My ♡ cove

The hospital buzzed with activity, but an uneasy tension lingered. Rumors of a rapidly spreading contagion fueled paranoia. Colleagues exchanged worried glances, and the urgency in the air intensified.

A patient emerged from a curtained room, his eyes blood shot red, sweat prickling his skin, and no vibrant color in his skin as before. You watched in fear as he approached one of your coworkers and violently bit her.

She screamed, and as if a switch had been turned on, all of the infected began attacking. Biting and clawing anyone in sight. You watched as your coworker who was bit lose the color in her skin, no longer human. 

Exiting the hospital, you witnessed the first signs of societal unraveling. Panicked civilians rushed by, some sporting makeshift masks, while others clutched loved ones. Sirens wailed in the distance, blending with distant screams that painted a chilling symphony of chaos.

Violence seemed to be amplified as you looked around, the city was panicking, finding shelter to these things. You were pushed down by a stampede of people, you groan and begin to get up. As you lifted your head you saw what they were all running from.

A group of the undead were making their way over to you, you screamed as one of them grabbed your leg. You quickly kick several times and it falls back, the rest of them were still making its way to you.

Adrenaline hit you, your body was moving before your mind could even think. You're running as fast as you could to your apartment, finally making it and slamming the door shut before any of those things got close.

Bangs and groans were heard throughout the apartment, you couldn't believe what was going on.

You fumbled for your phone, trying to reach family and friends. Communication networks were strained, and snippets of apocalyptic news reached your ears — a world slipping into an abyss, a virus turning the familiar into a nightmarish unknown.

Everything was silent online, service officially had cut out. All of your searches were loading and ultimately failing. There was no way you were leaving the somewhat solace of your home.

♡ A. Admitting feelings ♡

Do they admit it first? Wait for someone else? And how do they go about it?

He’d need to hear the words come out of your mouth first. Bertholdt’s in denial of his own feelings for a plethora of reasons. Selfishly, the mission aside, he doesn’t believe you could ever feel that way about him. When you admit your feelings though, for a moment, he can’t think of anything else.

♡ B. Bad Habit ♡

What bad habits do they have?

Biting the insides of his cheeks when he wanders too deep into the darker part of his mind.

Something that would undoubtedly affect you though? White lies or half truths, believe him, all he wants is to tell you everything. Whether it’s because words fail him or the risk of danger is too high… he just can’t.

♡ C. Commitment ♡

Do they want a five-minute thing? Marriage? House and a dog?

Bertholdt is a romantic. In his mind he’ll have it all with you; the perfect life. He hangs onto that moment as he wakes up, the breathe right before reality crushes itself back on his shoulders. He chooses to forget about everything else just to have that sweet dream in his grasp a little longer.

♡ D. Damage ♡

As in ‘what’s their damage’ are they a difficult person? Been hurt before and need help healing? Won’t let people in? ‘don’t give a fuck’ attitude?

There’s a lock on him from head to toe and the key is always kept just out of reach. You can tell when he wants to tell you something, his lips part but shut just as quickly and he averts his olive green eyes. It’s awful, this part of the dance where he takes two steps away from you but holds onto your hand like a lifeline.

‘I could help you,’ you want to say.

His eyes say he knows that to be true.

♡ E. Energy ♡

Would you have trouble keeping up with them? Extrovert/introvert/ambient?

Introvert! He doesn’t mind being in a large group or crowd but he might need to leave early. Being one on one with you or doesn’t drain his social battery. Reiner is a different case, as much as Bertholdt respects and appreciates him, it’s tiresome holding up a persona even for his closest friend. Everything about you is so effortless.

♡ F. First date ♡

Their ideal first date

There’s things Bertholdt’s never done himself that he would love to experience with you. What would you like most, though? Fantasies create themselves at inconvenient times; from getting ice cream and enjoying it together by a fountain, picking apples, walking along the beach and finding shells for each other, stargazing and talking deep into the night, to simply chatting with you over a game of chess.

Despite all the possibilities, he knows exactly what he’d do. He wants to cook you dinner, your favorite meal, with wine and candles— the whole nine yards! In his mind it goes perfectly, he’d be the man you deserve. He’d pull out your chair and tell you how nice you look that evening, then quickly stammer out how you look nice every day. You’d hold his hand and thank him, flash him that smile he’d die for. In actuality, it doesn’t go perfect by definition but it is perfect because you’re there.

♡ G. Gentle ♡

How gentle are they?

Agonizingly gentle. Bertholdt’s touch trembles slightly in the beginning but as he grows more comfortable with you, he relaxes. You might be frustrated at first when he touches you like your glass, then you realize that’s.. simply who he is. Gentle. His words can be firm when they need to be but he almost never raises his voice and especially not at you. There’s this unfailing softness to Bertholdt that only you get to endure.

♡ H. Honesty ♡

How open are they?

Bertholdt has secrets (obviously) but tells you as much as he can without crossing that line. The moment the bond between you two go deeper then camaraderie, he vows not to lie to you if he can help it. He progressively gets better about explaining how he feels which is an enormous leap for him to make. You make saying something as simple as “I’m not ok right now,” easier.

♡ I. I love you’s ♡

Who says it first?

It’s messy and jumbled and sickeningly sweet and absolutely Bertholdt. He’ll never forget it. You were so incredibly patient even when you knew exactly where his extremely long sentence was going. Your eyes sparkled, your smile nearly broke your face and a gentle blush dusted your cheeks. His heart hurt in a way he never thought capable then suddenly stopped as soon as the words left his lips. During the tiniest gap of silence before you responded, his sweaty palms ran over his thighs,

“I love you too,”

His heart exploded then.

