#terumob week 2020 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

wingsonghalo · 4 years

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Only You: A TeruMob Fanfic

OKAY SO. You probably were not expecting me to post anything for TeruMob Week 2020. But I didn’t want it to go by without doing anything, because I still love them with all my heart and always will. So I dusted off this old thing that I never posted. It’s actually the first thing I ever started writing for the fandom--the first few paragraphs are scrawled out in pencil, buried in one of my planning notebooks. I never felt confident enough about it to post it, but a few lovely people (looking at you, Toasty, Jaz, and Stormy!) enjoyed it back then, so why not give it to the world now?

Please consider this as a late post for Day 3 (Confession/Smile) or an early one for Day 6 (First Kiss/Comfort) LOL. It works for either so it’s being posted between them... also I just wanted to post it today...

Title: Only You Fandom: Mob Psycho 100 Pairing: Teru/Mob Wordcount: 5,786 Rating: G Summary: Mob gets a confession letter in his locker, but can't quite wrap his head around who could have sent it to him. Meanwhile, Teru waits on the rooftop like a dummy regretting everything. Posted for TeruMob Week 2020! Also available on: Ao3 Support me on: Patreon | Ko-fi

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Only You

Though it technically wasn't the first time it had happened, Mob was still baffled when he opened his shoe locker and a small red envelope met his eyes.

At this point, he refused to let his heart start bouncing around in his chest over what was obviously a prank. High school had been kinder to him thus far than middle school, but it wasn't as if he had stopped being an easy target, still being so quiet and blank-faced.

(He still opened the envelope, though.)

The lined paper was crisp and folded into thirds. The handwriting was tidy—so tidy it looked like the written equivalent of someone reading from a script. Mob ran his fingers over some of the kanji. It smudged. Real writing, then. Curious, he finally let his eyes scan the careful words.

Kageyama,

I know this will come as something of a shock to you... or maybe it won't, I'm not sure. Either way, I didn't want to deny how I felt about you anymore. So here it is: You are extraordinary. The most amazing person I’ve ever met. I can’t imagine life without you in it. I've had my eye on you since we were both in middle school, and as you and I grew as people, so too did my feelings for you. I expect you'll have a lot of questions to ask me, so please meet me on the roof after school. I'll try to explain as best I can.

Love Yours, T

Mob squinted at the scribbled-out word in the closing, apparently the only mistake the writer had made. It looked an awful lot like "love," though he supposed it might also have been lava or tone. Those didn't make much sense, but neither did someone ending a note to him with "love." Well, except his mother, maybe.

He ruminated next on how this person had chosen to sign their note: a simple 'T.' Unfortunately, there were a fair number of people in Shigeo's life whose names began with 'T.' The first person to come to mind was Tsubomi. Some reluctant part of himself that refused to entirely let go fluttered restlessly in his belly, but he pushed it aside. Tsubomi was his friend, she went to a different school across town, and she had a girlfriend now, about whom she often chatted dotingly on phone calls with Mob. It always filled him with a sort of longing and jealousy—not for Tsubomi; he had long since given up that hopeless pursuit—but for the way she could adore another person so openly and have that love returned. Mob wanted that, too.

His next thought was Tome. Mob forced down the disbelieving laugh at that. The only one Tome had ever confessed love to was her autographed copy of Encounters With Our Galactic Neighbors: a First Person Account of Alien Contact.

Takenaka's name started with T, but he definitely wouldn't know where Mob's shoe locker was. Also, he'd never write this kind of thing, ever.

That left...

The warmth that pooled in his stomach and bloomed across his cheeks was not a new phenomenon, but its cause was still disconcerting.

In truth, he wasn't quite sure how he felt about Hanazawa. He was a loyal friend, a reliable combat partner, and a very effective shopping assistant. Mob appreciated the blond's easy smile, his helpful attitude, and his colorful sweaters.

But recently, he'd started to appreciate other things. Things like the way his smile always quirked over to one side when their eyes met, or how he'd nudge their shoulders together when they walked close, or how it had felt that one time that Hanazawa had run his fingers through Shigeo's hair and commented on how soft it was. He'd been secretly hoping that would happen again ever since, which was strange, because he'd never really wanted anyone to touch him before. Mob supposed this might just be what it was like to have a very close friend. It was still quite new to him, after all.

