never change

Because, somehow, everyone in Toman has decided that you and Mitsuya are destined soulmates. Which is insane because he clearly hates you. He always sighs when you walk into the room, never laughs at your jokes, and acts like everything you do is some massive inconvenience.

So, naturally, you’ve made it your life’s mission to annoy the hell out of him.

And today? Today is no different.

The Toman hideout is as loud and chaotic as ever. You’re sitting on the couch with Emma and Hina, watching as Mitsuya helps Hakkai wrap a bandage around his arm. He’s focused, carefully tying the gauze, completely unbothered by the noise around him.

Which is unacceptable.

“Ugh.” You groan dramatically, slumping against Emma “Why is he always here?”

Hina snorts “Because he’s literally a vice-captain?”

“A vice-captain with an attitude problem.” You glance at Mitsuya, narrowing your eyes “I bet if he smiled too hard, his face would crack.”

Emma hums “Or maybe he doesn’t smile because someone keeps throwing french fries at his head.”

“That happened one time.”

“It happened yesterday.”

“Still a one time thing”

From across the room, Mitsuya sighs.

You whip around immediately “SEE?! He does it every time I talk!”

Pah chokes on his drink “This is painful to watch.”

“Yeah, this is getting ridiculous.” Smiley says, grinning “I mean, how long are they gonna keep this up?”

You frown “Keep what up?”

Before anyone can answer, Chifuyu suddenly drops onto the couch beside you, looking suspiciously smug “Hey, Y/N, quick question.”

You squint “What?”

“If you had to be stranded on a deserted island with one person, would you pick Mitsuya?”

“I’d rather drink seawater.”

“I’d rather swim into a shark’s mouth.” Mitsuya deadpans from across the room.

Baji nearly dies laughing “YEAH, SURE, OKAY.”

“See?!” You spin toward Emma and Hina, motioning wildly at Mitsuya “He hates me!”

They exchange a look. The same one they’ve been giving you for months. The one that makes you feel like you’re missing a really obvious joke.

“Right.” Hina says.

“Absolutely.” Emma agrees.

You narrow your eyes “…Why do I feel like you guys know something I don’t?”

Before either of them can respond, Draken suddenly clears his throat “Alright, enough. I can’t watch this disaster any longer.”

Mikey, who had been quietly eating dorayaki, finally speaks up “I say we lock them in a room.”

You freeze “Wait, what?”

Mitsuya’s head snaps up “Excuse me?”

Mikey shrugs, unbothered “Just until they confess.”

The room erupts.

“I love that idea.” Smiley howls.

“Let’s do it.” Baji grins.

Even Hakkai, the nice one, nods “It’d save us a lot of time.”

You shoot up from your seat “Confess what??”

Mitsuya groans, rubbing his temples “You guys are actual morons.”

“No, you two are morons,” Chifuyu corrects “We are just fixing it.”

You’re about to argue when Emma grabs your arm.

Hina grabs your other arm.

“WAIT—”

Before you can fight back, they drag you toward the nearest empty room.

You hear a loud thud as Mitsuya gets shoved inside with you, his voice sharp with irritation “Are you serious right now?”

The door slams shut.

Then they locked it.

“I’m going to murder them...” Mitsuya mutters.

You press your forehead against the door, horror settling in “Not if I do it first.”

The room is dead silent.

You and Mitsuya stand on opposite sides, both facing the door, both processing the absolute betrayal that just happened.

Your friends... your traitorous, nosy friends... have actually locked you inside a tiny room with Mitsuya.

And they’re not letting you out until one of you confesses.

Which is never happening since Mitsuya hates you.

After what feels like a full minute, you finally turn to him “…This is your fault.”

Mitsuya scoffs “My fault? You’re the one who keeps picking fights with me.”

“Because you hate me!”

He groans, rubbing his temples like you’re giving him a migraine “I don’t hate you.”

“You literally just said you’d rather get eaten by a shark than be stuck on an island with me.”

“Because you said you’d rather die first!”

You squint at him “So what? You just had to one-up me?”

“You started it!”

Before you can throw something at his stupidly calm face, you hear muffled voices outside the door.

“They’re fighting already.” Chifuyu says, laughing.

“Give it ten minutes,” Baji snickers “One of them’s gonna snap.”

You whip around and bang on the door “LET ME OUT, YOU BASTARDS.”

