Fer

You played along on instinct and leaned into him with an exaggerated sigh. "Stop being so clingy in public, babe," you mused and playfully tried to get out of his grasp.

The look on Zanka's face and hearing how Gris dropped his sandwich somewhere in the back was very well worth it. From then on you two kept the little act up. You'd hold hands during briefings, Enjin would steal bites off your plate at meals, and you'd call him ridiculous pet names just to watch the others cringe and leave the two of you be—it was just a silly joke.

Until it started to feel like it was no longer just fun for either of you.

The first time you noticed the shift in dynamics was when Enjin took a hit that was meant for you during a harmless mission that turned serious—he didn't even think about it for a second. It wasn't fatal but was deep enough that the blood soaked through his jacket. You sat with him as he got patched up at the medical bay, your fingers trembling much more than they should when you reached to hold his hand.

After that the fake dating stopped feeling entirely fake. Enjin's hands would linger on you even after everyone left and it was just the two of you. You'd catch him staring occasionally out in the yard, something unreadable in his eyes as he took another drag of his cigarette. The jokes between you became different, and you started to wonder where the line had blurred—when pretending had become true feelings.

It all came together three weeks later in the hallways just outside the dorms. You had followed Enjin towards his room and stopped right outside his door—you needed to draw the line after Semiu teasingly asked when the wedding was, and it became much too real for you. In front of her, you laughed it off while Enjin stayed quiet the whole way back.

"We should probably stop. It's getting a little...weird," you mumbled with your arms crossed, trying to physically draw a line as well.

"You think so?" Enjin asked as he leaned against the doorframe, mirroring the way you crossed your arms in front of your chest.

"Mhm, yeah," you confirmed and nodded. "It's starting to feel a little too real... To me, anyway. "You didn't intend for your voice to sound so small, but it couldn't be helped.

"It stopped being a joke to me a while ago." He said flatly; a lopsided grin slowly formed on his lips.

"What?" You couldn't help but be dumbfounded by how flat he said it, unsure if it was yet another joke or not.

"I went along with it because it was funny at first." Enjin ran a hand through his blonde hair as he spoke, looking a little annoyed by himself. "But I kinda like how no one thinks they have a shot with you now... because you're mine."

The words landed somewhere between your ribs and got stuck in your throat. You really wanted to believe him, given how natural his fake boyfriend performance had become, but the doubt crept in the moment your head caught up with your heart. "You're only saying that because it's easier to lie than to admit what a mess this is," you mumbled, somewhat annoyed by the fact that he couldn't take you seriously.

Enjin's expression warped into frustration at your annoyance, almost making him look hurt. "You really think that low of me? He asked defensively.

"I don't know what to think! We started this to mess with people, Enjin. But it also messed with my head."

He sighed heavily and stepped closer, crossed arms bumping against yours ever so lightly. "Because I don't do this—mess with someone like that." His words were honest, no sign of doubt in his golden eyes.

You simply stared at him, searching his face for his usual smirk, the deflection, or the moment he cracked and admitted that this was all a joke too. But it never came. Seconds felt like hours when you eventually met his eyes before your gaze drifted to the scar at his temple that you'd traced once while playing a couple and had wanted to trace again ever since while cradling his face.

"If you're lying, Enjin—" You broke yourself out of that haze, threatening him with empty words.

He simply shook his head and gave you a lopsided smile, seeming more honest than ever. "Wouldn't lie about something like this," he stated with a much gentler voice than what you were used to. His hand came up slow enough for you to lean away if you'd wanted to, and his fingers brushed your cheek before tilting your chin up.

Your face heated up before he even moved when he leaned in to press a feather-light kiss to the corner of your mouth, just to see your reaction. When you didn't move away, the next kiss was bestowed right upon your lips—nothing scandalous, just lips locking for mere seconds before he pulled back.

"Still think I'm lying?" Enjin asked with a shit-eating grin on his face, knowing very well that he broke your no-kissing rule just to show you that this was no longer just a charade.

You exhaled a shaky laugh, the feelings of his lips still lingering on yours. "You're impossible, idiot."

"Yeah," Enjin grinned and raised one brow playfully. "But I'm your idiot, if you want me."

You didn't need to be told twice, curling your fingers in the front of his shirt to pull him closer again, craving another kiss from him, which he gladly provided. He couldn't help but let out a small sound of approval, one hand sliding dangerously low on your back as he pulled you impossibly close while losing himself in the kiss.

"So... we're done pretending? You asked as you smiled up at the man, one finger jabbing his chest right above his heart.

Enjin's thumb traced your bottom lip as his eyes lit up with something that resembled relief. "Been done pretending for weeks. Just needed you to catch up." He mused and pressed a tender kiss to your forehead.

Your hands fly up to grasp his shoulders, nails digging into the tatted flesh, all while he drives his cock deeper into you. One of his large hands moves to rub soft circles on your clit, causing you to whine out.

After what feels like forever, he finally bottoms out.

You feel so full, stuffed to the brim with his dick.

Enjin presses light kisses along your jaw, slowly pulling out before slamming back into you. A loud moan from you bounced off the walls; your body jerked with the force.

His pace was brutal; he impaled you over and over, rough hands gripping your thighs and locking you in place. “Look at you,” he cooed, “taking me so well, and you said you couldn't take it.”

You could only muster a hoarse ‘please’ at his words. Enjin moved your legs from his shoulders and wrapped them around his waist, leaning down to move his ear closer to your mouth, “What was that, baby?” He teased, chuckling as you whined and tugged at his hair. “Bratty little thing, aren't you?”

You felt your orgasm build with every mean snap of his hips against yours, his leaky tip smooched your cervix with every thrust. Your head spun, and your stomach tightened.

Enjin’s eyes scanned your body, taking in every perfect imperfection. That's when he noticed it, the small bump that appeared on your stomach every time he bottomed out. “What's this?” he mused, pressing his palm down on the bulge. You squirmed, crying out at the feeling, “You're so… so deep.”

He hummed, tracing the swell with one of his fingers before placing his palm down again to continue fucking into you. “Yeah? You can feel me all the way in there, can't you?” His pupils were blown wide, crazed even as he watched the bulge disappear and reappear with every thrust.

The sensation was overwhelming; your orgasm was so close you could practically taste it.

Without warning, you snapped, cumming on his dick while he continued pistoning into you. Enjin groaned lowly at the way your pussy fluttered around his length, “Fuck, what a good girl. You can give me another, right?” His thumb traced your clit lazily, causing you to jolt.

A sob escaped you at the overstimulation. He continued his brutal pace while now also torturing your poor clit. “Enjin — ah — Enjin, I can't take it —” he cut you off with a harsh thrust, “You can and you will.”

Your body shook as hot tears slipped down your cheeks, your legs shook around his waist, but he didn't care; it spurred him on. “So fucking tight, god, what're they feeding you?” He joked, dropping his head to suck at your nipple, lapping over the hardened bud with his tongue.

One, two more thrusts later, Enjin came with a shaky moan of your name, causing you to tip over the edge once more.

He watched the bulge disappear from your stomach as he pulled out, saving a mental image of his cum that spilt out right after. “We might have to do some size training with you, doll. Nearly clamped my dick off,” he laughed, pressing a wet kiss to your cheek.”

“No, Enjin, you're just comically huge. No, it's not a compliment.”

“Whatever you say, doll.”

a/n: first time writing for dada kind of nervy

“Your Highness.” You greet him as you enter his chambers, a lavish room fit for the Fire Lord indeed. This wasn’t the same chambers that previous Fire Lords had resided in, when Zuko took the throne, he had the Princely palace wing that he grew up in converted to his chambers. The place is beautiful regardless, endless sea of different shades of red that come together just perfectly.

Zuko doesn’t look up from his paperwork as you also greet and then dismiss the guard. “Zuko.” You call out softly after the door closes, leaving you two alone during this beautiful night. There were several lamps lit across the room, illuminating the entire space in a warm glow, but the moonlight tonight is strong too.

Zuko finally glances up at you at the beckoning of his name, the tip of his lips quirking up in the faintest smile. He has disregarded his royal regalia for the day, the crown and heavy robes resting on the other side of the room. Now he’s in simple, comfortable sleepwear, which does nothing to hide his well-built muscular form underneath.