So then if his feelings only went as far as that, why was his stomach doing flip-flops at the thought of Hanazawa writing him a love letter?

His feet led him automatically to his first class and his seat near the back of the room. He opened his textbook to the assigned page on the board, but he zoned out as usual during the lecture, staring out the window and resting his cheek in one hand.

The feeling he was having was hard to identify. It wasn't unpleasant, but it wasn't really pleasant either. It was nervous, anxious, like something simmering quietly in his belly, but which had the potential to explode if shaken up too much.

Was he scared of the letter writer being Hanazawa? Was he dreading the idea? He shook his head to himself. Dread wasn't the right word. It was far too negative. No matter what Hanazawa might feel towards him, Mob would find it hard to think negatively of him now after all they'd been through. Mob would still want to be near him even if feelings got mixed up, he was sure of it.

Did the idea of Hanazawa liking him disgust him? No, that wasn't right either. He could never be disgusted with him. He'd be confused, sure, as Hanazawa was rather infamous for dating every girl in a 5-kilometer radius of his school, but not disgusted.

Then... did it make him happy?

Shigeo grabbed the eraser he had accidentally started to levitate, holding it down under his fingers and staring at the grain of his desk. He thought hard about what he was feeling. The lightness in his chest. The tension in his belly. The flip-floppy feeling. Was that happiness? Or was it mere anxiety?

(Dimple would probably say it was gas, but Mob was pretty sure that wasn't it.)

And what if he was completely off-track? What if someone completely different had written the letter? What if it was another prank?

His heart sank in his chest like a stone. That would be terrible. At least his feelings on that were easy to figure out. But the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Mob hadn't done anything to distinguish himself since getting to high school. He was in the Body Improvement Club, as his upperclassmen had started the club up again when they'd reached high school, and he still visited Master Reigen and Serizawa frequently, but neither of those things had ever really made him popular or well-known. Probably the thing he stood out most for was stumbling to his feet in a panic whenever his teachers yelled at him for sleeping in class.

By the end of the class period, Mob was convinced of three things:

1) The note was most likely another prank,

2) He would still somehow feel disappointed to discover that it was, and

3) He would be most disappointed of all if it turned out to be real and Hanazawa hadn’t written it.

The rest of the day seemed to drag by, and Mob existed more in his own head than in any physical space. He drifted from class to class like a ghost, unnoticed by everyone and having little impact on anything. It was something he was very good at.

This was another reason it was strange that anyone would write him a letter like this, he thought as he opened his locker again at the end of the day. Someone picking him, Shigeo Kageyama, out of all the people in the school—or all the people in multiple schools, for all he knew—and singling him out as being extraordinary and amazing? It had to be a joke. Didn’t it? But then, did anyone even care enough about him to put that much effort into bullying him? Most people just kind of let their eyes slide past him, like he was a setpiece that had been there for so long that nobody noticed it anymore. And when they did notice him and talk to him, they were usually pretty nice.

He couldn’t reconcile it in his head—the explanation that made the most sense was that the letter was real. But yet why would it be?

And furthermore, he wondered as he took out the note again and traced over the writing with careful fingertips, why would it be Hanazawa that had written it?

Mob wracked his brain, trying to recall anything in Hanazawa’s behavior that might give him the idea that he felt that way about him. As far as he could remember, his esper friend was nice, handsome, polite, funny, and popular with everyone. He didn’t really treat Shigeo any differently, did he?…

A memory of two weeks ago surfaced in his mind. Hanazawa had held his hand crossing the street. Mob had thanked him for it, because Mob did tend to space out when he walked home and it was very kind of Hanazawa to think about his safety like that, and Hanazawa had just flushed pink and dropped his hand and said “Of course, you know I’m always thinking about safety!”

He was considerate like that.

On another occasion, he’d offered his umbrella on a day Shigeo had forgotten his. They’d shared it. It had been nice. Shigeo had liked seeing the way his eyes would crinkle when he laughed, and the way he had smelled like grapefruits. But Hanazawa was so nice that he would probably share an umbrella with anyone who needed it, wouldn’t he?

