​​Ronin’s computer chimed with every new notification, the chat scrolling faster than his eyes could follow. He barely paid attention to it, too focused on the necklace dangling between two fingers. Unlike his other trinkets and jewelry, it didn’t scream Ronin.

After staring at it for a long moment, he set the necklace down painfully slowly on his clutter-filled desk. Then he pulled his laptop closer and lazily typed out a reply.

Goreboy is typing…

His face twitched, nose scrunched, and a scowl formed, but it disappeared as fast as it came when he glanced back at the necklace. 

Goreboy You guys have to have… Drumrollllll  Faith in me!

Ronin drummed his fingers against the desk as if they could hear him. Only serving to entertain him rather than satisfy his friends. With a sigh, his hands returned to the keyboard. He knew he’d have to type a somewhat serious response this time, rather than whatever that last message was, before they decided to come and kill him themselves

Goreboy Seriously  Just trust me They’re obsessed They won’t tell

.

.

.

hitmeuppp, Angelic, Felicite, LUCA_IS_SO_COOL, K9, Eviscerator1990, Ai_Hua444 are typing…

Suddenly, everyone was online, messages popping up in the chat rapidly. He scratched at his neck and tilted the screen downward as the pings came in nonstop. Ronin planted his feet, pushed his chair back, and stood up lazily. He’d rather watch the news anyway. You should be on right about now. Well, you were on in the morning, but sometimes you show up on the afternoon broadcast.

He turned the bedroom doorknob and wandered out to the couch. Dropping into his usual spot, he spread his legs comfortably and leaned back against the sofa. The cushions only reached his neck due to his height, leaving his head to loll back and his Adam’s apple exposed. His gaze fixed on the ceiling at nothing in particular, but a smirk tugged at his lips as he replayed the night in his head once again. 

1:07am

You strolled down the streets, the glow of the streetlights illuminating the sidewalk ahead of you. The cold air pushed past you, but it wasn't half bad. Your coat was pricey, made of wool that you were hesitant to purchase before caving and saying it was worth it. And it was, it kept you warm. 

The butcher was everything you’d imagined he’d be, everything you always knew he’d be. You just wanted to see it up close, whatever ‘it’ was.  You weren’t quite sure whether it was the murders that drew your attention or the murderer. But that’d be wrong, whatever the case was. 

You fumbled with your keys as you walked up the steps to your door, fishing them out of your pocket with numb fingertips. The clanks of your shoes against the concrete steps filled the air, echoing and making you feel as if you were the only person left on the street. Your hand trembled slightly from the cold air while you guided the key towards the keyhole. 

“You’re the darling little thing from the news, aren’t you?” a voice called from behind you, making you lose your grip on your keys. You turned, glancing over your shoulder as you crouched down slowly to grab them again, not opening your door just yet.

“Maybe.. Many people are on the news—” You straightened up, the words dying on your tongue. You didn’t see many people with such an edgy style, to put it lightly. His beanie had demon horns, a spiked choker, and a cross necklace. No, not quite. You squinted. It was a dagger? A knife? Something of the sort.

When you went quiet, he hummed your name loud enough for you to hear. “Channel Six.” He scanned you the way you scanned him, then tilted his head. “Like something you see?” He sounded amused; he still didn’t move from his spot. He stood at the bottom of your steps. He wasn’t trying to scare you. At least, not yet.

You looked away, nervous, licking your dry lips as your hand found its way to your necklace, fiddling with it. He was easy on the eyes, but you’d rather leave it at that. Why would you tell a man at your doorstep you liked what you saw?

“Sorry.” You took a deep breath before continuing. “Yes, I’m a reporter for Channel Six.” You nodded, offering a friendly smile, even if he looked perfectly capable of killing you. You would have to shake that thought off; he might just be some kind of pervert which…wasn’t much better. 

The Butcher. You had to get inside to keep working; you wouldn’t find out more by talking to some guy in the dead of night. Even if he was fairly attractive, the Butcher was more important than this. He was more important than most things you had going on right now.

“I’ve seen you’re allll about the Butcher. May I say it seems a bit desperate?” It sounded like he was degrading you, but it did intrigue you. 

“It appears I might be.” Your tone was different from his, honest while all he sounded like was a tease. He smirked, “Killers tend to be on forums together. You might find him there.” 

You tilted your head; he tilted his back at you. “Forums…online forums?” All your guards were let down as soon as he gave you a small lead. He must’ve seen something similar to the Butcher’s M.O. That's why he knew. If he found it, you could find it as well.

“Yeah…crazy right?” He held back a laugh. How cute. The Butcher was right in front of you, in your grasp if you went down a stair and you didn’t even know it. He wasn’t supposed to come up to you; he was just supposed to watch, but he couldn’t help it. You were just so easy to approach, and why not have fun with it? 

Your eyes lit up; the possibilities were endless. There would be posers and such, but  there was a possibility he would be among those groups. Maybe he posted about his past, or his why, or went into explicit detail about his murders–which you already memorized so you should be perfectly able to point him out even if it is anonymous!

He didn’t necessarily post on any forms, not anything that would give him away like that at least. He clicked his tongue. “Make sure to use a good VPN. Bunch of creeps on there.” He only said that because he already knew your address, he didn't even need to attempt finding it. You led him to your house with or without your knowledge. 

You snapped back to reality, nodding your head profusely. “Yes, yes, I will.” Other than the thread he was going to plant just for you, he wouldn’t do much more. You were smart; you would figure more things out.