It was no surprise the friendship between you and Zuko. You’ve known eachother since you were children, you weren’t particularly friends, you were just his father’s advisor’s daughter that he interacted with occasionally. The only reason he picked you to be his advisor very early into his reign was the fact that you were critical of his father’s practices since a young age, privately of course, words only Zuko would hear.

It was only after then that a friendship blossomed. You were around him so much that it was inescapable, you were his closest confidant. You knew everything this about him, you were the only person he felt truly open and comfortable around in the Fire Nation, so it also wasn’t quite the shock when Zuko realised the ache in his chest when he saw you was not only platonic or professional but romantic too.

He greets you back with a soft whisper of your name, going back to skimming through whatever the document in front of him was. Zuko cherished moments like this. When it is just the two of you alone, when you could too let your guard down with no watchful eyes and just call him ‘Zuko’.

You were too dressed in casual wear, robes and the pins and medals that are usually decorated on them missing, simple red dress with a hem that kissed the ground and you walked, like you always were during these meetings with him.

“Avatar Aang sent a letter through.” You announced as you walked across his room, one hand holding up your dress so you don’t trip on it and the other waving a piece of parchment around. Zuko is situated in the floor, on a cushion with his legs crossed, a small, short table in front of him with ink, documents and a lamp rested on it.

“Read it out for me?” Zuko asks in a low voice, sleep infecting it and making it gravelly, enough to send a chill down your spine. You feel a slight rush of heat to your cheeks, feeling lucky that he wasn’t looking at you. Is it really your fault? Has anyone taken a look at this man? It’s unfair!

The way the light from the lamp was illuminating his side profile, in the way you could see every contor of his face and scar. He grew up, losing his childish features, replaced with sharp contours of his cheeks, nose and jaw. Zuko glances up at you again, wondering why you’ve suddenly gone silent, with you looking away before he caught you staring.

“Flameo Hotman. How goes running the Fire Nation?” You begin to narrate dramatically as you sink into the floor, tucking your legs under the table on the opposite side to Zuko so that you sat facing him. You continue reading, the two issues that the Avatar requires help with, something in Republic City and something related to food. You converse with Zuko, talking through the problems, his sassy remarks extracting chuckles and giggles from you occasionally.

“And lastly I am curious, did you tell—Oh.”

The documents he was examining earlier is now left abandoned as Zuko was solely focused on you, and now your reaction has his eyebrows scrunching. You were smiling till a moment ago, but whatever you read at the end had the joy leave your face and…a smirk stretching across your lips.

You glance up at Zuko from behind the piece of parchment, an odd glint in your eyes, maybe even…heat? Your teeth bite into your lower lip as you glance back at the letter and then back at Zuko. “What is it? What does it say?” Zuko questions, the furrow between his eyebrows deepening.

A soft huff of amusement leaves between your bitten lips, trying your best to keep your composure. Zuko watches as you fail and burst out into a giggle, your face reddening slightly. You look back at him, the same glint still in your eyes.

“Lastly I am curious.” You start and pause dramatically, the look in your eyes darkening a little. Agni, Zuko swears in his head, this is not helping the ache in his chest, the way you were looking at him, the smile stretched across your lips.

“Did you tell your royal advisor of your romantic feelings…for her?” You read out, voice dipping by an octave.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, Zuko is fucked.

“And asked if she is a bachelor or not? Seize the opportunity before it slips out of your fingers, my friend!” You finish reading, silently folding it before pressing the letter into the table, looking up at Zuko’s expression of being caught off guard.

The silence is very loud as you two just look at eachother, all color drained from his face and pure amusement on yours. Zuko’s eyes bare into yours and you can almost see the way he’s not only registering what you said but also working out on what to say, clearly unable to think of anything to say.

“Do you have other Royal Advisors I am not aware of…or?” You start, smirk still stretched across your lips. Zuko just blinks at you, his hetrochromatic eyes shining, his adam’s apple bopping as he swallows nervously. “He was simply…jesting.” Is somehow the only thing he can come up with currently, the usual sassiness you see in him completely disappeared.

“So you’re not in love with me?”

You say, a little too quickly causing Zuko’s eyes to widen, his scar stretching because of his surprise. “Uh…” Zuko quirks, but you smile smirk at him sweetly. “I…Its not…That’s, it’s. Um.” His hand comes up to scratch at the back of his neck as you look at him expectantly.

You can see him buffering in real time, the machinery in his brain short circuiting as it’s unable to process what’s happening. You stay smiling at the Fire Lord as he just stares at you, probably praying for the earth to open up and swallow him whole.

You roll your eyes at his stupor, taking it into yourself to make a move, you prep yourself up into your knees, pressing you palms flat onto the mahogany wood as you lean cross the table as Zuko sits as still as a statue. You lean close enough for your nose to hover right over his cheek and partially his scar.

“I am a bachelor, Your Highness. Veeeery lonely.” You whisper as his face reddens even more before you rush forward to press a kiss his cheek, his skin soft beneath your lips. You feel Zuko let out a harsh exhale as you pull away, standing up to your full height, looking down at him a moment before turning to walk away.

“Goodnight, Zuko” You wave as you leave.

lmk if you wanna be tagged in the next parts/be part of the taglist!!!!

first time writing for him and i hate this cause it’s like 4am and i need to sleep😔😔 yeah no i just hate this BUT I MADE THE MISTAKE OF SNEAK PEAKING IT SO NOW I HAVE TO POST IT- anyway. adult zuko has me KSKSKKDKDKDJDJDK

The curiosity does not disappear. In fact, it digs deeper and deeper into the crevices of your mind—subconsciously affecting your attitude around Zuko.

It doesn't help that it's painfully obvious that he's noticed your strange behaviour ever since his comment. Once, when his hand had come up to your shoulder to alert you that everyone was boarding the ship—and your entire body jumped in response. Again, when you completely blanked out when he asked if you would like some firecracker buns.

It's not like you wanted to hyper-focus on his observation on purpose. It's just that after years of knowing him and pushing down that sub-concious attraction—of not allowing yourself to even see him as anything more than the Zuko you know, the rebound impact of all your resurfacing emotions combined with his lingering presence is far too much.

Zuko isn't the type to beat around the bush either, one of the rare habits his uncle hasn't passed onto him. In a moment of needed reprieve, your attempt at regaining your composure fails spectacularly when you find yourself in a stand-still, cornered in the back of the ship—one firecracker bun in his hand as an offering.

"Have I said something to make you uncomfortable?"

Zuko's gaze is akin to a puppy's, wide-eyed and brows furrowed. Afraid that he's done something wrong, overlooked the choice of his words once again and destroyed the atmosphere without realising.

Straight to the point as ever, you'd appreciate it more if he had given you a few more minutes to come up with a reasonable excuse. Something more plausible than 'Do you find me attractive?', a lingering question that should've remained buried in the soil that you departed from nearly an hour ago.

"Not exactly." Taking the firecracker bun from his hand, the crumbs coat your fingers. You needed something to muffle your words, anything to distract you. It's easier to focus on the lingering spice that melts into your tongue, rather than his unblinking stare.

"So—I did say something." His mouth parts, a slight tilt downward in the corner of his lip. "Or I've made you uncomfortable."

There was no winning with him. Swallowing your last bite, you brush the crumbs against your sleeve, the slouch of your posture a key sign of surrender, your invisible white flag waving at the sight of his increasingly dubious expression.

"The first one." You admit with a sigh. "Earlier—"

He leans in subtly, a habit he does when he's listening attentively, and the luscious wave of his bangs brushes against your knuckles. His amber eyes pierce through you, and the words practically die off your tongue.

Why is he looking at you like that?

It isn't fair that he has such an effect on you. You still remember the old days, when he had a worser temper instead of the softened expression that lingers warmly on you. Plus, that horrible haircut, a singular ponytail with the rest of his hair shaved off forever engrained in your mind. Even recalling the image doesn't help calm your thundering heartbeat when the Zuko in front of you is so—overwhelming.

"You were saying?" He prods gently.

You swallow, averting your gaze. "When you mentioned... about attractiveness. Was that like—a spur of the moment kind of thing, or do you have a first impression for everyone you meet?"

His brows furrow for a moment, before recognition lights his golden gaze. "Ah—that."

"Right, that." You feel the seat warming beneath you in your embarrassment, a hallucination of senses in your sudden need to escape his assessing gaze. He barely even remembers his comment, and here you are, still obsessively prying over it.

"I was only answering Toph's question." He states. "No one was stating the obvious."

