ROMOPIOD

another pause commenced, this time he can hear you trying to come up with a response, stuttered vowels spoken in broken sounds with sheer fluster and bashfulness.

it's a shame he couldn't see it himself.

"i didn't want to just kiss you out of the sudden!" you finally quipped, voice a tone higher.

"then you should've told me like you just did now."

"i was nervous, okay! stop pressuring me!"

scaramouche could literally see the pout on your voice, a soft thump on your side of the phone letting him know that you might have plop yourself on your pillow. "why don't you ask me, huh? bet you'd be too shy to do so too!"

that's it, that's enough talk. he needs to move his ass.

"give me twenty."

"what?"

the call ended.

and there you spent a while vibrating with anxiousness and if you were to be completely honest, excited beyond reasons. in fact, you were pacing so much in the living room in circles you might have made a dent on the floor, staring at your screen where you can see the panicking messages you sent him after he hung up.

he can't possibly be going through all the efforts to get to you, can he? just for a kiss? shut up, it's not just a kiss. he just got home after dropping you off at yours when the two of you started the call. he was, he denies it though, unable to go through a night without hearing your voice after a day well spent with you—his beloved you.

maybe you shouldn't have told him shit in the first place.

or better yet, maybe you should've just grew the balls and kissed him right after dropping you off at your door. by doing so, you could've saved yourself from this unnecessary feeling of anxiousness. perhaps the two of you might even spend the rest of the night on your couch kissing and kissing and kissing–

"eek!" you squeaked at the sudden rounds of urgent knocks on your door.

he took less than twenty minutes to get here.

standing in front of your door, your hand hesitates to turn the knob. oh, is your palm sweating? was it just you or is it a little hot in here?

"i know you're right there, open up."

"okay, okay.” with a huff and a quick prayer to the lord above, you pull the door to reveal a pouty scaramouche, arms crossed over his chest and his foot tapping the ground impatiently. his hair is in disarray, probably from how he haphazardly tossed on his hoodie over his head in his rush to get to you.

"you didn't have to go all the way here."

"i wanted to."

with an attitude huff, he welcomed himself to your house, kicking the door shut behind him before reaching over your waist to pull you close—the corner of his lip twitched up in a smug smile at your silent gasp.

"t—this is a little too close."

"hm?"

you couldn't stop the shiver that you felt when his breath warms your cheeks, the tips of your noses brushing against each other at close proximity and the gentle squeeze of his arms around your waist, chest pressed against yours. it's not to say that he hasn't been this close before, you've latched yourself on him a couple of times, but you've never been this intimately close to the point of kissing.

"you literally smother your face on my neck when you demand your cuddles, i don't see how this is different."

"shut up."

"make me," he grins at the starstrucked look on your face. “i'm pretty sure you know just how to do that."

"you little shit."

with a sharp tug on his collar, your lips crashed like the rushing waves in the river against a rock. it's incredibly warm, the nerves that you felt when his lips touched yours with a little force and slightly clumsy pace. not just because his lips are warm but because suddenly your heartbeat started pounding aggressively against your ribcage, blood rushing through every nerve in your body whilst your lips melted against each other in a messy frenzy.

scaramouche felt no different from you, perhaps more. he feels too light headed to process that the both of you are still at the entrance hallway and that his hands are clawing around the back of your shirt, his nails digging a little across the fabric, eliciting a gasp from you that only excites him more. he took the chance to press deeper, his tongue almost electrified when it touches yours for the first time and he resist the urge to moan out loud.

god it felt too good to separate from you, he curses the irritating restriction of human nature to desire oxygen as he slowly pulls away from your swollen lips, warm breath mixing together.

your eyes follow the way his tongue peeks out to lick his lips.

"why didn't you do this earlier?" he groans, hot lips tracing warm kisses along your cheeks, jaw and neck. "could've saved us from wasting time on nothing."

"i know, i know." you sighed contentedly, brushing your hand through his hair and completely melting in his arms when his teeth nipping on a particular spot on your neck. "but you're here now."

"yeah," he cups your cheeks in his hands, eyes, flickering back and forth your lips and your eyes. he whispers lowly before closing the gap once more.

Tomioka Giyuu

The mission has been over for a while now, but neither of you seems to be in any hurry to head back.

The sound of the river fills the silence as you rest on some rocks, letting the exhaustion slowly leave your bodies. The air is cool, and the breeze gently stirs the leaves in the trees, creating a kind of peace that's hard to find after a battle.

You sigh without taking your eyes off the water. It keeps flowing calmly, carrying away tiny leaves that disappear downstream, and for a moment you wish sorting through your thoughts were as simple as letting them drift away.

"We're finally done..."

Giyuu gives a small nod. "Yeah."

A faint smile forms on your lips. With anyone else, this silence would eventually become awkward, but with him it never does. It's strange. Giyuu doesn't need to fill every moment with words to make you feel like you're not alone, and maybe that's why you finally find the courage to ask the question that's been on your mind for quite a while.

"Can I ask you something?"

He turns his head slightly toward you.

"Of course."

You lower your gaze to the small pebble you're holding between your fingers and absentmindedly roll it back and forth. You're not quite sure how to bring it up, so you take the long way around, hoping the words will come on their own.

"Have you ever felt like you've made a mistake... even though you can't regret it?"

Giyuu stays quiet for a few seconds before answering.

"Maybe." His answer comes without trying to figure out what you're implying. That makes it a little easier to breathe. You nod to yourself and let out a quiet laugh, more nervous than amused. "I think that's happened to me too."

