biggest shoko lover out there

she decided she was going to tell satoru and suguru the funny, but charming, story of how you asked her out.

“you sound excited about this date.” satoru teases her while he sorts out his digimon cards. suguru nods his head in agreement, stating, “yeah, i haven’t seen you this excited since satoru tripped down the stairs and twisted his ankle.”

at the reminder, satoru makes a face of disgust at suguru before mumbling, “it wasn’t even that funny.” shoko snorts at the memory. she remembers satoru laying on the ground holding his ankle while he thrashed his body side to side.

though shoko tries to seem nonchalant about the date. “no i’m not excited per say, just, curious about this girl and why she even asked me out.” though as nonchalant as she wanted to seem, both satoru and suguru see the red on her ears.

the two boys look at each other, then they look at shoko. they both have an eyebrow raised, looking at her with a face that says ‘i don’t believe that.’

but shoko doesn’t care. no seriously she doesn’t.

when you pick up shoko for the date, she looks really pretty. the outfit she wore was simple, but it didn’t matter because you couldn’t stop looking at her face. she was gorgeous, and you could definitely feel your cheeks getting warmer.

shoko wore light makeup, she usually did but something was different. ahh, her lips had a slightly more red tint to them. her ears were also the same shade.

you walk up to shoko, offering her a bouquet of flowers. the bouquet consisted of red tulips, forget-me-nots, a small bit of maiden hair ferns, and lastly peonies. in all honesty, it was kind of ugly and the flowers didn’t really match.

shoko didn’t mind though, she grabbed them, your hands accidentally brushing, and give you a smile. “these are really beautiful. thank you, i’ve never gotten flowers so this is really thoughtful.”

your eyes widened in shock, “no one’s ever gotten you flowers?! seriously?” she nods looking down, only slightly embarrassed at the fact. you shake your head in a sort of disbelief manner.

“yeah, well that’s going to change.” you look at her reassuringly. nodding your head towards her door to signal her to take the flowers inside.

she quickly runs inside to put the flowers up, quickly asking her roommate if she can find a vase to put them in. after putting them away, she goes back to you as you’re looking up at the sky.

“i’m ready if you are.” shoko informs. you nod offering her your hand, which she takes with no hesitation.

the date starts with the two of you going to a place called, “learning blues.” it’s a small local thing where you can rent instruments for a day and they even offer classes to learn the basics.

shoko was a little confused at the idea, but she wasn’t going to complain. i mean hey, it might even be really fun!

and it was. because when you first got there, the two of you got to choose the instrument you wanted to rent. shoko chose a guitar and you chose a tuba?

worse decision because it was heavier than expected. it was about 25 pounds (11.3 kg) all in one spot of your lap.

as the two of you sat down with the woman who was going to teach you the basics, shoko laughed at how ridiculous you looked holding the large instrument.

all of the weight was in a single spot on your lap was starting to irritate you. not only was it uncomfortable, but you totally sucked at playing the tuba!

shoko watched as the instructor guided your hands to where they needed to be, while your face only showed focus. you weren’t having fun, you were taking this seriously. a little to seriously for someone who’s awful.

shokos’ instructor tries to get her attention, but she can’t help but laugh at you. your cheeks are puffed out trying to blow air into the tuba, your face is also changing colors due to the lack of air. your instructor is cringing at the “music” that your making and shoko calls out to you.

“hey do you mind, i’m trying to focus.” she teases at you. the face you make has her giggling as you look completely confused. you thought it sounded nice enough to serenade her not have her shut you up!

you roll your eyes, “shoko please don’t be jealous at my natural talent. i understand your struggling yourself, but keep those rude thoughts to yourself.” your instructor doesn’t catch the sarcasm, and looks very shocked that you find whatever you just played good.

shoko laughs at the lies you’re oh so clearly telling. this goes on for another two hours. and you’d think that after two hours, you would have gotten better.

well you didn’t. you actually got worse and your instructor made that clear. “if i’m being honest,” she starts telling you before you and shoko leave, “i really don’t think you have a shot at the tuba. since there was no improvement, you can come back free of charge for another session. except next time we will work on something a little more simple. like the triangle.”

the instructor pats your back gently before removing you, and by default shoko, from the premises. shoko can’t hold it in, she laughs. she laughs so hard and loudly to the point where she’s crying.

you look embarrassed, but also pleased as your situation got her to laugh. you decided that you would be willing to make a fool of yourself everyday if it meant hearing her laugh like that.

“it wasn’t even that funny.” you whine as you gently elbow her arm. she shakes her head yes, still laughing, while also wiping her tears.

her laughter eventually calms down, that’s when you ask, “are you ready for dinner?” shoko seems shocked, she thought that it was over. but she nods, excited to see where the night takes her.

you two end up and a small mom and pop restaurant. and it’s clear that your a familiar face to the owners. “ahh,” the owner’s husband calls out your name, “what happened to your last date?”

ahh, shoko looks at you with a brow raised, also wondering what happened.

“what are you talking about old man, that was like a month ago. and stop keeping track of when i come or who i bring.” you call back out to him. he laughs at you before seating you and shoko.

“so, you bringing all the girls you ask out here?” she asks, only slightly seriously. you hum thinking about it, “the girl he’s talking about was the first girl i brought here. but the chick totally ghosted me! this is the first time i came back here since then. it’s probably why he mentioned it.” you explain.

“so you bringing me here when you have bad memories of the place? are you trying to get me to ghost you too?” she teases.

you groan playfully before seriously answering her, “yeah it was a bad memory, i thought i really liked her. it made me not want to come back her in fear of something bad happening. but i figured if anyone can change my mind of coming back, it’s you.”

shoko doesn’t say anything. she just stares at you. then it happens. her cheeks are bright red. she throws her face into her hands. “you’re so corny.” but she says this with a smile on her face.

the last stop of the date. you find yourselves on top of a tall grassy hill. the spot is really beautiful, trees surrounding the two of you while the small animals near by get ready to settle in for the night.

the two of you are on a large blanket that you prepared, sitting so close to each other that your shoulders are touching. shoko looks at you.

“i wanted to thank you for taking me out. even if your tuba playing sucked and you bring all the girls to your favorite restaurant.” you know she’s not serious based on the fact the her voice and face are showing a softness you want to see for the rest of your life.

you look into her eyes, “my tuba playing wasn’t even that bad.” but neither of you are thinking about that damn tuba.

you look at her lips, “can i?”

she nods, once. twice.

you go for it, you gently grab her face with both of your hands, kissing her. it was all you had thought about all night. and it was even better than you imagined.

she kissed you back, putting her hands around your neck bringing you closer to her. after you (reluctantly) pull back, you kiss her forehead gently before pulling her into your arms.

you don’t know how long you held onto each other for.

eventually you bring her back to her dorm. you walk her to the door.

“thank you for giving me a chance shoko. i’d really love it if you let me take you out again sometime.”

she nods, feeling bashful.

“goodnight,” she drawls out your name, ready to go inside. but not before giving you lips a sweet peck. she enters her dorm.

“goodnight shoko.”

shoko looks at the flowers you got her, they really were a bit random. she decides to look up what they mean.

red tulips: deep love, passion and romance.

forget-me-nots: true love, memories, and enduring connection.

maidenfair fern: purity, innocence, and resilience.

peonies: romance, prosperity, and good fortune.

shoko tears up at her phone, seeing the meaning of her flowers. of course they were ugly, you were sending a message!

she feels relieved. she feels like you want her, for her. she knows you now, she knows you won’t let her go invisible.

shoko lies down in bed, she hopes to have a good dream, she hopes your there.

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ

but nothing is happening. it’s starting to become so tiring to do anything now a days.

when you first started for the semester, class was great! even though in the beginning you didn’t get much creative freedom, you loved it. you felt it put a little less pressure of finding something to do.

but here you are, not being able to get this easy grade. you and your class were assigned to ‘paint what you see, it must move you.’

whatever that meant.

you walked around campus, maybe some sort of landscape could help. there is a spot on campus that the agricultural students work on. maybe that could work, an art student getting inspired by other students hard work.

not very original you imagined, everyone loves a good landscape, but if it helped you get it over with, you’d do it.

sitting on a near by bench, you start with the outline, “i have a friend who worked on that.”

a voice startles you from your left. it’s who you assume is another student. he has white hair, black glasses framing his face and a bright smile to offer.

