#itoshi

the apartment is quiet except for the soft sizzling coming from the pan in front of you.

you hum quietly to yourself, stirring dinner absentmindedly while the smell of garlic and soy sauce fills the kitchen. outside, rain taps gently against the windows, soft enough to be calming rather than annoying.

then, the front door opens.

you glance toward the hallway automatically, hearing the familiar sound of shoes being kicked off near the entrance.

“welcome home,” you call out.

there’s no immediate response. just footsteps, slow ones.

you barely have enough time to look over your shoulder before arms wrap around your waist from behind, warm and heavy, pulling you backward against a solid chest.

you laugh softly. “hello to you too.”

sae buries his face into the crook of your neck without saying anything, his grip tightening slightly around you.

and immediately, you know.

long day.

“training bad?” you ask gently.

he exhales against your skin, tired and warm. “…mhm.”

that’s all you get at first.

sae wasn’t usually clingy.

affectionate, yes. quietly so. a hand on your thigh during drives, fingers brushing yours under tables, lingering touches whenever the two of you passed each other around the apartment.

but after difficult training days, he got like this. silent, clingy and needy in the softest possible way.

you lower the heat on the stove before resting your hand over his where it sits against your stomach.

“sae,” you laugh quietly, “the food’s gonna burn.”

“then let it burn.”

you actually snort at that.

because only sae would say something so serious over slightly overcooked dinner.

he shifts closer somehow, forehead now resting against your shoulder while his fingers curl tighter into the fabric of your shirt.

“missed you,” he mutters after a moment.

your expression softens instantly.

there it is. underneath the exhaustion. underneath the quietness, just him wanting you close.

you turn slightly in his hold, enough to brush your fingers through his hair. it’s still slightly damp from his shower at training.

“i missed you too.”

his eyes close briefly at the feeling of your hand in his hair.

“come sit down for a bit,” you murmur. “i’ll finish cooking.”

he shakes his head immediately.

“no.”

“sae-”

“wanna stay here.”

you can’t help smiling again.

because this terrifying midfielder, this cold and composed genius everyone else seems intimidated by, is currently acting like an oversized cat refusing to let you move.

“you’re clingy today.”

he finally lifts his head slightly, enough to look at you.

“…is that bad?”

the quietness in his voice makes your chest ache a little.

you turn fully this time despite his arms still around you, reaching up to cup his face gently between your hands.

“no,” you say softly. “never.”

something in his expression relaxes immediately.

his shoulders loosen, his eyes soften.

and before you can say anything else, he leans down, pressing a slow kiss against your forehead before hiding his face against your neck again.

“…okay,” he whispers.

the food nearly burns anyway, but neither of you really care.

a/n : made this cuz im flopping send in reqs and other than that theres nothing more to add.

𝐤𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐞, 𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐫, 2026. 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲, 𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐢.

❝ LETTERS

⋆˚꩜｡𐔌՞. .՞𐦯⋆. 𐙚 ˚

soft rin, soft heart

bf! rin itoshi headcanons.

except i don’t know how to write headcanons on here hahaha..

i forgot to say— m! reader btw

•sometimes, every sunday you guys go out to get ice cream at this one small shop that’s extremely underrated

•you guys roast each others music taste. for example..

“didn’t take you for someone that listens to beabadoobee. i mean.. it’s basically the opposite of your personality.”

“shut the hell up you listen to TWICE while saying you listen to rap. you hypocrite.”

•he sometimes gets REAL bored and shows off his dinosaur collection he used to have as a kid. you show off yours too. talking about who beats who

•he compares fugglers to you sometimes and says:

“that’s you when you’re mad”

•you guys cuss each other out, but it’s in a loving way

•he unintentionally sags, you don’t point it out but if it’s REAL bad, like he’s sagging like crazy— you’ll point it out. obviously.

•you guys play horror games together, for instance: five nights at freddy’s, granny, etc.

•you have once tried those period cramps thingys on rin, both of you tried it actually.

•..if you guys are feeling full with energy— you’ll race to whoever reaches the stop sign first near the gas station.

hihiii!! thank you, thats soso kind to hear 🫶 and thats a good question!!

in short, INTJ can fit rin on paper but it doesn’t fully explain him unless you factor in trauma and defense mechanisms.

rin is often typed as INTJ because he appears strategic, introverted, goal oriented, emotionally reserved and highly self controlled. those traits line up well with the INTJ stereotype, especially his tunnel vision focus on football, his long term planning and how he prioritises competence over emotional expression. from the outside, he looks like someone who suppresses emotion in favour of logic and results.

but the important distinction is that rin’s emotional distance isn’t natural preference, to him it’s protection. INTJs r usually comfortable with emotional detachment because it feels efficient or natural to them. rin, on the other hand, is emotionally intense underneath. his anger, obsession, jealousy and pain are strong. he just locks them away because expressing them has historically led to hurt, humiliation or loss. that’s not personality so much as learned behaviour.

this is why calling his coldness a defense mechanism matters. if rin had grown up in a healthier emotional environment, he likely wouldn’t present as nearly as withdrawn or hostile. he might still be introverted and focused but less rigid & less sharp edged. his silence isn’t just that he doesnt need ppl, it’s needing people that hurt him before.

so does INTJ fit? yes, structurally. but emotionally, rin often behaves like someone forcing himself into that mould to survive. that’s also why he cracks under pressure in very emotional ways! INTJs typically detach when stressed, while rin spirals, lashes out or becomes self destructive. that suggests someone who feels deeply but doesn’t know how to process it safely.

hihi sorry for the late reply ive been verryyy inactive lately 😭

rins ideal type isn’t really about looks or surface level preferences. it’s more about whether someone fits into the way he lives and thinks. he’s not drawn to people who try to change him or fill some emotional gap for him. he’s drawn to people who let him exist as he is, without pressure.

someone emotionally steady suits him best. rin already carries a lot internally, so being with someone who is unpredictable/overly reactive or constantly seeking reassurance would drain him. he needs someone calm and consistent, who doesn’t take his quietness personally and doesn’t panic when he withdraws. to him, silence isnt distance (it’s how he processes things).

he also needs a partner who respects boundaries. rin hates being pushed to talk before he’s ready, but that doesn’t mean he wants to be misunderstood. the right person notices his moods and adjusts naturally instead of interrogating him. they don’t demand explanations, but they understand when to give him space and when to stay close.

independence is extremely important to him. rin struggles with guilt and a partner who relies on him emotionally would make him feel trapped. someone with their own goals and sense of self feels safer to him. he wants to be chosen and not just depended on.

emotionally, rin works best with someone gentle but strong. not someone fragile, and not someone aggressive. when he’s sharp or cold, the wrong person pushes back and creates conflict. the right person stays grounded, doesn’t excuse his behavior but doesn’t abandon him either.