With a small flick of your wrist, you throw the stone into the river. You watch it skip once before sinking, unable to take your eyes off the water as you gather enough courage to keep going.

"I fell in love with someone."

You don't get any immediate reaction.

When you finally dare to glance at him, Giyuu is still watching the river with the same calm expression as always. He doesn't look surprised, curious, or uncomfortable, he simply waits for you to finish speaking, as if he understands that you still haven't said everything you want to say.

That gives you the courage to continue.

"I tried to convince myself it was a bad idea. I thought that if I ignored how I felt for long enough, it'd disappear on its own. After all, this isn't the kind of job where I can afford to grow attached to people."

You lower your gaze to your hands, keeping yourself busy playing with your fingers to avoid looking at him directly.

"But it didn't work."

The sound of the water fills the silence between you again. A few seconds pass before Giyuu speaks.

"Who is it?"

The question is so simple that the answer leaves your lips before you can think twice.

"You."

The air seems to vanish in an instant. You hear Giyuu take a deep breath before the sound of your own heartbeat drowns out everything else. It's pounding so hard you can almost feel it in your throat, and it doesn't even take a second for you to realize what you've just done.

You've just confessed to him.

Your lips remain slightly parted as you desperately search for some way to fix the situation, but there isn't one. The harder you try to come up with an explanation, the more you realize there isn't one. You can't pretend you were talking about someone else, and you can't act like it was a joke.

You lower your gaze immediately, unable to bear the thought of meeting his eyes.

"Forget it." A nervous laugh slips past your lips. "I don't know what came over me."

You stand up, intending to leave before you embarrass yourself any further, but you don't even get the chance to take a step.

"Wait." His voice sounds more hurried than usual.

When you look back at him, Giyuu is already on his feet.

"I don't want to forget it." He lowers his gaze for a few seconds before meeting your eyes again. "I thought... I'd never have to face this."

You frown slightly. "What do you mean?"

Giyuu stays silent for a few more seconds.

"I mean... I fell in love with you too."

Your breath catches for a moment, and Giyuu looks away with a faint blush on his cheeks. You slowly step closer until the sleeve of your haori brushes against his.

"I thought I'd never have the courage to say it," he finishes, closing his eyes.

•——————•°•✿•°•——————•

Shinazugawa Sanemi

The mission has been over for quite a while now, but Sanemi seems completely incapable of sitting still. The moment you return to headquarters, he heads straight for the training yard, completely ignoring the wounds that are still open beneath his bandages.

You watch him drive blow after blow into one of the wooden training posts, as if exhaustion simply doesn't exist for him. Every movement stains the bandages around his side with a little more blood, and the longer you watch him, the harder it becomes to resist the urge to stop him.

"Are you planning on keeping this up much longer?" you finally ask.

Sanemi doesn't even stop hitting the post.

"Does it bother you?"

You let out a tired sigh. Of course it bothers you. He's spent the entire mission throwing himself headfirst at demons without caring about taking a single hit, and even now he seems convinced that making it out alive means nothing happened.

You press your lips together before stepping a little closer, folding your arms as you wait for him to come to his senses for once.

"What bothers me is watching you end up half dead and still acting like you're invincible."

He lets out a quiet scoff through his nose and finally lowers his sword. He turns toward you with that defiant expression that always seems glued to his face, absentmindedly wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

"But I'm still alive."

"Out of pure luck," you reply with a frown.

"No, because I know what I'm doing." His answer comes with such confidence that you can feel your patience slowly slipping away.

You've spent far too long watching him gamble with his life without thinking about the consequences, far too long swallowing your fear every time he disappears from your sight during a mission. He always makes it back... but one day he might not.

That possibility has been living in your mind for weeks, following you even when you try to sleep.

"Do you know what your problem is?" you murmur, unable to take your eyes off him. "You never think about the people left behind watching you do all these stupid things."

Sanemi raises an eyebrow, clearly confused by your comment. "And why should I?"

His answer makes you let out a humorless laugh. You shake your head several times, trying to convince yourself there's no point arguing with him anymore. He never listens, he never changes his mind, it's like talking to a brick wall.

"Forget it," you mutter wearily. That's the effect Sanemi's stubbornness has on you.

You start walking away, convinced the conversation is over, but Sanemi's voice reaches you again only a few seconds later.

"Quit worrying about stupid things. I don't want your concern."

You close your eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. You know that if you answer now, you'll probably end up saying something you'll regret for the rest of your life.

But when you turn back toward him, he's still looking at you with that same defiant expression, and something inside you finally snaps.

"Of course I'm worried!" you exclaim, feeling every bit of frustration that's built up over months come pouring out all at once. "You don't get it at all! How am I supposed to stop when I'm in love with you?"

Silence falls over the training yard with almost painful weight.

You swallow hard. Shit. That just slipped out.

Sanemi stares at you as if you've just punched him square in the face. His expression stays completely frozen for several seconds, so much so that you start wondering if he even heard you. And yet, the slight tremble in his eyes and the way his grip tightens around the hilt of his sword make it obvious that he did.

Far more obvious than either of you would've liked.

You're the first to look away.

"I don't know why I said that. Forget it. Just stop acting like an idiot around me," you mutter, walking away before your own impulsiveness sends you into a full panic.

"Hey."

Sanemi's voice makes you stop.

He's still standing exactly where he was, one hand resting on the back of his neck and the other hanging at his side. He avoids looking directly at you, something completely unlike him, as he lets out a long sigh through his nose.

