I think it’s cute,” Ashido says with a big smile. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you actually be interested in somebody; it’s really cute!”

“I don’t like him like that,” Kirishima stresses, though his cheeks are a little warm. He can blame that on the lack of air conditioning, he thinks.

“We talking about angry dick pic man?” Sero asks with a shit-eating grin. “10 bucks say he’s actually a middle-aged guy with a cheese fetish.”

“That’s so random-“

“You’re on!” Ashido yells, slapping her hand into Sero’s. “I think he’ll be a hottie.”

“He hasn’t even said he’ll come,” Kirishima says, eyes downcast.

“He’ll come,” the three chorus, going about doing their tasks. Kirishima shakes his head fondly and finishes up with the glasses. Just as he’s put all the shot glasses away, he feels his phone vibrate.

Bakubro just finished a massive project

Bakubro could use a drink this weekend

Bakubro know any good spots?

Kirishima’s face breaks into the biggest smile as he rushes to answer.

Kirishima I know a bar that serves free drinks with your name on it!!!!

Kirishima amazing food, dope music, the bestest drinks

Kirishima ive heard the bartender is a great guy too

Bakubro way to toot your own fucking horn damn

Kirishima :DDDDD

Kirishima bt seriously

Kirishima please? ???? ??

Kirishima PLEASEEEEEEEEE??????????????????

Bakubro ugh

Bakubro fine.

Bakubro Friday night at 8

Kirishima looks up from the screen and calls out, “Denki!”

“Yeah?”

“Switch shifts with me, I’ll do Friday.”

“Um, ok, why though?”

Kirishima doesn’t respond, just goes back to texting, his heart thudding in his ribcage.

Kirishima YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Kirishima cant wait :D

Bakubro I’m bringing my stupid friends btw

Kirishima wait

Kirishima you have friends???????

Bakubro I am going to end you

Bakubro you know what? Fuck you im not coming

Kirishima BAKUGOU NO

Kirishima IM SORRY OFC U HAVE FRNDS

Kirishima please come

Kirishima how big a table should I reserve????

Bakubro don’t bother

Kirishima IM SORRRYYYYYYYYYY

Kirishima <image attached> <image attached> <image attached>

Bakubro bastard

Bakubro you playing dirty by sending me pics of Ruby

Kirishima need to weaken your guard somehow

Kirishima pls tell me it worked

Bakubro ugh

Bakubro ill be there

Bakubro reserve a table for 4

Bakubro your stupid bar better be worth it

Kirishima I promise it will be!!!!

Kirishima whoops in joy, slipping his phone back into his pocket. He looks up to see three sets of eyes looking at him with varying degrees of amusement.

“You get a really mushy look on your face when you’re texting him, it’s almost gross,” Sero points out with a laugh.

“Hush you,” Ashido admonishes, whipping her dishcloth at him. She walks over to Kirishima and gives him a big hug. “I think it’s very, very precious.”

“What did he say?”

“He’s coming this Friday!” Kirishima beams, holding Ashido closer against his side.

The three giggle.

“10 bucks say Kirishima messes up the drinks at least once.”

“HEY!”

Ashido squeezes around his middle. “Hon, I love you, but I’m not dumb enough to go against that.”

“HEY!”

They end up laughing and fibbing at each other for the rest of the prep time, and Kirishima feels his heart absolutely soar.

Friday brings with it crunch time, running lines and lines of code, having a mini-breakdown because the stupid text block keeps floating around on the webpage like it’s in outer fucking space, being forced into one of Camie’s ridiculous vlogs and having an existential crisis about what to wear on a non-date get-together with the guy that ruined Bakugou’s life for close to three months.

Camie spends most of the day laughing at him. Bakugou throws more condiments at her.

“Fucking help me at least, you useless wench,” Bakugou growls, shifting to clothes as he throws a pair of jeans at her. Camie dances out of the way and doubles over, laughing till she tears up from the force of it all.

“I can’t, I just can’t,” she wheezes. “Did you just say wench? What era are you from babe?”

“FUCK OFF,” he roars, leaping towards her. Camie shrieks and ducks away, making a beeline towards his closet.

“Ok, ok, let’s get you dressed! What kinda look are you trying for?”

“Fuck if I know,” he grouses, feeling oddly out of his depth. He wants to look good, but he has no idea for what.

That’s a lie, he knows why. He just won’t admit it.

“Well, why don’t we pick something simple but flattering? Plus, if it's in your style, you’re bound to be more comfy.” Camie pulls out a pair of black jeans that are ripped at the knees, a black fitted round-neck tee shirt, and some black boots. While he’s changing, Camie pulls out a silver chain, some bands for his wrists and a collection of rings.

“Do you want me to do your eyes?” she offers, holding up some mascara and an eye pencil. Bakugou shrugs and sits on the edge of his bed. Camie’s smile is soft as she stands between his thighs, gently but efficiently applying his make-up. When she’s done, he walks over to the mirror to look at himself, and he has to admit- he looks good. Always one to take care of his body and his figure, Bakugou is lean muscle packed into a 5’10” body. His blonde hair is as messy as ever, but the combination of his make-up, the accessories and his clothes give him an edgy look like no other. Camie throws a dark fitted jacket at him before sauntering over to her own room.

He continues to reply to some work emails when his phone buzzes.

dumbass cant wait to see you!!!

dumbass just ask for me at the bar

dumbass or I might be the one to greet you!! :D :D

Bakugou I know dumbass

Bakugou what, are you nervous or some shit?

dumbass I mean, kinda????

dumbass it’s our first time meeting afterall

dumbass I don’t even know wat you look like!!!!

Bakugou blonde wearing all black

dumbass redhead wearing a shirt with the riot logo!

Bakugou whatever

Bakugou ill be there at 8

Dumbass cant wait <33333

Bakugou dumbass

Bakugou scoffs, his own nerves calming at the thought that he’s not the only one that’s a bit out of sorts. It’s nice to know that sunshine Kirishima is jittery about all this.

Also, interesting to know that he’s a redhead. Bakugou can’t quite imagine it, but in a few minutes, he won't need to.

His stomach roils with anticipation, and Bakugou hates every single thing.

Camie pops out of her room at half-past 7 in a maroon romper that cuts above her mid-thigh, hair done in a loose bun, makeup absolutely perfect. Her heels put her at a height taller than Bakugou, but he’s gotten used to being the shortest in their stupid posse. Doesn’t piss him off any less though.

She gets a phone call just as she pushes a tube of lip gloss into her purse.

“We are downstairs!” Inasa’s voice rings through her speaker, stupidly loud.

“Can it, baldy,” Bakugou grunts with a roll of his eyes, “we’ll be there in a sec.”

“See ya!”

Before Bakugou can usher Camie out the door, she pushes her clutch into his hands and walks over to the kitchen cabinet, pulling out two shot glasses and a bottle of tequila.

“Wha-“

“Liquid courage, my dude,” she says, pouring two generous shots and pushing one at Bakugou. She picks her own glass up and gives him a devilish smirk, “Bottoms up bitch!”

Bakugou picks the glass up with a resigned sigh but smirks back equally devilish. They cheers, smack the glasses against the counter and drain them smoothly. Camie puts the glasses in the sink, places a smacking kiss on Bakugou’s cheek and laughs brightly as she dances out of the way of his rage.

They finally load up in Inasa’s range rover, Todoroki plays classical Japanese music over the speakers and Bakugou regrets everything.

Riot is apparently something of a beloved establishment in its neighbourhood, and Bakugou growls when he sees how long the line leading to the bar is.

“Holy moly, that’s a lot of people!” Camie points out helpfully as she disembarks from the car.

Todoroki straightens his two-tone denim jacket and runs a hand through his hair as he says, “We have a reservation, so I think it’ll be fine?”

“Yes, I agree with you Todoroki,” Inasa beams, locking the car behind him as they walk towards the building. The outside is made of exposed brick and neon lights, and the RIOT sign is a deep red colour, eye-catching and beautiful.

They bypass the people in the line and walk up to the bouncer, who eyes them warily. He’s built like an absolute tank, broad and block-like, and his silver hair shines in the artificial light.

“Can I help you?”

“Bakugou, table for 4,” Camie says cheerily. The bouncer looks immediately enamoured with her before his eyes go wide.

“Wait, Eijirou’s Bakugou?”

Bakugou’s ears burn at that.

“I’m not fucking anybody’s!” he snaps. The bouncer immediately looks at him, and his face breaks into an even wider grin.

“Well, I’ll be damned! Can I see some ID real quick?”

Bakugou cusses colourfully under his breath but pulls out his license, and after a quick check, the bouncer, whose name is Tetsutetsu, steps aside to let them in.

“Have a good time!” he says happily, almost too happily. Bakugou feels his hackles rise.

“What the fuck?”

“It appears that Kirishima talks about you at least as much as you talk about him,” Todoroki observes, walking next to Bakugou.

“I don’t talk about him, fuck you!”

Todoroki’s delicately raised brow makes him want to punch something. Or someone. Preferably both.

“Fuck you all,” he reiterates before stomping inside.

Now, Bakugou is a relatively creative soul – his job kinda demands it – so it’s not his fault that he’s actually quite captivated by the interiors of this stupidly popular bar co-owned by a stupidly nice person.

The inside has exposed brick as well, and most of the furniture seems to be retro. There are large pipes and barrels behind the bar, made of what seems to be pure copper. Black marble covers the bar tops, and the lights are a mix of neon and muted whites, bright enough to see but still bathing the room in an alluring aura. There’s music thumping through the speakers, loud enough to dispel any silence but still at a bearable volume.

“Swanky,” Camie whistles, taking it all in.

Bakugou nods begrudgingly before setting his eyes on the bar.

“I’ll go get us a fucking table,” he mutters before walking over, hands digging deep into his pant pockets. He sees a lanky black-haired guy and a girl with tan skin and pink hair behind the bar, talking animatedly with the patrons as they serve them drinks at a dizzying pace.

When he finally gets a spot at the counter, the pink-haired girl finishes up with a customer and bounds over to him.

“Hi,” she greets, smile wide and happy, “haven’t seen you around before! What can I get you?”

“Kirishima,” Bakugou says because apparently, his brain to mouth filter has decided to abandon him in his time of need. The girl tilts her head in confusion and Bakugou feels the life drain out of him.

“I’m sorry?”

“I’m fuckin here because of dumbass Kirishima,” Bakugou barely grits out, fingers digging into his palms painfully. “The name is Bakugou, table for 4?”

He sees it all in slow-mo- the way her mouth goes slack, the way her eyes light up like firecrackers on New Year’s, and then the way her smile becomes positively blinding. He hates her already.

“Holy shit,” she breathes, “of course! So glad you’re here! Oye, Sero?”

“What?” the black-haired guy says without looking, topping up a perfectly poured glass of beer.

“You owe me 10 bucks.”

This gets his attention- he hands the drink off and looks at her, “Why would I-“

The girl just gestures at Bakugou and winks, “It’s him.”

Sero – or plain face, Bakugou’s brain helpfully supplies – immediately looks at him, his eyes widening. “Shit, seriously? Aw, man.” His smile becomes mischievous. “I’ll get Kirishima.” He opens the door behind the bar and disappears.

“What the fuck was that?” Bakugou snaps, beyond irritated to be so out of the loop.

“Nothing, nothing,” Pinky sings, raising her hands in a placating gesture. “Kirishima will show your party to your table. Do you want anything in the meantime?”

“… a beer,” Bakugou concedes because he’s not dumb enough to not get a drink before he sees Kirishima if he can help it.

“Coming right up!”

He waits at the bar, watching as his group of dumbasses ooh and ahh at the place, looking delighted. A bottle of cold beer hits the counter with a satisfying thunk, bringing his attention back to the bartop.

“Enjoy!” Pinky still has a stupid smile on her face but before Bakugou can say anything, the door behind her is thrown open and plain face steps out.

“The restocking can wait, literally the only thing you’ve talked about for the last 3 days is finally happening.”

The guy following him is all tanned skin and thick muscles under a fitted deep red tee shirt. His hair is a bright unnatural red, pulled into a high pony with a few strands still framing his face. His eyes are a softer red than Bakugou’s own, his cheeks sharp and high, and when his eyes meet Bakugou’s, a zip of electricity races down his spine and along his limbs till he can feel it in his toes.

When the man makes his way over, Bakugou also notes how damn tall he is- easily around 6’4”. His smile is shy, and he smells like sandalwood.

“Bakugou, hi,” he breathes, hesitantly holding his hand out. Bakugou takes it in a daze, still amazed by just how stupidly beautiful this stupidly kind bar owner is.

“Heyyo, you disappeared fam, how’s it going?”

Bakugou hates everything.

He reluctantly slips his hand out of Kirishima’s warm, firm grip and turns to Camie with venomous eyes. “I literally just met him Cam, shut the fuck up.” He turns back to Kirishima, “Can you show us to our table?”

Kirishima shakes his head once before his smile turns blinding, and Bakugou finds himself fighting the urge to shield his eyes. “Of course,” he says in a voice that’s deep and warm and honey-like, “right this way!”

Bakugou snags his beer off the counter and takes a quick swig before Camie steals it and takes a few sips of her own. He growls at her but otherwise behaves, watching Kirishima’s back as he leads them through throngs of people engaged in cheerful conversation.

“Ok, well, he’s hot,” Cam says around the lip of the bottle. “Total beefcake. Whaddya think, boo?”

“I think you should fuck off,” Bakugou hisses, his face burning.

“If you wanted to go on a date, you probably shouldn’t have invited us,” Todoroki says, taking the offered bottle from Camie.

Before Bakugou can explode in their faces, Kirishima stops and turns around. “Here ya go!” He gestures to a table behind him, tucked into a more private corner of the bar. It’s large and cushy, and when Bakugou gets in after Camie, he’s surprised at how soft the material is.

“So?” Kirishima says, eyes trained on Bakugou.

“Fuckin what?” Bakugou snaps, voice lacking any heat.

Kirishima laughs, head thrown back to reveal a long, thick neck and Bakugou is so damn weak.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?”

Bakugou clicks his tongue before gesturing at each of them, “Camie, marketing expert by day, YouTube beauty vlogger by night, pain in my ass always. Todoroki, environmental lawyer and a soba obsessed weirdo. Inasa, physiotherapist and resident dumbass.”

Kirishima gives them all a wave before saying, “Kirishima, co-owner of Riot and the reason why Bakugou saw more unwarranted penises than strictly necessary in a lifetime.”

“Asshole,” Bakugou grumbles, earning him another laugh and a bashful hand ruffling the back of Kirishima’s head.

“Still so sorry about that man,” Kirishima offers, “everything’s definitely on the house for you all! Speaking of ordering-“ Kirishima moves on to explain their ordering system-

“You can scan the code with your camera app,” the redhead says, pointing at the barcode on the centrepiece of their table, “and it pulls up our bar and food menu. Just enter your order and your table number,” he points at the large digits on the side that glows a bright 15 back at them.

Inasa pulls his phone out to order. Before he leaves, Kirishima says, “Can I get your drink order before I go?”

Camie asks for a LIIT, Inasa gets a Soju bomb and Todoroki starts off with his usual- a cosmo.

“You good on that beer?” Kirishima asks Bakugou warmly, his eyes dancing with mirth.

“I’m fine,” he grumbles, sliding lower into his seat. “Maybe get me another, your choice?”

“Coming right up,” Kirishima beams before stepping away, and Bakugou’s heart splutters around his chest at the sight of sharp white teeth and cheek-aching grins.

“He’s so cute!” Camie squeals, stealing the last of his beer. “And he’s totes into you too.”

“I have to agree, he’s very attractive,” Todoroki says impassively.

“Certified hottie,” Inasa rounds up, flashing his own biceps for some reason.

Bakugou is so done, and they’ve been here all 5 minutes.

“Kirishim- Kirishima, the beer is overflowing,” Ashido says, pushing him away and taking over. “God, you’re so gone for him, it’s almost embarrassing.”

Kirishima snaps out of his stupor and moves to take the glass back. Ashido hip checks him away.

“You’re being a little stupid, go help Satou with plating and take the food to lover boy’s table.”

“He has a name, you know,” Kirishima mumbles, but Ashido simply laughs, and Kirishima feels his neck and ears go warm.

Because who let Bakugou walk into his bar looking like that? Looking so damn gorgeous in his all-black get up and his perfect eye make-up and that fierce scowl?

Kirishima’s heart had pretty much stopped at the sight of him, and it was yet to regain its usual rhythm.

The redhead rests his forehead against the wall and mumbles, “I’m so screwed.”

“We know buddy,” Sero says, patting his back sympathetically, “we know.”

For all that Bakugou hates outings and people and outings in places filled with people, he finds himself having a moderately good time.

Because the food is delicious if lacking a little heat, the alcohol is mixed perfectly and the music is fantastic, filtering through old rock classics with some alt stuff mixed in.

And then there’s Kirishima- tending the bar with ease, laughing along with his co-workers, and sending Bakugou wide, happy smiles that sets his entire face on fire.

“This place is awesome,” Camie whoops, banging another shot glass on the table before knocking it back with ease. Todoroki joins her, his impassive face not so much as twitching at the taste of strong tequila before he bites into a lime. Inasa is already beer drunk, cheeks dusky as he hums along to the music.

“Insufferable,” Bakugou mumbles around his 4th-ish beer. He likes to keep up his grumpy act till his last shred of dignity melts away cause of the alcohol, and he’s probably pretty hit already because he lets Camie pull him into her side with her arm around his shoulder, his nose suddenly privy to the scent of her mellow perfume.

“I love you guys,” Camie beams, picking up her beer and waving it in front of her. Todoroki and Inasa clink their drinks against it, and Bakugou silently waves his own bottle around before downing it.

“You guys good on- oh my god, are you Camie? THE Camie?”

It’s Pinky at their table and her eyes are so comically wide that Bakugou can’t help his snort of laughter. He feels Camie straighten up, but her arm around him stays, holding him close.

“Define THE Camie,” she says with a smile in her voice.

“The beauty blogger that I’ve only been following for the last 3 years, holy shit I love your videos.” And then suddenly, her eyes narrow on Bakugou before she snaps her fingers. “NO WONDER YOU LOOK FAMILIAR! You’re the angry blonde in all her videos!”

“Haan? You wanna go pinky?” Bakugou growls, moving to stand up. Camie keeps him firmly by her side, her laughter shaking them both.

“That’s us!” Camie says. Bakugou finally fights his way out of her grip and throws her a withering look, or his drunken attempt at one anyway. She winks, and he fake gags. “I don’t get recognized in public all that often LOL, this is fun.”

“Did you just say LOL in a verbal fucking conversation?”

“What do you mean you don’t get recognized; you literally have like 3.2million subscribers.”

Camie ignores Bakugou and shrugs at Pinky. “I guess my primary demographic aint here fam. Speaking of which,” she thrusts her hand out, “what’s your name?”

“Ashido Mina,” she says, taking her hand firmly. Camie introduces her to the others, and Bakugou looks back at the bar, disappointed to see that he can’t find Kirishima.

“Can I top you guys off?” Kirishima says, suddenly right next to their table, effectively startling the shit outta Bakugou.

Camie chirps an affirmative, Todoroki asks for a water and checks to see if Inasa’s breathing as the big olf continues to sleep, curled up in the corner of the booth.

“And you Bakubro?”

“Don’t call me that,” Bakugou frowns before adding, “I should probably stop, I’m already kinda tipsy.”

“Lightweight,” Camie teases.

Bakugou gives her the stink eye. “Woman, the one time I tried keeping up with you, I ended up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning and you didn’t have so much as a hangover, so fuck off.”

“Seriously?” Kirishima says, eyes wide.

“That’s amazing,” Ashido murmurs, her smile crooked and dangerous.

Bakugou. Hates. Everything.

“He had no lasting liver damage, we’re all fine,” Camie reassures before diving into a conversation with Mina about beauty hacks and good mascara brands and global warming.

Kirishima leans close to Bakugou, bathing him in that warm sandalwood scent. “How about I get you some water and one last beer? A Hefeweizen?”

Bakugou turns to look at him, and his breath hitches in his throat when he notices how close they are, when he sees just how red Kirishima’s eyes are, how the heat seems to radiate off his skin. He exhales in a rush and looks away, answering with a jerky nod.

Kirishima gives his shoulder a friendly squeeze – he’s so warm, his hand is fucking huge – before walking to the bar and picking their stuff up.

When pinky finally meanders away from their table to serve other customers, Camie leans her head on Bakugou’s shoulder and says, “We’ll leave soon, ok?”

Bakugou nods again, leaning some of his weight back into her. Todoroki catches his eye and flashes him a warm, tipsy smile, and if he returns it with one of his own, well, he’s drunk out of his skull and has approximately no fucks to give.

Long after putting Bakugou and his posse in a cab, before which they insisted on paying pretty much the entire tab since they ate and drank a LOT, Kirishima and the rest are cleaning up when Ashido whips him with her cleaning rag.

Kirishima looks at her with betrayed eyes, “Wha-“

“Ei, you better text him again.”

“About what?” Kirishima says glumly. “I did what I said I would do, and I promised to leave him alone after that.”

“Boy please,” Ashido scoffs, roughly wiping down one of the tables, “ya’ll made such gooey eyes at each other all night, plus I’m pretty sure he paid the entire tab just so you could keep up whatever façade you guys have going on to cover up the fact that you have INSANE chemistry with one another.”

“Yeah, the tension was palpable bro,” Sero chimes in, throwing an arm around his waist. “I think you should text him too. He seemed really amusing, and his whole group was a riot.”

Kirishima rolls his eyes at the pun but smiles at them, feeling a new burst of energy in his limbs.

“You guys are absolutely right! Worst case, he blocks me. At least I won’t have any regrets.”

“Yeah boy, get it with that optimism.”

Bakugou wakes up to a slight headache, a mouth that tastes like ash, and a profound sadness that settles atop his sternum, weighing him down and pressing him into his mattress.

He sees the glass of water on his bedside table with ibuprofen placed neatly next to it and downs them both without so much as a second thought. As his brain slowly comes back online, he takes a moment to finally navigate his messy feelings and comes to a crushing realization-

Kirishima doesn’t have to text him anymore.

The redhead had said that he’d leave him alone after making it up to him, and yes, it was Bakugou’s standoffish nature that got them into that situation in the first place. And yes, Bakugou had paid the tab mostly because it was too high a bill to be footed by the bar and Bakugou made bank, but also because a small, minuscule part of him hoped that the gesture would make Kirishima insist on another outing or something to ‘make it up to him'.

The blonde doesn’t even bother to acknowledge the fact that he forgave Kirishima almost two days into texting him.

He almost avoids his phone out of fear alone and makes it through a whole cup of coffee and 3 chapters into a novel recommended by Deku before finally picking up his phone to check for emails and notifications.

He expects none from Kirishima.

So, of course, there are 3 from the redhead.

Bakugou’s heart leaps to his throat and he can’t seem to unlock his phone quite fast enough.

fuck he’s cute hi Bakugou, thank you for coming last night!!!

fuck he’s cute it was actually really cool 2 finally meet you. U didn’t have to pay the tab tho :’D

fuck he’s cute bt since u did, I still owe u. can we figure it out later??? Also, what did you think of the place???

Bakugou dumbass

Bakugou you’ve got a swanky place, I’ll give you that. Food was fucking good too. could be spicier.

Bakugou you got cam completely hooked

Bakugou and yeah, you better make it up to me later. Asshole.

Kirishima replies a few hours later, just as Bakugou finishes up a yoga routine that stretches out his back in the best way possible.

fuck he’s cute :D :D :D :D :D

fuck he’s cute can’t wait

fuck he’s cute <image attached>

fuck he’s cute ruby says hi

It’s a selfie this time, not a picture of just the kitty. Bakugou can appreciate how cute the mutt is, but for once, he has no attention to spare her. Not when Kirishima’s eyes are crinkling around the edges from how hard he smiles up at the camera, not when he’s wearing a tank top with relaxed arm holes, showing off bulging muscles and hints of ink, and not when just the mere thought of him makes Bakugou’s stomach flop around uncontrollably.

He barely manages to reply coherently.

Bakugou the only bright spot in this shitty world

He presses his phone to his forehead and quietly contemplates just how gay he is. Camie pets his head on the way to the kitchen.

It takes Bakugou some time to get used to waking up to Good Morning texts and a stream of random thoughts from Kirishima all day. The flutter in his stomach disappears a few weeks into talking to the redhead, instead replaced by a bone-deep warmth that always manages to make him feel a little better.

dumbass kirishima GOOOOOOOD MORNING :D

dumbass Kirishima someone threw up on my fave shoes last night

Bakugou HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Bakugou suffer

dumbass Kirishima y u so mean to me ☹ ☹

Bakugou cause its fuckin hilarious

dumbass Kirishima ☹

Bakugou ugh

Bakugou <image attached> [it’s a picture of Bakugou’s balcony, and all his plants look vibrant green as the sun hits them just right]

dumbass Kirishima :D :D :D

dumbass Kirishima legit felt my serotonin just spike

dumbass Kirishima thxxxxxx

Bakugou whatever

Bakuguo dumbass

---

Bakugou if I plan a murder can I count on your stupid muscles to help me move the body

dumbass Kirishima D:

dumbass Kirishima at least take me out to dinner b4 involving me in your crimes

dumbass Kirishima what a lack of manners

Bakugou stfu

dumbass Kirishima :”D :”D

dumbass Kirishima youre joking right?

dumbass Kirishima right??

dumbass Kirishima RIGHT?????

dumbass Kirishima BAKUGOU THIS IS A BAD TIME TO LEAVE ME HANGING BRO DO NOT DO THIS

Bakugou don’t call me bro

dumbass Kirishima THAT IS NOT THE POINT RIGHT NOW

Bakugou lol I didn’t do shit dumbass don’t worry

Bakugou or did I?

dumbass Kirishima BAKUGOU NO

---

dumbass Kirishima <image attached> [it’s a gym selfie; Kirishima is crouching in front of the mirror shirtless, hair pulled into a bun atop his head. He’s glistening with sweat, and he’s got a more serious look on his face. He’s not actively flexing any muscle, but the pose makes his thighs, calves and biceps bulge. One hand holds the phone, the other is resting on his bent knee]

dumbass Kirishima working on deez gainz

Bakugou what time do you usually workout

dumbass Kirishima depends on my schedule actually

dumbass Kirishima I prefer the morning, but when I take the late night shift I usually go be4 work the next day

Bakugou hmmm

Bakugou let me know

Bakugou maybe we can go together

dumbass Kirishima :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Bakugou ugh I changed my mind

dumbass Kirishima :D :D :D :D

dumbass Kirishima no takebacksies

Bakugou fucking fantastic

dumbass Kirishima :D :D :D

---

“So, let me get this straight- you guys gym together at least once a week, you talk every day, your stomach flutters at the mere thought of him and Cam swears he’s making googly eyes at you all the time, and you still haven’t asked each other out yet?”

