Pink Sapphire

You don’t go home until Sunday night.

After spending almost the whole weekend at Giyuu’s place, you walk into your apartment with a giddy grin on your face and spring in your step.

Your roommate, Nanako, notices your happy demeanor from her spot on the living room couch. “What’s got you so chipper?”

You take off your shoes after closing the front door. “Huh?”

Nanako points at your face. “You’re glowing like you just had the best lay of your life.”

You blink slowly a couple of times. “That is…fairly accurate, actually.”

Nanako drops her phone at your words. “Is that where you’ve been this weekend? At a guy’s place?”

You rub the back of your neck awkwardly. “Well…”

Nanako jumps up from the couch, grabs you by the arm, and drags you to sit down next to her. “I want all the details! What’s his name? Where did you meet him? He must be great in bed for you to walk in here grinning like a teenage girl who just got her first boyfriend!”

You huff in amusement. “His name is Giyuu Tomioka. I met him at the bar a few streets away from the movie theater on Friday night.”

Nanako tilts her head. “Didn’t you say you were going to see a movie on Friday night? How did you end up at the bar?”

Your smile drops from your face. “I was going to see a movie…until I saw Ryota.”

Nanako’s face scrunches up in disgust at the name. “That prick was at the movies?”

“Yep. I was walking up to the ticket window, and there I saw him and his date already standing in line.”

Nanako squeezes your shoulder. “I’m sorry, girl.”

You lift your other shoulder in a half-shrug. “I’m okay now, but I was a bit of an emotional wreck after I saw them. I just kinda…walked with no real destination for a few minutes. I stopped when I heard music, and realized it was coming from the bar. I thought, ‘a drink sounds like a good idea,’ and went inside.”

“And this Giyuu Tomioka guy was already there?”

You shake your head. “Not yet. You see…”

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Flashback

You downed only one shot before a deep voice interrupted your pity party.

“Is this seat taken?”

You looked over your shoulder to see a handsome man with blue eyes and black hair pointing to the seat next to yours. You glanced around at the other chairs, wondering why this guy in a tracksuit wanted to sit next to you, only to find the place full of people.

You remembered that it’s a Friday night—of course the bar is packed. “No. Go ahead.”

He adjusted the bar stool to create a comfortable amount of space between your seat and his before he sat down. “Thanks.”

The bartender walked up. “What can I get you?”

The man sat quietly for a moment before he said, “an oka ginjo.”

“Coming right up.”

You felt curious about the beverage the handsome man ordered. You rarely go out to drink, so there’s a lot you haven’t tried. “I’ll have the same thing.”

The bartender nodded at you. “You got it.”

You pulled out your phone as you waited for your drink. My Hero Academia fan-fiction sounded like a pleasant distraction.

A few minutes passed in silence before you heard the chime of a ringtone. You watched from the corner of your eye as the handsome man took out his phone from his jacket pocket, stared at the screen for a moment, then answered the call.

“Yes, Rengoku?” he muttered.

A muffled, masculine voice came from the speaker. You didn’t hear most of the words, but you were sure the guy on the other end of the call said “karaoke” at some point.

“No thanks,” the handsome man replied, then abruptly hung up the phone.

Damn, he didn’t even say bye before he hung up. Was this guy that rude?

You watched as he slipped his phone back into his pocket with a heavy sigh.

Then again, maybe he felt just as miserable as you did? The small sound that left his mouth gave you the impression that he’s stressed.

The bartender came back with two glasses. “Here you two go. Enjoy.”

“Thanks,” you and the handsome man mumbled at the same time.

You took a sip of the oka ginjo, and felt pleasantly surprised at the peach-like flavor. The handsome man had good taste in drinks.

You continued reading on your phone and sipped your drink every few minutes, though you kept glancing at the man sitting next to you out of curiosity. You thought you kept your peeking quick and subtle, until…

“Why do you keep looking at me?”

His question made you choke on your drink. “What?”

His cobalt eyes bore into yours. “You have given me the side eye at least five times since I sat down. Do you want me to sit somewhere else?”

