I wasn't expecting my last Palia post to attract the fandom! I actually have played hours of it since then but because of college haven't had the time to get to writing another post! Thankfully I just finished my finals, so I'm back to being chronically online. Hope you all enjoy :)
Einar
A lot of people asked me about my thoughts on Einar, which was super surprising! I honestly didn't have many thoughts on him when I first started playing Palia. His dialogue was not very engaging to me. After HOURS (and I mean hours) of playing AND the most recent Ancient ruins that got added to the main storyline, I see why he is so well loved! He is such a fucking cutie! I find how much he enjoys the beauty of the world he is around so sweet, especially trying to understand the culture of the humans and engage with them in it. The recent story quest was sooooooo good at characterizing him.
*Spoilers*
In the most recent ruins added to the game, we meet another Galdur called the Gardener. His setup is so dystopian, I fucking adored it. Essentially, The Gardener is an AI of sorts that is able to control all Galdurs because he created them. That is his Oneness. He was abandoned by his human and was rarely acknowledged as a sentient being, thus he cannot understand the purpose of life if not to fulfill ones Oneness. When first meeting them, Gardener reveals that Einar is malfunctioning. I initially thought it was something serious, but the Gardener considers Einar a malfunction because he has more than one Oneness. He thinks Einar must be suffering from a lack of fulfillment and purpose and thus tries to reset his system. He continues to refer to Einar as "The Carpenter" (also calls him the "vertically gifted" one which I thought was fucking hilarious), which heavily implies Einar's oneness was something related to construction and he likely was a builder robot. I find that really wholesome compared to the Einar we know now, someone who finds fulfillment in fishing, something so far from his original Oneness. The Gardener also confirms that Einar likely has so many Onenesses because of his relationships with the humans he's met along the way, which put Einar in a whole new light for me. I didn't find my interactions with Einar anything special but now knowing that he does think fondly of the humans he is friends with really shows that his dry demeanor does have a lot of sweetness and thoughts behind it. Especially taking useless items to him, like carrots (that I always gift him) and using them as decor. I wouldn't romance Einar personally, but I can see why anyone would. Total cutie, and easily one of my favorite NPCS now.
Hekla
HEKLA MY BELOVED!! I love she. She became one of my favorites early on when I first started playing Palia. She is just so cute! She is so loving and kind and her adoration for Jina is so sweet. *Somewhat spoilers* I thought her lore was really depressing and it's somewhat angsty when you realize she latched on to Jina because she failed her prior child. It's even more angsty when you do her friendship quests and find out she is aware her attachment to Jina initially started because of her instinct to find a new Oneness. She's such a mom with her awkwardness sometimes and lack of awareness of social cues. I thought her friendship with Einar was always cute since she confirms she plays mental chess with him, but the recent quest shows that they really do respect each other in a high regard. They have somewhat of a familial relationship, almost like brother and sister. I think having Hekla be so spherical is a really nice contrast to her character. She is big like a shield, providing protection but also comfort and companionship-- like the whole idea around loving someone who can give "bear hugs."
Tamala
I love her design. I actually did not know Tamala was a NPC until I began engaging with Hassian and found out they were ex-lovers. She gave me witch vibes and I was right, not disappointed since they nailed that perfectly with her design (or at least an alchemist of sorts). She's a flirt and my first impression was honestly "Wow, I know why so many people love her. She's a milf." That changed when I found out she is hundreds of years old, using magic to rejuvenate herself. Makes sense since she does give off Mother Gothel vibes! Not only did she ignore all of Hassian's letters but she also laughs about it in the player's face. I feel even more bad for Hassian after learning this since Sifuu is implied to be somewhat of a neglectful mother and his other mom died. Poor dude already has mommy issues and gets groomed by a witch (I think it was also implied they had been intimate, considering Hassian wanted to marry her). I wonder if Hassian was always so closed in and it was encouraged by his heartbreak with Tamala, or if he became reclusive because of her. Very interesting background characterization, but this bitch is a predator since Hassian is most likely in his early or late 20s. Aside from her very obvious character flaws, I do love the choice of having a morally incorrect character. Most of the other villagers warm up to you, and even Eshe I would mark in the morally grey category. I also love the detail that most of the village is aware of her relationship with Hassian and doesn't fuck with her for what she did, or they just don't fuck with her period. Imagine being practically immortal and spending each century or so being hated by everyone.
Najuma
MY DAUGHTER! I love Najuma she's basically my kid. The parental figure you become to her has me weak in the heart every time she comes to you for help. I felt so bad when she comes to your housing plot after getting into a fight with her dad in one of her friendship quests. She even apologizes, not being sure you would kick her out or be bothered by her presence. She heavily confides in the player and even Hodari acknowledges this. When you try and talk to him about banning Najuma from the mines, he's firm on his answer and appreciates you looking out for her but that won't change his mind. I really wanna make a separate post on what NPCS would have a crush on the player despite not being romanced and Hodari is absolutely up there. ANYWAYS back to Najuma. I love how socially awkward she is too, really does a good job characterizing that she's just a teenager. I didn't even notice this until a friend who plays Palia pointed it out, but the fact she lost her leg in the explosion makes sense as to why there is such a big maturity gap between her and Auni. Auni has a good chunk of angst (which I will soon discuss) but he is certainly more on the carefree and energetic side compared to Najuma. Her intelligence is off the charts and makes sense considering she was hands-on working with both her father and mother. Her relationship with Auni is adorable, and I love how he looks up to Najuma. She's got the whole "Ahh you're so annoying but you can stay" dynamic with him and she clearly tries to act like she's annoyed by his energetic behavior with the player despite clearly hanging out with Auni enough to know a lot about him. Auni even has one of his friendship quests about Gardenia's, who he learned about from Najuma and wanted you to verify if it was true or not since she likes messing with him. Her bond with Zeki too was fairly surprising, and I like how Najuma is essentially an apprentice for him. He does not patronize her because she is a kid, however he does acknowledge that she has grown up too fast because of her experiences and is softer on her compared to the other villagers.
Auni
Last one for this post! Auni was always adorable to me, but his quests got him to be one of my favorite NPCS! I actually thought he was around the same age as Najuma because he has some pretty heavy inner turmoil for his age. He has a whole quest about wanting to run away because he feels so distant from his older brother, Nai'O. I absolutely adore their brotherly bond and Nai'O after this quest continuously mentions that's worried about Auni or mentions he appreciates you looking out for him. Nai'O (my impression of him has changed, I mind redo my initial impressions later on after I've written by impressions on everyone) is a super hard-worker and can't say no to people and frequently overworks himself (ex. that one bakery festival with his mom and the concert with Kenyatta). He has already confirmed his path as a farmer. His family is dirt-broke poor and frequently is behind on their taxes, which makes sense why Auni feels distant from him. Not to mention Nai'O is also dating Kenyatta, where some of his free time does seem to go. In addition to a less-than satisfactory relationship with his brother, Auni also is already having an identity crisis. He has an obsession with magic and is instantly enamored by the player upon meeting them because he thinks humans are all magical. His dream is to join the Order when he's older, but that would mean straying from his Path as a farmer. We already know what happens to villagers that stray from their path-- Look at Reth! He was not good at his path and went with something else and despite being good at it, he still receives a lot of judgment and shame. Then you have the angst with going along with your path, like with Jel. He is the only son in his family and all of his sisters are successful, creating a rivalry and tension between them all. Not to mention, his mom is still working as a high-end tailor present day. He has not been accepted by his mother and has been feeling the pressure since he was young, even going as far to steal one of his sister's designs. Despite having an obvious passion for tailoring, it makes sense why he's so melancholic. Imagine having this angst at Auni's age, especially seeing that his family is struggling and this Path is leading them into the ground. Not only does he have to acknowledge that this Path is not successful for his family currently, but that abandoning this path means it will die out (especially with the implications that Nai'O does not really wanna do this for the rest of his life). Aside from all that turmoil, his child-like innocence and his love for insects is so adorable. He admires Najuma (platonically or romantically as a little school-boy crush, who knows) and I love how he learns a lot from her. His relationship with Hassian too is also super adorable, since they seem to play cards every day. I was super confused when Auni tells you that Hassian is mad at you and then Hassian denies it-- for a good bit I couldn't tell if Auni had misread the situation or Hassian had gotten vulnerable and wasn't expecting Auni to tattle. In either interpretation, he clearly trusts Auni and I think that makes his whole situation with Tamala even more tragic. He was young and naive, and likely a lot more social-able before she broke his heart. I would say Auni is my son but my player would get jumped by Delilah and Badruu, so he's my surrogate son for the time being.
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HELLO!!! Just wanted to say i found your little mitsuya bully fic on an ao3 and instantly binge read the entirer thing! it's really good and i can't wait to read the next chapter as soon as it comes out (ofc without rushing it, take care of yourself and take all the time you need to make another one of your masterpieces). Anyway just wanted to say this!!! i love your stuff!!!
just ascended to the stratosphere this is so sweet crying
also if you read from ao3 I don’t have all the chapters I currently have written on there (I probably. should do that. but read up here for now)
I haven’t updated the fic because of college (im a psych major) but also I don’t know how to end it. I am highly requesting suggestions. I want a good happy ending but a well deserved one with good development and redemption. I didn’t have a good plot finale in mind when I began the story and it’s coming to bite me in the ass. peace and love ❤️
gege please gege please GEGE PLEASE don’t offscreen him ‼️
side note: I like the little detail that whenever Yuta gets into combat, his eyes are colored in white rather than black. It’s super fun characterization of Yuta to see how his fighting style is illustrated as a fight or flight instinct.
(impres. is short for impressions btw! also big ass rambling)
I started Palia the other day and I'm amazed it's free. Aside from some obvious glitches, the game is pretty good and it's on par with some games that charge money. I've been doing some quests but I'm not too far into the story, but I have some strong feelings about some characters. This might not have a big fanbase but if there is only one fan, I am one! I'm just gonna give some first impressions and how I headcanon some characters personality wise based on other impressions of them from the villagers n shit. You should try it out if you already haven't!
