ᥫ᭡。 Flicker.
ᥫ᭡。 flicker.
⟢ pairing: kuroo x fem!reader
⟢ summary: when you’re young and in love, it’s easy to forget that life can be far crueler than it should be at 18. but it’s also easy to forget that life can work in wonderful ways too. sometimes, you just have to wait a little for it.
⟢ cw: fluff, mild hurt/comfort, breakups, exes to lovers, mutual pining
⟢ wc: 5.1k
⟢ a/n: a slightly edited repost of a fic I wrote a couple of years ago :3
The last moment you spent with Kuroo was unremarkable.
“Swap.”
“But I like this one.”
“You know the rules.” With a resigned sigh you hand him your can of lychee soda, gingerly taking his bottle of aloe vera juice. Eyeing the cloudy, slightly greenish liquid, you grimace before you reluctantly raise it to your lips. You take a sip and wrinkle your nose in disgust.
“I can’t believe you actually like this shit.”
“Don’t be dramatic, you’ve just got childish taste buds. Besides, it’s good for you”
“I do not!” you scoff, hitting his shoulder lightly.
“Uh-huh. And this is coming from the girl who drinks artificially flavoured sugary juice.”
“Give it back then if you don’t like it,” you huff, making a grab for it.
“No.” He holds the can out of reach of your outstretched hand, which is not much of a feat considering how long his arms are. “It’s mine now.”
“But you don’t even like it!” you whine.
“Don’t care,” he shrugs, taking a sip.
“Even if all your teeth fall out from the sugar, old man?” You raise an eyebrow challengingly.
“I’ll get dentures,” he grins, throwing you a teasing wink. “I’m sure I can make the fake teeth work. Anything’s possible when you look like this.”
“Oh, shut up will you.” You scowl at him, slumping back down on his bed beside him and sipping at the remainder of his drink in annoyance, pushing down the strong urge to spit it at him. It would be funny, and maybe start a gross little war between you, but you’re not really in the mood for that right now.
Silence falls between you again, an obnoxiously frequent visitor on this clear, starry night. Your head falls on Kuroo’s shoulder just as his arm finds your waist and tucks you closer into his side, fingers tracing shapes over your hip. A few months ago, he would be laughing nervously and trying his hardest to play it cool, all while a hot blush lit up his cheekbones and ears. There’s very few traces of that shy boy left. You miss him a little.
“Feels weird now that we’ve graduated,” you muse. “It’s all downhill from here.”
“Don’t be such a pessimist,” he scolds lightly. “We’ve got our whole lives ahead of us!”
“Here we go.”
You groan as he starts his rant about life and things that are too abstract and far away into the future for you to think about. Turning your head, you watch him excitedly talk about possibilities and plans and your heart weighs down in your chest.
This will be the last time.
“Tetsu,” you interrupt quietly.
“Yeah?”
“I want you to forget me after I’ve left.” You can feel how Kuroo tenses all of a sudden, the lines of his body stilling as his grip on you tightens protectively. Defiantly.
“Woah, woah, woah- why would I do that?” he asks worriedly. You sigh heavily, sitting up so that you can look at him. He knows why. You’ve had this conversation before, several times in fact.
“To make it easier. For both of us. We’ve talked about this before, and I’ve been thinking that it would be best.” you tell him gently, even though every cell in your body tells you not to.
“But I don’t want to forget you,” he says stubbornly. “And who exactly is this easier for? Don’t you even want to try making this work long distance? I think we can do it.”
“I don’t want to end up resenting you.” Kuroo’s brows pinch together. “What if I neglect you, or you neglect me? What then? What if we start hating each other?”
“You won’t! We’ll call and text everyday, it’ll be like you never left! That’s what technology is for, sweetheart.”
“But we’ll only manage to squeeze in a couple of hours each day at best because of the timezone differences and even then we might not manage that! You know it doesn’t make sense,” you point out. Your tone softens as you take his hand in yours, running your thumb soothingly over his knuckles. “You’re usually so logical, Tetsu, this isn’t like you.”
Kuroo sighs, tugging you in to rest against his chest. It’s so natural now, so effortless, how you fall into each other’s embrace. Like being there was written for you from the start.
“Not always. Love isn’t logical y’know. You taught me that,” he murmurs into your hair. “Love tells me that I should keep you here, safe in my arms, not let you go halfway across the world for university.”
“Tetsu, you know-“
“I know, I know. Believe me, I know. I’d never hold you back, no matter what. But you can’t ask me to be logical when every cell in my body refuses to let you go. You can’t ask me to forget you because I would never be able to. How could I ever forget someone I love?”
You cling to him more tightly, cursing every divine power that has decided to wedge itself between you. Why the fuck has life led you in this direction? It’s cruel. Unfair.
“Don’t be so dramatic,” you mumble.
“I’m not. And despite what you say, I know you won’t forget me either. Doing this now, or before you leave, or not at all, is going to hurt us at some point.”
“Well, what do you suggest?”
You sit up to look at him again, meeting melancholic eyes that mirror your own turmoil. Tenderly, he brushes your hair back, long fingers lingering on your cheek.
“You might be right about the long distance thing not working,” he admits quietly. “I don’t want to give up on us but… I guess it makes sense to. We’re young, we’ll be busy - how many high school couples even last a long distance?”
“Not many, I don’t think.”
“Right. Then, for tonight, I want you to pretend with me. Let’s pretend that you’re not leaving me next week, and that we’ll see each other tomorrow, and the day after, and every day after that.”
“Will that help?” you ask sadly. He smiles ruefully and shakes his head, his dark hair bouncing with the action.
“No. But I don’t wanna be sad about you going just yet.”
And you do just that. You talk and laugh, share stories and snacks, holding onto each other all the while through kisses and giggles. It’s pure bliss, this little bubble you’ve blown around yourselves in Kuroo’s bedroom.
But it’s sullied by the ticking of the clock on his wall that you can’t help but repeatedly glance at. And as thatclock nears midnight and you know it’s time to leave, your heart begins to ache desperately.
His hands rest on your hips as you stand before his closed door. When your lips meet, it’s not like your usual goodbye kisses, which are sweet and chaste. This kiss quickly becomes a deep, needy, yearning thing that you can’t pull yourself out of. You drown in the sensation of his slightly chapped lips, get lost in the taste of his still-shy tongue, melt right into the contours of his body.
You don’t even realise the two of you are crying until you pull away. You’re breathless and sobbing a little, clinging to him so tightly you’re sure it hurts him, but it doesn’t matter.
Leaving hurts more.
“I don’t wanna go,” you whisper. “I wanna stay with you.” He kisses your tears away, resting his forehead against yours and squeezing your frame.
“I’m not dying or anything, why are you crying?” he teases wetly.
“You’re crying too, dumbass.”
“So what if I am?” he sniffles, pressing tender kisses to your forehead. “My pretty girl’s leaving me forever.”
“I don’t want to, Tetsu.”
“I know, but you’ll be okay, baby. We’ll be okay,” he says, shushing you gently, but neither of you believe it for a second.
And why would you?
You’re 18. Young and stupid. Freshly graduated with the world at your feet and the whole of adulthood stretching on before you, a winding path that you can’t fully see.
And yet, this is your world, right here in your arms.
All this time, he has been by your side, naturally, but he won’t be following you into the great unknown, as much as he wishes he could. He’s seeing you off on your journey now, parting ways with you as he embarks on his own, in a different direction, even though he wants you to stay with him. He watches you from the front door as you leave, blowing you a kiss and yelling his love after your retreating figure.
This is what it means to grow up.
This is goodbye.
And you both fucking hate it.
It takes a good while to nurse your broken hearts, made more difficult by the fact that you have to adjust to new environments and new people as you heal. But you grieve and you grow and the years pass by in the blink of an eye.
Seven years have passed since that tearful night. Seven years of study, study, study and then work, work, work. You moved back to Japan a year or so after graduating university, homesick from so many years away. You visited during that time of course, but it wasn’t quite the same as living out your daily life in the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.