You raised your hands in what you hoped was an apologetic gesture. “No, that’s not it. I just think you’re really handsome, but I didn’t want to say anything because it seems like you’re in a bad mood too.”

Colorful swears filled your mind after those words left your mouth. What the hell? A couple drinks in and you were already this loose-lipped? No wonder you don’t go drinking often.

The handsome man blinked at you a few times, like he didn’t expect to hear what you just said. “Thank you.”

You smiled awkwardly at him and quickly angled your head back to your phone. You kept your eyes on your screen, not wanting the man next to you to catch you peeking again.

You and he didn’t converse for a while after that. Eventually, the tension in your shoulders loosened as the minutes passed and your embarrassment faded. After many slow sips over the course of half an hour, you finished your oka ginjo, while the man next to you was on his third drink.

You stood up, ready to pay and leave, but the bartender placed another oka ginjo in front of you.

You narrowed your eyes at the beverage. “I didn’t order this.”

The bartender pointed behind you. “It’s from the man in the red shirt.”

You turned around and scanned the room, then paused when you saw a tall man with black slacks and a ruby red shirt waving at you.

The barstool scraped against the floor as you slumped back onto it. “Damn it.”

Annoyance filled you as the man left his table to approach you. The smile on your face stretched tight as you fixed your expression into something falsely polite.

“How are you doing this fine evening?” he inquired.

Yeah, no. You’re not doing small talk. “I appreciate the kind gesture, but I can’t accept it.”

The man raised an eyebrow. “You have a boyfriend?”

You opened your mouth to lie. It wouldn’t be the first time you’d told a non-truth to get a guy to stop flirting with you.

An arm slid around your shoulders. “She does, actually.”

It took every ounce of self-control not to jump at the unexpected contact. You tilted your head to the left to see the blue-eyed, handsome man was the one touching you.

Your unwanted admirer’s smirk fell right off his face. “Oh, I see. My apologies.”

The handsome man reached behind you to pick up the oka ginjo and hand it back to your failed wooer. “You can have this back.”

The guy seemed sheepish as he took the glass and briskly walked away. Immediately after, the black-haired stranger stepped away from you and sat back down.

You turned in your seat to face him. “Thank you for that, Mister…”

“Giyuu Tomioka.”

Finally, a name, you thought to yourself. Now I can stop calling him “the handsome man.”

“Thank you for that, Mister Tomioka.”

Tomioka finished the remainder of his third glass of oka ginjo. “Just call me Giyuu.”

Casual right off the bat, huh? You wondered if it was because he’s tipsy, or if he’s just that type of person. Either way, you told him your name and said he could call you by your nickname.

“That’s a pretty name,” Giyuu said.

You didn’t expect that response from him, considering how quiet he was earlier. Maybe Giyuu’s more talkative the more he drinks?

You laid your elbow on the counter and rested your chin in your palm. “Thank you.”

The bartender came by again, asking if you or Giyuu wanted another drink.

“How about I pay your tab?” you asked Giyuu. “As thanks for helping me with that guy.”

Giyuu shook his head no. “You don’t owe me anything—”

“I want to,” you cut him off. “I believe in repaying kindness with kindness.”

The right side of Giyuu’s mouth quirked up in a half-smile. “Another oka ginjo.”

“One for me as well,” you told the bartender.

When you came to this place, you intended on no more than a couple of drinks before leaving, but you noticed that interacting with Giyuu helped you stop thinking about Ryota, so you wanted to spend more time talking with him.

You eyed the blue tracksuit Giyuu was wearing. “Do you work at a gym?”

“I’m a high school gym teacher,” Giyuu corrected.

You instantly felt respect for this man. “Kudos to you. I couldn’t deal with a bunch of bratty teenagers all day.”

Giyuu shrugged. “Most of them aren’t bad. There are a few troublemakers though.”

The bartender slid two more glasses of oka ginjo between you and Giyuu. You watched in mild amusement as Giyuu downed half of it in one go.