There had also been that time at Tome’s birthday party a year ago. They had all played Truth or Dare. Mob had picked Truth, and when asked which of his friends he would kiss if he had to kiss one of them, he had said “Hanazawa” without hesitation. Amid all the squeals and whoops he had added, “I mean, I’m pretty sure he’s the only one who knows how.” This had led to everyone else present chanting “Do it! Do it! Do it!” and Shigeo had looked at Hanazawa and shrugged because the idea wasn’t terrible, after all, and if it would make everyone happy, why not?

But Hanazawa had just gone beet-red and proclaimed “Don’t be silly; he picked Truth, not Dare! Kageyama doesn’t have to kiss anyone!” and that had been the end of that. Tome had patted Mob like he needed consolation about it. But Mob hadn’t been disappointed. He’d just been impressed that Hanazawa could so effectively shut down peer pressure. It was something Mob would like to be better at.

Surely if Hanazawa had feelings for him he would have taken the opportunity to kiss him, wouldn’t he? Then again, it had been in front of other people. Hanazawa liked to say he had some class, and Mob doubted that classy individuals kissed anyone in front of others just because they had been told to do so.

(Briefly, he wondered what it would have been like to kiss Hanazawa, but all that ensued from that thought was a bunch of mental static: chaotic, impossible to parse, and frustrating to listen to.)

Finally, he remembered something that made his heartbeat stutter.

It had been the first time Mob had ever spent the night at Hanazawa’s apartment. They’d gotten all settled in, Mob on the futon on the floor and Hanazawa in his bed, and then Hanazawa’s voice had filled the quiet.

“You know, you’re the only person I’ve ever had over for the night,” he’d said.

“Really?” Shigeo had responded, surprised. “Well, that’s all right. You’re very popular. I’m sure you’ll have lots of friends over.”

“No,” Hanazawa had said, his voice suddenly more alert. “That’s okay. I like that it’s only you.”

I like that it’s only you.

Shigeo’s cheeks heated up at the recollection. Maybe Hanazawa did feel something for him after all?…

Or perhaps there was some kind of new April Fool’s holiday that took place in December now.

Mob lingered by the stairs to the roof for a while, lost in thought like he had been for much of the day. He’d never considered all these things about Hanazawa at once before. Thoughts of Hanazawa usually came without warning at frequent intervals, making Mob feel warm inside for a moment and then quickly passing by. But when he gathered all these memories together, really looked at them closely, he had a hard time letting the thoughts slip away. There were things he’d never noticed before in these recollections. Emotions that had burst into bloom in his heart and then dropped off the stem before he could really tell what sort of flower they were. He wanted to think more about all the times Hanazawa had smiled at him in that particular way that made Mob feel like there was popcorn bursting in his chest. He wanted to ruminate on why it felt so good to be close to him. He wanted to lose himself in the memory of Hanazawa telling him that there were things he did that were only for Shigeo.

Then again, there was a very good chance Hanazawa was not up there on the roof. The realization felt dark and unpleasant in his gut, like sticky tar. Mob didn’t want to think about that too much.

He decided he would never know for sure if he didn’t go to the roof.

He was half an hour late by now. Maybe whoever had written the note had already gone home, if they existed at all. Mob felt his anxiousness building with every step he took up the stairwell.

His heart thudded in his chest as he turned the doorknob, and he shielded his eyes from the afternoon light as the door swung open.

*** Teruki Hanazawa regretted everything, which at this point was practically his own personal art form.

For the past few years, he had been falling helplessly in love with someone to whom he could never seem to express his feelings. It had been frustrating, agonizing, devastating, and also definitely the best thing to ever happen to him.

He’d tried dropping hints, both small and large. He’d tried buying him gifts, and holding his hand, and singing very transparent songs at karaoke. Nothing seemed to get through to him.

So he’d written a letter.

It hadn’t contained all his feelings. That would have taken an entire book. It had just been the bare minimum. A plea for Kageyama to just let Teru explain how much he meant to him.

The thing was, even though he’d called Kageyama here to this damn rooftop, he wasn’t sure what exactly to say.