♡ J. Jealous ♡

Are they jealous? How do they handle it?

Specific incidents where someone is deliberately flirting with you and Bertholdt is nearby— or dare they attempt right in front of him, mistaking his quiet nature for weakness. Insecurities bubble to the surface, his face flushed red in anger, terror grips at his heart at the thought of losing you. With a bit of gentle prying he can explain, thanks to you, how he feels and why.

Stars forbid someone made you uncomfortable or grabbed at you though. Entirely different situation that would have Bertholdt utterly livid. He handles himself gracefully, quickly and angles himself in front of you, staring down the person and silently threatening them with a furious glare. It’s rare to see that side of Bertholdt but oddly sweet to know he’d do that for you.

♡ K. Kiss ♡

What kind of kisser? Deep and passionate? Sloppy? Little pecks on the cheek?

Stars, he’s the sweetest kisser on the planet! Bertholdt asks almost every time if he can kiss you, even though he gives himself away by staring at your lips and tip toeing closer in an odd dance. His lips are soft at first but the intent, the need, the love, has electricity zapping straight to your heart every time they touch.

♡ L. Listen ♡

Do they hang off your every word or have selective hearing?

You wonder sometimes if he has a library in his mind of things you’ve said or offhandedly mentioned. Bertholdt challenges himself to remember every single word that leaves your lips, and wins. You couldn’t know this, but he wants to commit every detail of you, everything you’ve ever said to memory… in case he ever has to think about you in past tense.

♡ M. Maintenance ♡

Are they high maintenance? Low? Do they need more skincare products than you?

Shoulders down it looks like he’s in tip-top shape. His uniform is always pristine, no wrinkles in his casual clothes, no dirt on his boots at the beginning of the day. Hair? A short, unkempt, bed headed mess. You love it. Overall Bertholdt is a very clean person and always smells nice.

♡ N. Nest ♡

What does their room look like?

Similar to his appearance, his personal room would be neat and tidy. There’s personal touches, hobbies, a plethora of books but no pictures. Bertholdt always keeps his bed made and sheets washed—except for if you were to use it. Not for anything weird! He just likes the reminder you were there. Sometimes your shampoo lingers on the pillow case and brings him comfort for a little while, it makes sleeping alone easier.

♡ O. Opinion ♡

Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. Do they listen to others’ views? Mansplain? Talk over or have a spirited debate?

Bertholdt doesn’t give his opinion without being prompted. If he thinks it will hurt someone’s feelings he’d rather not say it at all. He listens plenty and gathers information like he was trained to do. You, for whatever reason, always want to hear what he thinks even if you disagree. He doesn’t like not being on the same page as you, he feels like it’s arguing or will lead to one and will brew into resentment. It never has.

♡ P. Protection ♡

Are they overboard or level headed about protecting their loved ones?

Considering he joined the Warrior program for his father, it’s safe to say he would go through any lengths to protect his family. Annie and Reiner can take care of themselves for certain but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t worry or won’t help keep them safe, if he can. The same goes for his other, newer camrades.

You though? Bertholdt will carry out unspeakable acts if it means keeping you alive. He won’t charge in blind, definitely not in a situation where he knows you can handle yourself. But that silent promise is forever there.

♡ Q. Quirk ♡

What strange little personality quirks do they have?

You noticed it before he did and innocently pointed it out which made him so flustered he couldn’t speak the rest of the day. Bertholdt tries to make himself small. Pressing himself against walls, crouching, hugging his legs when he sits, etc. First was stunned that you paid enough attention to him to see this, then he reflected on it for longer than he’d like to admit.

♡ R. Reliable ♡

Can you count on them?

He asks himself this often. His head and gut say no but his heart and body screams yes. The only time he moves before he can think about what he’s doing is when it comes to you.

♡ S. Scent ♡

Their perfume/cologne/natural musk

Naturally he smells like cedarwood and plums. You don’t know what plums are yet, it’s a subtly sweet, fruity scent. Barely there yet clings to him. Sometimes you catch whiffs of leather.

♡ T. Temper ♡

What is their temper like? Quick to anger? Long fuse? How bad do they lose it?

Seldom have you ever seen him snap, it’s a bit frightening when it happens. Bertholdt is very restrained, he prides himself on it.

♡ U. Unwind ♡

How do they relax?

Relax? Bertholdt? He’s stressed so much it bleeds into his sleep! Jokes aside, he enjoys reading and playing chess, enjoyable and a nice distraction. If he’s too wound up to sit still for those he likes to cook, an even better distraction and dispels that extra nervous energy he may have.

Fun fact: mornings are his favorite time of day; the sun kissing the horizon in greeting before the pleasant chill gets stolen away by its heat. Bertholdt prefers to sleep in if he can but if he has a nightmare, or just happens to be awake, he likes the peacefulness of mornings.

♡ V. Value ♡

What’s their love language? What makes them feel special?

Giving and receiving, Bertholdt’s love languages are tied between words of affirmation and quality time.

♡ W. Welcoming ♡

How do they feel about PDA?

Bertholdt wants to be selfish for once in his life and keep you his secret. It’s mostly for your safety but he couldn’t say how temporary that is. He won’t hesitate to help you off the ground and let your hands linger but PDA isn’t for him.

However, you’ve both found a way around that bump with hidden affectionate acts. Sitting next to him during meals so your legs can touch, maybe even holding pinkies under the table or resting a hand on a knee.

♡ X. Xylophone ♡

What’s their song?