“it’s nice. the campus needs more of these kinds of spots.”

he hummed in agreement, looking at the small area of wildlife planted.

“you doing this for fun? or this for an assignment? i’m going to guess with the latter.”

raising an eyebrow at the nosy boy, you nod, “it is. how could you guess?”

he smiles, it seems to be in understanding, “you don’t look like you particularly want to be here. i’m satoru by the way.”

you offer him your name, “i don’t particularly want to do this. i think i do better when i’m told what to paint. i can’t mess up when what i need is right in front of me.”

satoru doesn’t say anything, but he nods.

“find someone instead of something.”

you turn your head towards him, “huh?”

“you’re just looking at something you think others might like. yeah you said that it looks nice, but why paint if it causes you hate for something you love.”

that makes sense. even before you sat down, you felt dread at the idea of even starting the painting.

“not many people would be willing to pose for hours at a time.”

he seems to think it over, “so don’t ask,” he suggests with a shrug, “just find someone you’ve never spoken to, and wait until there’s a moment that makes you feel like painting.”

your eyebrows furrow, “but, i’ll forget their faces surely.”

“that’s a good point, but you can add multiple people into one. maybe grab the nose from one person, and the eyes for another.”

you liked that idea, a sort of abstract concept of strangers.

“thanks satoru. i think i would like to do that.”

he grins at you, “hey, would you let me see it when you’re done? i mean, i am the genius behind the idea after all.”

you laugh, “yeah, my classes art work will be displayed on a set date.”

“perfect.”

you and satoru exchanged numbers. you were glad you had met him, his advice seemed to cheer you up a bit. it even had you excited for the first time in a long time to paint something.

you enter the train, after entering, you’re the fourth stop until you get off and start walking to your apartment. you planned that since you had a week and a half for the deadline, you’d sit on the train all day tomorrow, hoping to find a couple faces.

stop one.

a more people enter than exit. fortunately, you were able to get a seat before the traffic rush starts. you look around, it’s crowded, but not uncomfortable.

stop two.

the man across from you had caught your eyes, namely his outfit. it was definitely a choice, and luckily for you, this seemed to be his spot. just as he stands to leave, his spot is taken, you don’t care to look.

stop three.

you look up, the spot that had held the man with the odd fashion choices, was now taken up by a girl.

that feeling of being uninspired is gone. you look at the girl, she’s looking down at her lap. you want to use her as apart of what’s going to be your abstract art of strangers. there’s only one problem.

you have only one stop left to try and find and sketch down what feature of hers you want to use.

in a hurry, you grab a small sketchbook from your bag, along with a pencil. you start sketching down her whole face with all her features, you don’t know which one you want to use yet, but you didn’t want to forget her face in the slightest.

you didn’t have any of your watercolors with you, so on the side of the quick portrait of the girl you start writing down colors.

‘eyes- brown’

‘hair- brown’

‘skin- fair and smooth, but not pasty’

‘her eyes were beautifully tired’

‘mole under her right eye’

‘light neutral makeup’

‘hair seems to be around slightly past her shoulders’

everything you saw, you wanted to remember.

shoko sits on the train, she’s tired. she felt like today in particular, that the classes seemed to drag on.

she keeps her head down most of the ride, only looking up occasionally. except one of the times she looks up, she sees a girl her age glaring at her.

‘um wow ok’ she thinks.

shoko just wants to go home peacefully, and all of a sudden she has this girl staring holes into her head. she feels slightly uncomfortable, but no way is she going to say anything about it.

the train comes to a stop, and the glaring girl now looks close to tears. even though she doesn’t necessarily look sad, she still might cry. the teary eyed girl gives shoko one last look, this time, they make eye contact.

the girl squinted her eyes at shoko, before tilting her head and leaving the train.

shoko arrives to her apartment, only to find her two loud mouthed best friends.

“what are you two doing here? actually, i don’t care, i’ve had a long day and would like to sleep.”

suguru shakes his head, “apparently satoru is going to be credited on an art students work. isn’t that something?”

satoru nods his head proudly, “yup! this art girlie needed inspiration and i so happened to give her an idea of a lifetime. i get to see the final product of the piece later this month.”

shoko squints in disbelief, “she said she was going to credit you? seriously?”

“yup!”

you definitely didn’t, but if satoru asked you too, you would’ve.

“let me see a sneak peak please! i can’t wait another day!”

satoru has been insisting you show him what you’ve been working on, he definitely has taken advantage over your phone number.

“it’s only three more days satoru, besides, it’s embarrassing showing a work in progress, it feels to bare bones.”

satoru whines in protest, “no way, the gatekeeping is crazy.”

rolling your eyes, “gatekeeping? you’re ridiculous! oh, the display area has been moved to outside the art building. apparently a lot of my classmates did sculptures so outside the classroom would be a tight squeeze.”

satoru groans, “outside?! my skin is too delicate!”

apparently when you first met satoru, him being smart and inspiring was a one time thing. he used it to lure you into a friendship with him, damn him.

“it’s either you see it then, or never see it, your choice.”

satoru is silent for a moment, “ok, ok fine! since you’re begging for me to be there i’ll go!”

you have twenty four hours until you have to show your art off for display. there’s one issue with that, the whole abstract piece that would involve the help from strangers was a no go.

you have a finished painting.

it’s not abstract.

it’s not a beautiful mix of strangers that you see in your everyday life, it’s a girl. more specifically, the girl who you saw on the train. she had you so enamored, when you started painting, you couldn’t will yourself to paint anything else.

you even went out and found ideas from other people in the following days, but each time you tried to draw a specific feature, your hands had a mind of its own.

and now you have a 24x30 portrait of a woman you couldn’t stop thinking about. your professor had you and your classmates write a label to go with your pieces.

it started with your full name, then your description.

‘i couldn’t will myself to do anything.

this assignment felt like a chore rather than something that i could enjoy.

a friend recommended painting multiple strangers into one. that was my original plan, but every road lead back to this stranger in particular.

this is a real woman i saw on the train, she’s not a mix of community, but someone i couldn’t get out of my head.

thank you satoru for leading me to look for people, rather than my environment.

and to the girl i drew, thank you for being the thing that took me out of a funk i was going through.’

you decide this would tell the story of your piece. and whether you got a passing grade or not, you don’t imagined yourself ever making something better than this.

satoru was excited.

his new friend was displaying artwork. and although you hadn’t known you long, he could tell that when you first met, you weren’t in a good place mentally.

it had taken a lot of bad jokes to get you out of your shell. and even though you were reluctant in becoming his friend, your were glad. because after meeting him, your life felt a lot lighter.

a week and a half was all you and satoru needed to officially be platonic soulmates.

satoru felt you were different than suguru and shoko. you were his quiet friend, someone he needed to treat more delicately.

and because of this, he decided that he would introduce you to his two best friends. he knew you would possibly get overwhelmed by the three of them together, so he made sure to ask in advance if he could bring them.

you didn’t mind, these people were important to him, so if satoru wanted to bring them to see the final product, you were more than happy to let satoru bring them.

he told you about them, suguru and shoko.

he mentioned they’d all been friends since middle school. he told you funny stories about their youth, told you their favorite colors and foods. you loved hearing him talk about them.

the girl in particular, shoko. she seemed interesting the way she’s more likely to mix her food rather than eating it separately. or how satoru and suguru worry about her bad smoking habits.

you were excited to meet them, and satoru was exited to bring the four of you together officially.

the dead line for the project was today. you and all your classmates would bring your pieces to be shown off and graded.

you were already there, you had your piece put up on its easel. you looked around at your classmates work, sculptors of animals were popular. as were landscapes, a couple other pieces were of people like yours.

you’re looking at a painting of a child cuddling a puppy, huh.

you hear your name being called, when you look over, you see a slight glimpse of satorus’ friends before he runs up to you.

he wraps you in a tight hug, “i’m excited to see what you ended up making! how many people did you use? am i in the credits? i am aren’t i! where is it?!”

he throws the questions at you fast, you know he’s been waiting for years (a week and a half).

“ah wait! i want to officially introduce you to my best friends!”

it seems they’ve caught up to you while satoru was demanding answers from you.

you see suguru first, his eyes are mischievous, just like satorus.

you drag your eyes to who you know to be shoko, and your jaw drops.

she’s the girl you painted. she was just supposed to be a a small part of the piece, but she ended up taking over your mind!

you can’t let her see this.

shoko seems to remember you. you were the weirdo who was glaring at her on the train. not that she holds any grudges, she can’t be bothered to be that upset about it.

your eyebrows furrow looking at her, you look at satoru before dragging him away from your friends.