“Nope!” Emma’s voice is way too cheerful “Not until you confess~”

You can practically hear Hina smirking “Take your time, though. We’ve got all night.”

Oh, they are so dead.

You turn back to Mitsuya, eyes burning with pure rage “Okay. We need a plan.”

He raises an eyebrow “A plan?”

“Yes.” You cross your arms and whisper “We pretend to confess so they let us out.”

Mitsuya gives you a flat look “You want to fake confess?”

“Unless you have a better idea?”

He sighs, shaking his head “Fine. But they’re not gonna believe it if it sounds fake.”

You frown “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you can’t just say, ‘Oh wow, I actually love you so much, let me out now’” he deadpans “They’re expecting that.”

You blink “…Okay, that was actually a really good impression of me.”

“Yeah, because all you do is yell.”

“See?! You do hate me!”

Mitsuya groans “Oh my god.”

Outside, the entire Toman gang is eavesdropping, fully entertained.

“They’re hopeless.” Smiley laughs.

“We might be here for a whole while.” Hakkai mutters.

Mikey hums, finishing off his dorayaki “Nah. They’ll break soon.”

Baji grins “Wanna bet?”

Back inside, you take a deep breath “Okay, fine. If we have to make it believable, let’s just, ugh... compliment each other.”

Mitsuya leans against the wall, arms crossed “Alright. You go first.”

You narrow your eyes “…Why do I have to go first?”

“Because this was your dumb plan.”

“Fine.” You huff, crossing your arms “Ugh. I guess… you’re good at sewing or whatever.”

Mitsuya blinks “That’s it?”

“What, do you want me to write you a poem?”

He sighs dramatically “Okay, my turn. You’re… not completely unbearable.”

You glare “Wow. Romantic.”

“We’re fake confessing, not getting engaged.”

“Whatever. Now let’s just—”

Suddenly, you hear whispers outside.

“They’re faking it.” Hina says.

“Obviously.” Draken mutters.

Mikey sighs “Alright. Plan B.”

Before you can even ask what Plan B is, a vent above you suddenly opens...

AND A WATER BOTTLE COMES FLYING THROUGH.

Right into Mitsuya’s head.

The silence is deafening.

Then Baji starts screaming with laughter.

Mitsuya just closes his eyes, inhales slowly, and mutters, “I hate all of you.”

You’re wheezing on the floor.

Mitsuya stands perfectly still, eyes closed, jaw clenched. The water bottle that smacked him in the head rolls across the floor.

You, meanwhile, are dying.

Clutching your stomach, you collapse against the wall, gasping between wheezes “I—I can’t—They sniped you!”

From outside the door, Baji is howling with laughter.

“Did you see that shot?” Smiley cackles “Perfect headshot!”

“Who even threw that?!” Hakkai asks, struggling to breathe.

“…Me.” Mikey answers, sounding vaguely proud.

Mitsuya exhales slowly, rubbing his temples “I swear to god.”

You wipe tears from your eyes, still grinning “Hey, at least you’re hydrated.”

He shoots you a deadpan stare “Do you want to die?”

Before you can answer, Emma’s voice rings from outside “Alright, new plan! If you two don’t confess in the next five minutes, we’re dropping more stuff through the vent.”

Hina hums “What’s next? A shoe?”

“A chair?” Chifuyu suggests.

Baji snickers “I say we drop Takemichi.”

“WHAT?!” Takemichi’s panicked voice echoes from somewhere in the back.

Mitsuya pinches the bridge of his nose “I hate every single person outside this door.”

You sigh dramatically “Welcome to my world.”

He glances at you “You are part of the problem.”

You put a hand over your heart “Wow. Just say you hate me and go.”

“I said I don’t hate you.” he groans.

“Oh? Then why do you always sigh when I talk?”

“Because you never shut up.”

You gasp, utterly offended “Wow. I’m actually hurt. Crushed. I might cry.”

“Good.”

You glare “You know what? Maybe I will fake confess just to get out of here.”

Mitsuya shrugs “Be my guest.”

You pause. Then, smirking, you turn toward the door.

“OH MITSUYA,” you call dramatically “I HAVE BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU FOR YEARS. YOUR SILVER HAIR SHINES LIKE THE MOON, YOUR SEWING SKILLS BRING TEARS TO MY EYES, AND EVERY TIME YOU IGNORE ME, IT MAKES ME FALL HARDER. PLEASE, TAKE ME NOW.”