And maybe, just maybe, a small part of you dreamed that you would bump into him. Wishful thinking perhaps, but you couldn’t quite tamp down all of your feelings towards the rooster-haired captain. There’s still a small flame flickering in the depths of your heart just for him and it’s this very flame that keeps you warm on some nights.
You wonder if that same flame burns in his own chest for you.
The convenience store is a welcome reprieve from the summer heat that bears down on you intensely. The sounds of passing cars is muffled as the doors slide shut behind you, leaving only the whir of the air conditioner and the gentle warble of a pop group playing quietly over the radio to accompany you.
You drift towards the back where the fridges are situated, absently inspecting bags of snacks as you pass and touching a box of pocky before changing your mind and continuing on. There’s a blast of cool air when you pull the fridge door open and hold it there with your hip as you scan the selection of beverages on display. There’s one in particular that catches your eye, conjuring a memory forth from the depths of your mind.
With a nostalgic smile, you reach in and grasp the can of lychee soda, only for your hand to bump into one much larger than yours.
“Ah, sorry about that,” says a smooth, deep voice. The sound sends a chill down your spine that has nothing to do with the temperature of the open fridge.
But it can’t be, can it?
Hopeful curiosity lifts your head to look for the owner of the voice, and you have to crane your neck a little just to look up at his face. Dark hair, still messy, but more tamed than it was in his youth - now it looks deliberate. Sharp jaw, elegant nose, and those eyes, warm hazel - almost amber, and strangely feline in shape. He doesn’t look the same but he doesn’t look different either. Just a taller (somehow) more handsome and mature version of his younger self. In a suit no less, only it’s paired with volleyball shoes.
You would probably laugh out loud if your mouth didn’t feel so dry, like you’ve just eaten a fistful of sand as you gape up at him with a mix of shock and wonder.
“I must be dreaming right now,” you whisper to yourself and the man sniggers, still inspecting the can in his hand.
Oh. That’s still the same.
“Are you talking to-“ he falters as his eyes flick to your face. “-me.”
His face mirrors your own and you’re not sure how long you stand there, fridge wide open, until someone mumbles an ‘excuse me’ and shakes you from your respective trances. You wait for them to leave before you dare to look at each other again.
“Tetsu?” It feels a little foreign saying his name again after so long. And yet, the weight of it sits familiar on your tongue, the roll of each syllable feels natural as it passes your lips.
He says your name and you wonder if it tastes the same to him, if it reminds him of home the way that his does for you. “Is that you?”
“Uh, yeah. Hi.” You awkwardly raise a hand in greeting.
“Hi,” he says, sounding as dazed as you feel. “Almost didn’t recognise you. You look… different.”
“So do you. It’s been a while,” you offer lamely. He was never this hard to talk to, but you suppose that time is a thief that is impossible to catch, stealing the ease that you built your relationship on.
“Yeah. It has.”
“Seven years,” you murmur with a touch of melancholy.
“Where did the time go?”
You both fall silent, there in the snack aisle of a convenience store in Tokyo, in the middle of summer, wondering what you should say next. Wondering what is appropriate after so much time has passed.
Because you’ve both grown. A lot. Physically, mentally, emotionally. You’re hardly the same people you were seven years ago. It’s stupid of you to even entertain the idea that he could fall in love with you again, but you entertain it all the same.
You’d never admit it aloud, but on some of your loneliest nights, you fantasise about what could happen if you met again. How you’d fall back together so easily, how you’d be so in love, the way that you used to be. Maybe you’d move in together, get a pet together, maybe you’d get married and have a family. Maybe you’d grow old with the only boy you’d ever loved so earnestly, so boundlessly, despite being so young.
It’s Kuroo that finally breaks the silence.
“Let’s catch up,” he says, with a crooked grin. “For old times sake.”
You pay for your drinks and head back out into the sun. It’s odd, you think. Tokyo is familiar and Kuroo is familiar, as well as the drink in your hand but it still feels strange to you. You’re in a different part of the city because of your new job and the brand of soda you like has changed their recipe.
And then there’s Kuroo.
His gait is, regrettably, longer than it used to be, as is the height at which you stand next to him. He sounds different, dresses different, he even smells different. Back then, he used to smell like far too much body spray and his grandma's honeysuckle detergent. Now? The scent coming off him is expensive and thoroughly masculine - you might even dare to say it’s incredibly sexy.
You cast him a sideways glance, belatedly noticing the can that he sips at. It’s identical to yours and you can’t help but scoff aloud.
“I thought you said that stuff was full of sugar?” Kuroo turns to look at you curiously as you both slow to a stop and point at him accusingly. “Remember? You used to nag me for drinking it.” Your lips push out in a pout at the memory of his lecture, and he laughs.
The sound transports you back to high school, to a time where you’re still boyfriend and girlfriend, two peas in a pod, no longer clad in office wear but in your school uniforms. Kuroo’s hair is horrendous, tangled hopelessly by the wind that blows through it. You’re holding hands and bickering, but still laughing. Always laughing.
“That’s cos you used to drink it every day,” he says, the corner of his mouth lifting in that goddamn smirk. “And it’s addictive.”
“Oh is that right? Well, I did tell you as much back then. How the tables have turned!” you proclaim triumphantly. He rolls his eyes, amused by your smug expression.
“I’m not addicted to it,” he says, quirking his brow challengingly. “I still don’t like it.”
“Oh really? Then why did you get it?” You narrow your eyes at him as he shakes his head, smile softening.
“It’s a secret,” he says, tapping his nose with a wink before he continues to walk. Your eyes narrow in a glare as you jog after him and attempt to fall back in step with him.
“Oi, slow down! Long legged bastard,” you grumble under your breath.
“What did you just call me?” he asks quietly. You freeze, clapping a hand over your mouth as realisation dawns on you. You can’t joke with him like that anymore. Not after you put millions of miles between you. What boundaries lie there now?
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean-” He cackles at the look on your face, doubling over right there in the middle of the street. You fix him with a deadpan look, arms folded over your chest, thoroughly unimpressed.
“I’m kidding, relax! God, you should see your face, baby!”
This time, you both freeze, and the illusion shatters. A soft pink stains his cheeks as his ears and brain catch up to his tongue and heart. 25, and he’s still not immune to blushing. 25, and it still makes him look hopelessly sweet. 25, and it still makes your heart swell.
“I didn’t- shit, I’m so sorry! It just slipped out,” he yelps, panic widening his eyes. You’re not quite sure what to say to him. The pet name echoes in your ears and thunders in your chest, reawakening butterflies with Kuroo’s name scrawled across the delicate wings. Your own cheeks feel warm.
“Easy mistake to make,” you say, biting back a shy smile. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s call it even.” He clears his throat nervously and sips at his drink to give himself something to do, your own fingers fiddling with the carrier bag in your hand until he finally breaks the stifling silence.
“I er, I know a pretty good ice cream place about 5 minutes away from here. We can catch up there?”
“Sounds good.”
Your walk resumes and you’re both quiet again, but this time, it’s comfortable. The little bell above the door chimes and he follows in behind you to stand at the counter, poring over the selection behind the glass.
Kuroo has brought you to a quaint little spot, tucked away between an electronics shop and a bakery. Inside, it’s cool and vibrant, the pastel palette running through the airy space brightening your mood a little. It doesn’t take either of you long to make your choices, taking your cones and finding a little booth in the back to sit at.
Perhaps it’s a little odd for two adults in their mid-twenties to be sitting in an ice cream parlour, nibbling at ice cream cones and searching for something to say that sounds half-way cool and nonchalant. But Kuroo did say this was for the sake of old times, and what better way to plunge you into the past than a quiet booth and some ice cream.
“So…” you start, but you don’t know how to finish.
“So…” he copies, drawing the word out. You raise an eyebrow at him, licking at your ice cream and he mirrors you, holding the expression before you both snort and burst into laughter.
“Fucking hell, stop making it weird!” you giggle.
“I’m not!”
“You’re making that face!”
“Speak for yourself! Look, I just didn’t expect to run into you of all people on my way home. I’m still processing it,” he says with a grin.