Giyuu swirled the clear liquid in his glass. “Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”

You sipped your drink gingerly. “Go ahead.”

“Earlier, you said it looked like I’m ‘in a bad mood too.’ The ‘too’ implies you’re not having a good day, either. Did something happen?”

Your smile dropped, and your face scrunched up at the thought of Ryota. You didn’t really want to talk about it, but Giyuu just indirectly confirmed that something ruined his day as well, and you’re curious about what it was. So you needed to suck it up and talk.

You took a large gulp of your oka ginjo to brace yourself. “I saw my ex-boyfriend earlier today. Long story short, the shallow prick broke up with me a month ago because I gained some weight.”

Giyuu frowned at your words. “Sorry to hear that.”

“Needless to say, when I caught sight of him and his date at the movies this evening, I rushed out of there. Never seeing him again was too much to ask, apparently.”

Giyuu’s eyes trailed up and down your form. “If it’s any consolation, I think you’re very attractive.”

His whispery, deep voice complimenting you made your cheeks feel warm. “I appreciate that.”

You took another sip from your half-empty glass. “Your turn. What cruel joke did life play on you?”

Giyuu swiveled his neck to look at the wall. “My sister was hit by a drunk driver three days ago; she’s in a coma.”

You gasped at the complete bombshell Giyuu just dropped on you. You impulsively took his hand into yours. “I am so sorry. I can’t imagine how heartbreaking that must be.”

Giyuu shrugged again, his attempt at nonchalance falling flat due to the trembling lip. “Life is a cruel joke.”

Guilt crashed into you. You couldn’t have known that something so devastating had just happened to Giyuu, but you still felt like an insensitive prick for asking about it. You never would have thought his sister’s near-death would be what plagued him by the straight face he’d worn until now.

You had to change the subject before he started crying.

“I like My Hero Academia,” you blurted.

Giyuu blinked slowly a couple of times, like his brain was taking longer than usual to register the short sentence.

“Have you seen it?” you prompted him to answer.

Giyuu sat his mostly empty glass on the counter. “I haven’t.”

“It’s fantastic! The story takes place in a world where eighty percent of the population has some type of power…”

You explained a bit about the plot, but mostly gushed over your favorite characters and their quirks. Meanwhile, Giyuu’s expression changed from miserable to intrigued as you kept talking. You became so engrossed in the one-sided conversation that you didn’t notice you still held Giyuu’s hand in your own.

Giyuu finished the rest of his fourth drink. “Your ex-boyfriend is an idiot.”

“…but Todoroki’s quirk is arguably the best one—wait what?”

The comment felt random considering you’ve babbled about your favorite anime for the past few minutes.

“You’re a beautiful, kind, compassionate woman, and your ex is an absolute idiot for ditching a gem like you,” Giyuu remarked.

His face didn’t so much as twitch as the sweet statement left his mouth. The blunt tone in his voice gave the impression that he wholeheartedly believed each word—like he was making a factual observation instead of giving an opinion.

“Where did that come from?” you uttered, feeling almost shy at the sudden praise.

Giyuu set his empty glass aside. “You spent the last ten minutes talking to me just to make me feel better when you could have simply left. I’m sure you felt awkward at my sadness. Before that, you offered to pay my tab even though you already thanked me for helping you with that man. Not many people would do that for someone they just met.”

He cradled your hand between both of his. “As cliché as it sounds, if I had a girlfriend like you, I’d never let her go.”

“You shouldn’t say that when you don’t even know me,” you argued his claim.

Giyuu’s intense, sapphire eyes seemed like they pierced straight through you. “I know all I need to.”

The callouses on his hands felt rough, but his grip was so gentle, like he didn’t want his touch to ruin a delicate flower. His ocean irises traveled all over your face, though you noticed they kept pausing at your lips.

This attention from such a good-looking man made your skin buzz pleasantly.

It felt nice. Too nice.

The idea that you and him would go your separate ways soon left a bad taste in your mouth. You knew the second you make it home, your thoughts about Ryota would surface again. You didn’t want that. You wanted to experience Giyuu’s attention to the fullest, to have him show you just how beautiful he thinks you are, to forget Ryota altogether and fill your mind with Giyuu.