Bakugou flips his phone off, “Fuck off Deku, don’t be a little shit.”

Midoriya’s face morphs into an amused smile on the other end of their facetime call, “Are you being bashful Kacchan? That’s adorable.”

“I’m hanging up.”

“NOOOOO,” Midoriya bemoans dramatically. “I can’t believe I’m missing all this.”

“Yeah, well, who the fuck told you to teach kids English halfway across the world dumbass?”

“I miss you too Kacchan,” Midoriya beams, making a heart with his hands.

“I truly loathe you.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Midoriya puts a few papers away before sighing. “So?”

“So what?”

“So, are you going to make a move? How do you plan on doing it?”

“I don’t,” Bakugou ruffles his hair and ducks his head to hide his rapidly warming cheeks, “I’m not asking him out Deku, fuck that.”

“Why not?” the asshole whines, eyes wide and innocent. “You deserve happiness Kacchan. Plus, he seems like a really nice guy.” Midoriya leans forward and adds in a whisper, “I’ve heard he has a fantastic butt.”

Bakugou rolls his eyes and flips him off again, “Fuck off, you can’t say that without actually meeting him.”

“I’ll be back before then. You guys better be dating already when I get there.”

“Stop telling me what to do, shitty Deku!”

“Never Kacchan, that’s what you do for the people you love.”

“Ugh, how are you so gross when you’re so far away, I hate you.”

Midoriya’s laugh sounds tinny over the phone speaker, lacking its usual body and warmth. Bakugou huffs again before picking his novel back up to read.

“Hi Zuku,” Camie calls out from over Bakugou’s shoulder. “You need to come back soon and help me with Kitkat, he refuses to make the first move!”

“Butt out of my fucking love life, you freaks!”

“Can’t butt out of something that doesn’t exist Kats,” Camie deadpans.

Bakugou feels extremely justified in flinging a stress ball right at her. The kitchen fills up with raucous laughter, from his phone and from the person standing in front of him, and Bakugou thinks that adding a deeper, warmer laugh to the mix, coming from a specific redhead might not be the worst thing in the world.

Kiri bakugouuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Bakugou what?

Kiri just wanted to say hi <3

Bakugou wth

Kiri we still on fr the gym tomorrow?

Bakugou obviously you dumbass

Bakugou I need you to spot me

Bakugou im beating my personal best tomorrow or im going to die trying

Kiri so manly :O :O :O

Kiri I’ve got you bruh

Bakugou don’t call me that

Bakugou and I know you do

Kiri <3 <3

---

Bakugou <link>

Bakugou that playlist you were asking about

Kiri u da bomb katsuki

Bakugou katsuki huh?

Bakugou getting cocky I see

Kiri I mean, weve known each other for like 4 months now???

Kiri ur one of my closest pals

Kiri I don’t have to, I just thought ud like it more than bro

Bakugou I do like it more than bro

Bakugou eijirou

Bakugou I guess ur not terrible

Eijirou ????

Eijirou did you just?? pay me????? A compliment??

Eijirou who r u and wat have you done to katsuki?

Bakugou fuck you

Bakugou just fuck you

Eijirou <3 <3 <3

Bakugou wakes up one morning, approximately 5 months after meeting Kirishima for the first time, with a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

His work goes smoothly. The coffee tastes potent and fresh, his body feels fine, his plants are thriving, Camie is busy with her own deadlines and therefore not bugging him, even the sun is mellow and warm; the perfect weather.

The pit in his stomach worsens with every hour.

It doesn’t help that all of his messages to Kirishima have gone unanswered; he hasn’t even been online all day. In the months that they’ve communicated, he’s never gone a day without texting the man, and now it’s like he fell off the face of the Earth.

When it gets closer to 6 in the evening, Bakugou decides to call if Kirishima doesn’t get in touch himself. Because the pit in his stomach is making him nauseous, and he needs to know if the redhead is ok if only for the sake of his own damn health.

He gets a call from an unknown number at 5:20 in the evening. The pit in his stomach becomes a yawning chasm as he picks up the call.

“Hello?”

“Bakugou, it’s Ashido, from the bar.”

Bakugou pulls in a deep breath. “Where is Kirishima?”

“Um, there was an incident last night, at Riot.” She sighs deeply before continuing, “Kiri got jumped in the alley outside by a bunch of really drunk homophobic assholes that saw him turn down some guy’s number. He actually fought them off for the most part, but he’s sustained a broken nose and some fractured ribs. We’re at the hospital right now.”

Bakugou sinks to the ground, his stomach plummeting with him. “Are you fucking serious right now? Fuck-“

“I’ll text you the hospital details, ok? I’m sorry we didn’t call sooner, between talking to his moms and the hospital folks, it slipped my mind.”

“I’ll be there,” Bakugou says, standing up on shaky feet and stumbling back to his room. “Just don’t leave him alone.”

“Never in a million years.”

They hang up and Bakugou changes, hails a cab, and gets to the hospital in a complete daze.

His affection for the redhead, brimming and spilling from every crevice, makes itself evident when he lays eyes on him in the hospital bed and feels a surge of protectiveness. He wants to kill the people that did this, he wants to gather Kirishima in his arms and hold him tight, he wants to crawl into bed with him and talk about stupid shit and see him smile again.

“He’s pretty high on pain meds right now,” Ashido says from somewhere behind him, pointing to his IV lines, “so he’s been saying really funny stuff. The doctors did a full evaluation and said he should recover completely in 5ish weeks.”

Bakugou nods and swallows thickly. Ashido squeezes his arm before leaving the hospital room, shutting the door behind her softly.

Kirishima hasn’t seen him yet, so Bakugou approaches his bed carefully before placing a hand on the guardrail. The noise pulls Kirishima’s attention towards him, and Bakugou’s gut tightens when those large, warm eyes go completely soft at the sight of him.

“Kassaki~” Kirishima slurs, his smile large and dopey.

“You absolute dumbass,” Bakugou chokes out, his hand moving from the rail to grip Kirishima’s tightly. Kirishima’s fingers twine with his own with practised ease and his smile turns gooey.

“Hi Kats, you look beautiful today.”

Bakugou half-laughs, half-sobs and rubs his eyes fiercely. Kirishima’s face is a bit bruised, and there’s a huge bandage on his nose, but he doesn’t look nearly as bad as Bakugou had first feared. The pit in his stomach finally calms, slowly loosening until he can breathe normally again.

“Shut up Eiji,” Bakugou grumbles, sitting down on the chair beside the bed. He leaves his hand in Kirishima’s.

“Ok,” Kirishima agrees easily. It takes 10 seconds for him to break the silence again.

“Hey Kats?”

“What?”

“Are we dating?”

Bakugou startles at that, eyes snapping over to Kirishima’s. He doesn’t look accusatory or hurt or weirded out or anything- merely curious.

“No, we’re not.”

“Oh.” Kirishima frowns, “Why not?”

Bakugou huffs out a small laugh, “Because we’re both idiots.”

“Oh,” the redhead says, then nods. “That kinda tracks.”

“HEY!”

Kirishima’s smile becomes dopey again, eyes crinkling in the most endearing way.

“I really like you Kats. You’re so smart and funny and you always smell like fabric softener, and you’re just like. Really pretty.”

Bakugou feels his face heat up completely, his grip on Kirishima’s hand tightening.

“Just rest, you dumbass,” Bakugou says weakly, his entire body too hot for comfort. He watches Kirishima’s smile become something warm and loving in a way that hits his heart, and he doesn’t let go of the redhead’s hand, right up until the end of visiting hours.

When he exits the hospital alongside Ashido, he feels the last of his energy drain.

“I cant believe we didn’t get to him sooner,” Ashido mumbles, rubbing at her eyes fiercely. “The bar was noisy, and he just wanted to dump out some trash. Hanta noticed he was gone a while before we went out back and found him punching the last dude.”

Bakugou purses his lips. Truth be told, he cant believe Kirishima had gotten so badly hurt so close to his own bar, and he’s pissed as fuck that the idiot brigade had even let it happen, but the sincerity in Ashido’s voice tugs at his chest painfully.

“I’m sure he’ll forgive you.” Bakugou laughs humorlessly. “He’ll probably say there’s nothing to forgive in the first place.”

Ashido’s laugh is hollow, “That’s our Eijirou.” She looks at Bakugou again. “You coming tomorrow?”

He flashes her his best sneer. “You best believe I’m going to come by every single fucking day till he’s discharged.”

Ashido’s smile becomes a little more genuine, a little more well-rounded.

“I’m really glad he has you.” Her voice goes all soft and gross as she continues, “You mean a LOT to him, in case you didn’t already know.”

“Fuck off,” Bakugou mumbles, before waving her off and walking away.

Because he does know.

He also knows he’s falling madly in love with him, and that he’s completely and utterly screwed.

And he finds that he really doesn’t mind all that much. Some people, he rationalizes, are worth the horrible butterflies and the too hot too cold feelings down the back of his spine.

Some people, he realizes, are worth loving with everything you’ve got.

It takes Kirishima five weeks of house arrest to recover completely. Bakugou spends every weekday and a few of the weekends with him, staying over more often than not. He fusses over the redhead, forces him to take his medication on time, and cooks him everything under the sun.

“You’re spoiling me,” the redhead whines when Bakugou serves him what smells like the best mapo tofu he’s ever going to have.

The blonde grins triumphantly, “You’re damn right I am.”

They bicker and banter constantly, but they also curl up and marathon old bond movies at night. Kirishima goes over the bar’s paperwork while Bakugou works off his couch, and they take turns making the coffee. Ruby falls in love with Bakugou and curls up on his chest every chance she gets, and Bakugou laughs at Kirishima’s look of betrayal. The redhead’s couch is ridiculously comfortable, and he leaves his memory foam pillow with the blonde.

“You refuse to take my bed,” he grumbles, “so you damn well better accept my stupid pillow.”

Bakugou’s neck thanks the redhead profusely.

It’s new and weird, living with someone for the first time. Kirishima’s posse are in and out through the day, and Camie comes by just as often, bringing a change of clothes and gossip with her. Todoroki drops in with some high-quality tequila sometimes and Inasa brings his infectious energy, and through all of this, Kirishima remains in high spirits, even if he goes a little stir crazy sometimes.

It’s new and it’s weird, going from casual touches to more loving ones, more comforting ones. It becomes commonplace for Bakugou to rest his head between Kirishima’s shoulder blades on the days that he has a bad time at work. It’s normal for Kirishima to place his head on Bakugou’s lap while they watch shark documentaries. It’s easy for them to bump knees and press their calves together while enjoying their morning coffee.

It’s new and it’s weird and it’s amazing.

Because Bakugou finds himself falling in love with the little things. The way Kirishima sticks his tongue out when he’s smashing the PS5 controller during an especially intense game of Mario party, the way he makes the coffee with a sleepy smile on his face, the way he hums off-key to a song that’s stuck in his head, the way he can understand Bakugou- can differentiate between his frustrated fuck, his bashful fuck, his angry fuck, his sleepy fuck.

And how he accepts it all without so much as a hitch in his step.

Bakugou watches himself fall in love, slowly, and then all at once.

“How is it that he lived with you for almost 5 weeks and you STILL didn’t ask him out? Or kiss him stupid? Or something?”

Sero has a finger pinching the bridge of his nose, the other flexing loosely in front of his chest as he tries to fathom the stupidity of two people that could not be more into each other if they tried.

“I, I uh-“ Kirishima hangs his head, “I have no excuse.” He sighs deeply. “I was scared he’d give me a pity answer cause I was injured and everything.”

Ashido looks over her shoulder with incredulous eyes. “Are you kidding me?”

“What?”

“Eiji, I know you love us so like, if any of us were hurt like this you’d take care of us till we were better too. But do you think someone like BAKUGOU would practically move into someone’s house to make sure they were ok if he wasn’t nuts about them? Really?”

Kirishima’s face flushes, and he waves her away. “I don’t want to read into it. He’s just a really, really, really good guy. And what we have is good, it’s great! We’re bros. Pals. Friends. It’s all good.”

Ashido continues to stare at him for another moment before throwing her hands up and yelling, “BOYS!” She stomps into the kitchen to help Satou with prep for the day.

They continue to stock up the bar, Kirishima assigned to prepping limes and the ice machine, when the door opens and someone steps in.

“Sorry, we’re not op- Bakugou?”

And there stands the blonde with the biggest bouquet of flowers – chrysanthemums and sunflowers – that Kirishima has ever seen. The redhead distantly hears the sound of a door close behind him, and suddenly they’re alone, the tension positively stifling.

“Bakugo-“

“Go on a date with me.”

Kirishima sucks in a startled breath, his heart hammering in his chest.

“Go on a date. With me,” Bakugou repeats, his neck and ears tinging the loveliest shade of red. “The romantic kind. Where we dress up and get food and drinks and fight over the bill and walk each other to the door and get super awkward before we kiss. All that shit.”

Kirishima isn’t sure how it happens- one moment he’s on this side of the bar, the next, he’s jumping across and gathering Bakugou into a tight embrace, mindful of his newly healed ribs but still unwilling to release the blonde until Bakugou returns his hug, burying his face into Kirishima’s chest.

“Is that a yes?” Bakugou mumbles when they finally pull away, his hands fisted in Kirishima’s shirt.

“In every possible language out there,” Kirishima answers, ducking down to softly kiss Bakugou on the cheek. He laughs as the blonde cusses and shoves him away and laughs even harder when Bakugou’s own smile covers his entire face, bright and open and oh so breathtaking.

That smile is Kirishima’s and Kirishima’s alone.

Eiji hiiiiiiiiiiii

Bakugou I swear to god Ei

Bakugou if you’re late for our first date I will find you

Eiji and give me a kiss? :*

Bakugou I don’t kiss people that don’t have good time management

Bakugou so fuck off

Eiji still so mean to me ☹

Eiji I want that kiss tho

Eiji so ill be ready

Eiji promise

Bakugou good

Eiji <3

Bakugou <3

Eiji :D :D :D :D :D :D

Eiji YOU LIKE ME ENOUGH TO SEND EMOJIS HU H <3333

Bakugou it will never happen again

Bakugou so fuck right off

Eiji :”D

Bakugou im outside

Eiji be right there

Eiji <3

#bnha #kiribaku #bakushima #kirishima eijirou #bakugou katsuki #flustered #boku no hero #mha #they're idiots your honor #giving out the wrong number au???#if that's a thing??????#this one's a monster y'all

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neko-rogers · 4 years

Text

72 Hours

You only have 72 hours to detain Steve Rogers. He’s the only opportunity you can get to find out what happened and why half of the population mysteriously disappeared.

word count: 3,168

tags: eventual dark!steve rogers and non-con; however, none much in this chapter but plot and interaction

Things escalated so quickly.

Ever since half of the world population had suddenly disappeared, which left fewer people walking around the streets of Manhattan, your job had become stressful yet so useless. The rest of the investigative crew are close to giving up and adapting to what has been left.

Meanwhile, here you were. Neither convinced nor ready to accept the fact that most of your friends and family have vanished.

Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months. By now, the withdrawal is coming close to a year and a half. Yet the clues you have gathered merely comprises for a month of effort.

“You should be giving up on this already.” Two of your colleagues walk behind you, either of them comforting your bothered state by rubbing your back as a gesture to cheer up. The hint of hopelessness in their tone bothers you more than their initial intention.

“I doubt you will be solving one of the biggest mysteries of the world yet,” they state with an implication of humor before pulling back. From the corner of your vision, you could see their jackets folded neatly and hung on top of their arms. Just as their uniforms remained pressed, it conveys that they were already prepared to check out of their shift.

“But hey, if you do solve it, let us know. We’ll be more than supportive and grateful for your efforts, Agent.”

“Thanks. I hope so,” your voice was soft, resisting to show any sign of weakness or vulnerability despite on the verge of breaking down on the inside.

Within a few minutes, the office was left noiseless. Most of the officers who had day shifts proceeded to depart by the hour until you and two others have remained.

For you, it did not matter whether you got paid for overtime from your original schedule. Since you did not have anyone to look forward to when coming home, you preferred to spend most of your hours at work, searching for a way to somehow bring them back.

The chances were so odd and slim. The fact that all your families and friends near your location were wiped out. You could not do anything since you did not know who caused all this disaster, let alone the reasons behind the disappearances.

As your elbows were resting on top of your desk, your head fell onto both your palms. A big sigh was released from your lips countless times already. This wasn’t just getting lonely anymore, you were obsessing over something that was far from your reach.

The plain screensaver of the bureau’s logo was dancing over your desktop. Along with several pictures, specifically one or more for each member of the well-known extra-terrestrial fighting group of Avengers. Their superhero names were scribbled with red ink and pinned onto a small corkboard.

Tony Stark.

The name haunted you to your dreams. The billionaire who brought good and bad things into New York City.

You are not entirely sure why your guts were forcing you to focus on this man amongst the rest of his alliance. But you were just desperate to cling onto any evidence blindly hanging in front of you.

For the entirety of the event, you haven’t had a single report about him. Assuming that he’s been trying to hide from this mess, you tried contacting other bureaus from across the world in search of the man. For months of being very pushy, you have only been getting the same phrases like a broken record.

‘I’m sorry, Agent.’

‘No. We haven’t had any reports about Tony Stark.’

‘My crew has been trying their best, but there aren’t any traces of him.’

‘We assure you we’ll find him sooner or later, Agent.’

‘Please be patient, we don’t have much manpower here anymore.’

For months, you have been at the edge of your seat. Eager to answer the phone at the first ring. If it’s not considered patient then soon enough it’s going to run out. You did not know what backup plan you have once that does happen though.

Maybe going crazy would ironically be the sanest thing to happen.

Nevertheless, you will eventually cross that bridge when you get there. For now, the only option you have is to overwork yourself to the edge of insanity.

“A long day you got there, Agent?” A subordinate of yours passes by with two cups of coffee in her hand. She sets down the other right beside your computer screen and glances at the pictures splayed across your work area.

You groan, a frown still evident as you sat up straight before replying, “Oh tell me about it, I’ve had the longest year.”

She gave you a warm smile, like always around this time of evening. Though only being hired recently after a month of the mysterious disappearing arc, she continued to attend to her shift and adapt as the others would. And despite almost a year of greeting, and often bringing you a cup of coffee, you never really gave any of your attention to her.

This time though, you looked back just as she was about to leave. You were quick enough to get a glance of her name plastered on her identification card connected to a lanyard that draped around her collar.

Agent Maria Hill.

“Agent Hill,” you addressed her. She turned around with a smile, looking neatly as ever with her hair combed and pinned in a neat bun.

“Yes?”

"Thanks for the coffee, like every night." Your gratitude combines with a warming smile that reaches out for her. Though appearing exhausted from staring at a screen and documents for hours, you tried to look your best when facing her.

"It's no big deal." Her reply trails down to murmur a few indistinctive words that you merely brushed off, assuming that it was nothing but a nice gesture.

Before her figure could entirely exit the vicinity of your workplace, you swiftly chirped, "And thanks for being so nice to me!" A chuckle was heard from her, leaving off with a smile as she walked away without responding anything in return.

Immediately, your mood shifted again returning to your usual distressed state of mind.

The coffee you drank earlier was wearing off from your system. You could drink the cup your colleague had offered, but you figured it could not do much now that your body could only harbor caffeine to such an extent. A twelve-hour shift with merely half an hour of lunch break would not leave you, or anyone, at best. By sooner, your eyelids were getting heavy, risking to doze off at work.

Your fingers reached to move your mouse, dragging the cursor along with the useless mail your inbox has been receiving. Each of them took that least bit of hope of finding Stark, making you feel caged and haunted every day as there is not any progress in a year.

Again, you groan, louder this time. Other agents around could have heard you yet shrugged your frustration casually since they have witnessed it for months. You ball your fists and slam it against your desk, rough enough to make a sound echo throughout the room, but not enough to break it into two.

“Fuck, I need the rest,” you admit to yourself.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ

24 hours

Days have passed. Like usual – nothing.

As always, your routine started just as you were walking to the agency. However, amidst peacefully walking at the pavement, trying to get even a hint of peace of mind, the phone tucked inside the pocket of your jacket started ringing.

The name of your agency was the first thing you have noticed as you faced the small screen. Moreover, you did not hesitate to slide the green phone button to answer.

“Hel–”

Just as you were about to offhandedly greet the person at the other line, they made their way to cut the conversation fearfully.

“They found him! They found him, Agent!” The fearful yet impressed tone was evident, and eventually, you realized that the familiar voice belonged to Agent Hill.

Nonetheless, your mind started wandering to different scenarios, jumping to conclusions like a kid. Despite barely hearing anything other than they caught someone, you were sure looking as joyful as ever. It was as if every bit of hope you lost each week have been restored.

For a short while of daydreaming, you have recovered quickly. Moreover, inquire about the context of what she’s trying to refer to. “What do you mean you’ve found him, Hill?”

Your heart raced quickly. The tension behind finding out who it was was far from the reality of it being a pause for mere seconds.

Please say you have found Stark. Your mind could only pray harder for those words to be repeated from the other end of the call.

“The team found one of the members of the Avengers,” she answers.

“Which one of them?”

“It’s Steve Rogers.”

Your world partly crumbled after hearing a different name compared to what you were expecting. Nevertheless, happy enough that you were progressing on the vision you have laid out.

“Hold on, I’ll be at the station in a few minutes.” You assert, turning around the corner of a street you were approaching. From here, there was a fair five-minute jog until your office. Considering that it was early morning, you did not hesitate to start speeding your pace.

Right now, as if things escalated so quickly

Once you arrived, you passed vacant offices until reaching the interrogation room. The other officers were gathered outside it, facing the two-way mirror that displayed the known Captain America.

Maria Hill was standing closest to the mirror. Getting the best view of the super-soldier sitting peacefully inside the room. You approached her with a confused look upon your face.

“How did you even find him?”

“It’s a long story, there were two of them though we could only catch up with Mr. Rogers,” she explains.

“Alright.” You motioned for your other colleagues to return to their original tasks. Both you and Agent Hill were left, given privacy to talk about what should be done.

“Give me a moment with him, I’ll try to see what information we can get.” Agent Hill nods at you and hands over a folder. She gestures for you to take a step inside the room and reassures that she will be outside to act as a witness.

As you enter the room, it felt colder in addition to the resentful stare coming from Captain America himself. His gaze does not leave you, following your trail up until you reach the metal chair and take a seat in front of him.

Your back begins to sweat even after barely interacting with him. You did not know what could happen. For all you know, he could rip his handcuffs and beat your face over the table.

Nonetheless, you tried to look as assertive as possible. Adjusting your posture to feel comfier in your seat and clasped both palms of your hands over each other. You look in front, seeing the man still staring at you.

You took a deep breath to prepare yourself “Nice to see you in Manhattan again, Mr. Rogers.” Your voice was close to breaking, but you disregarded it. This is your nearest encounter with a superhero, so it would be normal for anyone to feel pressured.

The soldier raises one eyebrow at your greeting. He pulls back and slumps on his chair, acting as if he’s the one probing the detainee. “Been keeping track of me, ma’am?”

The tone of his voice instantly became cocky. Even so, smirking while his gaze shifts from the floor and back at you.

“I have been keeping track of the Avengers for these past months,” you affirm. To prevent a boost of ego in his system, you also added, “But I wasn’t specifically keeping my eye on you, Captain.”

He imitates an offended look, placing one of his cuffed hands over his left chest. “Ouch. Was expecting a pretty woman like you tracking down America’s Golden Boy.”

“Nonetheless, do tell me which one of us were you looking for. Is it Stark?” You tried to ignore his mood swings. The sudden change of being quiet, then proceeding to act hurt, and now seeming provoked even if you had not given any answers yet.

You figured it was best to ignore his question.

“Mr. Rogers, may I know what you were doing here in Manhattan and who you were with–”

“I asked you a question first,” he reminds.

“Look, sir, I don’t think it will help if I’m the one answering questions here,” you sigh. “So if you could please cooperate with us.”

“Cooperate? Why would I?” He scoffs. “You can only detain me here for seventy-two hours at most. Considering that you have no evidence against me, you can only hope to pray for a miracle.”

His attitude was not at all welcoming. Your blood started to boil at the man seated in front of you, acting as if he is completely innocent about all this.

“Is it true that you aren’t withholding any information about the disappearance of half of the world population?” You argue with a brow raised at him.

“I know nothing,” the man answers.

“And if you do know something, that’s obstruction of justice. You know that right, Captain?”

He smiles faintly. This time he breaks his stare, looking at the floor while answering, “Yes I do, ma’am. Very well.”

His expressions were starting to drive you crazy. You were used to this kind of scenario back when things were normal. Though after the events transpired, it has been a year without you interrogating someone who was held inside this room. You’ve gotten subpar upon looking like an intimidating officer.

“Okay then.” You nod, “Can you explain to me why you and your accomplice tried to run away from the cops.”