Nai'O:
STARTING OFF WITH MY ANNOYANCE FOR THIS MAN. I know a big controversy with him is that he's in a monogamous relationship with another villager (spoilers: Kenyatta) yet he is still a romancable character. Although in his culture it is normal to have poly relationships, he has some pretty inconsistent writing (im gonna get into this more later with Reth). He argues that Reth flirts with everyone, which he clearly is annoyed by, but if he falls in love with the player, he actually is fine dating both you and Kenyatta depending on your dialogue choices. Seems inconsistent that he would get pissed at Reth while he was over here flirting with the player. ALSO— Kenyatta literally calls Reth hot, so she’s not even fully loyal to him either. He seems aware of this, since it honestly sounds like his disliking of Reth is more jealousy than anything. I personally don’t see the significance of having the two of them date monogamously if they’re clearly open to poly or having an open relationship. Aside from that, he's a very sweet villager who I knew I was gonna like from the start. Farm boy himbo that knows what he's doing until it comes to social cues. Romance him if you wish! He's a sweet boy who wants what's best for his family but aside from that, he's a fairly simple character. As far as I've explored the world and quests, I haven't found any deeper nuance or lore with him since his family is pretty wholesome. Nothing wrong with simplicity, but I love characters with a little more complexity and nuance since there is so much more to dive into, analyze, and admire.
Reth:
my boyfriend First impression was how this man was a flirt. It's pretty heavily implied imo that Reth is a womanizer and sleeps around. His boss, Ashura, mentions something about Reth likes having his nights free and Nai'O blatantly just says this man flirts with everyone in proximity. I find the beef between him and Nai'O interesting, as it implies either Reth is jealous of him or dislikes him because he considers him cowardly for hiding his relationship with Kenyatta. When Nai'O sends you off on a quest to deliver something to Reth, he calls Reth "loverboy" and he calls out him and Kenyatta for sneaking around and also Hassian's love poems. This is kinda reiteriated when he makes a comment about Hassian's love letters being not-so-secret. He's aware how he's an obvious flirt, which I find admirable. He does not give a fuck about how anyone perceives him and is open about it, which is why he shames the other two for sneaking around with their romance lives. In another quest, he makes another comment about stealing Nai'O's muscles. Initially I thought he was interested in Kenyatta but I think him flirting with her is more of a rivalry between him and Nai’O. Amongst the villagers, they are the two canonically best looking, which is an interesting dynamic. It makes sense why Nai’O would then be pissed off Reth was flirting with Kenyatta, as he knows she does find him attractive. I headcanon that Reth is one of the few characters that would be romantically interested in the player even if they didn’t romance him because of his voicelines. Some of them are like “uh oh, gotta go uh…” and he’ll make up an excuse to leave sounding flustered. Reth, to me, is one of the more complex characters because of how much shit goes unsaid with him. He comes off as very easygoing because he's stressed because he has a hard time saying no and ends up lying, which gets him into a load of shit. His small talk is really sweet though, I like to headcanon he's flirty so the (spoilers) cartel can’t tell who he’s close with. I'm currently romancing him and one other man! I really find it cute how he sweet he is to his sister. Bold move to abandon the family careerline (especially since he is I think the only dude in the village who is not carrying family tradition) and he knows all eyes are on Tish (his sister) because of it. It's cute that he only cares about how people talk about him when it impacts his sister. I assume this is why he usually takes all the shit the other villagers give him because he knows it would go on his sister otherwise. I felt so bad bc I actually didn’t cover for him in one of his friendship quests because I thought ashura would’ve figured I was lying. In Reth’s letter, he writes if you covered for him or didn’t and says there’s no hard feelings and that he was using the free time he got to spend with his sister. I’m sorry pookie 🥹
Hassian:
Really liked him at first, but he became unlikable really fast. He's super attractive if you're looking for a black cat boyfriend or a tsundere, but it gets old quick. He comes out rude even when he's trying to be nice and in real life this shit would be so toxic. In game reasonably it's more tolerated but it just is not my cup of tea. I'm usually a sucker for dudes with this archetype too since it's just nice to see people soften up and get comfortable, but Hassian just can be overbearing. I was leveling up my friendship with him and he sent a letter saying "You'll probably freeze to death without my help, so take this. You'll thank me for it later." like lil bro fuck u. Jokes aside, I'm not a fan of the fact he's romancable mainly because it's revealed later on (spoilers) that he is in love with another villager, Tamala. It's lowkey fucked up because there is a whole quest where you have to deliver one of his letters to her and if you deliver it to her on the first try, she laughs at his letter, showing it's clearly not reciprocal, at least anymore. On his romance quests (I searched it up bc I got curious) she admits she led Hassian on because she wanted a fling and he wanted marriage. I felt so bad for bro but lowkey he brought this shit on himself. Tamala affirms what I'm arguing because she explains they broke up b/c of his "sour" demeanor. Again, cute on paper, but if you don't write any development it gets old fast. It kind of even feels like you're a rebound for Tamala. I do like that the villagers know he has a soft spot for Auni (one of the 2 children villagers) because he always plays with him. This could have been a great premise for character development but unfortunately it just does not go anywhere. I know there's a reddit thread complaining about Hassian's lack of development and another for Nai'O being in a relationship and romanceable-- if anyone's is interested in reading more.
Hodari:
First impression: dilf. I'm not crossing that out I'm being honest. I instantly wanted to romance Hodari but honestly as I kept playing he lowkey came off as such a dad and then I realized bro is in fact a father. If you want a dilf, go for it. But if you have daddy issues like me, you're gonna look at bro in a different light when you get to know his character. His lore is pretty fucked up but it's sweet he's trying to look out for his kid, just the way he goes about it is not the best. I did really like one dialogue in idle chat with him that he admits he knows his daughter sneaks out and he doesn't say anything about it because he knows he can be a helicopter dad sometimes. I'm still debating as of now if I'm gonna romance him or not but I haven't seen any red flags with Hodari as of yet, just that he's reasonably a little closed in and dry, but he's not nearly as hostile as Hassian.
Jel:
bros side profile is immaculate. my HUSBAND. Loud and proud bro. At first I genuinely did not fuck with him because he was so mean initially. He made it sound like you were a peasant. He develops quickly through small talk though and it's so cute, like he easily became my favorite. He goes on night walks and enjoys the beauty of literally everything: some of his favorite gifts are insects and shells. He finds everything potential of beauty. He's a little corny when he's greeting you (he'll talk abt how you brighten his loneliness bc he's so dramatic) but I adore it. Also call me odd but I find that when a man has a girl best friend, immediate green flag. His relationship with Tish reminds me a lot of me and my best friend I adore it SOOO much. I'm in the process of romancing him and BRO I found out through youtube tutorials that if you're romancing him and someone else he comes to your house and tells you "If you were trying to keep this from me because you thought it would affect things between you and I, you're wrong. I'm a big boy. I know how to share." WHAT? WHAT? WHAT. Anyways I would 100% recommend romancing him I see no flags if they are any, red is my favorite color. goodnight.
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Reading the side stories just gave me motivation to finish my mitsuya fanfic. oh also. I don’t know if peh yan and yasuda are canon (I always imagined that peh yan liked yasuda and yasuda liked Mitsuya but on the wiki page it says yasuda is married to peh yan so…) but I definitely will be writing a one shot abt this. you know I love me and angst.
update: apparently yasuda and peh yan are canonically married. anyways
hi! so in the original games N is older than the trainer (which is obvious since… trainer is supposed to be you.) However, in Pokémon Masters EX and the manga (Pocket Masters), there is only a 2 year age difference. In the manga, N is roughly 16-18, Hilda being 14-16 (apparently one of the musical composers for Pokémon confirmed Hilbert is old enough to drive a car). Pokémon Masters EX doesn’t have a confirmed age range but based on the manga and how he acts in the game, I’d assume the age range is the same (N has a way different demeanor than his game counterpart, which makes it obvious they’ve taken a different approach to his character). In Pokémon Evolutions there’s also an implied relationship of sorts (Platonic/Romantic depending how you see it) between Hilda and N when Hilda cries after seeing N has betrayed her. I am not a supporter of any pedo ships, but I’m sorry that there was a misunderstanding! Quick summary, There’s probably a few other things I’m missing but yes, N is an adult in the game, but in the manga and more recent Pokémon versions, like Pokémon Masters, the two have heavily implied to be in the same age range. Feel free to ask anymore questions!
Scenario #1: “Hilda shines the brightest when she’s battling” – N
He can’t remember the first time he noticed that. Now, of course, it’s nothing new. He’s used to noticing the way her eyes gleam, her hair swishes from her eager mannerisms, the way her fists grip to the point where her nails leave an imprint on her skin, the way her arms cut through the air as she guides her pokemon to follow her lead. The first time he ever formally met her was in Accumula Town, challenging her. He justified the battle because she was an outspoken activist against Team Plasma, but he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t seen her before. Being isolated from humanity for so long, it was only natural for him to find piqued interest in the two trainers brave enough to stand against the team he pledged allegiance too. Hilbert, he was strong, his charisma unmatched , but Hilda… what attracted him to her could not be put in words. Her smile– It was so gleefully wide, even after battling him she smiled at him, as if she was able to sense how he was a victim of his environment. Reading through all of his traumas through his cloudy turquoise eyes seemed to be a special talent of hers. He had watched the two of them on their journey prior to Accumula town. He knows it was after word had spread of them throughout his team, two trainers threatening the ultimate goal of Team Plasma– of him. Yet, even angry as he was for the confinement of Pokemon in what he used to consider prisons, he found himself holding back. He didn’t want to harm her or her Pokemon truly, but scare them away.
A face as beautiful as hers would have been put to waste if it was only seen as she destroyed his truths and ideals.
