#if i squint my eyes i can see a little rav in the glass of his chest

[cheezritsu]

Atsumu Miya || Unravelling

[Uhn•rav•uhl] verb, informal. to take apart; undo; destroy

Warnings: implied sex, mentions of sex, quick depiction of self harming behaviors (not explicit.) Inspired by SZA’s Supermodel

It must be considered deviant and demonic how the constant the thud thud THUD! Rings out with an even pace in the hallway of Tokyo’s finest apartment complexes. If it weren’t for the fact that calling the police would no doubt result in a press field day none of the residents of Park Mansion Akasaka wanted, someone would have filed a noise complaint. It’s a shame they did not—perhaps there might be a certain clout that comes with exposing MSBY setter Miya Atsumu’s intimate life, but it would also have saved time, money, and tears in the long run.

But, the residents of the 9th floor could not see into the future. They were instead, attempting to mind their business and not be bothered by Miya trying to make back beats by fucking someone into a mattress.

That little comparison was Osamu’s first scathing critique, until he froze completely. The disgust melted into horror as he turned his head to his companion.

“Hey-,” he starts, but as he catches the expression, the words dry up.

Yes, it would have been nicer—no, merciful—if the residents of the 9th floor had called the police when this happened, if only to spare you from witnessing it yourself.

Your hands get so clammy, the plastic bag in your hand nearly slips out. You catch yourself before the beer bottles can shatter on the marble floor that costs more than your entire block. It’s an easy clean up, but it would probably be very sticky, and disastrous, you think. Almost as disastrous as—

It starts up again, rhythmic and constant like an orchestrated performance. You and Osamu are mere steps outside the apartment, and you can hear the manic, frayed screams coming from the walls. It sounds like they’re in pain; just the way Atsumu likes it.

“Y/N,” Osamu tries once again to get your attention. The pity in his voice is unmistakable, and you hate that of all the emotions the usually stoic twin shows you, this is the one he’s chosen. Pity. Sympathy.

“Guess that’s why he didn’t pick up the phone,” you remark casually, refusing to look Osamu in the eye. “I’ll just leave it by his door with a note.”

Osamu says your name, this time with a firm edge that demands attention. You don’t give it to him. You’re too busy trying not to actively throw the takeout and beer you bought out of your measly paycheck to help your friend (attachment, entanglement, dick appointment, are all better words than friend) feel better after a crushing defeat at the hands of the Saitama Spears. (Crushing, like his hands must be around her neck for the moans to sound so strangled.) No matter, you say to yourself, hands shaking as you send him a text. Something cute and sweet with a properly sickening amount of heart emojis, like any good (not quite) girlfriend would do. Whatever it takes.

Ignoring how the click of your heels mesh with the steady thrum of Atsumu’s two thousand yen headboard against his 100 million yen walls, you march back the exact way you came; down the white, sterile hallway and passed the doors that housed the rest of the 9th floor, who would, unknowingly, pay for the mistake of not asking the shameless Atsumu Miya to please, please keep his fucking at a tolerable volume. Fame and infamy come with perks, one supposes, but they also come with karma.

You’re not thinking of revenge, though. You’re wondering how you’ll make it to the elevator without completely coming apart at the seams. Something in you unravels, much like it might if Atsumu were playing you like the fool you were; perfectly manicured setter hands curling, scratching, plucking at all the right places. No, this unravelling is much slower, much more painful, as if the single thread that creates your existence is being snipped in half. When you push the call button for the elevator, you think the thread is severed completely, because you have to lean your head on the cold steel to steady yourself.

Osamu’s approaching footsteps really only register in the very depths of your mind. The heavy breathing doesn’t really sound like yours—how could it be anyways, when you were miles away from your body, floating in the ether like a ghost; forgotten, discarded, alone. Untethered.

You lift your head up only to bang it against the wall. The soft thud is reminiscent of the moment that just transpired, and you—subconsciously, like you were possessed—start bashing your forehead to the same piledriver waltz Atsumu had played.