The silence outside is deafening.

Then... Everyone BURSTS OUT LAUGHING.

Baji is SCREAMING. Smiley sounds like he’s choking. Chifuyu is wheezing.

Mikey hums “Sounds fake.”

Draken snorts “Zero emotion.”

Emma sighs “Yeah, that was a terrible confession.”

You scowl “Okay, rude.”

Mitsuya shakes his head “Told you they wouldn’t buy it.”

You cross your arms “Fine. You confess, then.”

He scoffs “Why the hell would I do that?”

“Because you got us into this mess!”

Mitsuya stares at you, incredulous “HOW is this my fault?!”

“You exist!”

“You threw a french fry at my head yesterday!”

You wave him off “That’s unrelated.”

Mitsuya groans, dragging a hand down his face “We are never getting out of here.”

Outside, the group listens with growing frustration.

“They’re actually so dumb.” Hina mutters.

Emma sighs “Alright, time for drastic measures.”

Chifuyu grins “Are we pulling the ‘fake love rival’ card?”

Pah nods “Yup.”

Baji smirks “Oh, this is gonna be fun.”

Back inside, you’re still bickering when suddenly...

“HEY, Y/N!”

It’s Chifuyu.

You blink “Uh… what?”

“I just wanna say,” Chifuyu continues loudly, “if Mitsuya doesn’t like you, you could always date me instead.”

You freeze.

Mitsuya’s expression goes blank.

The room is dead silent.

Then...

“…Excuse me?” Mitsuya says flatly.

Baji immediately jumps in “Yeah! Y’know what? I’ve always thought Y/N was cute.”

“Same.” Smiley adds, way too enthusiastically.

Even Hakkai joins in “Y-Yeah! A-amazing!”

You blink rapidly “H-Hold on! Fake or not, this is embarassing!”

Mitsuya’s entire aura shifts.

His jaw tightens. His usual calm expression darkens. And when he speaks his voice is low.

“Not. Funny.”

The noise outside dies instantly.

You swallow. Mitsuya isn’t smiling anymore.

“…Mitsuya?” you say cautiously.

He turns toward you. And for the first time, he looks genuinely, actually pissed.

Then he takes a step closer.

You instinctively step back “H-Hey, let’s not murder anyone… I didn’t even say anything!”

But he just keeps walking.

And suddenly, you’re backed against the wall.

Trapped.

Mitsuya places a hand on the wall next to your head, leaning in just enough to make your breath hitch. His violet eyes lock onto yours, unreadable.

“…You really think I hate you?” he murmurs.

Your stomach flips.

“I—I mean, yeah?” you stammer “You never laugh at my jokes, you’re always sighing at me, and you just look like you hate me—”

Mitsuya exhales sharply, tilting his head “You’re actually so dumb.”

Your brain short-circuits “EXCUSE ME—”

Then before you can react he leans in and presses a kiss to your forehead.

Your entire soul leaves your body.

He just—MITSUYA TAKASHI JUST...........

Outside, you hear someone drop something.

“…WHAT?!” Baji’s scream shakes the walls.

“NO FREAKING WAY!” Chifuyu shouts.

Draken whistles “Well, damn.”

You, meanwhile, are still frozen.

Mitsuya pulls back, watching you carefully “…Still think I hate you?”

You stare at him, completely stunned. Your brain isn’t functioning. Your words aren’t working. Your body refuses to move.

You’re still processing the fact that Mitsuya just kissed you.

Mitsuya smirks, patting your head “Thought so.”

Then he turns toward the door.

“We’re done here,” he calls out “Let us out.”

Still in shock, you hear the click of the door unlocking.

Mitsuya steps out first, walking past a completely stunned Toman gang.

Baji looks betrayed. Emma and Hina are grinning like maniacs. Chifuyu has tears in his eyes.

You, meanwhile, are still standing in the room.

Mikey leans in “Hey, Y/N?”

You blink.

“…You good?”

Your mouth opens. Then closes.

Then you promptly drop to the floor.

Mitsuya’s stupid smirk is the last thing you see before you die inside.

And now you are malfunctioning.

You’re still sitting on the floor of the tiny room, staring at absolutely nothing while the entire Toman gang loses their minds.

Baji looks like someone personally betrayed him “ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!”

Chifuyu clutches his chest, tears in his eyes “That was the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen.”