“they can’t be here.”

satorus eyes widened. “what?! why? i thought you were excited to meet them!”

satoru looks at you and you look embarrassed. “the real reason i haven’t gave you an early look into the painting was because i never ended up doing abstract painting.”

satoru looks confused, “ok? well that’s fine, i mean, it had only been a suggestion. i’m not upset if that’s what you’re worried about.”

you shake your head, grabbing his hand and leading him to your work.

and satorus jaw drops.

“that day we met, i saw her on the train. i meant to use her with your idea, but she consumed me night and day toru.”

he doesn’t look away, there’s not even any sign that he heard you.

“this- this is shoko! my shoko!”

you cringe at his volume, “do you understand why they have to leave?”

he nods, but he tilts his head, “show her.”

was he seriously not listening?!

“no way!”

“yes way!” he turns to you shaking your shoulders, “she wouldn’t be weirded out if that’s what worries you.”

liar.

if this happened to you, you might have been a little creeped out!

before you can reply, satoru takes your hand leading you back to suguru and shoko.

during that time, shoko told suguru that she had actually seen you before. she didn’t exactly say you were glaring at her, just that you were a little intense.

the two of you make it back to suguru and shoko, who were now looking at a sculpture of a deformed man.

satoru calls out to the two of them, causing you to widen your eyes and put your hands over his mouth. it was too late, they had heard him.

with one arm, he called them over, the other was around your shoulders, ready to lead them to your painting.

“no no no!”

shoko and suguru would have been worried, but they can see from behind your hand, satoru is smiling.

they shrug and follow satoru, who now is dragging you to the painting.

as much as you tried to drag your feet, it was no use. satoru must’ve been on some adrenaline high because he was not budging.

you and satoru make it to the painting first, “satoru please don’t let them see it.”

he frowns at you, patting your head, “i promise you, this won’t go south. i know my friends, they’ll love it as much as i do. besides, i’ve never seen shoko look so.. peaceful.”

that wasn’t entirely true.

in the painting, shoko didn’t have much of an expression, and if anything, she looked sad. it showed shokos head facing the viewer, but her eyes were looking off to the left. her mouth was closed in a slight frown, you didn’t paint her smiling, as you imagined that you wouldn’t do it justice.

“woah.”

you turn around to see shoko and suguru, who both are staring intently at the painting. you grab satoru, placing him in front of you, despite trying to hide yourself, it was very obvious you were there.

shokos eyes drift toward you, you weren’t angry at her that day. you were memorizing her face. she looks back towards the painting.

after a minute, you apologize, “i’m really sorry. i saw you and i couldn’t unsee you.”

shoko doesn’t say anything, but she’s reading your label you’ve made for your painting.

it happens, a goofy smile appears on her face, “i like it. i really like it.”

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ

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⊹ ࣪ ˖

You hear keys rattle outside the front door before it swings open, revealing Mitsuki's slim figure.

She slumps into the room, dropping her book bag on the floor with a thump.

"Hey, Koga San, long day?"

"Something like that." Mitsuki doesn't bother to look up at your question.

She walks into the kitchen and flips the kettle on with a click. "Hey, have you bought any more honey yet?"

You're watching her maneuver around your shared kitchen, pulling a tea bag out of the box you picked up earlier this week. "Yeah, the bottle is in the cabinet on your right."

"Thanks, Y/N." She mumbles through the small paper bag she placed between her teeth to open.

"No problem."

It's been 4 months since you've moved in.

You'd be lying if you said you haven't checked her out-- at least once or twice.

But not in a perverted way! You guys are roommates, friends even.

The school year has been going well so far. Your roommate has been great.

But deep down, through every late night talk and coffee run, you continue hoping you two might be something more.

It's been easy and comfortable living with Koga San, maybe even too easy.

She is nice, makes you coffee in the mornings, plays you her new songs on her guitar, restocks the fridge with groceries,

and she's really pretty.

This is why lately, you've been playing a game you have unofficially titled: Does Koga San like girls?

Really creative.

Clue #1: Mitsuki has never brought a guy home.

To be fair, she hasn't brought a girl home either. In fact, Mitsuki seemingly has never shown interest in anyone. Alas, you have hope.

Clue #2: You have never seen Mitsuki wear a dress before.

She wears pants religiously, even at parties, nights out, and that one time her uncle got married. She sticks to pants or a suit, period.

Final Clue #3: You've had interactions that feel way more intimate than a platonic friendship. Sometimes, she even seems flirty?

But you've been too shy to progress these moments further or even ask about it, because what if you're wrong?

Why ruin your friendship for something that may never happen.

This is why, 4 months later, you are brimming with untamed energy. You have a massive crush on your roommate.

⊹ ࣪ ˖

Mitsuki Koga has a problem.

Her new roommate is pretty. Too pretty. Mitsuki is still getting over her last girlfriend, where the breakup was messy, to say the least.

But then here you come, wearing a skirt too short for her liking, smiling and blushing when you first meet, and totally checking her out.

But maybe she's reading you wrong. You could just be friendly, and Mitsuki could be a complete idiot.

That's why, 4 months later, Mitsuki Koga has a massive crush on her roommate.

⊹ ࣪ ˖

You two are sitting on your couch and watching a movie.

You sit close, just close enough for your knees to slightly brush when you shift in your seat, but nothing more.

Mitsuki gets a notification on her phone and glances down. She noticeably stiffens, looking away from the notification, with a glazed and cloudy look on her face.

You hesitate for a brief moment before finally daring to ask, "is everything all right?"

She jumps at your voice, but when she faces you, her expression seems to soften just slightest bit.

"It's nothing I-" she pauses, thinking about something, "It's my ex."

"Oh." You stare at her, a bit confused and a little disappointed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She seems to think for a moment before sighing and turning to face you completely "No- well, our break up was really... messy. It's not like i'm still harboring feelings," Mitsuki suddenly has the urge to defend herself, "She just keeps reaching out to me."

She.

You should be listening to your friend. You should be helping her, comforting her, hearing her out and making her feel better- but your mind has wandered off.

She.

"Y/N?"

You jerk out of your trance. You look up to see Mitsuki has a worried look on her face, she sits closer than she was before, face only inches away from yours.

Your breath hitches in your throat at the realization.

Your eyes flicker down to her lips, only for the slightest moment.

Mitsuki must have noticed for the air in the room changes.

She jumps up from the couch and slowly begins walking to her room.

"I think I'll start to head to bed." Mitsuki tells you and walks in the direction of her room with impressive speed.

Before she closes her door, you swear you see her glance back at you.

⊹ ࣪ ˖

Mitsuki is not okay.

Not only did she just reveal a crucial piece of information about herself to her roommate, whatever just happened between you two was... strange.

Wherever you may have gone to during the brief seconds before snapping out of it, Mitsuki thought she saw something in your eyes, excitement, desire.

Oh no.

no no no.

Mitsuki must be confused. She must be blinded by her affection for you and not thinking clearly. She thinks she'll sleep it off.

But as she dozes off to sleep she thinks that just maybe...

⊹ ࣪ ˖

The air between you two has been brimming with tension for the last few weeks.

You've barely spoken, as if you got into a fight. Truthfully, that may be the closest description you can come up with for what is happening right now.

You are- confused, to say the least.

Now, you lie awake thinking about it, your roommate, Mitsuki Koga. Koga San.

What the hell am I doing?

Slowly you get out of bed and make your way to the kitchen, needing a glass of water to cool down.

Just as you near the kitchen, you hear a noise from the direction of the living room. Glancing over, you see your roommate, wide awake, and looking just as miserable as you feel.

"Koga San?"

Mitsuki looks over at you and a small smile spreads on her face. "Hey, Y/N"

With slight hesitance, you make your way over to the couch and sit next to Mitsuki, thighs lightly touching.

For a moment, you two only stare at the wall, quiet breathing fills the room. You slowly lean closer together, each of you needing the comfort of the other.

Finally your head turns, breathlessly, "Koga San I-"

Mktsuki closes the remaining gap between you, her mouth connecting with yours.

Tension dissipates, leaving something else in its wake-- desire.

Mitsuki quickly pulls her lips away from yours, breathes mingling.