He remembers one instance in particular, Hilda running in after chasing Team Plasma grunts. He stops her, leaning in, allowing his cologne to waft over her. A part of him was doing it to distract her so his grunts would be able to escape, another part hoping he’d successfully seduced her. Instead, she looks up at him, big eyes largening even further, waiting for him to say something. He holds in a sigh as he says, “You’re looking for Team Plasma, right? They went into the amusement park. Come with me.” He escorts her to the location he saw his grunts, or claimed to, and turned back to her, saying they were no longer there. He used it as an excuse to get in the Ferris Wheel with her, claiming the high ground would help them find the members who ran. She agrees, softly smiling as he rambled about how he loved the mechanics of Ferris Wheels, painting the innocent picture that was enough to convince her to get on. They get on the ride, both eagerly gazing out of the window. He had never noticed before, but her eyes, a beautiful shade of dark blue, were not cloudy like his were. She had light in her eyes, it reflected so elegantly that he was certain she had to be an angel from above, sent to help him achieve his plans. He chuckled to himself, wishing that really was the case so he could justify his infatuation with the outlander who challenged his authority. She looks over, giggling, assuming he was laughing because of the look on her face, or perhaps because of how happy he was to be on the Ferris Wheel. Oh, he told her he loved it so much, he was a nerd– she could tell. His intricate analysis of the ph–
┃ “I am the King of Team Plasma.”
She whips her head to him, beginning to back to the edge of the cart, hesitantly hovering her hand over her bag. His heart can’t help but twitch when he sees this unfold, but he persists. He tells her about how he was recruited by Ghetsis and his own philosophies and beliefs about the world filled of pocket monsters they live in. He gets closer, never uttering a word about her readiness to defend herself, but instead softly grips her hand as she flinches. A silent promise he would not harm her, and would never dare do so, even as she stood in his way. Her hand relaxes, her fingers lacing around his larger ones, taking a deep breath in and a deep one out. They exit off the ride once the cycle is done, only to be confronted by the grunts who were searching for their “sire.” He whispers to her, uttering about how she was under his protection for a reason that just doesn’t click within her just yet, but she knows she trusts him when he asks
┃ “Do you follow my logic?”
She nods. The battle begins and this time, she notices a slight smile on his face, despite his obvious strain in doing so to protect his true intentions from his grunts.
He remembers eagerly awaiting the next time she would put her faith in him against all odds.
✿ a.n. // any non-related Tokyo Revengers posts do very poorly on here, so I’m hoping if I post more non-related content I’ll attract a more complex following. I hope someone is enjoying my work on here :)
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happy birthday draken!!! not really happy here however
I’m screaming, crying, throwing up, cutting off all my hair, bashing my head against the wall, putting holes in the wall, violently sobbing, throwing my phone across the room, shattering my mirror, throwing myself down the stairs, crashing into the grocery store, drinking bleach right from the bottle, setting my room on fire, and disintegrating.
✿ Topics covered: (Eventual) Enemies to lovers trope, Y/N POV, Slow-burn, tsundere!Mitsuya, bully! Mitsuya, fem. reader, slight angst, angst w/ comfort, cussing / use of derogatory terms
Gentle, crisp air grazed your nostrils. It brought relief to your grief-stricken eyes, still far too swollen from the night before. The view from here coated your figure, spreading warmth across your body– not suffocating, and not too little. All around you was silky smooth, your skin spreading across the delicate fabric, feeling like it would tear as you dragged your fingers across it. It hugged you, airy and sweet, almost enwrapping you and comforting you, aware of the struggles you brought to slumber. The more you felt your hands grazing the fabric, the more it felt like you were beginning to become one with it, to let it create home around your drained body– only for that comfort to begin to fade. The more you stroked, the more you began to slowly awaken, unfamiliarity beginning to coil in your stomach. The more you stroked, the more you began to indulge in the fabric only to realize you could not afford a material of this caliber. With a quick panicked lift of the head, you began to more firmly analyze the fabric with your fingers, only to realize this was not the comfort of your bed. Desperately wiping the sleep off your eyes, the beaming sun protecting you from the still-icy wind of February began to look foreign, as you never remembered getting a view of this beauty at your dorm. Upon examination, you never had a bed this big to begin with, it was enough to fit more than yourself in it. Your figure retracted away from the comfort of the bed as you began to look around the room, finally letting it sink in that this was definitely not on campus. Looking at your attire, you had realized you had not retired from your party outfit, meaning you most likely were brought here. You couldn’t remember calling a cab, nor do you remember getting drunk, thus it had to be that something had slipped your water– Mitsuya– that assh-
The derogatory terms about to escape from your thoughts came to a halt, beginning to remember your breakdown in front of him. He kept questioning you, harassing you, asking why you were crying. You kept informing him, no, scolding him that it really was none of his concern, but of course he failed to take the hint. Of course, he only began to get closer, to which you allowed. You allowed his arms to disperse over your waist, hugging you closer, as his hands began to play with your hair and rub circles within your back, fooling you into believing that you were safe in his arms. It wasn’t a surprise that you ended back up at his dorm– no… apartment. It was far too large than what the college you both attended would offer. Somehow, even after asserting he brought you back to his place, you couldn’t force the feeling of unsafety if you tried. He may be an asshole, but something within you asserted that he was not malicious enough to hurt you in your time of vulnerability. You wish it were incorrect, but the statement was confirmed by the fact your outfit remained untouched from the night before. What was new was a few unnoticeable patches covering where your outfit had been worn out. Unnoticeable to the eye, that is, but upon touching it, you could tell a new piece of fabric had been added, making you sigh upon realizing he had touched up your outfit as you slept. You considered it– no, alas you knew it was an unspoken apology. Without a thought behind your figure rising, your body figured it would be best to look for the man instead of hogging the bed, assuming he had slept in another room. You found yourself correct once you were greeted with the sight of a blanket draping off the couch in the next room onto the floor. Something made your stomach drop about the image and you pretended to not know what it was. It was the fact that the blanket was much too small to cover Mitsuya, once you imagined him lying there in a peaceful slumber. He was no longer sleeping, a sight you would never admit you were grateful to not see, knowing you’d be tempted by the urge to invite him into the bed with you. Knowing that it would not bother you as much as it sounded like it did when the words came out of your mouth. Knowing that you weren’t as angry at him as you should have been after the past few months. You began to take a few steps forward, only to feel your heart clench at the sound of a female voice. The clench loosened once you realized the voice was far too high-pitched to be one of your fellow classmates. The clench dispersed entirely once you turned around and found yourself greeted by two adorable girls, one hiding behind the other. It was reminiscent of an image Mitsuya had shown you of his sisters in their youth. The shy one standing behind her sister, rather than holding on to her shoulder for comfort as she had done in the photo. The bolder one in front of her, a smile beaming at you as she granted you an energetic wave.
┃ “Hi!” The bold one greeted you, leading you to determine she was Luna.
┃ “She’s really pretty…” The shy one mumbled, allowing you to identify her as Mana.
┃ “Hello.” You replied, a lilt audible for the sisters to stare at you in awe.
┃ “Are you Taka-chan’s girlfriend?” Mana questioned, a cheery tone following the end of the question, despite her quiet demeanor.
┃ “Mmh, she can do better than Taka…” Luna teased, admiring all of your features.
┃ You couldn’t help but giggle and examined them in silence. Your eyes darting to their heights and faces, a fond smile appearing at your face seeing how much the two have grown. Although you never met the two in person, the photos you had been shown had to have been quite old, none of them illustrating their present appearance. The two didn’t appear that different in age, perhaps around 2-3 years. Luna looked like the eldest sister, at around 12 years old. Mana appeared to be the younger one, to which you assumed she was about 10 by now. You couldn’t help but put your hand to your chin, grateful that Mitsuya would even trust you to bring you to the apartment where he kept the two. Upon further thought, you walked past the two for a brief moment to indeed find there was another room present in addition to the shared bedroom of the girls. His mother also stayed in this apartment. Luna’s voice grounded you out of your thoughts:
┃ “Ah, you know, Taka doesn’t bring people over much except for Hakki n’ the others. Are you a new friend since you aren’t his girlfriend?” She questioned, taking your silence as a welcoming for more questions. Footsteps slowly impending as you began to process what was easily missed. You had been so honed on his sisters, you failed to notice the smell of sweet maple syrup from the kitchen. You had failed to process the sound of the flame underneath the pans clicking. You had failed to notice a whistle in the kitchen as he cooked, the tapping of his feet following the rhythm erupting from his mouth. You had failed to comprehend Mitsuya was awake, seemingly listening to the conversation ensuing, hoping to hear something of interest. Or perhaps, waiting for you to approach him. It seems he had gotten tired of waiting, as his footsteps began to get louder as they approached you and his sisters standing in the hallway leading from the rooms to the comfort area. Although, he did not display a hostile look on his face, but rather a suspiciously bright one followed with a grin.
┃ “You’re awake, it seems, hm?”
You turned your attention to the man standing in a fairy-covered apron, black hair ruffled and twisted, one hand holding a spatula as his lavender eyes gently fell upon your figure after your face, examining you thoroughly, not once with malicious intent. You wanted to be angry at him, but when you looked in his eyes, you felt yourself melt without him laying a hand on you. You found yourself opening your mouth, only to let out a squeak as you were unable to form words. His grin became lopsided, taking your speechlessness as a sign of hostility, which he couldn’t blame you for. You had ever right to be in contempt of him. Nevertheless, he kept trying.
┃ “...You’ve met my sisters then, Luna and Mana. Did you both introduce yourselves?”
┃ The two girls shook their head, looking down in shame. He sighed and tapped them both on the head, a silent signal for them to introduce themselves.
┃ “I’m Luna!” The older one enthusiastically confirmed.
┃ “I’m Mana.” The younger one followed.
┃ “It’s nice to meet you two. I’ve heard stories of Mitsuya making you clothes during his workshop club, is this one of them?” You motioned and gently tugged at Luna’s floral nightdress, one that contrasted Mana’s purple cloud pajamas, a two-piece short sleeve shirt decorated with matching florals on the borders of it, almost resembling a kimono design. It displayed a much more relaxed color scheme.
┃ “Yeah! There’s a LOT more, do you wanna see? Come!” She eagerly intertwined her fingers within your own, not caring to collect your name at the moment, excited to brag about her brother’s beautiful custom-made wears. Dragging you past Mitsuya only to come to a stop as Mitsuya’s hand wrapped around your wrist, slightly tugging you back before Luna dragged you any further.