“Neither did I!” His eyes soften as he smiles, crinkling at the corners.
“So how have you been?”
And just like that, you feel right at home again. You talk and laugh, smile brighter and bigger than you have in years. The cones have long since been polished off and you’re still occupying the booth, any concept of time tossed out the window. It’s not long before your catch-up of the present bleeds into reminiscing on the past.
“And then Bokuto slipped and fell right into you!”
“I remember that, I would’ve fallen flat on my face if you hadn’t caught me. You never did let that go, I swear, you gloated about it for ages,” you complain, pouting in annoyance.
“You have to admit that line was pretty smooth!” He puffs his chest out a little with pride and you roll your eyes.
You mock his deep timbre. “‘Are you falling for me?’”
“It was cool!”
“It was cheesy!” you both laugh at the memory, letting the feeling of nostalgia linger over you like a warm blanket just a little while longer.
“We had some good times together,” he hums and you nod, smiling wistfully at the memories you’ve been submerging yourselves in.
“We did.”
“I miss those days.”
“Me too.”
“No, I mean when we were together. I really loved you,” he says quietly, warm eyes burning with sincerity.
“I did too.” You heart thuds heavily in your chest at the implications in his gaze but you force yourself to rein it in and squash the hope that flutters there. “But we were so young. Immature. Naive.”
“So?” He almost sounds offended. “Does that mean it didn’t count or something?”
“No, I’m not saying that.” You shake your head and sigh. “I’m just saying, I’m sure you’ve dated other people since then and fallen in love again. Real love, not the silly delusions of a teen.”
“Our love was real.”
Your breath hitches then at the fire in his eyes, a fire that you recognise, the same as the one that burns quietly in the depths of your heart. You try to shift his attention.
“Aren’t you dating anyone right now?” you ask hesitantly, shifting uncomfortably in your seat.
“No,” he says fiercely, but then he cools a bit and leans back in his seat. “No. I’m not. I’ve tried, but… Nothing ever stuck. How about you?”
“I tried too,” you murmur. “But I couldn’t love them in the right way, I guess.”
Not the way I loved you.
The air between you becomes heavy with words unsaid crowding the tips of your tongues all at once, piling against your teeth and begging to break free. Kuroo calls your name, and your belly flutters in the way that it used to.
He calls out to you again and it’s so soft, so Kuroo, that your heart aches. You watch him carefully, waiting for him to keep speaking with bated breath. “Can I tell you a secret?”
“Yeah.”
He sucks in a shaky breath and adds another secret to the pile housed deep in your heart, still kept firmly under lock and key.
“I drink them when I miss you.”
You pause, brow furrowing in confusion.
“Drink what?”
Kuroo’s expression turns exasperated as he runs a hand through his neater-than-it-used-to-be hair. The blush from before returns, tinging his ears red with embarrassment.
“The lychee soda.”
Oh.
Oh.
“So… today?”
He nods sheepishly, covering his face with his hand.
“How was I supposed to know I’d bump into you?” he mumbles again. You say nothing, marvelling at the man before you instead. Still as sweet as the day you met him. Years have passed, and so many things have changed. And yet, somehow, Kuroo remembers you the way that you remember him.
No, not remember, he misses you the way that you miss him, still finding comfort in the warmth of that flame, just like you. Still finding solace in bubbles and sugar.
“Tetsu-”
“Weird right?” he chuckles humourlessly and you shake your head no.
“No, it’s not weird. Not really,” you say, fiddling with the napkin in front of you. “You did say you wouldn’t forget me.”
“True,” he hums.
“And if it makes you feel any better, I didn’t forget you either.”
“You didn’t?” A warm flush creeps up your own cheeks this time as you nod and give in a little.
“I missed you, Tetsu. I know it’s been such a long time, and holding onto hope that I’d see you again is probably really fucking stupid, not to mention unhealthy, but-“
“I couldn’t help it,” you say simultaneously.
Slowly, identical giddy grins spread over your faces and you find yourselves giggling like teenagers all over again.
“Let me take you out tomorrow,” Kuroo says suddenly with that lopsided grin that you fell in love with all those years ago.
“On a date?”
“If you want it to be. Or even just as friends. But seeing you again, it’s just-“ you halt him with a raised hand, a teasing grin playing at your lips as your head cocks to the side.
“Tell me about it on our date, yeah?”
And he does.
The date with Kuroo is truly magical. He’s a picture perfect gentleman, coming to pick you up with a bouquet of fresh, red roses in hand and a happy grin on his face. It seems that both of you have dressed to impress, Kuroo dressed neatly in a crisp white shirt and charcoal trousers whilst you spent hours scouring your wardrobe for the perfect dress. It’s honestly a little ridiculous when you think back on it since you knew each other so well already, so why would you need to impress each other?
But that was then, and this now.
There seems to be a goal in Kuroo’s mind as he helps you out of his shiny black Jaguar, leading you into a fancy looking restaurant. It’s clear he’s spared no expenses for the occasion. You eat and drink and laugh, allowing yourselves to get pulled back together again, like magnets. The flames in your hearts burn brighter, more fiercely with each passing moment, until you can feel the warmth spread throughout your bodies, lapping gently through your veins.
As the night draws to a close and he drives you home, full, content and sleepy, you feel more whole than you’ve felt in the entirety of your adult life. You glance to the side, taking in his beautiful profile, that exquisite jawline and the curve of his lips that you want to feel on yours again.
You wonder if they taste the same as they did back in high school. If they still taste like the gum he used to chew or those ghastly health drinks he was obsessed with. Sometimes, he’d chase you around campus right after eating mackerel for lunch, threatening to kiss you with the strong flavour of fish still lingering in his mouth. Are his lips still a little chapped? Does he still grin into his kisses as his fingers rest on your cheek? Make that sweet little humming noise in the back of his throat that sounds like laughter? Does he still wear a goofy smile when he pulls away?
All thoughts of kissing him are shaken from your mind as he kills the engine and walks you all the way to the front door of your apartment. You unlock the door and turn to say goodbye, a little sad that the night has to end. Kuroo rests his arm against the door frame above his head, car keys dangling from his hand and a lazy smile sitting comfortably on his handsome features.
“I had a lot of fun tonight,” he says.
“Me too.”
“I guess I’ll see you soon?”
Those words should be followed closely with a goodbye, but Kuroo lingers, as does his gaze, flicking from your eyes to your lips and back again.
“Kiss me if I’m wrong,” he says after a beat of silence. “But you kissed me on our first ever date, didn’t you?” You hum thoughtfully, an impish grin rounding your cheeks.
“No, actually I didn't. It was the second date and it was on the cheek cos you looked like you were ready to pass out when I got close to your lips.”
“I did not!” he whines indignantly.
“Did too,” you shrug.
“That’s bullshit,” he mumbles. “Anyway, I’m wrong so now you have to kiss me.”
“Real smooth, Tetsuro.”
“I know, now if you’ll let me, I want to overwrite that first kiss.”
“How? We’ve kissed a million times before,” you argue.
“That was then, this is now. We’re restarting this whole thing,” he insists.
“We are?” You raise an eyebrow in question and he simply nods, cocksure and firm.
“We are.”
“Says who?”
“Me.” Kuroo takes a step forward and suddenly there’s very little space between you. “So? Will you let me have a redo?” he murmurs.
“You can try. The first time was pretty sweet. It’d be pretty hard to top it.”
“Challenge accepted, baby.”
With that, his hands slip around your waist and pull you flush against his firm body. When his lips slant down over yours, you still have to reach up to meet him, eyes fluttering shut as your lips meet after seven years apart.
He is all you remember and so much more, so much better than before, as if that were even possible. You learn that he tastes sweet like dessert, but he still tastes like your Tetsu. He grins against your lips as you press closer and you praise whoever the fuck convinced him to regularly use chapstick because his lips are so soft and pliant against yours. His kisses are dizzyingly good, addictive and sensual, his fingers resting against the back of your neck whilst his palm sits along the curve of it. You sigh into his mouth, one of relief, because you’re finally home.