Not enough to incriminate him, even though he doubted you would even report him. He wasn’t sure what he would do with you; honestly, it kind of felt like you had more control than he did. Ronin was controlling the situation, but you were all over his mind. Perhaps you felt exactly the same. 

“Atta girl.” 

.

Ronin lifted his head, his hand roaming over the cushions in search of the remote. His fingers eventually brushed against cold plastic; he picked it up, aimed it at the television, and clicked, flipping through news channels to find yours. Surprisingly, there was a wide variety of things on.

“South Park… ABC7… American Dad… Channel 6.” Ronin pressed the button firmly, confirming his choice. The other options were definitely entertaining, but he could watch them some other time.

A well-lit room filled his TV screen. Five people sitting around a table, talking about a topic he hadn’t quite caught yet. He’d tuned in later than he wanted to. Two women on the far left were speaking to each other as the camera zoomed in on them. Then it pulled back, revealing two men on the far right nodding along to what the women were talking about as if they really cared. And then there was you, right in the middle of them all.

Your hands seemed to be under the table, resting on your lap as you listened to the people around you talking. It was town affairs, the upcoming holidays, the town decorating trees for the festive season, and the parades that would pass right in front of city hall.

One of the women said your name, “Are you going to be joining us for the upcoming parades?” They all turned to face you, and you gave them the same practiced smile you wore for the camera. “Of course! I’d love to watch our community come together.” You hummed, bringing your hands to your chest to express the sincerity even if your mind was somewhere else all together. 

They all smiled in unison, moving onto the next topic as you chimed in on a few of their chats. You worked closely with some; others weren’t close to you but were tied to the same station. That didn’t change much, though, they were still just coworkers. Maybe the closest friend you had was your cameraman, even then, you guys only really spoke on set. Work friendship.

Your hand drifted toward your necklace, but it was long gone. You had lost it the night prior, or somewhere in between last night and this morning. It was strange because you looked up and down your house for it, even moving furniture just to come up empty-handed. 

You set your hands back down on your lap, focusing back on the conversation around you. 

“The parades will have to be heavily police-monitored due to circumstances, He..” The man on your right started to falter, unable to find the appropriate words. Was he talking about the Butcher? 

You straightened up slightly. “The Butcher, you mean?” you chimed. You smiled nervously, then brushed it off for the camera. “It is important for those who are watching to be aware of the recent events and to be vigilant of this man. However, authorities are working hard to make this community safe again. The events will turn out just lovely, and perfectly safe.” The people around you nodded in agreement, mixed with understanding and reassurance, like you had said something so deep and personal.

Ronin’s gaze didn’t waver. For someone as media-trained as you were, you seemed to lose your footing whenever it came to him.

He stayed through the rest of the newscast, watching until everyone stated their names, signing off the live. Even letting the bleach ad that followed linger on the screen. He was slouched, his forearms resting on his thighs while he stared blankly at the screen. “...Kills 99.9% of viruses–” He shut off the television, glanced down at the remote, then sat in silence for a moment. 

He lifted himself back off the couch, strolled back to his room. Ronin closed the door behind him and sank down into his chair. He begrudgingly pushed his laptop screen open, letting the screen light back up. 

Eviscerator1990 Don’t make me come out of retirement.  Angelic If you get us ALL caught I swear to god Your ego is getting out of hand! hitmeuppp Water found in ocean No but seriously your risking all of us too LUCA_IS_SO_COOL Maybe he’s just as desperate as the reporter he’s after What other reason would explain why he's on there making fake…well not fake! but obvious planted threads about his murders Then he proceeds to talk about a community of killers like his devices aren't trackable?? Ai_Hua444 The boy has a crush! Felicite That’s the least concerning part of this all But yes  Im sure he does K9 I fear he cannot be helped.

–6+ New Messages —

Ronin scrolled through the chats, squinting. A crush. That was an interesting word. Would it be the right word to describe how he felt? A crush? He hadn’t had a ‘crush’ in ages, whatever 'crush' meant. Even with his past lovers, it couldn’t describe the complex relationships he had with them. 

Nor did he believe it could describe his feelings towards you. He was fascinated by you, lured in by how you studied him. But you didn’t like Ronin – You liked the Butcher. That was the difference, and maybe he wanted to find out if you were capable of liking him.

The butcher was just an extension of him after all–if not the truest version of himself. So, you must like Ronin, too? 

Goreboy  We’ll be finee And I'm not desperate. Felicite  The way your acting because of your lover girl says otherwise Angel Lover girl is bold   They don’t know eachother He stalks her and she likes the Butcher Goreboy Ouch I’d think im pretty charming She’d like me for sure LUCA_IS_SO_COOL HAHA Good one! taking her prisoner would be a safer bet than what you're doing right now. Which is still messed up and you shouldn’t but you get my point Goreboy I wouldn’t do that it’s against my moral compass. K9 Your moral compass is a roulette wheel. Goreboy  …Your point?

.

Last night, you went on to multiple websites, specific ones for certain communities like  Reddit and Quora.  Searching for one thing in particular. You searched for so long that the sun was beginning to rise and the night was nearly marked over. Brows furrowed, you rubbed your hands over your face, then kept scrolling. 

Sure, it was interesting seeing people talk about murder and death so freely. However, you weren’t looking for just that. You were looking for it being said by a certain someone. Your body was already feeling sluggish, staring at the bright screen with sleep deprived eyes. You had work in the morning and again in the afternoon. And yet, that still didn't discourage you enough to get off the computer and stop looking. 