Draken just nods “Yeah. That was smooth.”

Mikey hums “Mm. Approved.”

Emma and Hina? Squealing.

Meanwhile, Mitsuya is just standing there like he didn’t just destroy your entire existence.

And you’re still not breathing.

Mikey waves a hand in front of your face “Oi, Y/N. Earth to Y/N.”

No response.

Smiley snickers “She’s broken.”

Mitsuya sighs, crossing his arms “Oh, come on.” He looks down at you, unimpressed “It was just a forehead kiss.”

You snap back to life.

“JUST a forehead kiss?!” You shoot up from the floor, absolutely unhinged “DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU JUST DID?!”

He shrugs “I got us out, didn’t I?”

“BY SHORT-CIRCUITING MY BRAIN?!”

Mitsuya smirks “Worked, didn’t it?”

You let out an ungodly noise, somewhere between a scream and a strangled sob.

Baji grabs you by the shoulders, looking deeply into your eyes “You cannot let this stand.”

You grip his arms “What do I do?”

Baji’s eyes darken “You fight.”

Chifuyu gasps “You flirt back.”

The entire gang nods, suddenly forming a revenge plan.

Mitsuya still completely calm “You guys are all idiots.”

You whip around dramatically “Fine. If this is war, then so be it.” You point at Mitsuya “From this moment forward, I will make you suffer.”

Mitsuya actually laughs at that “Good luck with that.”

You narrow your eyes “Oh, it’s on.”

The entire gang watches in pure excitement.

Baji claps you on the back “I believe in you.”

Hina grins “We will support this battle.”

Emma nods seriously “For justice.”

Mikey hums “This is gonna be fun.”

And Mitsuya just smirks.

“Go ahead,” he says smoothly “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Oh, he thinks he’s untouchable.

You crack your knuckles.

The war has begun.

The next day, Mitsuya strolls into the Toman hangout like nothing happened, all cool and collected, like he didn’t just completely wreck your brain with a forehead kiss.

“Morning.” he greets casually, looking around at the gang.

You smile sweetly, practically gloating as you walk up to him “Mitsuya, hey.”

He blinks at you, raising an eyebrow “What?”

You lean in, just close enough for him to feel the warmth of your breath on his cheek “You look good today.” you say smoothly, with a mischievous glint in your eye.

The entire room goes quiet. Even the usually chill Draken looks up, clearly interested in what’s going on.

Mitsuya freezes for a split second, before narrowing his eyes “What are you doing?”

“Nothing.” you reply innocently, flipping your hair and walking past him with a sassy sway in your step.

You can feel his eyes on your back, and when you glance over your shoulder, you catch him blinking rapidly. Oh, this is going to be so much fun.

The gang is watching this entire exchange like it’s some kind of highly entertaining drama.

Chifuyu leans over to Baji, whispering loudly, “She’s really doing it. She’s flirting with him.”

Baji grins “Oh yeah, she is. This is going to be amazing.”

Mikey grins too “She’s not backing down. Mitsuya doesn’t even know how to respond.”

“Good. I’ve been waiting for this.” Draken mutters, a grin tugging at his lips.

The war is on.

Mitsuya, ever the cool guy, tries to act like he’s unbothered by your sudden flirty energy, but he’s not as cool as he thinks.

You notice his hand twitching every time you walk by him now. And when you catch him looking at you? He quickly looks away.

Perfect.

Later that day, you find yourself sitting on the couch, lazily flipping through the pages of a manga, when Mitsuya walks in, his usual calm demeanor slightly… off. His eyes flicker to you and then away, but he can’t seem to make up his mind.

You look up at him slowly, a coy smile on your lips “You know, Mitsuya…” You drag out his name, and you swear you see his eyes widen just a fraction “I was thinking… I could totally use someone like you in my life. You’re pretty handy with those sewing skills you have.”

Mitsuya tilts his head, trying to keep his cool “I’ve been sewing for years, Y/N.”

“I know,” you reply, leaning in a little, “and I’m sure I could come up with so many… ways to make use of you.” You say it so sweetly, almost like you’re not even trying “You could sew for me anytime.”

The room is so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Mitsuya doesn’t even flinch “You’re really playing this game, huh?”

You tilt your head, almost innocently as you look at him “You started it, didn’t you?”