"The obvious." You muse. "Do you assess the attractiveness of everyone you meet?"

"I suppose it depends." He mutters, hand rubbing over his chin in consideration. "If it was during a battle, I wouldn't be prioritising on considering the opponent's appearance. As compared to someone knocked out on the ground, it gives me plenty of time."

You barely resist a snort. Only he could treat a topic like a person's attractiveness like one of his battle strategies. "I suppose you didn't have time during our first meeting then."

As soon as the words leave your mouth, both you and Zuko freeze. Your lips clamp shut, an immediate wince shuddering through your frame. Cat's out of the bag, you suppose.

"Never mind." You wave it off, your own laugh echoing much too loudly through your ears. "It wasn't like I was wondering—well, maybe I was. You just sprung it out of nowhere earlier, and I got... curious. You don't have to answer—"

"I did." He cuts you off unceremoniously.

You blink, his vague words echoing in the thin distance between the two of you. "What?"

He swallows, and for once, he's the one flustered in this conversation. "I did notice, during our first meeting."

No way. Your first meeting with Zuko was anything but pretty. You remember being covered in sweat, grime, and ashes coating your clothes as he shot flames at you from his palms. The twisted grimace on his face when you had him writhing under your grip, as he loudly declared his revenge on you, rupturing your eardrums with all his yelling.

"You mean—" You barely resist a grin stretching on your lips. "—when I pinned you down on your airship, and you were spitting death threats into my ear."

"Yes, that." His long locks cover his ears now, but you can bet the rims are reddened from the reminder. "You were formidable."

Formidable. No, that wasn't enough. His sudden focus on the floorboards of his ship made it obvious that he was simplifying his observation.

"I was gaining the winning hand." You state out-right, disbelief coating your tone. "And you had time to notice?"

A restrained sigh escapes Zuko's gritted teeth, already regretting his slip of tongue.

"What of the angle? Does the Fire Lord recall my bone structure during our first battle too, when I pinned you to the floor?" You tease.

He scoffs in a light-hearted manner, shoulder lightly bumping into yours. "It was the first time anyone had pinned me down. I wasn't exactly given another view to look at."

"Was the view bad then?" You prod.

"Not at all." He answers absentmindedly—quickly without hesitation.

Your lips part, speechless. Zuko immediately separates his shoulder from yours, a bashful expression overtaking his features.

"Objectively." He states hurriedly, waving his arms. "I was expecting to find the Avatar at the time, not... you."

The way he says it, the almost breathless note that leaves his lips. You devour it hungrily, now being the one to lean in, prying.

"And how did you find me, Zuko?" You ask earnestly.

He huffs in defeat. His softened gaze finally meets yours again, his eyes roaming over your features, ones that he's familiarised with for years, and yet... it still takes the breath out of him. "...You were the most beautiful person I've ever sparred with."

Oh... wow. You didn't expect that.

"You were threatening to kill me." You recall in disbelief.

"I was multi-tasking." He mutters, ashamed.

Your intended snort escalates into a cackle, unable to contain yourself. "I would have never guessed that from the way you glared at me. So full of shame—and destroyed pride."

"What about you?" He asks in a hurry, though his tone drops towards the end in hesitation—hinting his regret in the wrong change in topic. He grimaces, gaze dropping to his tightened fists over his lap. "...Did you find my scar hideous?"

Surprise colours your features.

Immediately shaking your head, you're at a loss for words on how to convey just how off-course he was on his guess. How could you ever find Zuko hideous? Your heart barely survived your visits to the Fire Nation, not when their own Fire Lord always insisted on attending to your presence personally, even when it arose suspicion of your shared bond with him, to have him so easily distracted when you arrived on his lands.

Even now, he's overwhelming your vision. Healthy muscles that are barely hidden under his clothes, or the hair he's refused to cut ever since his youth that now flows lusciously down his broad back. His amber eyes that glint golden when the sun reflects his irises, and even the conjured image of the way his arms move when he's fire-bending.

He's— "Beautiful."

By the time you realise your second slip of the tongue, Zuko has already blinked once, caught off-guard.

You purse your lips, finding this conversation to be as riveting as it is a weaponised self-attack. "Objectively speaking. You're attractive, Zuko."

"Objectively." He repeats slowly, amused that you're using his own deflecting choice of words.

"Fine, like really attractive." You deadpan. "It's annoying, because I'm supposed to be focused on the mission, and you're just... standing there."

It was the truth. You couldn't be the only one who noticed it. His subtle change in demeanour over the years, how he carried himself into a room now instead of randomly announcing his arrival at the worst timings. Even Sokka noticed.

He snorts, and the sound deflates the tension in your chest. "Funny, I should be saying that about you."

You gasp, expression aghast. "You're joking."

"It is not honourable to lie." He shrugs. "You've always been the most magnetic in my eyes. I can never find myself looking away from you."

You grow quiet, the genuine sincerity in his words leaving you defenseless. Have you been blind all along? Is that why he always sent letters—asking you to visit his nation for purposes other than meetings? Or why he sought for your company constantly during this entire trip, despite it being the first time the entire set of Team Avatar being together in months?

You had been too focused on what was comfortable and familiar, to teasing and prodding, that you never considered this.

"For the record." You whisper, leaning in to truly look at him. "I never found your scar hideous. You were always beautiful to me, Zuko."

He swallows, something intense flickering in his gaze—but too fleeting for you to catch onto it. Maybe it had always been there, when his eyes linger on your form when he accompanied you in his palace gardens, or even back then, when he was a banished prince who sought for you, even with a grimace on his face.

"That haircut when we first met, though?" Your smile breaks out into a toothy grin. "Absolutely hideous."

The softness in his gaze falters, before a groan rumbles past his throat. "Will you ever let that one go?"

"Never."

He lets out a low breath, drained of his energy. "I admitted to finding you attractive, and this is my repayment?"

"Who's finding who attractive?"

Sokka's voice strikes a jump in your shoulders, and Zuko's in an impressive halt, frozen completely after being caught red-handed.

"Ah, between the two of you—" Sokka whistles. "I was wondering who was going to break first. Congrats, love-birds!"

"We're not—" Your voice clashes with Zuko's. "This isn't—"

You sneak a glance to Zuko, and his hand is already covering half of his face, his embarrassment shielded by the shadow of his large palm.

Sokka's confused gaze switches between the two of you, blinking slowly.

"Ah, couple years too early?" Sokka shrugs, before clicking his tongue. "That's rough. I'll check back in with you guys in another time." Making his way back towards the front, he shouts once more to prove his point. "Just don't let me catch you guys making out or anything, I'll need to poke out my eyes for that one!"

"...We better restrain him before he starts blasting it as news to everyone." You groan.

"Agreed." He mutters.

Right as you made your move to leave, Zuko's hand grips yours—stopping you.

You lift your head, meeting his gaze. "Yeah?"

His Adam's apple bobs up and down, consideration clear in his expression before he decisively leans in. His voice is a warm hush, soft and intimate when he whispers. "For the record." Your own words echo back to your ears in the low hush of his voice. "I wasn't only referring to our first meeting when I said that you're beautiful."

His smile quirks up into something tender, a secret expression reserved only for you. ...At this rate, your curiousity was really going to be the death of you.

likes, reblogs, and comments are highly appreciated! <333

The story of how you two met was something like out of one of those cheesy romantic comedies you secretly indulge in. Touya was on patrol, walking down the streets looking for any suspicious behavior going on. It was a slow day, so there weren’t any crimes to stop. He was casually sipping his coffee, enjoying the warmth of the day. You had just finished your job and were walking on the same sidewalk coming from the other side. 

You were scrolling on your phone not paying attention, when you accidently bumped into the pro hero and spilled the drink all over his hero uniform. You looked at the mess wide eyed and embarrassed, heat rising to your cheeks as you stumble out an apology. 

“Oh my--I’m so sorry, I was on my phone I should’ve been watching where I was going I can--” As you rambled on, he couldn’t help but admire your beauty. He’d never been one to fall for a girl so quickly but you…you were the exception. 

He interrupted you, “Don’t worry about it, it’s not a big deal,” he gave her a gentle smile, when did he get this soft? 

“Are you sure I can pay for whatever--” he cuts you off again with a soft chuckle at how flustered you're getting over something as small as spilt coffee. 