Maybe he’d take one look at his precious face and all the words would spill out. I’m in love with you. You changed my life. I will never be worthy of you but I’d like to try to be.

But it seemed more likely that he would catch a glimpse of him and immediately babble out Wow, I don’t know how I wound up here! Please would you help me get down?

This was stupid. It was a stupid idea and a stupid letter and Teru’s feelings were stupid and he was also stupid. And that bench over there, sitting all by its lonesome on this stupid roof, it was stupid too. Kageyama was going to think he was a total idiot. Or even worse, he was going to avert his eyes and mumble “Um, I appreciate what you said, but I just don’t think I can feel the same way. Sorry.” God, that would kill him. Not the rejection—that was understandable and honestly completely expected—but the idea that Kageyama wasn’t capable of feeling the same way for him.

What had he even written again? Something like you’re amazing and I didn’t want to hide how I felt about you anymore? God, that made him sound like such a swooning little princess. Not that that description was entirely inaccurate.

He checked his phone for the time. It had been almost 45 minutes he’d been up here, he realized, his eyebrows raising in surprise. He’d envisioned all types of negative outcomes, but being stood up hadn’t been one of them.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to contemplate this particular method of failure for long, because the door was swinging open. Teru caught a glimpse of a jet-black bowl cut and oh god, he was here, Kageyama had actually come.

The boy Teru loved closed the worn green door behind him, and then looked around the rooftop timidly. Teru wondered if he could just propel himself off the roof with his psychic powers before Kageyama noticed him, but then his friend’s eyes found him, and he started to make his way over to where Teru was standing. Oh god. What was Teru going to say again? He couldn’t make his mouth do any words. He just opened it and closed it like the world’s most useless nutcracker as Kageyama approached.

“Hello, Hanazawa,” his sweet little voice said when they were face to face. Oh god. Here it came. The rejection. The disappointment. The part where Teru would do something mortifying like bursting into tears or begging Kageyama to reconsider.

“Did you get called up here by someone, too?” was what Kageyama said.

What?

Teru stared, replaying Mob’s words in his head and trying to fit them within the mold he had constructed for “negative answer.”

They wouldn’t fit.

“Uh,” he said, blinking as his processor rebooted. “What?”

“I got a letter asking me to come here after school,” Kageyama continued, pulling Teru’s stupid embarrassing awful letter out of his pocket. It looked a little crumpled, like it had been taken out and looked at many times before being shoved away again, much like Teru’s own feelings. “At first I thought it was another prank, like what happened in middle school a couple times.”

“A prank?” Teru’s voice came out about an octave higher than usual, his own bafflement taking a backseat to outrage at the idea of anyone pranking someone trusting and kind like Kageyama.

“Well, one time it was because someone lost a bet, and I suppose that other incident was more of a kidnapping-slash-hostage situation, come to think of it.” He looked thoughtful, like this was just another typical middle school memory.

Teru’s mouth dropped open again. “What kind of lowlife would pull a trick like that?!”

“Oh, it’s all right,” said Mob, holding up his hands placatingly. “He’s really a good guy. We’re friends now.”

Teru supposed he couldn’t argue with that. After all, Mob had decided he was worth befriending after Teru had done terrible things. He sighed and massaged the spot between his eyes. “Never mind that. You asked if someone called me here? The answer is no, obviously.” He was the one who had called someone up here, after all, not the other way around.

“Hm,” said Kageyama, nodding. “That makes sense, since if someone wanted you to meet them, they would probably ask to meet on the roof of your high school, not mine.” He tilted his head. “But then, what are you doing up here on my school’s roof?”

The back of Teru’s neck broke out in a sweat. “Um,” he said, feeling his insides swirl with mingled panic and confusion. What was with that question? Didn’t Kageyama know why he was here? Had Teru forgotten to sign the letter or something? Did Kageyama just think he was up here for no good reason? Could he possibly escape this disastrous confession attempt and try again some other day? Oh god, that was too many questions. “D-Didn’t the letter have a signature?” he asked, since that was the only question he could get out without sounding crazy.

“Just the letter T,” said Mob with a shake of his head, apparently unperturbed at Teru’s sudden subject change. “But there are lots of people whose names start with T.”