There had to be a reason that he’d recommended forums…Who was he anyway?

You paused your scrolling only momentarily to think it over. You had spoken to the man, quite an interesting guy and yet you didn’t know much about him. Closer to absolutely nothing than anything. It wasn’t like you were supposed to know much but you didn't so much as catch his name. You should’ve, not because you cared about him, but because it would’ve made him easier to find. Then you could’ve asked him for specific sites and forums.

God, you wished you could ask. Did he know the Butcher? You previously thought that he had possibly stumbled across the Butcher on these websites. What were the odds of that? Not very likely, but not impossible either. 

The odds were higher than you expected, though, but you had found something that caught your eye. The person didn’t state their name, an alias, or anything that incriminating compared to all the other posts. It was just one thing. 

User03687018 The news seems to love me, or is it just that darling reporter of theirs that does?

The user had made multiple posts, and you checked their profile. It involved a sort of community and was much more aligned with the Butcher. It had to be the real deal, you wouldn’t fall for fakes. You were ecstatic, don’t get it twisted. Just that one thing that confused you. 

Darling

 Darling reporter. Was he talking about you? The Butcher knew you, but darling? You heard that somewhere. It sounded all too familiar; you definitely heard that somewhere. 

You were recalling your whole life trying to find what moment could have possibly happened for you to find that familiar. And that's when it hit you. 

‘Darling little thing from the news.’

You stared back at the post, darling reporter. Darling was a common pet name used by various people. What a coincidence. It was too much of a coincidence.

You knew who the Butcher was. He had made his move. 

The street was cold due to it being in the early hours of the morning, wind pushing past your face and the soft sound of the tree leaves swaying in the air. “1…2…3, Rolling.” A quiet voice behind the camera spoke, adjusting the camera as it started live. 

You held a bulky microphone close to your mouth, not close enough to brush against your lips but close enough to hear any hesitance in your voice. “Thanks, John..” You spoke despite the dry feeling in your throat, then introduced yourself for the camera.

“Reporting live from the entrance of the alleyway; nicknamed the purgatory by the so-called Butcher. Behind me, are investigators who are piecing together the events of last night. Residents are being advised to remain vigilant, no arrests have been made at this time. Back to you John.” You gave a final nod to the camera before it switched back to the studio. 

“We’re clear.” The camera man glanced up at you after lowering his camera. It stood as a dismissal, to start working for the next news report. So you did, trying to peer as much as you could into the alley despite investigators covering most of the scene. You fixed your coat, relaxing your posture while staring off into the alley itself and not anything particular.

His purgatory, how odd. Yet so fascinating. A state after death where souls stained by sin, yet are destined to go to heaven, undergo purification. The Roman Catholic Church formulated the doctrine of Purgatory in 1439, a Catholic belief. 

He was either a devoted catholic who had a sadistic way of practicing his faith or..perhaps the exact opposite. It didn’t help your case, not giving you any more or less than you had. Just keeping you in place. 

You huffed into your scarf, then a sudden call of your last name got your attention. The crew, ready to leave the scene although you weren’t. You looked back one last time, at the small crowd of neighbors that were not allowed remotely close to the scene despite possibly knowing the victim their whole life, before stepping towards the live truck. Pitiful.

Ping! Ping! Ping!

hitmeuppp

Soo Ronin ..You may want to turn on channel 6  Wait. why can I see YOU in the background????

Goreboy is typing… Angelic That’s probably stupidest thing you’ve ever done Goreboy Cmonnnn They didn’t even notice ^Plus I have done dumber things Felicite  I was too distracted by the reporters face card I didn’t even notice Ronin in the back!  LUCA_IS_SO_COOL Really?? I noticed his ugly self right away Hahah just kidding! hitmeuppp ^^Felicie I agree!

Eyes rolled to the back of his head, opening a new tab with a groan like someone was holding him at gunpoint. Ronin caught only a glimpse of your face, the rest of the time you were turned away from him. So, he searched up the news channel on his computer. ‘Channellllll…6” He spoke in his mind dramatizing the click of the six. 

Return

The screen loaded a few links, videos…his cursor hovered over them all. 'Just live'. He clicked, letting the video play starting from the anchor as he leaned back in his seat. 

“Tragedy...infamous Butcher…outraged.” It was bland, fitting for the line of work. Is that what they really thought of him? A loud laugh erupted from him, before being shut up by a strangely enticing voice.

Ronin adjusted his posture, sitting up right, then slouching closer toward the computer screen. “I’ll be damned. They were right.” He stared into your soul through the screen, as if you could feel it if he tried hard enough. 

Ronin backed away from the screen once you disappeared, grinning to himself. 

Just like the previous night, you stayed in the office. You couldn’t take most of this home without getting in trouble, with there only being one copy of practically everything, you had to settle with a dimly lit room. 

You scribbled in your notebook, switching between writing to typing. A few new emails, all by people who were close enough to the purgatory. You leaned back in your chair, closing your eyes in delight before fixing your expression.

Why were you so happy? 

The butcher was a serial killer, and it wasn’t like you were exactly trying to get him caught. You just wanted to know him, that was a danger of its own. The emails were gruesome, some more plain and bland, giving you information you already knew. Things you had spoken about while on live, biting the side of your cheek you replied to the bland ones first. A thank you for helping, although not very helpful. The ones with more details you copied in your notebook, one you used specifically for him.

Other public officials responded, however they were not allowed to give you all the information you wanted. You were just a reporter after all. 