Where you belong.
As fate intended.
When Kuroo pulls away, there’s a sparkle in his eyes and he smiles so sweetly you think that sugar will never taste the same again. He brushes a stray lock of your hair back, letting his thumb linger over the warm apple of your cheek.
“Can I say something?”
“Yeah.”
“I have to warn you, it’s a little unconventional for a rebooted first date,” he chuckles.
Then, his expression becomes a little more serious. “But I really, really fucking love you and I don’t think I ever stopped.” Your heart swells and spills over as his grip on your waist tightens.
“I love you too,” you say, and you really can’t resist so you tug him back towards your lips and kiss him again.
“So.”
Again
“So.”
And again.
“So much.”
Fate nods and lets you love him all over again.
More Posts from Wqnsho and Others
seijoh whores assemble
What Do We Call This? - Masterlist
Pairing: Trafalgar Law x fem!reader
Summary: On a quest to find what you've been looking for, you acquire the help of the Straw Hat pirates, who've agreed to let you temporarily join them. There are however many challenges that come along with your temporary recruitment - an alliance with a certain Trafalgar Law being one of them.
Warnings: fluff, angst, kinda slow burn, swearing, OP spoilers.
01 || 02
EAVESDROP CONFESSIONS
tsukasa tenma x gn! reader ; knight! au
lowercase intended, semi-angst (?)
based on his lim card !! enjoy <3
reader's pov
'to serve the princess.' you thought, wiping off the sweat on your face. being one of the five chosen knights to be the serve princess tenma, or saki as she insisted, was difficult. it included intense training from day to night, you thought that you would get used to it by now, being a senior, but how wrong you were. the king demanded extra hours and more intense training, especially now when the country is at risk of being under attack.
'to serve the country.' you thought, trying to 'fix' your wet hair, who are you trying to impress?, it was so wet that it could be mistaken as the niagra falls. finding the action useless, you gave out a small sigh and started removing your armor.
'to fight for the people.' you thought, changing into something more comfortable. your mind wondered to the people in kamiyama, the elderly who never hesitated to gift fruits and pray for the knights, the adults who looked at them with respect and gratitude, and to the teens and children, who either wanted to be a knight or just want to support them.
'to fight along with my friends.' you thought, stepping out of the bathroom. dressed in your most comfortable clothes, and even finding a way to dry and fix your hair. again, who are you trying to impress? your mind shifted from the people to your fellow knights. those present when you where still a recruit and those present when you where finally chosen as one the princess' personal bodyguards, who where definitely hanging around in the courtyard, waiting for you so you could all go to dinner together.
shinonome akito. a boy with bright orange hair and a strong build. he is one of the three newest knights selected, blessed upon by strength and talent with his sword, he never fails to strike any enemy down. he is someone who is always there for his friends, someone who always speaks his mind. though he is easily irritated, he can control his actions.
akiyama mizuki. with the talent of staying stunning even after hours and hours of training, they never fail to amaze you. the only time you were never amazed is when you see their pink locks running towards to you, locking you into an inescapable embrace and ushering you to their room to "try a new hairstyle" or to "try a new dress I (they) recently made", basically being their irl mannequin. though aside from being full of surprises, they are actually good in the battlefield. along with akito, they are apart of the newly recruited personal bodyguards. with their agility and speed, they are always two steps ahead from the enemy.
hinomori shiho. joining the army for her sister, she never lets herself get side-tracked. her fierce swordsmanship and personality was something praised upon by everyone, including the king himself. he couldn't help stare in awe when he looked from his castle window, there he saw a young girl, immediately defeating her partner for that day. he didn't even let her graduate as a knight, when night had fallen that day, he immediately called me. he told me to "tell instructor shiraishi, that cadet hinomori will be transferred into the castle to serve the queen." and thats what i did, making her the final newly recruited bodyguards of princess saki.
thinking about them makes you proud, they deserve the position they have today. but you also remember of your former comrades, kamishiro rui, kusanagi nene, and aoyagi toya. no, they aren't dead. but they were badly injured during the previous war, making them useless in the battlefield. but now, they are instructors teaching new recruits, making them still close to the castle. meaning you could still see them from time to time.
lastly we have the one and only superstar, tenma tsukasa. being the kings first-born, everyone thought that he would inherit the throne, not some knight whose life could easily be taken away from them in a second. and to everyone's surprise, the king didn't even question him and let him do as he pleases.
if possible, you could talk about him everyday. he who makes everyone smile in the toughest times, he who fights for what's right, he who proves that he is not just the kings first-born, he who loves the country, he who loves his friends and fellow knights, he who loves his family, most importantly his dear sister, and he who (you hope) loves yo—
"[name]...? i hope you haven't passed out there! remember what the king did to you last time you did this!" oh.
"s-sorry mizuki! i got lost in my thoughts." you said as you quickly turned on the faucet, using the cold water to conceal your red face.
"hmm, it's not like you to get oh so lost in your thoughts." they said, stepping in your assigned bathroom with their hands behind their back and a teasing smile on their smile. "what's got you so lost? or rather whose got you so red? it's tsu— ?"
"shhh! can't you lower your voice? people might hear you!" you whisper-yelled as you slammed your hand into mizuki's mouth. "and it's not tsukasa! what makes you even think that?!"
"well..." they started, "you always look at him, you always smile at him, you always have this 'lovey dovey' face whenever you look at him, you get defensive when i acuse you of liking him..."
the lists goes on and on, it was so far that when they finished your face was reaching its boiling point. seeing mizuki's smug face, you couldn't help but turn away from them, rolling your eyes as you cool your hot face.
"i don't know mizuki, i think you're being delusional" you said still ignoring their curious eyes, and before you could hear their response a new voice joins the conversation.
"you know [last name], for once, i'm with akiyama here."
the blush that was starting to fade away quickly regain its color as your hear the sharp but quiet voice of shiho who was standing at the doorway. snapping your head at her direction, you quickly pulled her inside and locked the doors.
mizuki snickered at your panicked and defeated expression, with shiho's backup they knew that you won't be getting out the room without spilling your feelings.
"don't be so loud shiho! also, you can call us by our first names you know? calling me [last name] makes me feel so old." you said as your face regained its natural color, giving out a nervous and uneasy laugh your eyes darted across the room, not once looking at theirs.
"we know what your doing [name]" mizuki said, sharing a look with shiho who nodded. "it's either you tell us, or we'll tell them."
"so cruel... i never took you as someone whose into gossip shiho.."
shiho blushed and looked away, but she still didn't budge as she went to guarding the bathrooms door. looking defeated you just sighed and told them everything.
third person's pov
akito couldn't help but wonder what's gotten their 'ultra mega star' so down. in his perspective, tsukasa looked like a child who didn't get the toy that he wanted and was seconds away from throwing a tantrum. but akito could care less, he didn't want to get roped into whatever he was planning nor did he care if tsukasa was planning something.
so he asked him.
"what's gotten you in a grumpy mood?" akito asked, looking at his senior with a raised brow. tsukasa didn't bother giving him an answer (which irritated the ginger) as he continued to look at the direction where [name]'s assigned bathroom was located with furrowed brows.
connecting the dots together, akito released a sigh and rolled his eyes. pushing himself away the pillar he was leaning on, he slowly walked towards the bathroom. despite his thoughts about his senior, he couldn't help but respect him in different ways. he knew that tsukasa had given his all to every challenge in his life and he knew that he would never let anything happen to his comrades ever again.
tsukasa noticed where akito was going and immediately halted him.
"hey! don't tell me you're thinking of going to [names]'s bathroom? what are you, a creep?!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the empty halls making akito halt in his steps. he turned to look at the blond male, a disgusted and annoyed look printed on his face.
"huh?! what did you just say to me?!" akito yelled back. "and for the record, i was going to the kitchen! who knows how long they are staying and talking there. i'm getting hungry each second. if you don't believe me then you can come with."
and that's what tsukasa did. the two of them were quiet as they walk to the kitchen, with tsukasa sneaking some accusing stares at his junior and akito still having his annoyed look etched on his face. it was like that for minutes until they heard hushed whispers from the bathroom.