Iris - Goo Goo Dolls

So when everything feels like the movies

Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive

And I don't want the world to see me

'Cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am, hey

♡ Y. Yearning ♡

How do they act when separated?

Where are you going? How long will you be gone? Are you safe? Bertholdt has worse case scenarios zipping through his head faster than Survey Corps horses can run. It’s par the course for this life, he’s often reminded bitterly. It’s not dramatic to admit he’d be more comfortable if he could see you at all times.

Also he just misses you when you’re parted. Badly. While on the outside it looks as if he’s unbothered, his eyes roam for you if he knows you’re returning soon. He’s often compared to a lost puppy, which he can’t bring himself to deny strongly enough for anyone to believe.

♡ Z. Zzz ♡

Do they sleep a lot? Not enough? Night owl or early bird? Light sleeper or heavy?

When he finally does fall asleep it can be hard to wake him up. His sleeping positions are infamous and he doesn’t wake to the laughter that go on around him. A nightmare, a loud sound or a jolting shove would do the trick but Bertholdt’s a deep sleeper.

The first time Nanami Kento steps foot into that tiny flower shop, he treats it more as an errand than anything else.

Shoko was throwing a little get-together later that evening- something about a creepy discovery she’d made during an autopsy that excited her, truthfully Nanami tried not to pay too much attention to the gruesome details she’d shared- and he didn’t want to show up empty handed.  Utahime had already declared she was bringing the champagne, Gojo covered the catering from some fine dining restaurant Nanami had never even heard of, and it seemed as though flowers were the best he could come up with.

Still, being the thoughtful gentleman he was, he figured he might as well splurge on a well crafted bouquet, rather than the cheap banded wilting things at the grocery store.

Despite being right next door to his favorite bakery in Tokyo, he’d never had an interest to poke around the little shop.  There had never really been an occasion for him to buy flowers, and he wasn’t exactly the kind of guy to pick some up just to freshen up his office or dining room table.  If anything, once the little bell above the door jingles to signal his entry, he feels incredibly out of place.  The shop is tiny, and covered nearly ceiling to floor in bright blooms of plants he’s never even seen before.

A soft but cheery “Welcome in!” comes from the wall where there are two clerks working away with nothing short of joy on their faces.  The first is cashing someone out at the register, handing over a plastic wrapped bundle of what he assumes are tulips but he’s not quite sure.  The other being the one who greeted him, and-

Nanami freezes, which is out of character enough to make his face feel warm and his heart stutter in his chest.  The other clerk, a woman who seemed to be playing rather than working on the bouquet before her.  As quick as she was to welcome the new customer, she was just as quick to return to rearranging the bundle of purple and white flowers before her.  She doesn’t even seem to notice the way Nanami stands in the doorway struck by awe as he watches her over-analyze the way each petal pushes against one another.

After a second too long of staring he realizes how creepy he’s being, and he makes a beeline for the opposite side of the shop, hoping no one around caught the way he’d shamelessly stared at a complete stranger, much less a woman simply trying to do her job.  She didn’t need some random customer ogling her- he wasn’t Gojo.

He pretends to glance over the array of pre-arranged bouquets on the far wall.  Pretend, as in technically he’s looking at them but he’s not really paying any attention.  His mind is still buzzing with that lingering haze of love at first sight wondrous surprise.  Eventually he settles for an arrangement of red roses.  Roses were always a safe bet to go with, right? It’s not like Shoko screamed ‘flower lover’ in her offputting demeanor.  As he’s carrying the bouquet to the front, he’s starting to second guess the whole thing.

Shoko would definitely smirk in his face for bringing such a silly gift to her party.  She’d probably start laughing if he told her that he was purposefully waiting for the pretty clerk who’d greeted him to cash him out- wait, what-?

“All set?” 

He tries to cover the way his eyes widen when she slides the project in her vase aside and beckons him to step up to his counter.  The other counter was completely open, and he could feel the way the second clerk stared at him in bewilderment as he’d ignored the universal sign for ‘my register is open’.  But Nanami is not as smooth as he’d like to be, and he can tell by the uptick in the corner of her mouth that she’s amused by his frozen stature.

“Yes- yeah, just this,” He feels like a teenager for stammering over his words, but she pays it no mind.  Her movements are overly gentle as she takes the bundle of roses from his hands, treating the bouquet with the utmost care, as though it were a newborn child.

His eyes glance down the nametag on her apron quickly, hoping she wouldn’t notice his sudden urge to put a name to the pretty face.  (y/n).  Certainly fitting.  Even her apron is embroidered with little colorful threads of cartoonish flowers.  Peeking at the apron of the other employee and finding nothing but a little bee pin secured next to their name tag, he wonders if she embroidered those flowers herself.

“These are beautiful, they’re going to love them,” She’s speaking again and Nanami finds himself standing up a little straighter.  “Would you like them wrapped up in a special way? I have tissue and ribbon” She offers with a smile that has all of the blood rushing towards his face.  He prays it’s not  noticeable.

“Uh- that’s probably not… no, I don’t think so” He replies awkwardly, and she can’t help but laugh a bit at his uncertainty.

“First time buying flowers for someone?” She asks, and he watches as she pulls open a drawer beside her and plucks out a sheet of white tissue paper with just the faintest bits of glitter sparkling on it.

“That obvious?” He mumbles, and he hopes it comes across more playful than embarrassed, but deep down, Nanami knows it’s the latter.

(y/n) chuckles again, expertly crafting the tissue to fit around the bouquet in a flattering way.  She makes it look easy, the way the paper folds to her will neatly.  It’s a simple task, but Nanami knows if he’d tried it himself, the tissue would wrinkle and it wouldn’t look nearly as flattering as she presents it.