Maybe it was the alcohol in your system, maybe it was the upsetting experience of seeing your ex, maybe it was the silver-tongued stranger who looks like he wanted to kiss you…but right now all you wanted was to end the night with a physical high rather than an emotional low.

Hopefully Giyuu felt the same way.

You leaned in close enough to whisper in his ear. “Do you wanna get out of here?”

Giyuu’s ocean eyes widened, clearly not expecting the proposition.

“I live nearby,” he responded slowly, uncertainly.

Did he think you gave him an insincere offer? Best to squash that doubt quickly.

“Is that any way to invite a lady back to your place?” you teased before finishing off the rest of your oka ginjo.

You pulled your hand from his grasp, reaching into your purse to take out your wallet. You placed a few thousand yen on the counter, more than enough to pay for both yours and Giyuu’s drinks.

“I can pay—” Giyuu tried to speak.

“I’m waiting for my invitation,” you interrupted playfully.

If you didn’t know any better, you would think Giyuu’s face seemed both resigned and amused. His smile was small, but genuine.

“Would you like to come home with me?” Giyuu offered.

You returned his smile with one of your own.

“I’d like that very much.”

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You wake up to the smell of cooking food.

Confusion hits you when you open your eyes. Though sleepiness blurs your vision, you can tell that the curtains you see are dark blue.

Your curtains are white.

You sit up slowly, blinking a few times to clear the bleariness from your eyes. The blanket covering you falls into your lap, revealing your naked torso to the cool air. Light-purple hickeys color your chest and abdomen.

It’s then that the memories of last night come to you. You left the bar with a handsome man. Giyuu is his name, if you remember correctly. This is his apartment.

Several emotions well up inside you at once.

Satisfaction. Last night was by far the best sex you’ve ever had. The way Giyuu started off with light touches and gentle movements, then suddenly became rough, the way you climbed on top of him and took control…you shiver just thinking about it.

Frustration. Hooking up is something you’ve never done before, and never wanted to do. The fact that you acted in such an out-of-character way last night…never again.

Uncomfortable. You’ve never been in this situation before. How do you properly handle this? You’ve heard of the walk of shame from your roommate, but this is the first time you’ve ever had to do it. Do you simply leave the apartment after you get dressed? Do you and Giyuu exchange numbers? Do you hug goodbye?

Ugh. Maybe you should just sneak out.

Yeah. You’ll do that.

Easing out of the bed, you look around the room for your clothes. To your surprise, they’re not sprawled all over the floor, but neatly folded at the foot of the bed.

It seems Giyuu is the considerate type.

While putting on your clothes, you notice that they smell like laundry detergent. You don’t know much about hook up etiquette, but from the tidbits you heard from your roommate, you’re sure this level of thoughtfulness isn’t normal.

You remember leaving your shoes and purse by the front door, so they’re probably still there.

The bedroom door is already cracked, so it doesn’t make any noise when you open it. Creeping through the hallway, you notice two doors. One door leads to the bathroom, the other door is closed. A guest room maybe?

At the end of the hallway, you peek around the corner. Giyuu stands at the stove in sweats and a t-shirt, facing away from you. If you’re quiet, you might be able to slip out undetected.

You tip toe your way to the front door, hoping that the man cooking doesn’t turn his head and see you. You make it to the table with your purse on it, you crouch down to reach for your shoes…

“You’re not going to eat?”

You freeze at the words.

“I’m making enough for both of us.”

Cringing at your botched escape attempt, you slowly turn around to face the kitchen. Giyuu isn’t even looking at you; he’s taking out two plates from the cabinet.

“How did you know I was here?” you wonder aloud.

“You’re not as quiet as you think you are,” he answers.

What does that even mean?

Whatever. Now that you know he’s cooking for you as well, you’re not going to say no to free food, so you walk into the kitchen and sit down at the table. It seems Giyuu’s a talker only when he’s tipsy, because he doesn’t say anything else as he slides the food from the skillet onto the plates.