┃ “Y/N needs to eat breakfast first, you two already ate.” He remarked, an unconscious smile growing upon his face indulging in the quick bonding between you and his sisters. His fantasy quickly broken as you looked up at him, hesitant eyes staring at him as you stated:
┃ “...I don’t think I’ll be staying long..”
┃ “Huhhh? Why not, don’t you wanna stay with us?” Luna’s mouth dropped open, a frown beginning to form as she impatiently tugged you to follow her and attempted to break her brother’s grasp on you. You turned to her once more, a pout beginning to tug at your own lips as you tried to rack your brain for an excuse to leave without alerting the girls of your problem with their brother.
┃ “...Mm, I have weekend classes. I can’t afford to miss them.”
┃ “Surely, you still have time for breakfast, no? We aren’t far off from the campus.” Mitsuya insisted, hand still not retracting from your wrist.
┃ “I really don’t think s-”
┃ “Please.” His voice wavered, a desperate plea fleeing from his lips, only to cause him to quickly turn his head towards his sisters, noticing their widened eyes, confusion clouding their eyes.
┃ “Please,” He cleared his throat, “I just want to make sure you have enough energy before your class.” He gently stated, glassy eyes staring at you, hand subconsciously giving your wrist a tighter hold, as if telling you he didn’t want you to go. Your heart faltered and you swore at yourself for being too sensitive– for still having a soft spot for the man who had caused so much harm.
┃ “...Just a quick bite.”
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
┃ “I’m okay to take myself home, thank you very much.” You said, swatting the gentle large hands away from your arm as he desperately tried to keep you in his arms.
┃ “You’ve been crying for far too long for it to be alright that you leave alone. Please, let me drive you. I need to know you’ll be getting home alright.” His voice not once faltering, but rather vibrating with a soft sternness, as if scolding you when you knew he was far from it.
┃ “I don’t have an apartment, I live on campus in the dorm. There will be students all around me– I won’t be alone and I won’t be in danger, I promise.”
┃ “All of those students are most likely coming back from partying, just as you are. Drunk and reckless, that’s not the kind of place I want you to be when you’re like this.” Taking your silence as you carefully processing his words, he stepped closer and once more pulled you in his embrace. Certainly all the other party-goers thought you were a couple from the way he hugged you from behind, no longer attempting to hug you from the front, as you would simply turn your face away from him once again. This side of Mitsuya was the affectionate side you were initially introduced to, one that now made special appearances when he wasn’t too busy embarrassing you in front of your classmates. His hands trailed to nowhere sensual, but rather places that made you safe, hands not gripping your hips but rather wrapping around the front and pulling you closer to his chest. Unable to deny the satisfaction and comfort you felt when he spoke to you in such a manner, you turned around and spoke, hoping your assertiveness would drown out the red flushing your face.
┃ “Why are you being so nice?”
┃ “You were crying.”
┃ “Yeah, because of you.”
┃ “So you admit I was the one who made you cry.”
┃ “You often do.”
┃ “Then you will let me take you home as an apology.”
┃ “You’d have to take me back to my dorm everyday in order to make up for what you’ve done to me.” You scoffed, hoping that’d be enough to break his determination.
┃ “Then I’ll do just that.”
You found yourself unable to reply, speechless on how persuasive, on how he was set to ensure you did not return home alone tonight. The overwhelming desire to allow yourself to let go in his presence enwrapped you once more, just as it has been for the past several months. The unconscious desire for things to return to what they once more was an unwavering force. All you remember was that the night ended with him buckling your seatbelt in the passenger seat of the car and you began to doze off upon watching the moonlight drizzle your body, welcoming the slumbering atmosphere as it claimed you. Your head slumped against the window, hair brushing against the window as the car continued to drive until it gently bumped against the headrest behind you as the car came to halt at the stoplight. He turned his head to check on you, only to see that you had dozed off. He wasn’t even halfway there and let out a shameless chuckle at your figure slumped against the headrest. He reached over and adjusted the chair so that you would now be laid down as if you were sleeping in a bed before laying a gentle kiss on your forehead. Not fond of the idea of dropping you off half-asleep at your dorm, he decided it would be better to just take you to his place off-campus. Hakkai would be certain to question him if he were to let you reside back at his own dorm with Hakkai in the next room. Plus, he wasn’t in the mood for Hakkai’s drunk persona, the one that happened to read social cues of whoever was in front of him with exceptional speed his sober persona failed to do. Or rather, maybe he was just making all of those excuses to justify him directly disobeying your orders. Maybe he was just making these excuses just to have you near him because he knows that you’d act as if you didn’t know him the next morning and the next week, and the next month until he bothered you again. All he remembered was everything you did not, him carrying you up and unlocking the apartment door as his sisters slept and gently removing your shoes and placing you on the bed. He remembers never touching your clothes because he wanted to preserve your cleanliness from his filth and he remembers making sure the pillow was extra fluffed in order to ensure you slept like a queen. He remembers not sleeping in his own bed because he did not want to make you uncomfortable. He remembers lying to himself, knowing the real reason he would not sleep in the same bed as you is because he knew you would be gone the next morning. He remembers lying down on the couch with a blanket from Luna and Mana’s youth and enwrapping himself in it, feeling something bearing on his heart that was unable to yet form itself into words. Maybe he wasn’t in the place to admit he had fallen for the girl he was bullying, the one who used to formerly reside as a friend rather than a victim. Maybe not yet, maybe– nothing definite, just maybe.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The way you looked at him across the table while eating was less than satisfactory, but it was enough to keep him satiated. The fact that you even acknowledged his presence and let alone tolerated it in the presence of his sisters was enough for him. Those eyes of yours could stare at him with the most repugnance, the most animosity, the most aversion, and he would still be desperate for even a single glance. All because it was a glance that came from you, and nobody else. They were playing a video game, apparent by the frequent screeching of Luna, to which Mana called her a sore loser each time. Enamored by you, however, he couldn’t bring himself to get up and calm them down.
┃ “Want some?” You joked, motioning a slice of your pancake in his face to break his long gaze on you, only for him to bite it off of your fork with a grin on his face. He loved seeing that facial expression of yours, the one that was supposed to convey disdain but accidentally let a slip of enjoyment surface, the one that used to surface when he teased you in his club meetings. The face he thought he got over, only for it to hold his heart hostage once he saw it blossom on your face once more. The giggle that followed shortly after didn’t help either.
┃ “Ah, Mittens…” The nickname fell so affectionately off of your tongue, he could’ve sworn it was only made to come out of your mouth. His eyes widened, unprepared for you to address him in such a demeanor, it had been nearly a year since he had heard you call him that. It still made him flush the same way it did back then, he had to break eye contact or otherwise you’d notice. Fortunately for him, you did notice and couldn’t help but feel your own heart jump up with adoration, but disregarded it because you had more important matters to discuss.
┃ “Can we talk?” Oh how he hated hearing those come out of your mouth because he was certain it was the end, everything from here would remain a distant memory of lost potential– what could have been rather than what happened. Without a second thought, he quickly blurted
┃ “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything, please you have to understand I wasn’t acting myself– I was being so stupid, so irrational, so–”
┃ You tapped his hand with your own, allowing it to clasp down on it with no grip but tenderness alone. He nearly recoiled at the sudden kindness, but was glad he didn’t. He looked up, his lavender eyes filled with the most immeasurable disappointment. What broke you more was that all of it was held in contempt for himself. “Please, take your time. Let’s take it slow. Is that alright?”
┃ “YES!” His chest hovers over the dining table, distancing the two of you as he slams his palms on it, enthusiastic at you giving him the room to make amends. He brings his face dangerously close to your own, leading you to reveal a sly grin, basking in his glee. He realizes this and retreats instinctively. “Ah– sorry. Sorry. Yes, that’s okay, haha.”
┃ “Why did this all start?” You question, wiping the smile off your face and masking it with a poker face. You couldn’t let him off the hook, no matter how his eager demeanor silently persuaded you to do so.
┃ “I- I saw you, with Takemichi that day. You were talking outside the school after one of our club meetings. You told me I couldn’t wait with you because you didn’t want to make your friend uncomfortable, but I had a feeling it was just an excuse to shoo me off. Then, I saw Takemichi and– I don’t know.”
┃ “You don’t know?”
┃ “I DO know, but it’s so childish. It’s embarrassing to let-alone think of it, but the way you’d look at me afterwards would make it even more so to say it out loud.” He says, his voice cracking with desperateness the more he rambles, which only makes you even more eager to hear his full explanation and justifications. He could be so adorable when he wasn’t on that high-horse of his. You do not reply vocally, but the glimpse in your eyes tells him everything. He scratches the back of his head awkwardly, sighing as he continues.
┃ “I couldn’t fucking stand Takemichi. He was so frustrating– so aggravating, love!” The nickname slips so smoothly from his lips, he’s not even aware it made it past his thoughts. He continues rambling. “Peh-yan doesn’t have a brain, but at least he can fight! Takemichi couldn’t even do that. All of those brain cells had taken a vacation or something because he would accidentally solve things without actually trying! You know, Draken tells me this kid fell into some shit when trying to break up a fight between him and Mikey. He saved the whole gang by falling on his ass!” You laugh hysterically, finding yourself gasping for air the more Mitsuya rambled on about how he hated Takemichi. He saw your reaction and was only more desperate to keep you laughing like that for as long as he could. He could see your teeth– a very rare toothy-smile leaving your lips that never came to light, even in your time talking during club hours. He never wanted it to leave his sight. He kept going until he no longer could, before making a confession he never thought would be said aloud period, let alone to your face. “All that, and I still can’t hate the guy, y’know? A loveable, crybaby, dumbass. The truth was…”
┃ “Was…?”