"That's got to be the dumbest confession I've ever heard."

Your cheeks burn even hotter. "I said forget it!"

"Will you let me talk?" he snaps irritably, and you immediately fall silent. "Better."

Sanemi lowers his head for a few seconds, clearly uncomfortable.

"I've spent months trying to convince myself it was better to keep my distance from you." He pauses, clicking his tongue in annoyance at himself. "Then you go and say something like that out of nowhere."

You can't help letting out a small nervous laugh.

"Believe me, that wasn't my intention," you say, rolling your eyes.

Without giving it much thought, he closes the distance between you until he's standing right in front of you. For a few seconds, neither of you does anything. You simply look at each other, both still far too embarrassed to know who should make the first move.

"Now that you've said it..." With an awkward movement, he reaches for your hand and intertwines his fingers with yours. "I guess it's my turn to admit that I'm so fucking in love with you."

•——————•°•✿•°•——————•

Uzui Tengen

The mission has been surprisingly easy. So easy, in fact, that the walk back is filled with casual conversations and the occasional exaggerated comment from Tengen about how utterly unimpressive that demon had been.

You watch him walk a few steps ahead of you with his hands behind his head, completely relaxed, as if he hadn't just spent hours fighting. Every now and then he turns around to tell you some ridiculous story or make you laugh with one of his remarks, and you can't help wondering how it's possible for someone to have so much energy even after a mission.

"You've been awfully quiet today," Tengen says, changing the subject when he notices you aren't paying attention to whatever he was talking about.

You look up at him.

"I'm tired."

"No, you're not." He smiles.

You frown slightly, offended. "What do you mean, I'm not?"

"When you're tired, you don't frown that much. You do that when you're overthinking." He gives you a light tap between your eyebrows, and you click your tongue.

You hate to admit it, but he knows you far too well.

You lower your gaze to the path, hoping he'll change the subject. You've spent the entire mission trying to ignore the little knot in your chest that tightens every time he gets too close, every time he smiles, or every time he unconsciously seeks out your company as naturally as breathing.

Especially because you know perfectly well those little gestures don't mean anything to him.

"What are you thinking about?" His question pulls you out of your thoughts. "And don't tell me 'nothing.' That answer's never interesting."

A small laugh slips from your lips. "You're such an idiot."

"And incredibly handsome." He wiggles his eyebrows several times, and you ignore the way your cheeks grow slightly warm.

"That too," you admit with a small smile.

Tengen places a hand over his chest in mock pride.

"Thank you. I like honest people."

You shake your head again, laughing. Talking to him is always far too easy, so much so that you end up forgetting to think before you speak.

"Although that also makes it harder to forget that I'm in love with you."

You keep walking for another couple of steps before realizing Tengen is no longer beside you.

He's standing perfectly still in the middle of the path, staring at you with an expression completely different from the one he had only moments ago. The teasing smile is gone, and he seems to have no idea what to say.

It takes you a few seconds to realize why, and your heart nearly stops.

"Wait, that!" Heat instantly rushes to your cheeks as your eyes go wide. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that!"

You bury your face in both hands, completely mortified.

Your embarrassment makes you start talking way too fast, your words tumbling over each other as you desperately search for an explanation that sounds even remotely believable.

"It just slipped out, I'm tired, I wasn't thinking clearly... I..."

Your voice trails off on its own. You don't even believe your own excuses. Tengen stays silent, and that only makes you even more nervous.

"Aren't you going to say something?"

He blinks a couple of times before letting out a quiet laugh through his nose.

"Wow... I wasn't expecting that." He brings a hand to his chin, as if he's carefully analyzing the situation. "I had noticed."

You lift your head so quickly it almost hurts. "What?"

A crooked smile slowly returns to his lips.

"Not that you were in love with me," he says slowly. "But I had noticed you'd been acting... differently for weeks."

Your cheeks burn even hotter. You hadn't thought you'd been that obvious. You're terrible at hiding things and even worse at lying.

"You'd always look for me the moment we finished a mission, you'd somehow end up walking beside me without even realizing it, and whenever one of my wives hugged me, you'd make the funniest face," he lists calmly while you grimace awkwardly at having yourself exposed like that.

"Well..." you mumble, covering part of your face with your hands again. "Now that I've completely embarrassed myself... I think I'm going to leave."

"I don't want you walking away thinking you're the only one who's been hiding something for a long time."

He steps in front of you with a smile far gentler than usual, so different from the one he shows the rest of the world that, for a moment, you barely recognize him.

"I would've preferred a confession that was a little more... extravagant." He raises a hand and, with surprisingly gentle care, brushes a loose strand of hair away from your face. "But I guess yours was pretty memorable too."

Your heart starts racing all over again.

"Does that mean...?"

Tengen's smile grows.

"It means I fell in love with you quite a long time ago."

•——————•°•✿•°•——————•

Himejima Gyomei

The mission ended before sunset, so the two of you decided to make a brief stop before returning to headquarters. Near the path stands a small abandoned temple where the whisper of the wind barely manages to break the silence. After spending the entire day fighting, the place offers a kind of peace that's hard to find anywhere else.

Gyomei sits on the stone steps with his hands folded in front of him, quietly reciting a prayer. You decide to sit beside him without saying a word, simply enjoying the sense of calm that always seems to surround him.

No matter how difficult the mission has been, somehow, just being close to him makes the weight on your shoulders slowly fade away.