“I promise, it’s fine,” he says, lifting a hand slightly as if to calm you down. “Comes with the job. I’ve dealt with worse than coffee.”

You blink up at him, still a little panicked, still a little embarrassed. Up close, he’s…a lot. Taller than you expected. Warmer, too. Not nearly as intimidating as the headlines make him seem. 

Still, guilt twists in your chest. “At least let me get you a new drink or something. I feel really bad.” 

Touya pauses at that, something flickering in his expression. He could just walk away. He should just walk away. That’s what he always does--no attachments, no unnecessary interactions. 

But then there’s you. Standing there awkwardly, hands hovering in the air unsure of what to do. Looking up at him, him looking down at you. You’re looking at him like you genuinely care. 

“...Alright,” he says after a second, surprising even himself. He holds up one finger, “One drink.’ 

Your face immediately brightens, relief washing over your features. “Really? Okay--there’s a cafe right there.” You gesture behind you, already starting to walk before he can change his mind. 

He follows without thinking too hard about it. 

The cafe was small and warm, the kind of place that smells like fresh pastries and coffee beans. You order quickly, insisting on paying despite his half-hearted protests, and the two of you end up sitting across from each other in a quiet corner. 

There’s a brief moment of silence. 

You fidget slightly, then laugh under your breath. “This is…probably not how you expected your patrol to go.” 

Touya leans back in his chair, arms loosely crossed, but his eyes stay on you. “Not exactly,” he admits. Another pause. Not uncomfortable--just…new. 

You glance at him, then away, then back again. “I’m really sorry again. For earlier.” 

“You’ve apologized like five times already,” he says, a hint of teasing in his voice now. 

“...I have not.” 

“You have.” 

You narrow your eyes at him “Okay, maybe I did.” 

He lets out a quiet laugh, and something about the sound makes your chest feel warm. For a second, neither of you says anything. You just…look at each other. 

Then he speaks, a little more casually this time. “What’s your name?” 

You tell him. 

He repeats it softly, like he’s committing it to memory. “I’m Touya.” 

“I know,” you smile. 

He huffs lightly at that. “Right.” 

Time passes quicker than either of you expects. Conversation comes easier than it should--about small things at first, then a little more. Your job, his patrols, random stories, dumb jokes. 

At some point, Touya realizes he hasn’t checked his surroundings in a while. 

At some point, you realize you don’t want this to end yet. 

Eventually, though, reality creeps back in. Touya glances toward the window then back at you, “I should get going,” he says, though there’s a slight hesitation in his voice. 

“Oh--yeah. Of course.” You nod, trying to ignore the small pang of disappointment. “Duty calls, right?” 

He stands, but doesn’t immediately leave. Instead, he looks down at you with something unreadable in his expression. Then before he can overthink it, “Can I see you again?” he spouts. The question catches even him off guard. 

Your eyes widen slightly, surprise flickering across your face before it softens into something warmer. “I’d like that.” 

Touya exhales, almost like he didn’t realize he was holding his breath.”Good,” he says quietly. 

You quickly scribble your number down on a napkin, sliding it across the table to him. His fingers brush yours for just a second when he takes it--brief, but enough to send a spark up your arm. 

“I’ll call you,” he says, “Princess” he adds walking out of the cafe. 

Your breath hitches, blush rising to your cheeks. A cheesy gentle smile grows as you watch him walk out of the cafe. As he walks out the cafe, Touya glances down at the napkin in his hand. 

He wasn’t supposed to do this. 

Wasn’t supposed to get involved. 

Wasn’t supposed to want more. 

And yet he did. You did too. 

You both were aware of the risks you were taking when you got into a relationship.  

Present day, after hearing the news about being revealed to the world, Touya watches your reaction carefully--almost too carefully. His eyes don’t leave your face for even a second, like he’s bracing himself, waiting for something. Waiting for you to get upset. To last out. To regret him. 

His voice is barely steady. “I…I didn’t mean for this to happen. I was reckless…I shouldn’t have kissed you in public--I’m sorry. I never wanted---” his words break off abruptly as he pulls you into him, burying his face into your shoulder like he can’t even stand to finish the sentence. His grip tightens, almost desperate. 

“I didn’t want you to be exposed…to be put in danger.” 

For a moment, you just stand there, feeling the way he’s trembling slightly, the way his breath is uneven against your neck. You wrap your arms around him, squeezing gently, one hand coming up to the back of his head. “Hey…it’s okay. We knew the risks. It’s not your fault,” you murmur softly, brushing his hair back, trying to soothe him. 

He shudders in your arms, his voice muffled but heavy with guilty, “But…I should’ve been more careful. I should’ve kept you safe…” 

“You’re my girl, my sweetheart. I didn’t want you getting caught up in my work, the stress of it all,” he kissed your neck with a silent apology. 

You pull back just enough to look at him, your hands still resting on him, grounding him. “You’ve always kept me safe,” you reply softly, tilting your chin up so he has no choice but to meet your eyes. “And I’m still here. I trust you.” 

Touya blinks, swallowing hard, like your words hit deeper than he expected. For the first time, there’s the smallest hint of a smile on his lips, faint but it’s there. The tension in his shoulders doesn’t fully disappear though, “You’re too good for me baby you know that?” You smile standing on your tip toes giving him a kiss. One sealing your commitment to him. 

Once you break apart, Touya sighs, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, “I just…I thought we were careful. I didn’t think anyone would catch us.” 

You nudge him lightly, a soft attempt to ease the heaviness in the room, “Well…when it comes to you I’m shocked people haven’t found out sooner.” 

A quiet, shaky chuckle leaves him, and he presses a small kiss to your forehead then rests his forehead against yours. “Il…I won’t let anything happen to you,” he murmurs. “I’ll protect you…no matter what.” 

And in that moment, despite the fear, despite the article still open and burning into your mind, you feel something stronger than anything else--Touya’s heart, raw and real and completely yours. 

In the middle of the night, when you’re fast asleep, Touya steps out onto the balcony. He needed air, and some time to think. He hated that he brought you in the middle of all of this. He rubs his hands over his face, looking at the city spread across the landscape. The lights of a few store signs shining across his face. A few cars drove by, a couple people laughing from their night out, he didn’t know whether he wished that photo was never taken…or if he didn’t drag you in his mess all together. 

He exhaled slowly watching his breath fly through the cold air. He took out a pack of cigarettes, taking the stick out and putting it between his teeth. He lifts his pinky towards the end of the stick, the blue flame lighting the cigarette charring the end. He inhales letting the heat stick to his lungs before exhaling watching the whitish grey smoke float through the sky. 

He was consumed by his thoughts when the silence was interrupted by the loud shrill of his phone. He takes his phone out of the pocket of his sweatpants checking the caller id. 

Great. His father. 

He picked up the phone holding it up to his ear expecting a lecture about being careless and a whole bunch about responsibility. 

As if he didn’t feel shitty enough. 

“Hello?” His voice is raspy, still holding the cigarette to his lips. He keeps his voice low not wanting to wake you up. 

“Touya.” 

“Dad.” 

“I saw the news,” 

“You and everyone else,” his voice is bitter, he scoffs at the thought of everyone now knowing their personal business. It pisses him off like nothing else. 

“Touya you know--” 

“Yes dad, I know. I was irresponsible and careless and I shouldn’t have taken her out in public let alone get involved in the first place,” Touya’s on edge, he squeezes the cigarette between his fingers harder than he should, “I know the agency is gonna be pissed but I’m not leaving her,” 

He felt guilty for even considering it, thinking it would let you leave a better life. But the way you looked at him earlier, your eyes big with determination, the way you clutched onto him like a lifeline. You need him just as much as he needs you. 

“Forget about the agency,” Endeavor says, and for the first time Touya noticed how his tone is more sympathetic than angry. “Your relationship is out there now there’s nothing that can change that.” 

Oh boy does he know that. 

“But you can change the narrative,” 

That grabs Touya’s attention. He goes silent as the cigarette is put out now, long forgotten. 

“Your number priority should be making sure that girl doesn’t get any more backlash than she already is. I’ve read what’s online and it’s not looking pretty,” Touya’s jaw tightens thinking about the potential things people could be saying. “You have a huge fan base, so people aren’t going to be taking this change lightly.” 

“You need to be prepared for what’s to happen now. You can’t react no matter how bad you want to, I know how hot tempered you can be son,” 

“I’m not--” 

“Don’t lie.” 

