#karmelle

karma stares at the wrapped box on the table. what if she doesn't like it? he never cared this much for these things, so why is he so anxious? giving a lot of thought to one present was already out of character for him but worrying so much after? who is this man, because it's definitely not him.

his phone buzzed and he looks at the message. from the birthday girl.

thank youuu!!!! for the spam. and the greeting too i guess. o(>ω<)o

are you coming here or want me to wait at the station for you?

he replies.

whoa, a text without the word 'asshat' for once? kiriya-chan finally matured. i'm so proud!!! i'll be there soon :)

he laughs at the reply that came seconds later, as he expected.

oh my god. i'll see you soon, asshat. (＃`Д´)

he puts his phone in his pocket and picks up the small box. it's fine, he tries to convince himself. he had gone shopping with mizuki and itona for gifts, and mizuki's input helped him more than he'd admit. if mizuki hadn't gone with them, itona probably would've gotten anielle a screwdriver set and karma? who knows.

he thinks of the conversation mizuki and anielle had about a necklace three weeks ago.

"oh? ani, did you always have that necklace?" mizuki asks, looking at it. karma looks at it too. he's never noticed it before either, but he doesn't really care. it's just a necklace.

it wasn't a big deal until anielle says: "huh? oh yeah. shuu gave it to me when we were second years, and i've worn it ever since. you just noticed it?"

mizuki brought up that conversation when they were thinking of what to get. he wasn't too fond of buying anielle a new necklace at first, but he had no idea what to get. besides, he and asano weren't competing on academics alone anymore; somehow a new unspoken competition for anielle's attention began. asano once bragged about anielle wearing that necklace every day since he gave it to her, as if that means anything. she gets more face time with me, who's really winning now? one-upping asano isn't karma's priority, of course not, but it would be killing two birds with one stone. seeing anielle in something he got and asano defeated? thinking about it is almost enough to get rid of his worries right now.

he takes the box and puts it in his bag. he heads out of his house and starts making his way to anielle's.

~

"did you and mizuki make a bet? i woke up to about 25 messages each from the both of you. sent at 12am," anielle asks, brushing a leaf off her shoulder.

"hm, unspoken competition, i guess," karma shrugs. "who won?"

"it may have been a tie?"

"boo, boring. i wanted bragging rights," he takes one of his hands out of his pockets and slides the classroom door open.

mizuki is the first person they see. she exclaims, holding out a present, "happy birthday ani!!"

anielle takes it, "thank you, mizu! you didn't have to get me anything..."

"i had to. for my favorite hag."

"hey!" anielle playfully punches her shoulder before heading to her own desk. she gets greeted by the few classmates who get there early. rio, to their surprise, walks in shortly after karma and anielle did. she pulls anielle out of the classroom.

"so... did you give it to her yet?" mizuki asks karma as soon as anielle is out of earshot. karma shakes his head no. "why not? dude, don't tell me you're nervous? oh my god."

"shut up."

"oh my, it's mr. karma's first time actually getting serious about somebody, and he doesn't know how to handle it! poor thing, let mizuki help you!" she teases, poking his cheeks, which had a hint of red to them. mizuki's enjoying this more than she probably should.

he swats her hand away, "you are so annoying."

anielle and rio walk back in the classroom, and anielle has a box in her hands and frosting on her cheek.

as anielle walks back to her desk, mizuki whispers, "come on, give it to her now."

karma whispers back, "no. not now."

mizuki was going to say something, but anielle's already standing in front of them. anielle takes out her handkerchief from her pocket and wipes her cheek. mizuki is shooting karma a look, but karma pretends he doesn't notice and listens to anielle talk about how rio caught her by surprise with a cupcake and wiping frosting on her face. their other classmates start to file in one by one or in small groups, greeting anielle with a happy birthday. their teacher is the last to say their greeting, and class starts.

lunch rolls by, and mizuki is still giving karma a look. anielle excuses herself to go to the bathroom.

"if it's an audience your suddenly shy ass is worrying about it, invite her outside or something."

"what if she doesn't like it?"

"that's what you're worried about? anielle will literally take anything. she would've taken that screwdriver set itona was gonna buy for her. doesn't mean she likes it, yes, but dude. honestly, if it's from you, she'll be happy with it. besides, it's the one she really wanted, isn't it?"

itona walks up to them with his lunch in hand, "what are we talking about?"

"karma. and the present."

"he hasn't given it yet? i'm surprised," itona says as he sits down at the desk in front of anielle's. "she'll be glad with whatever. since it's you."

"that's what i said!"

"the last thing i need is the both of you pestering me about this. i'll give it later, i swear."

"listen, s—"

the conversation stops when anielle comes back. mizuki changes the subject and asks anielle if she had any plans for her birthday. karma feels itona staring at him.

~

anielle's siblings run inside first. as she opens the front door, karma speaks.

"hey. happy birthday," he says, holding out the small rectangular box.