"Oh god Y/N I'm sorry-"

You cut her off by firmly pressing your lips back on hers, grasping the back of her neck to pull her even closer.

"Don't stop" You gasp out.

Your mouths move in sync. Your mouth slowly parting, allowing Mitsuki's tongue to trace the inner parts of your mouth.

You let out a small sigh of pleasure, deepening the kiss and heart beating out of your ribcage.

Mitsuki's hands caress your sides, lingering to the back of your hips and slowly guiding you on top of her lap.

Your legs part, resting on either side of her things as you lower yourself on top of her, never breaking the kiss.

You move in unison, neither wanting to stop first.

As time passes, your confidence grows. You shift your knee to part Mitsuki's legs, pressing your knee into the heat of her core.

Koga gasps, pulling apart and leaning back, just the slightest bit to look at your face.

You slowly plant your hips back down, now firmly straddling her thigh, pressing your knee deeper into her core.

Your mouths meet again, now moving with a newfound urgency as you begin to grind into one another.

You let out a whine into Mitsuki's mouth as you grip the hair at the nape of her neck, pulling her impossibly closer.

Koga is moaning your name, hands planted on your hips, guiding you down to grind on her thigh as she ruts her hip upward into your knee.

"Mm- fuck I need you so bad Y/N" Mitsuki is panting out in between kisses.

"Koga-" you cry against her lips.

Mitsuki is now dragging you up, pushing you backwards, and never taking her lips off of yours.

Her hands are sliding under your shirt, feeling your soft, bare skin under her hands as she guides you into her bedroom.

The back of your knee hits the edge of her bed before you two finally part.

You are reaching down for her shirt, "Can I?"

"Yes, fuck," Mitsuki whines out.

Your hands quickly reach for the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head to reveal her black, lace bra.

Your shirt is soon gone too, as you both inch onto the bed, Mitsuki pushing you down flat on your back.

Her thighs straddle your own, leaning down to kiss you as you lay almost bare beneath her.

Her lips trail down from yours. Leaving pecks over your cheek, your jaw, the area just below your ear, down your neck and collarbone until finally reaching your bra.

Her hands slowly reach behind you to unclasp your bra and pull the fabric away from your body.

"Is this okay?"

Your head moves up and down with a small nod.

Mitsuki wastes no time to latch her mouth onto your breast. Your back arching up into her touch and gasping out a sigh of pleasure.

Your hand ends up on the back of her head, to guide her and keep her planted exactly where you need her.

"Koga- oh. Don't stop, please."

Her hands slowly reach down to your sleep shorts and she tugs them down your legs, leaving you completely bare.

She only looks at you, your body and up into your eyes, a look of pure affection etched onto her face.

You reach out for her pants, leaving her in only her bra. And soon, that is gone too.

You now lay side by side, exploring each others mouths, touching places so intimate and firmly pressing your bodies together.

She pushes a finger inside of you, hitting you with a wave of such profound pleasure you moan out her name.

She continues to move her finger, in and out, hitting just the right spot and rubbing your clit with another finger.

Her other hand is holding your breast, massaging the skin while you arch into her touch. Your thighs are shaking and you know you won't last much longer.

"Mitsuki-"

You let out one more whine, one hand gripping the sheets and the other holding onto her waist as you cum, hips riding into her hand, chasing the feeling.

She reaches out for you instantly, pressing her lips to yours as you ride out the rest of your high.

Your foreheads rest against eachother, breathing heavily and caressing each other's bare skin.

You slowly relax into the sheets, pulling Mitsuki closer to you as you both drift off to sleep.

Kissing her forehead, you promise to take care of her in the morning, and every night after.

a/n : Hii everyone! Thank you so much for reading, this is actually my very first post. Please let me know what you think, I LOVE koga and i'm so excited to write about her and some of my other favorite characters!

If you liked this please follow my blog!

🦋 ⊹ ࣪ ˖

masterlist

@butterfly-yuri

her female classmates would go up to her and pretend being friendly, just to end up asking about satoru or suguru. males would do the same, wanting to befriend or try and imitate on or the other.

she was so sick of it. don’t get her wrong she loved her friends, but she was constantly feeling used by her peers.

she would of course never tell satoru or suguru that, because it wasn’t even their fault! everyone else around her didn’t want to know her, they wanted her friends. and that hurt.

shoko was having a smoke break outside the medical education building. all of a sudden, a really loud thud came from her left. it was a girl, staring right at shoko, and it seems she dropped a couple of textbooks.

“i- uh” the girl stated, before grabbing her dropped belongings, and booking it.

‘huh’ shoko thought. it was odd. that girl was odd. shoko finished her cigarette before putting it out, and walking back into her respective building.

as time passed, she just couldn’t stop thinking about the girl who just dropped her books. it wouldn’t have been so weird if the girl wasn’t staring right at shoko the whole time.

she found the whole thing ridiculous. the situation had happened for less than a minute, and yet, she can’t get it out of her mind.

on the other hand, you had left the situation with warm cheeks and a thudding heart. because that girl you saw, was a literal dream.

you couldn’t stop thinking about her. her brown eyes, her dark hair that was only slightly passed her shoulders, her mole, her lips. the way they wrapped around the cigarette gave you shivers.

you wanted a girl who you completely embarrassed yourself in front of. but it didn’t matter, you wanted to be hers. and all you knew it that there’s a good chance she’s a med student.

‘this is so exciting’ you thought, with a cheesy smile. you were going to get yourself a girlfriend!

now back to shoko, she’s decided to forget about the situation. yeah it was weird, but she’s decided to pretend it didn’t happen. besides, she’ll never see her again. right?

wrong. so very wrong, because now, shoko had felt eyes on her randomly throughout the day. it’s not a bad feeling, she’s just really aware of eyes on her.

finishing her cigarette, she goes to throw it away in a nearby trash. just as she looks up, she finds a pair of eyes staring right at her.

“hi!” she hears from the girl across from her. “i’m the girl who dropped her stuff like a total idiot the other day.” she says sounding shy, but her face says a different story.

shoko squints her eyes slightly before, “yeah i remember you. can i help you?” shoko can’t help but be completely confused. why is this girl talking to me.

“i just- hmm” the girl looks around, “i just think we should get to know each other, here, my name is,” you hold out your hand while giving her your name.

shoko takes it reluctantly and offers her name back to you in a hesitant breath. not that she can think to much about it, because your eyes widen and you repeat her name under your breath.

you give her (and in all honesty) a goofy smile. shoko doesn’t understand why, why are you here talking to her of all people.

she’s been told she’s many things. she’s blunt, quiet, a little mean at times, and some would even say she’s forgettable. so what are you doing here looking at her like she’s just hung the moon?

“shoko, i think we should hang out. preferably alone where no one would find us, and the only thing that could possibly be between us, is the silence when everything is said and done.”

wow. just wow.

shokos eyes are wide and if she had a cigarette in between her lips, it definitely would’ve dropped on the floor. who are you and why do you sound like you plan on murdering her?

“uh excuse me? that sounds a little killer-ish if you ask me. are your intentions with me pure or evil?” shoko enjoys the face you make after she asks.

your eyebrow raises in confusion as you gently grab her hands, “why on earth would i have any evil intentions!” you exclaim, “my only intention is to make you the happiest woman on earth!”

shoko would’ve found it slightly concerning if it wasn’t for the fact that the in time you were talking, you slowly descended onto a single knee as if you were proposing to her.

shoko laughs in the absurdity of the situation, but she doesn’t pull away her hands. “the happiest woman alive huh?” she raises her eyebrow. “i’m not an easy woman to please, i hope you can understand that.” she teases.

although she wasn’t serious, you certainly were. you raise from your proposal position, and reluctantly let her hands go.

“shoko, i came here with the intention of taking you out and eventually having the honor of being your girlfriend!” you say with your voice slightly raised, y’know, to get your point across!

then it happens. shoko giggles. full on giggles, well they turn into loud laughter with the occasional snort. it goes on for a solid two and a half minutes.

you start feeling your cheeks warm in slight embarrassment. were you seriously getting rejected by the cute girl who’s name you’ve just learned! who’da guessed.

“let me ask you a question first yeah?” shoko says after her laugher calmed (only a little because the situation was so hysterical). you nod, “anything!”

shokos face turns slightly serious, as does her voice, her mouth also has a slight frown. “do you know satoru gojo and suguru geto?”

you hum thinking over her question, “well yeah, every body has heard of them in passing at the very least. what about them?” you look a bit confused on the question.

shoko off you a new expression, a shy grin with red cheeks! progress!!!