He shuts his mouth resting his cheek against the palm of his hand. His elbow is holding him up on the railing while the phone is held to his ear with his other hand. 

“You’re my son, I know you have the tendency to push people away but I also know how strong you fight for people,” His dad continues, “But in this case you’re going to have to take a different approach. You can’t run head first into this.” 

“Yeah I know, I just don’t know how to protect her from this,” Touya mutters, he hates showing vulnerability. He hates that he feels so weak, that he doesn’t know how to stop you from hearing the things people could be saying. 

Endeavor sighs on the other side of the phone, “Be a shoulder for her to lean on. Just be calm, which I know is a difficult concept for you,” That earns a scoff from Touya. “How is she doing right now?” 

Touya tilts his head up looking at the stars, his mind going through what happened a few hours ago. “She…didn’t freak out. She said that she doesn’t care and that she doesn’t plan on leaving.” 

Endeavor grunts in approval, “Smart girl,” Touya closes his eyes letting out a breath. “More like idiotic,” he mutters. 

That earns a short laugh from Endeavor, “Invite her to dinner soon,” 

“Oh fuck no” 

“C’mon I wanna meet the girl whose got my son wrapped around her finger--and whose brave enough to stay,” 

“No way in hell am I bringing her over to you guys,” 

“Your mother would love to meet her, in fact Fuyumi and Natsuo have been nonstop talking about it” 

Touya groans, “Precisely the reason I’m protecting her,” The thought of Fuyumi and Natsuo bugging her with random questions is a day he never wanted to come. 

“How long have you been keeping her from us anyways,” 

“...Two years,” Touya mutters. 

For a second he thought his phone died or something before Endeavor’s loud voice cut through the speaker again. “TWO YEARS!?” 

Touya holds his phone away from his ear as Endeavor rambles about how Touya managed to keep a part of his life away from his family and how he wants to meet her right away. 

“Fine, fine fine, One dinner--But I swear if any of you nutjobs ask her any wack questions I’ll--” 

“Great, it’s a plan. Invite her over once you’ve gotten a hold of your situation,” Endeavor interrupts, pleased he got his way. 

“And Touya? Keep a close eye on her, it’s not everyday a civilian gets exposed to the media for being in a relationship with a pro-hero,” 

Touya sighs, “Yeah…I got it.” 

They say bye to each other before ending the call. Touya shoves his phone back in the pocket of his sweatpants. The night air has gotten colder, he turns his head back thinking about you. Probably peacefully speaking, not knowing the chaos you’re about to endure. 

The only thing he can do is hope he can protect you at least a little. 

As the days went on you were getting more and more public attention. If you were going to groceries, there would be people holding their phones towards you not so subtly. Even when you were getting the mail, your neighbors would be giving you looks whispering to each other. 

By the end of the week you went from a nobody to somebody…whether that’s a good thing or bad thing is up to the viewers interpretation. 

Headlines, posts, videos---your face, your name, your life. You thought at first you wouldn’t care as much, the only thing that mattered was you and Touya’s relationship. But…you don't like having your name in articles, people you don’t even know trying to figure out every part of your life. It’s unnerving. 

You didn’t say anything to Touya, he already feels guilty enough you couldn’t add on to that. But even through your silence, he could feel the weight this put on you. 

It was late, the sky was black, stars peaking out, the city outside your window still hummed faintly, distinct traffic and the occasional voice drifting up, but inside your apartment, everything felt softer. Dim. Safe. 

You sat curled up on the couch, legs tucked under a blanket, the TV playing something neither of you were actually watching. Touya sat behind you, back pressed into the corner of the couch, one arm wrapped securely around your waist, keeping you close---like if he loosened his grip, you might disappear. Your head was resting against the chest, his presence keeping you grounded. 

Touya’s fingers moved slowly along your arm, tracing absentminded shapes into your skin. Circles, lines, something uneven---something mindless as his thoughts drifted farther away. 

His hand pauses for a moment. “Princess...you okay?” he asks quietly. 

The question is gentle, but there’s something heavier underneath it--like he’s been wanting to ask for a while and just now found the courage to. 

You don’t answer right away, your fingers tighten slightly in his shirt. Touya notices immediately. His arm shifts just a little, pulling you closer without forcing anything. “Hey,” he murmurs against the top of your head, softer now. “You can tell me.” 

You let out a slow breath, your gaze dropping to where his hand rests against you. 

“I…” you start, then stop, your throat tightening slightly. His fingers are still against your arm completely now. His eyes drop down to your face watching your expression and listening to whatever you have to say. 

“I don’t like it,” you admit quietly, the guilt seeking into your chest the moment you say the words out loud. Touya’s chest rises under you, a subtle, sharp inhale. You’re unable to look him in the eye, forcing yourself to continue. 

“I don’t like people looking at me like that,” you continue, your voice small but steady. “Like they know me. Like I’m being dissected,” your hands curl a little tighter into his shirt. 

Touya knows the feeling all too well, being put under the eyes of the public is not for everyone. Hell, he doesn’t like being under the spotlight either but he endures it for the sake of being a pro hero. 

But he knows how shy and awkward you can be around randoms--it’s one of the reasons he fell so deeply in love with you. The arm around your waist tightens slightly as if he’s protecting you, his chin rests on your shoulder as he listens to your feelings. The breath warm against your neck, pressing a gentle kiss to your pulse point. 

“I read some of it,” you add, almost like you shouldn’t have. That. That catches Touya’s attention immediately, and you can tell by the way his entire body tenses beneath you. 

“...What?” You can hear the shift in his voice immediately--low, controlled. He knows what the media does to people, he knows how bad people’s self-esteem can get. He wanted to protect you from that part of his life, he gently cards his fingers through your hair coaxing you to look at him. 

“Baby, what did you read?” His voice is soft, like he’s trying to coax the answer out of you. 

“It doesn’t matter--” 

“It matters to me.” There’s an edge there now, the way he’s still running his fingers through your hair gently tells you it’s not because of you. He remembers what his dad told him, about how what people are saying is not pretty. 

He didn’t even bother reading it knowing he would get pissed and hunt down whoever wrote such terrible things about his girl. But it’s not hard to imagine what was on there. He knows how aggressive fans can be. “You can tell me sweetheart,” 

You hesitate then look at him, “Some of it was nice,” you slowly start making yourself continue, “But…not all of it.” 

You look away for a second, biting your lip as you figure out how to put it in words. He squeezes your hand a little letting you know he’s not going anywhere. 

“People say I’m a distraction. That I’m not good enough. That I’m just gonna get in your way.” You let out a shaky sigh trying to block those comments out of your head but they live their rent free. 

He notices the tension on your face and presses a kiss to your cheek, cupping your face so you can look at him and only him. He kisses your nose, the corners of your mouth, your forehead, painting your face with soft gentle kisses. 

You’ve made him such a big softie for you. 

He pulls back a little, his eyes filled with determination. Determination to get you to understand that you are nothing but perfect to him. That you are his. He hated the media for trying to meddle in the relationship, if he could light them all on fire he would. 

“Listen to me, you’re not a distraction. You never were. You make me better in every way possible, I never knew I could fall so deeply in love. I. Love. You.” he emphasizes each word making sure they imprint in your brain washing away any insecurities the media implanted in your head. 

Your eyes are glassy, the self-doubt lingering in those beautiful eyes of yours. He hated how his life affected you, you were something precious to him and he refused to let something as cruel as the paparazzi damage you…he couldn’t even fathom the thought of villains thinking they could touch you. You watch his expression how anger still lingers but there’s also something else there. Guilt. 

“...I did this to you,” he murmurs. Your brows pull together immediately, shaking your head. 

“No, you didn’t.” 

“If I had just--kept my distance, I told myself I didn’t want to drag you into this especially not you,” he rubs a hand over his face, his mind going through different ‘what-if’ scenarios. What would your life look like if he had just left you alone? If he didn’t let you buy him that one drink? 

You felt the tension in his body, your hand gently rubbing his arm reeling him back from whatever spiral he’s going through now. The dark circles under his eyes become more visible to you now, “I chose this,” 

That gets him to look at you, really look at you. The cute little furrow in your brows when you're determined to do something. In this case, you’re determined to get him to see how he’s brought nothing but warmth and love in your life. How you never truly understood what being safe and cared for was like before him.