"Are you feeling better?" he asks when he finishes praying.

You look up at him and nod with a small smile.

"Yeah. I just needed to rest for a while."

Gyomei smiles as well. "I'm glad you've had the chance to regain your strength. After such a demanding mission, the body needs rest too."

The two of you spend a few minutes looking out over the temple courtyard as the breeze gently stirs the branches overhead, until you let out a long sigh without even realizing it.

"Is something wrong?" he asks, leaning slightly toward you.

You shake your head almost instinctively.

"No... Well..."

You absentmindedly fiddle with a small leaf that has fallen onto the stone step. You've spent far too long trying to convince yourself that what you feel will disappear with time, but every mission you share, every quiet conversation, and every small act of kindness has done exactly the opposite.

"I was just thinking that... everything feels so much easier when I'm with you."

Gyomei turns his face slightly toward you, giving you his full attention.

"What do you mean?"

You lower your gaze, unable to answer right away.

"When I'm with you, I feel like I can stop worrying for a while. It's like... I don't have to carry everything on my own."

He listens to every word without interrupting you.

"If my company can ease even a small part of the burden you carry on your shoulders... then I'm grateful for that."

A smile appears on your lips.

"You're so kind..." you whisper, staring down at the ground. "I guess falling in love with someone like you was inevitable."

Gyomei goes completely still.

Your smile slowly fades, and then you gasp in surprise as you quickly stand up. You'd felt so comfortable that you couldn't stop yourself from opening up, even about the secret you'd been guarding more fiercely than anything else.

Gyomei's hands, which had been resting together on his lap until then, tense ever so slightly.

"...Could you repeat what you just said?"

"I didn't mean to say that..." you reply, wiping your sweaty hands against your haori.

"You have no reason to be ashamed." Gyomei rises to his feet as well and slowly walks toward you. "But I also don't wish to force you to repeat words you weren't ready to say."

His words manage to calm some of the nerves racing through your body, though not your embarrassment. You keep your eyes fixed on the ground, unable to gather enough courage to look at him. Your heart is pounding so hard you're convinced even he can hear it.

"It was an accident..." you murmur, barely above a whisper. "I fell in love with you before I even realized it had happened."

Gyomei simply gives you the time you need to gather your thoughts, never rushing you. The breeze stirs the leaves once more, and for a few moments, the only sound is the soft clink of the prayer beads as they slowly slide through his fingers.

"I've prayed many times," he finally confesses in his calm, steady voice. "Not for those feelings to disappear... but for my heart not to mistake affection for the desire to protect you."

You slowly lift your head. Gyomei keeps his gaze lowered, as though those words are just as difficult for him to say.

"I believed remaining silent was the right thing to do. My duty has always come before my own desires, and I never wanted to place the weight of feelings upon you that you might not have shared."

A lump forms in your throat. You'd never imagined he'd been struggling with the very same thing.

"So...?" you whisper hopefully.

Gyomei nods with a slight inclination of his head before you've even finished the question. He takes one small step toward you and, with almost reverent gentleness, takes one of your hands between both of his.

"If you'll allow me," he says with a tenderness that makes your chest ache, "I'd like to take care of your heart the same way you've been taking care of mine all this time."

•——————•°•✿•°•——————•

Iguro Obanai

The walk back is quiet, almost too quiet.

The mission has only been over for a few minutes, and even though exhaustion weighs heavily on both of you, neither of you seems willing to break the silence. The only sounds are the crunch of leaves beneath your feet and Kaburamaru's soft hissing as he rests coiled around Obanai's shoulders like always.

You've been stealing glances at the bandage wrapped around his arm for quite a while now. You can't stop thinking about the moment he stepped between you and the demon.

"You shouldn't have done that."

Obanai keeps walking for a few more steps before answering.

"Done what?" he asks in a bored tone.

You grimace. "Stepping in front of me."

He shifts his gaze back to the path and answers almost immediately.

"It was the fastest and most effective option."

You knew that was exactly what he'd say, but hearing him say it out loud only irritates you even more. You press your lips together, trying to let the subject go, but it's impossible.

If that attack had been only a few inches off... You shake your head. You don't even want to imagine how that mission would've ended.

"That's not the point."

Obanai finally stops and turns to face you completely, patiently waiting for you to continue.

You lower your gaze for a few seconds, searching for a way to explain something you've been keeping to yourself for far too long.

"I don't like seeing you do things like that," you murmur, embarrassed to let him see your more vulnerable side.

His expression barely changes.

"I've survived worse."

"I know."

"Then stop worrying."

He says it so simply that your blood starts to boil.

A humorless laugh slips from your lips.

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"

Obanai raises an eyebrow slightly.

"I don't know. Figure it out yourself."

You let out a frustrated sigh. For months you've been trying to convince yourself that you could keep hiding your feelings, but every mission makes it a little harder. On top of that, he talks to you in that way that never fails to get under your skin. You don't understand how it's even possible that you've fallen in love with someone so unbelievably stubborn.

You let out another quiet huff and keep walking, convinced this conversation isn't going anywhere. But after only a couple of steps, you realize you can't hear Obanai following you anymore.

You frown slightly and turn on your heel, only to find him still standing perfectly still in the middle of the path.

Kaburamaru has lifted his head, and Obanai is looking at you with an expression you've never seen on his face before.

"Obanai?"

"Are you in love with me?"

The words leave both of your mouths at exactly the same time.

Your stomach drops, and you take a surprised step backward.