“never mind it. you have the privilege of taking me out i guess, but don’t screw it up.” and after she says that, shoko knows she didn’t make a mistake by the fact that your eyes widen and you’re cheesing from ear to ear.

you start jumping in circles, exclaiming ‘how excited’ you were and that ‘she won’t regret it’

yeah, shoko had a feeling she won’t regret choosing you, for she feels seen.

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ

- absolutely head of heels for you, like down BAD

- you are her wallpaper on her phone and she keeps one of those gum wrapper hearts you made her in her phone case

- if you smoke, she will always share her cigarettes with you. she loves to go outside on your back porch early in the morning, smoking and drinking coffee with you.

- if you dont smoke, she respects that and will never pressure you (dont fall for peer pressure kids!)

- your first date was a picnic! you two rode your bikes up to the park and ate comically small finger sandwiches

- id like to think that she suggested you two rode a tandem bike to the park

- when you guys encounter a claw machine or carnival game, she WILL win you a prize, even if it means all her pocket change gets spent

- before you guys started dating, she thought she was super good at keeping her crush a secret and thought she was super nonchalant.

- however, she was SUPER obvious.

- every time you walked by her face would turn crimson, and you know gojo taunted her all the time for it

- you knew right away that she liked you, and you thought it was the cutest thing.

The sun hung low over the training grounds, casting long shadows that Toph couldn't see but could feel in the way the earth cooled unevenly beneath her bare feet. She stood with her arms crossed, a smirk playing at her lips as she listened to the familiar sound of your footsteps approaching–light, quick, and with that slight drag on the left foot that she'd recognize anywhere.

“You're late,” Toph called out, not bothering to turn around.

“I'm exactly on time,” Came your reply, warm and teasing. “You're just always early because you have nothing better to do.”

Toph snorted. “Says the woman who spent an hour this morning doing... what was it? 'Skincare'?”

“It's called self-care, Toph. You should try it sometime.” Your hand landed on Toph's shoulder, fingers squeezing affectionately. “Though I guess when you're the greatest earthbender in the world, you don't need to worry about impressing anyone.”

“Damn right I don't.”

You fell into your usual warm-up routine, moving around each other with the ease of people who'd known each other for a long time. Toph could track every movement through the vibrations in the ground. The way you shifted your weight, the spring in your step. She could always tell when you were excited about something because you would bounce on your toes like it was impossible for you to stay still. It was one of the many things she's grown to love about you.

“So I was thinking,” You said, circling around to Toph's left side, “After training, we could go into town. There's supposed to be a festival, and Katara mentioned something about fire dancers–..”

“Fire dancers?” Sokka's voice interrupted from across the training grounds. “Did someone say fire dancers? Because I am extremely interested in fire dancers.”

“You're interested in any dancers,” Katara called back, and Toph could hear the eye-roll in her voice.

“That's not true! I'm also interested in food vendors. And–”

“We get it, Sokka,” Zuko cut in dryly. “You have varied interests.”

Toph grinned as their bickering washed over her. This was her family, chaotic, loud, and occasionally annoying, but hers. And at the center of it all, always, was you.

“Come on,” You said, voice dropping to that conspiratorial tone that always made Toph feel like you were the only two people in the world. “Let's get started before Sokka decides to give us another lecture on proper stretching techniques.”

“I heard that! And proper stretching is important!”

You moved to the center of the training grounds, and Toph rolled her shoulders, feeling the anticipation of a good sparring session. But today you weren't sparring, you were working on a new technique Toph had been developing, something that required precision and trust.

“Okay,” Toph said, settling into her stance. “Same as yesterday. I'm going to create a pillar, ride it up, and then you need to..”

“Spot you on the dismount, I know.” Your voice was steady, confident. “I've got you.”

And that was the thing, wasn't it? You always did. She ignored the flutter in her chest and focused on the task at hand.

Toph took a breath, feeling the earth beneath her feet, that constant connection that grounded her in the world. She thrust her arms upward, and a column of stone erupted from the ground, carrying her up ten, fifteen, maybe twenty feet. The wind whipped past her face, and for a moment, she was flying–truly flying, not just jumping or falling with style.

At the peak, she twisted, preparing for the dismount. This was the tricky part, the moment where she would be briefly airborne, unable to sense the ground. The most vulnerable she will ever be.

Toph pushed off, felt the stomach-dropping sensation of a freefall. And then hands caught her at the small of her back and beneath her arm, your own earthbending providing extra height. The landing was smooth, controlled, and Toph's feet found the earth again with barely a stumble.

But something was wrong.

Her breath had caught in her throat, she could feel her heart hammering against her ribs, and knew it wasn't from the adrenaline of the jump. Your hands were still on her back, warm through the thin fabric of her tunic. You were close, so close that Toph could feel your breath against her cheek and smell the faint scent of jasmine that always clung to your hair.

“Nice one,” You said, and your voice seemed to resonate through Toph's entire body. “You're getting better at the rotation.”

Toph should have stepped back, made some sarcastic comment and demanded to go again. That's what she always did. Instead, she stood frozen, hyperaware of every point of contact between you. Your hand still at her back, fingers splayed across her spine. Your other hand still supporting her arm. She took note of the way your bodies were angled toward each other, close enough that if Toph leaned forward just slightly she wondered if it would be enough to close the distance between your lips.

Oh no.

The realization struck her like a boulder to the chest, knocking the air from her lungs. There was this longing that settled deep beneath her ribs, an aching need to stay in your arms. This wasn't friendship or the comfort of platonic love. It was something far more intimate, something she'd been too afraid to name until now.

“Toph?” Your voice carried a note of concern. “You okay? You're shaking.”

Was she? Toph couldn't tell or focus on anything except the way her entire world had just shifted on its axis, it's fault lines cracking open beneath her feet.

“I'm fine,” Toph managed, her voice coming out rough. She stepped back abruptly, breaking the contact, and she immediately felt the loss of it like a physical ache. “I just need some water.”

She turned and walked away, her usual confident stride faltering. Behind her, she could feel your confusion, sense the way you stood there for a moment, uncertain, before the others called you over.

And Toph couldn't bring herself to stop walking.

☆゜・。・。・゜★

Toph found herself at the edge of the camp, in a small clearing she discovered weeks ago. It was quiet here, away from the others, and the earth beneath her feet wasn't as loud.

Toph sank down onto a flat rock, pressing her palms against the stone, trying to center herself the way she always did. But her mind was racing, replaying every interaction, every touch you have shared.

You always sat close beside her at the campfire, your shoulders brushing as though the space between you was never meant to exist. In crowded streets, your hand would find hers not because Toph needed the guidance, but because it felt right. And every time she managed to make you laugh, the sound would be so bright and unrestrained that it made her feel like she was the funniest person in the world.

How had she not realized it before? She'd convinced herself this was simply who you were, the same as you've always been since you were kids. Best friends who never thought twice about closeness, whose affection has always been easy but meant nothing more.

Her hands curled into fists against the stone. She's always liked boys from her knowledge. Toph had crushes, and felt that flutter of attraction when some handsome guy flirted with her. She never questioned it, never stopped to consider that her heart might be capable of wanting something different.

Now, though, she couldn't ignore the comparison. Your laugh could send her pulse racing without warning. She instinctively searched for you in every crowd, drawn to your presence before anyone else's. Beside you, she felt understood in a way no one had ever managed, it was like you saw every part of her without asking her to be anyone else.

Toph's breaths came out short and sharp as her mind drifted back to the training yard. A single touch from you had been enough to completely unravel her composure. Shame settled heavily in her chest, tangled with confusion and fear.

What did any of it mean? Has she been wrong about herself all this time? Was it women she was drawn to, only you, or something in between? The uncertainty made her feel untethered, like she was falling and couldn't find solid ground.

Toph built her entire identity on being sure of herself, on being confident and unshakeable. She was someone who didn't need anyone, who was strong and independent and knew exactly who she was and what she wanted. So how could she not realize any of this sooner?