“You’re not the first man to pick out the first bouquet of roses he sees,” SHe teases gently.  “No offense though, these are gorgeous.  I have to say I really outdid myself” 

“You grow them all yourself?” Nanami asks, and instantly regrets it.  Is that a stupid question? Do all florists grow their own supply? He hadn’t a clue on the inner workings of the flower market.

“I sure do!” Her reply is cheerful, and the question seems a little less stupid.  “There’s a greenhouse out back, but between you and me,” She lowers her voice like she’s about to tell him a grave secret.  Her eyes lock on his with an intensity Nanami thinks could rival Gojo’s.  “My best work comes from my own garden at home” She confesses.

Nanami can’t help the way it cracks a smile out of him, especially when she grins widely and finishes up his bouquet with a pretty string of red ribbon.  Even the way she curls it with the sharp edge of a pair of shears is done to perfection.  He really had to hand it to her for her craftsmanship.

He pays, making sure to tip a generous amount on the card reader, even if it is purely because she’d seemed to sweep him off his feet in less than two minutes of conversation.

“She’ll be very excited to receive these, they’re absolutely perfect” (y/n) says, handing the bouquet back to him with just as much grace as before.  Nanami finds himself moving slowly, careful not to crinkle a single edge of the tissue.

“I don’t know about that, I don’t think she even likes flowers,” Nanami says as he glances over the red petals smiling up at him.  The implication of the statement doesn’t hit him until a moment too late, and he looks back up at (y/n) almost too quickly, his eyes widened slightly as he tries to backtrack.  “She’s a friend- a, uh, colleague sort of friend.  She’s celebrating something and I… really didn’t know what to bring” It’s a lame explanation, and he finds himself fubbing the back of his neck and hoping he doesn’t come across like some slimy liar trying to cover his tracks.

“Oh! I see.  I just assumed, because, you know…” (y/n) laughs softly as she gestures to the roses.  Nanami follows the gesture before glancing back at her, his confusion evident.  “Cause roses are usually a symbol of romance.  Well, the symbol of romance, really” She explains.

His eyes widen further and she can’t help but laugh a little more.  Everything about her new customer amused her, and she didn’t usually spend so much time chatting with people that weren’t trying to chat with her, but she couldn’t help but want to drag the conversation on just a little bit longer.

“Oh god,” Nanami mutters, staring down at the roses with a newfound dislike for them.  “They’re going to laugh at me” 

“No, no, they won’t,” (y/n) quickly shakes her head.  “I’m sure your friend will think it’s sweet.  She’ll understand.  It’s a very kind gesture” 

He can tell just by looking at her that her words are genuine, she’s not just saying them to make him feel better.  Her eyes gleam as she nods at him encouragingly.

“Alright,” He sighs, giving the roses one last once over to make sure he’s not making a grave mistake.  “But if they laugh I’m not getting the fancy paper next time” 

Her cheeks bloom with color, next time, she repeats in her mind, and there’s an undeniable flutter in her chest at the sentiment.  She nods back at him with certainty.

“If they laugh, then I’ll help you pick out an appropriate bouquet, next time” She promises, and again he can’t explain it, but Nanami knows she absolutely means it.

His smile is soft, so unbelievably velvety soft as he nods and bids her a good day before making his way back out of the shop.

That night as expected, Shoko does make a weird face when he offers up the bouquet of flowers.  She gives him a tease he sees coming from a mile away- ‘Kento, flowers? I didn’t think you would know where to find these’- which makes the rest of the group laugh as well.  He decides he’ll gloss over that fact on his next visit to the flower shop. ___

His second visit to the flower shop, he realizes too late that he doesn’t have a decent reason for picking up a pricey bouquet of flowers.  As he wanders around aimlessly while (y/n’s) busy wrapping another pretty bundle for a customer, he thinks maybe she wouldn’t even ask what the occasion is.

“Hey,” 

And then she’s standing right next to him as he’s eyeing a clump of purple bundles that smells divine.  The smile on her face is one of clear recognition, and it makes his chest warm that she’d remember him, much less approach him first.

“So, what’s the special occasion this time?” 

And of course her first question is that one.  He would smack a hand to his face if it wasn’t so embarrassing.  She’s probably asking because he failed so miserably at picking out a proper bouquet last time, and he has to give her credit for offering him help, even though he’s struggling to come up with a half decent response.

But before he can stop himself, he’s saying,

“It’s my mom’s birthday” 

Which is an odd choice of lie.  He hadn’t seen his mother in years, and her birthday had passed months ago.  But that’s what he comes up with, and it’s not exactly the worst lie, but the cringe he makes as soon as it leaves his mouth isn’t all that hidden.

“That’s nice,” (y/n) beams at the thought.  “Do you know what she likes?” 

The way his face pales answers her question plenty, and she chuckles a bit as her eyes begin to wander the shop.  “No problem, I have just the thing,” She beckons him to follow her as she wanders off a bit.  “She’s an aquarius, so the safe bet is orchids,” 

He’s not even sure what she’s saying, but he nods along like he understands perfectly.

“I have these, if you like white,” She suggests, and he eyes the pretty thin stems with white flowers budding off of them.  Oh, so those were orchids.  Then her eyes light up, and without thinking, she reaches out and places a hand on his arm with her excitement.  “But I just brought in some blue ones from home, it was too cold to keep them there, would you like to see those?” 

He actually doesn’t need any flowers at all, so worrying about the color was far from his mind.

“Blue sounds lovely” He gives her a nod and as he thought she might, she grins before rushing off to the back of the shop.  He blames the way his skin tingles from where her tough had just left him even from under two layers of clothes.