You blink several times, completely stunned, replaying the conversation in your head. No... you'd never said that. All you'd done was think about how frustrating he was and how ridiculous it was that you'd fallen in love with him.

The color drains from your face.

You hadn't thought it, you'd said it out loud.

You clamp a hand over your mouth as heat rushes to your cheeks all at once. Your heart starts pounding so hard you can almost feel it in your throat, and an awful knot settles in your stomach.

"No!" you cry, your lips trembling. "I don't like you, no, not at all. That was a mistake, I... I'm leaving!"

You turn around with the sole intention of running away before you can make the situation even worse, but you've barely managed to take a single step when a hand gently wraps around your wrist.

How did he get beside you so fast?

Obanai doesn't tighten his grip to keep you there. The light touch of his fingers is enough to stop you from taking another step.

"You said it without thinking." His voice is far too calm.

You stay with your back to him, far too embarrassed to turn around. You can feel your heart pounding against your chest so hard that you can barely breathe properly.

"Please..." you murmur, your voice barely audible. "Pretend you didn't hear any of that."

For months you'd been careful with every word, every glance, and every little gesture so Obanai would never suspect a thing. And now, just a couple of sentences spoken in a moment of frustration had brought all of that crashing down.

The hand around your wrist loosens slightly.

"I can't." His next words come after a long silence. "I've been waiting far too long to hear something like that."

You feel the air leave your lungs, and you slowly turn to look at him.

Obanai is still avoiding your eyes. The faint blush spreading across the tips of his ears contrasts with the calm expression on his face, though the slight tremble in his fingers gives away that he's every bit as nervous as you are.

"I thought..." He pauses briefly, searching for the right words. "I thought I'd never have a reason to believe my feelings could ever be returned."

•——————•°•✿•°•——————•

Rengoku Kyojuro

The sun is beginning to set as the two of you make your way back. After an especially long mission, everything feels surprisingly peaceful. Rengoku walks beside you with the same energy he always has, enthusiastically talking about how well you worked together and recalling moments from the battle with such an infectious smile that you end up laughing along with him.

You can't help thinking that this is one of the things you love most about Kyojuro. Even after facing a demon, he still finds reasons to smile.

"You were magnificent today!" he suddenly exclaims, turning toward you with an expression full of pride. "I'm convinced that every mission we share proves just how much you've grown as a swordswoman!"

An embarrassed laugh slips from your lips.

"Don't exaggerate," you murmur, giving him a light punch on the shoulder.

"I never exaggerate when I'm giving someone a compliment!"

He shakes his head with such confidence that you end up rolling your eyes with a laugh.

"You're impossible."

"Thank you!" His smile grows even wider.

You look at him for a few seconds, unable to stop yourself from smiling.

You don't understand how someone can be so optimistic all the time. Sometimes, just spending a few hours by his side is enough to make you forget every worry, and maybe that's why you've spent so long trying to convince yourself that what you feel can't possibly be love.

Because it would be far too complicated, because he deserves someone better, and because you know he'll most likely never see you that way.

"Is something wrong?" he asks when he notices you've gone quiet again.

"No... I was just thinking."

"About what?" Kyojuro tilts his head curiously.

You let out a soft sigh, a dreamy smile appearing on your lips.

"About how wonderful it is to be in love with someone like you."

The silence doesn't last long, but it's long enough for those words to start echoing over and over inside your head.

The air seems to get stuck in your lungs as your heart lurches so hard you almost lose your balance.

Your eyes fly open, and heat rushes to your cheeks so quickly that you can feel even your ears burning. You clamp a hand over your mouth, completely horrified, replaying the conversation in your mind again and again with the ridiculous hope that you imagined it.

"Wait!" you blurt out, throwing both hands up in front of you as if you could stop time itself. "That... that wasn't meant for you! Well... it was meant for you! No! I mean..."

The words come out so fast that not even you can make sense of them. You squeeze your eyes shut. You've never wanted to disappear so badly.

For months, you'd imagined a beautiful, peaceful confession after finally working up the courage to do it. You'd thought through every last detail, the words you'd use and the perfect moment.

And instead, you'd ended up confessing in the middle of a muddy road after answering a completely innocent question.

You weren't even sure you'd ever confess at all.

You remain frozen, unable to gather the courage to look at him. You expect anything, surprise, rejection, or even for him to walk away without saying a word, but the one thing you don't expect is for him to laugh.

You slowly open your eyes. Kyojuro is still looking at you, but he doesn't seem uncomfortable or confused. Quite the opposite. His smile has grown even wider, and his eyes are shining with such unmistakable excitement that you're completely caught off guard.

"That makes me incredibly happy!"

You blink several times. "Excuse me?"

"I've been waiting to hear those words for a long time!"

Your mind goes completely blank. You stare at him, unsure whether you heard him correctly or if your embarrassment has finally made you lose your senses.

Kyojuro lets out a laugh full of excitement before resting a hand on his hip.

"I'd been planning to confess my feelings once I found the right moment! I wanted to do it after inviting you to have a meal with me once we got back from the mission." He pauses briefly before smiling at you again with the same warmth that makes your heart skip a beat. "But it seems you ended up being much braver than I was."

"Were you... in love with me?" You feel your heart start racing all over again.

"Of course!" he says without the slightest hint of embarrassment. "I've been in love with you for quite a long time."

The sincerity in his voice makes all the tension you've been carrying melt away in an instant. There's no hesitation in his voice, no embarrassment, no attempt to hide how he feels.