"o-oh!" she takes it. "thank you. you didn't have to. can i open it now?"

"sure, go ahead," karma replies, feeling a little anxious again. what if she thought he was unoriginal and was copying asano? what if she doesn't like the color? what if questions spin in his head while she watched him open the present.

anielle gasps and karma watches as her lips curl into a smile. "oh my god, i had my eye on this for 2 weeks now but they were sold out! how did you get your hands on this?"

something about the way anielle's eyes lit up and how big her smile was washed karma's anxieties away. he replies, relieved, "hm. pulled some strings."

anielle suddenly jumps on him for a hug, catching karma off guard, "thank you. really."

karma replies after a short pause, "i'm glad you like it."

"yeah? knowing you, i bet you probably didn't think too much about what to get me. but seriously. thank you again," she waves as she opens the door, ready to go in, still smiling. "asshat. see you tomorrow."

"you're welcome. see you tomorrow, kiriya-chan~"

~

"yeeeess?" he groggily replied, eyes still closed.

"can you stop clinging onto me for like a few minutes? i'm almost done with the dishes, you can go back to clinging onto me after that."

"no. too long," he shifted his head a bit, finding a comfortable position on anielle’s shoulder.

anielle sighed and tried her best to finish the dishes with limited movement. it was taking her longer than it usually does since he wouldn't let go. karma's been like this ever since she got back from that trip with her mom. it's not like she hated it, if anything it felt good to be with him again after two long weeks, but there were things to do and karma was making it impossible. karma did have his ‘clingy and needy cat moments’ from time to time, but they usually lasted hours, not days. 

she tried to reach for the cloth to dry her hands, getting it after a few tries. karma started mumbling something, and even though they were close, anielle couldn’t hear. she opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of loud footsteps stop her before she could get the chance to say something. 

a chorus of “good morning ani-chan”s as anielle’s little siblings walked into the kitchen caused karma to finally open his eyes and stand up straight. they all jumped on her, clinging onto her the same way karma was. 

“can you go shopping with me today?”

“play with me and taiko!”

"please?”

“sorry, guys,” karma’s arms finally let go of anielle’s waist, and they let go too, looking up at him. “ani-chan’s mine for today.”

“you’ve been saying that for three days, karma-neesan!” harumi huffed, arms crossed.

“yeah!” yuna and taiko exclaimed in unison, nodding their heads.

“we haven’t been able to spend any time with her since she got back!”

“if you can find a way to steal her from me, then you can have her,” karma replied, grinning.

they stayed silent for a few minutes until harumi gasped, whispering something to the other two. anielle and karma looked at them in confusion. the three ran off, leaving karma and anielle alone again.

“you act more like a child than they do,” anielle shook her head.

“what? it’s a constant war for your attention, and they always have the upper hand,” he answered. “and those two weeks were so long. i missed you too, you know?”

there it is. he finally admitted it. she gave him a peck on the lips, a quiet laugh escaping her lips, “’kay, asshat. enjoy the moment. they’ll be after your ass all day until they pry me from your hands.”

"where is she?" anielle asks through gritted teeth as she approaches the male, taking all of her self control not to yell or shoot him.

"must we have this conversation right here? look at the place; so lively and full of joy. look at you; so stunning in that dress."

"don't fuck with me, akabane. i said, where is she?!"

"where is who?" he smiles innocently, ticking the female off even more.

"you know damn well who i'm talking about."

"hm, perhaps," he hands her a wine glass and slides the wine over to her. "care for some wine, kiriya-san?"

she scoffs, "no. tell me where she is, and we'll be done here."

he takes the glass and pours some into it anyway, and she doesn't stop him. the sound of music and chatter in the background fade away. a social gathering isn't a great place to discuss matters like this, but anielle's desperate. he took her partner for a reason she doesn't know or care about.

karma sees being in the mafia as something entertaining, anielle sees it as something she has to do to survive. that's where their differences lie.

"yabuki-san is fine. she's in safe hands," he slides the now filled glass to her.

anielle doesn't believe it. not until she sees it with her own eyes. not when it's coming from his mouth. she picks up the glass.

"your temper will cause you problems one day. you're oddly soft for a mafia boss, and you and i both know that's not the best way to be in this field."

"listen here, asshole," she puts down the glass after chugging its contents. "i don't give a fuck if i'm soft. i don't believe you. i know you and what you're capable of. i will find her."

"and if you do?"

she grabs a hold of his tie and pulls him down, smiling, "when i do, i'll kill you."

karma leans in, and the small distance between their faces closes, their lips meeting.

(this is so long hhhh)

karma met the (step)mom first

he already sorta met her in the summer trip since she was one of the assassins in the hotel

but they properly met when he comes over anielle’s house after school

as anielle unlocks the door karmas ready for her little siblings running up to her and welcoming her home and saying hi to him

but to his surprise its a woman with her arms crossed thats there when they walk in