As he slowly makes his way to the front to await her blue orchids, he glances around the shop a bit more.  Every single plant his eyes land on looks like they’ve been loved to the fullest extent.  Bright blooms of color cover every inch of space, every counter, shelf, and hook on the ceiling has a well loved clump of flowers occupying it.  Nanami can name roses and daisies, and he thinks the purple flowers he’d been eyeing earlier was lavender, but most of what fills this shop looks like a completely new plant he’d never discovered before. 

He wonders how much of her life (y/n’s) spent mastering her craft, because clearly, not a single sprout of life looks untouched or forgotten.

“Here you are,” She comes back out with a beam even wider than before as she holds up her precious blue orchids proudly.  “Beautiful, aren’t they?” 

He hums in agreement, his face warm as he barely even casts a glance at the bundle in her hands.  It might be obvious and cheesy, but he can’t exactly help it.

“Or were you looking at something else?” (y/n) asks, nodding to the hanging pot his eyes had been focused on before she’d come back out.  “The star jasmine is also lovely, but they can be tough to take care of at first” 

Again, he barely casts his gaze towards the pot before he’s turning back to her again, an amused little smile on his face.

“Could you really name every plant in here?” He asks, and he knows it’s a dumb question by the way she laughs, loudly, as if he’d made the funniest joke she’s heard in ages.

“Of course I could, it’s my job” She reminds him, and he nods, humming to himself thoughtfully as his gaze flickers across the shop.

“How about those then?” He points to a small pot of pinkish-purple flowers challengingly.  (y/n) glances at them before turning her attention back to him, raising a brow.

“Those would be cosmos” She says slowly, but matter of factly.  Nanami doesn’t necessarily have a way to fact check her, so he quickly points to another pot.

“And those?” 

“Gazanias” She barely had to look at them to give him her answer.

Nanami sighs as he turns back to her in defeat, and her smile crinkles the corners of her eyes.

“Not much fun of a game, is it?” She teases with a quiet laugh.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t have underestimated you” He replies, and she shrugs a shoulder at him, her eyes falling to her prized blue orchids in her hands.  Absent-mindedly, she pokes and prods at a few stems, ensuring they were healthy before she passed them off to the handsome customer.

“It’s been a slow afternoon, you could have underestimated me a little longer if you’d like,” She says, only half joking.  Nanami breathes out a laugh of amusement.  He’s not sure if she’s flirting with him or just being playful, but from the way his heart skips a beat he certainly hopes she is flirting.  “Anyways,” (y/n) clears her throat, reminding herself to go back to the task at hand.  “I think your mother would adore these.  I certainly do” 

“Those it is, then” He affirms, and she eagerly circles around the counter, already gathering a few pieces of tissue paper she deemed pretty enough to pair with the rich blues of the flower.

“So now you’re a flower-gifting kind of guy, hm?” She asks him as she carefully wraps the thin sheets around the stems of the orchids.  “The roses must’ve gone over well, then?” 

Nanami chuckles, tucking his hands into his pockets.  More or less, he thinks.

“It might be a bit of a copout, if I’m being honest,” He admits.  “I don’t really know what else to give her.  But I’m an only child, so, I kind of have the responsibility to step it up” 

“That’s alright,” (y/n) hums, her focus completely on making sure the flowers are as presentable as can be.  “Flowers are always a thoughtful gift.  Especially mine, got it?” It’s the only time she looks up at him while wrapping up the orchids, a threatening expression on her face.  “Don’t go to the other shops in town, they’re sellouts, got it?” 

He laughs at her seriousness, before crossing his hand over his chest in an x motion.

“I didn’t know there was a flower shop turf war here in the shopping district” He muses.  (y/n) huffs as she carefully moves about a few stems so each one would fall just so.

“Well, there is,” She mumbles like an afterthought.  

There’s the tiniest of creases between her brows, and Nanami wants to tell her not to worry so much over this bouquet, seeing as he doesn’t know what he’s going to do with it once he’s home, but he has a feeling the sentiment would fall on deaf ears.  She seems quite lost in her arranging.

“And besides, I gotta make sure I have loyal customers, don’t I?” She adds once she’s finished, and her serious expression crumbles into one of softness as she gazes up at him again.

“Whatever it takes” Nanami hums in agreement.  He bites the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling too foolishly, but he’s not sure it helps his case. 

“What’s your name, anyways?” 

He’s not sure why, but the simple question takes him aback, as though it were as forward as asking for his phone number.  He hesitates too long, he knows by the way she lightly raises a brow at the way he pauses before he answers.

“Nanami, Kento” Even his answer is slow, but she hums and nods at him nonetheless, as though engraving it to memory on the spot.

“Nanami Kento,” 

She extends her hand as she repeats the name, and it takes every ounce of will he has left to keep a shiver from crawling down his spine.  He didn’t think his name could sound so sweet on another person’s voice before.  He raises his hand to shake hers politely, trying not to focus too hard on how soft her small hand feels when fitted against his.  His noticeably larger hand encases hers almost completely.

“I’m (y/l/n) (y/n),” She introduces, as if her name hadn’t been circling around his mind in the couple of weeks since he’d last been here.  “But everyone just calls me (y/n)” 

“Alright, (y/n),” He muses, and he wonders if she’d felt just as warm repeating his name as he did finally saying hers aloud.  “You can just call me Kento, then” 

She smiles, and the color in her cheeks is undeniable.  He almost forgets to release her hand.

Once the orchids are perfectly bundled up, she passes them across the counter, the tips of her fingers just barely brushing over his knuckles as they both handle the bouquet with great care.