Teru brought his palm to his forehead. Oh my god. Of course there were. Teru was a complete and utter moron. “I can’t believe this,” he groaned, not sure whether to be distraught at this miscommunication or relieved that he still had a chance to back out. He dropped onto the single paint-chipped bench heavily and stared at his shoes. What now? Kageyama hadn’t even understood his confession. Teru had completely bungled the whole thing, and now he was stuck up here on the rooftop of a school that wasn’t his with a boy that was also not his.

Mob sat down beside him, and for a few long moments they were quiet. The road noise below and the occasional sound of birds chittering seemed deafening. “The letter probably isn’t real,” Kageyama finally spoke. “Which is okay. I’m used to that. But… I was kind of hoping it was real this time, I think.”

Kageyama’s eyes were fixed firmly ahead of them when Teru looked up at him. “Oh yeah?” he said listlessly. “Why?”

To his amazement, Kageyama’s cheeks went pink. “Because… I thought maybe you had written it,” he said, so quietly that Teru wasn’t totally sure he had actually heard it. Mob tapped his thumbs together in his lap. “And then I saw you up here, so I thought…” He turned his head away, but Teru saw the tips of his ears turn red anyway. “But I didn’t want to assume, so...”

The iron ball sitting in Teru’s stomach suddenly felt like it could float. “You were… hoping that I wrote it?” he breathed. There was something rekindling in his heart that bore a worrying resemblance to optimism.

Kageyama’s whole face was flushed when he whirled back around. “But it’s okay!” he said, waving his hands around in a frantic manner that would give his former master, Reigen, a run for his beloved money. “I’m always glad to run into you regardless, and um, if you are waiting for someone up here, I’m sure they’re very nice!”

“I was waiting for you,” he blurted out honestly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I thought this was obvious, but… I wrote the letter.” It should have been humiliating to admit, but instead Teru felt a wave of relief wash over him. Whew. It really did feel better to tell the truth. Who knew?

“Really?!” Kageyama’s deep red eyes were wide as they locked onto Teru’s. The expression on his face was not one Teru had been expecting. It looked… nervous, but also curious.

Hopeful, even.

Teru’s heartbeat skipped like a scratched-up record. “Y-Yeah,” he said, trying not to let his voice crack. He failed.

“And did you really mean what you said in it?” Mob had scooted closer in his eagerness for an answer, which was both exciting and nerve-wracking.

This was his last chance to back out. To save face and have everything go back to normal. To pretend none of this had ever happened.

But looking at his favorite face in the world, Teru just couldn’t do that. “I meant it,” he said. “Every word.”

The smile that broke across Kageyama’s face was unpracticed and awkward and wavery and so utterly adorable. “You really have feelings for me? I’m different?”

“You’re different all right,” Teru quipped, a little perplexed at his wording. “But… yes.” His face was burning, but seeing that expression on Kageyama’s made his embarrassment worth it.

Another thing that made it worthwhile? Kageyama smiling even wider and then flinging his arms around Teru’s shoulders. “Thank you,” he murmured.

“K-Kageyama?” was all his stupid mouth could say to that, even as his own arms came up to hold Mob in return. He smelled so good. He felt so warm. Teru’s heart was dancing a tarantella. He hadn’t enjoyed a hug this much in… well, ever.

But all too soon, Kageyama was letting go and leaning back. “Sorry,” he said, “I hope I didn’t startle you.”

“You definitely did surprise me,” Teru replied, “but it was the good kind of surprise.” He cleared his throat, though it still felt like his heart had jumped up somewhere in that vicinity. “Um, so… does this mean you don’t mind… that I feel that way?” There were probably better ways to put that, but asking him Do you like me too felt both too scary and too juvenile.

Mob shook his head emphatically. “I definitely don’t mind,” he said. “When I thought you might have written the letter, it made me really happy.”

“It did?!” Now Teru was the one filled with curiosity.

A nod this time. “I thought about it all day, and I realized that if the letter wasn’t from you, I didn’t even want it to be real.”

Holy crap. That meant…

...What exactly did that mean?

“Well, now that you know it’s real, how do you feel?” he asked next.

