Hajime Umemiya x fem!reader (selfshippy)
Warnings: some cursing, selfshippy, this is included in a shared au called minx!au
a/n: FIRST PLUMSHINE FIC! Hiiii so here's the infamous apology scene that takes place after the scene with my lovely vice captain bahaha.
Companion piece by @aceofbooks-creative-anthologies
It's true, you hate everything about this. You hate that you have to walk through this stupid little town with your tail between your legs like an apologetic dog. You hate that you're loyal and will basically do whatever your Vice Captain says. You hate that you have a bad temper. You hate the idea of an alliance. You hate the idea of apologizing. And most of all you hate that you have to apologize to him.
To be honest, you can't really remember what he looks like. At least not any of his facial features. You remember that he's tall and has light colored hair, but other than that, he's just a blurred smudge in your memory. A very annoying blurred smudge in your memory.
The roof access door creaks as you slowly push it open. The sun immediately assaults your vision and before you step out onto the roof you raise a hand to shield your eyes. Despite the sun shining it's cool up here, the wind rustles your hair and you pull your pink jacket tighter around you. As your eyes adjust, they fall on him.
He has his back to you which is a mistake on his part, and you wonder just how aware of his surroundings he is. He's crouched down in front of a garden bed full of little green sprouts. The sun shines down on him and it makes his white hair twinkle like snow. And—you can't believe it—he's humming to himself. Fully unaware of you standing there.
At least that's what you assume given the lack of a response at the squeaky closing door to the rooftop. Still you can't help the sense of peace in this place. Perhaps the aura of the goody two shoe boys of Bofurin Ace mentioned drapes heavy over the town. It's not a bad thing per se, just annoying to get used to considering you don't trust a single person here.
You clear your throat obnoxiously. Manners go straight out the window for this one.
Umemiya finally stops what he's doing—which you've just noticed is…pulling weeds?—and turns to look over his shoulder at you. You expect a grimace, or maybe an annoyed eye roll from him but through sheer naivety this man beams at you and slowly stands, casually wiping his hands on his pants to address you.
"Hey…I know you…" he says, narrowing his eyes as he watches you.
You roll your eyes at the familiarity in his tone. He's talking like the two of your were friends who haven't seen each other in a while, instead of someone you viciously threatened a few hours ago. As he saunters over you notice how tall and broad he is. He's easily a foot taller than you and that puts you even more on edge. You take a wary step back as he draws closer and he notices and stops in his tracks a few feet away from you.
He blinks with big wide eyes at you and it makes you feel exposed. His eyes are so light the color almost looks absent, like looking into a mirror. You're momentarily taken aback by them, secretly admiring them in your mind.
A few moments pass of the two of you standing there staring at each other like idiots. You know he's sizing you up, but his lips part slightly as his eyes make their way back up to yours. You keep a close eye on his shoulders, watching to see if he'll tense in anyway and come at you but he doesn't.
"You're the girl from yesterday…from that little hotel with the pretty name…" he says hesitantly. He doesn't look nervous though, which inexplicably irritates you.
"Himari…" you mutter sourly and his smile returns.
"Yes! Himari, what a beautiful name for such a warm place. Did you come up with that?" he asks animatedly as he clasps his hands together.
You quirk an eyebrow but curl your lip up in slight annoyance. "Uhh no. My mother did." you explain flatly.
"Ahh she must be a ray of sunshine herself then, huh?" He lets out a relaxed chuckle, but continues to observe you quietly with kind eyes. It makes a lump form in your throat, how casually he speaks about her. As if he knew her? As if she'd trust him.
"Don't talk about my mother…." you hiss at him, taking another step away from him.
He raises his eyebrows, and for the first time since speaking to you he takes a wary step away from you as if he can feel the air around you shift. He tilts his head slightly to the side, his eyes fixed on you and then he breathes out a heavy sigh.
"Right, I might've remembered how feisty you were if I weren't so distracted by how pretty the hotel is. How'd you get up here anyway?" He asks nonchalantly as he stretches.
Your eyes immediately follow his arms stretching up high above him. They're long, quite muscular, and a bit sun-kissed from the late summer sun. You stop yourself from admiring by scoffing an answer to his question.
Umemiya drops his arms to his side and cracks his neck before smirking at you. "So you're cheeky too. I meant how did you know to come up here?"
You raise an eyebrow, clearly wanting to keep your cards close to your chest.
"I did my research," you quip back.
And he doesn't miss a beat.
"Research, huh? I see…and why did you come here looking for me?"
You should say to apologize. You should say to propose an alliance. Instead you say "To check out potential threats."