Toph blew out a breath as a memory drifted to the surface. Just last week, the two of you had been swimming in the river. You splashed her first, your laughter echoing across the water, and Toph had answered by sending a wave crashing back at you with a sweep of earth beneath the riverbed. One thing had led to another until you were wrestling through the shallows, both soaked to the bone and laughing so hard your sides hurt. Toph had finally managed to pin your wrists against the sandy bottom, triumph written all over the grin she wore.

Then everything had gone still. You stopped struggling, your breathing catching as you looked up at her. “You're amazing, you know that?”

Toph laughed it off with some smart remark, too flustered to do anything else. At the time, she blamed the strange flutter in her chest on the excitement of roughhousing, but now she knew better. More than anything, she had wanted the moment to last just a little longer.

How many memories had she tucked away without a second thought, never questioning why they lingered long after everything else had faded? How often had she mistaken the pull she felt toward you for nothing more than friendship, simply because she hadn't known there was another name for it?

The sun was setting now, she could feel the temperature dropping, the shadows lengthening as the forest quieted around her. She should go back. The others would be starting dinner soon, and if she stayed away too long, they'd come looking for her.

But the thought of facing you, of pretending everything was normal when her entire world had just been turned upside down terrified her. Toph pressed her forehead against her knees as she tried to figure out what she was going to do. Dinner could wait.

☆゜・。・。・゜★

By the time Toph made her way back to camp, the fire was already crackling, its warmth rolling across the clearing. The rich scent of Katara's cooking wafted through the air, mingling with woodsmoke, while the vibrations beneath her feet told her everyone had already gathered around the flames. Normally, this was the part of the day she looked forward to the most, spending time with her family. Tonight, it only made the knot in her stomach tighten.

“There you are!” Relief lit up your voice the instant you noticed her. “We were starting to worry. Are you feeling better?”

Every muscle in Toph's body locked. Through the earth beneath her feet, she felt you shift, beginning to rise as if you were coming to meet her. Panic surged before she could think.

“I'm fine,” She answered, the words clipped and hollow. Without another word she veered away from the sound of your voice and crossed to the opposite side of the fire, lowering herself onto the ground between Aang and Zuko instead.

The clearing fell into an awkward silence at the new seating arrangements.

“...Okay,” Sokka said after a beat. “Well, uh... Katara made her famous sea prune stew.”

“It's not sea prunes, Sokka, it's–”

“I'm just saying,” He cut in, “it smells very oceanic.”

Katara launched into an offended defense of her cooking, Sokka protested between exaggerated coughs, and before long Aang was trying and failing to keep the peace. Their bickering slowly filled the silence, but it did little to ease the tension sitting like a stone in Toph's chest.

Katara's attention flicked back and forth between the two of you, her movements growing more hesitant with every passing second. Beside Toph, Zuko had gone unusually still, finally picking up on the change and deciding he wasn't about to ask about it in front of everyone.

Across the fire, you hadn't moved. The steady rhythm of your heartbeat had lost its usual cadence, replaced by uncertain pauses that made her chest ache. Confusion radiated from you in prominent waves, followed by a hurt she never would have imagined herself causing.

Toph had never pulled away from you before. Not after arguments or stupid fights. Not even during the days when the two of you had been too stubborn to speak first. She had always found her way back to your side.

Tonight was the first time she's chosen not to. And somehow, putting that distance between you hurt far more than staying close ever had.

Dinner was torture.

Toph forced herself to eat, to answer whenever someone spoke to her, to keep her expression as neutral as she could manage. Every bite felt like chewing gravel, every passing second stretching longer than the last. She was painfully aware of you across the fire, taking note of the shift in your posture whenever you looked her way. There was one point in time where it seemed like you were about to say something before thinking better of it.

Toph avoided turning toward you, afraid that if she let herself give in even for a second, everything she's spent the afternoon trying to bury would spill out in front of everyone. Even your laughter, usually something that always drew a reluctant grin from her, only made her chest tighten with an ache she couldn't explain away anymore.

“So,” Aang said, his voice laced with forced optimism as he glanced around the circle, “Who wants to hear a funny story?”

“Here we go,” Zuko replied flatly

“What? You don't think I'm funny?”

“Not really,” Toph muttered.

Aang let out an offended gasp while Sokka snorted into his bowl, already grinning in anticipation of whatever argument was about to follow. The conversation drifted into its usual banter of teasing and playful bickering. Toph's energy just wasn't there and Zuko shifted just enough for her to notice.

“You know,” He said quietly, keeping his voice low so the others couldn't overhear, “When I was confused about something, talking about it helped.”

Toph's jaw clenched. “I'm not confused.”

“No?” He asked evenly. “Because you're sitting as far away from your best friend as possible, and you look like you're trying to earthbend a hole deep enough to disappear into.”

“Mind your own business, Sparky.”

Zuko fell silent after that. He didn't push or tell her she was wrong. He simply accepted her answer, and that quiet understanding made her feel exposed in a way she hated.

As the night progressed, Katara started talking about the festival in the next village, asking who wanted to spend the day there tomorrow. Everyone chimed in one after another, tossing around ideas about food, games, and whatever ridiculous trouble Sokka would probably find himself in before noon. Then you answered. Your voice was softer than usual, missing the excitement that always seemed to follow you wherever you went.

Toph's stomach twisted.

She had done that, she was the reason your smile didn't quite reach your voice. She knew you were probably overthinking her change in demeanor, blaming yourself somehow. Toph wanted to fix it, to walk over there, sit beside you like she always did, bump your shoulder with hers and tell you that everything was fine.

But the truth was nothing was fine anymore.

As soon as dinner was over, Toph mumbled something about being tired and retreated to her sleeping area. She lay down with her back to the fire, curling slightly into herself as she listened to the sounds of camp continuing behind her. She tried to tune out the conversations, the crackling wood and clatter of bowls being cleaned. She especially tried to ignore your voice as it drifted across the clearing, small and full of a hurt that made your voice waver as you asked Katara if you've done something wrong.

Toph squeezed her eyes shut, biting down on her lip hard. She hated herself for making you feel like this, she just didnt know how to talk to you without admitting that she was in love with you. So she stayed exactly where she was, letting the silence answer for her.

☆゜・。・。・゜★

Sleep didn't come for her that night.

Toph lay awake in the darkness, though to her the difference between night and day had never mattered. Still, something about tonight felt suffocating. She stared ahead at nothing, lost inside thoughts she couldn't escape. Around her, the camp slowly settled into a peaceful silence.

Sokka's snoring began almost instantly, loud and impossible to miss. Aang shifted around for a while before finally growing still, and eventually even Katara and Zuko's movements faded as sleep took them. Toph used her seismic sense to reach out further, searching for you. It seemed you were having just as much trouble sleeping.

Toph could tell from the way your body refused to relax. She hated that she was the reason you were lying there wondering what you'd done wrong. The thought continued to eat away at her until it broke through the carefully constructed walls she built around her heart and settled into the place you resided.

Toph thought about tomorrow and the days after that. About how easy it would be to keep avoiding you, to let things slowly change between you because admitting the truth felt impossible. She could pretend nothing had happened, pretend she hadn't spent the entire day questioning everything she thought she knew about herself. But that meant letting the one person who mattered most slip away. And that option terrified her more.

Telling you the truth meant risking everything though. What if you didn't feel the same? What if the friendship she's spent her whole life protecting couldn't survive this? What if she had taken something perfect and ruined it by wanting more?

But wasn't she losing you anyway? Wasn't this distance, this avoidance, just a slower way of destroying what you had?

At least if she was honest, if she told the truth, there was a chance. A small one, maybe, but a chance nonetheless. And Toph had never been one to back down from a fight, even when the odds were against her.

She waited until she was sure everyone was asleep, then carefully got up and made her way across the camp. Your breathing changed as Toph approached, becoming more alert as you registered her unexpected presence.

“Toph?” You whispered, your voice thick with confusion. “What are you do-.”

“Come with me,” Toph said urgently. “We need to talk.”

Neither of you spoke as you walked away from camp, far enough that your conversation wouldn't carry. When you finally stopped, Toph could feel you standing close by, waiting for her to explain. And for once in her life words didn't come as easily.

“I'm sorry,” Toph finally said, her words coming out rough. “For today. For avoiding you. I just..” She stopped, frustrated by how impossible it was to explain something she was still trying to understand herself. “I don't know how to say this.”

“Did I do something wrong?” Your voice broke and the sound of it made Toph's heart clench. “Because if I did, I'm sorry, I just don't know what..”