“Embarrassed,” was Kageyama’s first reply, but then he considered the question a little further, his mouth quirking over to one side. “But also happy. No one’s ever felt like that about me before.”

“That you know of,” Teru pointed out. “For all you know, tons of people have felt that way about you but never had the guts to say it.” Indeed, the way Teru saw it, someone like Kageyama should have legions of devoted admirers who pined after him and longed for him to even look their way. Then again, if he did have admirers, Teru would probably want to fight them.

“No,” said Mob.

Teru blinked. “No?”

Slowly, like it might not be allowed, Kageyama reached over and covered Teru’s hand with his own. “I like that it’s only you,” he said softly.

Teru looked up from their hands to Mob’s face. The other esper’s eyes were trained firmly on his own, willing him to understand the meaning behind his words.

Only you.

And then the memory resurfaced. The lights off, the two of them quiet and close in Teru’s room, Teru whispering things he hadn’t had the courage to say while anyone could see him.

Teru laughed and turned his hand over to hold Kageyama’s. “I can’t believe you remember that.” And here he’d thought he’d been so subtle back in middle school.

Mob let his fingers intertwine with Teru’s, though Teru felt them tremble. “I do remember,” he said. “And… I also remembered what I said at Tome’s party.”

Tome’s party? What on earth was he talking about? “Um… and what was that?”

“That you were the friend I would choose to kiss.”

Teru was the kind of extraordinarily talented individual who could choke even when nothing was in his mouth. “Wh-What?!” he squawked, but even as he said it, the memories of the Truth or Dare game started racing back to him. “Oh yeah… you said you chose me because I was the only one who would know how.” His voice came out a bit whiny, because even back then he’d been a little hurt at the (admittedly true) accusation.

Mob’s hand felt sweaty. “Well… um, that may have been my reasoning back then, but…” He bit his lip. “Now I don’t think I would need a reason like that.”

For a moment, none of his words computed. Teru spent a few seconds just staring at the other boy silently, holding his hand.

And then the implication finally hit him like a ton of bricks, and his mouth dropped into a gape, his eyebrows flying up to his hairline as he dropped Kageyama’s hand. “I—oh—that’s, i-if you’re saying what I think you’re saying,” he babbled, the words just spilling out unceasingly like idiotic sand through an idiotic hourglass, “I mean that would be—but only if—I mean, and it’s not really necess—well, but I certainly wouldn’t refuse—but really, um, I—”

“Hanazawa!” Mob cut off Teru’s never-ending torrent of verbal floundering, his brows drawn together in something like worry. “You should breathe.”

Teru sucked in a desperate gasp of air, his vision un-tunneling. “Right,” he said. “Oxygen. Good.” He took a few deep breaths. Kageyama waited patiently, because he was way too good for a mess like Teru. “Um, if I’m understanding correctly,” he tried again once he had calmed down, “are you saying you… want to kiss me now? Like, for real? No dares?”

“I picked Truth, not Dare,” said Mob, his mouth pulling up on one side in a bashful half-smile. “So of course no dares. Only the truth.”

Teru didn’t give him the chance to change his mind. He grabbed the front of Kageyama’s school uniform in one hand, pulled him in, and covered his mouth with his own. Kageyama didn’t seem to mind, if the way he melted into it was any indication. Teru’s heart sprouted wings and fluttered joyfully in his chest at the reciprocation. He cupped Kageyama’s warm cheek with his free hand. Kageyama kissed with an endearing level of clumsy enthusiasm, pressing back against every movement and mirroring everything Teru did with a second’s delay. It made Teru feel weak in the knees even though they were sitting down.

The kiss ended gradually, Teru’s giddy smile still pressing against Kageyama’s lips for a moment before he pulled away. The other boy opened his eyes and looked at Teru with an expression of awe usually reserved for things like shooting stars. Oh, god, Teru loved him so much. But saying that this soon would be foolish, so he just rested his forehead against Mob’s and moved the hand on his face up to brush through his soft dark hair before letting it fall to his side.

“To tell you the truth?” he breathed, not wanting to break the silence but feeling compelled to speak anyway. “That was the best kiss I’ve ever had.”

“Me too,” said Kageyama, “though it was also the only kiss I’ve ever had.”