Umemiya purses his lips at that, though he keeps a wary eye on you. "Gotta say, I don't like the idea of someone who is 'checking out potential threats' knowing exactly how to get up on this roof."
You snort, "That's the smartest thing you've said since I got up here."
He chuckles with you, as if you're old friends. "And how am I holding up at being a potential threat?"
You narrow your eyes at his sarcasm, "Too early to tell."
He shoves his hands in his pockets and smiles politely at you."Right right… well while you're here, do you wanna see what I'm growing up here?"
Is he serious? Does he think this is some kind of garden party or something? Isn't he supposed to be the leader of Bofurin? Ace definitely said he's well known, pretty powerful and an intimidating reputation.
"What like you're growing drugs or something?"
Umemiya laughs; loud, boisterous, boyish and obnoxious. Somehow though, it doesn't grate on your nerves as you'd expect, rather it surprises you with how joyous it sounds.
"No no! No drugs, I mean vegetables and a few fruit trees we planted some years ago," he explains.
You blink up at him in confusion. This is the strangest man you've ever met, and you like to believe you've seen a bunch of weirdos.
"You're asking me…to tour your rooftop garden?" you ask with a hint of judgemental confusion.
He turns to look at you over his shoulder and you swear it feels like the sun gets brighter and hotter despite slowly setting when he beams at you. "Well yeah!"
"You are…infuriatingly honest," you scoff.
"That wasn't a compliment."
"Oh I know, but I'm going to take it like it is."
You roll your eyes and he chuckles gently to himself.
What the hell is this guys deal?
"No thanks…I'm not here to see your garden."
His expression drops into the most disappointed pout you've ever seen and you won't admit it aloud but you feel guilty when you turn him down. He's your enemy yes, but all he did was ask if you wanted to see his plants.
"Whaatt? You don't even wanna take a quick look at the cherry trees? I'm super proud of those…" he whines.
Except…what if that's exactly what he wants you to think?
It feels like he's trying to pull one over on you, like he keeps trying to knock you off balance or try some reverse psychology crap to trick you. He's supposed to be dangerous, he's supposed to be strong and intimidating. Maybe he's hiding it all behind this fake golden retriever persona. Or maybe he thinks he needs to act this way because you're a woman.
Either way he's not taking you seriously and it pisses you off.
I can't do this. You think to yourself. I'm sorry Ace but there's no way I'll be able to agree to an alliance with this guy.
"You know what, nevermind. This was a bad idea on my part. I shouldn't have come here. I'm gonna go."
A hint of concern flashes across his face as he takes a step forward, his hand reaching out to lightly touch your arm in a bid to stop you.
It's the quickest you've seen him move and it immediately sets you on edge. His touch on your skin feels hot, almost forbidden and you yank away from him as if in pain.
Umemiya freezes at your sharp and stern rebuttal, his hand stopping in mid-air and immediately retracting back to his side. A flicker of surprise crosses his face, but he retains his composure.
He nods slightly, acknowledging the strong boundary you've just set. "Alright, I won't."
Slowly, he shoves his hands in his pockets to ease any other temptation of reaching out to you. But he takes another small step toward you, hoping you don't move away from him. He keeps his eyes trained on yours as he watches for what you will do next. He seems intrigued, that same look he had back at the hotel when he first saw you. He had looked perplexed, but more than that he'd looked…captivated.
"You know, the day I met you was the first time I'd ever been chewed out that hard by someone other than my sister," he says looking out over his town wistfully.
"What a lucky gal.." you quip back.
He chuckles. "You're funny, I like that."
Ugh I shouldn't be funny to you I should be fucking terrifying!
"Ugh stop that!" you screech, stomping over to stand in front of him threateningly.
You glare up a him and he stares down at you with surrendered hands and a confused expression. You watch his nostrils flare a bit and his pupils dilate.
"Uhh stop what, exactly?" he asks innocently.
"Speaking to me like you're pandering to me or something!" you hiss.
He pauses, his eyes raking over your face and taking in your features before his eyes soften. As you watch his expression soften, you feel as if he's hit you in the gut.
"I'm speaking to you like you're a person," he says simply.
You hate the way he's looking at you right now. His gaze is too exposing, it makes you want to cover up, to pull your jacket tighter around you and hide. But you're on the defense already, so you snap more at him to show your vicious you can be.
"I know that," you snap back at him.
Despite your sharp retort, he doesn't flinch and it makes you almost regret saying it. Instead, he calmly responds,
"You say that, but it seems like you're waiting for some other shoe to drop. There aren't any shoes dropping. You came here to find me."