Your computer was soon pushed to the side, now you were just writing down the maybes about him. You had settled on the idea he was previously religious, not anymore but has some kind of history with religion. Purgatory, an interesting word, truthfully not many people would use that name for their murder grounds. He was smart, it had meaning. And he understood it very well. 

You labeled the page, ‘background.’ His body was still strong enough to keep up with his crimes. Demanding, brutal, and hard to carry out successfully. He had to be around your age, past his teen years yet not past his 20’s.

Still led you no where. 

If he isnt old, he likely grew up with a religious family, he didn't discover religion on his own. That would be the reason he knew it would be a good word choice. Very religious families come from small towns. The butcher was from a small town, ex-catholic, and..still unfindable. You whined, laying your head down against the desk as you figured what to do next. 

Ronin snickered quietly, searching your name on his computer as you did to his. Well, not his real name but he considered ‘The butcher’ his name just as much as his actual. You covered all his killings, every single one. Even in the few where you should’ve called off sick, sniffling, sneezing, almost dead. Matter of fact, you only covered his cases ever since you got the opportunity. 

“You just might be obsessed with me.” 

You slipped your coat back on, closing your office door behind you. Your work wasn’t done but you couldn't stand by anymore. It was stupid and cliché, heading out to the purgatory at night and on your own. You just wanted to see things from his perspective, you wanted to be let in so desperately. It was taking over your life, before you could even realize it, he was the center of your days.

Would you be satisfied if he took your life? Maybe that would be your only chance to see him up close.

You sighed softly, that would not suffice. The streets were empty and cold, even colder than they were in the morning. Your footsteps were quiet, barely a sound while you walked toward the purgatory. 

Your steps were quiet, But his were inaudible.

It was all too easy to track your phone, the one buried deep in your pocket as you only paid any mind to the sidewalk ahead. Eventually, you got close enough, it was dark. You stopped once you reached the alley, it was poorly closed off to the public. Only a few lines of tape blocking the way.

Nothing of the scene was left behind but the blood stained cement they would eventually have to scrub clean with bleach. You slipped under the cautionary tape, Ronin caught the small smile on your face, as if you had bypassed the law. Stupid, albeit he caught himself grinning too. 

You were lucky, he didn’t bring any shape or form of a weapon. Ronin wasn't planning on it, not what he currently had in mind anyways. He stood at a distance while you looked around. First looking down at the blood on the floor, before reaching for your phone and shining your flashlight as you looked for…something?

You were too curious for your own good. You could die at any moment, just if he felt like killing you off. That's what made him not want to kill you, maybe..He could be the muse you wanted him to be.

You walked around the crime scene, moving on to older scenes with dried up blood. All done by the one and only. One in particular caught your attention, you shined your light on it for a clearer view. Splattered, it was on the very top portion. You had to look up, the blood stood taller than humanly possible. That means the butcher had to be tall, taller than most to begin with for the blood to even land that way. After a few more minutes, you slipped back past the tape heading home this time. 

'He’s tall.'

You brought your attention to the drink in front of you, “I don’t doubt it.” You agreed with him, albeit very passively. “Though you do have a much larger sweet tooth than most people.” Your fingers found the handle of the mug while your nondominant hand only brushed against the glass. 

Once it was up to your lips, you took sips of the rich coffee. It tasted like the good kind–not the one that came from the packaging in powdered form. The type that came from hours of patience, from grounding the beans to brewing to the customors likeness. 

The cup was brought back to the small plate halfway full. Kusuo seemed to be enjoying his over sweetened tea once you looked back at him.

On cue, the waitress came to deliver the pastries, your favorite was in front of kusuo and vice versa. “Thank you!” You spoke up to her, she gave you an appreciative smile before going back to the bus with the few tables that were occupied. 

While you looked at her, Kusuo's gaze shifted on to you. Your hands loosely gripped the handle, you were smiling at a stranger when nowadays people didn’t even pay attention to them.

You even spoke a little louder than you had to, which brought some eyes to your table. Normally, he would’ve wanted to melt and become one with the booth. 

Kusuo didn’t quite feel that, not the momentary embarrassment that came with sudden looks but rather something he couldn’t decipher. He didn’t even notice the miniscule grin, he didn’t have to notice it when it disappeared as fast as it came. 

He looked down at the pastries, “You still like this?” His hands held the sides of the plate, placing it down in reach of you. Then he cupped his coffee jelly by the circular bottom, bringing it closer to him. You turned your head back to him, “You still like coffee jelly?”

He took a sip of his tea before responding, “Well you got me there.” Kusuo closed his eyes when he drank anything. Anything he found appetizing would be accompanied by his face of pure bliss. Your ears were met with a ‘Clink!’ once the cup came in contact with the matching plate. 

His eyes were drawn back to you, out of mere habit. 

‘Huh’ 

Kusuo looked away back to the wine looking glass that held his precious coffee jelly. He had been looking forward, daydreaming of when his spoon would smoothly slice into the jelly with the creamer coating the dark brown. And that is exactly what he did while enjoying every second of it. 

You smiled, he looked like an idiot whenever he zoned out while eating. You never told him that but for some reason it always seemed like he knew. Seeing him so focused on his dessert you figured to start eating yours. 

The pace was set, the two of you were alike in many categories that seemed insignificant to others. It was what made you and Kusuo function well together, what made you his first choice of person. 