“No.” Toph's words came out harsh before they softened again. “No, you didn't do anything wrong. This is all on me.”

“Then what is it?” You asked gently. “Toph, we've been friends since we were kids. We've been through everything together. You can tell me anything.”

Could she, though?

Toph's hands clenched into fists at her sides. She thought about backing out, making up some excuse, preserving the safety of their friendship even if it meant living with this ache forever. But she's never been a coward, and she wasn't about to start now.

“Today, during training…” Her voice shook, and she hated how vulnerable she sounded. “When you caught me, when you had your hands on me... something happened.”

Toph swallowed thickly, her sightless eyes glaring at the ground. “Something changed.”

Your own heart stuttered at her words. You couldn't believe this was really happening. “What do you mean?”

“I realized” She paused, forcing herself to say it. “That I have feelings for you.”

“Not just friendship feelings,” Toph continued, words rushing out before she could lose her nerve. “I mean actual feelings. The kind you're supposed to have for someone you're with.”

Her breathing became uneven as the silence stretched between you. “I know this probably sounds insane. I know I'm making everything complicated, and maybe I'm ruining the best thing I've ever had, but I couldn't keep pretending. I didn't even understand what was happening until today. I always thought I liked boys. I never questioned it.”

Her voice lowered as her nails continued to bite into the skin of her palm that was clenched so tight blood would soon trickle down her fingers if she didn't stop. “But then I started thinking about you. About wanting to be around you all the time, the way your laugh always pulls me in, the excuses I make just to stay close. And I realized those feelings were never just friendship.”

Toph dug her toes into the soil to distract herself from the overwhelming feelings. “I'm scared. I don't know what this means about me. If I like women or just you, if there's even a difference. I don't know what I'm supposed to call this.”

A bitter laugh escaped her, “And yeah, maybe I should've figured it out sooner.”

“Toph-..” You tried to interrupt but she wouldn't let you.

“And I know you probably don't feel the same way,” Toph went on to say, unable to stop now that she'd started. “I know this could change everything. But I couldn't keep pushing you away and pretending that was easier. I'd rather tell you the truth and risk losing you than lose you slowly because I was too afraid to say something.”

When she finally ran out of words, Toph stood there breathing hard, feeling exposed in a way she never had before. She's faced down enemies, walked away from everything she's ever known, and thrown herself into battles without hesitation. None of that compared to this. There was no opponent to fight, no ground beneath her feet to steady her–only the terrifying reality of placing the most guarded parts of herself in your hands and hoping you would protect it.

“Are you done?” You asked, voice calm despite your racing heart.

“Yeah,” Toph replied miserably. “Yeah, I'm done.”

“Good. Because it's my turn.”

Before Toph could process what that meant, you stepped forward, closing the distance between you. Toph felt your soft hands cup her face, your thumbs skidding across her cheek as your breath puffed her cheeks.

Toph forgot how the breathe at the first tentative press of your lips against hers. She kissed many men in her time. But kissing a woman let alone her best friend was just softer and more intimate. Her entire body erupted into goosebumps, it was like her very soul was finally at peace now. Toph's hands found your waist, pulling you closer as all the fear, confusion, and longing she carried throughout the day disappeared beneath the simple fact that you were kissing her back.

When you finally broke apart, you were both breathing hard. “I've been waiting for you to figure it out for years.”

Toph blinked, her mind still fogged from the kiss. “What?”

You chuckled at her dazed reaction. “The others knew. They've probably been waiting for this longer than I have.”

“You're kidding.”

“Toph, we've been acting like a couple since we were fourteen.” You pointed out like it was the most obvious thing. “The constant touching. Always needing to be near each other. Finishing each other's thoughts. Everyone saw it.”

Toph's cheeks tinted pink as she cleared her throat to push through the embarrassment of being the last to realize this. “But I didn't even know I liked girls until-.”

“It's okay really.” Your thumbs stroked gently across Toph's cheeks. “I knew you needed to figure it out on your own. I've had a crush on you since we were sixteen. It's been so hard watching you go on dates with everyone else. But I knew I couldn't tell you or force you into understanding something you weren't ready for.”

Toph's mind was reeling at your confession. “So you've just been waiting all this time?”

“Yup,” You confirmed. “Though I'll admit, there were moments I thought about just kissing you and seeing what happened. But you're stubborn, and I knew you would probably just punch me and insist it didn't mean anything."

Despite everything, Toph laughed. “Yeah, I probably would have.”

“So I waited and it was worth it, because now you're sure.” You added.

“I'm not sure about anything,” Toph admitted. “I'm still confused about what this means. I don't know what label fits me or how this changes things.”

“Hey.” Your voice was firm but kind. “You don't have to have all the answers right now. You don't have to label yourself or figure everything out immediately. You just have to know what you feel, right here, right now. And what do you feel Toph?”

Toph drew in a slow breath, trying to quiet the storm inside her. The ground beneath her feet steadied her, but it was your touch that held her in place. Your hands still rested against her face, impossibly gentle, while the silence between you seemed to dissolve every doubt she carried with her.

Toph's heart hammered against her ribs the longer the words sat on the tip of her tongue as she considered her answer. She didn't want to fight this feeling anymore, so instead she let herself simply exist in it.

“I feel,” She murmured, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Like I really want to kiss you again.”

Your own heart lept in your chest as your voice dropped to a teasing tone. “Then kiss me beifong.”

This time, Toph didn't hesitate. She closed the distance herself, her lips finding yours with an unshakeable certainty that hadn't been there before. The kiss was deeper somehow, unhurried and tender, carrying everything she still didn't have the words to say. Bit by bit, the fear and unanswered questions slipped away until all that remained was your warmth and the comforting realization that she wasn't facing any of it alone.

When you finally pulled apart, neither of you moved very far. Toph rested her forehead against yours, a soft laugh escaping under her breath as she smiled for what felt like the first time all day.

“Come on,” You said softly, slipping your hand into Toph's. “Let's get back before Katara wakes up and starts wondering where we disappeared to.”

Toph shook her head playfully, lacing her fingers through yours as the two of you made your way back toward camp. The night had settled into a peaceful stillness, broken only by the chorus of crickets and the gentle rustle of leaves overhead. She could already imagine tomorrow bringing endless questions, merciless teasing, and more than a few unbearably smug comments from Katara and Zuko.

Tonight, she couldn't bring herself to care.

Your hand remained wrapped around hers, giving it a gentle squeeze that spoke louder than any words could. For the first time since everything had unraveled that afternoon, the knot in her chest had finally loosened.

Toph still didn't have every answer. She was still figuring herself out. But she knew one thing with absolute certainty. She loved you. And for now, that was more than enough.

AANG:

• Aang would understand it with the upmost seriousness.

• Even growing up, his love never existed within small displays or subtle touches. It showed through his bright enthusiasm, his protectiveness, the way he lights up with laughter and happiness around those he loves. His love is always unforgivingly clear through how the presence of his loved ones motivates him, makes him stronger, shows how human he can be while being a powerful Avatar, all the same.

• You’d see it when he’s crushing on you–how he blushes and flusters when you simply look cute, how he’d jump to please you, the way he not-so-subtly compliments you. It’d be so blatantly obvious, even if you’re shy or if you try to brush it off.

• So, when your relationship first begins, he reaches for you so happily that it only makes you feel more guilty when you jump with panic at the brush of his skin against yours.

• Though, he apologises faster than you can, immediately placating your guilt with soft words and reassurances that speak deeper than mere comfort. You’re instantly reassured that there is no pressure from him, no expectation, you don’t even have to explain yourself.

• Instead, he seamlessly re-directs his optimism to other types of affection.

• He’d so openly and loudly compliment you, making it known to everyone that he’s entirely awed by you. He’d show you private things, using his airbending to take you places usually reserved for only him, Momo and Appa, but now opened up to you because you’re so special to him. He’d be vulnerable with you, expressing his deepest struggles and hopes, letting you in where no else has been.

• It’d be more loving than anything else. Even without touch, you love him on a deeper level than anyone, you see what no one else does, you become the center of Aang’s world.

• It only makes it more special when you finally get comfortable to initiate touch. Every touch shows how far you’ve both come, each hug a show of your deep trust, everytime you hold hands it feels as though he’s proving how much you mean to him.

• And to a man who’s constantly faced with the worst of his world, it means more to him than anything.

KATARA:

• Out of everyone, Katara understands the most.