“We didn’t,” he said, ever so boldly. “Your friend, over there, spotted us and tried to cuff us immediately. Which one of you thought that was a good idea?”

Your gaze follows onto the large mirror placed near the door of the room. You could only see both you and Steve Rogers, but you knew Agent Hill was at the other side listening to your conversation.

“Look, half of the population mysteriously disappeared,” you sigh in between, “it’s not something a normal person would be able to perform. Can you blame us for following up on the Avengers?”

“I guess not then, ma’am.” He nods, accepting your statement. “Still won’t change the fact that I have no idea about all these disappearances, yeah?”

“Right, then tell me who were you with before Agent Hill decided to detain you here.” You lean back while crossing both your arms against your chest. Your teeth lightly bit the insides of your cheeks as you tried to hold out a frustrated sigh.

“Well, I was with Nat,”

“Nat? Natasha Romanoff?” You raise your chin, intrigued to find out more. “Five-foot five, Russian assassin, shoulder-length vermillion hair, Natasha Romanoff?”

“That’s impressively accurate.” Steve Rogers chuckles in front of you again before adding, “Except that she’s blonde now.”

You tried to take in a few minutes to grasp the information. The silence prods through your thoughts as you analyze the possibilities, perceiving that maybe, just maybe, you’re a few steps closer to Tony Stark.

But the man disrupted your thoughts, “Still don’t know why you’re holding us custody despite all this. You won’t get anything, might as well cut to the chase.”

“You’re quite a smart-mouth there, Captain.”

“And you’re quite eager to find about Stark, Agent,” he mocks. You throw your head back in defeat. This was going nowhere and both of you knew it.

Instead, you push against the table so you could finally stand up. You rest both your palms flat against the cold metal table, arms stretched wide to balance your weight out. “I think that’s enough for today.” You grab the untouched folder before turning to your side to walk towards the door. “Thank you for trying to cooperate with us, Mr. Rogers.”

As you head out, you noticed that Agent Hill was already out of sight. She most likely headed to do her job rather than to stand and watch you and Steve exchange nonsense.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ

As you get home, you dressed into casual home clothes and headed to bed.

You could not entirely fall asleep. The super-soldier was stuck in your mind, frustrating you into the depths of it.

You tried to ponder, grabbing the folder of compiled documents that Agent Hill handed you over earlier. As you opened it, the first layer of it was pictures of Steve Roger’s face throughout the week. You guessed that they were not just trailing him today, but also studied his moves for the past week.

Furthermore, you flipped through pictures of him and his crew, but they looked like they were not in taken in New York. It was dark and the faces of Steve, Natasha, two other persons in the background could be seen fairly.

“Huh.” You furrowed your eyebrows realizing that there were more details about them that you expected. For a while also wondering why Hill did not updated you about these at least.

But eventually you acknowledged that you were so busy figuring out information about Tony Stark, that you forgot that the other superheroes he has worked with were just as significant.

Steve Rogers. Natasha Romanoff. Sam Wilson. Location: Edinburgh, Scottland 21:32. April 2018

Steve Rogers. Natasha Romanoff. Location: Manhattan, New York 13:05. October 2019

His beard remained almost the same despite the year difference. His golden hair was brushed backed sleekly. His appearance was still alike a year ago which meant that he was trying to maintain that kind of appearance

Compared to his clean, shaved aura back in 2012, you can admit that he looks way more intimidating now. You did not know whether he was trying to look different to prevent the bureau from recognizing him or if it was because he wanted to look like some creepy degenerate.

Nonetheless, there were a lot of questions running around your mind. It was only tonight when you finally got to grasp on who and what you’re dealing with.

However, your comprehensive scanning was interrupted after hearing a tap on your window. It did not sound as terrifying as it would, but it was loud enough to interrupt your thoughts from getting further.

In the end, you set the files on top of your nightstand and switched on your lamp. You lay in your bed, eyes sealed shut yet your mind still wanders off, trying to fit together the pieces of the puzzle.

When drifting to sleep, the most evident question strayed:

Why was Steve Rogers, and his team, staying in Manhattan, despite hiding completely undisturbed in Edinburgh?

#dark!steve #dark!steve smut #dark!steve x reader #dark!steve rogers #dark!steve rogers imagine #dark steve rogers #dark steve x reader #dark steve rogers imagine #dark steve #steve rogers imagine #steve rogers smut #steve rogers x reader #fanfiction #chris evans #chris evans imagine #chris evans smut #dark!fic

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actual-fucking-clown · 3 years

Text

Take your time then.

Aizawa x gender neutral reader

Story under the cut :)

Unedited but like edited but still not properly edited :)

Hope you enjoy!!!

a/n: it’s been a hot min since I’ve written a fic. I think the last time i was 14 and it was shit and on wattpad. Ha. I hate myself. N e way, I was recently writing some shit for an au me and my friend thought up and in the back of my mind I was like, “you should start writing fics again bc this is kinda fun”, soo lo and behold I made a post asking if anyone would be interested, shared a little too much personal shit in it but whatever, and have now decided to write this mother fucker. (3/25/21)

a/n: not sure if anyone will care about this series of a/n’s but I’m just chronicling thoughts ig. rewriting rn bc my first draft was short and ass. Also I’m thinking about opening requests after this is posted, will go into detail in a diff post maybe. (3/28/21)

a/n: deleted everything, rewriting. I just want to make something that might be decent and if I can give that feeling, y’know those chills you get when you read something utterly gorgeous, but I’m bad at writing. sadge (3/28/21, like several hours later)

a/n: ugh (4/1/21)

a/n: ugh pt 2 electric boogaloo. I can’t seem to move forward with the writing. I realized something like this might happen bc to solve a problem feelings need to be discussed and I fucking hate doing that so you can see where I’m fucking up lmaooooo (4/2/21)

a/n: I read angst to fuel my writing brain. So, read some angst, finally writing agian. This first section is probs as long as the story itself LMFAO(4/5/21)

Started: (3/25/21) Finished: (4/5/21)

Warnings: uh angst, curse words, like a lot, (i saw someone else put this as a warning, do I actually need it?), avoiding problems instead of actually facing them, mentions of shit so-so parenting, mentions of not being able to live up to high expectations, y’know, the works

Synopsis: Aizawa takes in Eri without running it by you first and expects you to be okay with it. That’s funny. He was wrong.

Can I preface this with a thought? I’m going to anyway,

all the fics I read paint him as the sweetest partner and I’m sure he is but I think they miss out on how blunt he is and his whole “Mr. Rationality” thing. So as much as I adore him I think there are situations that he’d be a bit more colder towards, a bit more straightforward about. Maybe even like a bit insensitive about but maybe bc he doesn’t have the full picture or something. so I guess this is another warning but aizawa is a little insensitive in the beginning (but like not really but kinda. it’s complicated)

Rain pattered softly against the window. The smell of some old random Bath and Bodyworks candle you’d dug out from a box you’d never bothered to unpack smothered the room. Some Netflix show idly played on a low volume on your computer, you’d lost interest in watching tv awhile ago. You needed a break. After the eventful month you’d been having you really needed this.

Now of course your whole year so far had been eventful. What with all the villain attacks on you and Shouta’s class and the kidnapping of one of your students, to just dealing with the more mundane problems with your students. No. You had no problem with that. The villains, although not easy, were something you were trained to handle. The smaller problems with your students weren’t arduous either, after all you weren’t too much older than them.

When reflecting on your situation, from and outside perspective it could be seen as the straw the broke the camels back, which sure, makes sense. After all, you’re bound to be stressed out by everything else, so why would this seemingly insignificant thing weigh heavier than a villain attack? Well if that is the situation why does this single straw feel like it weighs a ton? This is not that. This is not culmination of the events of this year draining the life from you. This is something entirely different. A panic inducing life change that completely took you by surprise mixed with your inability to actually face your problems.

You don’t blame them. You can’t. They’ve done nothing wrong. A child. A small, probably mentally scarred child is your problem. Well not her personally but the fear taking care of her instills in you. Despite working in the field that you do, you cannot for the life of you handle actual children. Sure you’re a little awkward with your class but at least they’re young adults and (vaguely) mature and independent to a certain extent. The fact that your long term boyfriend just came back one day, small child in tow and said “Hey I’ve gotta look after this one now” not verbatim obviously, for a lack of better words, fucked you up. He basically solo adopted a kid and, let’s be honest, he probably expected you to help out. But how could you? How could this man look at you and think “I want this person to help me raise an already fucked up child?” Ok sure, he doesn’t at first give off the “I’m totally father figure material” vibe but in the end he is extremely competent. You on the other hand, not so much.

You’d never been good with children. Tried your best to steer clear of them. Didn’t matter the place, didn’t matter who’s kid, you couldn’t handle them. You would just stand there, awkwardly, not entirely sure of what to do and petrified that there was the possibility of making some mistake which would upset the child and then oh wow look, your head got chopped right of your shoulders. That’s hyperbole of course but it does sum up the insurmountable fear that overcomes you whenever you have to deal with a child. So considering the fact that your long term boyfriend had suddenly decided to adopt and not at least warn you, didn’t sit right with you.

So, the best and most obvious choice, was to avoid your problem. Avoid Shouta, avoid Eri. Avoid the mention of them and you, avoid it all. And honestly you’d done pretty well so far. You were able to have as little contact with them as possible considering the close proximity of your living quarters in the teacher’s dorms. After all they were legally supposed to give you two separate rooms but you never actually used yours, well until now. You were living it up honestly. Did you feel awful? Of course. He is your boyfriend after all and you were sure Eri doesn’t deserve your cold shoulder but this is probably for the best. What could you offer her? You weren’t sure that you were a good role model for her or anyone for that matter. What did you know about raising kids? it’s not like you had parents to set a proper example for you. Of course they might have shown you what not to do but where do you go from there? Is shit like that really avoidable? You don’t want to be like them. You strive to be better but what if you can’t be. There’s also the added bonus of the fact that raising a kid seems taxing on a relationship. Now matter how strong you were sure that the stress of a kid could break a relationship down that then festers into something toxic and unrecognizable. You didn’t want that. God you couldn’t let that happen. No. This was definitely for the better.

Of course Aizawa didn’t feel the same. He was confused on why his partner had been so blatantly avoiding him. Did he do something wrong? He doesn’t remember doing anything that might’ve upset you. So why now? Why pull away now? He had to get down to the bottom of this but catching you was the hard part. You had been taking on more work, offering more assistance to the other teachers, picking up extra patrols, doing everything and anything to stay away from Shouta. It took him a month but he finally caught up to you. You were tired, worn out he knew that. Instead of loading yourself with work you’d decided to hole yourself up in your room. It was now or never.

You were pulled out of your peace at the sound of a few gentle knocks to your door. You really didn’t want to get it. You honestly couldn’t be bothered.

“(N/n)? Are you in there?” He hadn’t gotten it wrong right? He hadn’t been too distracted earlier and missed you leaving right?

“What’s up?” You hummed from your place by the window, not bothering to actually open the door.

“Can I come in?” Shouta asked, voice soft. You could barely hear him above the patter of the rain and the low humming of your laptop.

“Uh, no, kinda busy. Got loads of work to do. Need to focus, sorry. Maybe later?” You hesitantly spoke. Not sure if you were convincing enough.

Apparently you weren’t.

He sighed. “It’s been “later” for an entire month. Please (Y/n) just let me in. Whatever this is we can talk it out.” You had predicted that eventually Shouta would start to try to crack down on whatever the issue was but you didn’t expect it so soon.

“Uh...no?” You tried, hoping that maybe he’d just give up but that wasn’t Shouta.

“No, you don’t get that option, now please, open the door.” Although it was still soft his voice had taken a more stern tone.

“Oh no I’m dead. I guess I can’t open the door. What a shame. I guess the only way to talk with me now is in the pits of hell.” You quipped, trying to lessen the tension that already ran thick.

“(Y/n).” Aizawa sighed.

“Jeez fine. Talk about pushy.” You quipped once more to no avail.

Opening the door you were met with, well exactly what you expected. He stood there, arms crossed, a stern yet gentle look in his eyes, his lips pulled into a slight frown.

“Come in.” You mumbled as you stepped further into your room.

“So tell me. What’s wrong?” The sentence stirred so much. Of course you wanted to tell him. You wanted to spill your guts to the man you loved in hopes of comfort but you just can’t. You know you’ll just scare him off. You know you’ll make things worse.

So you stay silent.

He says nothing as he grabs your hands gently and leads you over to your bed. He sits the two of you down on the edge, muting the movie on the laptop sitting behind him.

“You know you can tell me if something’s bothering you right?” Shouta sent you a warm smile.

You weren’t very comfortable with discussing your feelings sometimes, it mostly stemmed from the fact that you never really could discuss them with anyone growing up which made it harder to confide in anyone now, as at this point bottling things up was a habit. But this was also just something that you were sure that you couldn’t talk about.

Silence answered him once again.

Now he took sometime to think about his approach, think about what could’ve happened that made you pull away. What did he do that was different from his norm? He was genuinely stumped and the fact that you weren’t helping him confused him even more.

You decided to take this time to lament the situation too. What was he going to do? Should you actually tell him or play it off? If you play it off will he still insist that something is wrong? If you tell him will he leave you? If you don’t tell him will he leave you? You risked a glance at him, he was still deep in thought.

Why did you have to adopt this fucking kid without at least warning me?

“What?” Your head shot up at the sound of his shocked voice.

“What?” You asked, genuinely confused.

“Eri’s the problem...?” He spoke slowly, not entirely sure if he’d heard you right.

“Did I say that out loud?” You squeaked.

“I’m pretty sure you mumbled something along the lines of “why’d you have to adopt that fucking kid”.” Shouta said, unsure if he’d heard wrong. Wanting to have heard wrong.

“No no no no no no! It’s not like that! I mean it is like that but not like that!” You frantically waved your hands in hopes of defusing the situation.

The way he looked at you made you want to cry. You felt horrible. You felt like the biggest asshole in the world and, at this point you probably were. He looked at you with such a look of heartbreak and disappointment and confusion it made you sick to your stomach. You felt light-headed and started shaking. You were right. You were right. You were always right. God why did you have to be right! Why did you have to be like this? Scared of raising a fucking child! It was asinine and irrational and you could probably move past it but thanks to your stupid fucking brain you just sealed your fate.

You scooted away from him still waving your hands frantically as no’s tumbled endlessly from your lips. You tried sputtering an apology, anything so that he wouldn’t look at you like that but nothing stuck. Nothing was comprehensible. Nothing worked. Nothing would work. Nothing will work. You were hopeless. It was hopeless.

“If it isn’t like how it seems then tell it to me straight.” Shouta finally spoke up.

You took a second to come down from your panic. You steeled your nerves as much as possible before you spoke.

“Um well, I have nothing against her it’s just that a little heads up would’ve been nice? I’m not all that great with kids so this is just kind of weird is all.” You were purposefully being vague in hopes that he’d understand what you meant and also maybe drop it.

“Not great with kids? You’re literally a teacher.” He pointed out.

“Yeah you know but she’s like a kid kid and let’s be honest I’m not too great with the students either.” You awkward laughed. So he wasn’t getting it.

“Wha-you’re fine with the students and I’m sure you’ll be fine with Eri, there was no reason to avoid me over this.” Shouta sighed. As good as he was with dealing with people, he was equally as shit. Or maybe it was just the fact that you gave him very little to work with. It was probably a bit of both. Still his dismissiveness was not helping you right now.

“No, no, no, no. I think I’ll stay here. Uh, good luck with your parenthood escapades and sorry to leave you high and dry like this but that’s going to have to be a no from me.” You rambled. He seemed to be getting a little tired of this.

“(Y/n) stop being irrational. She’s not even our kid I’m just looking after her for now. Why are you being difficult? I told you you were fine with the students and you’ll be fine with Eri, what else do you want to hear?” Shouta grumbled.

“Well uh I don’t know, uh...” You trailed off, this seemed to be going in a direction you really didn’t want it to go. A slight hostility settling in the air.

At your lack of a proper answer he clicked his tongue. He took a moment to reassess the situation. There had to be something he was missing. After all you were getting really worked up but if you weren’t going to talk to him there was nothing he could do. He shook his head before running a frustrated hand through his hair.

“(Y/n), please, please, just be honest with me. Whatever it is that’s bothering you, you can tell me. But I won’t be able to understand if you don’t.” Aizawa sighed, deciding that getting worked up about this was not the way to go, especially when you seemed to be especially distraught.

“Uh, god the thing is I don’t know entirely what to say to put the shitshow in my head into perspective.” You mumbled, trying desperately to figure out what to say that could clear the air but nothing seemed to be coherent enough.

“Take your time.” He decided that this was the best approach to things, making sure neither party got too worked up lest this turn into a fight.

The rain continued to patter softly against the window and your candle continued to burn an slightly off floral-ish scent. A deafening silence hung in the air because even though he was being as patient as possible some of his frustration leaked through, it was bound to though so you couldn’t exactly blame him. After all, you were probably equally as frustrated with yourself too.

“I’m just not good in a position like this. I’m not good with kids, especially someone like Eri who’s already so broken. You have that nurturing nature, it comes natural to you but I’m not on that level. I don’t know the first thing about caring for a child let alone one as already traumatized as her. I’d fuck it up and only make things worse. I don’t want you to reassure me that I’ll be okay with her, I want you to understand that I’m not comfortable with this and that it might take me awhile to come around. I’m sure I sound like the biggest asshole ever but please understand that this just isn’t something I’m ready for.” You had rambled a bit, you were aware of that, but it was the only way that you could properly express your feelings without making things too complicated.

Aizawa said nothing. Trying to figure out how to go about things.

Was he upset? Yeah, you two, even after several long years of being together, hadn’t discussed moving forward in your relationship in depth. And if he’d tried you seemed content with the point you two were at so he left it be, no reason to try and move forward when what you had was already fine the way it was. But recently he’d been craving more. Some mornings, when he’d be the first to wake, he’d study your features in the soft light of the sunrise and wonder what it’d be like to properly settle down with you. Get married, start a family, all that jazz. He’d taken in Eri only because it was the most rational decision. His quirk would be good for quelling hers had it ever gotten out of hand. But it also seemed to quell his musings of something more with you. He had imagined you being a good parental figure for the little girl and it made his heart flutter and his stomach explode with butterflies. But now seeing that that wasn’t what you wanted and how you weren’t ready for it, it stung. But in the end, he loved you. He’d easily give his life for you. So, if that meant waiting he’d wait. He’d wait a million years if he had to. He could do it.

Once again he spoke,

“Take your time then. I can wait.”

Tagslist?: @captainchrisstan (I think you said you wanted to be tagged but I’m also just small brained lol If u didn’t want to and I misinterpreted things just let me know :) )

#bnha x reader #mha xreader #aizawa x reader #shouta aizawa x reader #aizawa shouta #aizawa #my first fic #mha #bnha

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nobodyfamousposts · 5 years

Text

Vitiate - Toxic Friendship Lila

Had a horrible thought:

What if Lila’s threat to cause Marinette to be alone wasn’t that she would turn everyone against her? What if it was instead that she would turn the class into people that Marinette can just no longer stand?

I’ve addressed this before in the toxic friendship post, but let’s expand on that a bit.

The thing about a toxic relationship is that it isn’t just unhealthy for everyone involved, it can grow and have effects on others even outside of that immediate relationship. One of the possible results of being involved with a toxic person is that the toxicity can spread to the point of causing other people in the relationship become just as toxic as the initial toxic person who started the mess. Like the spreading of muck they just can’t get rid of so they have to try to wipe it off on other people.

So in Lila’s case, she isn’t spreading rumors about Marinette or framing her or making her look like a bully to turn everyone against her. No, no. That would be easy. That would give Marinette an out. If she turned everyone against Marinette and they started bullying her, she could just leave or any of the adults could get involved.

No, no. She’s going to go for a more…subtle approach.

She doesn’t tear Marinette down. She instead starts working her magic on everyone else. False praises here. Encouragement there. Just enough to get their trust and ensnare them in her words. From there, she starts…making “suggestions”. Giving “helpful advice”. Simple “ideas”. Slowly but surely she starts giving little “nudges”. Egging them on to do things they know they probably shouldn’t.

She’s acting like the little devil on their shoulders.

Oh, poor Nino and Alya. They barely get to see each other as it is! Always stuck having to do school and babysitting. So she tells them how they can get more time together. Puts the idea out there that they can get around their parents’ rules. Feeds the line that of course it’s okay to get someone else to cover babysitting for you! After all, that’s what a “real friend” would do if they really care about you. And if LILA says it, it must be true! Soon enough, they start pushing off their responsibilities around babysitting duty and home chores while fooling their parents.

Gee, the Ladyblog sure is doing well, but it COULD be even better. She starts encouraging Alya to “sensationalize” a few posts on the Ladyblog to get some extra views and attention. So Alya starts to exaggerate things. A few stories at first. And everyone loves it! So soon she starts doing it more and more until the Ladyblog is more about what’s “interesting” than what’s necessary or useful. And anyone who complains are in the minority and their comments are easy enough to ignore. Or even delete. After all, Lila assures her, it’s her site. She can decide what is allowed on it.

She starts “helping” the classmates with issues. Pushing Mylene to be more “assertive” and voice her anger more. Convincing Nathaniel that his artwork could be better and he could get more done much quicker if he takes more “guidance” from other comics, and that it’s not technically stealing if he’s swiping or tracing the work. Feeding the egos of the guys in class. Fanning the self-importance of the girls. That things like rules and standards are for other people.

Huh, Alya sure is spending a lot of time on the Ladyblog now and less time with poor Nino. Lila encourages Nino to be more upfront with Alya about his desire for her time and attention, except that Lila is also encouraging Alya to focus on her career and future. Alya starts seeing Nino as “needy” while Nino starts seeing Alya as “cold”.

So on and so forth.

And since it’s LILA saying all of this, surely she must be right, because she has to be the nicest and most amazing person they know. She wouldn’t lie to them. She certainly wouldn’t try to push them to do bad things.

And she CERTAINLY wouldn’t be encouraging them to push others to do bad things. Like say, Adrien, who is adorably oblivious to the changes in his friends and classmates as they start engaging in less than positive or respectable behaviors.

Or when they start trying to push him to do the same.

Poor Adrien is so tired of being locked up in his room. But the idea is put out there for him to rebel more. Push back more. Maybe run away and have an evening out. Or even two…or three! Or more! Not like that would hurt anyone, right?

Oh, but Lila has a way of keeping her own hands clean in this one. SHE’S not the one who’s been encouraging Adrien to act out, after all. She’s only dropped the suggestions out there for other people to pick up on. And if say Nino or the other boys present those ideas to Adrien? And if Adrien decides to follow through on what they told him to do? And if Adrien gets caught and ends up in trouble because of it? Well, Lila has an “in” with Gabriel and can just point to the classmates being “bad influences” on Adrien. To the point that Gabriel would likely intervene to separate Adrien from them while leaving Lila with a clear path since she’s the only “responsible” one.

But of course, that all requires Adrien to act out in the first place, and he isn’t that type of person. Really!

Even if the thought is getting increasingly tempting…and his friends are further pushing the matter…

Marinette is the only odd one out. The only one left untouched by any direct manipulation from Lila. But that’s okay. Lila doesn’t have to directly involve herself with Marinette in order to manipulate her.

Marinette knows better than to trust Lila, but she’s not the one Lila’s trying to mislead. That doesn’t stop her from playing into Lila’s hands though. Because out of fear and paranoia of Lila turning everyone against her, Marinette takes her people-pleasing tendencies up to 11 to try to preemptively refute any potential lies Lila might try to spread about her. She thinks if she tries hard enough, she can prove her own trustworthiness so the class will believe in her despite whatever cruel lies Lila tries to tell them about her.

Except Lila isn’t spreading negative rumors and claims about Marinette. Oh no, quite the opposite. She’s emphasizing how HELPFUL Marinette is. How HARD WORKING Marinette is. And isn’t that just like a FRIEND to always put others first? Such a good FRIEND who will always step up to do things for them when they need it?

It becomes more clear with time that she’s not twisting their view of Marinette—she’s twisting their view on what friendship is supposed to be.

Because Marinette is a FRIEND, right? And FRIENDS help each other no matter what. FRIENDS do things for each other, even if they’re stressed or busy or unsure. FRIENDS keep secrets for you. FRIENDS have your back. FRIENDS give you what you want. And if Marinette is really their FRIEND, she would do the same, wouldn’t she?

So slowly but surely, Marinette is finding herself dragged into things that…she really doesn't want to be part of.

She helps Alya and Nino with babysitting so they can go out on dates, and only finds out later that she had actually been helping them to do so behind their parents’ backs.

She works with Alya to get footage or find news for her blog, but becomes more uncertain at the way that the stories are being twisted into more than what they were.

She’s being asked to do things, make things, give things. It’s a lot and it’s piling up, but she can handle it. Especially since they’re doing things for her as well…even if they aren’t things she really wants. Her girlfriends start getting a bit more pushy on getting her with Adrien—arranging things for her in ways without warning or preparing her and pretty much setting her up for failure.

But friends do things for each other, right? They’re just trying to be good friends, Marinette. Even if they’re assuming things for her and doing things without her input.

But it’s the thought that counts, right? And she has to return the favor. So she’s taking on more work and stress for the sake of her friends that it’s having an effect on her, but she’s a people pleaser and they all know it. More of the class has been looking to her for favors and requests. “If you were really our friend…” starts becoming commonplace, because it’s just another thing Lila had convinced them of.

Marinette’s good at standing up for people, but this level of subtlety and such changes in the people she cares about wouldn’t be the sort of thing she’d really know how to respond to. At this point, she’d be so focused on trying to counter Lila’s schemes and keep her friends from turning against her and abandoning her that she wouldn’t see how Lila is turning them against THEMSELVES.

She doesn’t end up bullied or having everyone hating her. Instead, she’s someone for them to take advantage of and she doesn’t realize it or just how much it is effecting her. She’s more tired, stressed, overwhelmed, and overworked. And it takes a while before she finally realizes just how much her friends are actually using her.