“Y/N!” Pity. Bang! Worry. Bang! Sympathy. Bang! Could you crush your skull this way? The mystery woman’s screams tangle in your brain like an earworm, the salacious sounds on repeat. Bang!

When Osamu’s hand lands on your shoulders, it feels like he’s tethered your soul back into your body. You wrench yourself out of his grip.

“Don’t!-” you begin to scream, but you catch the look he gives you. His grey-brown eyes are wet with concern, darting between the growing red spot on your forehead to the watery snarl on your lips. You take a shuddering breath to keep the hysteria from bubbling into your tone. “Don’t touch me. I’m fine.”

Osamu doesn’t even raise an eyebrow in pretence. His mask of neutrality and sarcasm is completely gone, replaced with anger. “You were banging your head into the wall like a patient in a psych ward.”

“That’s unnecessarily stereotypical, Osamu. I thought you were better than that.”

Crossed arms. He’s seconds away from blowing his lid. “Yer not funny.”

You wonder what would happen if Osamu blanked on you in here. Would these good-for-nothing neighbors actually call the police then? What a headline: Miya twins apprehended in two separate noise complaints. Kita would probably stop sending Osamu rice out of embarrassment.

You don’t want to fight Osamu anyways. It’s not his fault that the bearer of his face is fucking another girl as you speak.

The elevator dings, and you step inside. It’s fortunately empty. Osamu stands right next to you, hovering like an overprotective parent. The chrome doors of the elevator slide shut and you’re face to face with your own reflection: hollow, sunken eyes the most expensive concealer can’t fix; posture hunched from years of slaving over work and school; nails short and busted from part time jobs that barely pay the bills. Nails that have been raked down the chiseled, marble back of a man who didn’t belong to you, and never did.

Her nails were probably nicer. Probably manicured. Maybe he paid for it. You can’t even see your nails anymore, because your head is in your hands, shielding your ugly cries from Osamu, who bears the face of the man who doesn’t love you.

“I should have just taken the fucking hint,” you sniffle, wiping the running eyeliner from the corner of your eye. “Shoulda left him alone.”

Osamu just hums. You wished it was anyone else but him. Osamu isn’t bad at a lot of things, but comfort was one of them. He just stares vacantly at the doors, a grimace replacing his usual thin lipped look, but other than that he appears unbothered.

And then, like he’s reading condolences off a list, he says: “I’m sorry.”

The words in their sincerity sound foreign on his tongue. With one big sniff you pull the thread keeping you together tightly, gathering yourself. “What’re you apologising for? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Sorry my brother is a complete piece of shit.”

“Well, we both knew that, didn’t we.”

Osamu can’t place what he dislikes about that phrase, but the elevator interrupts his thought process. The doors open to reveal one of the security guards eying you two up and down. His eyes narrow for a moment on Osamu’s face, and then dip down to yours.

“There a problem here, Miya-san?”

On any other day he might have pulled a fast one on this guard, but you promptly walk out of the elevator, leaving Osamu to follow your lead wordlessly. The world outside the Park Mansion Akasaka is still turning, still bustling with people catching trains home from work, their patent leather shoes from office jobs clicking on the sidewalk to a rhythm you can’t match. The thud of the salarymen’s briefcases hitting their legs echo like the headboard off Atsumu’s walls. It’s everywhere, everywhere, and your insides churn sickeningly.

You stop, one hand leaning against the glass. Osamu catches up, hands halting just before they reach your back. “Stop running away from me, name,” he says softly, exasperated. “I’m trying to help.”

“How long.”

Osamu blinks. “What?”

You’re nearly doubled over with nausea, your free hand pressed flat against your chest to keep your lungs compressing. “How long has he been with her?”

“I don’t know.”

“I swear to god, if you’re lying to me-“

“(Name) I would never do that to you.”

The promise doesn’t reassure you. Osamu runs a hand through his hair. “Look, I know this is a lot to take in right now. And I’m not going to say anything—“

“Like what?” You look at him over your shoulder, eyes squinted in malice. “Like I told you so?”

Your insolence is wearing out Osamu’s sliver of empathy. You’re unbearable like this, you know that, and Osamu is less tolerable than most. “Your words, not mine.”