"...guess so..."
"that's so... [name]! who knew... had a thing for...!"
"...does that mean?! also... your voice down! help... shiho!"
curious, akito stopped infront of the bathroom and pressed his ears against its door to hear the conversation better.
appalled, tsukasa looked at him with wide eyes as he shaked his companions shoulder.
"what are you doing?!" the blond whisper-yelled, keeping his voice down to avoid getting caught "you're invading their privacy!"
sure tsukasa himself was curious on why his friends are in one bathroom and what they were talking about but he couldn't just go past his morals and listen in without them knowing. shaking his thoughts away, he began to scold akito again but he couldn't, not when—
"look, i'll say this once and never again. yes, i am in love with tsukasa tenma and no, i will not confess my feelings for him. got it?"
not when the world around him stopped moving, not when his eyes went wide and face turned red, not when his hands turned sweaty and tightened its hold on akito's shoulder, not when the latter looked at him with wide and shocked eyes.
not when the door they where leaning on slowly opened.
not when they had fallen to the floor and looking up to three pairs of shocked eyes.
not when he made eye contact, with the person who had just admitted their feelings for him.
and most importantly, not when they bolted out the room, teary-eyed.
tur ip ip ip
hello!! dropping by to say that your writing is so welllllll written!!! excited to read more fics from you >_<
thank youu!! if you have any specific fics in mind (maybe from other fandoms too jic i also watch them) feel free to lmk <3
clueless, kuroo tetsuro
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ kuroo tetsuro has a thing for girls with long hair. so what if you're a girl with long hair? that doesn’t mean anything!
➼ pairing! kuroo tetsuro x fem!manager!reader
➼ warnings! none, just fluff and humor. maybe ooc because i haven't written in years??? unfortunately, because this is based on the scene of kuroo and yaku arguing about their preference, this is really for my long haired girlies 😣 i apologize to the short haired readers
➼ word count! about 1.4k
➼ author’s note! "haikyuu renassiance!" we all cheer in unison. anywho, this is my first time posting in two years. please be nice to me 🫡
"So, you prefer girls with short hair then, Yaku?" Kai asks, shedding off the white button-up of his school uniform and revealing his black practice t-shirt. The three third-year Nekoma players had found themselves in an empty classroom, deciding to use it as a makeshift changing room. Luckily for them, they had all worn their clean practice clothes under their school uniforms. Doing so allowed them to save time and cut back the number of minutes they were already going to be late to practice, thanks to Yaku getting distracted by a group of girls, which Kai noted all had short hair. Hence, his question.
Yaku paused his work of ridding himself of his tie to send Kai a proud grin, pointing towards him with both hands, “Yesss!
"And you, Kuroo?" Kai turns to him, now curious to know his captain's answer as well.
"Long." Kuroo's answer is firm, leaving no room for debate. Still, he glances at Yaku, as if daring him to try.
Yaku only snorts, shaking his head in amusement as he too turns to look at his captain, "Like that wasn't obvious."
"Ehh," Kuroo's eyes narrow, head craning down to peer at the libero, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means," Yaku starts, taking a step closer as he peers right back up at Kuroo, "Everyone knows you have a crush on our manager, who just so happens to have the longest hair I've ever seen!"
"Ehh?" Kuroo repeats, louder this time as he cranes his head down even more, "Who says I have a crush—"
"Hey!" The door to the classroom slides open with a shocking force, startling the boys and drawing the attention of all three of them to it. Kuroo and Yaku both grow rigid as they find you standing in its opening. Quiet pants slip past your lips, and you take a moment to catch your breath as you stare at the three of them before you begin speaking, "There you guys are! I've been looking for the three of you everywhere."
"Hello," Kai greets kindly, the only one not left in a stupor at your sudden appearance, smiling as you make your way into the classroom. "We apologize, we're running a bit late."
"Yeah," You huff, coming to a stop a few steps away from them as you cross your arms, "It was your guys' turn to set up the nets. So when you guys didn't show up in time to do so and none of you answered your phones, Coach sent me to find you guys. Didn't know I'd be going on a wild goose chase."
Your words leave you in a huff before your eyes land on Kuroo, raising an eyebrow at the captain. His shoulders tense even more at the sudden eye contact and he's quick to snap his head in the other direction. Kuroo suddenly feels warm, realizing how you could have easily heard the conversation transpiring between the three of them. Stupid Yaku, Kuroo curses the libero in his head, doesn't even know what he's talking about.
"Sorry, Y/N." And of course it’s Yaku who disrupts his thoughts, pulling Kuroo's eyes to him just as he sends you an innocent smile, "We got carried away, talking."
There's a teasing tone to Yaku's voice, and Kuroo knows it's directed at him. Why is he friends with him again?
"I don't even want to know," You speak, and Kuroo can envision you shaking your head at the three of them, "Just get dressed and get to the gym as quick as possible, please."
All three boys give some noise of recognition in response to your words, and Kuroo takes the chance to glance at you then. He's quick to regret it. Your hand rises just as he locks eyes with you, reaching up to tuck some of the more unruly pieces of your hair (which most likely came undone due to your seemingly frantic search of the three third years) behind your ear and out of your face. Kuroo's eyes follow the movement of your hand, trailing downwards and taking in the long strands of hair that fall well past your shoulders. Once again all too aware of the conversation he was just having with his teammates, the tips of his ears burn as he pulls his gaze away from you once more. He shakes his head, trying to get Yaku's words out of his mind. Just because he liked girls with long hair, and just because you so happened to be a girl with long hair, did not mean he liked you.
Right?
A snort of laughter suddenly leaves Yaku, having caught the interaction, and Kuroo turns to him with a heated glare. You don't miss the exchange between them either.
"Are you two having one of your petty arguments again?" You accuse, eyes glancing between Kuroo and Yaku who are suddenly staring back at you like two deers caught in headlights. "Seriously, you've been fighting like this since first year. What topic could you guys possibly still be discussing?"
Yaku's smirk returns as he glances at his captain with an all too knowing look before he turns back to you, "Well, if you really want to kn—"
"Nope!" Kuroo is quick to interject, speaking for the first time since you entered and drawing your attention away from Yaku and back to the captain himself. Your eyes widen as he begins to take long strides in your direction. "No arguing here!"
Your lips part, confusion taking over your features at the odd behavior your captain is displaying. You don't get the chance to say anything, however, as Kuroo makes a show of glancing at the clock on the wall before turning back to you with a dramatic gasp, "Oh, would you look at the time! We should really be heading to practice."
"You still have your school shirt on, Kuroo.” You point out when he stops in front of you, pointedly glancing down at Kuroo's attire, which consisted of his practice shorts and white button-up, with his red school tie hung loosely around his neck.
"I'll just change it once we're in the gym," Kuroo responds, waving away your interjections before he drops his hands onto your shoulders and forces you to turn around and back toward the door. You attempt to dig your heels down when he begins to push you in the direction of the door, but you're truly no match for his strength. Stupid volleyball training.
"Kuroo," You voice your protests, attempting to swat at his hands in order to get him to release you. Once again, your attempts remain futile, "Let go of me!"
"No can do! As captain and manager, it's our job to be on time to every practice. What would our team do without us?" Kuroo shakes his head, clicking his tongue as if he's scolding you. He turns back to Kai and Yaku, flashing them a warning smile, daring them to say another word. Yaku merely watches on with an unamused look, while Kai holds a placid smile. There's extra sweetness in his voice as he practically chirps out, "Bring my stuff to the club room, will you?"
"I was on time!" You retort, not giving Kai nor Yaku a chance to respond to their exasperating captain as you send them a pointed look, all the while succumbing to your fate and allowing Kuroo to push you out of the classroom. After all, he did have a point. It probably wouldn't be long before Lev managed to push somebody's buttons (most likely Yamamoto’s) one too many times and ended up in hot water. "The only reason I'm not there right now is because I came looking for you guys!"