It comes to a head when things start happening that Marinette can no longer overlook.

It’s when Mylene gets upset and starts an argument with Ivan that results in the two no longer speaking.

It’s when Nino starts trying to spend more time with Marinette since Alya has been neglecting him and at one point attempts a “move”—she has to remind him he has a girlfriend who is her BEST FRIEND. It’s a sad case where Nino is responding to the situation around him, being aware that something is wrong but not understanding what that something actually is or how to handle it. He tries to turn to Marinette as a way to deal. Marinette, fortunately, doesn’t accept that. But it’s still concerning.

But most of all, it’s when Alya approaches her asking Marinette to lie to try to cover for her with her parents when she’s grounded. Marinette hates lies—Alya KNOWS this. And the prospect only stresses her out.

And when Marinette decides she already has too much on her plate and attempts to turn down one of Alya’s requests for the first time—one that Alya KNOWS she is uncomfortable with…and Alya goes off on her. Accusing Marinette of being a bad friend, of using her, of not really caring about her.

And this is…to Marinette’s horror, this is Chloe behavior.

Marinette just has this moment where she’s staring at Alya in shock. And it hits her. And she is DONE.

“Can I record you saying that and play it back for you so you can hear just how much you sound like Chloe?”

“Excuse you?” Alya snaps, offended.

“No, excuse yourself! Because this is the sort of thing I’d expect to be hearing from Chloe, not from you! What the hell, Alya?”

The reporter glared back. “Oh, I’M the one who’s like Chloe? You know, I never complained about helping you with YOUR needs!”

“Yes, you did!” Marinette retorted. “Even when I didn’t want you. And you’ve been doing a lot of that lately!”

“What?”

“‘Doing things for me’. But without actually TALKING to me. And every time I tried to say I didn’t want something, you’d get mad and say I didn’t appreciate the effort.”

“You didn’t! I’ve been going out of my way to do things for you—for our friendship!”

“No, you’ve been going out of your way to do anything but actually talk to me about what I actually want from this friendship! It’s not about what either of us can do for the other!”

“After all I’ve done for you, don’t you think this is the least you could do to return the favor?”

“Is that what our friendship is to you? A list of things someone owes someone else?”

“I’ve never heard you complain.”

“You haven’t even been listening to me at all!"

“That’s because you’d only have yet another freak out over nothing! Really, Mari, it’s not that big of a deal.”

“It is to ME!”

“But we’re supposed to be friends! And if you were really my friend, you’d be trying to support me!”

“This isn’t support, Alya. Not if you’re expecting me to enable you in doing something we both know is wrong.”

Alya’s eyes narrowed. “So you’re really going to be like that.”

Marinette felt her hands shaking as her anxiety was climbing with the tension, but she remained firm.

And Alya…

Alya just looked so sad and hurt as she turned her back to her.

“I guess that means you aren’t really my friend then.”

Marinette had to bite back the gasp at that. And just how much it tore her up inside.

“I’m still your friend, Alya. You just aren’t mine anymore. Not since the moment you started caring more about some scoreboard to see what I could do for you than you did about me as a friend.”

“I didn’t realize friendship was some sort of competition of who can get more out of the other.” Alya growled out.

Marinette could only try to hold back the tears.

“It’s not. You’ve just been treating it that way.”

Because the two now had vastly different ideas of what a “friend” was.

And only one of them had changed their view on the matter.

It’s the worst way Lila could follow through on her threat. Because Marinette won’t be chased away. There is no bullying to force her to run. Or cause her parents or other adults to step in for her. She can’t break away cleanly with the knowledge that she tried and that the mess they got trapped in was solely on them for believing Lila over her.

No. Marinette will lose her friends because she will have to CHOOSE to walk away from the incredibly toxic people they’ve become. They don’t end up leaving her. SHE will be the one to leave them.

And there is a level of guilt that will follow her because of that.

#ml au #ml salt #ml sad #ml angst #toxic friendship #lila sucks #marinette dupain cheng #alya salt #nino salt #adrien no #adrien don't #l

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starshine583 · 5 years

Text

Le Paon Part 7

(Here’s the next part! I hope you guys enjoy!)

Part 1 / Part 6 / Part 8

Marinette shivered as the chill of the ice rink crawled up her legs and arms. The brown fur of her jacket clung to her pink mittens as she pulled it tighter around her waist.

“Remind me why we’re here again?” She asked Alya through chattering teeth. She knew the staff needed to keep the room cold for the ice, but this was a bit overkill, in her opinion.

“To ice skate! Why else would we be here?” Alya said, tapping away on her phone with a grin.

Marinette’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve never wanted to go ice skating in your life. Why are we really here?”

Was there an event she didn’t know about? Maybe the ice rink was giving away Ladybug merch?

“Come on, Marinette. Can’t we just have some girl time together?”

“Alya, Nino’s right over there.” Marinette replied, throwing her thumb over her shoulder to emphasize the dj currently on the bench tying his ice skates.

“And so’s half the class.” She added, gesturing to the ice rink where Juleka and Rose were skating together, along with Mylene and Ivan. Alex would occasionally pass by in a blurr. Apparently, when you’ve roller bladed for so long, learning to ice skate isn’t much of a challenge.

Alya held up her hands defensively. “Okay, so I invited a few extra people. Is that so wrong?”

Marinette was about to answer when she caught a glimpse of Alya’s screen, seeing exactly who the brunette had been texting this whole time.

“Tell me you didn’t.”

“Hm? Didn’t what?” Her best friend asked innocently, swiftly pulling the phone behind her back.

Marinette groaned, putting her hands over her face. “Alya, I told you that there’s nothing between me and Felix!”

“Who said anything about Felix?”

She pulled her hands down enough to give Alya a pointed look. “How far out are they?”

“...ten minutes.”

“Alya!”

“So I asked Adrien and Felix to come skate with us!” Alya finally admitted, crossing her arms. “As long as you don’t have feelings for each other, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

Marinette sighed. They both knew that her feelings towards Felix didn’t matter. Alya was going to create problems no matter what.

“How did you even get them to come? Isn’t Adrien’s schedule usually packed?”

“Usually, but he said he’d make room. Adrien was so excited about it that he actually asked to bring Felix before I could.” Alya explained casually.

So, Adrien’s the one that convinced Felix to come? That was a surprise. She hoped he didn’t force him into it or anything. Skating with them wouldn’t be fun if Felix wasn’t enjoying himself too.

“I guess if Adrien’s so excited..” She trailed off.

Alya clapped her hands together. “Girl, this is going to be so much fun! Try to aim for Felix as much as possible when you fall.”

Marinette scoffed, ignoring the heat that rushed to her cheeks. “When she falls”? How did Alya know she was going to fall? What if Ice skating was a secret hobby of hers, and she could glide on the ice without a second thought?

...okay, so she was totally going to fall, but that didn’t mean she could aim for Felix in the process! Even if she could, she wouldn’t! The poor blonde has probably had enough of her already- seeing him at the bakery, convincing him to join the art club, going to his house. Heck, she practically tripped into him at school on a daily basis.

“Hey, get that nervous look off your face.” Alya ordered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Everything is going to go perfectly according to plan.”

“Plan?” Marinette repeated. “You had a plan for this?”

“Okay, enough talk. Let’s get you out on the ice. You need to get a little used to it before the boys get here.” Alya said, avoiding Marinette’s question.

Before she could argue, Alya pushed her forward, out onto the rink. Marinette flailed her arms, barely managing to catch the side of the wall.

Ice skating. Out of everything she could have picked, Alya chose ice skating. Why not get together at the park? Or take a trip to the zoo? Why did she have to choose an activity that required balance and grace- two things Marinette didn’t have. If Alya wanted her and Felix together, the least she could have done was help Marinette look more dignified.

She hobbled around the ice rink, trying to make it to the exit before the boys got there. Alya was behind her, urging her on, so she couldn’t go backwards.

As soon as she was close enough, Marinette dove for the exit. Unfortunately, she learned too late that running on ice skates wasn’t the best idea. The blades on her skates tilted, and Marinette threw her arms up with a yelp as she surged forward.

She was only too grateful when a pair of arms wrapped around her to stop her fall.

“I’m starting to think you’re doing this on purpose.” A man chuckled, drawing her eyes upwards.

“Felix! Hey. You guys are here. Right now.”

“Hey, Marinette.” Adrien greeted, giving her a wave. “It looks like we made it just in time.”

“Yeah, uh.. Thanks.” Marinette said awkwardly, pushing herself off of Felix.

Alya came up to them just then. “Hey, boys! I’m glad you could make it!”

She then sent Felix a mischievous smirk. “I see you two are already all over each other.”

Marinette choked, and Felix cleared his throat, both turning a bright red. They hadn’t even been here two minutes yet!

Adrien shared Alya’s smile, unbeknownst to Marinette, and pat Felix on the shoulder. “Let’s go put our skates on.”

“I think that’d be a good idea.” Felix replied, hastily retreating to the bench behind them. Adrien followed after him, leaving the girls alone.

Marinette shot Alya a glare. “Knock it off.”

Alya failed to hold back a wry grin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m serious, Al. Felix isn’t a people person as it is. I don’t want him to be uncomfortable or he might not want to hang out with us anymore.”

“I see..” Alya nodded thoughtfully. “So you’re saying you do want to hang out with him?”

“Alya, focus!”

Her friend laughed. “Kidding, kidding..sort of. Anyway, I’ll be subtle.”

“Subtle, what? No! Just don’t do anything!” Marinette pleaded.

Alya laughed, as if this was all a game, and it only worried her more. How far was her friend willing to go to see whatever it was she wanted to see happen?

The boys returned a few minutes later, skates on.

“So.. How does this work?” Felix asked as they all hobbled back out onto the ice.

Marinette furrowed her eyebrows. “Have you never seen an ice rink before?”

“I’ve watched a few competitions on tv.” Felix said, slightly defensive. “I’m a bookworm. Sue me.”

She snorted. “Well, this is my first time skating too. I’m not sure there are instructions for it. You just kind of.. Glide on the ice? I don’t know..”

Felix frowned and looked down at his skates. “Sounds easy enough..”

“Doesn’t it?” Alya cut in, leaning on one of Marinette’s shoulder. “As long as you have good balance, ice skating’s a piece of cake. Right, Mari?”

At the end of the sentence, Alya nudged her again, and, for the second time, Marinette found herself falling into Felix.

He grabbed onto her, but the ice underneath wasn’t as stable as the carpet was earlier. They both slipped from the momentum, and she heard a grunt escape him when his back hit the wall.

“Oh my gosh, are you two okay? I’m so sorry!” Alya cried, feigning concern as they fumbled to stand back up.

“I’m so sorry for this.” Marinette muttered.

“Is she always this pushy?” He mumbled back.

“Wait, I think Rose is calling me. I’ll be right back!” Alya excused, despite knowing no one had called out to her.

The brunette skated away, to Marinette’s relief.

Subtle, my behind.

“She means well I swear.” Marinette said apologetically as she balanced herself with the ice rink’s walls.

“What is she trying to do?” He asked, eyeing the brunette as she left.

“Uh..” How to answer this without making things awkward?

“Who knows? It’s Alya.”

He tilted his head in a nod. “True.”

They stood there for a moment, not quite sure what to do. Marinette would’ve started skating, but she honestly didn’t trust herself to not fall again. Felix didn’t seem confident either, if his death grip on the wall was any indication.

“Marinette?”

Her heart skipped a beat.

“Hm?”

His gaze flicked from her to his feet. “I haven’t done this before, and frankly, I’m not very good at it.”

“...Okay?” Where was he going with this?

“It goes without saying that you’re not skilled at this, either.”

Marinette pushed aside her agitation towards the comment in favor of reason. What he said wasn’t wrong.

“And?”

He caught her gaze again, and something akin to nervousness laced his tone as he said, “Let’s brace each other.”

Marinette frowned. “Brace each other?”

“Exactly.” Felix shifted on the ice. “We’d simply be holding onto each other to stay balanced.”

Her eyes widened, though she tried not to overreact. Holding onto each other how? Were they going to hold hands or just hold onto each other’s shoulders?

“Won’t you be uncomfortable?” She asked.

He shrugged. “Not if it’s you.”

Marinette flushed, which caused Felix to blush too.

“I-I’m sorry, that came out wrong.”

“No, no, it’s..” She drew in a small breath to calm herself. “You said hold onto each other? Like this?”

Carefully, She slipped her hand into his, fighting down the butterflies in her stomach. They weren’t actually holding hands. Well- they were, but it didn’t mean anything. This was just two friends trying to help each other survive an afternoon of ice skating. No more, no less.

Felix squeezed her hand back, not helping her heart in any way. “Yes, that should work.”

“O-okay. Good.”

With one acting as a pillar for the other, they had the courage to push off of the wall. Marinette pulled on his hand to keep her steady, but in doing so, threw Felix off balance. He pulled on her as well, which ended up tugging Marinette against his shoulder.

Marinette yelped, snaking her other arm around Felix's to keep them from yanking each other around.

"I'm not sure this plan is working." She thought aloud, holding back a smile. They probably looked ridiculous to the other customers.

The soft fabric of Felix's coat brushed her cheek as his shoulders shook from his laugh. "Well, it's sort of working. We haven't fallen yet."

Marinette nodded in agreement. "True."

They kept going, and Marinette tried to ignore how close They were, or how her heart refused to keep calm. It’s like Alya said: as long as she doesn’t have any feelings for Felix, it shouldn’t be a problem.

So why was it a problem?

~~~~~~

Felix barely contained his grin as he loosened the laces on his ice skates. Not only had he spent most of last night with Marinette as Le Paon- the tea was delightful. They even played a few games of chess! -He also got to spend the morning ice skating with her. The faint scent of vanilla from her clinging to him still lingered on his coat after they left the rink, and he made a mental note to procrastinate cleaning his coat for as long as he could.

“You look like you had fun.” Adrien commented, sitting down next to him.

Felix forced a neutral expression. “Why wouldn’t I have fun?”

His brother snorted. “Um, because you’re you. Don’t act like Marinette holding onto you isn’t the only reason you’re happy.”

Felix snapped up and smacked Adrien in the shoulder.

“Shh! What are you thinking?” He hissed, glancing around the rink. Thankfully, Marinette was absorbed in her conversation with Alya.

“What if she heard you?”

“Well, it doesn’t matter, right?” Adrien replied, an aggravating smirk tugging at his lips. “You said you didn’t love her. So what I say doesn’t matter.”

“No, but if Marinette heard you, she would be mislead. Save your antics for the ride home.” Felix said, slipping off his skates and reaching for his shoes.

“Man, you’re pretty deep in denial, huh?”

He resisted the urge to growl. Getting riled up would only “prove him right”. “I’m not in denial. I’m simply stating the facts. I do not love Marinette, nor does she love me and nothing will ever happen between us.”

“That’s exactly what someone in denial would say.”

“Adrien-”

“Hey, Agrestes!” Alya suddenly called, cutting their conversation short. Felix had never been happier getting interrupted.

The brunette walked over to them, with Marinette nervously following after her. “We’re thinking of going to the park. Do you guys want to come?”

Felix went to decline- they barely fit ice skating into their schedule as it was -when Adrien practically pushed him out of the way.

“We’d love to go!” His brother grinned.

Alya clasped her hands together. “Perfect! We’ll meet up outside.”

Felix pushed Adrien back as the girls walked away and glared at him. “What was that? Gorilla’s picking us up in five minutes for your shoot. We can’t go to the park.”

“Aw, come on, Fe. Don’t you want to spend more time with Marinette?” Adrien said lightheartedly.

“I don’t think you understand. We’re leaving. Whether I want to spend time with Marinette or not is irrelevant.” He replied curtly.

“So that’s a ‘yes’ then?”

Felix scoffed, but Adrien stood.

“I’ll send Gorilla a text to give us an extra half hour. It’ll be fine.” He remarked, waving his hand as if to wave off the subject.

Felix swiftly tied his black dress shoes and followed his brother outside to continue arguing. After today’s shoot, they were going to be prepped for a charity ball, and later that night, Adrien needed to try on the outfits for the next fashion show to get them adjusted. Telling Gorilla to “give them an extra thirty minutes” wasn’t going to work.

He stepped outside, where Adrien was gingerly talking with the girls, but before he could take his brother aside, Marinette called out to him.

“Felix! Are you sure you’re okay going to the park with us? You didn’t seem too excited about it earlier.” She asked, offering him a small, yet understanding smile.

Felix sighed. It was only too tempting to forget about their schedule and enjoy a day with Marinette.

“About the park-”

Screams cut his apology short, and the group looked up to see people fleeing the streets. An odd, blue substance was covering the streets, spreading onto the buildings and street lamps, but not the cars or civilians.

“I thought Ice skating was over.” Adrien quipped.

Felix rolled his eyes at the joke, but ignored it for the time being. If an akuma was out, that meant Chat Noir and Ladybug would be there too. He needed to find a place to transform.

“Oh! An akuma! I need to go get my phone!” Alya squealed, searching through her purse. “Ugh- I must have left in the lockers! Be right back.”

She darted inside the building, and Marinette started inching after her. “I should- uh -go check on her and make sure she doesn’t get hurt.”

“We should all go in to take cover.” Felix advised, grabbing Adrien by the wrist so he couldn’t slip away.

They all ran inside, closing the door just before the frost hit. Within seconds, the building was layered in a thick sheet of ice. Adrien tried opening the door again out of curiosity, but to no avail. They were stuck. If that wasn’t bad enough, the temperature dropped as soon as the wave of ice passed them, reminding Felix of their walk-in freezer at the mansion.

“Go find Alya.” He said to Marinette, his breath coming out in puffs of white now. “I’ll search the ice rink for any extra coats or blankets.”

Marinette nodded and ran off, while Felix and Adrien separated to search the rink. Of course, once the others were out of sight, Felix stopped searching to transform. He felt bad abandoning Marinette and Adrien, but if he could get the miraculous, the akuma would be recalled, and they would be safe.

“Duusu, spread my feathers!”

Magic wrapped around him, and he found himself grateful for the feathers decorating his tail coat and gloves. They kept him warm and comfortable.

Carefully, Le Paon crept around the building, trying to find an exit. The doors were his first choice, but Adrien had proven earlier that that was no longer an option. There weren’t any windows either.

“What to do.. What to do..” He muttered to himself. Things were getting colder by the second. If he didn’t get out and retrieve the miraculous soon, Paris might freeze to death.

A gust of wind sent a shiver down his spine, and he turned to find the source. If there was a draft, then there was a hole somewhere. Maybe he could fit through it.

The draft led him to a collapsed hole in the wall of the Janitor’s closet. It was a bit random in Le Paon’s opinion, but whatever helped him escape. The ice probably weakened the building’s structure or something, and it caved in on itself.

Le Paon climbed through the hole, immediately regretting it as the wind chill hit him outside. He thought the temperature inside was bad, but this was numbing. The cold seeped into his very bones. Father was going to get an earful if he got sick.

Once Le Paon made it to the rooftops, he grit his teeth and started sprinting towards the direction the ice had come from. Hopefully, this akuma would have enough reason and control over his powers to take things down a notch. (And by that, he meant turn the heat up a good few notches.)

Le Paon found the akuma a few minutes later at the top of the Eiffel Tower, watching over the city with a chilling smile.

“So, who are you supposed to be?” He asked as he stopped next to them.

The akuma merely spared him a glance. “You may call me ‘Blizzard’.”

Le Paon clicked his tongue. “Blizzard? You couldn’t come up with anything better than that?”

Blizzard looked at him fully then, a deep scowl wrinkling his hard features. “I didn’t choose it. Hawkmoth did.”

“Excuses, Excuses.”

Blizzard scoffed. “Are you the partner Hawkmoth told me about?”

He nodded. “You can call me ‘Le Paon’, and if you want my help, you’re going to have to turn up the heat.”

“Yeah.. no can do. My powers work best in the cold, and it helps slow the heroes down. You’re just going to have to suck it up, bird boy.”

Le Paon resisted the urge to snap at him. They needed to work together, after all, and Blizzard’s plan was a decent one. Ladybug and Chat Noir would be inconvenienced by the cold, and though Le Paon himself would be put at a disadvantage as well, at least Blizzard had the upper hand.

As if on queue, a yo-yo wrapped around the beam that Blizzard and Le Paon were standing on. Ladybug was seen swinging up the front of the Eiffel Tower, while Cat Noir was slowly making his way up the other side. This time, however, something was different about their costumes. Ladybug had a silver, hectagon pattern covering her suit, along with some crystal-like accessories and an ice crown. Cat Noir didn’t have the hectagon pattern, but he had the crystal-like accessories. On top of that, they both had ice skates.

..What?

“Th-they don’t look like they’re.. slowing down to m-me.” Le Paon commented, his teeth chattering at this point.

Blizzard tisked and shifted into a fighting stance. “Just shut up and be useful.”

Le Paon bit back a “That’s my line” and shifted into a fighting stance as well. Ladybug and Chat Noir were on them in an instant. Chat Noir used his staff to close the gap between them and aimed for Blizzard, while Ladybug drew her yo-yo back to attack Le Paon.

Both parties split up, Blizzard falling down the tower, and Le Paon opting to climb higher. As he neared the top, Le Paon noticed Blizzard using his right glove to create icicles and ramps along the tower’s edge. It was a nice strategy, but flawed. Chat Noir was following him easily as Blizzard made a clear pathway behind him.

Le Paon stopped at the top of the tower. Naturally, Ladybug did the same. With no where else to run, the two lunged for each other. Le Paon used his fan to try to cut her yo-yo and trap her up there, but the darn thing seemed to be indestructible. So, he tried the next best thing. When she threw her yo-yo at him again, Le Paon caught the end of it.

He smirked when her eyes widened in surprise. Before she could recover, he started circling her with the end of the yo-yo, wrapping it around her body to tie her up. Unfortunately, he underestimated her quick-thinking.

Ladybug threw herself backwards, effectively yanking the end of her yo-yo out of his hands. That’s all it took for her to get free. A simple flick of the wrist brought the yo-yo swinging back around her to her hand. She threw the yo-yo at him again, and he barely missed it as he flipped backwards into the air.

Le Paon’s feet landed on the railing, but the frost covering the tower didn’t hold him as well as he’d hoped it would. Le Paon felt his feet slip out from underneath him, and the next thing he knew, he was falling off of the Eiffel Tower.

Le Paon struggled in the air, trying to grab onto something- a hatch, a loose wire, anything. The wind rushed through his ears, so cold it pricked like needles across his skin. He tried to activate his hovering ability, but it only slowed his fall a bit, not enough to help. Blizzard was too preoccupied with Chat Noir. Hawkmoth was at the mansion.

The ground grew beneath him, and Le Paon started to panic. His miraculous protected him from most harm, but a fall like this wouldn’t be pretty. He needed to stop. How could he stop? What else could he do? What-

Something wrapped around his left ankle, and, without warning, he came to a jerking halt.

Le Paon sharply inhaled, fighting down the pain as he started to swing back and forth. Whatever he felt now was at least better than smashing into the pavement below.

He looked up to see Ladybug holding her yo-yo with a death grip and staring back down at him. Was it him or did she look..worried? Why would she look worried? On top of that, why would she save him? Weren’t they supposed to be enemies?

The worry faded before he could find an answer, and she started pulling back and forth on the yo-yo. Le Paon felt himself swaying more and more with each pull. He didn’t understand what she was doing until a particularly hard pull sent him soaring into the center of the Eiffel Tower, right in front of Blizzard.

There was a split second of shock between the two before they collided. Blizzard had been in the middle of freezing a path, causing his glove to cover them in ice when they crashed. Le Paon thrashed around as much as he could, but it was no use. They were frozen together.

“Unfreeze it.” Le Paon hissed.

“I can’t. That’s not how my power works.” Blizzard bit back.

Chat Noir was already standing next to them, a triumphant grin spreading across his lips.

“You’ve done it again, M’Lady.” He called to the spotted hero above.

Ladybug dropped down next to him, hooking her yo-yo to her side. “All in a day’s work, Kitty.”

“Now, how do we get the glove out of the ice?”

She pulled out a spotted ice pick and hammer- who knows when she had time to call those -and started chipping away at the ice. Blizzard tried to create more ice as a makeshift shield, but without mobility, his powers were useless. Ladybug plucked the glove off of his hand after a few minutes of picking and easily tore it in half. The butterfly came fluttering out, and she wasted no time cleansing it.

A teenage boy was left in the ice, shivering and confused.

“W-where am I?”

The heroes offered him a sympathetic smile.

“You were akumatized, but you’re safe now.” Ladybug said softly.

The boy seemed panicked at the news. “C-Can you get me o-out? It’s c-c-cold.”

Le Paon tensed as Ladybug cast the miraculous cure, readying himself. The ice melted away, and while Chat Noir caught the boy before he could fall, Le Paon made sure Ladybug didn’t grab him. He swung his fan at her, causing her to jump back. Once he started falling again, Le Paon used his hover ability to land on another platform below. With that, he darted towards the other side of the city to find a hiding place and detransform. Ladybug and Chat Noir may have won this fight, but this wasn’t the end. His Father would make sure of it.

~~~~~~

Marinette slipped back into the ice rink as quietly as possible. Hopefully the others hadn’t worried too much. She could only imagine what Felix and Alya did once they realized she wasn’t there. How was she going to explain that away?

She was lucky the air vents hadn’t been sealed up like the rest of the building. Otherwise, Chat Noir would have had to fight alone today. Those cookies she found were helpful, too, though Tikki still hadn’t fully explained where they came from. The note that was with the miniature box of treats was signed by a “Master”. Who could that be?

“He’ll reveal himself to you when the time is right.” Was all her kwami had said, only deepening her curiosity. How did this man know about the miraculous? Why couldn’t she meet him now? When would the ‘right time’ be?

“Marinette! There you are!”