“I knew who you were,” you continue, softer now but no less sure. “I knew what could happen. And I still said yes. And I don’t regret it one bit,” 

You turn your entire body towards him, legs tucked underneath. Even though he was still feeling mad at himself, he was having a hard time not laughing seeing as you looked cute with that pout on your face, the pure feeling of love and need was consuming him entirely. 

“I can’t imagine myself but anyone other than you, and I don’t want to. Does the internet freak me out a little? Yes it does,” that earns a breathy laugh from him, one that makes your heart flutter, “But that doesn’t change the fact that I want you. I want to be with you despite the risks and dangers. I made my decision and I’m sticking with it, so don’t take that choice away from me just because it got harder.”

Touya goes quiet. Really quiet. It was hard to read the look on his face. Was he mad? Did you go too far? Maybe you should’ve--

Your thoughts get cut off with the warm press of his lips against yours. You tense for just a second, caught off guard, before melting into it, your body responding before your mind can catch up. His lips move against yours slow and sweet, his hand cups your cheek, thumb brushing lightly along your skin as he tilts your head back guiding you closer. 

You clutch the front of his shirt, fingers curling into the fabric to steady yourself, but it doesn’t help much. Not when he kisses you like that. You feel yourself give in completely, sinking into him until you’re practically melting in his lap, warmth spreading through you like you might just dissolve right there. 

He smiles against your lips feeling how submissive you got for him. He takes it as the greenlight to slide his hand from your cheek to your waist guiding you up until you're straddling his lap. The movement is smooth, your lips never breaking. When you finally pull away for air, your face stays close, your breaths mingling together--warm, uneven and full of heat. “Did I mention,” he murmurs softly, his voice brushing against your lips, “how completely in love with you I am?” 

His eyes lift to meet yours, you part your lips slightly taking in the moment. You're 90% sure he can hear how loud your heart is right now. He smiles, taking his finger tracing the part of your cheek where the prettiest blush appeared. He watches the way you react to every small touch, he leans his head forward letting the tips of your noses touch.

“They don’t get to decide who you are,” the words are barely louder than a whisper, “Or what you mean to me.” 

Your lips curve just slightly, that small bit of affection was enough to make his heart skip a beat. “And what do I mean to you?” 

“...Everything,” he admits. His turquoise eyes looking at you as if he could see your soul, making your heart stutter. You’re the only thing that exists in this moment…in any moment really. 

You let out a small breath, your hands sliding up from his shoulders to the back of his neck, fingers threading lightly into his snow like hair. “You’re really unfair, you know that?” you murmur softly, a hint of breathless amusement in your voice. 

His brow lifts just slightly, his small smile transforming into a smirk. “How?” 

“I can’t respond when you say things like that,” you gave him a small push to his shoulder playfully which earned a quiet, warm laugh from him. 

“Not my fault,” he tucks a piece of hair behind your ear, taking in your perfect face. The more prominent blush on your cheeks, the way your eyes glimmer is the dim lit room. “You love it.” 

You roll your eyes just a little, but the smile on your lips gives you away. 

Before you can respond he presses a small kiss to your nose, then back to your lips. Slower this time. As if he’s trying to communicate a secret only you can know. One hand stays firm on your hip, grounding you against him, while the other slides to the back of your neck, fingers slipping into your hair, holding you there like he doesn’t plan on letting you go anytime soon. 

You lean into him fully this time, no hesitation, no tension left in your body. Just warmth, and him, and the steady way his thumb brushes against your side like he’s reminding himself you’re still here. That it’s just you and him at this moment. 

When you finally pull back again, it’s slower, reluctant. Your forehead rests against his, your eyes still half-lidded, “I’m not going anywhere,” you whisper softly. 

He smiles, adjusting himself and you so that you’re tucked against him. He traces patterns along your back, you close your eyes melting against the feeling. 

You loved moments like this, where you can just exist together in silence. He presses a soft kiss to the top of your head, his lips lingering longer than they should. 

“My sweet girl,” he mumbles against your head. 

A couple of weeks had passed by and the attention had not left you and Touya. If anything it grew. There were heavy debates from fans, fangirls who weren’t too pleased, they acted like you took him away from them. As if they had a chance to begin with. There were news reporters watching Touya’s every move, meaning one slip up from him and the media would turn on you--blame you for being a distraction of some sort. 

You got paranoid walking home from work, Touya insisted he drive you but you didn’t want to put that burden on him. After hours of back and forth he gave in to your wish and let you walk. 

So now here you were, the sky was pitch black with barely any stars peeking through. The glow of the moon shone across your face, you crossed your arms clutching onto your sleeves when you felt a chill run down your spine. Whether that was from the chill of the night or the feeling of paranoia you couldn’t tell. 

But then that’s when you heard it. 

Footsteps. Slow but menacing. 

Your breath hitched almost instantly, your body going rigid for just a second before picking up the pace, turning a random corner. You thought that was smart considering you didn’t want to lead whoever this was straight to your place. 

The street was darker and more narrow. The flickering streetlight above buzzed faintly, casting uneven shadows across the ground. For a moment, the footsteps thought. For a moment, you thought you were safe. You slowed slightly, your breath uneven as you listened. 

Nothing. Just silence. Maybe you were overthinking it. 

You took one step forward when a hand suddenly grabbed your wrist pulling you harsh and rough. You gasped, instinctively trying to pull back, your heart slamming painfully against your chest. 

“Got you.” The voice was low. Dangerous. Terrifying. Your back hits a hard chest, your breathing uneven as panic surges through you, adrenaline all at once as you struggle, twisting your arm, trying to break free. The man was in all black, the top half of his face was hard to see because it was covered by his hood. He had this darkness around him that made your skin crawl with goosebumps. 

“Let go of me!” you shriek, loud enough hoping that some bypasser could hear. His grip on you tightened causing your heart to race faster. 

“You’re prettier up close,” he muttered, his breath tickling your ear in a not so pleasant way. You tried to put some distance between your bodies but his unfaltering grip made it difficult. Your stomach dropped as your mind was being consumed with fear. 

You shoved against him, your free hand pushing at his chest, trying to create space but he barely budged. “Stop--!” 

“No, no,” he cut in, shifting as he tried to pull you closer. “Don’t make this difficult. I just need you to cooperate for a bit. He’ll come running once he realizes you’re gone.”  

Your breath stuttered. Touya. This creep is using you to lure your boyfriend out. 

Adrenaline surged at the thought making you react without thinking--bringing your knee up sharply, catching him off guard just enough for his grip to loosen. You ripped your arm free and stumbled back, turning to run…unfortunately he was faster. 

His hand caught the back of your jacket, yanking you back hard enough to make you lose your footing. You hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the air from your lungs. You tried to push yourself up but your vision was a bit blurry from how hard your head hit the ground. Before you could recover, he was already there again. 

“Not so fast,” the creep muttered, crouching down, reaching for you. You scrambled back, heart racing, vision still messed up, palms scraping against the pavement as you tried to put distance between you. 

“Stay away from me!” your voice was shaky but you didn’t stop fighting. You tried to grab your purse but somewhere between the chaos it landed a few feet away from you. 

You twisted again as his hand closed around your ankle this time, dragging you back. Your legs scraped against the pavement leaving red marks. Panic clawed its way up your throat. 

No…no no no no. 

You kicked out hard, connecting with something, you weren’t sure if it was his arm or his shoulder but you didn’t care, the kick was hard enough that it made him hiss and loosen his grip for a second. You crawled back again, forcing yourself up, trying to run when he snapped and grabbed your wrist. He pulled you toward him with force this time.

“Stop moving!” you felt dizzy between the pure fear, your head still messed up from earlier, and trying to fight for your life. Your balance gave out, and suddenly you were too close. His grip tightened painfully leaving bluish purple bruises on your wrists. “You don’t get it,” he said, breath uneven, his devious eyes sharp in the dim light. “This isn’t about you. It’s about him.” 

Your chest heaved with panic and anger mixing as you struggled against him. “I’m not helping you--” 

“You don’t have a choice.” 

In that moment you realized there was no way you could get out. You just thought about Touya to keep the panic at bay. You missed Touya, you needed him. You wanted his presence, his comfort, his reassuring words. The way he’d hold you tight and press kisses across your face. You hated yourself for not letting him drive you, you were so stupid and naive. Tears stung your eyes as you thought about everything you regretted and wished for in that moment. But you refused to let this bastard see you break. 

Where is he? 