• For her, she’s never been an heavily affectionate person and her healing abilities only exacerbated that. She gradually became used to the ghostly cold skin of people on the brink of death, the slight tremble of someone who’s hurt, the feeling of pain under her fingers.

• It made touch something that walked a thin tightrope in her mind, something that could go from comforting to a reminder of every single anguished face she’s ever seen.

• So, when she first brushes against you and you instantly pull away with a panicked look in your eyes, she immediately backs away. Her eyes wouldn’t be confused nor judgemental, just soft and acknowledging in a way that speaks no expectation.

• She doesn’t push you to touch, doesn’t even pry for an explanation as to why you avoid it unless if you want to explain. Rather, she kindly lets you know that it’s okay and continues on normally, as if to affirm that it is.

• After all, she doesn’t see any reason to question you when it’s your feelings. She understands full well how it feels to be brushed off, she would never do it to you.

• Instead, her love speaks through her loving words, the time you spend together, the way you take care of one another. It exists in the smiles you both share when no one’s looking, how you in-tune you become without realising it, the times you notice things about the other that no one else does. She loves your smile, how you dress, how you simply exist in the world, no strings attached.

• Katara’s love lives as openly and free as the water she controls, entirely accepting of your boundaries as though it were just something that was, not something to navigate.

• Though, when you get more comfortable with affections, she melts into you as if it were there the whole time because, for Katara, the unphysical love meant all the same. She’d come to treasure every brush of your hand against hers, your hugs, the simply affections that mean so much more because it means there’s palpable trust attached to it.

SOKKA:

• As opposed to what might be an easy assumption of him, Sokka would instantly be so accommodating of you.

• While many people may overlook it in favour of his goofy comedy, Sokka has grown up taking care of people. He raised Katara as much as she raised him, together they fished to provide for their tribe, he’s always been motivated by making the world better for people, regardless of if he knows them or not.

• Hence, before he’s ever even tried to initiate touch, he’s checking in with you while you’re both hanging out for the first time.

• “So… what do you like, pretty person?”

• Perhaps you’re thrown off guard initially, maybe you only briefly mention your aversion to touch, but he’s taking in every word as seriously as he can.

• Instead, he’d indulge in your interests as much as possible, encouraging you in every other way he can and only attempting touch if it were something as easy as a high five or bumping his shoulder against yours. In no way does he push your boundaries.

• You quickly realise that he holds no expectations of you. There is no pressure to be affectionate with him, no attempts to speed the process up, if anything, he merely seems to need your presence, your approval and your laughter to please him.

• And when you begin to reach for him, he eagerly meets you halfway. It’d be exciting to him, a relieving sign that he’d done right by you for you to trust him now.

• So, if anyone tried to judge you? He’d give them a very stern talking to and send them walking the other way, because, for Sokka, his love doesn’t thrive by pushing for what might be expected, it thrives alongside your happiness and wellbeing. That’s the most important thing to him.

SUKI:

• Suki understands so easily that it’s almost disconcerting.

• For her, a true connection with another person is something that goes beyond the physical world. It’s a respect that embeds in your heart, puts you on the same wavelength, is what makes you understand another person, better than they understand themself. It’s a love that brings her so close to her Kiyoshi sisters, Avatar Kiyoshi herself and, now, you as well.

• It’s that kind of love that isn’t something that needs to be proved to mean something to her, it just needs to exist for what it is as purely as it can. And that’s what makes understanding your aversion to touch so easy.

• The first time she’d try to initiate touch, it’d be something casual, the only meaning being in the newness of your relationship where there is little expectation, only hope. So, when your breath audibly catches at her touch and a disturbed look catches in your eye, the only emotion that crosses her mind is guilt.

• She’d back away, a frown on her lips at the sheer thought of discomforting you, even unintentionally, even when you’re looking at her as if you need to apologise. Then, she’d reassure you and affirm that this doesn’t change anything to her, she just wants to make sure you feel safe and she wants to understand how you feel.

• From that, your relationship would feel stronger than it had before. Her voice would soften merely at the sight of you, her whole, poised demeanour being able to relax in your presence. She’d love what you love, your motivations, your hopes, what you miss, what you want. It’d be written through her every action: how she cares for you, subtly protects your image, puts your feelings above her own.

• Even without any physical affection, Suki’s connection with you would be so entirely warm that it’s unmistakable to everyone around you.

• So when you begin to hold onto her and reach for her affections, it’d only affirm that, making your trust so whole that it becomes she could never lose, an integral part to her being. She’d ease into your touches in return, holding you so gently that you can’t help but relax into it, the comfort of your love for her easing the discomforts of before.

TOPH:

• Initially, Toph is thrown off her game.

• As embarrassing as some people may think it is, she has a habit of clinging to the people she’s attracted to–her arms around their biceps, leaning her head against them, any excuse to get close. For her, it’s an innocent way to see someone past their voice and the silhouette conjured by her senses; perhaps to affirm or deny her delusion by how they feel.

• And if anyone pried, would she blame it on her blindness? Hell yeah.

• But, when you first jolt at her touch, it immediately throws her off. She hears how your heart jumps in your chest, hears the tinge of discomfort in your voice, even when you’re apologising. Her senses pick up on every single micro-reaction immediately and she quickly deciphers that she can’t brush this off as much as you’re trying to.

• So, she won’t point it out or announce it, she just stops initiating physical touch, a silent accommodation to how you feel.

• Instead, her love for you blooms through other means. She’d go on walks with you, pick up flowers for you while hoping they aren’t ugly, talk to you about everything and anything. Your relationship begins to grow, not because of appearances nor affection, but through everything that makes you, you.

• Toph comes to love your voice, how it lilts when you smile, how it darkens when you’re sad. She comes to love your small mannerisms, if you stutter, if you speak quickly or slowly, what you gasp at or when you stay quiet. Toph sees you through your interests, what you love, what you hate, how your interpretation of the world differs to her own.

• Some people may define it as ‘love from afar’, but, even without sight, Toph feels closer to you than she has with anyone else.

• And when you finally get more comfortable and begin to initiate touch, she takes it entirely at your pace. She doesn’t shy away when you reach for her at all, won’t comment on it unless if you ask her to, she even flusters at your affections even though you’d been together for months by that point.

• Toph may perceive the world through touch, but her love for you manages to grow beyond that because her love doesn’t exist within the confines of what she feels, it lives deeper inside of her.

ZUKO:

• At first, it makes Zuko nervous.

• With the way he grew up, love has never been a solid concept to him. It was never tied to a specific place, action or any particular thing. It was shown through his mother, though he’d lost her too early for him to fully grasp it. It was then shown through Uncle Iroh, yet Zuko had only realised it too late.

• He has never had the chance to gain a full understanding of what it means to love and be loved with no strings attached, and that extends to his understanding of affection.

• So, when you first pull away from his touch to itch at where he’d been reaching for you, his mind can only jump to conclusions. Was it a coincidence or a fault? Did he do something? What did he do?

• He’d tentatively try to initiate touch on a few more occasions following, not out of ignorance but purely because he isn’t sure of himself nor how to make sure your relationship right. It’d be small, gentle actions–tentatively reaching for your hand, subtly brushing against you–but it’s when your discomfort only grows with each action that he begins to realise what’s going on.

• Though, I think he’d only properly ask you about it on a quiet occasion. Perhaps when the moon is high in the sky and the only noises around you both were the rustling of trees and the sound of the other’s breathing. He’d be tentative, nervous, unsure if he’s doing right by bringing it up. Yet, once you explain your preferences, everything all falls into place for him.

• He doesn’t question your aversion to touch, no longer spirals over why it is, but cares for you with it.

• He’d try to improve on confessing his feelings, if only to be sure that you still feel how strong his adoration is for you. He’d compliment you constantly, smile softly much more in your presence in a way that catches others off guard, even melts whenever you subtly take care of him–all reactions that affirm to everyone around you both, just how much he loves you.

• If anyone got too handsy, which is perhaps, most likely in his presence–perhaps an enthusiastic councillor or an excited Fire Nation civilian–he’d always carefully direct them away from you, wordlessly checking in with you through his gaze as he protects your boundaries.

• And when you finally ease enough to touch him, he finds that it doesn’t feel new or shy, just comforting as warm as though it were nothing new.

• For, it was never the lack of affection that made Zuko nervous, it was always making sure that you were happy, safe and loved well by him.