Her thoughts were brought back to the present when Alya called out her name. She flashed a smile, but it faded when she saw Alya wasn’t alone.

“When did Nino get here?” She asked, noting how close they were and the fact that Alya’s arm was wrapped around Nino’s.

“He never left! Apparently, he forgot his headphones in the locker. When I came back to get my phone, we bumped into each other and, since I couldn’t find you guys, we started talking.” Alya explained.

“Oh.. That’s an interesting coincidence.”

“I know right!” Nino smiled. “Turns out, we actually have a lot in common.”

“Huh.. Well, I’m happy it worked out.” Marinette said, her smile reappearing. Maybe this meant Alya wouldn’t question her absence?

She should’ve known she wouldn’t be that lucky.

“Thanks, girl. Now, where were you off to? You and Felix were both gone you know.” A familiar spark came to Alya’s eyes. Marinette knew what she was implying.

She let out a nervous laugh. “R-really? That’s crazy. I mean, we definitely weren’t together, but it’s totally weird we were both gone.”

Alya hummed, obviously not believing a word she said, which was a bit ironic because, for once, Marinette wasn’t lying. She and Felix weren’t together during the attack, and it was weird that he disappeared. Where did he go? Actually, where was he now? She hadn’t seen Adrien or Felix since she got there.

“Wait, where are the boys?” She asked, leaning around Alya and Nino to somewhat look for them.

Alya playfully rolled her eyes. “Oh, sure. Don’t act like you don’t know.”

“No, seriously, I-”

“Yo, Nino! What are you doing here?” A voice suddenly piped up.

The trio turned to see Adrien making his way through the bleachers towards them.

“Yo, dude! I accidentally got stuck in the ice rink with you guys.” Nino greeted, separating from Alya to talk with Adrien. Alya appeared to be put off by the action, but didn’t say anything.

“Wow, really? Small world.” Adrien chuckled, bumping his fist with Nino’s once they got close enough.

Now all that’s left was..

“What’s all of the commotion about?”

Marinette nearly jumped out of her own skin when Felix spoke up behind her. When did he walk into the room? How did she not notice him before-hand?

“Nino was apparently in the rink with us.” Alya supplied. “Where were you, though?”

Felix hesitated. “Ah.. I was.. searching for blankets. I never found any, though.”

Alya only hummed again, sending Marinette a smirk.

Marinette just rolled her eyes, but before she could respond, Adrien spoke again.

“Are we still going to the park?”

Alya laughed. “Uh- duh. Of course we’re still going to the park.”

“If you guys want to.” Marinette added, glancing at Felix.

Felix sighed. “Actually, we have to-”

A car horn interrupted him, and Adrien groaned.

“We have to go to a photo shoot.” He finished apologetically.

Disappointment leaked into Marinette’s stomach at the fact that they couldn’t come, but she smiled anyway. “That’s okay. Maybe another time.”

Felix seemed to perk up at that. “Yes, perhaps. We’ll see you at school.”

Marinette nodded, storing the words in her heart as a small hope. He hadn’t exactly promised or anything, but the fact that he didn’t flat out refuse in the first place was enough for her.