By the next day, you’ve got the whole Toman gang in on the act. You’re working overtime to make Mitsuya squirm, and it’s working.

“Mitsuya,” you call sweetly as he walks by “Your jacket looks really nice today. I think I’m starting to have a thing for you in leather.”

He freezes mid-step. His face flushes just the tiniest bit, and it only makes you grin wider.

He looks back at you, eyes narrowed “You’re not serious.”

You smile even more “Maybe I am,” you reply with a wink “What if I told you I could get very serious? About you?”

The entire gang is watching again. They’re all dying from the tension.

Mitsuya stands still, visibly flustered, and you can almost see him thinking. He’s trying to stay calm, but you know it’s killing him on the inside.

“…Stop messing around, Y/N.” he mutters, his voice a little rougher than usual.

“Oh, I’m not messing around,” you reply smoothly “You want me to stop, but you don’t really want me to. You just like making me work for it.”

You pause “But I don’t mind. I’m patient. I can wait. I’m worth it.”

There’s a long pause. Mitsuya looks like he’s about to combust “You’re impossible.”

“I’m not impossible,” you say sweetly “I’m just… irresistible.”

That evening, the gang is once again hanging out in the main area of Toman’s HQ. You’re sitting on the couch next to Mitsuya, your legs casually brushing against his, and you’re making absolutely no attempt to move away. He’s clearly trying his hardest not to react, but you can feel the tension crackling between you two.

Finally, he speaks, and you can tell he’s struggling to keep it together “Y/N, you’re—you’re really pushing it, you know that?”

You turn to him, locking eyes, and then smile so sweetly it might as well be a challenge “Am I? I think I’m just giving you what you’ve wanted this whole time.”

For a moment, Mitsuya doesn’t say anything. He looks like he’s about to explode, and you’re getting a strange thrill out of it.

The entire gang is watching, and you can hear Baji mutter under his breath, “I don’t know how she does it…”

But Mitsuya looks like he’s finally had enough.

“Okay, fine,” he says, his voice much quieter than before “You want me to say it?”

You look at him, completely unbothered, but on the inside your heart is racing.

He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck “Fine. I like you, okay? I don’t know how to handle it, but I do. Happy now?”

For a second, you freeze.

Did he just...?

But before you can react, Mitsuya looks at you with a half-smile “So, are you gonna stop flirting with me, or is this part of your strategy?”

The air is thick with tension, but now you’re the one left speechless.

You were so sure you had the upper hand in this war.

You were winning. Mitsuya was flustered, avoiding your gaze, tripping over his words. Everything was going perfectly.

And then, in a cruel twist of fate he confessed first.

You didn’t even get to enjoy your victory because now you’re the one malfunctioning.

Your brain is short-circuiting. Your heart is staging a full-on rebellion.

Mitsuya likes you. He likes you.

And he said it so casually, like it wasn’t the thing you’ve been avoiding this whole time.

Now, as you sit next to him, his words still hanging in the air, you realize something absolutely horrifying:

You have no idea how to respond.

The gang is dead silent.

Baji’s jaw is practically on the floor.

Chifuyu’s eyes are wide with pure betrayal.

Mikey is still munching on his snack, but even he looks impressed.

Emma and Hina are squeezing each other’s arms like they just witnessed the season finale of the best drama ever.

And Mitsuya is just watching you with a smug look, arms crossed, so much more confident now that the tables have turned.

“…Well?” he asks, tilting his head “Nothing to say?”

You narrow your eyes at him, even though your heart is currently going through every stage of grief.

Oh, he thinks he’s won.

Well, joke’s on him. You’re not going down that easily.

So, with every ounce of fake confidence you have left, you clear your throat and smirk “Huh. That’s cute. You like me? Should I be flattered?”

Mitsuya raises an eyebrow “You’re the one who’s been flirting with me for days.”

You wave a hand dismissively “Oh, Mitsuya, sweetie, I flirt with everyone.”

The room erupts.

Chifuyu gasps “Did she—did she just friendzone him?!”

Draken bursts out laughing.

Emma screams into her hands.

Meanwhile, Mitsuya is still watching you, his expression unreadable “Oh, really?”

“Really,” you say with a playful smirk “I mean, you’re cute and all, but you’re taking this way too seriously.”

There. That should put you back in control.

You expect Mitsuya to roll his eyes. To get flustered again. To suffer.

But instead, he leans in.