He was slouching, not much but enough to get closer to the coffee jelly. Kusuo was eating without a care in the world. You were enjoying your own dessert, making sure the spoonfuls you were getting had all the different components of flavor. It was delicious, and seemed to be dealt with as much precision as your coffee.  

The silence wasn’t loud, it was comfortable. The feeling of eating at home with your whole family there silently. Everyone enjoyed the food in a silence that would only be comfortable to those who were comfortable with each other.

That was what Kusuo was. You were halfway done, so you glanced up to see how far done he was with his own.  

Your eyes were focused on his coffee jelly, even so your gaze shifted up to his bright pink hair. It wasn’t quite ordinary even in such an unordinary world.

Still, that wasn’t what caught your attention. A piece of his pink hair stuck out of place, not how he usually wore it. It was off to the wrong side sticking out in the way it shouldn’t. 

The pink strands had just fallen out of place, so without thinking you reached over. Kusuo paused mid-bite looking up at your hand for the few seconds it spent there. “There! Perfect like always.” It was a casual comment, it didn’t mean much or it wasn’t supposed to anyways. Although, it sounded like it was more than casual. 

‘Perfect’

He kept the word in the back of his mind, “Thank you.” He answered monotone but he felt like anything but. Normally, he would have never used those words in return when someone touched him. 

Kusuo kept eating afterwards, the scene played in his mind whenever he made eye contact with you. No malice or purpose of just wanting to be close to him, just an innocent gesture. 

‘…’

You trailed after him, “You didn’t have to pick up the whole bill, I told you we would go half.” He just shrugged his shoulders to your words. “It’s fine.” If he wasn’t speaking telepathically all the time, you wouldn’t have been able to hear anything but murmurs. “If you say so. .” You smiled catching up to walk besides him. 

It seemed like you were too busy talking to notice one of your own hairs poking out from where it should have been. Kusuo knew he had to return the favor, his hand carefully fixing the piece. He could’ve used his powers, for an odd reason he didn’t. 

Right when you were about to speak, he spoke instead. “There, like normal.” You tried to hide a smile by looking straight ahead. He may have not been able to say perfect because he didn’t like perfect.

Kusuos simplicity was comforting, he always left no room for misinterpretation. The day continued and ended that night when he teleported you home. He was a bit more affectionate when he kissed your forehead before leaving.

When he laid in bed he thought about what you said. There wasn't underlying insecurity in your voice, or worry laced in. You just asked like it was about the weather, a simple question that had a precise answer.

Kusuo felt like his answer wasn't enough, he could've said something more. It seemed to be enough for you but there was a possibility you could've been even more satisfied with something else. Perhaps a more romantic gesture?

That wasn't like him, but he would still do it for you if that's what you desired. Kusuo felt fulfilled when he made you happy even if it was by the tiniest thing. He thought long and hard but nothing exactly caught his interest.

Even when searching the depths of the internet...cute baskets, flowers, snacks, clothes. They were good ideas but he could and would do that any day. He wanted something that was done between the two of you, but meaningful nonetheless.

Kusuo wanted you to know that he will stick around, for as long as forever was. Without saying that aloud.

A few days later, the two of you went to a planned hangout. You were dolled up, in warmer clothes due to the temperature drop. A scarf wrapped around your neck to aid the shivers. Kusuo walked next to you as you walked the busy streets of Hidari Wakibara.

There were dozens of stores lined up, with window displays showcasing their products. You looked at each display, going into stores that you found cute. Which were about half of them, Kusuo complained the sheer amount of stuff you wanted. Then swiped his card to pay for the things before you could refuse him.

He carried your bags, you carrying the ones you were too excited to let go of. A store caught his attention, you glanced at it due to diamonds shining so nicely. They were simple yet beautifully designed rings with the small gems. A specific one caught your attention, it being the prettiest in your opinion.

That's when it struck him.

A passing thought of yours was a mental note to him. You walked past the store, buying him an ice cream from another cutely decorated shop. Kusuo thanked you before finishing in the span of three minutes. That was the least you could do after he dropped at least two hundred dollars on you. He thought of it as money well spent.

Kusuo went to the same street the following day. He walked the same path before finding himself in front of that jewelry stores doorway. Was he really going to do all this for you?

His actions spoke for him because he pushed the door open before he could answer himself. Kusuo eyed the jewelry to spot the one you were looking at.

Eventually, someone came to help him see the ring.

"So, what's the occasion?" The lady smiled at him, handing the ring for him to take a better look at. "for your mom, a special person? It's a beautiful ring."

Saiki nodded along to special person, looking at the woman. "My girlfriend, no occasion." She hummed in agreement, it was nice to see young men shopping for their girlfriends.

"Just a gift?" She got another respectful nod, she leaned against the counter. "Do you know her ring size?" Kusuo thought for a moment, "I think I know, compared to mine." He slipped his own ring out his pocket.

The lady smiled, "I'll be back." She left to grab a ring sizer stick for him to use. He looked down at his ring when she left, you would slip it on sometimes. The ring was too big for your finger but you played with it.

"You do know that I need that?" Kusuo glanced over at you pulling the ring off his finger for your entertainment. "Yes yes, Just a moment please.." You smiled, putting It on your own finger to soak up the moment. Kusuo noticed the space between your finger and the ring, he smiled. He didn't think of stopping you, not once.

She came back, placing the ring sizer in front of him, "Hope this helps, if not we do have exchanges.." Kusuo got his ring, placing it through the sizer. He let the ring sit at his size then brought it up to match the gap your finger had with his ring. After he was sure he had it, "This is her size."