“How much do I owe you for these?” 

“Oh, they’re on the house,” She waves a dismissive hand, and she can tell by the way he frowns that he’s going to argue, so she’s quick to keep speaking.  “They’re not even in inventory, they won’t be missed.  They’ll be of much better use as a gift to your mother, anyways” 

“I don’t consider that fair-” 

“I won’t accept a single cent,” She tells him boldly, her hands on her hips, and he wonders if this is her idea of scolding.  That cute furrow in her brow and the slight pout on her lips as she glares at him.  It’s downright adorable and yet again, she’s seized his heart.  “Now go, you can’t arrive late on your own mother’s birthday” She waves her hand in a shooing motion towards the door.

God, he’s going to hell for this lie.

“Alright, alright,” He chuckles as he backs away, slowly heading for the door.  “I’ll let you know how much she loves them” 

(y/n) leans across the counter as she watches him go, her face burning with her lingering blush as she shamelessly admires him while he’s not looking.

“Come back soon, Kento!” She calls just as he’s stepped out.

He turns just as the door shuts behind him, catching her eye through the front window.  She’s smiling with utter glee as she waves at him, and this time he can’t hold back his smile as he waves back. ___

The third time he enters the flower shop, he has a better lie in mind.  The ruse of gift giving had worked perfectly so far, he might as well stick with it.

“Nanami Kento!” 

(y/n) welcomes him by name as soon as he walks in, and a rush of warmth spreads over him so quickly he thinks the other clerk working beside her is chuckling to themselves because of him.

(y/n) says something to her coworker before coming around the corner to approach him properly.  Her hair is tied in a messy bun on top of her head today, and it appeared she’d had some fun with a few little flowers sticking out of it.  He smiles as he admires the adorable look before he greets her.

“Afternoon, (y/n),” He replies warmly.  “Do you actually do any real work here?” He asks, nodding to the endearingly chaotic hairstyle.

“It pays to have a job you enjoy, right?” She asks.  “What do you do? Are you a time traveler?” She giggles through the question, the sound tinkly and so, so cute he thinks his knees could give out.

When she gestures back at him, it dawns on him that he’s left his sunglasses on his face.  He’s quick to pluck them off and tuck them into the pocket on the inside of his jacket.

“They’re odd, I know” He says, and hopes she won’t press further questions.  He’s had to lie about enough, what he does for work is an enigma even to him some days.

“I like em,” She shrugs.  “They make your whole business man thing look a bit more… steampunk” She waves her hands around the rest of his attire, and he can’t help but chuckle as he glances down at himself.

When he’d gone into the workforce he found he had preferred a business casual look more than the stuffy scratchy collars of the typical sorcerer’s uniform.  He’d matured a lot in that time, too, and after outgrowing his… emo… phase, found that a little pop of collar looked better on him than being swamped in black.

What’s funny was that what she called business man, Gojo liked to call flashy.

“Steampunk?” He repeats curiously.  “In a good way or a bad way?” 

“Depends,” She shrugs again, eyeing him skeptically.  “Are you planning on buying a bouquet today?” 

“I was, yes” He nods.

“Then in a good way,” She grins, and when he rolls his eyes at her in good nature, she only laughs more.  “Well tell me, who’s the lucky recipient this time?”

If he could get away with it, he’d happily stare at the way she smiles at him for hours.  Her hands clasped behind her back, the way her pretty eyes peer up at him from under her lashes, small splashes of color swirling within (y/e/c) irises.  Nanami can’t recall the last time he’d taken such a strong favor over another person, and in this moment if you’d asked, he’d tell you he’d never felt anything of the sort.  But her lips are plump and glossy today, and seeing them curled upwards so warmly, and for him, it has him in a chokehold.

He was growing so fond of her he almost couldn’t stand it anymore.  He could almost see that line he was trying not to trip across, because if he did step over it and into the unknown freefall that was complete and utter adoration… the thought terrifies him.

The invisible rose colored glasses that remained perched on his nose drove him to murmuring out today’s white lie before thinking about the credibility of it.

“My sister,” He finally answers.  “She’s got a promotion at work, and now I know the perfect secret in gift giving for women-” 

“I thought you were an only child?” 

Her brow furrows just slightly as she interrupts him with her question, a curiosity flickering over her features that has Nanami paling in an instant.  A part of him wants to be flattered that she’d remembered such a minor detail about his life that he’d given her a couple of weeks ago, but the anxiety that encompasses him as she’s caught him in his lie is a far more looming feeling.  He can feel sweat prick on the back of his neck right away.

The longer he hesitates to answer, the more expectant the look on her face is.  Slowly her eyebrows begin to raise, and her head tilts to the side ever so slightly.

“I… I am,” He starts slowly, hoping to stall until he finds the right explanation.  “I don’t know why I said that, um, what I… what I meant to say…” Unfortunately, he was as bad at stalling as he is at lying.

Through his terrible stammering, (y/n’s) perplexed expression starts to morph into something else.  The corner of her lips quirk up before she bites back her smile, pressing her lips together in a thin line.  She tries to hide it, but her smile is evident in the way her cheekbones raise, and the corners of her eyes crinkle ever so slightly.  She’s amused.  And Nanami’s not sure what startles him more, being caught in the lie, or the way she’s entertained by his scrambling.

“Nanami Kento, if you want to pop in just to see me, you can,” She tells him, and when she speaks there’s no chance of concealing the way her smile brightens her entire face.  “You don’t have to make up a sister just to come in” 

There’s some relief in knowing she isn’t upset, but it’s quickly eaten up by his nerves from her blatant tease.  His collar feels hot on his neck, and he’s certain that as soon as he leaves, he’ll have to loosen his tie.