Closer.

Too close.

Dangerously close.

And suddenly, you are no longer in control.

You freeze.

The room goes silent again.

Mitsuya’s voice is low, his lips barely an inch away from yours “If I took it seriously…” His eyes are locked onto yours, amusement flickering in them “Would that be a problem for you?”

You cannot breathe.

Your entire soul leaves your body.

Hina is holding onto Emma like they’re watching a horror movie now.

Draken actually whistles.

Mikey grins.

“Ohhhh,” he hums “She’s losing.”

And you are.

Because your brain has completely shut down.

Mitsuya is still watching you, waiting for your next move, waiting to see if you’ll break first.

And the worst part is that you are.

Your face is burning. Your heart is racing.

You can’t even come up with a comeback, and that is the biggest loss of all.

You’ve played yourself.

And Mitsuya knows it.

Slowly, finally, he pulls back, looking so satisfied with himself “That’s what I thought.”

Then, like he didn’t just ruin your entire existence, he stands up and stretches “Alright, I’m heading home.”

And with that he leaves.

The door shuts behind him.

The silence is deafening.

And then the gang loses their minds.

“YOU LOST.” Baji howls, pointing at you like he just witnessed history.

“She broke first!” Chifuyu shrieks.

Mikey leans back with a smug look “Mitsuya just won this whole thing.”

Hina and Emma are literally shaking you.

Draken chuckles “Damn. That was smooth.”

And you just sit there, completely frozen, hands gripping your knees, re-evaluating your entire life.

Because for the first time ever…

You have absolutely no idea what to do next.

You sit there, frozen, while the rest of the gang absolutely loses their minds around you.

Baji is cackling like he’s just won the lottery. Chifuyu keeps repeating, “She lost! She lost!” like a damn sports commentator. Hina and Emma are shaking you like they’re trying to exorcise the embarrassment out of your soul.

And Mikey is just sitting there, smug as hell, casually sipping on his juice box like he knew this was going to happen the entire time.

Meanwhile, you are stuck in complete denial.

Because no. No way. Mitsuya did not just turn everything around on you. He did not just completely dismantle your entire game plan with one smug little smirk.

You refuse to accept this.

You refuse.

Which is why, before your brain can catch up with your actions, you’re already on your feet.

You barely hear Emma calling after you “Where are you going?!” as you storm out of the Toman hideout and straight after Mitsuya.

You catch up to him a few blocks away, walking casually down the dimly lit street like he didn’t just destroy your entire existence a few minutes ago.

“Mitsuya!” you call out, breathless.

He pauses mid-step and turns around, raising an eyebrow “Oh? What happened to ‘I flirt with everyone’?”

Your eye twitches “Shut up.”

He smirks.

Oh, he’s enjoying this.

And it’s pissing you off.

You stomp closer, standing right in front of him, hands clenched at your sides. You don’t even know why you ran after him. You don’t even know what you’re going to say.

All you know is that you’re flustered, frustrated, and maybe you like him more than you were ever willing to admit.

Mitsuya watches you, amusement flickering in his eyes “So?” he asks, tilting his head “Something you wanna say?”

Your heart is racing.

Your brain is a complete mess.

But your pride is still kicking and refusing to back down.

So, instead of saying something remotely sane or rational, you blurt out “You cheated!”

Mitsuya blinks “What?”

“That wasn’t fair!” you exclaim, pointing an accusing finger at him “You knew I was messing with you, and then you just—just flipped it on me!”

His smirk widens “You sound mad.”

“I am mad!” you huff “You...You can’t just say you like me and then pull that stupid smooth move and...and make me malfunction!”

Mitsuya just crosses his arms, watching you ramble “Huh. Sounds like you’re flustered.”

You scoff “Me? Flustered? Ha! Please. I’m just—I’m just calling out your dirty tactics!”

He steps closer.

Too close.

You stop breathing.

Mitsuya looks down at you, eyes glinting with something dangerous.

Oh no.

Not this again.

“You sure about that?” he murmurs.

You hate how your breath catches.

You hate how your face gets hotter.

But most of all, you hate how badly you want to close the distance between you two.

And maybe Mitsuya sees it too.

Because instead of teasing you more, instead of pressing further, he suddenly sighs and shakes his head “You’re impossible.”

Your heart sinks a little at that.

But before you can even react, before you can even think of something to say Mitsuya lifts a hand and flicks your forehead.