She smiled, "You sure do pay attention, I'll compare it to the ring we have in stock and we can see about adjustments." It took a few minutes for her to come back, and by then his ring was placed back in his pocket. "We can send you home with one right now, we have her ring size in that exact style." Kusuo nodded, "Thank you, I'll take it."

When she rang him up, she tucked it into a box with a red ribbon. It was already clear that he was just gifting it, but she had a suggestion. "If she's dear to you, I say you make this beautiful ring a promise ring."

"A promise ring?"

"The girls love it, the ring is a physical reminder of a promise you make. Whether it's to always love her or that you'll take care of her. It's more meaningful that way."

Kusuo thanked her, walking out the store afterwards with the bag. It was silent walk home, he really was softening up.

Weeks had passed, snow was already falling. The streets were slippery and the air was deathly cold. Kusuos mom welcomed you in with open arms, happily watching you and her son make cookies. Kusuo took you for himself after about an hour of spending time with his family. His parents were so proud he found love.

His bed was like your own so you quickly found a spot to lay. You stared out his window, the winter was always one of the prettiest seasons.

Kusuo sat next to where you laid after getting something from his desk. You sat up to talk to him, "We were all going to watch a movie, why'd you want to leave?" You tilted your head, placing your hands in your lap.

"I wanted to talk to you." He stared back at you, "About what?" You asked, sometimes he was too serious for his own good. It made you feel nervous even when you shouldn't be.

"A few weeks ago, you asked if I'll stick around and I felt like I could've worded it better." You hummed and he reached to hold your hand. "I'll stick around..." He paused for a moment, his other hand going to his pocket to take a small box out. You peeked at what he was doing, a dumb smile forming on your face.

"Now, I can promise you that I will."

Kusuo slipped the ring on your ring finger. He wasn't one for gestures like this, but for you he would. The ring fit perfectly and you couldn't say you didn't tear up at least a tiny bit. "You're so sweet Kusuo, gosh I love you." You hugged him, leaving kisses all over his face. "Thank you, I'll wear it and keep it safe forever."

Kusuo had the lightest pink cover his cheeks, "It was nothing, . .I love you too." The last part was practically incoherent due to his low voice but you still managed to hear it.

The first winter was special, always will be special to him

Saiki watched from his seat, the breeze occasionally running through his hair. The classroom windows were opened for the students to enjoy the weather. He heard you liked it, from your thoughts of course. He hadn't quite gotten the chance to actually talk to you yet.

There you were, staring out into the sky. Your mind didn't seem as active, it was quiet today. No, you weren't an airhead but just zoned out at the moment. Kusuo liked it. A well earned break compared to everyone else's running thoughts.

The soles of your shoes collided with the floor when you bounced your leg. It wasn't audible, neither was the bubblegum you were chewing.

Once you finally looked back at the board, you made eye contact with your teacher. She smiled before asking you for the answer to the problem she wrote. You squinted trying to mentally solve it, new curriculum. What a great time not to pay attention..

An equation popped into your head, in a voice that you weren't all too familiar with. It surely wasn't your voice nonetheless you repeated the answer. A small nod of approval followed as she wrote it down into the empty space. You smiled slightly, that's the first time that had happened.

The voice didn't sound bad..not at all. You couldn't put your finger on who it sounded like but you thanked it regardless. Saiki was the only one who heard it, a tiny upwards tug at his lips.

That was the first you heard of him, or noticed anything about him. This wasn't the exactly the first thing he had done for you and it wouldn't be the last. Just the first he had actually spoken to you-telepathically.

He wanted to be unseen, but he wanted you to see him the most. The irony that everyone else except you notices him.

Kusuo even lingered behind you while you walked home. Today no different than the past few weeks. You had headphones in, typical.

What were you listening to?

Scratch that. He knew, he found your playlist online. It took some searching in your mind to figure out, but he did it. Music was something he didn't listen to often. But...If you liked it, how bad could it be?

Your fingers traced over the fabric of your school bag. You didn't look back much, or look around at all. That was dangerous in Saikis mind. Thankfully, he was here just incase of anything.

Especially when a guy was coming to approach you. The boy was standing there when you walked past and he decided he was set on getting your number. Saiki tensed the second he heard the thought.

Did he actually think that he would get it?

Saiki was faster, the path was empty besides the three of you. He would have rather it just be the two of you. Not a problem, he could fix that. That's what he was here for.

Chop.

The guy almost fell on you but he teleported himself and the guy to the nearest alley. You turned around to feel a gust of air...nothing. Only the houses and road were behind you. For the first time that day you looked around then continued on your way.

Weird.

Kusuo knocked the guy out with a chop to the back of the neck. He left him there, he would be fine in a few hours. Then he checked up on you with clairvoyance. If he appeared far behind you, would you notice? Saiki didn't want to freak you out in any way, so he timed it.

He was back where he was just a few moments ago, some distance behind you. As usual, you didn't notice him there. You did feel like someone was watching, staring at you. That feeling went away after you thought about it! That was a relief.

You were just about home, fiddling with your keys letting them clank together. The last couple steps up to your gate you sped up to open the door. You seemed quite eager to get in, Saiki picked up on the fact that you were always like that.

He kept walking, his house further down the street than yours. You turned back to close the door behind you,

'Pink hair...never seen that.' You slipped your shoes off, eyes wandering to your kitchen. 'I should go to that new cafe tomorrow..'