Teru would love to fix that, but there would be time for that later. Right now, he had some pressing questions. “So, uh… you never really told me how you feel about me.” Was it pushy to ask for an answer like this? Did he even need one? Kageyama had just very eagerly given Teru his first kiss. Surely that was an answer all on its own? But then, it was never good to assume.

“Oh,” said Mob, “I thought about it a lot today, and I’m pretty sure I love you.”

Teru demonstrated his ability to choke on air again. “You what?!”

“Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have said that,” the other boy muttered, playing with the hem of his school jacket. His cheeks were rosy. “You’re not supposed to say it right away, are you?”

“N-No, you can say it whenever you want,” Teru insisted, putting his hands on Mob’s shoulders. “It’s only important that it’s what you feel.”

“Well,” said Mob, his eyes sliding off to the side as he thought, “I thought about how you’re always going out of your way for me. I thought you were just kind like that, but you were always looking out for me specifically, weren’t you? Trying to cheer me up, or make sure I wasn’t lonely, or listen to me even if I wasn’t really saying anything important.” Teru removed his hands from the other boy’s shoulders, a bit taken aback. He felt a bit ashamed of himself for assuming that Kageyama would never notice things like that. “Well, I couldn’t help thinking that I wanted to go out of my way for you too. I want to look out for you. I want to cheer you up and make sure you’re never lonely. I want to listen to you even when you’re not saying anything important.” Teru swallowed thickly. There seemed to be an obstruction of some sort in his throat, and his mouth was pressed into a wiggly line that wouldn’t stop moving as Kageyama continued. “When I read this letter, I thought about all the people it could have come from, but I only wanted it to come from you.” His eyes met Teru’s again, deep red peeking out from beneath jet-black bangs. “I mean, doesn’t that sound a lot like love?”

“Yeah,” said Teru, his voice emerging as a sort of choked squeak. “I guess it kinda does.”

“Also,” Kageyama added, “I really liked kissing you, so I think that must mean something.”

He couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah,” he said again, “I think it does.”

“I’m sorry to suddenly say all those things,” said the boy who had absolutely nothing to apologize for. “People have probably given you much better love confessions than that.”

“No,” said Teru at once, scrubbing a hand over his face before he could get too blubbery. Many people had claimed to love Teru. Only one had ever really made him feel loved even without claiming anything. “Only you. But I like that it’s only you.”

“Oh,” said Mob. “Well… good.”

“You probably know this by now, but I’ve been trying to figure out a way to tell you I love you for years now,” Teru said then, with all the nonchalance of someone talking about the weather, assuming that person got very emotional about the weather.

“I didn’t know...” Kageyama smiled that same awkward smile he had when Teru had confirmed that he had feelings for him. “Is that really why you hold my hand when we cross the street sometimes? Or why you share your umbrella?”

“Hey, no fair,” Teru protested. “You’re totally seeing through all my secrets.”

“Teru,” said the other boy, grabbing onto the end of one of Teru’s sleeves.

His heart surged in his chest. “U-Um, what is it?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. He failed again.

“Nothing, really,” Mob shrugged. “I just wanted to try saying it.”

Teru’s stomach swooped in the most amazing way. “You can call me that,” he said. It was a struggle to not beg him to say it again. “I mean, I would like it if you called me that...” He cleared his throat, and took his own leap. “...Shigeo.”

Shigeo’s face lit up like the sound of his name had flipped a switch. “Hardly anybody calls me that except my family,” he said, and then smiled like he was sharing a joke as he added, “but I like that it’s only you.”

God, if he kept smiling at Teru like that, Teru’s entire body was going to melt. “Shigeo,” he said again, the name coming out sounding like sunshine because of how widely he was smiling when he said it, “I’m really glad I wrote that stupid letter.”

The other boy rested his head on Teru’s shoulder. “Me too.”

For the first time, Teruki Hanazawa regretted nothing.

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Thanks so much for reading, and please consider checking out my other TeruMob fics too if you haven’t seen them!! (But I’d Never Bend You and A Little Pick-Me-Up are my favorites.) Lots of love to you, TeruMobs <33333

#terumob #mob psycho 100 #mp100 #terumob week 2020 #terumob week

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