“OW—”

He smirks “That’s for running after me like a dramatic little idiot.”

You glare at him, rubbing your forehead “Excuse me for wanting to have the last word!”

Mitsuya chuckles “You never do get the last word with me.”

You narrow your eyes at him “Oh, you wish.”

But before the teasing can continue, a comfortable silence settles between you two. The streetlights cast a soft glow around you, the night air cool against your skin.

And suddenly, neither of you are talking.

Suddenly, you’re just… standing there.

You glance at Mitsuya, expecting to see his usual smug expression, but he’s not smirking anymore. He’s just looking at you, his face unreadable, his usual confident aura a little more… unsure.

He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck “You really don’t know, do you?”

You blink “Know what?”

Mitsuya exhales through his nose, then mutters, almost to himself, “God, you really are stubborn.”

“Excuse me—”

And then, Mitsuya takes your hand.

Not roughly. Not playfully.

Just softly. Firmly.

Your breath catches.

Mitsuya looks down at your joined hands, his thumb brushing against your knuckles “You really think I hate you?”

Your mouth opens but no words come out.

Because, oh.

Oh.

This… This isn’t a game anymore.

Your heart is pounding. Your mind is spinning.

And all you can do is stand there, completely lost in the way Mitsuya is holding your hand like it’s the easiest thing in the world.

“You’re an idiot,” he says, but his voice is gentle “I never hated you.”

You swallow thickly “I—”

Mitsuya sighs again, this time almost affectionately.

And then he laces his fingers with yours.

And you swear the world stops spinning.

You stare at your intertwined fingers.

Your brain has completely shut down.

Mitsuya... calm, cool, composed Mitsuya, is holding your hand like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Like this isn’t something that is completely rewriting everything you thought you knew about him. About yourself.

Your mouth opens, then closes. Then opens again. But no words come out because, for the first time in your entire life, you don’t have a comeback.

Mitsuya watches you, eyes glinting with something unreadable. His usual teasing smirk is gone.

This isn’t a joke anymore.

This isn’t a game.

This is real.

And it’s terrifying.

Finally, finally, Mitsuya sighs, giving your hand a light squeeze “You don’t have to say anything, you know.”

You blink “I—”

“I know,” he says, softer this time “You don’t have to say it. I already know.”

Your breath catches.

Because that’s the thing, isn’t it?

Even before all the flirting, even before the teasing, even before the war, Mitsuya has always known you better than anyone else.

And now, he’s looking at you with that same understanding, like he knows exactly what’s running through your head right now.

Like he knows you’re scared.

Like he knows you’ve spent so long convincing yourself this was just a joke, just a game, just another thing to mess with him about—because admitting it was real meant admitting that you’ve already lost.

That you’ve always lost.

Because the truth?

You were never really fighting him.

You were fighting yourself.

Mitsuya smiles faintly, tilting his head “So?” he murmurs “Are you done running yet?”

You suck in a sharp breath.

And then you do something completely reckless.

You step forward, drop his hand, grab his face and kiss him.

Mitsuya freezes for half a second before he melts into it, his hands instantly finding your waist, pulling you closer like he’s been waiting for this.

The kiss is soft. Slow.

But at the same time it’s everything.

Everything you’ve been avoiding. Everything you’ve been too afraid to say. Everything you’ve been pretending wasn’t there.

It’s Mitsuya.

And that’s the scariest part of all.

When you finally pull away, Mitsuya is looking at you like you’ve just completely ruined him.

His breath is uneven. His grip on your waist is still firm, like he’s making sure you’re real.

And then he grins.

Smug. Triumphant.

“Wow,” he breathes, amused “So you do like me.”

You groan, dropping your forehead onto his shoulder “You’re the worst.”

He laughs, wrapping his arms around you, pressing a quick kiss to the top of your head “And you’re mine now”

Your heart stumbles.

You should fight him on that. You should.

But…

You don’t.

Because maybe you don’t mind losing after all.

You knew.

You knew walking into Toman’s usual meeting spot today was going to be a nightmare.

You considered not showing up. Just… disappearing from society. Moving to another country. Changing your name. Starting a new life.

But unfortunately, Mitsuya had dragged you here.

Literally.

“You can’t avoid them forever.” he had said this morning, looking way too smug for someone who also has to deal with the consequences of last night.