“See you at school.”

~~~~~~

Hawkmoth threw his cane against the wall with a rageful cry. His akuma failed again, and he was no closer to getting the miraculous than when he started.

“This isn’t working!” He yelled to the empty dome. At this rate, Emily would never be cured!

“Perhaps it’s time to change partners.” Nathalie suggested from behind him. “Felix is only a boy, after all. Giving him the Peacock miraculous may have been more than he could handle.”

“No, no, Felix isn’t the problem. It’s Ladybug.” He scowled. “We need to find a weakness, something we can use against her.”

“Against Ladybug, sir?”

Hawkmoth nodded, a sinister smile crawling onto his lips.

“I think it’s time to change tactics.”

Tag List: @im-here-for-the-content @novicevoice @mewwitch@minightrose @frostymoon11 @multishipper1needshalp@unabashedbookworm @unholykrow @trubel43@kaydenth3gayden @stardustrevoutionx @legendaryneckjudgestudent @aurordraws @crazylittlemunchkin @uwuteamleader @chocolatecustarddanish @iambi-thilla-meena @corabeth11 @asainfrustration13 @chrismarium @agumon1123 @luciferge @yue-caelum @persephonebutkore @constancetruggle @fanficaddict4ever @johnlockfeelz @imfreakingmagical @tinybrie @procrastinatingrightnow @bee-wrecker @dontcallmecedge @shadowhex99 @daminette-is-life @thethirdwheelfriend @myazael @sizzling-fairy-oil @sparkle9510 @chaosace @the-navistar-carol @sannsibarr @grumpy-vixen-kitten @hauntedfreakdeputyhero @utcaro

#Le Paon AU #Felinette #Felix Agreste #Marinette

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shaydeoffical · 4 years

Text

Bright as a Diamond. Shinso Hitoshi x Fem Reader: Chapter Ten

Chapter Summary: Shouta is away fro business, and Shinso and (Y/n) are left alone for the day. In a brilliant idea, (Y/n) convinces Shinso to train to be able to pin him down. Things turn stressful when she gets another cryptic text...and...is that a picture of Shinso on her phone? No way.

Series Summary: When (Y/N)’s co-worker decided to send a picture of her making a diamond to the paper, her life was over. Gemstone based quirks weren’t all that rare, but being able to make a diamond put a target on her back. After years of hiding in the city, it’s time to hide in the countryside with her Uncle Shota Aizawa and his more than ‘roommate’ Hizashi Yamada. With the promise of training her to be self-sufficient, she’s ready to learn.

Author Note: Please enjoy this, also long update lol. We are getting to the good stuff we have been waiting for, in this slow burn.

Warnings: fihgting, blood, kidnnaping, violence

Last Chapter: Nine

Next Chapter: Eleven

The Connect

“HELP!!!” Hizashi screamed, shaking the house down with his quirk. I jumped from the bed, landing on my knees. While crossing the hall, I paused. Instead of running straight into the disaster zone, Hizashi's room, I began pounding on the purple-haired pro hero’s door. While it was hard to hear over the seismic waves cracking the foundation, I knew he couldn't just be asleep. Wiggling the handle, Shinso still didn’t answer but instead emerged from the bathroom in a towel.

“I think it’s a bug.” I had my ears covered, use to this morning routine. Shinso had been staying over more recently since he started a cover job at a daycare to move in on his target. Though I didn't expect to see him in nothing but a towel. What heathen doesn't have a bathrobe when they stay over as much as he does.

“Hold tight.” He covered his own ears, grabbing a newspaper and marching into Hizashi’s room. The screaming stopped, and I sighed in relief. Lowering my hands, there was a ringing in my ear, but I could still hear Shinso trying to pry Hizashi off his body.

Taking a step, I felt my chest move. My eyes widened, and I ran back to my room to sling a bra on. While I was there, I fixed my hair into a ponytail and put slippers on. Of course, I trusted Shinso, but I wasn't that comfy to walk around like that. It was foolish to worry about my looks, but my mother was always so pushy about being decent.

Finally cleaned up, I shuffled into the hall, and Hizashi was still holding Shinso in thanks.

“You’re so brave,” Hizashi clung to the purple-haired man’s leg, in his full hero suit. Hair slicked to the sky and a mic on his throat. It was a rare treat to see him all decked out.

“If you stopped deafening all the bugs in this house, maybe they’d run off so you wouldn’t get trapped.” I rested my hand on my hip and leaned down. Shinso laughed, tiring to cover it with a cough. “You teaching today, Hizashi?”

“Yea, I’m running late, actually.” Hizashi looked at his watch, then popped up from the floor. “You two are in charge today. Remember, Shota is in Housu for work, so it’s up to you two not to get into any trouble.”

“Of course. Did you pack a lunch?” I dashed to the kitchen, both men following after me. Glancing at the clock, he could spare a few minutes for a meal.

“No, I’ll figure-“

“Oh, I can whip something up fast.” I cheered, wanting to return the favor. He was an excellent cook and mother hen. “You cook for me so often, it’s the least I can do.”

“I’ll be fine, (Y/n), I really got to go.” He moved to grab his voice amp tool kit, and I got to work tossing ingredients together.

“No, I insist, a sandwich and a bag of chips never took too long. I’m al-“ I shoved mayo and siracha in a bowl with some corn.

“He doesn’t want your cooking Kitten,” Shinso mumbled, sipping from an Eraser coffee. cup

“That’s so mean,” I nearly stopped working, but I kept tossing things together, adding mayo and ketchup. "You won't deter me, Lint Ball. We don't have room for jealousy in this house."

“Honey, I got to-“ I shoved the paper bag in Hizashi’s hand, fixing the zipper on his suit.

“If it sucks, give it to the strays.” I scratched the back of my neck and gave him a quick kiss on the check. “Have a good day at work.”

“Thank you." Hizashi pecked a kiss on my forehead. He opened the door then pointed from his eyes to Shinso’s. "Shinso, watch her for me.” Hizashi darted to his car, not bothering to tie his boots up.

I turned to Shinso, who was now in a Deku shirt and some cotton shorts. “What did you mean no one wants my food?” I raised my brow and got into one of the sparing positions we had practiced last week.

“It’s not mean, it’s just the truth.” Shinso walked right past me into the kitchen. “What? You’re not going to fight me.” He raised his brow, that damned smirk setting me off.

“I- I’m going to my room.” I stomped my feet, making a show of my distaste. While I wanted to throw him to the ground, it was way too early in the morning. It definitely has nothing to do with how close we got yesterday while training.

Once locked away, I opened my window, and sure enough, Hisoka was resting in the flower bed. Tapping my fingers against the spot where his breath has tickled me, I froze. I had accepted Shinso wasn’t a full-on ass, but moments like this were where I wanted to wring his neck. I knew I was a terrible cook, but I was getting better, I had been practicing while home alone. There's no need to tell me what I know to be true. Everyone want's to be the best cook for their partner and friends. With a little more time, I'd be a prized host like Hizashi.

“Damn Lint Ball,” I huffed, raking my fingers through Hisoka’s fur. He couldn’t meow like he used too but had made an almost full recovery. That was the one thing I told mom about when I called last night. She didn’t want to talk for long, but she loved hearing about Hisoka, and my training with Sho.

Hisoka ran off after a few more pets, bounding into the trees. The little rascal. If you could ignore the bald spots on his body, you'd never know he was so close to death.

Closing my window, I curled back in bed, my tummy growling. Shinso would be done eating soon, and then I could make my own meal. If he wanted to be cruel, he could do it without my company.

“(Y/n), I’m sorry.” Shinso rasped on my door. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.”

"Go away," I mumbled, closing my eyes.

"I could have said it better; I know." He added. I could hear him rest against the door, the lock buckling.

“It shouldn’t have come out at all,” I countered, sitting up and hugging my lemongrass and lavender pillow. The scent had mostly faded, but I still slept better with it.

“I apologize. What can I do to make it up to you?” I opened the door and caught him off guard.

“You can train me to pin you,” I kept a straight face as he just nodded. His eyes scanned me up and down, lingering on the pillow still tucked under my arm.

“That’s a deal, Kitten.” He shook my hand, then held the back of his neck. “I went ahead and made breakfast for us. Will you please, join me?”

“Of course,” I beamed, shimming around him. That might have been the first time he apologized for a dick move. So it was time to reward good behavior. Plus, after yesterday, I wanted things to work out. I hadn't been able to let loose since before high school. Being silly and extra reminded what being young was supposed to be like. Not hiding away your quirk or worrying about what bystanders think. Just the pursuit of safe and healthy fun.

He had prepared fresh rice, a few pieces of salmon, and a fruit trey. Hell, the strawberries were cut into little hearts. “Did you make this to show off you’re better than me?” I accused him, sitting in the middle like I was used too.

“I just wanted to do something nice. I’m not always trying to tease you.” He fetched us each a glass of water. While he did that, I dished out my plate, trying to act like I wasn't so impressed with the spread. He had cooked for us as a family before, but this was the first time we didn’t eat separately when it was just the two of us.

“Thank you then,” I kept my superior nature, and took a small bite. The texture was perfect, and the flavor was well rounded. Of course, it was nothing like an iron chef, but he did have skill in the kitchen. “Yes, this is quite adequate.”

He choked on his bite and chugged his water. “Just adequate?”

“It’s delicious Hitoshi, I’m just jerking your chain.” We both giggled, but I froze up.

Chains’. Rattling. Bruised wrists. Swollen ankles. Hitoshi- He was holding my hand across the table. Callused fingers smoothing over my skin, his grip tight. He was strong. Hitoshi was a hero. I was safe with him.

“Sorry, I just-“ I swallowed the lump in my throat, gripping his hand tighter. "Yea, it's a great meal." Dipping my head, I focused on the music notes on the table cloth.

“Don’t apologize.” When he removed his hand, I noticed I had made an amethyst. The purple stone had rolled from my palm, resting on the center of the table. He didn’t make a move to touch it, instead, acting as if he didn't see it.

Horrified, I grasped the gem and squished it in my hand, running the dust to the trash can. “It’s like a laying a golden egg. You never know what to expect from the goose. That doesn’t make sense. Whatever, I just- I totally intended…on not making that.” I acknowledged it, breaking the silence.

“Is that where all that dust in your room comes from?” Shinso went back to eating like nothing odd had transpired. However, his tone was softer, not quite pity, but enough that I could notice he was feeling out the tension.

“Hitoshi, my room is not dusty,” I crossed my arms, plopping back down. There was no reason for staying upset, it was over now. The food was getting cold.

“No. The jars of sand or dust,” he clarified, handing me another piece of fish.

“Oh, I make a few gems every morning to stay on my game, then I crush them. It feels wrong to just toss them out all the time. No one was supposed to know about that, but I trust you, Lint Ball.” I took a large bite, “now tell me why you were in my room?”

“No reason.” He calmed up, sipping his water.

“Liar,” I slammed my water back and quickly finished my meal. “Didn't think I'd be so preceptive? Alright, I’ll let it go for now. But you have to tell me once I pin you down.”

“Why do you want to pin me so badly?” The impish grin on his face was almost cute. He was about to have a world of hurt.

“I wanna show you how humiliating it is to be pinned every other breath. I intend to use this knowledge to my full benefit. So prepare for ambushes.” I took my dish to the sink, putting away the leftovers.

“If you tell me about an ambush, it’s no longer an ambush.” He grinned, finishing off his meal. “Alright, let’s get started.” He put his plates in the sink and knocked his hip into mine. Scouting over, he took over dished. "Go get changed."

“I’m actually excited about this,” I scurried to my room. I pulled on some capris and an oversized pink tee. It was chilly outside, so I put a long sleeve shirt under it.

Shinso changed into a black long sleeve shirt and some cargo pants. Somehow he managed to finish the dishes and still changed faster than me. He was waiting by the door, his shoes on already, and he had my shoes pulled out and ready.

Once outside, we squared up in the garden. Before that, I stopped to watch Hisoka bath in the sun, rolling in the grass and pawing at the leaves around him. Shinso took a pic on his phone and then sat it to the side so we could get started.

“First things first, always be aware of how your body is lined up with mine.” He paused, examining my stance. “Spread your legs a little wider, and put your left leg forward.” He walked around me, resting his hand on my stomach. “Feel the tension in your stomach; you want to use that energy. When you come at me, grab my waist and wrap your legs behind my knees, using your body to take me down.”

“Um okay,” I nodded, trying to think about how that would work. His hand was so warm on my stomach, the energy doubling there. I wondered about how, with one touch, I could feel more powerful. Shinso was back in position across from me. Bouncing on my heels, I waited for him to strike at me. When he didn't move, I grabbed his waist and just slammed him to the ground. Sitting on his chest, I hovered around his chest.

“That’s not quite right, but we can work on it.” Shinso tapped my leg. “Bring this up onto my stomach, and bring your other leg out for balance.”

“Won’t that hurt?” I asked, adjusting myself to barely apply pressure to him.

“You want to pin me, right?” he reminded me. “Now, grab both sides of my shirt while crossing your arms.” He was entirely under me now, and when I applied pressure on his shirt, it choked him.

“Hitoshi, that’s scary.” I let him go and leaned back, trying to find a place to put my hands that wasn't his torso. “Despite popular belief, I don’t want to strangle you.”

“You need to practice, now you’ve left yourself venerable.” He smirked, gripping my knee, pinning me with a quick flip.

“Snap.” I gasped, his pelvis was right on mine, my knees in the air on either side of him, his arms around my throat applying zero pressure. "Toshi." I pouted, trying to squirm free.

“Let's try again.” He grinned, giving me instructions on how to get out of my predicament.

When that done, we moved on. This time Shinso had me sit behind him, and get my legs under his, and put a seatbelt around his chest. It was so toned and tight. Of course, I had fought off every urge to ogle him this morning, but the mystery was killing me.

“Try applying pressure to my throat.” I did for a few seconds till he made a small noise of discomfort. “Good. Here’s the counter.”

He pulled my thumb, and I let loose. The leaves helped him slide away from me, then got behind me, locking his arms and legs around mine, balancing me while on his back.

“Holy crap,” I laughed, unable to fight against the hold. Then my calf contorted in pain. “Cramp cramp cramp cramp.” He let go, and I jumped up, walking it out. “Shit. Fuck fuck, fuck.” I cursed, limping around in a circle.

“Hold still,” he stopped me, and bent down to my calf and started to rub the muscle.

“That hurts,” I collapsed down, his motions stopping long enough for me to stretch out. Rubbing my temple, I twisted my ankle, trying to ease the charlie horse.

“It’s going to feel better in a few minutes, Kitten.” Hitoshi purred, working his fingers deep into my tissue. “Are you drinking plenty of water.”

“Probably not. Besides, the USJ was a rough work out.” I wheezed through the throbs of pain. “Hey, it's easing up a bit.”

“You should listen to me more often.” He hummed, kneading his hands up my thigh, caressing the entire area. His rough fingers were magic tools, ebbing the pain away. My head lulled back, resting it under my arm. Even when the cramp released, I kept quiet. I loved being doted on, and this was so nice.

I nearly swooned when he started to work on my other leg, but I didn’t say anything. It was healthy, two young people sitting in the leaves sharing a massage… yea, this was fine. Friends did this. Shinso probably knew my other leg was on the verge of cramping, and it was okay. He owed me a few acts of servitude or some shit. I just want the ball of energy in my stomach to relax. This was so nice and normal...

My phone buzzed by my water bottle, and I grasped it, turning on the screen. Thankfully we laned by our stuff, but it wasn't a good message. It was another cryptic picture, a knife resting in an apple, and the letter o. Then another image came, and I froze.

It was a purple blob... Shinso’s hair. Another picture, it was my thigh, a hand resting on my knee. Next came a pic of me looking at my phone. “Hitoshi…” I handed him my phone, sitting up and scooting closer. I held onto his shirt, trying not to shiver. “What, what do we do?” I whispered, clutching his arm.

“We go inside.” He stood, both us raising at the same time, his arm locked around my waist. He looked around, keeping me tight to him. We were out in the open and there was no safe side.“When I say run, do it.”

“Where?” I asked, gripping even harder. My legs felt better, but I was still shaking.

“Go to the bathroom and lock yourself in. Call Aizawa.” He kept glancing around, then he stopped, narrowing in on the trees by the pond “Now.”

“Now?” We were just fifty feet from the door, but I couldn’t let go.

“Yes.” Hitoshi nudged me forward. I froze, looking at him for guidance. "I'll be okay." He assured me. With a deep breath, I sprinted towards the door. All hell broke loose. A few masked people jumped out, and Hitoshi didn't have his scarf. He was in trouble. There were even people near the house.

I made inside before the creeps could move to block the door. I locked the bolt before anyone could grasp it, and I could feel the handle jiggle. The plan was out the door, and I grabbed Hitoshi’s scarf, peeking outside the window.

A man popped up and busted through the glass. Switching gears I went to the front door again. Busting it open, the man met me at the threshold, and I slammed hot coal into his face before he registered what happened. Stomping his foot, I broke free running to Shinso.

“Hitoshi!” His eyes bugged out of his head, I tossed the scarf. He caught it, quickly gaining the upper hand. Relief washed over me, but it was too soon.

“Got her!” The man I burned, wrapped his arms around me. I stomped his foot again and held coal to his crotch till he dropped.

Stumbling forward, I ran towards the forest like in practice. “Kitten, wait-“ A basket wove around me and tightened like a Chinese finger trap. I rolled a few times and started to burn my way through fast as possible.

A man in a black trench coat hovered over me. “Are you sure this is the right girl? She’s making coals.”

“That’s her boss,” more goons had appeared, and Shinso was swamped with seven different opponents. “The boss said she’s had two quirks, and not to be fooled.”

“Your Tusuki’s daughter, right child?” The man knew my father’s name, and I knew they meant business. I could hear Shinso struggling behind me, and I just closed my eyes.

“Please leave him alone. I’ll go with you- “ I was kicked in the stomach. Spitting up, I lost my breath.

“I said, are you his daughter?” The man wove a trap around my throat, and it got tighter and tighter as I fought it.

“I-“ What was I supposed to say. I could deny it and be killed outright or be hurt worse. Shinso hadn’t used my name aloud. There was room to- the trap cut off my air, and I shrank in agony. Black spots tugging at my vision. “Yes.” The binding loosened, but it wasn’t enough to breath easy,

“Wrap her up.” The 'boss' of this group walked away, two goons grabbing my cocoon. They referred to another boss, but this was my problem at the moment.

“Stop it.” I kept burning the basket with my coals, but the wooden strips kept reforming and wrapping around my hands. “Hitoshi. Hitoshi run!” I begged. The neck wrap closed up, and I gagged on my own saliva. Hitoshi had all but one man down. Damn it. He was so close… he had a chance to run.

“Daddy, I didn’t mean for them to take me.” I cried into his chest, both of us chained to the wall. They had taken him from the hospital the week before, and now they had me.

“It’s okay, baby. What do they know?” He nuzzled my neck, his entire body bruised, deflated, and cut from producing so many gems. Even holding me was straining his body.

“They know, most of it.” I cried. “They said’ they’d kill my friend.”

“Sometimes, you have to give in to the captors…I wish I had taught you more, sweetie.” He cried small lapis tears.

“Daddy, I was trained as a hero, and yet I didn’t stand a chance. I don’t know what to do. Should I have fought them?”

“No. We just need to survive long enough to go home.” He kissed my forehead. “We’ll get home.”

Daddy. He died in that cell, right next to me. Because he didn’t have the strength to survive…I need to keep fighting. I can’t make this easy. Even if I’m passing out, I can still bite. Chomping down on a goons wrist, he screamed, dropping me. The other man lost his grip, and once I was down, I started to roll.

“Get her.” The boss yelled, but I keep going, with no end in sight. There were no breaks or control, just pure momentum. It was then I noticed the small ledge a few ahead. The binding was getting tight, but I could still shift, but I couldn't stop myself from being air born. If I survived the fall, I'd be lucky to keep my head from busting on a rock.

“Kitten,” the velvet voice of a hero. A tight scarf wrapping around my ankles. The whirling bouncing motion stopped. Jerked back, I slide a small way forward again, finally still. While I got my bearings, Hitoshi had knocked out both goons. He kneeled beside me, pulling at the brace on my throat—his finger wedging between the tight wood and my skin—desperately clawing at the fibers.

“Not so fast. In less you want to watch her be decapitated, you’ll listen.” The boss had the weave move up and over my lips and nose. Then he had a wrap slither around Hitoshi.

“Alright, just tell me what you want with her?” Shinso relaxed, stepping back from me. Toshi's binds were still growing around him, but he’d be immobile. He gave me a reassuring nod, and I tried to hid how much I was smothering.

“Nice try, you think-“ The boss dazed over.

“Release your quirk.” Hitoshi spat, and the boss did as told. Hitoshi’s bind was first released, then the one of my throat and finally my body.

“Thank God.” I gasped, undoing the scarf at my feet, rubbing my throat, taking deep breaths. Assessing myself, I kicked the wood away and rubbed my eyes. A twig snapped in the brush. Booking my ass next to Hitoshi, I got to my feet and hid behind him. I peered at the boss over his shoulder; he was glazed over and just standing still. His finger would twitch every now and then, but this was the power of Shinso's quirk.

“Tell me who sent you.” Hitoshi examined my neck, running his fingers up and down my throat. Keeping his quirk activated and interrogating the man was easy as breathing to him. How he was able to think about my injuries and stay in control was so cool.

“We were contracted. I don’t know their name.” The man answered.

“Who all knows of this location?” Hitoshi pushed my disheveled hair out of my face and wiped the dirt from my forehead. My skin had swollen around where the band had been, so he was gentle when cleaning that area.

“Only my group.” The man’s hand twitched with more force. I gripped Hitoshi’s shirt, and he nodded it was okay.

“Why didn’t you tell your employer. What was your goal?” Hitoshi grabbed his scarf and began to tie the man. I missed his warmth, the soothing smell that so familiar and yet far away.

“I realized the target was the daughter of one of my past projects. Tsuki (L/N), he was able to make precious gemstones. The cilent said she could make diamonds. She was worth more than the money from the job.”

“I see. How many men did you bring with you?” Hitoshi finished his knot and pushed his hair back.

“Nine.”

“Hitoshi.” I jumped in front of him, a smoke bomb bursting on my chest. I curled around it, trying to mask the fog and keep Hitoshi’s vision clear. The heat building under me was unbearable, but it wasn't hurting me. My body was used to hot coals, I just need to focus on something else till this bomb simmer down. Changing gears thought about how my toes were sore and coming to life after being upside down. The sweat pouring down my neck. How hard it was to breathe in the fruity mist.

“Show yourself,” Shinso commanded, standing over top of my body. Another smoke bomb was launched. I created a coal tossing it, displacing the bomb in the air, sending it back into the forest. “Nice aim, Kitten.”

“Only the best,” I wheezed the burning under me finally over. “Nine o’clock.”

“You mean three,” a man emerged, he was dressed much more… well covered less than his comrades. Smoke was emitting from his body. “So you can brainwash your opponent’s once they answer a question. And you can make pretty little diamonds, and now I see coals. Wow, what a perfect little swan, just waiting to be scooped up by a stern master.”

“What’s your name?” Shinso asked but was met with radio silence. “You clearly know a bit about our power, care to share what yours is?” Shinso spread his legs, and I crawled from under him. There was a small burst of fog, but nothing too thick.

“All you villains thinking I’m just a sitting duck.” I wiped the blood from my lip. “But we already took down your boss and your friends. What makes you so special.” I crouched on one knee, one hand to the earth. Focusing.

“What makes you think he was the ring leader.” The nearly nude man’s butt jiggled as he saluted me. He went on and on about his history as a villain, and I pushed a string of ruby under the earth. There was no reason it would or wouldn’t work, but I had this numb feeling in my hand that said it just might.

“Are you going to on all day?” Hitoshi’s scarf was tied up at the moment, and he vulnerable. We both were.

There. I found where his foot was, and I shot the gem up in a corkscrew, pushing it around and through his calf. “What the hell,” the man screamed, his hand tossing bombs at us. I stopped my gem trap halfway up. Yet I failed to deflect the smoke that fell over us.

The air quality dropped. “Hitoshi?” I couldn’t see him. “Hitoshi.” I leaned down and breathed through my shirt. There was a shattering snap. Then a shadow looming through the fog. The man reared his foot back and kicked my stomach. Still, I could see his other leg was bleeding and noticeably stiff.

An emerald rod shot from my wrist, and I caught it. I used the weighted log and smacked it across the man’s face. He stumbled back but pushed more smoke in the area. My vision clouded I was filtering the air with my shirt again, just trying to get my bearings.

“Kitten?” Hitoshi was coughing in the distance. How'd he get so far away?

“Here- shit,” I dodged a kick and rolled deeper into the fog.

“Where are you kids?” Hizashi was home. "BABIES?" Hizashi knew not to use out names, but it was already too late for that.

“Over here,” I hollered, attracting the villain to my position. This time he kicked my chest, his foot digging into my breast. A gurgled scream left me, and I was putty long enough for him to grab my collar.

“Heavy bitch.” He groaned, buckling under my weight, trying to get me to my feet.

“Ass less chaps went out of style years ago,” I murmured, pressing my palm to his butt check, shoving a gem through the muscle and into the earth. He dropped me, but I put my hands down and forced a ruby cork and a sapphire out the other, sewing it in and out of the man’s legs. He screeched at the top of his lungs, shoving more smoke down my throat. Pulling my hair and clawing at my eyes, but I avoided most of his hits.

“ROCK ON!” Mic’s voice washed out the fog. I covered my ears and rolled away with the airflow. Once his quirk stopped, I got up and saw Hitoshi and Hizashi jogging my way.

“I did it,” I said, pointing to my jewels holding the man down in pain. “I-“ black spots flooded my vision, and I waivered, stumbling over my feet. “I went plus ultra.” My headache was building; I had survived with a little help.

#shinso #Shinsou #shinso x reader #erasermic #eraser family #tw #x reader #enemy to friends to lovers #spar #growth #my hero acadamy #bnha x reader

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labyrinth-runner · 4 years

Text

Here We Are Now

TGT Chapter 5

Read the rest here

Not My Gif

A week had passed since they had been reunited. Estelle had spent the week dodging her father's questions about her potential suitors. Now, she was at Annalise's house to discuss their respective weeks.

"You snuck out of the house?" Annalise asked with a laugh. "Oh, Elle, that's rich!"

Estelle blushed slightly. "Well, I couldn't just leave him standing out there. That would be rude."

"Oh, of course. We wouldn't want to show poor manners to a man who shows up at your house well past the appropriate times to call on someone," Annalise smirked as she took a sip of tea. "Where did you go at that hour? I suppose all the respectable places would be closed by then."

"We went to Grub Street," Estelle murmured, pouring herself a cup of tea. The roses in Anna's garden were suddenly more interesting than the conversation at hand.

"Oh, Elle, you didn't!" Annalise gasped. "That's where all the people of ill renown and poor students live! That's hardly a place for you. How did Christian even know about it?"

"A friend from school lives there. You might actually like him," Estelle replied. "We actually had a lot of fun. I met some very intriguing people and we had deeper discussions than what normally is deemed appropriate in society."

"That actually does sound like a good time," Annalise smiled. "Perhaps the next time you sneak out, you'll have to stop by and fetch me... On second thought, I prefer my beauty rest. However, if this man that you think I'd enjoy ever happens to be around, you'll have to introduce me."

Estelle smiled, "Alright, Anna. If we're ever in the same place as Mr. Cavanaugh, I'll make sure to introduce you."

"But, only if I look alluring. If I'm having a poor complexion or hair day, please save me from the embarrassment. I only wish to put my best foot forward," Annalise said pointedly.

Estelle shook her head. "Of course, Anna. Wouldn't want a man to possibly fall for you at your worst. Then we'd know he'd really like you at your best."

"You know that's not what I meant," Annalise admonished. "I just... would rather not look like a garden gnome if I'm to meet a man who might become special to me. First impressions are important."

Estelle had to laugh. "Are they?"

Annalise tilted her head. "You know, you've never told me how you and Christian met."

Estelle blushed. "There's not much to tell. We were neighbors."

"Yes, but I've been to the country estate when you owned it. I know how far it is to the next house," Annalise shot back. "You're blushing. There is a story there, isn't there? Oh, Elle, don't leave your best friend in the dark! Come on, now, out with it."

Estelle sighed. "Anna, has anyone ever told you that you're a bit commandeering when it comes to conversations?"

"My mother always says that I'm a little too pushy for my own good, but I think that just makes me endearing," Annalise smirked.

Estelle rolled her eyes. "Well, since you asked. It's... an interesting story. Definitely not a great first impression..."

She was running. She hated her tutor, especially when they wanted to discuss philosophy when all she wanted to do was play. It was difficult to look out at the breeze blowing on the meadows and think that she'd have to spend her day stuck inside discussing men who have been dead for centuries when all she wanted was to smell the flowers and roll down hills until her dress was so soiled that her mother would yell. Estelle was only ten, and had an air of freedom and adventure about her that only young children had. That was why she'd snuck out. She'd asked to be excused to use the restroom and had climbed out the window, using the lattice on the side as a ladder to reach the ground. After peering around to make sure that no one would see her in order to tattle to her parents, she took off towards the far end of the estate. The grass was up to her chest as she walked through, and she could barely see her feet as she crested the hill. That was precisely how she had missed the fallen log in her path which sent her tripping end over head and rolling down the hill. She let out a cry of surprise as she spun down the grassy expanse until she saw a blur of color in her vision up ahead. What was that?

"Hey! Stop!" a voice called out, but it was too late. She had barrel rolled into something hard and less forgiving than grass, knocking the wind out of her.

"I-is the world done spinning?" she asked dizzily as she tried to straighten herself out. There was something squishy under her knee.

"Don't you know better than to roll down hills?" a voice replied.

Estelle peeked up at the owners... owner? It looked like there were two of them, but as her vision started to sort itself out, they morphed into one slightly annoyed boy's face.

"I didn't roll down the hill," Estelle said adamantly.

"No, I suppose you just happened to appear on top of me and my picnic then?" the voice shot back.

"No, I mean... I didn't intend to roll down the hill," Estelle corrected. "I tripped on a log."

"Oh," the boy replied. "Well, in that case I can't really blame you for smushing my sandwich."

"Sandwich?" she asked in confusion.

"Under your knee," the boy stated, helping her up so that she wasn't laying against his chest and between his legs anymore. As she pulled back to kneel on her heels, she noticed the jam sandwich under her knee, staining her dress.

"Oh, mother is going to kill me," she muttered as she lifted her knee to remove the squished sandwich.

"It was an accident. Surely she'll take that into account," the boy replied, offering her a cloth to wipe off the extra bits of jam on her dress.

"Well, she'll already be quite cross that I skipped my lessons. This will just be adding insult to injury," Estelle sighed.

"You skipped your lessons?" the boy asked in awe. "It seems we have a delinquent on our hands."

"I am not a delinquent! I just... wanted to be outside. It's such a nice day out. I didn't want to spend it cooped up inside studying philosophy."

"That is understandable. Philosophy is so much nicer outside," he smiled.

"What do you mean?" Estelle asked, tilting her head.

"Well, you can see bits of philosophy more clearly in nature. In nature there's a certain truth to things. Or at least, that's what my tutor says. I mostly see beauty, but I suppose there's a truth in that as well," the man replied.

"I think I'd prefer to take lessons with your tutor," Estelle grinned.

"What's your name? Perhaps I can convince my father to send a letter to your parents so that you may use my tutor," the boy offered.

"Estelle Devereux," she replied, holding her hand out to him.

"I'm Christian Thompson," he said with a curt nod, taking her hand. Instead of shaking it, he kissed the back of her hand. She looked away with a blush. This boy certainly was silly.

"Thompson," she murmured, "I think your father is a friend of mine. Your estate is Rouge Meadows, correct? I believe that we are neighbors."

"As close to neighbors as one can get in the country," Christian smiled. "It's nice to meet you. I've been wondering about the house that was built next door for a while now."

"I hope we can be more than just neighbors. With no one else around for miles, I hope we can become friends," Estelle smiled.

"I'd like that," Christian beamed.

Annalise laughed as Estelle finished her story. "I can't believe you landed in his sandwich!"

Estelle blushed, "Gravity has no care for where you land. Besides, according to Sir Isaac Newton, if Christian hadn't been there, it could have been a lot longer before I stopped rolling. However, that's beside the point. Not every first impression has to be good in order for the relationship to be."

Annalise nodded, "I suppose you're right." She looked out over her garden and sighed. "I'm looking forward to seeing new plants and displays this week at the Great Spring Show. I feel as though it's about time to change things up around here."

Estelle brightened. "Oh, I love the Great Spring Show. I heard they have at least five marquees this year at the Temple Gardens. There's been a lot of talk of this one called 'The Lover's Arch.' I'm excited to see it. Since it's open to almost anyone, perhaps I can see if Christian will invite Mr. Cavanaugh so that you can meet."

"That would be lovely," Annalise smiled, "However, if he cannot attend, it isn't the end of the world. Mr. Phillips will be there, and my mother seems to think he could be a suitable match for me. I just wish the man weren't so boring. He came to call on me a few days ago and he wouldn't stop discussing the grandfather clock in our drawing room, and you know how it is when you discuss time. It always passes by more slowly the more you mention it. I swear, Elle, it was the longest hour of my life."

Estelle chuckled. "If I may borrow one of your servants, I'll send a note to Christian."

Annalise nodded, ringing the bell for a maid to come forward. "Elizabeth, if you could fetch a paper, pen, and an envelope for Ms. Devereux, I would truly appreciate it."

"Yes, Miss," Elizabeth replied before going to fetch those items. When she returned she placed them on the table for Estelle. Estelle quickly penned a note and sealed it up, handing it back to her.

"If you could make sure this reaches it's destination, Elizabeth, that would be lovely. Thank you," Estelle smiled.

"Of course, Miss," Elizabeth nodded in deference.

Estelle turned back to her friend, "Well, Anna. This has been lovely. I should probably get going, but I'll see you at the Great Spring Show tomorrow."

"I'm excited for the fireworks at the end of the event."

Estelle smiled as she stood and smoothed out her skirts. "They're said to be spectacular this year. "

"Have a safe trip home," Annalise smiled as Estelle made her way back through the garden gate to her waiting carriage.

Estelle made her way home and enjoyed a quiet evening at home for the first time in days. It was almost odd to not have spent some part of the day with Christian, but she had to get used to it. After all, even if they were to get married someday, there could be times when they didn't see each other. She would have to learn to make do. That didn't change the fact that she was so very bored as she worked on her sewing pattern.