Just as that thought rang in your mind the grip on your wrist vanished. A flash of blue flames slammed into the man, sending him flying back, his body hitting the pavement with a sickening thud. The creep coughed violently, his outfit slightly charred, his ugly face more visible now. 

Your vision of the man was blocked when Touya stood between you and him, his back was to your shoulders tense, blue flames flickering faintly along his arms, casting a low blue glow against the dark street. 

He was in full pro hero mode now it was a side of him you’d never seen before. He was controlled and furious, it must be terrifying being on the other side of that glare of his. The man groaned, trying to push himself up, “Took you long enough,” he groaned. 

“Stay down,” Touya warned, taking one menacing step forward. The man didn’t listen, he lunged forward but Touya moved faster. The fight was over in seconds, it wasn’t messy. Touya had kicked and punched him multiple times dodging whatever attacks the man threw at him swiftly. Until one swollen eye and bloody nose later, the creep realized he was outmatched and ran in the opposite direction. 

He was about to take a step forward when he remembered the shaking girl behind him. He turned around looking at you on the floor, hot tears started falling from your eyes, your breathing uneven. In a split second he crosses the distance crouching down in front of you. 

“Hey, hey, hey baby,” his hands cupped both your cheeks, his thumb swiping away as each tear fell down. “You’re okay, you’re safe. It’s just me and you now,” 

You sniffled, your throat closing up as you tried to conjure up any sort of sentence. He could see your struggle and immediately pulled you in his chest. Touya could feel the tears staining his shirt, his hand cradled the back of your skull holding you tight but delicately. His other hand rubbed your back soothingly, “I’ve got you, let it out sweetheart, you’re alright,” his voice was calm despite the basket of feelings he had right now. 

You nodded against him, pressing your face further into his chest, your fingers clutching at his shirt. 

“My brave girl,” he pressed a couple kisses to the top of your head, his movement never faltering. 

“I tried to--” your voice was shaky, the words coming out strangled “I tried to get away--” 

“I know,” he said quickly, he gently removed your face from his chest tilting your head to look at him. Your eyes were glassy, still filled with unshed tears. He kissed your eye lids, the press of his lips were soft and familiar. Just like you wished. “You did so good, baby I’m so proud of you,” 

You winced, holding the back of your head which was still paining from earlier. Touya noticed immediately, removing your hand and replacing it with his gently messaging the part that hurts. That’s when he took in your appearance. The bruise on your wrist, the red scrapes on your legs. His eyes were filled with anger but he forced himself to hold back for your sake. 

“Fuck,” his hand gently traces all the marks, “I’m gonna find that guy and he’ll never--” he pauses when he hears you wince, and immediately softens up. It’s kind of pathetic how you got him wrapped around your finger. 

He brushed your hair out of your face smooshing your cheeks together, gosh you're so darn cute even with your eyes puffy and red, your cheeks silently damp from the tears, eye lashes clumped together and glossy. Your adorable nose was a cute shade of red too. 

“Don’t cry sweet girl. I hate seeing you cry,” he mutters, smooshing your cheeks together, after a moment he swoops one arm under your legs and the other cradling your back. “Let’s get you home,” 

He doesn’t let go for even a second carrying you all the way. Not even when he steps into your apartment. He gently sets you down on the crouch leaving the room for less than 30 seconds to grab a first aid kit. 

You’re still shaking a little thinking about the events from earlier, your fingers curled tightly into the fabric of your clothes, your mind replaying everything in flashes you can’t quite control. The footsteps. The grip. The fear. 

You barely have time to look up before Touya is back, kneeling in front of you again, the first aid kit already open beside him. His movements are quick but careful. He’s done this on himself a million times before. 

“Hey,” he murmurs softly, his hand coming up to rest against your knee, grounding. “Look at me.” 

Your eyes flicker up to his, still glass, still unfocused around the edges. 

The corners of his lips turn up a bit when he fully sees your face, “There you go,” he says gently, brushing his thumb just under your eye. “Stay with me, yeah? You nod, barely. His expression softens even more at that. “Good girl.” 

He reaches for your wrist first, his fingers light as he turns it over, examining the forming bruise. His jaw tightens for just a second but he reins it in quickly, forcing his touch to stay gentle as he dabs at the area. You flinch at the sting of the rubbing alcohol. 

“I know, I know,” he murmurs immediately, his other hand coming up to steady yours. “I’ve got you baby. I’m gonna be gentle, okay?” 

His thumb brushes over your knuckles, slow and grounding you again before he continues. The room is quiet except for your uneven breathing and the soft sounds of him working. 

“You scared me,” he says after a moment. His voice is quiet but not in an angry way…just heavy. 

You blink, your gaze dropping slightly. “...I’m sorry.” 

“No.” It comes out firmer than anything he’s said so far. Your eyes snap back up to him. “Don’t apologize,” he says, softer now, but no less serious. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” 

There’s a short pause, the silence doesn’t linger for long. 

“...But you are an idiot.” he grumbles. Your lips part slightly in surprise. Touya exhales through his nose, shaking his head just a little, his hand still gently holding yours. 

“I told you I didn’t like you walking alone,” he mutters, not looking at you for a second as he grabs a clean cloth. “Not because I don’t trust you--but because I don’t trust everyone else. All things considering,” 

There’s no anger in the way he says it, just fear that hasn’t fully left him yet. His hand comes up to your cheek again, tilting your face toward him so you can’t look away. 

“From now on,” he says quietly, his voice steady and unwavering, “I’m driving you. To work. From work. Everywhere….for the time being,” he adds. 

You open your mouth to argue--out of habit more than anything. But memories from tonight fill your head, the lingering free creeping back in. You don’t argue. Instead, your shoulders drop slightly, and you nod. “...Okay.” 

His body is relieved of tension after hearing that, letting out a relieved breath. A part of him was worried you would keep arguing because you were stubborn like that. But seeing as you were all shaken up from today’s events he’s more than happy to accept your acceptance. 

“Good,” he murmurs. His thumb brushes along your cheek again, slower this time. He finishes cleaning up the scrapes on your legs, his touch careful, deliberate. Like every small action is his way of making sure you’re still here. That you’re still okay. When he’s done, he sets the first aid kit aside and sits on the touch next to you. Shoulders brushing together, knees touching.

There’s a moment of silence, he looks at your side profile analyzing your expression. Mentally filling in the blanks your silence speaks. He doesn’t rush to comfort you, he gives you your own space. He waits for you to come to him if you need, one thing about Touya is he’ll always be by your side whether you need him or not but he never pushes you past your limit or overwhelms you. Sure he could be hardheaded and stubborn but that doesn’t change anything. 

Touya just stays by your side, he hesitates at first but he lifts his hand a little gently brushing a strand of loose hair behind your ear. 

“You did really good,” he whispers, soft enough that he wasn’t sure if you actually heard it or not. You rub your arms, a nervous tick he’s well aware of. His eyes dart down, watching your hands rub up and down your arm like you’re remembering you’re here with him and not back there. 

“I was…” you start, swallowing the lump in your throat, tears pricking your eyes. Get it together you’re fine. He can see your eyes forming glassy tears again and the way your eyebrows knit together tells him you’re mentally bereading yourself, “terrified.” 

“I know,” he nods, “And despite that you still fought back. You’re braver than you think.” 

Your breath hitches, you don’t make eye contact with him. His gaze softens when he watches you fight your own feelings. How you’re trying to act brave for his sake is cute but completely unnecessary. 

Touya opens his mouth to say something but you interrupt him by hugging him. It threw him off guard, one second you were completely to yourself and the next your arm is wrapping around his waist, head pressed against his chest holding onto him as if he’ll disappear in the next 5 seconds. 

He slowly wraps both his arms around you, resting his chin on top of your head. He’s holding you as if you could break any moment. Like you’re something delicate and precious. 

Well to Touya you are. 

“My brave, sweet girl,” he whispers atop of your head, his warmth enveloping you protecting you from your own worries and fears. You let your tears fall, you don’t know whether it’s from the aftermath of everything that happened or the fact that Touya loves you and takes care of you like no one you’ve ever met. 

Touya feels his shirt dampening, your tears sinking into the fabric. You don’t make a sound, just silently crying and shaking in his arms. He doesn’t push you to talk about anything, just rubs your back; a reminder that he’s here and he’ll always be here. 