“Your brother is cheating on me.”

“You’re not together.”

“There it is!” You let your head fall back in rumbling, humorless laughter. “I was waiting for that.”

“I don’t want to be a dick right now.”

“Too late, ‘Samu.” You haul yourself up, buttoning the front of your coat. “Go home, work on your winter menu. I’ll be fine.”

The statement is met with rightful skepticism, but when you start to walk away, Osamu doesn’t follow. You can’t decide whether or not this hurts, because the all encompassing pain finally registers to the rest of your body. You try to numb yourself, dissociating as every step towards home becomes a blur. Akasaka’s beautiful lights and towers fade into lesser Tokyo’s decrepit neighborhoods, with sketchy alleys and dimly lit streets. Your apartment complex is a shoebox to Atsumu’s tower residence, and it feels just as claustrophobic when you step into your crowded, tiny apartment.

It’s nicer than what your friends can afford, but that doesn’t make it any better. Your couch is also your bed, and your desk faces the window even though you can’t properly study this way. The kitchen is perpetually clean because you can’t cook anything in it. You’re sure the fridge is empty, but it’s fine, because you simply peel off your clothing and curl into a ball on your bed.

It’s not even late. You have work and assignments to do, but as you check the time on your phone, you’re immediately taken to your camera roll, where a picture from several days ago stares back at you mockingly.

It’s from his bathroom, the one that has a television screen by the bathtub, the one with hotel lighting that makes you look glowy and ethereal no matter what. You’re half dressed, in the middle of putting on your morning skincare when Atsumu comes up behind you, arms around your waist. Your face is obscured, but you remember how happy and loved you felt to have his lips pressed against your temple, the heat of his body in your side. How surrounded and safe and warm you felt.

But moments are as fleeting and fragile as glass. The illusion has been shattered, and you’re left in a cocoon of blankets nowhere near as satisfactory as his body heat, in a dark and dingy apartment you will probably stay in for the rest of your life.

Just as you’re about to set your alarm for the morning, a notification pops up. The sparkles around his name indicate that Atsumu has finally, finally texted you back.

✨T’sumu✨: sorry I missed you babe I was not in a good place

✨T’sumu✨: you got work tmrrw? You always know how to cheer me up

It’s as if your heart has been snatched out of your rib cage; your chest hollows and collapses as a sob hiccups in your throat. Something wet slides across your temple. It’s not Atsumu’s lips, not even close. You wipe the tears with the back of your hand, and throw your phone across the room.

It shatters.

[stephicness]

PROTOCOL (Chapter 2) -- Android AU! (Ravus Nox Fleuret x Reader)

Haha, wow, I can make that title really long!

But hey! Finally moved along to part two! :D Didn’t quite introduce another important character yet, but you’ll get to meet two of them within the next chapter! Thanks for being so patient with me when I’ve been writing this. I hope to keep writing this for you more when it comes to this story!

For now, enjoy Chapter 2 of PROTOCOL! C:

Previous Chapters: CHAPTER ONE

Ringing, knocking, a chipper ‘Yoo-hoo!’ in the late morning were among the many distractions you usually blocked out of your hearing when you were focused on your repairs. As the schedule dictated, from 8 AM to about noon, you would dedicate yourself solely to doing repairs on the androids you were commissioned to repair. Noon until 1 PM was lunch, and then you were back doing repairs or mods until one of your nightly primetime dramas started.

Today was The Cor Aegis, which was one with a Cor-X model repurposed for the sci-fi action show. You had to find out if the evil prince Loqi was going to exact his revenge on the hero or rejecting his proposal to be his wife! Odd show, but you liked it.

Even so, work had to come first. Even if you just wanted to binge watch the show in your underwear again as you waited for the next episode. No amount of knocking, ringing, shouting, or greetings could disrupt you. Especially when this Roomba wasn’t going to fix itself!

You reached over with your foot, pushing open the door from the garage entrance with it and shouting into the house as loud as you could. “RAVUS, GET THE DOOR!” You caught the door again with your foot and gently shut it as you focused again.