┃ He goes silent for a moment before answering with a fake laugh. “I- I got jealous, you know? I kept thinking he was below me but the truth is, dude is pretty hard to hate. The way you looked at him, the way you laughed, I couldn’t stand it. I wanted it to be me. When you shooed me off, since I’m in the same gang as him, I just… I thought it was an excuse. I thought you just wanted me off your shit. I thought I was only just a friend to you, nothing outside of school. It hurt, dove, it really did and… and I’m sorry.” A single tear fell from his face, only for another to follow from his other eye, and then another, and another. His voice cracked when he said it. “I lo– like you. I just couldn’t stand it all, I thought I misread everything and I was so angry at you, even though you did nothing wrong! I yelled at you in front of everyone, pushed you around, teased you, HUMILIATED you! I’m so sorry– I’m such an asshole.” He began to weep, attempting to hide his face from you using his forearms and palms, but it obviously was to no avail. You were already teary-eyed, and seeing him fall apart was enough to make you fall apart yourself. You wiped your own tears and got up from your chair, walking over to where he sat across you. You attempted to part his arms away from his face, but he held his arms with resistance.
┃ “Mittens, please.” You insisted, your words being enough for him to loosen his arms enough to see his face once more. His lavender eyes reflected perfectly within them from how watery they were. More tears began to fall as he finally rested his arms and allowed you to embrace him. Your hand stroked across the thin fabric covering his torso, but it was enough to send chills down his spine. Both of you hated how soft you were for one another. Several protests clouded through your heads, “He doesn’t deserve you” to “I don’t deserve her.” As loud, as persistent as they were, neither of them were vocal thoughts. They dispersed into silence as you listened to Mitsuya breathe slowly in and out, calming down as you continued to stroke him. He listened to the sound of your fingers causing friction against the fabric of his shirt, and your own silent weeps. The two of you remained in this position, allowing each other to envelop one another. You broke away, his arms chasing you, not wanting to let you go. They faltered when you reached your hands for his face, gently holding him between your grasp. A gasp left his lips, his eyes staring at you, taking in the view of your face, pleased with the sight of you. You brought his face near yours– looking up at you as you stood over him.
just a note for anyone who supports tumblr writers, how about we don’t rush people who are clearly on a break? I’ll finish the chapter when I finish it, stop spamming my inbox because I’ll block you. I’ve got other things to be doing and it’s just insensitive to act like anyone has to drop everything for you.
on that note, I’m almost done with the chapter, but I’ve been catching up on a missed week of notes from class, so I haven’t been prioritizing it. I won’t give a timeframe but it shouldn’t take long to finish. I’ve been inactive because of my classes, it’s not easy holding a high gpa in addition to interning and other responsibilities. Try and be more considerate to any writers out there (sorry for the little vent loves)
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✿ Topics covered: (Eventual) Enemies to lovers trope, Y/N POV, Slow-burn, tsundere-Mitsuya, bully! Mitsuya, fem. reader, manga spoilers, slight angst, cussing / use of derogatory terms, kissing n shiz
┃ “LET’S GET THIS SHIT STARTED!!!!”
The party had already begun, but this announcement only caused the growing excitement and hype to bubble up until the entire party bursted with energy. Speakers were already pounding, the house was filled to the brim, glasses clinking as everyone began drinking even though it was barely 20 minutes into the party. All throughout the house were LED lights, all illuminating beautiful shades of purple, providing a charming chemistry and setting the mood for the sensual tension that was bound to happen as the night began. Mikey’s voice beamed with excitement, his voice vibrating within his throat, his friends giggles and chuckles filling the background, already content with Mikey’s attitude.
Attending said party was supposed to be Mikey’s friends, but as custom tradition, he usually got too drunk on the hype and would let anyone in to get the energy flowing. His friends would invite their friends, and their friends would invite their friends, and next thing they all knew, the house had been filled in the blink of an eye. The real eye candy of the party, however, remained only Mikey and his friends. “Mikey,” true name Manjiro Sano, was known as the Tokyo Manji Gang’s commander but at his college, he was known as the delinquent everyone hated yet swooned for once he opened his mouth. He was seeking to become a personal trainer, thanks to the adrenaline he got from gang fights, he thought he might as well put his skills to good use. His classmates found him quite annoying, always stealing people’s food and intruding on conversations. However, he’d open his mouth and music would spill out, the vibrato of his voice mesmerizing them all, leaving them speechless and dumb, unable to comprehend anything that he was even saying. There was something so cute yet so hot-- no, charming about the way he spoke. He’d call everyone nicknames, but when he’d call someone by said nickname, their heart would be pumping out of their chest, focusing on his shirt that covered his chiseled chest muscles unfairly underneath. Ask anyone, he’s the most annoying shit you’d ever meet in your life-- but god, what a specimen.
“Draken,” named after his signature dragon tattoo, located on the temple of his shaved head. His real name was Ken Ryuguji, but nobody called him that except for Mikey, who referred to him as “Ken-chin.” Draken was not a college student like his friends, he saw it as unnecessary since he wanted to be a mechanic. He was already well known throughout the community for his skills, so he saw it as a “waste of time” to get all “professional” about it. On the other hand, his girlfriend, Emma Sano, wanted to become a beauty guru. She was currently attending cosmetology school and was getting picked up by trending influencers or celebrities to prepare them for galas or parties. He couldn’t have been more proud of her, and she couldn’t have been more proud of herself. Mikey was especially proud of them both, happy to see his best friend and sister having the relationship he dreamed of them having.
Pah-chin and Peh-yan had both become experts in the real-estate field and were currently the richest amongst the friend group. Pah had quit Toman after his arrest, wanting to avoid any further additions to his police record. Peh-yan, loyal to his best friend, had done the same. However, they were still close with everyone, they just remained inactive within Toman. “Mucho”, true name Yasuhiro Muto, along with Smiley and Angry, on the other hand, were still active in Toman.
Similar to Mikey, Mucho had decided to put his strength to good use and frequently switched between a bouncer and a bodyguard. At least, he used to, until he “enthusiastically” told his friends he was offered to become the permanent bodyguard of a growing actress. “Enthusiastic” as in a slight raise in the pitch of his voice with a small smile, otherwise there was no noticeable difference in his face. Not even bothering to mention said actress, his friends all cheered and tackled the large man to the ground with hugs and pats. “Smiley” and “Angry,” otherwise known as Nahoya and Souya Kawata had both followed in Hakkai’s footsteps by becoming the well-known twin models. Hakkai had pointed out that since they always matched outfits and had a unique sense of style, they could easily dominate the model industry, which is exactly what they did.
Keisuke Baji, Kazutora Hanemiya, and Chifuyu Matsuno, dear god-- the womanizers all in a singular group. Keisuke Baji had skipped college similar to Draken, finding success without a degree being a boxer. He had found boxing was a healthy way, as Kazutora and Chifuyu noted, of expressing his violent tendencies. He had been picked up by several companies for his fighting abilities, and was even given an offer to become a wrestler, since he certainly had a stage presence. He was still deciding on the offer, unsure if being a wrestler was something he really wanted to do. No matter his decision, he still had his boyfriends to support him through it all. Kazutora and Chifuyu had both decided to become detectives, wanting to put those who’ve done wrong behind bars. They had only recently just became detectives after passing the promotional exam, which almost gave Kazutora a stroke-- he cried to Baji and Chifuyu after the exam was over and kept insisting he failed it. Prior to Chifuyu’s promotion, he served as a business advisor for Takemichi.
Leading on to Takemichi Hanagaki, Takemichi had become a well-known business man and rose to be the CEO of a company referred to as “Crybaby corporated,” which served the purpose of creating toys and materials for children and teenagers to be happy. Chifuyu served as his business advisor, even though they constantly referred to each other as partners. Takemichi officially wanted to make Chifuyu his business partner and share profits, but Chifuyu had opened up about his desire to be a detective and thus, he held back his offer and encouraged Chifuyu to pursue his dreams. Hinata Tachibana, Takemichi’s girlfriend, had succeeded in becoming a nurse a few months ago. Her dream was to always help people, and they both cried about it when she finally completed her residency.
You would think, having their lives so put together, they would’ve abolished Toman. Far from it, the gang was still very much active, but had the goal of punishing the younger delinquents and keeping the rival gangs in line. Mikey served as Toman’s Commander, Draken served as the Vice-Commander, Baji served as the 1st Division Captain with Chifuyu being his Vice-Captain, Takashi serving as the 2nd Division Captain with Hakkai being his Vice-Captain, and the list goes on. Everyone’s positions were very much the same, except Pah-chin had resigned his position to Kazutora. He was hesitant in doing so but was encouraged by the others, insisting Kazutora’s past was behind him and he could be trusted. Surprisingly, nobody had been arrested other than Pah-chin and Kazutora, after he turned himself in believing he had killed Baji. They all had grown smarter as they aged and knew where to host fights without any police interference. Their education and career paths also put them off the radar, harshly juxtaposing their constant police suspicion in their youth.
Arriving back to the party, this friend group had remained tight with one another since the beginning of the party. They refused to separate with one another, having too much fun drinking and gossiping with dancing in the mix. Mitsuya avoided any contact with Takemichi, still not over his irrational hatred for the man. The tension seemed to be completely invisible to the rest of the group, but Takemichi wasn’t stupid. Everyone continued chatting, giggling and exchanging with the group-- that is, everyone except Hakkai, which Mitsuya instantly noticed. He confided in the others that he had ditched Hakkai after class yesterday to sleep with someone, worried that Hakkai was still upset at him. All of them replying with a look of disapproval, others giving smug smirks as they nudged Mitsuya.
┃ “Oi, Mitsuya. What you doin’ messing with the ladies? More importantly, was it that important that you couldn’t let Hakkai know in advance?”
┃ “Ignore Ken-Chin, did you have a fun time Mitsuya? When’s the date? Details Mitsuya, details~”
┃ “I agree with Mikey, Mitsuya-kun! Who’s the lovely lady? Do we know her?” Emma persisted, the others mimicking her behavior by bombarding Mitsuya with questions.
┃ “There was nothing between us, I just needed to… get my mind off of something.”