Saikis head perked, turning to look back at your house. You couldn't see him anymore, not like it mattered anyways. Looking your direction was enough for him. You noticed him.

Most importantly, he loved the coffee jelly from that cafe. He went a day after opening when he saw his favorite words written on the chalk board outside. Saiki didn't mind going tomorrow at all.

Dessert and you? Count him in.

Enough time had passed of just treating you like eye candy, you were more than that. Kusuo was ready to try and talk to you.

You waited until he got close enough, standing still hoping he didn't notice you quite yet. Well, it would be impossible for him not to notice the big bear but nonetheless. Once he was fully in view, you moved quickly to stand in his way. Despite his attempts to move, you didn't allow it.

To Kei, there was a mascot that wouldn't leave him alone, did he mention the head was enormous? His eyebrows furrowed as he stared down at your hands signaling for him to go to where you were originally posted up. An area filled with clear boxes that were tied in red ribbons.

The contents? Bears that looked like your costume.

Tsukishima didn't know why he followed, but he did. You raised your hand asking for a high-five and he reluctantly gave it to you. When the costume was on, you couldn't use your voice so you held back any remark you would've told him. And the laugh you would've let out just because.

He saw you reach for one of the boxes, holding it out for him to take. Moving your hands closer to him to signal that. He fumbled with his phone, holding it in-between his fingers while grabbing the box out of your hands.

He might as well take it, his girlfriend would love it. Another one to the collection of ones he gifted her. You peaked at his phone case, it had a polaroid in the back.

it was of him and you, the one he swore you made him take. That was embarrassing. Yet, he had it there to stare at on long train and bus rides with his team.

Yes, you were his girlfriend. The one people would tease him about. The one he was the kindest to out of everyone else he ever knew.

"Thank you-" Kei was about to walk off after giving you a bow.

You looked around, moving your hands to tell him stay there. The street didn't have any children which was a relief. A small idea popped up to take the costume off. He didn't know you had that summer job, it would be funny to surprise him right?

Your hand moved to the back of your head-well as far as you could reach. You patted the spot before turning back at him, patting it once more. In a way, asking for help.

What an interesting person... That's what he thought as he watched you before helping you out with pulling down the zipper. Tugging at it with one hand, the other holding your bear.

Tsukishima knew as soon as he heard your laugh, but he waited for your head to pop out.

There you were, with that oh so stupid smile he loved. He was so focused on how dumb it was to notice that he was smiling right back.

“Is this about that girl you told me about? The one that was supposedly kind and you thought you could trust her with one of your secrets?”

Tsukishima thought he asked too directly the moment your lip quivered, a shaky sigh escaped you. Too busy trying to stop whatever tears might escape, you didn’t notice his hand slip around your waist. He scooted closer to you, looking at your bedroom wall.

“I just thought—It’s not like I’m mad, I’m just disappointed she would tell someone else.” You leaned back into his touch. Usually he would tease you about that, but not right now.

Kei wasn’t the soft type, but surprisingly he was with you. Though he still made fun of you and all, it wasn’t like how he would with other people.

“Don’t talk to her anymore, simple. Also you can tell me these things instead of people you met five minutes ago.”

Maybe you were accepting it, taking your boyfriend's advice to heart. It bummed you out, you were excited to make a new friend.

“Are you okay?” He tilted his head down to take a peek at your face. That was where he made his mistake, he forgot a rule.

Rule #1 When someone is about to cry, don't ask if they’re okay. They will cry, hard.

You fought it for a moment, before it just poured out. Tsukishima tried to fix the mistake, albeit the damage was already done.

He just sighed, slapping himself mentally. Kei pulled you into his lap patting your back. How could one comfort and scold at the same time?

Kei held you there, letting your tears cover his shirt. Listening to your incoherent slurred words as if he could understand. Once you quieted down he started to lecture you in the gentlest way he could.

Ruffled your hair, flicked your forehead, then kissed it because he felt bad. “Don’t share anything personal just because you think the persons nice idiot.”

Tsukishima didn’t care. He wasn't phased at all….

That's why once he realized you had fast fallen asleep, he took a long stare at you. His finger smoothed the skin between your eyebrows, bringing them back to normal. They looked too sad for his liking.

There was only so much a person could take before it became too much. Kageyama would push you away and then it would repeat. All it took was a bad game, someone else acting up, a slight mistake in his game.

Tobio would try, he really did. Though he couldn’t change because of the people around him. They just kept disappointing him over and over. Which lead to him being frustrated around you, shutting you out in the process.

That led to what happened a year ago. You told him how you felt, and he couldn’t answer you. Tobio just stared at you, he wanted to say something but he didn’t know what.

He wasn’t like you, comforting and good with words. You knew what to say to him, how to ease him even at the worst moments. He wasn’t anything like you, he couldn’t give you anything more than an, “Okay.”

It was nearing the end of the school year, a few months before summer. You had told him you wanted him to feel like he could open up with you. That you understood why he didn’t but it tired you how he wouldn’t attempt to communicate, just shut you out.

“I really do like you , Tobio.” You had sighed softly, preparing yourself. “And I’ll be rooting for you, in every way imaginable. Maybe right now isn’t the time for us, and maybe we’ll have a better chance in the future.”

Tobio Kageyama thought about that moment often. More frequently than he liked to admit. He saw you around at Karasuno, staring as you passed.

He thought about what you meant, a better chance in the future? Was his time up yet, or could he still make it?

Kageyama had changed, his team taught him more than he thought they would. He could depend on them, he wasn’t alone on the court anymore. The team irritated him but it was different this time. More for stupid reasons over anything.