"I'm truly happy that your feelings found the courage to leave your heart." Before you can answer, Kyojuro gently wraps your hands in both of his, wearing the brightest smile. "I promise I'll make you just as happy as you've made me today!"

“bad day?” you didn’t have to reply for him to see the tremor in your shoulders. venti sadly pouts, draping a hand-quilted blanket over you. “it’s all right, darling. you’re home now, in my arms where you belong.” but when he leaned down to press a kiss to the top of your head, you rolled away.

strange.

now, he would normally let the matter drop. sometimes you just had those days where all you wanted was the company and not the expectation of reciprocation. but when he caught glimpse of that damned grin on your cheek as you pretended to huddle into a pillow? all his sympathy blew into a simple shake of his head.

“oh you are absolutely wicked, windblume! here i am, your devoted husband, trying to comfort my wilted flower and you decided to be a menace!” bold of him to say so, but hypocrisy was lost on him as he suddenly tackled you. crawling over your scrunched body to begin peppering your face with kisses.

he giggled, kissing at your palms when they raised to stop the ticklish onslaught. “mm, are you too tired now, windblume? cheeky thing, remind me to not trust that cute kicked-puppy look of yours so quickly!”

AYATO — ⊹ . ݁♡ ˖

ʚ oh so you’ve decided to play this game have you?

ʚ ayato is as petty as he is powerful in status, don’t think because you’re wed he won’t be going out of his way to make you regret teasing him in such a cruel way.

two months. it’s been two months since he’s seen your face, and the times he has mainly rely on his subconscious dreams—which, in fact, do not help with the yearning. weeks upon weeks of smelling the fresh scent of your perfume lingering within every folded piece of parchment. wistfully staring at the dribbles of rain on curved liyue windows.

so, of course, when the ship docked at inazuma’s port—he couldn’t help but hurry his paces. completely ignoring the struggling thoma as he stumbled over the boxes of souvenirs from his trip.

as usual, you greeted him at the front gate of his estate. home, finally. ayato could finally breathe when his head nuzzled to the crook of your neck, searching for the scent he smelt faintly in the dim nights of solitude.

“my dear love, no letter could hold up to how much i’ve missed seeing you. come, let me take a look at your face.” though when he leaned up straight you know what was coming—and purposefully dodged. his lips landing off to the side of your face.

“twitchy today, aren’t you? no matter.” he tried again. and again. till he cupped your cheeks in his large, cold hands to keep you still. “really, dear, it’s like you enjoy making a fool of a man who spoils you rotten, is this a new torture tactic of yours?”

“whatever could you be talking about, ayato?” you grin, and he quirks a brow.

dipping your chin to force your wandering eyes to fully meet his own. “i haven’t seen my spouse in two months, i would best advice for you to not tease me till i’ve had my fill of you.”

“all right, all right—i apologise!” you chuckle, dragging him by the edges of his kimono for a proper kiss. bittersweet and still laced with a longing he couldn’t replace in just one night.

“perfect,” he smiled, tucking your arm with his to lead you home. “now, i hope you don’t think i am satisfied with just that, my dear. you owe me extra loving for that stunt alone.”

A. ITTO — ⊹ . ݁♡ ˖

ʚ NOOOOO WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO HIM ╭(╯^╰)╮

ʚ he’s already kind of awkward when it comes to showing you affection in public—he looks loud and proud sure (because he is) but there are just some things that are hard to hide behind an exaggerated grin.

ʚ but yeah pffft of course you were joking! he knew that! of course he did! he totally did not think that you no longer wanted to be associated with someone like him! or that you ate beans recently and could kill him! no way!

the battle was fierce. eyes sharp and focused, slimmed to slits like a kitsune perking in the cover of shadows. it was life or death.

“GO ITTO[NAME] GO! YOU CAN DO IT LITTLE BUDDY!” itto cheered without shame, prodding at the fearsome onikabuto as it charged against its opponent. your beetle. though it was the usual friendly competition, you couldn’t help feel like itto was getting a little too into it. you weren’t going to comment, however.

while distracted with the charming grin on his beaming face, it was too late for you to notice the way your beetle had rolled over in defeat. well, damn.

“WOOO! let’s go!! another peak performance from our bug baby!” gross, but so endearing.

“congrats on the win.” yes you couldn’t stop yourself from being petty with a hand on your hip, so what?

“soooooo, for my reward, ehem,” itto coughed awkwardly into his hand, smile somehow getting brighter as his eyes darted from your lips to the twitching beetle.

he shuffled closer, settling a warm palm over the curve of your back to help draw you in. you complied, just to give him the get go—before immediately turning away when he leaned in to kiss you. itto straightened, shaking his head in absolute bewilderment.

“huh—? did i…” he pointed at himself then at you. did he miss your lips or something? because he could’ve sworn he felt nothing just then. he tried again, and was met with the same dry taste of cold air on his tongue. all right then, clearly he was the problem here.

turning away from you, itto began fussing over himself. heaving out a breath to check the scent, he could’ve sworn he was watching what he was eating before meeting you, flexing his muscles to ensure there’s no dirt or clinging mud stuck to his skin, staring at his reflection in the shade of the onikabuto…and nothing.

“babyyy…” he pouted, finally facing forward with his hands on his hips. “are you seriously upset over losing? i swear i didn’t cheat or anything, i’m just that good! i-i’ll let you win next time! we can go another round and i promise you’ll emerge victorious! sooo, please?”

no one can resist itto’s dangerous puppy-eyes for too long.