Silence enveloped their circle, processing Mitsuya’s words carefully. It was unlike Mitsuya to be so reckless, so apathetic towards sex. It was no surprise Mitsuya was a womanizer, but he rarely slept with women unless he had a genuine romantic interest in them, or was filled by lust. His response, it displayed pure arrogance and disassociation, as if he derived no pleasure from this session at all. Worried looks began to be exchanged amongst the group, questioning glances to what was the source of Mitsuya’s stress. Before they could begin to question, the door creaked open, revealing the late guests to the party-- it was more of a club night at that point.
┃ “Hey babes, did ya miss me?”
They all began to laugh, rushing over to greet Hakkai at the front door. Only upon greeting Hakkai did they notice a woman hiding behind him, clearly uncomfortable with the stares she was getting from them.
┃ “Hakkai, who is your friend? She’s awfully beautiful.” Mikey quickly questioned, footsteps began approaching you as he wore his friendly smile.
┃ “This is (Y/N), she’s my date for tonight! She’s so lovely.” Hakkai said, faking his enamored tone, to which earned a giggle from you, all of which to Mitsuya’s dismay.
┃ “Ah, Y/N! I didn’t even recognize you, you look drop-dead stunning, girl! I’m not used to seeing you with makeup, all dressed up.” Emma replied, taking a few moments to admire you and your figure before reaching out to clasp your hands and bring you into a hug.
┃ “Y’know her, Emma?” Draken questioned, his curiosity beginning to peak even more. He hadn’t heard that Hakkai was interested in someone, nor was he dating someone. He peaked over to look at his best friend, only to see Mitsuya looked just as lost as he did, his eyebrows furrowed, fist clenching and strangling the phone that resided within it.
┃ “Mhm, she played for the varsity volleyball team, we played against each other a few times. She’s super strong!” Emma teased, earning her a slap on her right shoulder as she pulled you closer to her, her arm wrapped around your shoulders. Noticing the tensious environment as everyone began to notice Mitsuya’s growing anger, Mucho quickly stepped in.
┃ “Anyone important to Hakkai is important to us. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Y/N.”
Everyone nodded and introduced themselves individually to you, which made your heart warm at their kindness. You avoided any possible eye contact with Mitsuya, but you could feel his eyes burning holes right through you. He admired your figure in the outfit, only causing his hostility to grow, seeing how you dressed up for Hakkai. As they began to introduce themselves to you, Mitsuya quickly took the opportunity to beckon Hakkai over. Hakki obediently followed him as Mitsuya dragged him to the drink stand, far enough to get out of Draken’s nosy eavesdrop zone.
┃ “The fuck are you doing, Hakkai?”
┃ “I’m at a party with my friends and my date. What’s the problem, Taka-chan?”
┃ “Damnit Hakkai, you dense bastard! I told you she’s nothing but a slut, you just walked in her trap! She’s just trying to-”
┃ “Trying to what, Taka-chan?” The sudden harshness in Hakkai’s voice becoming evident to Mitsuya, which made him swallow as he continued, holding himself together.
┃ “She’s just trying to take advantage of you Hakkai. Listen, I’m just looking out for you.”
┃ “Has she ever slept with you, Mitsuya?”
┃ “What? No, god, no. I’d never sleep with a whore-”
┃ “Because if I didn’t know any better...” Hakkai interrupted him, making it quite obvious he was tired of Mitsuya’s smack talk regarding you.
┃ “It would seem like you just want her all for yourself, no?”
┃ “W-what? Did she tell you that? That bitch, she’s trying to turn you against me Hakkai, you need to lis-”
┃ “She ain’t tell me nuthin’, Mitsuya. Your behavior speaks louder than your words ever could. You got a crush on my date, huh? That why you been bullyin’ her all the damn time? She don’t want you? It upsets you that she’s all dolled up for me, not you? Does that bother you, Mitsuya?”
Silence enveloped the room, what seemed like an eternity as Mitsuya’s thoughts scattered into incomprehensible fragments, Hakkai suddenly bursts out laughing.
┃ “I’m just messin’ with ya, Taka-chan! But in all seriousness, give Y/N a chance. I know ya don’t like her much n’ I’m not really sure why, but really, she’s a big sweetheart.” Hakkai grins, leaving a harsh pat on Mitsuya’s back as he walks back to the friend group, giving you a subtle wink confirming your little “date” was enough to piss Mitsuya off.
Oh, the night was just beginning.
─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─
The party wasn’t as drama-inducing as you expected. Hakkai’s plan had made it sound foolproof-- the two of you would arrive all dressed up and a few minutes late. Arriving late would offer an opportunity for implications, which no doubt would infuriate Mitsuya even further. When you questioned Hakkai if he really wanted to do this, Hakkai had claimed that it was his idea, therefore it was fine.
┃ “He can’t just get off for bullying ya, Y/N. He’ll get no repercussions, and that’s not my style. I love Taka-chan dearly, I really do, but this is… this is unacceptable, Y/N! We’re getting REVEEEEENGEEE!!”
You were sure he was implying he was gonna kill the guy if you didn’t have any context.
After Hakkai’s wink, you couldn’t help but grin upon realizing Mitsuya was already so angry at the bare sight of you two together. At first, you were hesitant to feel good about this revenge plan, but Hakkai was right. It felt incredible-- all that humiliation, embarrassment as he pushed you in public, grabbing you by your wrists or chin, making you grovel on the floor in apologies before he’d let you leave-- it was all worth it just to see him crumble apart. Yet, there was still that small fragment of your heart that longed to comfort him, assure him there was nothing between you and Hakkai. He’d probably recoil, saying something along the lines that he doesn’t care, but he appreciated you being a “good girl” and telling him regardless. You longed for his praises, the ones he used to shower you in every club meeting. Patting your head softly as he remarked how you were such a hard-worker and how smart you were, or how you were so diligent and he’d tease about making you his “lovely assistant.” You ached just to feel the way his warm hands would stroke your hair out of your face as you worked. He bathed you in his attention, something all of his club members envied, which explained why everyone was completely fine with your public degradation. You wished you and Mitsuya could have talked, had a conversation about what happened, disappointed that Hakkai had to use context clues to put the puzzle together in front of you. The way he was right now, he was too immature to talk to, too irrational to hold a genuine conversation with you.
He was currently talking with Hakkai and Yuzuha, who you certainly would’ve fallen in love with at first sight if Mitsuya didn’t have your heart in a chokehold. The three seemed to be invested in their conversation, you didn’t dare interrupt to steal Hakkai away from them. Instead, you drifted your attention to Hakkai’s friends and found yourself easily fitting in with them. Mucho felt like an older brother to you, scolding the others if they teased you about Hakkai. Smiley and Baji were a little… energized, but kind to you regardless. Angry seemed a little too nervous to hold a conversation with you, but you found him awfully adorable when he attempted to try and talk to you.
Chifuyu and Kazutora made you feel at home, similar to Hakkai. The three of you had hit it off instantly and you quickly found yourself bonding with them. Chifuyu began blabbering as if he didn’t just meet you a few hours ago, while Kazu was a little bit more cautious. Eventually though, add a little liquor and he went on and on about some stories he had while he was in prison and said you were a great listener. Emma spoke to you, but was dragged away by Draken. While he made it quite subtle, you noticed Draken seemed to have an unspoken hostility towards you. No doubt, it had to do something with Mitsuya’s visible anger, which made you look suspicious in his eyes. You desperately yearned to clear up the situation, but you were uncertain if Mitsuya had ever spoken of you to the others and thus, you held your tongue in fear of starting drama. Takemichi and Hina were head over heels in love with one another, not separating from each other the whole night.
Takemichi, however, made it a point to make you feel welcomed once you arrived at the party. He was the first to note Mitsuya’s hostility with you and questioned it, although you dismissed it, not wanting to ruin his fun night. Hina sighed, disappointed you weren’t opening up but you insisted the two of them have fun and that you would tell them about it later. Mikey, out of all the others, was the only one who displayed a unique interest in you, enamored by the way your outfit highlighted your figure and persona so well. He was dying to know more, but seeing you were Hakkai’s date, he made it a point to distance himself but remained friendly. You were a sucker for praises, but you didn’t dare demonstrate interest in him. After all, you were supposed to be on a date with Hakkai, anger wouldn’t look so good on Mitsuya the way jealousy did. However, you couldn’t help yourself from leaning in when Mikey spoke to you, his charm sweeping you off your feet with little-to-no effort. You were about to catch yourself from falling, before noticing Mitsuya’s harsh stares as Yuzuha and Hakkai continued talking. You refused to look at him, but anyone would’ve noticed the way Mitsuya’s gaze lingered on you far more than anyone else around him.
┃ “So, what’s up with you and Mitsuya?”
Goosebumps coated your body, your hair standing alert.
┃ “He’s been giving you goo goo eyes all night. That, and a mix of “that fucking bitch” looks. I’m curious how you got him so worked up.” Mikey smirked, now very much diving into your business. Of course, he had no malicious intent, but maybe he should’ve regarded the saying that curiosity would kill the cat.
┃ “I wouldn’t want to ruin your perception of him.”
┃ “Trust me, it’d take a lot to do that.” He persisted, grin never fading so you gave in.
You began to recount Mikey on all of the persisting drama between you in Mitsuya, starting from your relationship prior to the bullying and ending at his sudden disregardance of Hakkai upon seeing you two together. Mikey’s eyes widened, his eyebrows repeating the behavior, taking a few minutes to process what you had told him. Finally, he opened his mouth to speak.
┃ “What you’ve described to me, it… it sounds nothing like the Mitsuya I know.”
┃ “Do you not believe me? I swear I-“
┃ “I believe you,” he continued. “What you’ve told me makes sense, it explains his behavior, no wonder he’s been in such an attitude lately.” He paused to giggle, a noise that bursted your serotonin levels within an instant. “Have you attempted to speak to him about it?”
┃ “I questioned him, he just repeated my question back to me.”
┃ “I see.” The silence irked you, making you nervous as you anticipated his next thoughts.
┃ “This little date with Hakkai, this is just to make him jealous then, no? It sounds like you still have feelings for him despite his irrationality towards you.”
You nodded, too embarrassed to confess your true intentions at the party.