"Ah, now is not the time to deal blame, Y/N. Our juniors are waiting on us." Kuroo argues back, shaking his head as he removes one hand from your shoulder to slide the door shut behind the two of you. Still, Yaku and Kai face the door as the sound of your guys' bickering persists. It grows quieter and quieter with each passing moment, and it isn’t until they can no longer hear your guys' voices does Yaku glance away with a shake of his head.
"He's clueless." Yaku deadpans, glancing back down at his tie as he continues to work on untying it.
Kai nods, neatly folding his button-up before placing it in his bag. "Completely."
🗯 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍. .
• • 📁 how funny.. Y/N Forger left her country to accomplish a mission, next thing she knew, she was seeing her husband on a screen — declaring that this woman.. was his wife… wait, his wife?!
• • 🖇 loid x fem!reader x daisuke — this fanfiction will not follow the sxf and fkbu plot line, there will be some canon stuff but nothing else!
• • 📂 taglist ; closed !
@syynnaaah @a-simp-for-haikyuu @gotbannedfrommykitchen @yaesflorist @lycheekirintea @tnu-ree @villainarc-2 @akazxii @achanyoungfan @sinspookie @sl0thsblog @freetobeafcknriot @dailymoodboards @pasta-warlord @1-800-s1ya @kaedear @ilovespideyyy @fuyuus @melkxsh @yumekos-gamble @hamcultivator @ittohavr @sammy-hammy @xxshinimakixx @riots-stuff @mirikusashes @chicha027 @childesbbyy @oh-honeyz @bloominthings @dr3amscap3 @battoddster @fiannee @yeahhemmings- @missbunsworld @lunalunapep @kreishin @cherriomilkmangos @lovinnoya @chikafujiarts @aikochan4859 @shrynkk @s-enku @kyomihann @cecistarsnatch @meguvmii @tinyegg @avsphroeg @evans-dejong
🗄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒. .
• 🔍 TOP SECRET ; PROFILES
i. thorn princess
ii. long time no see
iii. back at the mansion
iv. bodyguard & a nanny?
v. where it all started
vi. a favor to ask
vii. a perfect family
viii. secret affair?
ix. to be added..
• • 📂 PSA !! this is in no way to hate on any character, it is fiction and for plot purposes only!
• • 📂 TW !! implied cheating, swearing, suggestive, mentions of blood, fighting, murder
• • 🗂 LAST UPDATED IN : 05/10/22
in which childe is really in love with you
a/n: i really like whipped men
"i like you, let's get married!"
paimon's random screeches right next to your ear feel distant as you can feel your soul leaving from your body. even lumine isn't sure how to react.
it was definitely a mistake to accompany lumine on her trip back to liyue. especially after meeting this stranger who seems way too eager to make conversation with you for the past week you've met him.
with the best, politest, brightest, professional smile you could muster, you beam at childe.
"no."
lumine gives a comforting pat on the back for the ginger.
.
.
.
"childe, for the last time, stop sending me gifts that cost more than my entire life savings!!" you barge into his office with a new set of sapphire jewelry in hand. none of the fatui recruits really blink an eye anymore, used to seeing your presence in the past few days.
he clicks his tongue in disappointment, and then pouts with a sound huff.
"is this set still not to your liking? i made sure to chose the best one.."
"best as in the most expensive?"
"...the prettiest."
"childe i-"
"i said you could call me ajax when we're alone" his frown deepens along with the crease in his brow. you can't lie to yourself when you say that it didn't make your heart twinge with a little guilt.
"....ajax, i don't need you to be sending me all these lavish items." you mutter softly. you notice him flinch a little, before masking it with his normal playful expression.
"ahh... i don't know what to do.." he dramatically sighs. you lift your brow. "i'm sure my face is plenty attractive, and i'm still young all things considered. and my body is up to standards i suppose."
"..?"
"but you're not falling for it!! is my face not your type? or is it my personality? what is your type? i can change to be whatever you like." his rambling causes him to unintentionally lean closer towards you, pressing for answers to his desperate questions. you should deviate, somehow. he's close enough that his scent washes over you, pleasantly surprising you.
"what cologne do you wear?" his eye widens in glee. uh oh.
"do you like it? i'll wear it everyday for you." his charms really flow out of him as naturally as he breathes. you shake your head. no. you shouldn't be swayed this easily.
"do whatever you want." you place the box of jewelry on his desk. his eyes follow your movement.
"you didn't answer my question."
"yeah it's nice. reminds me of the ocean"
"not that one." your eyes meet his. the eyes that also resemble the ocean that you think of. the one that has gentle swaying waves, a soothing breeze that wisps through the air, soft melodies whispered in the depths of the water. an ocean that brings you comfort like no other.
oh. oh. oh.
in your silence, childe slowly inches his hand towards his rejected gift. snaking the necklace out of its hold, grabbing the clasps.
the cold tingle against your collarbone pulls you back to reality.
"hey stop it. i never accepted it." your words go ignored as you feel his hands fumble to clasp each end together, his gaze tenderly tracing around your face. an overwhelming gaze that you can't get used to with how much emotion you can feel from him. a rare thing.
"just give me a chance. please." his fingers dance around the nape of your neck, sending shivers down your back with how intimate you've let him get with you.
"...fine." you suppose it's alright to indulge in this feeling a little.
the pure joy that radiated off the man in front of you could really blind you.
"really!!!?! no take backs okay?? you swear?? promise me right now!!" his animated words come out quickly, with one of his hands lifted right in front of you with his pinky extended. cute. you extend yours as well and wrap it around his.
"you know what a pinky promise means snezhnaya right?"
"mhm." you've heard it from him one time during a midnight walk on the beaches of liyue (he insisted to come along so he could 'protect' you). "you make a pinkie promise, you keep it all your life. you break a pinkie promise, i throw you on the ice. the cold will kill the pinkie that once betrayed your friend, the frost will freeze your tongue off so you never lie again."
childe's mind reels for a second, hearing you recite a simple nursery rhyme from his home country makes his heart pound even harder, yearning for your presence by his side.
"then we can get the rest of this set on with a cute little dress for our date later tonight at wanmin-"
"no."
"what~!! fine, minus the jewelry."
"no."
"why.."
"i don't want to eat at some fancy restaurant."
"...then at my place.?" his face has a light dust of pink on it.
"...fine. meet you at 7."
with that, you twist out of his hold (his hand snuck to the small of your back) and walk out of his office. childe is unable to push down the stupid grin that takes over his face throughout the whole day. the fatui recruits shiver at the thought of the maniacal smile that covers his murderous mood that day.
.
.
.
it doesn't take more than a few seconds before you hear a noise barreling at the door, flinging it open before tugging you inside, in a deathly embrace.
"hey!! i'm almost done with the last dish, come with me!!" his excited state pulls you with him barely letting you take off your shoes as you follow his long strides towards the kitchen.
his place his clean, light decor sprinkled around some corners. you see a lot of frames on the wall, with various people in each photo, all slightly resembling the ocean eyed man that you know. he must cherish his family.
the air is filled with the aroma of many fragrant dishes foreign to you. childe settles you on a dining chair before rushing towards the stoves. it allows you to see him don an adorable pink apron. you wish you brought your kamera.
"do you need help?"
"no, just sit there prettily and wait for me." he chimes out. you roll your eyes are his comment, but fail to keep your lips from stretching into a smile. your eyes don't leave his form, taking note of how this light makes him look softer, more domestic. you look at the way the muscles of his arm tense with every movement of the pan, the way his fingers expertly sprinkle spices, the way he hums a tune while cooking.
it's a nice view.
"enjoying the view?" his voice is filled with a teasing tone, as his face reads nothing but amusement and mirth.
"no, i'm looking at the food." you scoff, feeling your face heat up. he laughs and turns back to the pan.
eventually he finishes the last dish, and lays everything in front of you. you take note of the lack of ingredients you dislike.
"uh, i didn't know what dishes you like, so i hope you like these. they're some snezhnayian dishes i grew up with.." he's visibly worried, but you quickly quell those thoughts.
"it smells amazing. i want to try them all." he perks up and settles down.