CHARLOTTE — ⊹ . ݁♡ ˖

ʚ so you’ve chosen to have your face publicly humiliated in the daily fontaine newspaper? is that it? because don’t think she won’t sneak it in or poorly plaster wanted posters of you around town! you’re seriously tempting her with all these awful jokes.

charlotte was about to head of to an interview with the traveler, packing her stuff swiftly before glancing over at you cheerfully, expecting her usual routine of a kiss on the cheek as established early on the relationship; before every interview, you’d give her a kiss.

however, what came from you was pure silence as you stayed entranced by a piece of literature in your hands. she glares at you. shuffling some material as she searches for something until shortly, several bright lights flash all over your form, the sound of a camera fluttering working in tandem as charlotte begins taking a plethora of photos of you.

“what are you doing?” you ask her, still not paying any attention to her antics, which just makes her pout in frustration.

“taking pictures of a villainous culprit for the papers, the headline will be; “[name], the absolute embodiment of cruelty, doesn’t kiss girlfriend after she politely waits for them to do so.”

you stifle a chuckle. “i don’t think that’s particularly against the law.”

she guffaws, the camera nearly dropping to the floor. “how preposterous! it is a serious crime here in fontaine, don’t believe me? look here—“ charlotte grumbles, taking out a piece of paper to write down ‘MUST KISS PARTNER, OR JAIL TIME WILL BE 3-5 YEARS.’

“you’re so dramatic,” you sigh, finally deciding to cave in and plant a kiss to her soft lips. she relaxes, pinching at your cheek as if to punish you for the delay.

ARLECCHINO — ⊹ . ݁♡ ˖

“[name], i’ve returned.” arlecchino’s mellow voice rang out, her claws scraping on ebony wood and ashy marble.

“welcome back! how was the trip? no issues?” she shook her head, brushing back some flyaway hairs drifting from your head right behind your ear.

“none. i bought you a gift, like always.” shifting through something within her back pocket, she pulls out a necklace. crimson rubies beading through silver that dangle like spilled blood from her fingertip.

you beam, examining piece more intimately by tracing the dazzled gem. its colours fragmenting like shards on the ceiling. “it’s beautiful! you always know how to pick these, don’t you?”the praise does wonders for her ego (and also sweetens her touch later in the day when you’re cuddled together).

she doesn’t have to say anything, she never does. only leans down in arrogant expectation. it was the standard routine. a gift for a kiss, your loyalty and submission for her protection and luxury.

so did you somehow forget those things when charmed by her souvenir? or are were you deliberately attempting to push her buttons?

she closed her eyes like a fool, and no one, not even you are allowed to do such a thing. snatching your chin to keep your head from looking away in shame, her tone rumbled in your ear. “do you enjoy being a brat? or do you trust my lenience toward you will ease the punishment you’ll receive for such a stunt?”

K. C. FLINS — ⊹ . ݁♡ ˖

ʚ i’m going to speak on behalf of us slavics/baltics, we’re not really known for our PDA or affection. rather contrarily, we’re more known for being cold and stone-faced to strangers while privately intimate and warm to our friends/family. so, honestly i don’t think flins would necessarily care that much

ʚ he’s also a very polite gentleman, he wouldn’t push it if he sees you recline from a kiss. maybe he’s a little hurt, but it’s not like it’s the end of the world.

after a particularly rough and arduous fight with the wild hunt, you had managed to get knocked back. some sort of polearm scratching a non-lethal wound across your cheek, just about avoiding your eye. flins wasted absolutely no time in attempting to patch you up. hands resting respectfully on your waist as he propped you carefully on a nearby cave wall.

“are you sure you’re all right? you do not need to lie to me, i don’t wish for you to suffer alone.” his hands fiddled with a handkerchief you had knit him ages ago, using a damp edge to wipe at the crusted crimson pooling down your cheek.

“no, it’s all good. just stings a little, but that’s to be expected.” you nodded in confirmation, wincing with a hiss as his fingers creep higher to the deeper damage.

“sorry, love.” he muttered apologetically, brows furrowing at even the slight notice of your discomfort. “i should have been quicker, next time i’ll ensure that your safety takes priority. but for the meanwhile…” cold fingertips curl over the side of your face, and you can’t help but subtly chuckle at the charmingly nervous way his eyes glanced down at your lips.

he leaned closer, the faint smell of moss and rain clinging to his inky cloak mingling with the scent of antiseptic. it made you dizzy. but not dizzy enough to feel like teasing him. what’s one more fright for the night?

instead of meeting the soft curve of your jaw or slope of your nose—he’s met nearly immediately with freezing rock. you hide your giggling tremors behind the back of your palm. that was…certainly unexpected.

thinking maybe the drowsiness made him falter for the moment, he straightens back up—only just about noticing the shit-eating grin on your face. he smiles, beginning to pinch at your nose in response.

“let’s just get you to bed.”

VARKA — ⊹ . ݁♡ ˖

ʚ that man has several adopted kids in various ages, believe me he’s used to the wincing. granted sometimes it’s due to his scratchy beard (HE HAS A BEARD. I DONT CARE ABOUT THE CANON RAAAHH) itching skin uncomfortably, but he knows when you’re whinging from his touch just to be a brat.

ʚ you will not escape the clutches of this man, you wanna pry more attention from him? you’re free to have it so long as you can handle it.

not only did he dare come home smelling exceedingly of poorly poured alcohol, he managed to mangle his dripping blood onto your fresh carpet. sitting up straight like a hunting barn owl, arms tightly closed across your chest—you simply stared at him.