"Sister, that's the fifth time you've sighed in the past ten minutes," Mary grumbled. "If you're going to be like this, then just go to bed. The sooner you sleep, the sooner tomorrow can come."

"I suppose you're right," she sighed. "Maybe I'll go up to my room to write a bit before going to bed."

"I don't care what you do as long as you stop sighing in my ear. It is loud, obnoxious, and annoying," Mary snapped.

Estelle chuckled. "Alright, alright. I'm leaving."

She put her sewing pattern down and went up to retire for the evening. After getting dressed for bed, she sat down at her desk to write. Originally, she had planned on writing in her journal, but instead she found herself writing poems. The words poured out from her soul, and she realized upon rereading them, that they all were about Christian.

"Oh, I truly have it bad," she sighed at herself. A part of her grimaced upon hearing her sigh. Mary was right. It was irksome. With a shake of her head, she gave up and went to bed. Falling asleep in eager anticipation for the next morning.

When she awoke the next morning, she breezed through the hours before Christian came to fetch her for the Great Spring Show. She was excited. The Great Spring Show had always been one of her mother's favorite events of the season due to the colorful flower displays. She practically ran out the door when he arrived.

He had to chuckle at her enthusiasm. "Are you excited for the Garden Show?"

She smiled. "Yes, I am, Mr. Thompson. A whole bunch of flowers... I can almost smell them."

He smiled as he offered her his arm, taking in her green dress with a floral pattern on it. "I see you are dressed for the occasion."

She shrugged. "When in Rome."

"Well, Darling, you might be the loveliest flower there today," he grinned.

Estelle blushed, "Speaking of other attendees... will Mr. Cavanaugh be there? Annalise was hoping to meet him."

"I sent him the invitation. Whether or not he chooses to appear is up to him. William is a bit of a free spirit," Christian grinned.

"I figured as much," Estelle smiled, "Well, let's get going. Flowers wait for no one."

The two of them quickly made their way to the Temple Gardens, taking in the colorful explosion on the various marquees.

"I don't think I've ever seen so many flowers in one place," Estelle murmured in awe. The displays were spectacular. There was one that was in the shape of an Elephant, crowned with roses. It was titled the Maharaja. There were steps built into the side so that one could walk up to sit in the caravan of sunflowers on its back. They walked along, admiring the various displays until they came across Annalise waiting by a woman selling roses. Coincidentally, they saw Mr. Cavanaugh waiting across the way.

"William!" Christian called out, waving him over. The four met up near a bench off to the side of the foot traffic.

"Christian," William smiled, clapping him on the back. He then respectfully bowed to Estelle. "Ms. Devereux, a pleasure as always."

"Mr. Cavanaugh, I'd like you to meet my friend, Annalise Renton," Estelle said, gesturing to Anna. "Anna, this is Mr. William Cavanaugh."

William's eyes widened slightly as he met Annalise's eyes. He gallantly stepped forward to take her hand and kiss it. "Ms. Renton, I'm thoroughly enchanted by your presence."

Annalise blushed, "Mr. Cavanaugh, I've heard quite a bit about you."

William blushed, "All good things, I pray."

"Only the best," Annalise smiled.

With some reluctance, he let go of her hand. Christian and Estelle shared a smile and a look.

"Well, since Mr. Thompson is escorting me around, I think it would only make sense for you to escort Ms. Renton, don't you, Mr. Cavanaugh?"

William swallowed, and nodded. "O-of course. I would be delighted." He offered Annalise his arm. "Ms. Renton, may I have the honor?"

"You may," Annalise replied coyly, slipping her arm into his. The couples broke off to explore more, but Estelle kept an eye on her friends.

"They're getting along quite nicely," Estelle murmured to Christian.

"Even if they are in two different leagues," Christian replied sadly.

Estelle felt a slight pang of guilt. "Do you think I shouldn't have introduced them?"

"I don't know, Darling. Part of me feels as though we've set them up for failure, but they are also adults and can make their own decisions. If I'm being honest, William does have some background in society. He just turned his back on it for the Bohemian lifestyle. His sister is currently in charge of the estate, but I'm sure if he ever wanted to come back, he'd be welcomed with open arms," he explained.

Estelle nodded. That made her feel a little better.

They stopped in front of a maze. It was made out of hedges and potted trees.

"Step up and test the strength of your love!" a barker said beside it.

"How do you suppose we do that?" Christian asked, taking the bait.

"You see, lad. You and your lovely lady here will each enter the maze from two different sides. You'll each be given a map, but the directions are for your partner's path. It's up to you to make it to the center of the maze together, because you need two hands to open the gate under the lover's arch which leads to the stairs to get out of the maze," the barker replied as he pointed at the stairs. They were decorated with a rainbow made of flowers, going over the entire maze, leading from what was presumably the center to the a path outside the maze which led back to the event.

"What do you say, Ms. Devereux, shall we test our relationship?" Christian asked in amusement.

"I think it will be fun," she smiled.

Christian paid the man for their maps and then they lined up at their respective starting lines. When the barker nodded at them, they entered the maze.

"Alright, Ellie, it looks like you need to take a right at the fork up ahead," Christian called out.

"And you had better take the middle path," Estelle replied.

Together, they worked their way through the maze of green. The further along they got, the darker the sky became as the day whittled away. When they broke into the opposite sides of the center clearing, it was like an explosion of color between the sunset above and the flowers around. There were red roses, pink peonies, yellow sunflowers, and many more flowers that Estelle didn't even recognize. She slowly turned in a circle, taking it all in before facing the heart shaped arch covered in flowers. There was a door with instructions as to how to open it.

"This is beautiful," she murmured.

"It is," Christian replied, coming up behind her. He gently wrapped his arms around her waist as they spent a moment together in silence, just admiring the view.

"I suppose we should figure out the gate," she replied, looking up at the sky. "It's getting late. They should be starting the end of event fireworks soon."

"In a moment," he replied. "I was wondering if we could talk about something important."

Estelle turned in his arms to face him. "Of course."

"Well, I think this maze proved the strength of our bond rather nicely," he smirked.

"We did manage to get through it together," she smiled back.

"And that's just it. We did it together, just like old times. You make all of this not feel like I'm just playing a part. My father and I have been having some difficulties at home due to how I present myself and the fact that I probably talk too much. I love the fact that with you, I can just be myself, even if for a moment. Part of me... wants to make that moment last forever," he murmured, gently reaching out to cup her cheek. He stroked his thumb across her soft skin. The darkness was quickly setting in around them as the sun finally disappeared below the horizon. All around, little fireflies came to life from within the flowers.

"That's the problem with moments," she replied, "Their own nature means that they can't last forever."

"I suppose I'll just have to create so many moments that it feels as if they never end," he smiled, pulling her into him.

She broke out in a grin as he hugged her close, spinning her around a bit. When he set her back down, she felt that familiar magnetic pull into him. Her eyes closed as his hands settled on her face to bring her in for a kiss. She melted into him as flickers of light lit up the sky as fireworks boomed themselves into noisy existence before twinkling out into the vast expanse of the night sky. It was funny, really, seeing the physical manifestations of the way kissing him made her feel. As the fireworks started to speed up, crackling in a crescendo above them to signify the finale, they pulled apart, looking up at the sky to watch. Well, Estelle watched. Christian was too busy watching how the lights illuminated Estelle's face, highlighting her features in a way that he wish he could put into words. A silence settled in after the last firework fizzled out of existence with less fanfare than had accompanied its creation. Estelle's eyes settled back down from the sky to find Christian's blue gaze intent on her face.

"They'll be looking for us," she replied.

"We should go find them," he agreed.

Together, they opened the gate and crossed the rainbow bridge back to the event. They found their friends deep in discussion on a bench.

"There you two are," Annalise grinned. "We were beginning to think that you had left us behind."

"And leave without saying goodbye? Perish the thought," Estelle teased.

Annalise's eyes narrowed on Estelle and Christian, taking in how they were standing with each other. Something had changed. That much she knew.

"Well, Ms. Renton, I've had a lovely evening with you," William announced.

"Perhaps we could share a carriage?" Annalise proposed.

"That will be a trip for the two of you," Christian replied. "I'll be walking Ms. Devereux home. It isn't far and it's a lovely night."

Annalise nodded. "Alright, well, take care, you two." Then, she turned to Mr. Cavanaugh. "Shall we?"

"We shall," he smiled as he led her away.

Christian and Estelle chuckled as they watched them leave.

As Estelle and Christian made their way back to her home, they walked in silence for a moment.

"Thank you," Christian finally said.

"For what?" she asked in confusion.

"Always supporting me. With everything going on with at home, having your support has meant a lot," he murmured.

Estelle tipped up and kissed his cheek. "I'll always be here for you. Besides, the sooner that society sees that the Bohemians value some of the same things as they do, the better. For instance, that flower show would be a Bohemian's dream. All that beauty in one place? Truly magnificent."

He gave her a slight smile. "I guess you're right."

They came to a stop in front of her house. "Well, here we are now. This has been a perfect night," she sighed in content.

"It really has," he grinned.

"Will I see you soon?" she asked.

"I hope so," he replied, "Well, good night, Ms. Devereux."

He bowed slightly to her before turning to leave, but she took hold of his arm to stop him.

"Christian, wait."

"What is it?" he asked in concern.

"Well... I couldn't let you leave without letting you know that I want to create as many moments with you as you'll allow," she said softly.

He broke out in a wide grin, "And now that you have?"

"Now I can say good night," she smiled, gently letting her hand drop from his arm.

"Good night, Ellie."

"Good night, Christian."

Estelle made her way back into her house, leaning her back against the door as she heard it click closed behind her. Oh, what a night.

#The Greatest Thing #Christian x OC #Ch 5 #Here We Are Now

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obsessedwithbbandsuju · 5 years

Text

In Love | Part 1

If someone had said that to Jungsoo just a few months ago, he would have laughed a little. No, he would have laughed a lot. Falling in love with her? Not near likely.

Pairing: Park Jungsoo/Son Taeyeon

Warnings: Subtle references to depression, murder, and suicide, panic attacks

___

sunbaenim: a word used by a junior to refer to a senior in the industry

___

Jungsoo was in love.

It wasn’t a difficult thing, to fall in love with Son Taeyeon. If someone had said that to Jungsoo just a few months ago, he would have laughed a little. No, he would have laughed a lot. Falling in love with her? Not near likely.

It wasn’t like he hated her. He didn’t. But he did find that he had developed a rather profound dislike of Pandora’s leader during their time working together on Super Junior’s MAMACITA album.

When he’d heard that she was due to work with them, he – and the rest of the members, barring Heechul who was already good friends with her – had been amazed and thrilled. An opportunity to work with Son Taeyeon, someone who was considered a phenomenal and successful songwriter, composer, and producer, among other things, wasn’t something they had ever expected. Especially when their companies were two of the biggest in the industry, and it was a general consensus that they were in competition.

On the day of recording in the studio, meeting her first outside of broadcasts, Jungsoo had been ridiculously nervous. He couldn’t place why – maybe it was just the prospect of working with Son Taeyeon that had his nerves on edge and his palms feeling sweaty. She was going to be their producer for some of the album’s songs; there was some childish part of him that wanted to show her just how well Super Junior could do. And, just… the thought of seeing her outside of broadcasts, someone whom he was a massive fan of, was flustering.

Actually meeting her… that was a surprising, and disconcerting, experience. She wasn’t what he had expected at all, and not quite in a good way.

He’d heard all the rumors and seen the articles about her, yes. Some said she was nothing but a spoiled, demanding brat, the fame and success that her group had gotten since their debut going to her head. Others said she was frequently inappropriate, flirting with men left and right. There were still others that claimed that she was stuck-up, arrogant, rude, after all the praise she received about being talented and gorgeous and all the love she had from Pandora’s enormous fanbase.

And, well, she wasn’t arrogant or rude. She didn’t, not consciously, act like she was superior to them, nor did she make any inappropriate or suggestive comments that were unsuitable for business relationships. But Son Taeyeon seemed, if only internally, if only very slightly… smug. Jungsoo couldn’t pinpoint quite what it was about her that rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe it was the fact that she was detached and brisk when greeting the members. She smiled, shook hands, introduced herself and listened to introductions, but it was as if there was always a gap between her and the members, like she was holding herself aloof. Like, with all her accomplishments and all her talents and all her fame, she didn’t really want to completely open herself to people like them.

That was the closest he could come to explaining his dislike of her. Really, Jungsoo knew it wasn’t logical, no matter how much he tried to convince himself that it was, but the instant disapproval that he felt from first impression was undeniable. It wouldn’t go away, even after he tried to tell himself that he was being ridiculous, even when Taeyeon was responsive and courteous and, on top of it all, considerably charming to everyone.

And that distaste soured their interactions. Taeyeon caught on quickly; Jungsoo suspected from the first day of her working together with Super Junior, she was aware of his dislike. He couldn’t explain how he knew or why he was almost certain that she had noticed that he wasn’t too fond of her, but he just did.

It wasn’t like she really let it show that she knew. She was always unfailingly polite and relatively friendly with him, although by no means open, and that almost imperceptible air of superiority was always surrounding her. Still, they didn’t come into any sort of conflict, even if it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence that Leeteuk often found himself wondering how Heechul could be such close friends with someone like Taeyeon. He talked about her so fondly, like she was someone who matched just perfectly with him, and Leeteuk couldn’t see what about her fit so well with Heechul.

And it was even more confusing that it was clear that the rest of the members liked her. They liked her a lot. Youngwoon threw flirty comments a bit shamelessly, as usual, but Jungsoo often saw him and Taeyeon speaking together, laughing at each other’s words – he clearly liked her sense of humor. Shindong interacted with her more often than he usually did with people who worked with them, and seemed keen to get to know her – something he hardly ever did when it came to business partners. Sungmin was always friendly to everyone, but he seemed extra attentive whenever Taeyeon spoke, something like respect gleaming in his eyes when he looked at her. Hyukjae accommodated her with a schoolboy grin on his face, listening eagerly to her every word. He threw cheeky joke after cheeky joke, beamed when Taeyeon laughed at them. Donghae was shy at first (as he always was), seemingly a tad bit wary of approaching someone who was as imperious and bold as Taeyeon was on stage, but she quickly eased him out of it with her friendliness and soon, they were making natural conversation. Siwon, a natural with people, got along with her smoothly. Ryeowook and Kyuhyun’s sharp wit agreed instantly with hers, and the three of them soon hit it off, jokingly roasting the other members and each other.

There wasn’t a single person in the group that spoke badly of Taeyeon or seemed to sense that air of subtle cockiness that was always settled around her. When she was brought up outside of their working on the album, none of them ever had anything bad to say. “She’s down-to-earth. Easy to get along with.” “Heechul-hyung, I can see why the two of you are such good friends. She, miraculously, has the patience to deal with you.” “She’s so intense on stage, it’s kind of a surprise to see that she’s so laid-back usually. I like it, though.”

Jungsoo didn’t want to ruin the experience of working with her for them with his attitude, either, so he stayed quiet about his personal feelings and worked amiably enough with Taeyeon.

Then, a little over a week into her collaboration with Super Junior, the two of them had been left fairly secluded in the building after a business meeting. Jungsoo had been sitting at the now abandoned meeting table, reading over the notes he’d taken that day, when Taeyeon placed a coffee down next to him. He glanced up, not having heard her come in, then down at the cup. It was his favorite type of coffee.

“How did you know I liked this?” Jungsoo asked, struggling to mask the distaste in his voice. Something told him she hadn’t gotten him the coffee just to be nice or try to loosen things up between them.

“I just watch, sunbaenim,” she replied simply. She didn’t sit down.

Jungsoo was about to ask her what she was here for, but she opened her mouth and knocked him speechless for a second with her bluntness.

“You dislike me, don’t you?” Her stare on his face was steady and intent. She said it so matter-of-factly, like she knew it was absolutely true but also like it didn’t bother her in the slightest. Jungsoo suspected that it didn’t.

“Excuse me?” he very nearly sputtered, so taken off-guard by the complete straightforwardness with which she asked him that question.

Taeyeon took a sip of her coffee with infuriating casualness and gave him a small smile. There was no ill will in that smile, or any resentment at his apparently obvious dislike of her. At the same time, it wasn’t particularly friendly or seemed to be seeking to alleviate his negative feelings toward her.

“Frankly, sunbaenim, I don’t know why,” she continued, calm, “and I don’t particularly care. But we should agree to not let it interfere with work, don’t you think?”

Irritation flickered in Jungsoo’s chest again. Realistically, he knew there was no reason for it – Taeyeon, the disliked party, had come to him, the one who disliked her, to alleviate the tension between them as to prevent it from affecting their business relationship. If anything, he should respect how professional she was – but something about the way she spoke was irksome. It was that disinterested indifference, that relaxed casualness with which she was interacting with him – him, someone whom she knew disliked her. As if his dislike for her, and more than that, just dislike for her in general, was so completely inconsequential and beneath her scope of caring that she wasn’t at all nervous about speaking to people with those less-than-pleasant opinions of her – like himself.

Nothing at all seemed to faze her, and it was a serious contribution to her constant air of smugness.

Nevertheless, by all logic she was making a reasonable – maybe even expected – request.

“Of course,” Jungsoo grit out between his teeth, not looking at her.

“You could just say no.”

That made him look at her sharply. Jungsoo was sure his annoyance was now showing in his eyes, but Taeyeon met them without blinking. “I mean,” she said, “there’s clearly something else that’s keeping you irritated with me. Should we talk about it, sunbaenim?”

Jungsoo made himself take a breath. “That’s not necessary,” he said.

“I’m sorry if you think I’m being pushy, but I think it is.”

Exasperation began boiling over into fury. He was fast running out of patience with Taeyeon and her insistence on talking about the matter; if she could so clearly see that he obviously disliked her, couldn’t she just leave him alone?

“I can assure you that I know my own feelings better than you do,” Jungsoo replied, making one last effort to be cordial before he blew his top. At his response, Taeyeon regarded him intently, but not with interest – more with something that could only be described as professional curiosity.

“Alright then,” she said finally, but there was an undercurrent of doubt in her voice. “If you’re confident your feelings won’t put a damper on our work.”

Jungsoo didn’t know what about that was the final straw. Maybe it was because she was still doubting his words. Maybe it was just that she sounded so matter of fact. Maybe it was that he was tired and sleep-deprived and worried sick and constantly swamped with thoughts about his father and his grandparents and – and didn’t want to deal with her demeanor of superiority anymore. Whatever it was, he stood up sharply.

“You are possibly the most arrogant person I’ve ever had the displeasure of dealing with,” Jungsoo snapped, turning so the two of them stood facing each other. He was considerably taller and she had to tilt her chin upwards to look him in the eyes – something that, as exhaustingly, irritatingly expected as it was, didn’t seem to bother Taeyeon in even the slightest. She arched her eyebrows, and a flicker of annoyed amusement crossed over her face.

“I think I’ve been polite enough to someone who arbitrarily decided to dislike me right upon our first time speaking off camera.” Her tone was slightly sharper than he’d ever heard it, making Jungsoo suspect that, this time, she was genuinely irritated.

As petty as it was, it felt good. The fact that he’d irritated her, who always seemed so unflappable, felt good. He wanted to keep going. Keep annoying her.

“Sorry, but I can’t think much of anything good about someone like you.”

“Someone like me, hm?” She even put the emphasis in the same place. “I’m sure you’re an expert on that topic. So?” She tilted her head sideways, daring him to go on. “How much do you know about me?”

“I know that you’re stuck-up, spoiled, inappropriate, and unprofessional.” The words, devoid of honorifics, left his mouth before he could stop them, surprising even himself. He normally wasn’t this hasty or hotheaded, but just her, coupled with the absolutely abysmal mood he’d been in lately – since that – since that happened – was enough to even catch him off guard, it seemed.

“Really?” She had dropped the honorifics too – something that, for a junior, was considered unacceptable, but Jungsoo dimly thought that they’d already both long crossed the line between being acceptable and not acceptable. “What makes you think I’m stuck-up, spoiled, inappropriate, and unprofessional?”

“There are more than enough rumors, trust me.” Jungsoo realized that he was very nearly sneering.

Then something flared in Taeyeon’s eyes, and she outright did sneer. Her gaze became sharper, derision dripping from her every pore as she regarded him. “Have you seen it?” she challenged – and it was most definitely a challenge. “Have you seen me acting stuck-up? Turning up my nose like I’m better than everyone else? Have you seen me acting spoiled? Demanding what I want at every second and refusing to take no for an answer? Have you seen me acting inappropriate and unprofessional? Saw me flirting with a few men, I suppose?”

Jungsoo stared at her, startled and rendered silent by how disgusted she sounded. It was so far beyond the annoyance that she’d displayed previously – this was blatant, unfiltered scorn. But more than that, he couldn’t find the right words to respond. You had an air of smugness about you wasn’t really a good reason to act like someone was so terribly arrogant – he recognized that. So why was it that he’d been so completely convinced that Taeyeon was just that stuck-up?

“Who are you to judge me?” Her voice was soft – very pretty, Jungsoo just noticed – and extremely venomous, low and enunciated and full of spite. “What gives you the right? A few rumors flitting from mouth to mouth, stirred up by people who’ve never even seen me in person before in their lives? The idiots who judge as if they know everything just from reading articles by soulless reporters and treating others like trash because of it… you’re the one who’s just like them.” Her gaze flickered down to the cup of coffee she’d brought him just minutes earlier, then back to him. Contempt was still dripping from her eyes, and suddenly, Jungsoo found it so much harder to hold her stare.

“Enjoy your coffee.” The smile she gave him was anything but friendly, and then she turned on her heel and left the room. Jungsoo stared after her. Her words were affecting him more, much more, than he wanted to admit. What gives you the right to judge me? It wasn’t an unfair question. What was it that gave him the right to decide that Taeyeon just had to feel superior to him and the others, when she’d never acted like it in the slightest? Now that he thought about it, she had always been pleasant, had always been professional, had always made sure to avoid making the production of the album a completely unilateral process, had always made sure to ask the members’ opinions instead of just deciding matters on her own. Besides his thoughts that she just… just slightly seemed to consider herself better than them, he couldn’t name a single thing that Taeyeon had done wrong.

So why? Why had he been so convinced that she was arrogant, when absolutely nothing concrete that she’d done or said gave any impression of the sort? Jungsoo didn’t know what to tell even himself. He wasn’t usually someone who was quick to judge, especially not off of baseless articles. He knew all too well how many of those were just grabs for attention. And besides, people made mistakes, people had bad days, people had problems that were gnawing at their minds – he should know that, of everyone. So really, what had made him so quick to judge Taeyeon? Was it because of what had recently happened with his father––or something else? He had definitely been feeling below the weather constantly nowadays, but even so…

Jungsoo thought of the few times he’d encountered her before their collaboration for the Mamacita album. Mostly they’d met on Strong Heart, both of their groups frequenting that particular show, although he could name a few others. Like most idols on variety shows, she’d promoted her music, and her group’s music, through teaser-like performances. Taeyeon’s… they’d always been particularly startling. She was bold, after all, and what she came up with rarely ever fit well into what was considered proper – especially for a female idol, especially back then. Confidently sexy, critical of society, and straightforward weren’t exactly concepts that people thought pretty young women like Taeyeon should do. Things were better now, and the box that women were expected to push themselves into was widening, but even Jungsoo, a man, could see that it was suffocating and restrictive back then (and still was today). And Taeyeon often completely broke out of that box, back then and now. It was part of the reason why she was so well-known and popular, and also part of the reason why she had a substantial number of vocal antis on social media. “She’s so classless.” “Doesn’t she even know how cheap and desperate she looks?” “She’s probably the kind of slut that throws herself at men left and right.” “If she seriously thinks she looks good doing that, then her head must be shoved far up her ass.” “Can you imagine how arrogant you’d have to be to be doing trash like that?”

Jungsoo had been one to scoff when he saw comments like that. He thought, clearly, they just couldn’t accept the idea of a woman who was so absolutely unconcerned with fitting their expectations. He’d even thought it was more than a little pathetic; sure, Taeyeon might be maverick, and he’d been caught off guard more than a few times by her, too, but it was far from something to be so hateful about. But, thinking of it now, maybe he hadn’t been so high and mighty, either. The articles and rumors about her being inappropriately sexual, entirely spoiled, or haughty and arrogant, combined with his shock at her daring conceptual and musical variety – they must have swayed his opinion of her more than he realized.

That was why he had been so convinced Taeyeon considered herself superior, even though there was nothing concrete or logical supporting that conclusion. He hadn’t known it for years, but he’d been buying into the same prejudices that he scoffed at.

After that realization, it was difficult to even be around Taeyeon. She was, amazingly, even a little off-puttingly, cordial with him when they had to interact, although she remained reserved and distant and was clearly not too thrilled when she did. Jungsoo, on the other hand, couldn’t find it in himself to be as composed. He found it hard to look her in the eye when they spoke, and quickly took to just trying to avoid her altogether, outside of when it was strictly necessary. The last thing he needed was the members noticing his awkwardness around Taeyeon. And especially Heechul would be wondering why there seemed to be so much tension between them, two of his close friends. So he just tried to stay away from her as best as he could. If Jungsoo did say so himself, he was pretty successful.

Until one night. He was the last one to be recording on that day, and all the other members had gone home. It was just himself, Taeyeon, and a producer, in the studio, and the recording wasn’t going as smoothly as they could have hoped. Taeyeon was meticulous with the details of the song’s vocals, and Jungsoo was rather particular when it came to recording, too, which made for a difficult pair to please. The frustration was threatening to burst over inside him, and it didn’t help that he had to hide it. He had to smile and keep apologizing to Taeyeon and the other producer when all he wanted to do was groan and run an exasperated hand through his hair – not to mention the fact that she was watching his every mistake. What made things worse was that she didn’t seem irritated at all, even though he knew she must be – how could she not? But she stayed calm, her tone levelheaded, laid-back. “Again, please.” “A little higher?” “Will you put a tad bit more emphasis on that syllable?” Jungsoo would have preferred that she just let him see her annoyance; he’d feel less apologetic that way, and feeling less apologetic would mean he felt less embarrassed.

Eventually, Taeyeon had asked if he wanted to take a break before continuing. Jungsoo, needing some time to cool down, had agreed, and she’d left the room, saying she’d be back in ten minutes. The other staff member took his temporary leave as well, probably tired of sitting in the studio for so long. When he was alone, Jungsoo sat down on one of the couches, sighing.

He thought he just needed a moment to gather himself, but his frustrations crept up behind him and piled up, swamping his mind. The frustrations turned to insecurities quickly, and, to his horror, he thought he could hear his father’s voice, his father’s words, echoing in his head. “Do you think you came all this way because of your hard work?”

And really, had he? He tried his best to be a leader, to keep his group together, to mediate between the members and comfort them when things were hard, but in reality? Jungsoo had no fucking idea what he was doing. He had no clue had to handle all the things that came their way. He wasn’t a leader, he’d never been someone with strong leadership. He could barely handle himself, so how could he possibly be the leader that the other members deserved? He hadn’t been able to stop Hangeng from leaving – hadn’t even noticed that his friend was dissatisfied until he sued and left – and he hadn’t been able to do anything about Heechul’s near decision to leave the group. He was supposed to be a pillar, an anchor, something that his members could cling on to when things became difficult for them and trust to keep them upright, but he could only just stay standing, himself. You can’t do anything. You’re useless. You’re no help to anyone. You’re called the leader of the group, but just what are you good for, really?

Jungsoo realized he was shuddering. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but the motion caught in his chest. The trembling wouldn’t stop. His muscles felt tight, too tight, and his heart was beating too hard and too fast in his chest. He felt both hot and cold at the same time, like he had a fever, and the hollow area behind his eyes felt too light, too airy, to be normal. His head pounded violently, making his temples ache. He couldn’t control his breathing. His ribcage felt like it was being compressed. Panicked, he gripped desperately at the sofa, trying to ground himself, but his body flew away from him in bounds, and soon, he could vaguely hear the sound of his own ragged, irregular breaths. A sob ripped its way harshly, almost painfully, from his throat. Then another. Then another. Then another, until he was openly crying as he trembled, curling into a ball on the sofa with his arms wrapped around himself.

Worthless. Weak. Incompetent. Pathetic. Coward.

Coward. Useless. Weak. Incompetent. Pathetic.

Pathetic. Weak. Worthless. Useless. Incompetent.

He dimly heard the door opening again and someone walking in, and Jungsoo wanted – really wanted – to pull himself together, because he just couldn’t be seen like this. But his body wouldn’t listen to him. He tried to take a deep breath, only for it to get stuck in his throat, then forced painfully back out by another cry. His grip of own hands clutching his forearms was too strong, too tight, to the point where it was painful, but he was completely unable to loosen his fingers.

Incompetent. Coward. Pathetic. Worthless. Weak.

‘Sunbaenim? Sunbaenim.’

Weak. Coward. Incompetent. Worthless. Pathetic.

‘Leeteuk-sunbaenim? Can you hear me? Sunbaenim?’

Pathetic. Weak. Worthless. Useless. Pathetic––

“Jungsoo!”

The sound of his name – his real name – pulled him out of the quagmire, if only for a moment of hazy confusion. Struggling to move through the waves of panic crashing over him, the violent shuddering that was overtaking his body, he lifted his head, feebly looking around. Turning his gaze, just barely, to the left, he caught a flash of dark hair tugged into a hasty ponytail, pale pink lips, and wide brown eyes staring at him in a mixture of shock and concern.

It was Taeyeon, he realized dimly, over another choked sob, on the sofa next to him. Her body was positioned towards his, as if she wanted to make contact with him, but no part of her was touching any part of him. It was like she was wary of letting them even so much as brush against each other.

Her voice, though, seemed to touch him, trickling into his ears, at first without completely comprehension. He could hear the words she was saying, but his brain refused to understand them at first over the sound of his heart thumping, the tightness in his chest, the lightness in his head.

“…alright. It’s all going to be fine. I’m here now. I have you.”

Fine.

I’m here.

I have you.

Those words – those words, just the fact that someone was saying them sounded like music to Jungsoo’s ears. At least, that was what he had time to think, before his body tensed further, something he hadn’t even thought was possible, and another cry wracked him. Another overwhelming wave of something – something – swamped his psyche, rendering Jungsoo unable to even attempt to cry for help. He felt damp and hot and somehow frozen all over, everything, everything, spiraling out of his control.

Incompetent. Coward. Pathetic. Worthless. Weak.

Worthless. Weak. Incompetent. Pathetic. Coward.

Weak. Coward. Incompetent. Worthless. Pathetic.

“Is it okay if I touch you?”

Touch me? Jungsoo nodded, only just barely – nowhere near enough to convey how badly he wanted her to touch him, how badly he wanted anyone to touch him. Human contact. Someone else. He needed it, and if that was going to be her, he needed her. He desperately tried to reach out towards the fellow human body on the couch, but his hands, his arms, they wouldn’t listen to him.

It didn’t matter, though, because in that instant, her hands were on him, gripping his arms and fighting to break the chokehold he had on his own body. Once she had pried his hands from himself, she clasped one of them in her own, ignoring how hard he must have been squeezing her, and began to rub his back in slow circles. “It’s alright,” he heard her say. “I’m here for you. Just listen to me, you can do this. Breathe.”

Breathe. Jungsoo tried. He tried to pull air into his mouth, down his throat, and into his lungs, but only part of the oxygen he’d breathed in went further than his windpipe. The rest stuck fast and harsh against an invisible, intangible, but somehow still very much existent, lump in his chest. A sound that vaguely resembled a hiccup made his entire body jerk. He sobbed again, his ribcage feeling awfully, terrifyingly compressed, like there was a physical force pushing the two halves together.

“Breathe.” The voice was firmer now. “Just follow my voice. I have faith in you, Jungsoo. Here – in… out… in… out… in… out… in – that’s right, just like that. You can do it. Out… in… out… in… out… in…”