"please, help yourself."
each bite you take makes you delight in the flavors that hit your tongue, your face lighting up with every dish you try.
childe can't describe the tugging in his heart as he observes each of your positive expressions as you enjoy the dishes he made.
the usually lonely and empty dinner table is filled with light chatter and giggles, replacing the void that left a cold bitterness in childe's heart.
after everything was completed finished with no leftovers, you take it upon yourself to wash the dishes, leaving no argument for childe when you threatened to take back your promise (he thinks that was too cruel of you to pull that over him).
he stands by you while you wash each dish, eventually shifting to tugging you against his chest as he rests his head on your shoulder. you bite back your complaint of the difficulty to move in the position when you hear his content sigh.
his heart is drunk on the pleasure of your presence that feels so natural in his life. the presence that fits perfectly in his present and future by his side, as his only lover.
he can't help but let his mind wander, thinking of the moments when you would visit his hometown, when you would meet his beloved family, when you would carry his younger siblings in your arms, when his family would dress you in traditional snezhnayian clothing.
these thoughts don't leave his mind, even as you finish up and he leads you to the couches, filling the silence with mindless chatter of his family when you ask more about himself.
you planned on leaving sooner or later, but you couldn't help but give yourself a few more minutes, listening to his voice for a little longer. the longer you stayed, the more comfortable you felt. eventually, you let yourself be lured into the darkness as you drift off.
childe carefully directs your head towards his shoulder when he sees you start to drowse off. he thinks you're attractive even when you're asleep. an angel sent from heaven.
the item in his pocket weighs a little heavier now. with a little hesitance, he carefully pulls it out, making sure not to disturb your sleep,
opening it up, the crystal gleams the same crimson glow as the one that dangles off his ear every day.
with cautious movements, he gently puts it on your ear. it rests softly against your jaw. his heart pounds so loudly he worries that it would wake you up.
ah, he should have given this to you sooner.
POKER FACE
pairing - timeskip. sakusa kiyoomi x volleyball ref gn. reader
includes - college au, sakusa slowly losing his mind, lying (nothing bad i swear) if you squint, getting to know sakusa, new friendship things
a/n - i know this sounds weird and specific but i was reading a fic and an idea came to mind. hopefully it doesn't flop
Sakusa Kiyoomi is never late.
It's the first thing you've noticed about him since the start of the semester. The second thing is that he always looks put together.
So now as you sit on your assigned-unassigned spot in the lecture hall, the seat next to you empty and two minutes into the lecture, you wonder if something is wrong.
However, to everyone's surprise, a figure bursts through the door, immediately apologizing to the professor before beelining for his seat.
Heavy pants leave Sakusa's lips, almost as if he ran here, his curly hair slighty damp with sweat.
He plops on the chair unceremoniously and you have to hold in a laugh.
'Wow, what happened? You ran a marathon or something?'
'Practice.'
'Practice?'
You repeat the word with interest, one eyebrow rising and urging him to elaborate.
'Volleyball practice.'
'Oh?'
The professor's loud voice redirects both of your attention towards her, but you tuck away this sliver of information for later.
-
Sakusa was always rather intriguing to you. His blutness, his confidence, his disinterest for others. Even though he sounds repulsive, with you it was always the opposite.
Despite the forming friendship, if you can call it that, outside of class the two of you didn't really talk much. But you can't help yourself when you see him leaving the campus' gym one saturday morning.
Gradually speeding up you reach him in a matter of seconds, noticing the surprise on his stupidly handsome face.
'Hi!'
'What are you doing here? I've never seen you up before eleven.'
'I have work.'
Sakusa doesn't ask what you do so you don't clarify. Instead, you start a conversation while he walks back towards his dorm, presumably for a nap, and you towards the parking lot.
Just before you part ways, it's like a switch goes off in your head and you spin towards Sakusa so fast he nearly stumbles back.
'Oh, yeah! I almost forgot. Do you have any upcoming games this month?'
One of his perfect eyebrows arches up suspiciously but your smile is unwavering.
'We're playing against another university next week. Why?'
'No reason ~'
Before he even has a chance to question you further, you speedwalk towards your car, effectively hiding your triumphant giggle.
-
By the time the game finally rolls around, Sakusa has forgotten all about that weird interaction.
He's in the familiar locker room, pulling on the MSBY jersey over his head. Atsumu and Hinata are talking about something not too far away, and Bokuto walks into the room, bright and cheery despite being very late.
They step onto the court, following Meian's instructions immediately and starting their warm-up. When he's on the court, that's the only thing Sakusa cares about. Unlike Atsumu for example, he doesn't care for the crowd, doesn't care for anyone at the moment who isn't on his team.
The sound of a whistle blowing indicates that the captain's should make their approach, and for whatever reason, Sakusa looks in that direction.
His jaw almost cracked from how far it dropped when his eyes landed on you. You were standing in front of the two men, in official FIVB uniform, whistle hanging around your neck, looking professional and serious.
Sakusa blinks. Once. Twice. Three times.
You're still there. You haven't noticed him yet, or maybe you did but you don't care, and he's at a complete loss. Only once the captains start making their way back to their respective sides do you finally look at him, eyes twinkling with mischief and a hint of a smile on your lips.
-
The Black Jackals win, unsurprisingly. However, Sakusa isn't sure how he managed to score as many points as he did, since he was being watched like a hawk the entire time.
Of course it's your job, but still.
He has to wait outside the gym before you and your colleagues finally exit the building before he has a chance to talk to you.
When you step outside you immediately notice his figure lingering and you laugh on the inside, biding your colleagues goodbye before making your way over to him.
'Congratulations on the win.'
Your tone is too smug and it turns Sakusa's glare into a scowl.
'What the fuck?'
This is the first time you hear him curse and it takes all of your willpower not to snort.
'What? You did win, no?'
'That's not what I meant and you know it.'
'It's not?'
If you keep up this innocent and clueless charade, Kiyoomi might just lose his mind.
'When were you gonna tell me you were a fucking volleyball ref?'
Fueling his fire, you shrug nonchalantly.
'You never asked.'
Sakusa opens his mouth to retort, but after a second gives up, knowing that he would've made the same exact remark in your position.
He hates you.
'Is this why you asked me about the game last weekend? Isn't that a conflict of interest?'
'None of my superiors know we're classmates. And if they did they wouldn't know we're friends. So technically, no.'
That satisfied smile on yourself makes him want to kiss it off- no. Slap it off. Anything other than kiss. What the fuck?
He shakes his head to try and get rid off...whatever this is, before he huffs.
'Fine. Have it your way. I'll see you in class then.'
Something about confused Sakusa will always be amusing to you. Just as you're about to leave the premises, you catch a glimpse of orange and yellow in your peripheral vision, silently praying for Sakusa's well-being.
part 2?
— ( SUMMER RAIN )
˚ SUMMARY. two unlikely students are paired together for a documentary — but sometimes love finds us in peculiar ways ( aka an our beloved summer au. or also in other words high school unlikely match / rival au )
˚ FEATURING. ayato, albedo, childe, kaeya, thoma, xiao x gn! reader
˚ WARNINGS. mentions of “pretty” in albedo’s. mild swearing. usage of mx
˚ LINKS. masterlist
˚ NOTES. im posting this even though it technically isnt valentines day yet for me but by the time i post this tmrw it wont be valentines for most people so … enjoy !! all fluff :D
( interlude )
“a documentary,” you say, slowly.