┃ “Unfortunately, as cruel as it might seem to Mitsuya, I think this little revenge plan of Hakkai’s was well-needed. It sounds like he won’t talk to you unless you provoke a reaction out of him, and this will do just that. He’s been staring you down since the party started, you’ve got him wrapped around your finger, which is unusual for Mitsuya.” He chuckled, “It’s usually the other way around.”
You couldn’t help but glow at the thought of Mitsuya finally getting a taste of his own medicine, his jealousy almost identical to the way you felt when he humiliated you. Would he finally come crawling back, apologizing for all he’s done, truly remorseful and regretful? The thought of it was enough to cover your face with a smirk.
┃ “Awh, you’re turning red.” He teased, quickly bringing you out of your little fantasy.
┃ “I need some water.”
┃ “Yeah, I’d say you’re pretty thirsty.”
Quickly getting up, you rushed past Mitsuya, Hakkai, and Yuzuha. You escorted yourself to the drink bar, holding the drinks on the table. You reached over for a cup of water, unaware of who had followed you over. A warm chest had pressed up against your back as you slowly fixed your posture after grabbing your drink. His hands hooked on either side of you, locking you between him and the table. The familiar velvety voice brushed against your ear as he leaned in, hostility evident from his tone.
┃ “You’re a real hoe, you know that?”
The goosebumps returned.
┃ “Oh yeah? How’s that any of your business?” You remarked, making sure he didn’t sense your bubbling anxiety.
┃ “First it was me, then Takemichi, then Hakkai, and you were over there flirting with Mikey.”
┃ “Mmh, I don’t remember ever flirting with you.” He didn’t even have to look at your face to hear the shit-eating smirk growing on it. He replied with a laugh filled with disdain.
┃ “You know you’re lying, sweetheart.” He replied, although you could hear his voice at the end shake, filled with uncertainty.
┃ “You’d know a lot about that.”
Within an instant, he grabbed you by the hips and flipped you around to face him, hands firmly grasping you to make sure you didn’t move. One hand released you and instead gripped your chin, envy now clouding his normally vibrant lavender eyes.
┃ “The fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Your mouth went agape, having no time to process the instantaneous slap that was firmly planted on Mitsuya’s cheek, causing him to release his hold on you. He was confident you had slapped him, until he looked up to see you were just as shocked as he was. Turning to his left, Yuzuha stood, eyebrows arched and eyes piercing through him.
┃ “You’d better have a good explanation for manhandling her like that, Mitsuya.”
Instantly picking up on the tension between the two, you booked it to Hakkai, who had begun making his way to the three of you. The slap was heard by the whole party, everyone wanted in on the gossip but knew better than to get nosy with the gang. You quickly pulled Hakkai away, filling him in despite his attempts to hear the conversation between Mitsuya and Yuzuha. He didn’t seem to be listening to you as intently, as he kept looking over at the two. Yuzuha was now gesturing towards Mitsuya as he explained the relationship between you both, only digging his own grave as his impulsive behavior got brought into light. Hakkai soon made his way off to them, leaving you alone as the others began to approach you, wanting an explanation.
┃ “You can ask Yuzuha and Mitsuya about it. M’ sorry, I don’t really want to talk about it.” You mumbled in an attempt to hide your shaky voice before running off into the crowd, Mucho and the others desperately looking as they lost you.
To your own dismay, you didn’t leave the party. You didn’t know where to go, tears beginning to fill your eyes, overwhelmed by everything that was happening. You didn’t realize how big Mikey’s house was until traveling deeper inside it, seemingly going into a different wing of the house since it lacked any other drunk college kids partying. You looked diligently through the doors before finding a restroom and locking yourself in it, wiping your eyes and beginning to recollect yourself in the restroom. You sat yourself down on the closed toilet seat, taking deep breaths as you went over the events of tonight in your head, deeply regretting ever coming out for this revenge plan. However, as Mikey suggested, this may have been the only way to snap Mitsuya’s sense in place. Yuzuha, it seemed, was on your side, so all you could hope was that her words would have significance and weigh on him. After calming yourself down, you washed your face with water, sighing at the sight of the red puffiness of your eyes, swollen from crying. You fixed your outfit of any crumples and patted down the teardrops that stained it, making your way out of the bathroom. You ignored the stares you received from the other guests as you made your way back into the central wing where the party was occurring. You hid yourself in the crowd, avoiding Hakkai and his friends and making your way out of the house.
It was all going good, making your way out without a fuss. All of the sudden, you caught sight of Mitsuya stuffing himself down some chick’s throat on the porch. You cringed at the sight, envy churning in your stomach as you quickly walked down the steps leading up to the house. Only then did he notice you were there, too indulged in his fantasy with this woman, replacing her with the thought of you. He quickly left her mouth with a click of the tongue and followed you down the steps, urgently attempting to catch up with you. He grabbed your upper arm, gently yanking you back towards him. You scowled in return, yet it quickly faded when he stroked your cheeks with his hands. He examined your face carefully, making note of the red veins apparent in your eyes and the baggy appearance of your eyelids, indicating they were swollen. The way he looked at you made your stomach twist in a way even the jealousy couldn’t live up to.
┃ “Why are your eyes so puffy? Were you crying?”
┃ “It’s really none of your concern.”
┃ “Did I make you cry?” He continued, disregarding any of your retorts.
┃ “Just leave me alone, please.” Your voice began to crack once more.
┃ “Why were you crying?” He demanded, hands moving to stroke the inside of your palms. Despite his harsh demeanor, there was genuine concern behind his eyes. Although, you weren’t able to see it, eyes clouded by tears.
┃ “Why do you care? Just go back to your girl.” You pushed his hands away from yours, only for them to be grabbed once more, this time more firmly.
┃ “She’s not my girl.”
You attempted to retort once more, only to find your energy had been exhausted. You collapsed your head in the crook of his neck, beginning to sob. He was in his kind mode again, the mode that almost made you forget how cruel he could be with you. He confused you— everything about him was confusing. Yet, you found comfort in his grasp, his warm hands rubbing your back in attempts of calming you down.
┃ “Such a crybaby, what a dumbass.” He teased, one hand moving away from your back to instead stroke your hair, playing with it as he twirled strands around his fingers. There was no venom-laced in his words but rather the gentle voice you had grown accustomed to when you first met him. It only made you sob harder.
✿ tags: @prefesro @fuegy-fuegy @imnotonfire06 @justrandomlypassing @haiq-trash @blackmysticalsimp @the2ndl @bren-heron @skiwalkers + delicatejudgecopcowboy but for some reason tumblr won't let me tag you
✿ a.n. // Mikey really said "you used me... for plot development?!" but in all seriousness sorry for taking a while with this chapter, I was quite busy this week. Hopefully the 5k words will satisfy y'all, longest chapter to date. Also idk if y'all are into this kinda shit but I do video editing too, my instagram is pxstelscorp, I'm not self-promoting guys I swe-
𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: college au! draken x reader - exes to lovers (ambiguous)
𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: your ex sitting drunk on your couch pouring his heart out is deja vu of the night he was drunk and ripping out yours
𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 2.8k
𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: alcohol and being under the influence, mentions of draken having an ex girlfriend — but reader is gender neutral
the knocking on your door is incessant, and you know on the other side stands draken, but you want nothing to do with him right now.
not now, not later, not ever.
your ex-boyfriend is determined, however, and he pounds on the surface of your door with more vigor than really necessary at three in the morning. before you lose your damn sanity—and before your neighbors complain and send the cops your way—you swing the door open, staring into his red eyes.
he sniffles, shooting you a tired smile as he sways on his feet.
“h-hey, y/n,” he slurs, leaning on your doorframe to keep himself upright. furrowing your brows, you glance him over—he's drunk. it’s very unlike draken to be drunk at three am on a monday morning, but you suppose the circumstances aren’t exactly in either of your favors right now.
“ken, what do you want?” you sigh. he reaches over, poking your cheek gently, laughing quietly to himself at the feeling of the soft skin against his fingertip.
“ya got cute cheeks,” he chuckles.
“ken. why are you here?” pouting, he shrugs childishly, looking at your pajamas like they’re fascinating.
“dunno,” he smiles at you with a toothy grin. his eyes are crescent moons as they shut closed. “jus’ wanna be where you are,” he winks. and you know he won’t be leaving anytime soon, and you also know you can’t just leave him like this, so you grab his arm and drag him into your apartment, leading him to where the couch is.
“here, drink this,” you murmur, offering him a glass of water you’ve returned with, watching as he gulps it down in a quick motion. you fight the urge to run your finger over his tattoo, or stroke your digits through his hair, or kiss his forehead.
and if you close your eyes, if you take a moment and shove the past month out of your head, it almost feels like normal. it almost feels like draken’s here in your apartment after a party, drunk out of his mind and left in your hands by his friends to be taken care of.
but it’s not like normal.
the reality is that draken isn’t yours anymore, and you’re not sure if you were ever his. and the feeling stings more than any liquor he’s chugged down his throat tonight, but you can’t—won’t—let him see that. letting a guy like draken into your life was mistake number one.
mistake number two would be letting him see how deeply he’s rooted himself into it.
“hey,” he squints, pointing towards your collar. “what’s on your chest?” furrowing your eyebrows, you glance down at your collarbone, gaze meeting the spot he points to.
“it’s nothi—”
“who put that there?” he cuts you off. it’s almost like he’s sobered up now, the flash of hurt in his eyes and the strain in his voice all too obvious as you clear your throat, grabbing the empty glass from his hand and handing him a blanket you’d grabbed.
“it doesn’t matter, ken. you need to go to sleep. and i’ll call someone to come pick you up in the morni—” he interrupts you for the second time, and you think you might pop a blood vessel.
if you haven’t already, that is. you’re not quite sure if it’s safe to say you haven’t.
“who put that hickey on you, y/n?” he asks firmly this time, teeth grit as he glares at the darkened mark on your skin with disgust.
his heart is ripping from within, the slashes finding their way to the surface, and it almost leaves him choking. draken’s made a lot of mistakes when it comes to you, too many more than he should have, too many more than he thinks is forgivable, but one mistake he can’t grant himself is being too late to try.
and it seems he is too late—the symbolized mark of intimacy crowned on your skin almost mocking him.