“Ya know, it’s been real nice havin’ Rae around here with us.” Cindy held up the mechanical arm she was working on, sticking her fingers into the connection port with her eyes flickering slightly. From just the small shock she gave it, the arm began to twitch its fingers, provoking a loud ‘Aha!’ from her. “Been nice not ta be able to focus.”

“Mhm… Could use more focus though…” You carefully pulled some of the wires from the small vacuum device. You just had to make sure that the wires got back into place, and the device should be able to move again. Just some wires that got jumbled up when your client’s dog decided that it was a giant frisbee… That didn’t fly in the air. You just sort of assumed that the dog wasn’t the smartest creature in the world, unfortunately. “Just let me stick these back in, and you’ll be able to walk again, little guy.”

With your small set of pliers, you pulled the wire aside, looking for where to reconnect it. And when you found the place, you moved the wire to connect it slowly… Carefully…

And SLAM!

You jolted from the loud noise, arms shooting up as reflect and the wire you wanted to connect pulling itself out with you. You stared at the wire for a split second before you heard the little device beginning to beep rapidly. Just before you could look down at it, the device bolted forward and into your torso before it clattered to the floor. “Son of a-!” You coughed a bit in pain before you looked down at the stupid Roomba on the floor. Well… It was moving along like it hadn’t been damaged to begin with. Just scooting along as if brand new. Your eyes narrowed at the little thing. This was the thanks that you got for trying to fix it? Asshole.

“What the heck was that?” You looked over to Cindy, who seemed more fascinated by the arm that she was tampering with than the noise you had heard. You let out a sigh, shaking your head in response. Well, at least she can get some more work done while you got investigate. Tossing your pliers onto your desk, you pushed your safety glasses up into your hair and went inside the house.

Needless to say, the man you asked to check on the door was standing there by the window nearby the front door. The way he stood there, eyes narrowed as if glaring at something intense was outside. He honestly reminded you of a cat with how often Ravus was perched at the window. If you gave him a pedestal to perch on, he probably would use it, you were sure. You squinted at the window for a moment before you cleared your throat.

No movement or response from Ravus.

Of course… When he was focused he didn’t answer you either. You seemed to have a knack for attracting androids who like to ignore you.

“Ravus?” The silver-haired man’s eyes shot over to you. Always with such an intense stare, it gave you the shivers every time. But it was always calmed down with how his expression softened whenever he noticed it was you. Well, at least he was getting used to seeing you. And getting used to not roasting your microwave. So seeing how he calmed himself, you smiled at him, even if you were shrouding a bit of annoyance from having been interrupted by work. “Was there someone at the door?”

“Yes, but I have rid them from your presence.”

You blinked rapidly and tilted your head at him. “I’m sorry, you did what?”

Ravus tilted his head at you in return. “I simply took the most appropriate course of action to combat a potentially threatening scenario. With how aggressive your neighbor was trying to assault your door, I assumed that something was wrong and would endanger you as a result.”

“Yeah, but why?”

“To ensure your safety and well-being. I simple said that should they continue their persistence in knocking, I will not hesitate to eliminate them on sight as a means of self-defense.”

“So then you slammed the door on them?”

“Correction: I told him that they were being a nuance. And then I slammed the door on them.”

“What?! Ravus, no!”

You had to rub your temples in frustration. Such conversations like these seemed to be more of a daily occurrence the longer you had the RAV-N0X prototype residing with you. As far as you can tell, it wasn’t even an official month since you repaired him, and already he seemed to be making things rather antagonistic for you in your household. From constantly replacing kitchen appliances to training the android just how to be civil of all things, it was like taking care of a dog. An overly-protective dog with a knack for making things worse than they already are.

You could deal with replacing toasters and all (especially with the discounts you get after helping to fix-up the SOPH-E Air android that usually helps run the appliance store). But you couldn’t necessarily deal with not even being able to brush your teeth without your android roommate doing something over-the-top to ‘ensure your safety and well-being.’ Your neighbor hardly deserved that. At least, you hoped they didn’t… Ravus hardly did anything to help you and your sudden paranoia about people that come to ring your doorbell.