It doesn’t help that the other clerk in the store had been obviously watching the entire interaction behind a large display vase of carnations.  Here and there they’d been snickering into their hand, surely also entertained by how terrible at this Nanami is.

“You’re right, I… I don’t know why I did that,” He chuckles bashfully.  (y/n) only glows brighter upon him fessing up to it.  “I did just… want to come and see you” 

She rocks on her feet a few times, her cheeks beginning to bloom with color.

“Well I’m glad you did,” She admits softly.  “You’re my favorite customer, you know” 

Nanami cracks a smile at that, some of the nerves starting to melt away the more he entertains the idea of crossing the blurring line between them.

“That simply can’t be true, I’ve only ever bought one bouquet” He reminds her, and she laughs a bit at the reminder.

“Alright, so you’re a flaky customer, but my favorite nonetheless,” She compromises.  “Besides, you said you were picking one up today, no takesies backsies” 

“Are you five?” He chuckles, but she waves her hand dismissively, ignoring the comment completely.

“What are you looking for today, Kento?” She changes the subject.

He thinks to himself for a moment, eyes flickering around the shop to see what stuck out to him.

Nanami Kento wasn’t necessarily a shy man, but he wasn’t the man that made the bold move.  That would be Gojo.  He also wasn’t the one to play coy until the other party eventually gave in either.  That was Shoko’s move.  Even after having a few short relationships or flings throughout the years, he never really made the first move.  Things sort of just… happened.

Now, he thinks it might be just the right time to make the bold move.

He still has to take a deep breath before he does, though.

“Depends,” He muses, glancing back at her.  “Which do you like best? I want to give you the right arrangement before dinner”  ___

bonus: 

They’re standing at the entrance to her building when she finally brings up the elephant in the room that had followed them for the entire evening.

“You know, it’s pretty corny to give me flowers that I grew from my store” 

“It was a good line, sweetheart, I’m going to stand by that,” He chuckles back at her.  “And you picked them” He adds, gesturing to the pretty bouquet of lilies of the valley tucked carefully in her arm.

“Forgive me for not being able to turn down pretty flowers from a handsome man” She replies playfully, and for once he manages to maintain control of himself as he gives her a gentle smile.

“Do you flirt with all of your customers to keep them coming back?” He replies coolly, and the giggle that escapes her is anything but coy.  Just pure, genuine joy.

She settles the bouquet safely in her arms before tilting forward on the tips of her toes.  It does little to nothing to shorten their height difference, but she’s close enough now that Nanami can practically taste the strawberry on her breath left from their dessert.  Common sense escapes him briefly as he follows suit, bending closer almost all the way.  The sudden movement startles her, her eyes widening and falling to watch his lips, curious if he’d actually kiss her so suddenly.  She smiles when he pauses just before his lips could touch hers, and her gaze flickers back up to his eyes.

“No,” She answers his question in a breath of a whisper.  “Just my favorite ones” 

He chuckles a bit at the cheeky answer, but he’s over the playful banter.  His hand, calloused, but warm and welcoming, reaches out to her chin, fingers gently tipping her head upwards just a little more, before he slides his palm across her cheek.

The question is on the tip of his tongue, but her eyes are already fluttering shut and she’s already closing the remaining space between them.  He supposes when her lips blindly land on his, he doesn’t need to ask for permission to kiss her goodnight. ___

connie

he personally doesn’t need that much physical contact but he lets you do whatever you want to him, he really doesn’t care. he just wants you to be happy

he’ll tease you about it though and laugh when you get pouty. he’ll apologize if you get too quiet or embarrassed or hurt though

but he likes it because the thought of you not getting enough of him is ego boosting and just makes him feel good

sasha

she loves physical touch so she lets you touch her whenever you want

you make her hair every morning. just her sitting on the bed all groggy and grumpy and you massaging her head a little and running your fingers through her hair to lighten up her mood until you finally tie it up into her usual ponytail

she’s always one of the last ppl still eating so when you’re done (which is a lot sooner) you cling to her and wrap your arms around her while she’s still eating.

you could be climbing up on her like she’s a tree and she wouldn’t care . so you do sometimes which always ends up with both of you on the ground

you like nuzzling into her chest and she knows it so it doesn’t matter if she’s talking to someone or there’s ppl around, she’ll let you do it if you want to. she’ll stroke your head or back while you’re doing it or just wrap her arms around you

annie

if it’s around other people or in public: she doesn’t mind you constantly having your arms wrapped around her waist or shoulders but don’t expect her to hug you back. she’d more like let it happen and just stand there while you’re doing your thing

she doesn’t wanna kiss or make out in public or when there’s other ppl near

sometimes when somebody else is flirting with her you forget about how much she hates pda and just grab her face and push your tongue into her mouth bc you’re so riled up. she let’s you do it though bc she knows you didn’t mean any harm. also bc she kinda finds it hot.. you’ll never hear her admit it though. it fact, she’ll act annoyed and roll her eyes when you’re done showing the person she’s yours

if you’re alone somewhere she’ll reciprocate your hug and hold onto you tightly while burying her head into your neck

she also initiates make out sessions more than you when you’re alone because she’s actually kinda needy herself

reiner

he’s super clingy himself so whenever you are it’s just reassurance to him

you’re basically hugging 24/7 and neither of you wants to let go. like at all.

you follow each other around like puppies

he feels so loved and content when you initiate hugs

you’re constantly touching and have your hands on each other wether it’s holding hands or letting him fiddle with your fingers or you hooking your fingers through the loops on his pants etc.