“why does it matter to you, draken,” you seethe, and the campus nickname bestowed on him coming from your lips so bitterly has him reeling. his hand fists his pants as he clenches his jaw.
it’s too much, he thinks. every day without you is too much, every second his mind wanders to you is too much, every moment someone brings you up is too much, and every time he passes you on the way to class is too much. it’s all too much, and draken doesn’t know how to mend the broken pieces he’s torn himself apart to.
it’s his fault, but still, he craves your arms as safety to fall into, to shield him from his own mistakes, to protect him from the hurt he’s brought onto himself—onto you—and to guide him through how to fix it.
just like you always did before he threw it all away.
“it matters to me because someone touched you, and it wasn’t me,” he barks, and instantly, he regrets it when you recoil. looking at you pleadingly, his eyes beg you to stay, to not retreat, to not end things before they’ve even begun. “i…i just…are you seeing anyone?” he croaks.
“it’s none of your business,” you mutter. you find you can’t stare into his glassy eyes for long, and you also can’t avoid them, so after a few moments, you sigh deeply before adding, “no, i’m not. it was a casual thing,” you mumble.
you pretend not to notice the stress shaking off of him in waves, a sense of relief washing over him visibly.
“good,” he mutters. sighing, you reach over and tug his shirt up, signaling at him to lift his arms over his head. he complies, not saying much as he watches you help him out of his shirt and pants, leaving him in nothing but socks and his boxers. gently pushing him to lay on your couch, you go to cover him in the blanket, but he stops you.
“what are you—”
“do you miss me?” he whispers. “do…do you ever wish i was still with you…or anything?” there’s a sense of vulnerability in draken that you’ve never seen before, and you know your answer to this question has the power to all but shatter him completely. his voice wavers, and the glassiness of his eyes returns.
you can’t lie, so you admit a quiet, “yes. i do miss you sometimes.” he lets out a shaky breath, hand moving to grab yours. he’s still a bit drunk, you can tell by the way he misses the first time, and despite all that your mind screams at you, you can’t help but let your hand into his grasp.
draken will always be a living dream in your heart. he’s everything you’ve ever wanted, and you’d had it in the palm of your hands, but you lost it all too quickly.
you can’t handle the pain of him being wrenched from your hold once more.
“i-i miss you too, ya know,” he sniffles, and a stray tear runs down his cheek. and then another, and another, and another.
and pretty soon, he’s sobbing softly, gripping your hand tightly in your dark living room as he begs you to stay through his eyes.
this was never how things should’ve turned out, but they did, and it’s time you both accept it, you think.
“ken, we haven’t been broken up for long, of course, we’ll miss each other, we’re used to each other’s presence. but it won’t be like this forever,” you sigh, not meeting his eyes.
you don’t have to meet them to know they’re very hurt by your statement.
“how can you say that? i don’t think i’ll ever get over you—”
“i think you were very over me when the videos were going around,” you cut him off, glaring at him fiercely. and this time, it’s your turn to have glossy eyes, staring at him in betrayal. it’s all festered up until this moment, the hurt, the anger, the betrayal, the humiliation.
never in your time together did you think you’d stare in horror at your phone, watch as your boyfriend rambles away about how much you simply weren’t like his ex-girlfriend, how she’s all he thinks about sometimes, how dating you was never going to be like dating her.
and you suppose it was bound to come—the bitter truth. draken has always simply been too good to be true. too good for you, too good for your reality, and too good to believe was ever yours.
“i didn’t mean it,” he pleads, voice laced in despair. “i was drunk,” he tries to reason.
“and you’re drunk right now too,” you bite back bitterly. “who’s to say you mean this? how do i know you won’t just wake up tomorrow morning and not mean a single word of this once you’re sober again?” his lips wobble as he grasps your hand tighter, breath hitching in his throat when you try to pull it away from him.
everything burns, his throat and eyes and heart and lungs, and he just wants you to make it better.
but he doesn’t deserve that.
“i swear i mean it this time,” he pleads, sitting up and grabbing your hand with both of his. the tears spill past both of your cheeks, and it’s bittersweet and ironic all at once.
tears in draken’s eyes had always lead to tears in your own, but it was always because he was a part of you. you’d always been connected to him, always had your heartbeat in sync to the rhythm of his. but now, despite crying together, despite the pain in your hearts being tied to the same weight and crushing your chests, you’re planets away from him, disconnected at every chord.
“you could,” you smile sadly. “you could very well mean it, kenny,” you sniffle. “but that doesn’t always fix everything, does it?”
he closes his eyes, face twisting in pain as tears slip down his cheeks, and even with the twisting sear of agony in your own chest, it hurts more to see the same hold true for draken.
even after everything, your heart beats for him.
“w-what if—”
“please don’t, ken,” you plead. “please don’t hit me with what if’s. i don’t need any more of those, okay?”
“but i don’t wanna lose you,” he shakes his head. “it’s never felt like this, i’ve never broken up with someone and hurt like this. this is different—you’re different.”
“you’re different too, ken,” you say through quivering lips, tugging your hand from his. “you’re way different from who i thought you were.”
you don’t stay long enough to watch the way his face crumbles. he stares after your figure as you walk off to your room, leaving him on your couch with the shattered remains of both of your hearts on your living room floor.
“ken,” you whisper, laying on draken’s chest, the crisp autumn air grazing over your skin as he rubs your arm slowly. humming, he glances down at you, shifting his attention to you as you speak.
“what is it, baby?” your hand runs over his chest, stopping right over his heart. you can feel the beat under your palm, and it’s soothing, the rhythmic thumping somehow always in tune with yours.
“have you ever gotten your heart broken before?” he freezes for a moment before shifting to look back up at the sky as the sunsets. the kiss of the golden hue on his skin makes him look almost surreal, and you wonder during times like these how it is that ryuguji ken is yours.
surely it’s too good to be true—but then he’s tugging you closer, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead and rubbing the small of your back. all thoughts fly out your window.
draken is yours, and he gives himself to you each day, hoping you’ll take it and accept it. the thought brings a smile to your face.
“why?” he grins, pinching your nose. “thinking about breaking it for me?” you roll your eyes, moving to slap his chest, but he catches your hand before you do, kissing the inner wrist delicately.
“course not,” you huff. “just curious is all,” you mumble. he hesitates for a moment before sighing, grabbing your hand, and fiddling with your fingers.
“yeah, once,” he speaks quietly. “i never expected it,” he murmurs, lacing your fingers together.
they fit perfectly, you think.
“i don’t think anyone expects it,” you tease gently, hoping to lighten the air some. you wonder who could ever break someone like draken’s heart, how anyone could let him slip past their fingertips. “how’d you get over it?”
“what’s with all the questions, weirdo,” he laughs, poking your forehead. you move to bite at his finger, and the both of you break into a fit of giggles, the sound of his laugh spurring your own chuckles.
he completes you, each action he takes the catapults of yours.
“i wanna know you,” you shrug. “all of you. now answer the question.” shaking his head amused, he presses a gentle kiss to your lips, moving to hover over you. your mind fogs slightly at the proximity.
“i met you,” he mumbles against your lips, pressing his to yours, each kiss stealing your breath from you desperately like you have the oxygen he needs to breathe himself.
“that’s so cliche,” you roll your eyes, but you can’t deny the flutter in your heart at his words.
“what about you?” he questions. “you know all my secrets, let’s hear yours. ever had yours broken?” you shake your head no, looking up at him with trust in your eyes and hope in your heart, blindly handing him pieces of you that you didn’t even know existed.
“no,” you mumble. “never.”
“good,” he grins, and just like that, ryuguji ken extends his arms and lets you place the pieces of yourself into the palm of his hand, letting you trust him wholly. “let’s keep it that way, baby.”
there’s a sudden pounding on your bedroom door that awakens you. jolting up, you look over at the clock, squinting as it reads six am. internally, you groan.
draken is persistent, you have to hand him that, but the swelling of your eyes and the stuffiness of your nose from crying yourself to sleep isn’t exactly the most welcomed. giving in, you sigh, standing up to open the door, greeted with the sight of your determined ex-boyfriend as he looks you in the eye.
“ken, i don’t know what else you want—”
“i realized something,” he interrupts.
“did...did you sleep at all? you look—”
“i love you.” you pause, staring at him with your mouth agape.
“what?” he repeats the phrase, slower this time, grabbing your hands in his own as he presses his forehead to yours, and this time, the roles are reversed.
this time, draken hands you pieces of himself that he’s kept hidden all along, and he’s begging you to accept them, willing you to reach out and let him drop them into your palm.
he needs you to take these parts of him—to make them yours.
“i love you, y/n,” he whispers. “and i hurt you, and ruined everything, and i’m sorry. you should hate me, and it’s okay if you do, but i love you. i need you to know that,” he says firmly.
he’s never told anyone he’s loved them before, and you know how he feels about admitting it out loud, how his childhood and his broken home and perception of love have all but physically blocked the words from leaving his lips, but he’s just uttered them.
to you.
staring at him incredulously, you watch as tears form in his eyes again, slipping down his cheeks while his hands plant themselves to your waist. he pulls you flush against him, and in a swift moment, his lips are on yours, searing and desperate. he pulls away with a sad smile.
“ken—”
“i had to do that just once,” he admits. “you don’t have to say it back,” he whispers, and his lips are still hovering over yours. “just say you believe me. just tell me that much,” he pleads shakily. “i’ll leave and never come back if that’s what you want, but tell me you believe i love you.”
and you do. you don’t know where this moment will take you, you don’t know how you can face the whispers on campus and doubts rooted in your mind, you don’t know what your future has in store for you and draken, you don’t know if the pain is always going to be there—or if it will slowly fade with time and let his arms feel safe again, but you do know one thing.
you love draken, and even if he doesn’t do it right, he loves you.
and if this is your last time in his arms, or the start of something new by his side, whatever the circumstances may be, draken will always carry the pieces of yourself you’ve entrusted in him.
“i believe you, ken,” you murmur. “i love you too.”