“Shhh…shhh you’re okay baby, I’m here, no one’s touching you again,” he reassures you with his hand carding through your hair. “I love you so much. More than you know.” You muffle a small cry against his shirt, the small sound piercing his heart worse than any villain could. 

Your fingers tighten slightly in his shirt. A few minutes pass…or maybe longer, it’s hard to tell. You’re not shaking anymore, the tears have stopped falling. He keeps you where you are, only letting you move when you want to move. 

“I’m gonna fix this,” 

“What?” Your voice is hoarse.  You look up at him, tilting your head. What did he mean by fixing this? It's not like he can erase the photo from the internet or everyone’s minds? 

He shifts the two of you so that he’s laying down on the couch with his head on the arm rest and your body laying on top of his. 

His arm wraps around you tightly, protective but gentle, his hand finding yours and lacing your fingers gently. He looks at your adorably confused face pressing a kiss to your knuckles, “Trust me,” Touya doesn’t go into detail, instead he just presses a soft kiss to your forehead then each of your damp cheeks. He’s met with the salty and cold taste of your tears but he doesn’t care. Because all that matters is that you’re in his arms. 

It’s been a few days since the incident happened, you decided to email your boss and tell him you’ll be working from home from now on or at least until everything dies down a bit. You didn’t want to burden Touya with the stress of driving you back and forth and you didn’t want another incident to happen again. 

Touya’s been barely over since then as well, he’s reassured you multiple times that he’s not avoiding you or anything…and that he loves you which makes you embarrassingly sappy every time. 

You’ve never had any reason to doubt Touya and you figured with everything going on it was probably a good idea to keep his distance from you, you didn’t want to put him in danger after all. 

Your apartment is quiet, the smell of your morning coffee lingering in the air, the afternoon sun shining in through the blinds creating lines across the couch you’re sprawled across. A blanket is bunched around your legs, one hand holding a mug that’s gone slightly cold. You grab the remote flipping through different channels to pass time. 

The channels switch from some cheesy Hallmark movie, to some animal documentary, to Touya, to--

Hold on. 

You frantically flip back to the last channel, fumbling with the remote clicking the button until you landed back on the channel. 

You see Touya, you’re Touya, on your tv with a microphone in his hand, paparazzi flashes and news reporters crowding around him. 

What is he doing? 

He takes a deep breath, waiting for the crown to hush down, before he starts speaking. You sit up straighter, putting the volume up, Touya hates press conferences. Says they’re an absolute waste of time and that the reporters twist everything he says anyway so what’s the point. 

“Touya, is it true you’re in a relationship?”

“Who is she?” 

“Is she a civilian?” 

“Is she the reason your recent patrol reports show decreased focus?” 

“Are villains targeting her?” 

The voices overlap, chaotic, hungry for any sort of information to turn into gossip. Touya doesn’t react, not immediately, instead he lets them all talk, ask their questions. He lets them think they have the power here.  

Touya thinks about what his father told him, about how he needs to change the narrative. This is his chance. 

He slowly exhales before lifting the mic closer. He didn’t really have anything prepared, was planning on just saying whatever’s been on his mind for the past few weeks. Ever since that bad guy tried something with you, he knew he needed to do something to address the situation. He couldn’t let these people think they can touch you or say stuff about you and he wouldn’t do anything about it. 

“I’m going to answer this once,” His voice is calm, scarily calm. It’s taking everything in him not to just use his fists instead of words, to just beat it into everyone’s minds that his love life is no one else’s concern. But no, he has to do this properly, he has to do this for you. Every reporter quiets almost instantly not because they respect him but because they can feel something shift. 

Touya’s eyes sweep across the crowd, like he’s memorizing every face that’s about to twist his words later. This could either be beneficial or a waste of time. 

“I’m not distracted,” he starts, “And I’m not unstable. My work hasn’t changed.” 

A pause, he’s making sure his words are sinking into these reporter’s heads, “But my life has.” 

Meanwhile, you’re on the edge of your seat, your fingers tighten slightly around the mug. You don’t even realize you’re holding your breath, your eyes never leave his face. Watching how serious his expression is, the way his white hair sweeps across his forehead hanging just a little bit in front of his eyes, you notice how tense his muscles seem like he’s holding himself back. 

A reporter steps forward again. “So the rumors are false? There is no girlfriend?” 

Touya doesn’t answer right away, the second he answers this question the whole world will know who you are to him. As if most of the population doesn’t already know but everyone will have it confirmed. He taps his finger on the side of the mic gently, the parts of him soften when he thinks about you and your smile. Your personality, how sweet and considerate you are, the feel of your body against his. Everything about you makes him a better person, in both his hero work and his personal life. 

The longer his silence takes the faster your heart races. He lowers his gaze for a fraction of a second, then looks up again. “No. I’m not single.” 

That simple word let chaos run havoc among his audience. Flashes explode like lightning, voices crash into each other, questions turn sharper and louder. Each reporter wanted a piece of their new juicy gossip to write some fuckass article. 

“Is it serious?” 

“Is she in danger?” 

“Is this a publicity issue?” 

“Did the agency approve--” 

Touya raises his hand slightly, and somehow they listen again. You’re now realizing how much power and control he has over the situation. How he’s making the narrative his. 

Ours. 

“I didn’t come here to entertain speculation,” he says, his voice is steady and professional but with a slight more edge now. “So I’ll make this clear.” 

Here goes nothing, “I’ve been in a relationship for over two years.” Your breath catches so hard it hurts, your mind replaying all the awesome, romantic moments you two have had, the secrets you’ve kept from everyone. 

And now it’s all out. 

“And I kept it private because I knew exactly what would happen the moment people found out. Because I didn’t want her turned into a headline,” he takes a breath, choosing his words carefully, “And I didn’t want her to become something people debated instead of respected.” 

Your vision blurs slightly before you even realize it. 

“Is she the girl in the leaked photo?” 

“Yes” 

Simple. Confident. 

“And before anyone decides to turn this into a story about distraction or weakness--don’t.” 

He shifts his grip on the mic, “She is not a distraction from my work. She is not something I lose focus over. And she is not a mistake I made.” 

His eyes lift slightly, beyond the reporters. He looks into the camera, but it’s like he’s looking at you through the screen. You don’t even register the tears rolling down your face, your knuckles turning white from gripping the edge of the couch so hard. 

“She’s a person who didn’t ask for any of this. And she still chose to stay with me knowing what my life looks like,” His eyes darted back down to the reporters giving each of them a warning glare, “So if anyone is looking for something to blame for my ‘lack of focus’--look at me.” 

“I made the choice to love her. I made the choice to keep her safe. And I made the choice to finally stop pretending she doesn’t exist in my life just because it’s inconvenient for yours.” 

Touya exhales slowly letting his voice drop lower, “I knew this would happen eventually,” he admits. “I just didn’t think it would happen like this…And I didn’t think I’d be okay with it.” 

Your chest hurts now because you can hear how much he means every single word he says. How even though he hates attention he’s confessing his love for you to the entire world. 

“I’ve spent my whole career keeping things out of reach,” he continues. “People. Attachments. Anything that could be used against me--or them.” 

HIs fingers tighten slightly around the mic. “But I was wrong about one thing,” 

His eyes flicker back up at the camera, “Some things are worth the risk.” You press your hand over your mouth without realizing, he’s speaking to you and you alone. You can see how his eyes are soft, the same ones reserved only for you. 

A reporter asks another question, softer and more perceptive, “Are you worried this will affect your reputation?” 

His eyes darted down to the reporter who asked, “No,” he answered. “Her being in my life is not a burden to my career or me. The only one responsible for my reputation is myself.” 

Touya lowers the mic slightly, a signal that he’s wrapping up. “I’m done hiding it,” 

“If you want to write about me, write the truth,” His eyes narrow slightly. “But leave her out of your stories.” 

“And for those who think they can touch her just to get to me, think again” he warns. 

Then he turns slightly, not fully away from them but enough like the conversation is over. Just as he made that small movement, reporters all step forward holding out their mics wanting just a few more pieces of information. Slight chatter starts up from among them. 

He eyes the camera one more time, as if he can imagine you watching from your apartment. The corner of his lip lifts up a little as if saying:

I love you, I’m coming home. 

taglist: @imjustawriter09 @catboygumi

a/n: i need to finish my spider-man yuji serious omg i completely forgot about it.

sparkle and line dividers by @pixopix

bow divider by @cursed-carmine