he loves it when he’s doing something and you’re, for once, not together but you somehow find him and hug him from the side. he’ll take one of his arms and put it around either your waist or your shoulder and bring his other hand up to cup your face and stroke your cheek

scenario: it’s just a normal day for you warriors with not much to do so you’re all just hanging out when you make your way over to reiner who was sitting on the couch with pieck and sit in his lap facing him with your arms around his neck and him slouching his left arm around your lower back while the other is caressing your back. “right, i’m out.” porco gets up. nothing more disturbing to him than the two of you. “have fun!” pieck sighs tiredly. zeke would just walk out without saying anything. you and reiner chuckle and hug each other tighter. reiner would bring his hands up to your face and press light kisses all over it which would eventually lead to you making out. and then just hugging again. and making out again. and hugging. you could spend hours doing nothing but kiss and hug. 2 hours would go by but none of you would want to get up. then the other warriors would march through the door talking and laughing about something thinking you and reiner would be long gone but to their surprise- “there is no way you’re still sitting here like that..” porco would look at you disgusted. “why, how long has it been?” you ask genuinely curious.

porco

he won’t let you touch him in public especially not around the other warriors or people in the military in higher positions because he thinks it makes him look weak and unprofessional

he’d always regret it immediately after though because he knows that it makes you feel neglected and annoying, but he can’t risk letting his ‘cool guy’ and ‘good warrior’ act fall.

at night when you’re alone though he won’t let go of you and tell you that he’s sorry for being such a stupid asshole sometimes

as soon as you’re alone in either yours or his room he’ll press you against the door and hug you tightly “i’m so sorry. i’m such an ass i’m sorry.” he’d mumble with tears welling up in his eyes. you had already forgotten what this was about because you know him and you know how he gets but when he pleads for you to hug him back you remember.

marcel

i hc him being possessive

so he loves it when you’re touching and hugging him, especially in public. to him it’s just showing other people that you’re his.

he especially likes it when you’re doing it in front of other guys

if you do it around the warriors he’ll just smirk and let you climb in his lap or whatever it is you wanna do

if it’s around instructors he’ll just look at them with a “sorry, they just can’t help it” look. or he’ll just kinda ignore you and act like nothings happening so the instructor will adapt to his state. he’d just stroke your arm or head while your hugging him but he won’t shift his focus away from the conversation he’s having with one of the ppl in power

he acts like he’s not touchy himself bc he knows how needy you are when in reality he’s thriving every time you initiate physical touch

he likes making out in front of other ppl and showing them that you’re his. he won’t do it for long bc he knows you get embarrassed and annoyed but he’ll shove his tongue into your mouth and make out with you for a few seconds just to annoy the ppl around him

pieck

loves it bc it’s just really comfortable and adds warmth

she especially loves it when you’re laying on top of her

you’ll often just pick her up and bury your face in her neck

you also love resting your head on her ass when she’s laying on her stomach

levi

would act annoyed when you do it in public or in front of others but he wouldn’t make you stop or send you away

he’d just stand there helpless letting you do whatever you want to him while he has his usual grumpy look on his face

in private though he is the one initiating physical touch the most because in reality he wants it even more than you. he needs it. he’s just become exceptionally well at suppressing his needs.

he’s the embodiment of a cat. grumpy in front of others but clingy when you’re alone

hange

i hc hanji using they/he pronouns so:

would not mind at all bc he’s clingy himself

blushed the first time you suddenly hugged them bc usually they’re the one doing it

made him so happy fr

he literally loves it so much, it’s so reassuring to them bc he feels like he’s annoying by being so touchy but whenever you’re clingy it just makes them happy and feels like a relief kinda

erwin ** idk i got carried away

he takes his position as commander very serious but when you’re feeling needy while he’s talking to someone, he’ll still let you hug him from the side or from behind but he wouldn’t pay much attention to you. just putting his arm around you while keeping the conversation he was having going or a gentle squeeze of your arm

in private he lets you do whatever you need to do

he’ll let you sit on his lap while he’s doing paperwork or hump his thigh if you need to. “good, baby, keep rubbing yourself on me” “you’re doing so good” “i know you’re close, come for me, sweetie” he’d coo softly while rubbing your back. it’s hard for him to let you finish because all he’d think about when you’re rubbing yourself on his thigh is his cock inside your warm pussy. he’ll have to hold back groans and the uncomfortable feeling of his pants getting tight around his crotch isn’t any less distracting. nine out of ten times he takes you on the sofa after you’re done and panting into his neck

he’s not too clingy himself. but he gets needy and whiny too. he just knows when the right time for those things is and he has no problem waiting until you’re alone.

YES i totally believe he gets so flustered and worked up over the sound of your voice especially if you're saying his name no matter the context.

"megumi can you pass me the salt?" blushing in front of the whole table!!

"can i borrow your notes, megumi?" butterflies!!

"hey megumi are you free tonight?" uh yes he's free for eternity if it's for you.

but jfc if you're saying his name in bed you're so fucking in for it i think it'd spur him on soooo much. everything's dialed up to a hundred.

i'm talking soft whispers of affection turn on to babbled, whiny praise. one second he's sharing the occasional whispered 'i love you, you're so perfect' murmured into your shoulder, to holding you by your chin so you couldn't break the eye contact as he praises you almost nonsensically. i think he'd particularly like telling you how good you are for him, all the while pleading with you to keep telling him who you belong to or who's making you feel this good.

(that's probably around the time you realize just how much he's affected by hearing his name in your voice)