Each moment you sit in silence, you feel your self-consciousness rise.

It’s no wonder that hooking up isn’t your thing, now that your mind is clear of last night’s intoxication, it feels almost…embarrassing that you did something so intimate with this person you don’t know. Even worse, you have no idea where you stand with him. This uncertainty feels too awkward; you were hoping to avoid it altogether by leaving unnoticed.

But as a plate of omelette rice and a glass of water land in front of you, your stomach clenches in hunger, and you find yourself feeling grateful that Giyuu stopped you from leaving.

“Thanks for this, and for washing my clothes.”

Giyuu sits down across from you. “No problem.”

You pick up your chop sticks and carefully start eating. You don’t know if it’s because you didn’t have dinner last night and you’re extra hungry, or if Giyuu has great kitchen skills, but the explosion of flavor tastes better than any omelette rice you’ve ever eaten before.

“This omurice tastes delicious,” you compliment.

“Thank you,” Giyuu replies.

The next few minutes go by quietly. You do your best not to shovel the omurice into your mouth like you want to, trying to show some decorum and not embarrass yourself.

You glance at Giyuu a few times, wondering if he regularly invites random women back to his apartment. The third time your eyes shift in his direction, you find that he’s already looking at you.

“I can tell there’s something you want to say.”

You swallow audibly. “I do, but it seems a bit rude to interrogate you with personal questions considering how nice you’ve been.“

Giyuu’s eyes scan your face before focusing on your lips. “I doubt your questions are more ‘personal’ than what we did last night.”

He does have a point, and if he’s open to talking…

You put your elbow on the table and rest your chin in your hand. “Is this normal for you? Bring home strangers?”

“You are the only stranger I’ve ever brought home. Last night was…a moment of weakness; I don’t drink often. I can’t say I regret what happened though. You’re beautiful and very skilled in bed.”

The blunt flattery makes you giggle. “Thank you. I don’t drink often either, so following a stranger home is new for me, but last night was fun.”

Giyuu’s lips quirk up in a tiny smile, it makes him look adorable.

You and Giyuu finish eating soon after that. You offer to help him wash the dishes, but he insists he doesn’t need help. You sit at the table for a few moments, debating if you want to see Giyuu again after today. He’s very nice, and you don’t like the idea of leaving on uncertain terms.

Maybe you don’t have to make that decision right now? You know where he lives, if you want to spend time with him again, you could just drop by…no that might inconvenience him. You could ask him to write down his number. That way, he can only contact you if you decide you’re interested in him. Yeah, that works.

You stand from the table. “I should get going.”

Giyuu looks at you over his shoulder. “Do you want a ride home?”

The question makes you pause. “I don’t live far, I can walk.”

He rinses off the last dish and places it on the drying rack. “Still, driving is quicker than walking. Plus, I want to make sure you get home alright.”

Those words remove the last traces of hesitancy lingering in your mind about Giyuu. He washed your clothes, made you breakfast, and he’s offering to drive you home. This level of consideration tells you that he would likely make a great boyfriend. There is no way you are allowing last night to be a one-time thing.

“Are you free today?”

Giyuu turns around to face you. “I am.”

“Do you want to go on a date? Maybe see a movie?” you ask.

The corners of Giyuu’s mouth twitch, like he wanted to smile but stopped himself. “I’d like that.”

Relief floods through you at his acceptance. Finally, this off-kilter situation feels more normal.

You walk over to the table with your purse on it and pull out your phone to check the movie times. “Any movie in particular you want to see?”

“How about the new Wicked movie?” Giyuu says.

Did this man just suggest the movie you’ve been dying to see for the last month? If you didn’t know any better, you would think that meeting Giyuu is a gift from the matchmaking god.

But you do know better, so you chalk it up to coincidence.

A very happy coincidence.

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Author’s Note 5: Fun fact, I like Wicked, so I had to mention it since this is a modern AU 😄

Link to Chapter 2