There was no telling how long she’d been there next to him, but when Jungsoo regained enough of himself to realize that the panic was abating, she was still there. Turning his head, he looked in her direction, staring at her face – her intent, concerned gaze, the way her lips were slightly parted in concern, the deftness with which her eyes scanned over his face – and he saw her for the first time.

Humiliation flooded over Jungsoo, mixing with the still present and intense distress from just minutes earlier, coalescing into a mass that was altogether unpleasant. And when he cried again, tears leaking from his eyes and blurring her face, there were no words in any language’s vocabulary to express how sorry he was.

And then, she hugged him. Pulling him gently against her so he could feel the warmth of her body soaking through her clothes and his, reminding him that she was there – that someone was there. Her hand slid over his back, resting lightly just at the base of his spine. Shuddering, Jungsoo buried his face in her shoulder, trying to control his trembles.

“You’re alright,” she murmured in an impossibly comforting voice. “I’m right here. You’re going to be fine.”

“I – I’m sorry––” Jungsoo gasped as another sob gripped him. “I’m so sorry.” She shouldn’t have to see him like this, she shouldn’t be having to deal with him like this. Especially not after he was so––

One of her hands left his back to reach upwards, softly caressing the back of his head. “Don’t apologize. Just focus on breathing. It’ll be okay. I promise.”

It must have taken another five minutes for the attack to subside completely, and Jungsoo found himself clinging desperately to Taeyeon, like a child who’d found his mother after a long separation. Her hand was locked in his, but he didn’t want to let go. He needed the feeling of their hands joining to remind him of her words. It’ll be okay. I promise. He sniffled, just now feeling the tears drying on and spilling over his cheeks. Another cry bubbled from his chest and forced its way out through his mouth, but it was softer now, more controlled. Jungsoo pulled away from the embrace, but he didn’t let go of her hand. He wasn’t ready to.

As he drew back, Taeyeon squeezed his fingers reassuringly in her own. “It’s all good,” she said, soothingly. “You’re alright.” Reaching up, she wiped his tears away with her thumb, her palm settling gently and briefly on his cheek. Her skin was soft against his face.

Jungsoo finally managed to take a full breath. It was tremulous, shuddering, and made his eyelids flutter from the effort, but it was a full breath. “I – I’m sorry,” he stuttered, his voice hoarse and thick from his crying. “You didn’t – need to see me like – like this.” They were just colleagues, just one-time colleagues at that… and two people who’d gotten into a vicious argument just days earlier, because he was unreasonable and he was irrational and he was the one who had been a pretentious asshole. Oh God, what was he going to do?

“No, no.” She patted his hand gently. “I understand. It’s okay. I won’t ask what happened, but I’m here for you. You can talk to me about it if you want, but you don’t have to.”

Jungsoo dragged another breath through his teeth, cringing at the harsh gasping sound it produced. Taeyeon didn’t even flinch. She continued looking at him with that same encouraging gaze, keeping her hand firmly intertwined with his. He still didn’t want to let go. She didn’t look the same as she had just ten minutes ago, leaving the studio and telling him that she’d be right back; she looked like an angel sent by God. Jungsoo knew it sounded cliché, but she really, truly, did seem like a holy being from a higher dimension that had come to Earth to help him.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice weak and tremulous, but at least he could control it now. “Thank you. For helping me. I… I – thank you.” He didn’t think he could express in words how grateful he was, for being there next to him, holding his hand, instructing him through his breaths… hugging him.

Her sweater was damp where he’d buried her face in her shoulder and cried.

“I’m s-sorry,” Jungsoo managed, apologizing again as shame tickled his skin. “Your sweater…”

Taeyeon followed his gaze and seemed to only then see the wet stain covering the fabric. “It’s nothing,” she said, her tone entirely, effortlessly, and most of all, sincerely, dismissive. “Are you feeling better? Can you breathe?”

Overwhelmed by her kindness, Jungsoo nodded.

“Good. Do you think you can stand? We can get you to someone who can help.”

Again, Jungsoo nodded, unable to find words. The corners of Taeyeon’s lip curled up in a small, reassuring smile. She stood, offering a supporting hand to Jungsoo. Tentatively, he took it, and, supporting himself with his hand against the arm of the couch, pushed himself to his feet. His legs felt unsteady, and he was suddenly so exhausted that he wasn’t sure he could walk, but Taeyeon’s arm wrapping around his waist and letting him lean against her helped him avoid falling down like an idiot. She was surprisingly strong. At such a close proximity, the smell of her vanilla perfume wafted gently over his nose.

Jungsoo realized his heart was pounding. It wouldn’t stop, even as Taeyeon helped him out of the studio and to the staff, who took him from there. Taeyeon called after him, telling him to take care, and the last of her that Jungsoo saw before he was helped out of the studio by the staff was her staring after him. Her brows were pulled together, lips parted slightly, eyes intent, in an expression of worried concern.

Maybe it was his imagination, but his heart pounded harder.

#leeteuk scenarios #leeteuk imagines #leeteuk reactions #leeteuk #park jeongsu #super junior scenarios #super junior reactions #super junior imagines #super junior #my writing

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zoennes · 5 years

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I appreciate that some people are trying to make sense of the mess that is Zoenne’s storyline this season but I honestly can’t wrap my mind around it.

At the beginning, with the whole partying thing, I thought it would be about Senne sabotaging himself/their relationship, because the Senne we saw in s2 wouldn’t be leaving Zoë alone to go partying. He could always go to a party or two without her, don’t get me wrong. That’s healthy, they can have their separate lives/have fun without each other. While Zoë was always going out with the girl squad in the previous seasons, in s3 apart from ep 3 they were never with Zoë, which made me feel even more the weight of Senne not being there with her. Plus, when one of them was with her it was to make her feel insecure: Amber telling her Senne wasn’t missing her, asking if they’re in an open relationship, etc.

The partying was never shown as normal behavior, though. It was always implied this was an issue. It was brought up every time we saw them: Zoë saying “see you tomorrow” when he said “see you tonight”, the way he was always out and she couldn’t sleep ~because~ of it, so much so she locked their bedroom door and he had to sleep on the couch when he got home so she could sleep for a whole night.

Making him not reply to her messages was so ooc, when would Senne do that? That whole Halloween week was a nightmare. She was stuck with the idea Amber planted in her head (that he might have been cheating) while he didn’t care to reply to a message she sent saying she wished he was there and to the other messages she sent him that weekend. On Halloween night she was also checking her phone and looking disappointed, which makes me believe he wasn’t keeping in touch during that whole week. Also, why didn’t he go with her? (At least for the weekend.) Why wasn’t he home the night she got back from the trip? Oh yes, he was partying!

Ok, this was a recurring drama that so far hasn’t been properly addressed, they don’t talk about it, Senne seems to think this is all okay and Zoë doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it even though it bothers her.

Then, to make things worse, the Zoë-is-not-testifying storyline came along.

To see this character testifying was something we always wanted.

It was realistic to show how women feel like it’s better to ‘forget’ what they’ve been through than relive it all going to court and having to tell strangers about it. The shame and guilt sa victims feel even though what happened wasn’t their fault at all is very real, unfortunately.

From what we’ve seen of s2 Zoenne though, they always talked. It could begin as an argument but 1 minute later they’d be understanding each other’s point of view/reasons for acting a certain way (most of the time). Plus they were going through extreme circumstances. And now they LIVE together, I imagine they would be able to talk and understand what the other was feeling much more instead of screaming at each other or leaving slamming doors. Zoë wouldn’t be throwing at his face this is her problem and he has nothing to do with it, because deep down and being the empathetic person she is she knows he feels very guilty about what happened to her. Senne would talk to her in a way that would make her feel better, feel she can count on him always, like he did many times before.

Notice that she said Senne was being pushy in s2 when he was talking about them meeting with Viktor, that only happened because she was super nervous about his offer and he couldn’t have guessed why, he wasn’t really being pushy. Now she’s feeling just like that again. After 382 fights Zoë suddenly decides to testify, letting him know she’s doing it for herself and not for him. He seems pretty happy and okay about it. (As he should!) He just wants his brother to pay for what he did to her. It’s complicated af, but to them I feel like it wouldn’t be this complicated, you know? Because they were always very honest, I believe he would end up talking about feeling guilty again and she would assure him it wasn’t his fault. She would tell him it hurts to remember it all and he would hug her and make her feel a bit better. They would come to an agreement after all, even if their opinions diverged.

Yesterday was the last straw for me. I couldn’t even cry because I was so shocked. I couldn’t and I still can’t believe they did that to this important part of Zoenne’s story. I loathed this clip.

Their whole argument was bullshit. So unecessary. So hurtful. S2 Senne would have been preparing her for this day through the whole week, all of them would, actually, but he’d be spoiling her, and his support would give her the extra strength she needed. Not because a woman needs a man but because we feel stronger when we have someone we love supporting us.

Making Milan convince her to go in 30 seconds of conversation... makes 0 sense and it’s definitely not the way I thought this storyline would end. I’m heartbroken that that’s what they decided to do. Milan is very important to Zoë, he’s a great friend, but this was supposed to be a Zoenne moment. They were Viktor’s victims, Senne should have been the one going with her, YOU CAN’T CHANGE MY MIND.

Their chat gave me a minute of peace but... for how long?

The partying thing is still there, this Viktor nightmare needs to be worked through (maybe both of them should go to therapy together, it’s that serious, yes) and the saddest thing and the main reason why I don’t understand the point behind giving them more than 1 difficult problem to deal with during these past few months is: it’s not their season anymore. We won’t be seeing the way things unfold, we can’t be with them when they’re enjoying each other’s company, we mostly got to see the ugly parts. Why give them more shit to get through if they’re not the main focus of the show anymore? How can we be satisfied if we can’t watch them working through all this? If they keep them together, that is...

Just imagining Zoë being miserable around the girl squad in s4 (either because Senne is acting *OOC* or because they aren’t together) while Amber talks about how wonderful her boyfriend is... it makes me sick. (Nothing against Amber btw, I’m just using it as an example of how unfair the story goes when it comes to this pairing. They went through hell to be and stay together while for other people it’s so easy and uncomplicated.)

It makes me sick because s2 Zoenne is wonderful. And powerful, and passionate and intense but also full of love and patience, even if both of them are extra when it comes to being dramatic. (They had their reasons, let’s be real.) They love each other so much.

I wish they had respected Senne’s growth (the fact that he EVOLVED!) during the course of the previous two seasons instead of giving him the party guy crown this season among other stuff that made it look like the promise of not wanting to be a jerk anymore isn’t being taken seriously, and I wish they had shown us how they were getting over the obstacles s2 threw at them and making their new relationship status aka living together work, even if it’s not always easy. I didn’t want perfect, I wanted normal problems that could be solved with talking and tickling and kissing. It’s enough drama for a lifetime, what they went through in s2. No one likes to see their OTP suffering during an entire season!!! I wish we had had a few more cute parallels to s2 or new cute breadcrumbs every 30 seconds they would appear in a clip. I’m so beyond salvation that I see a couple that moved in together being happy in a movie or something and I feel bitter, I sigh deeply and think “that could have been Zoenne, if only...”

My wishes are worthless, I know.

But that’s what I hoped and it will always be the way I see them and I know a lot of people would agree with me.

Let’s put our clown make up on and wait for what’s coming.

One thing I know: I won’t ever stop loving the characters I got to know so well. I will probably write lots of fics to cope until they come back to us, the OTP we fell so deeply in love with last season. I still hope this will happen and that it won’t be just a thing that happens when the show is ending, I want to see them happy and enjoying each other’s company with no ghosts or stupid storylines to make them suffer. I don’t want an endgame only, I want and could watch them washing dishes and walking holding hands in parks for the rest of my life.

I’m counting on you to not leave me alone in this. Zoenne deserves our love, they always will.

#wtFOCK #Skam Belgium #Zoë Loockx #Senne De Smet #Zoenne #Only a Senne season (s5) would make me understand where this story is going at this point...#I never thought I'd be here complaining about their storyline but life is a bitch #ZOENNE SWEETIES I'M SO SORRY #f*ck s3

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365daysofsasuhina · 5 years

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[ @sasuhinamonth || SasuHina Month 2019 || Day Nineteen: Blind Date ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Yamanaka Ino ] [ SasuHina, SakuIno, NejiTen ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

She really doesn’t see what all the fuss is about. Sure, she’s currently the only one in her friend group not seeing anyone, but it’s not like she’s desperate. The way they talk, you’d think she was dying!

“I’m just focusing on myself, okay?”

“...mhm,” Ino had replied, a brow perked in clear disbelief. “And you know that part of that is being happy, right?”

“...a-and?”

“And, that means going out! Meeting people! Getting laid,” the blonde cackled as Hinata went bright red in the face.

“I-I don’t think -!”

“Look, Hinata...you never dated anyone in high school. You never dated anyone in college. And now here you are, a year out of your education, and you’re still the singlest pringle I know. You really don’t feel any need to break that streak?”

“No,” the Hyūga huffs, clearly on the defensive. “I...I have work to do!”

“Work isn’t all you should be doing! You need to have fun, Hinata -”

“I do have fun -!”

“Yeah, right. When was the last time you did something of your own volition to enjoy yourself? In other words...when it wasn’t me, or Sakura, or Tenten dragging you out for your own good before you completely disappeared?” Chin in her hand, Ino gave her friend a full-lipped pout. “I don’t want to see you become some sort of recluse, ‘nata. I get being introverted, and I get enjoying your work…! But girl, you need to get out and live a little! Your life’s gonna pass you by!”

Pausing and staring down at the planter in her hands, Hinata heaves a small sigh. “...I’m...content as I am. If...if I start dating someone, that’s a whole other person, a whole other...existence I have to keep track of, and maintain, and -”

“Hinata,” Ino cut in, tone exasperated. “You’re reading into this too much. Yeah, dating is a partnership. But you care about your friends, don’t you? You don’t find that to be too much, right? Dating is like that. Just...with a few extra aspects that grow as you grow. Look...I think you should just...go out and meet someone! See how it goes! If you hate it, then...fine. Be a hermit,” she teased. “...but I just wanna see you be happy. Like how Sakura makes me happy, how Neji makes Tenten happy. Right?”

“...I g-guess so…”

“Okay. Good. I’ll poke around my social circle fringes for someone you might like.” A baby blue eye winked. “We’ll find you someone to have a lil blind date with! No pretense, just a whim.”

Not looking entirely convinced, Hinata had just...nodded. Fine. She’d give it a try. And then maybe her friends would leave her alone.

Hence why she’s now sitting in a little cafe as directed, tucked in a corner table and just...waiting. She spent far too long on an outfit and a bit of makeup, feeling like a stranger in her own skin. Until today, she couldn’t remember the last time she wore a dress, or bothered with makeup.

Part of her wonders if that means she’s making a false first impression.

Waiting is agony, but she refuses to get out her phone, not wanting to look impatient or bored. So, in typical Hinata fashion, she just sits and idles awkwardly.

Every time the door opens, she stiffens, but again and again she’s passed by. Well...maybe they stood her up. If...if they aren’t here in ten more minutes, she’s leaving! She can do that...right?

“Uh...Hinata?”

Jolting and glancing up, she beholds a face that rings a distant bell. She...knows this guy. Didn’t they go to high school together…? “Y-? Uh...yes?”

“Hey...I’m Sasuke. Ino, uh...set this up, right?”

“Yes! I’m...the other half of this, I-I guess,” she replies sheepishly, managing a nervous smile. “It’s...it’s nice to see you again! It’s...been a while.”

“Yeah, it has.” Gingerly sliding in the seat next to her, he glances around. “Look, uh...Ino didn’t force you into this, did she?”

“Well...she was very...adamant. But no, she didn’t, um - I decided to come.”

To her surprise, he seems to relax a bit. “Okay.”

“Was she...very pushy with you?”

“Nah, not really.”

Hinata’s head tilts. Something ignites a curiosity in her. “I...I see. Well, um…”

Before she can speak more, a waitress comes and asks for drink orders. Hinata gets iced tea, Sasuke asking for coffee.

“So...why did you come, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Pausing at the question, Hinata replies, “...well, Ino has been, um...suggesting I try to, y’know...branch out a bit more. She said she’d find someone she’d sort of...filter for me? We’re good friends, so...I-I trust her judgment.”

“Huh...okay.”

“Can I...ask you the same thing?”

Apparently not expecting that, Sasuke freezes, and...a hint of pink blooms in his cheeks. “Just, uh...same, I guess.”

...didn’t he just say Ino hadn’t been pushy with him? Hinata can’t help but perk a brow, and he realizes he’s not convincing her.

A hand passes back through his hair. “I...might’ve asked her for some help.”

“...help?”

His expression fractures a bit, looking flustered. “You -? I mean...back in high school, I thought -? Ah shit, I’m screwing this up…” Sighing, he drags his palm down his face. “...I always thought you were really...cute. Back then. But I couldn’t -. Well...it never panned out. I recently moved back into the city, and she told me you were still here, and...I let it slip. She wouldn’t let it go, so...I asked if she’d help me...get to know you better.”

Eyes widening, Hinata blinks. He...he liked her…? All the way back then? Her own visage starts to go rosy. “I...I-I see.”

“Sorry if that was, like...creepy, or not what you wanted to get into. If that’s -”

“S-Sasuke…” Making sure he’s quiet, she gives a small smile. “I-I don’t think it’s...creepy. I mean, it’s not quite a b-blind date, but...that’s okay. Better, if anything. I’m g-glad I at least know of you, honestly.” Her head ducks demurely. “...I’d...like to get to know you.”

“...yeah?”

“Yeah…!”

Relief wilts his shoulders. “Well...okay. Cool. Uh...where should we start?”

“Honestly, I have no idea. Maybe we can just...w-wing it?”

“...okay. Yeah, sure.”

.oOo.

Well, I guess this isn’t 100% a blind date, but...hopefully it still fits the prompt? xD I’m a big sucker for Sasuke being the one initially with feelings for Hinata, hence having it here. Time for Hinata to find out what she’s been missing! Anywho, that’s all for now! Thanks for reading~

#sasuhina #sasuhinamonth #sasuhinamonth2019 #uchiha sasuke #hyūga hinata #yamanaka ino #sakuino #nejiten #best years of your life [ au ]

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fandom-queenliness · 5 years

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The Breaking Part 4: Nino

This is part 6 of my Burning series, or my Adrien Affair AU (shout out to the anon that mentioned that title), still trying to decide. You can read the rest of it here.

Not gonna lie, I cried writing this. Now I may just be very soft, but it does get pretty emotional. Warning, there are like two swear words, I think.

Anyway, onto the pain!

The Breaking Part 4: Nino

Nino’s breath left him when Kagami walked out, head held high as she walked over to him and Chloe. He knew it was his turn next, his turn to give Adrien a piece of his mind and yet…

He wasn’t sure if he would survive it.

He wasn’t sure if Adrien would survive it.

Chloe stood, buzzing with nerves and anger. “What did you do?”

“Made him hurt,” Kagami answered. Chloe nodded, joined in their solidarity.

They turned to Nino. “Are you ready?”

Was he ready to end his friendship? Was he ready to make Adrien hurt for what he had done? Was he ready to show all his anger and disappointment?

He glanced down to the phone in his hand, to the text Alya had just sent a minute ago, telling him that Felix had come to the house, to comfort Mari.

Of course he would, Nino thought, he loves her.

He flashed to Adrien’s careful mask as he recounted his crimes, how he hadn’t even told Marinette before broadcasting it to the whole world.

He loves her more than Adrien.

And so do I.

He looked up to the two women and nodded, determination turning him to iron, so he would not falter when he faced his friend. “I’m ready.”

Adrien didn’t call for security. He just stared down at the wakizashi Kagami had given him, not daring to touch it.

He sat behind his desk and stared, knowing that when she saw sense, she would come to collect it herself.

It was only a matter of time before they all saw sense. Marinette would get over her anger and forgive him, seeing that he was so very apologetic, and then the rest would follow. They were his friends, his family. The words Chloe and Kagami and spat were meaningless, born from shock. They would cool down and take them back soon enough. He just had to see Marinette and she would convince them.

She would forgive him, they all would.

Nino nearly walked right out of the office when he saw Adrien smile at him.

His teeth were still a little bloody from Kagami’s punch – she had gleefully recounted her conversation with him – and the smile came off more like a grimace. But the joy in his green eyes made Nino’s blood heat up with anger, remembering Mari’s broken voice.

“Nino, bro, thank god.” Adrien didn’t even suspect him of being angry. Clearly, he had not learned his lesson with Kagami and Chloe. He sagged a little in his chair—in relief.

“Adrien,” he returned softly.

The blonde didn’t even see his heartbroken expression. “Kagami punched me, man! Can you believe it? I mean, I’m not sure I deserve to have my teeth ache for the next three days, do you? I know I got far worse back in the day as Chat Noir, but wow, Kagami was really mad.” He shook his head and shrugged. “Well, it’s not like she won’t apologise later. Anyway, any ideas?”

Nino stared at him. “Ideas?”

“For what to say to Marinette,” Adrien told him as if it was obvious. “You’ve known her since you guys were kids. You must have perfected the art of apologising. So hit me, what do you have?”

“You think I came here… to help you apologise to Marinette?” The words tasted bitter in Nino’s mouth; he could barely believe Adrien. He really didn’t know him anymore. Had he ever?

“Well, why else would you come?” Adrien’s smile faded, turning wary. “You do support me, right?”

He really was a child, Nino realised. Looking at him, with his bruising face and childish expression, he could finally see what he had been ignorant to. A selfish, self-absorbed, arrogant, child. Adrien was blind, he didn’t even see the way Nino couldn’t look him in the eyes.

Nino…?” Adrien asked, standing up slowly. He walked over, tried to hug him, but Nino stepped away, shaking his head.

“I can’t,” he said, even as tears burned his eyes. “I can’t support you Adrien. Not after what you have done.”

Adrien’s expression turned to hurt. As if he had the right to feel like he was the victim in all of this.

“But—but Nino please.” He grabbed Nino’s arm, eyes wide and pleading. “You’re my best friend, you know I would never do anything to hurt Marinette.”

“But you did!” Anger erupted out of him, red hot and vengeful. “You cheated on her, then you lied about it, and then you told the whole damn world. You—you hurt her Adrien. You betrayed her.” He ripped his arm away from him, looking at him in disgust.

“It was an accident; you can see that!” He protested, still reaching out for him. “I promise to make sure to make up for it, I will, I promise Nino! Please don’t just leave me!”

“You can’t make up for this!” He glared at the blond, outraged by the very idea. “You can’t just think a promise is going to make anyone believe you. You promised to love Marinette, to cherish her, to never hurt her and you did just that. You cheated on her and then told the world about it!”

“I had to!” Adrien looked close to ripping his hair out. “I had to tell Mark otherwise he would blackmail me, or worse, actually tell the press I was using drugs—”

“THAT DOESN’T CHANGE THAT YOU CHEATED ON HER!” Nino shouted, red blinding his vision. “THAT DOESN’T CHANGE YOU CHOSE SEX OVER YOUR WIFE. THAT DOESN’T CHANGE THAT YOU LIED FOR SIXTEEN MONTHS.”

“It was a mistake!” Adrien bellowed back. He ran a hand through his hair, looking at Nino pleadingly, begging him to understand. But he couldn’t, he just couldn’t. All he knew was that Adrien had hurt Marinette and that it was unacceptable.

“It was an accident, Nino,” he said in a hushed voice. “I was drunk, I was lonely, I was nearly insane—”

“You were weak,” Nino spat. He had been drunk before, he had been lonely before, he had been nearly insane in far worse ways than Adrien could know, and he had never done what he had. “You are weak and a liar and a bastard. You are a terrible husband, father, and friend.”

Anger burned in Adrien’s eyes, dark and horrible. “Don’t try and make this about you!” He seethed, pointing a finger at Nino. “Everyone is trying to make this about them but it’s only about me and Marin—”

“Marinette? Marinette who knew nothing until today? Marinette who was crying her eyes out this morning? Marinette who I have loved since we were children?” Nino crowded into Adrien’s space, making use of his extra height to look down at him. He stumbled back, staring up at Nino in fear.

“Nin—"

“She is the closest thing I have to a sister and you broke her heart,” he hissed. “I have hurt her nearly as much as you because I didn’t see what you were doing. I should have known you were not worthy of her. Looking back all I can see are your faults. Every day since we met was a warning sign and I ignored them.” He clutched at his head, trying to ignore his breaking heart. “You have hurt her since the day you two met and we barely noticed.”

Adrien’s green eyes narrowed in barely disguised defensiveness. “What are you talking about—”

“Remember Lila?” Nino snapped, loathing already building up in his throat. “Remember how you promised to stand by Marinette and then did nothing? How you let everyone believe Lila was telling the truth, how you let Marinette deal with it all on her own? Remember how you let me believe everything Lila said, let me believe that Marinette was a bully? Remember how you didn’t do anything to protect Mari?”

“You forgave me for that!” Adrien yelled back. “You all did! Marinette forgave me, didn’t she? She married me!”

“Because we were blind! Because we couldn’t see how stupid and selfish you were!” Nino shouted, swiping his hand through the air in anger. “You lied to us just as much as Lila!”

Adrien gaped at him, and Nino used his shock to take a pause. He took a breath and tried to calm down, so he didn’t lose his control and do something stupid, like throttle Adrien.

Quietly, Nino told him, “I was too young and foolish to see the true meanings of your actions, the passiveness, and selfishness of them. And even when I got older, I brushed them aside as mistakes, one-offs.” Tears appeared in his eyes, hot and horrible. “I loved you, Adrien, you were my best friend, and you did this.”

“W-were?” His friend crept closer, face wary. “What do you mean, ‘were’? What are you talking about?”

With a broken sigh, Nino said, “After what you have done—” A sob made its way into his throat and choked him off.

Adrien jumped on his weakness and tried to desperately pull him back in. He grabbed Nino’s hand and squeezed reassuringly. It made Nino sick, all he could think about was Marinette and the tears in her eyes.

“I had good reason Nino,” Adrien promised eagerly. “I do, I can tell you all of them—"

Nino held up a hand, shutting his eyes from the image of his best friend trying to justify his affair. The honeyed words died in Adrien’s mouth, surprise and hope made their way into his eyes. He was hopeful, hopeful Nino was forgiving him. As if it was possible.

Instead, Nino said, “I don’t think we can be friends anymore.”

Relief flooded through him even as his heart broke.

The hope faded from Adrien’s eyes, leaving shock and fear in its wake. He dropped Nino’s hand.

“What?”

Nino looked him in the eye. “You lied to me.”

Adrien reached for him. “I had to.”

Nino took a step back. “You hurt Marinette.”

The blond followed. “I didn’t mean to.”

Nino shook his head. “You don’t respect her. Even as teenagers, you never respected her, not as she deserves. I should have seen it.” More tears welled up and he pressed two hands to his heart. “I should have been there for her when everything was going wrong. When you were too pushy, when you were too passive when you were too cruel.” He levelled a tearful glare at Adrien, matching his furious green gaze. “I should have protected her, but no, she doesn’t need protecting. You just need to be taught a lesson.”

A snarl ripped from Adrien’s mouth, but it sounded more like a whine. “Nino, please stop. Stop, please.”

Rage burned in his veins.

“No.” Nino stalked forward and grabbed Adrien’s collar, lifting him up to his height. “I am not going to stop, because you never did! You didn’t stop when you had the chance, you just kept making mistake after mistake and I never called you out on it.” He dropped Adrien, glowering down at him.

“I hope you satisfied; I hope you are finally, finally satisfied!” he yelled down at his once friend. “I hope you had a blast while you dragged all of us along, ruining our lives in the pursuit of your own pleasure! Your own joy, your own perfect, perfect fucking world.” He shoved Adrien, pushing him back into the window.

He put a hand up in defense. “Nino wait—"

“Oh you just say what you need to say, don’t you?” He seethed. “You just say whatever you can to get everyone to believe you. Do words—do promises—have any meaning to you? Did you mean anything you said to us? TO YOUR FRIENDS?” He put a hand to his chest, right over his hurting heart. “What about your wedding vows? The promise you made to never hurt your family?”

He could barely speak through his tears and rage. Everything hurt so much, it felt like he was ripping himself apart. All he could feel was anger, outrage, betrayal.

It hurt so much.

He wiped away his tears, pointing accusingly at Adrien. “Are you even sorry?! Do you even care? Or do you just see us as things you can crush and leave behind whenever we inconvenience you? Should I just let you do whatever you want, let you treat years of trust and friendship like trash? Treat Marinette like NOTHING?”

Adrien was crying now too, sobbing his heart out, but it was too late, too late for any of it.

“I’m sorry, please Nino, you’re all I have,” he cried out. “I’ll do anything, I’ll walk on glass, I’ll do whatever you want—”

“It’s not what I want!” Nino shouted; voice hoarse. “It’s about what you have done, about everything that lies broken between us. How can I trust you after what you have done?” His voice broke and he sobbed. “How can anyone? How can we go on with our lives after you betrayed everything we thought we knew about you?”

He felt like screaming, screaming for the unfairness of it all. How could the world do this? No, how could Adrien do this, how could he, how could he, how could he?

Adrien scrambled forward, face red and eyes running. He gripped Nino’s arms, forcing him to look at the blond. “Nino, I’ll make everything better,” he said, throat choked with sobs. “I swear, I swear I can. Everything will be alright; I can fix this. Everything can be just as it was. Marinette will forgive me, I know she will, and then you won’t have to be mad!” He was growing hope, his words heavy with it.

“I’ll show Mari how sorry I am and then it’ll be just fine, and then everyone won’t be so angry. Alya will calm down, Kagami and Chloe will apologise, the kids will never have to know!” He smiled wetly at Nino, eyes alight with his fantasies. “I know I hurt Mari, but we can get through this. I’ll make it up to her, to you, to everyone. Everything will go back to normal.”

Nino could only shake his head, pulling his arms away and hugging himself to keep from shaking. “It’s not possible Adrien.”

“Why not?” He demanded. “I can do it, just trust me.”

“I CAN’T!” Nino exploded. “I CAN’T BECAUSE YOU RUINED EVERYTHING.” He breathed raggedly, squeezing his eyes shut. “How can I look at Emma and Hugo without remembering how you ripped their mother apart? How can I look at Marinette and not regret stopping you? How can I look at you and not hate you?”

He opened his eyes and scowled. “This isn’t like before Adrien. It’s not like when we were kids. You aren’t a teenager hurting feeling anymore, you are a grown man, ruining everything. You didn’t just ruin your relationship with your Marinette and her kids, but you ruined the family we all found together.”

Nino heaved, struggling to keep back his tears. “You fucked up, and Miraculous Ladybug can’t wipe it all away. How can anything ever be the same again?”

The words seemed to have gotten through to Adrien, at least slightly, because new tears fell down his cheeks and he started pleading again with vigour. “Please, please don’t leave me. You’re my closest friend please I can’t lose you—”

“You lost me the moment you betrayed my sister,” Nino spat, trying desperately to keep his resolve.

Adrien fell to his knees, green eyes red and welling with tears. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, please, please Nino. I love you, please, I’ll do anything!”

Disgust and loathing exploded behind Nino’s eyes. Adrien should be begging Marinette for forgiveness, not Nino. Nino should never have been here. This never should have been an affair so public everyone knew.

“You disgust me,” he said, relishing how Adrien flinched. “You treat me with more respect than Marinette. Tell me, would you be saying the same things to her, if she was here right now?”

“I would,” Adrien wailed, “I would, Nino, just don’t leave. Please don’t leave me, I can’t do this without you, please—”

“You have always done everything without me,” Nino told him coldly, suddenly empty of emotion. “You never listen to me, at least not when it counts.” His hands tightened into fists. “I hope you finally listened this time Adrien, I hope you realise that I am done with you.”

He walked to the door and pulled it open, desperately trying to ignore Adrien’s pleading and his own heavy, broke heart.

He could hear Adrien’s sobs until the elevator doors closed, and then he broke into his own.

Adrien kneeled in his office, staring at the elevator through blurry tears.

How could Nino do this? He couldn’t believe it, it felt too real, too big for what he had done.

He knelt there for a few more moments, trying to calm his rising hysteria. It would be okay; Marinette was the key to getting Nino back. To get them all back. If he could just get Marinette back, then everyone would come back to him.

He took a deep breath, reassured. What Nino had said wasn’t true, it couldn’t be true. He didn’t regret letting Marinette marry him. He was just angry and confused. He was shocked, the news had been sudden after all.

Slowly, Adrien stood up and walked to his desk for tissues, but his hands shook so much had curled them into fists.

It was fine, it wasn’t real, he reminded himself, ignoring that small little doubt in the back of his mind. Nino was his best friend; he could forgive this.

Adrien wiped away his tears and straightened his back, smoothing his shirt just in case his father came by. Not that Adrien had much contact with him anyway. Even Felix, who didn’t even work at Gabriel got attention from the company’s namesake. From their father.

He picked up a picture from his desk, holding it tenderly as he walked around and sat in his chair. It was of him, Marinette, Alya, and Nino, back in College. He smiled down at it, at the joyful faces on all of them.

His grip tightened on it, and he swore to himself he would fix everything. The words his friends spat at him meant nothing, and everyone would forget when he was done.

Everything would be just fine; he was sure of it. He knew it.

Wiping away his tears, he placed the picture down, telling his aching heart that Nino would come back, they all would.

It would be fine, just like before.

Yikes, that hurt. Anyway, that’s the end of The Breaking parts, next is Alya’s turn, followed by a look at Felix, and then we get back on track and look at the sequels.

Hope you enjoyed!

#The Burning #The brother #The breaking #Nino #nino lahiffe #adrien agreste #adrien #mlb #mlb fanfiction #mlb fanfic #angst #Not gonna lie #i cried #chloe bourgeois #kagami tsurugi #felix agreste #miraculous ladybug #my fanfic stuff

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