“come on, mein schätzelein. it ain’t that big a deal! if anything, this is the most lenient i’ve home since—“ the twitch in your eye certainly didn’t make him feel particularly superb. huffing, he stoops down on his knees to look up at you, attempting to seem as docile as possible. difficult for a man of his size, but the sentiment was rather endearing.

“look, i said i’m sorry. it won’t happen again, all right? can’t have my dear thinking i’m a terrible husband.” he doesn’t really ask so much so as he smiles and takes the twitch in your lips as confirmation. picking you up effortlessly, he holds you up like a treasure vault. hopefully filled with a bit of love left for his pathetic cooing.

when he lowers you specifically for a kiss, you quickly turn to the side and squirm in his embrace. “mn. quit it. i’m still pissed at you.”

“oh, really? so why are you grinning so hard? don’t think i can’t see it.” he chuckles, the sound vibrating warmly through your chest as he cradles you closer. his lips attempt to find any portion of your skin to kiss. mouth dragging over air as you just about manage to knock your head to the side each time.

you huff, hiding a laugh with a feigned sniffle. “i’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”

“pure lies, and you know it. now c’mere.”this time, with how impossibly close you were to his tight grip? there was no escape from his rightful kissing onslaught.

From his perch against the southern bookcases, Lohen watched you with his arms crossed over his chest. In his right hand, he held his favorite blade, twirling it around his finger until the hilt pressed into his palm, then twirling it around again. The soft sound of his knife hitting the fabric of his glove was quick to fill the space around him, which had returned to near silence yet again after Theodore’s departure.

You walked past him with a stack of books in your hands, giving him a glance. “Can you put that away, please?”

He sighed through his nose. Slotting his dagger back into its sheath, he pouted dejectedly at your back. You didn’t pay him a shred of attention, instead focusing on your duties of restocking the bookshelves and rearranging any misplaced codices.

Lohen sighed aloud. When you still didn’t turn around, he sighed yet again. Sighing so hard and so repetitively that he was nearly going dizzy from it, you eventually turned around with a smile that didn’t match the glare in your eyes.

“What is it, Lohen?”

Lohen. It was always ‘Lohen’ with you. But with Theodore, it was ‘Theo’.

“Nothing,” he said, his shoulders rising in a shrug. “Nothing at all.”

You stared at him for a moment, then eventually frowned. Your voice was gentle. “You look upset.”

“Upset? I’m not upset.” Lohen shrugged again, glaring down at the wood floor. “What would make you think I’m upset?”

Your hands directed his face to yours. He ignored the flush of warmth that it sent through his cheeks, and tried further to ignore the sudden thrill in his chest. When you smiled, he swallowed his nerves.

“What’s wrong?” you asked softly.

“N-nothing,” he answered, his hands rising to your wrists. “It’s nothing, really. I’m fine.”

“If you were fine you would have been using your cryo-infused hand to scare me when my back was turned,” you laughed. Softening your voice, you said, “Please, just talk to me. I don’t want you to be upset, Lohen.”

The way your thumbs brushed over his cheeks felt all too tender. Smiling rather awkwardly, he squeezed your wrists between his fingers.

“We started at ‘Vice Captain’,” he said, “and then we got to ‘Lohen’. But we never got much farther past that.”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“Theodore. Theodore is ‘Theo’. But me? I’m ‘Lohen’.”

“Well, that’s your—...oh,” you said inquisitively, your eyes widening. “I see what you mean. You want me to give you a nickname?”

“It doesn’t…have to be a nickname,” he babbled, feeling oddly out of his element as he did. “I mean, I call you Bun and Princess. But you only ever call me ‘Lohen’, even though I know you call other people shorter names and stuff.”

“I’ll call you whatever you want me to, Lohen. How does handsome sound?”

Your arms looped around his neck, and as you smiled with those half-lidded eyes of yours, Lohen’s nervous laughter burst from his lips. Staring at you with wide eyes and a face so hot, he was convinced his vision had flipped to pyro, he quickly said, “That’s a lot more embarrassing than I thought it would be.”

“Hm?” You tilted your head, staring down at his mouth as you grinned. “What, you don’t like that, sweetheart?”

“Fuck,” Lohen stammered, his eyes shifting around the library. “Bun, quit.”

“But honey,” you purred, the heat of your breath tickling his upper lip. “You’re the one who wanted me to call you something different. You mean you don’t like it?”

“I’m gonna kill you,” he answered, his grin hurting his face. “Stop it.”

“Oh, but, baby. You look like you like it.”

“Let’s just…let’s just go back to Lohen.”

You laughed, and with a chaste press of your mouth to his, he laughed back. He glanced around once more, ensuring the library was as empty as ever before throwing his arms around your hips. Backing you into the bookshelf, his grinning lips pressed against yours before he gave you a playful little nibble.

“I’m working,” you laughed.

“Take a five minute break,” he crooned.

“Vice Captain,” you murmured. “You’re going to get me in trouble.”

“Oh, yeah? That so, Library Girl?”

The way you giggled tickled his ears. He pressed his lips to your cheek, peppering kisses against the corner of your mouth as you laughed and laughed and laughed.

“Lohen,” you said, ever so dearly. “You know I just like the sound of your name, right?”

He cracked a smile.

“You know, whenever you say it, Bun…I like the sound of it too.”