You let out a heavy sigh. “I’m going to have to chase them down now… Did they at least say why they were here?”

“It was something along the lines of needing an audience with you about an important matter.”

“Then you should have let them in!”

“Not without verifying an appointment with me.”

“I’m pretty sure they don’t even know you’re living here!”

“Contrary, my visual recordings note that they assumed that I am an attendant of your home, referring to me as, quote: ‘Like, a boyfriend or something.’”

You were taken aback and caught off guard. Really? How could they not tell that Ravus wasn’t a human? He had a metallic purple arm for goodness sakes! But you let out a deep breath to calm down the annoyance, cheeks reddening a bit as you glanced aside. Cute though that they thought Ravus was your boyfriend. If he was human, you would kill to date someone that handsome.

“Upon further analysis of your neighbor, however, I have come to the assumption that they are – according to Urban Dictionary – a gossipy bitch.”

And this… Was probably why you wouldn’t want to date a guy like Ravus if a human version of him existed… He said some rude things. You shook your head out and moved past the android with a huff. “Gossipy bitch or not, my neighbors could also be potential clients, you know. And at this rate, I kind of need them if I wanna keep living here.” You stuffed your feet into your boots, stomping yourself into them while you took your jacket up from the wall. You opened up the front door, staring at the towering android as you gestured with your arm. “Well? Let’s go.”

“Why would I need to accompany you? As you mentioned before, your neighbors supposedly do not know I reside here.”

“You made it your point that they do know. Besides, you need to apologize to them.”

“I do not see a reason to when I was merely following protocol.”

“Well, I do! Humans don’t give people death threats for knocking on doors.”

“The knock itself was approximately 3.2 times more forceful than it should have been, indicating urgency or violence within it.”

“Well, I’ll never know if they were being violent or urgent now that you sent them away.” You let out a sigh of exasperation, clearly not getting anywhere with Ravus. You shook your head before you turned back towards the door. “You can’t predict everything bad that’s gonna happen, you know. I could get attacked as soon as I leave the house, and you wouldn’t be able to stop it.”

You were barely able to finish your thought before Ravus quickly stepped up to you, the violet replacement arm of his quickly shooting out to block you from the doorway as he stood in front of you protectively. His eyes flashed with a brief violet before fading out – just as the light on your porch surged bright then shattered itself. You jolted in surprise, instinctively gripping onto Ravus’s arm before you groaned and pushed it away. “Ravus, what the hell?!”

“If your neighbor is truly a threat, then your life may be in danger.”

“If anything, you’re going to end up scaring me to death before anything dangerous happens to me!”

“Actually, in a statistical sense-“

“It’s a figure of speech, Ravus.” At this rate, Ravus would keep you from even so much leaving the house to get your mail. And with how urgent your neighbor sounded, you had to do something to get the android to budge. Even using his name command, it was still spotty about whether he listened to you or not. It made you begin to wonder if his virtual intelligence was acting up or he was just installed with a really opinionated one. You’d have to do research on it later.

You pressed your lips together in thought. Research can come later. What mattered now was getting Ravus to move so you can see your neighbor. So you thought for a moment, a longer moment, and an even longer one before you realized that, holy Astral hell. Ravus was not budging. Even amongst the awkward silence, he just stood there, still like a barricade as you stood behind him. Really? Was there really something out there that was that dangerous? No. The most danger that you’ve had in your neighborhood was when Ravus came barreling through your window. You couldn’t help but turn around and eye the tacky green rug the covered-up the remains of black in your carpet. Yup… That was the only dangerous thing.

But you’ve had enough of this. You’d leave the house one way or another, and you’d make Ravus to apologize to your neighbor one way or another. You reached out, placing your hand on top of Ravus’s arm to get his attention. As expected, his mismatched eyes locked themselves onto you as you stared back at him. You wouldn’t take no for an answer as you began to take his hand into your own and firmly grasp it. He looked down at it, attempting to shake his hand free, but you still held on. “No. You’re going to apologize to my neighbor, whether you want to or not. That’s an order from me. Do I make myself clear, Ravus?”