Now, all he was missing was…you. He thought he lost feelings for you, but all he did was gain them back. He had grown, and you weren't there. You didn't see the fact he had changed. Tobio wasn't going to avoid communication with you, nor try not to depend on you.

So did you mean it? Would there be a chance to make it right this time?

Sugawara was the first person he asked. Kôshi supported the idea, only if Tobio was ready to be the person for you. He saw the progress and growth in him over the school year.

Then Kageyama asked Hinata before sending the message. If he really should do it, if you would even respond.

Hinata was excited for his friend, saying that if you said you really did like him, you would love him now. He encouraged him to send the message because even if it did go wrong, it's better to fail knowing you tried rather than fail not knowing if it could've worked.

You were walking home from school, chewing at your gum, headphones blasting. The music was cut off by a message being read.

‘From Tobio: I miss you.’

Then your music started up again, and you let it. Not checking your phone once as you walked, millions of thoughts running in your mind.

As soon as you got home you opened it, you saw exactly what you heard. You pondered for a moment, what to say. You had noticed his changes, they were subtle. But he had grown more from who he was.

He was in practice when you had responded. So as soon as it was over, he checked his phone. Relief filled him when he saw your name, a simple message followed but it was exactly what he needed. You reciprocated, you missed him too.

(Click photo if blurry)

His message surprised you to say the least. He was almost outside? The two of you didn't live necessarily far from each other, however it would take some time to get to your house. Was he already heading there before he sent you that?

That didn’t really matter at the moment. You quickly got yourself ready, whatever that meant. After a few minutes, you grabbed a pair of shoes. Putting them on before stepping out.

It was already dark out, but you could still spot him. He was standing in front of your house near the sidewalk. The door clicked close after you pushed it into place.

Kageyama looked back to see you, taking his hands out of his pockets. Rubbing them on his sides, was he nervous?

You approached him, walking down to the street. You were going to say something first but he beat you to it.

The top of his head was visible when he gave you a short bow, “Thank you for coming.”

“Well, I just came out of my house. I should thank you. You ran all this way didn’t you?”

Tobio stared at you, lips parting. “I did but it was nothing.” His head perked when he heard you laugh at him, he missed that.

“Thank you..Tobio. I can still call you that right?” He nodded. It was still new to him, but it was welcomed. His eyes stayed on you, he hadn’t been able to get a good look at you in a while.

“What I told you, I meant it. I do miss you and want to get back together.” Kageyama stumbled on his last words, but you could still see he was attempting to be better for you. “I promise you’ll be a priority and I’ll do my best to communicate. I won’t let you down.”

You smiled, he was so serious about it. He only really ever said something if he meant it. The silence sat for a moment, “Then..I trust you keep your promise. You’ve never let me down before so there really isn’t a need to say-“

Kageyama didn’t mean to cut you off but he couldn't wait. “Will you be my girlfriend?” He stared at you like you created volleyball itself. His ears were pink, followed by his face dusted with blush.

“Yes, I will.” You didn’t hesitate when you said it. Tobio really liked that, more than he would want to admit. You saw him bolt to the corner of the street, you were about to follow. Then he ran back, gently pushing flowers into your hands.

“I hope you like them, thank you again.” He watched you touch the flowers. His hands shoved back into his pockets, they were so sweaty. He didn't want you to see that.

“Thank you Tobio. That’s so sweet, you really didn't have to. Did you keep them over there in case I said no?” He looked away from you sheepishly.

“Maybe.” He looked back feeling your arms wrap around him. His face was so red, he was happy he didn't have any of his teammates around. Especially now that he was hugging you back, yeah. It was better that they weren't there.

Bonus ౨ৎ

Kageyama laid in bed, just about to fall asleep. His phone flashed back on, making him grab it begrudgingly. It was Sugawara.

It was awful seeing the only person he ever loved romantically so sick. Saiki would visit you in the hospital, most of the time you were fast asleep. Even had cough attacks in your sleep, your voice would be raspy by the time you woke up.

He didn’t mind, silently rubbing your back whilst you slept. Kusuo could try to at least accommodate you, he couldn’t help you in any other way. He wished he could’ve took the illness out of you, bring you back to normal. The happier, healthier version of you.

The blessing now felt like a sick joke, like the universe was holding you over him. The girl who he admired secretly when you weren’t looking. Memorizing your features, your face was the one he saw the most. Everyone else was usually just muscle, unless they were near you too. But he didn’t find it necessary to look at them when you were right in front of him.

Saiki had thought of everything to heal you. He would never just sit around in some hospital letting you suffer when he could do something.

He used to believe he was as powerful as a god, the smartest man alive. Kusuo didn’t think that anymore after years of trying to save you.

At first, he tried to change events that happened around you in the past, so you couldn’t get sick. It didn’t work, that was fine.

He moved on to repeating the timeline, perhaps it was just a coincidence it happened? You got even sicker, he could feel it when you held his hand. Not from you holding him too tight, but from your grip loosening as more time passed.

Maybe if he went to a parallel universe where you would be okay? It almost worked. But it didn’t.

Even when you ended up in those white sheets, every single time. Kusuo found comfort in seeing you for the first time. You would fall in love with him again, each time similar to the last.

There were times where it stressed him out to the point of sleep deprivation. However, he never once thought of leaving you alone despite the outcome.

He loved being with you, he loved you. Kusuo would spend a hundred years more finding a universe where you were okay.