Now, as you step inside, every single pair of eyes snaps to you and Mitsuya, and...

Yeah. You should have faked an illness.

Because the entire gang loses their minds.

“OH MY GOD, IT HAPPENED.” Hina shrieks, nearly shaking Emma to death.

Emma, in turn, is crying “I—I knew it! I knew it! My ship—my beautiful ship—has sailed!”

Chifuyu stands up so fast his chair scrapes against the floor “WAIT. WAIT. WHEN? HOW?!”

Baji, of course, skips all rational responses and goes straight to chaos “HEY, WHO CONFESSED FIRST?!”

Mikey, still sitting in his usual lazy position, just grins “Didn’t even have to bet on it. Saw it coming from a mile away.”

Draken leans against the wall, shaking his head with a chuckle “Well, damn. Took you long enough.”

You groan, covering your face “Oh my god. I hate all of you.”

Mitsuya, the traitor, just slides his hands into his pockets, completely unfazed “See? Told you they wouldn’t shut up about it.”

You whip your head toward him “You knew this would happen, and you still dragged me here?!”

He grins, so damn smug “Of course.”

Baji slams his hand on the table “WAIT, WAIT, WAIT—SO WHO WON THE FLIRT WAR?”

Chifuyu immediately turns to you, eyes blazing with betrayal “It was him, wasn’t it?! You lost, didn’t you?!”

You refuse to answer.

Which is answer enough.

“OH MY GOD,” Baji howls with laughter “SHE LOST!”

Chifuyu grabs his head, devastated “I had so much faith in you!”

Emma sniffles dramatically “She lost the battle, but she won love.”

Hina nods, serious “It’s the best kind of loss.”

Takemichi just hums in satisfaction “Balance has been restored to the universe.”

Meanwhile, you are this close to throwing yourself out.

“I hate all of you.” you repeat.

Mitsuya leans down, voice way too smug “You love me, though.”

Your entire body malfunctions.

And everyone loses it again.

Baji actually falls off his chair.

Chifuyu looks personally attacked “Oh, this is painful.”

Draken claps Mitsuya on the back, laughing “You’re enjoying this way too much.”

And Mitsuya just smiles, absolutely thriving in your suffering.

Yeah.

Yeah, you’re never living this down.

But then, Mitsuya takes your hand, gives it a light squeeze and okay.

kazutora hanemiya "you—!"

kazutora is the type of guy to cook you dinner every night. spending most of his life alone (emotionally and often physically), he got used to cooking for himself rather than endure social situations. so cooking for you became a habit as well. little did he know that his cooking routine serves as the perfect opportunity to get a lil booty smack in. 😈 picture him cutting scallions, minding his own business, maybe playing some music quietly from his phone... you walk behind him, inoccuously appearing to grab something from the fridge. but instead, you slap his butt as you walk by, a little smirk playing on your face. bro is in SHOCK. he immediately whirls around with a gasp. "you—!" "sorry babe, it was right there. couldn't resist." "i'm—" he splutters, "i'm cutting scallions right now. you can't just—" "but i did." he lets out a long-suffering sigh, "you're....unbelievable." you don't miss the red creeping up his neck and across ears. he's going to pretend he didn't like it, but he 100% did, and 100% hopes you do it again. expect him to freeze up a little each time you walk past him while he's cooking (in anticipation, lol).

haruchiyo sanzu *laughs* "really? that all you got?"

did you really think you could get away with anything when it comes to this guy? he's practically the definition of "payback". what you thought was an innocent slap on his butt when he stands up after the movie is over is actually an unintended invitation to Getting What's Coming To You. he's actually incapable of not making this A Thing. so when you slap his butt, at first he just laughs. a little chuckle, and you think that's it. but then he turns his head to you with a lopsided smile, brows raised and says, "really? that all you got?" but before you can do anything else, he's grabbed your wrist and is pulling you up to a standing position. you open your mouth to question him, but he's already moving closer, until his entire body is pressed against yours. if you've been dating sanzu for awhile, you know just by the look in his eyes what comes next. he squints, eyes full of mirth, as his hands find the back of your thighs. then, slowly, he slides them up over your ass and squeezes, and not softly either. his mouth tips up when he hears you yelp in surprise, his eyes wandering down to your lips and shamelessly remaining there. "you're not done already, are you? i'm just getting started." my condolences to you.

izana kurokawa "..."