This seemed to trigger something in Ravus, his eyes both flashing with a blue color as his furrowed eyebrows eased and his expression softened. It seemed that triggered his command code. You just had to be adamant with him, it seemed. But even after he registered the command, his expression turned into a grumpy frown before he turned his head away. “Understood…” He didn’t make much of an effort to fight off your hold anymore, perhaps worried about whether he would harm you as a result, but you still took what little victories you could get as you began to lead him out of your house and across the street to your neighbor’s house.

Your neighbor’s home was much nicer looking in comparison to your own, but perhaps it was because the lawn was neatly trimmed, rose bushes around the walkway gave the house a lot of life, and… Well, there wasn’t a sheet covering their window as you still tried to find someone to replace your window. It seemed proper, especially for someone living alone. It made you a little envious, considering that you couldn’t get Cindy to do the yardwork even if it was the only function her VI understood. She would much rather take apart the lawnmower rather than use it.

Maybe you can command Ravus to fix the yard. You made a mental note of that for later.

But once you got up to the front door, you let go of Ravus’s hand, looking up at him as you fixed up the sad excuse for clothing you had put him in. The old man in the house behind you was nice enough to lend you some of his old clothing from his ‘young and wild days’ to give to Ravus, but they definitely weren’t Ravus’s style. You were pretty sure floral dress shirts and brightly colored bell-bottoms weren’t even in style anymore, but they were something other than the torn-up white thing that Ravus was found in. You’d have to make a note to find him better clothes. If you could leave the house for more than five minutes without something going wrong, that is.

“Okay, so remember to be nice. You don’t have to smile when you apologize, but at least try to be sincere.”

Eyebrows furrowed in response. “How does one be sincere? Sincerity implies as if I have the capacity of caring about an apology.”

“Ravus.”

He let out a sigh in response, eyes flashing blue for a split second before he nodded. “I understand. I have conducted research, and will attempt to be ‘sincere.’”

“Thank you, Ravus. It won’t take us that long. Promise.” You pat down his collar before you rang the doorbell, stepping back next to Ravus, eying him from your peripheral vision just in case he tried to make a break for it.

You could hear a small bit of commotion from the other side of the door. Noises that seemed muffled, but audible enough to be heard as ‘A visitor! Gotta get the door!’ Exuberant in their greetings, from the sounds of it. The door jimmied itself a bit before it swung open and a bright smile greeted you. Blond-hair curled up and spiked like waves of gold that made you jealous of how healthy it looked, blue eyes staring at the two of you in awe and excitement, freckles that sparkled just like the young man’s eyes… There was something quite captivating about the young man than opened the door.

“Visitors! Welcome!”

Wait a second…

You opened your mouth to respond, but Ravus stepped forward already. “There is something that I must do before you welcome us.” He was a behemoth in comparison to the blond in the doorway, but not for long as he knelt before the young man, taking his hand into his own two as he looked up with a gentleness in his eyes.

“I wish to apologize to you… For my outburst against you and for the fear I incited within you. It was heartless of me to reject you without a second thought, and for that I wish for your forgiveness. I promise to never let you feel shut out by me – to feel as if you have to handle your endeavors alone.” He squeezed the other man’s hand tighter, bringing it to his lips before he kissed the back of it with a chaste kiss. “You may not wish to accept my apology, but please know that I am sorry, from the bottom of my heart.”

Silence was given in response to Ravus’s words.

“…Why are you not saying anything?” Ravus’s eyebrows furrowed before he turned to look up at you. “Why is he not responding? Why are you concealing your face with your hands?”

You croaked out a groan in response. “Because that’s not my neighbor.”

Ravus paused, eyes flashing violet for a split second as he looked up at the blond. He seemed to analyze the young man before him longer than anticipated to come to the realization that perhaps this wasn’t your neighbor. But both were blond, right? Both had blue eyes? Both were skinny and freckled? He always saw this young man retrieving the newspaper from the driveway, collect the mail from the box, return home with an arm full of groceries and other items. He was certain this was your neighbor.

…Right?