“yes,” the cameraman says. “it’s only for a month. we’re pairing up the [pair] and we’ll basically filming you throughout the month. just pretend we aren’t there — it’s just a documentary about youth life, and you just go on about your day-to-day lives.”
you hesitate. this sounds like a mistake.
it’s one month, a voice in your head whispers. you can do one month, can’t you?
you clear your throat. “so who’s the other person going to be?”
ayato: most proper and least proper
kamisato ayato has a rep around inazuma high and it isn’t necessarily a bad one
the only thing you know about him is that his family practically runs the town
and apparently, an asshole
he has a rep for being closed off – you never see him hang out with anyone other than his sister and thoma. and you’re on good terms with thoma - but you’ve never talked to ayato
you’ve never had reason to; you’re never in the same class as him, and he always seemingly disappears every time you approach thoma
stuck up ass, is basically what you’ve always thought of him; he often had an air to him that said he’s too good for everyone
you think he looks down on you because you’re not as prestigious as he is - he’s proper, he comes from a rich family. he probably doesn’t even need the money from the documentary
still, at first, in the documentary, you try to be friends with him.
it goes horribly wrong.
on the first day of the documentary, you buy yourself a coffee at the local coffee shop. and you end up buying him one as well
however, when you try to give it to him, you end up tripping it and spilling it all over his business project that he’s stayed up all night to work on
there’s a beat of absolute silence as he slowly looks up to stare at you. you swear his eyes are burning holes into your head
and then he slowly looks back down, grabbing his water bottle, unscrewing the top lid, presumably to take a drink.
“sorry” you say, hurriedly. “i was trying to give you coffee, because i know you always stay up-”
he dumps the water over your head
a small shriek gets stuck in your throat, as you get soaked from head to toe
“i said sorry,” you say. your voice isn’t angry, still in shock. but the anger rises in your chest all the same
“oh.” he looks back down at his project. his voice is nothing short of sarcastic. “sorry.”
and then, at that moment, you decide that you hate this kid. with a burning passion
and of course he never gets into trouble because nobody would ever suspect ayato of doing something bad
the only person who sympathizes with you is thoma who just shrugs with a crooked grin and says “he’s sly. there’s a reason he’s never gotten caught.”
you’re forced to sit in the same classes, next to each other, for the sake of the documentary
but even through the filming, you’ve never been afraid to tell the camera how much you dislike ayato
“oh things i hate?” you ask, staring at the camera. “kamisato ayato.”
he doesn’t turn his head to you but you can see his scowl all the same. “funny, i was going to say the same.”
your arguments are equivalent to a child’s argument — often times, when arguments spark, they’re accidents like the coffee; it only gives him more fuel to dislike you, and you to dislike him
once, he decides to give you coffee with a “sorry :(“ sticky note attached to it
and like the fool you are, you decide to drink it
he watches from outside the door, not being able to resist a smirk
salt floods your taste buds, but instead of spitting it out, you make eye contact with him in the door and continue to down the entire thing
ayato also basically has this claim to a parking spot in the school - it’s not technically his, but everyone’s agreed it’s ayato’s spot
you stole it as soon as you could
it becomes a competition on who can get to school first to steal the spot. and that leads to both of you being to school two hours earlier
which means you actually spend a lot of time together ! and soon, your dislike for him, melts into something softer
you like spending time with him. in fact, you look forward to it
and you don’t miss how his smiles become fond - sometimes, when you’re on the verge of falling asleep in class, you see him smile softly as you rest your head on his shoulders
or sometimes, when you wake up, you just find his jacket over your shoulders
and there’s this one time when someone else makes an off hand comment about your clumsiness
the next day, the kid doesn’t show up to school. and when he shows up again, his face is bright red and his hair has been dyed green
when you turn to ayato, he just gives you his signature smirk with a shrug. “i don’t get caught.”
you two end up terrorizing your teachers. they never figure out who has been leaving alarm clocks around the building to disturb class, and ayato always turns to you with a fond smile
“how do i feel about y/n now?” he breaks into a soft smile. “i love them — i couldn’t ask for a better partner in crime. but don’t tell them i said that. i will never hear the end of it.”
albedo: smart & smart
you’ve never talked to albedo before this - but you’ve noticed him from afar
you’re both top of your class - both of you competing for number one spot
he’s never had many feelings towards you, other than the fact that you’re smart. he notices your name on the top scorers of exams, but knows nothing of you other than that
you never see albedo hang out with anyone - he has a few people he talks to, but none that he ever seems to be friends with
and it’s not for a lack of trying either - you ask kaeya about him once, wanting to get an idea of who albedo was
and kaeya just says “albedo — a strange one. he’s nice. but don’t interrupt him while he’s working. or ask him to hang out. he will always say no. it’s quite embarrassing.”
but when you talk to albedo, he’s actually quite nice! he’s never been anything but kind to you
you work together on a lab, and he’s always been patient with you. you’re able to bounce ideas off each other, and you’ve never worked with someone better
the rivalry doesn’t kick in until the second day. and then oh boy
but you also work at a daycare after school hours — and there, you take care of a child named klee
and you love klee ! klee’s the best !
sometimes, you help klee make these little water bombs as pranks to help her terrorize this “big bad brother” she complains about in daycare
and you share all your knowledge with her
and then, one day, when klee decides to set off her bombs on “big bad brother” albedo asks klee where she learned to make these new kind of bombs
klee — the absolute icon she is — isn’t able to keep a secret. “mx y/n helped me,” she says, sheepishly, swinging back and forth
albedo stops. “y/n l/n?”
klee shrugs. “i think. they says they’re your age. i like mx y/n more than you. they let me go fish blasting!”
so the next day, albedo, naturally comes to ask if you work in a daycare and you know klee
“yeah, i know klee.” you chuckle, thinking about her. “the other day, i helped her make mini water bombs — not a dangerous kind, don’t worry — to prank her brother. she’s amazing.”
he gives you a deadpan look. “klee’s my sister.”
oh. oh shit.
“and by the way,” he says, “i make better water bombs than you.”
and if to prove it, the next day, you find a container on your desk. and when you open it, water sprays in your face
and next to you, albedo is chuckling
oh it is so on.
you do most of your pranks through klee, bribing her to prank albedo. and albedo does the same
you both compete to be klee’s favorite — and whenever albedo comes pick klee up, you both have to tone down on the swearing
but you two are never mean to each other - it’s always been fun little pranks, with no mean intentions behind it, something you both know
“how do you feel about albedo?” the cameramen ask you, once, for the documentary.
“albedo?” the cameras don’t miss the small smile that spreads across your face. “he’s kind. a little closed off, but an absolute menace.”
but even though your words don’t say the whole truth, the cameras catch it
the cameras catch every time when you’re working late in the lab and he brings snacks for you
or every time either of you don’t understand something, you’re always patient, while explaining it to the other
or sometimes, during class, if you’ve pulled an all nighter, he’ll let you rest on his shoulder as he takes a little more notes as usual that way you’ll be caught up in class
and one day, when you’re taking of klee, she tells you
“my brother says he likes you.” she grins from ear to ear. “he says you’re very pretty.”
needless to say, you played a clip of your documentary at the wedding
“how do i feel about y/n?” albedo hums. “don’t tell them i said this, but i’m happy klee likes them. i want to make them apart of our family.”
more undercut !
Keep reading
hello!! thank you so much for the support in my hwang in-ho x fem! reader—crossroads. for those who haven't read it yet, you might want to check it out here. (20.3k words 👀)
i currently have 3 fanfics on the making, but I want to know which one you would like me to post first!
edit:
kang dae-ho x gn! reader is ALREADY POSTED !! see here !!
hwang in-ho x fem! reader is ALSO POSTED!! see here !!
hwang in-ho x fem! reader, wherein childhood friends reunite under the most dangerous circumstances.
kang dae-ho x gn! reader, wherein you never expected to see your highschool sweetheart— let alone in a deadly game. POSTED ALREADY <3
the salesman x fem! reader, wherein a hangout at your coworkers house turns into something more. (no full-on smut, but it will have smut-ish undertones/sexual tension, sorry ☹️)
gn = gender-neutral, usage of they/them so everyone can enjoy :) feel free to request gender specific readers though!
the one with the most votes will be posted first, followed by the second and then the third. :>
for those who sent in requests, thank you also! I'll be doing those once I finished these three 🫡. I'll also be merging some requests if that's fine with you.
requests are still open btw! feel free to send an ask. I do all the characters! both season 1 and 2. I might refuse smut requests though I'm so sorry, I'm not that confident in writing full on smut requests. maybe in the future :) ?
thanks again for the support!
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