You raise a surprised eyebrow at his words and remember Ace telling you he has respect not only throughout his gang but several other gangs around the immediate area. You know damn well Hajime Umemiya isn't stupid, but it'll be a cold day in hell before you admit that aloud so you shrug nonchalantly, "Fine then."
Your words come out in a rush,"Look…I came here to apologize for chewing you out and threatening to kill you yesterday when all you were doing was being kind and helping with the deliveries. Men who visit our side of town aren't usually as...helpful...as you …at least not without the expectation os something in return.I thought you would do something to hurt my girls. Clearly I know now that you won't... or at least you don't have any intentions to....yet."
Umemiya walks over to where a table and two chairs are set up not far from the two of you. He takes a seat and gestures for you to take the seat across from him. "Yet, you say. Does that mean you still don't quite trust me?"He asks in a light, teasing manner.
You look from him to the seat a few times before you sigh and oblige, smoothing down your skirt before sitting in the chair opposite him and crossing your legs. "Oh I don't trust you at all...", you reply, folding your hands under your chin.
He lets out a short laugh, apparently not offended by your blunt response. Must be getting used to it. "At least you're honest."
His gaze remains fixed on you, studying your expression and body language. There's a spark of challenge in his eyes, as if he finds your lack of trust intriguing. Like you're a mystery he's eager to figure out. He leans forward a bit as he speaks.
"And here I thought we were making progress."
You roll your eyes but continue speaking. You have to get the bit about the alliance out before you chicken out and clam up. "Anyway, that isn't the only reason I came. My Vice Captain thinks your team will be a beneficial ally. I personally think we don't need any allies but, that's why she's my vice captain. Either way, I'm here to propose an alliance."
He nods, listening to your proposition with a serious and focused expression. It shocks him, he wasn't aware you were even part of a gang. "An alliance, huh? So Ms…wait…I don't even know your name. But you know mine?"
You quirk an eyebrow as if it's an obvious fact. "Yes. You have shit intel which is where an alliance with us would be beneficial."
If he's offended by the statement he doesn't show it. "And this alliance... What would it entail?" he asks.
"Back up. We will help keep an eye on your territory if you keep an eye on ours. We'll handle issues separately but information and surveillance will always be flowing freely through our groups. Your boys will be allowed in our territory without conflict but they will be expected to behave. And a call to battle policy, stating if one of us calls for the other for back up we will show up."
He listens carefully to your proposal, his eyes never leaving your face as you lay out the terms of your alliance. He seems to be processing each point meticulously, his expression betraying a hint of interest and consideration.
Once you finish speaking, he nods slowly, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. He leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest."I see. A joint surveillance and defense agreement, with open communication channels and a battle call-to-action policy... Seems like you've given this some thought."
"I'm good at my job," you reply simply with a shrug.
"You certainly don't lack confidence, do you?"His gaze remains locked on you as he processes your words. He considers your proposal, his mind working quickly to assess the potential benefits and risks.
"And why are you personally opposed to the idea of allies, exactly?" he asks calmly though his voice betrays a hint of genuine interest in your disdain for allies.
"That's not any of your concern,"you reply shaking your head.
He chuckles softly at your abrupt response, not surprised that you're still being difficult."You really can't just give a straight answer, can you?"
"That was a straight answer."
Despite your curtness, there's a hint of amusement in his tone. "Alright, fair enough. It's none of my business."
He smiles at you again, leaning in on the table to mimic your pose by placing his hands under his chin and staring at you. There's a glimmer of something mischievous in his grin though and you find out why when he explains, "I'll have to speak to my team captains before I accept your proposal. But I have one condition to add."
You roll your eyes but huff out,"Name it..."
His smirk remains on his face, enjoying the challenge you present as he states his term.
"If we're going to enter an alliance, then I want both of our organizations to have access to one another's headquarters. Not just to build trust, but also to ensure easier communication and collaboration."
He blinks. Surely he should've expected that. "Oh?"
His smirk turns into a playful half-smile as he watches you. Something about how quickly you rejected his condition has him thoroughly intrigued.
"Don't want me or my boys visiting your secret hangout spot?"He asks with teasing tone, his eyes filled with a challenge, daring you to explain your reasoning.
You chose to ignore his stupid little teasing tone and lift your china s you speak. When you're speaking about the hotel, there is always an air of the highest respect. "Our HQ is not for men. It's a safe haven for my girls. I wont have a bunch of boys tromping through my hotel and making my girls uncomfortable so No."
Umemiya blinks slightly at your reason, not expecting such a protective response. His fingers drum against the little wooden table as he thinks. "Ah, I see. So it's a safe place for your girls, huh? And you don't think my boys are capable of being respectful towards them?"
"I don't know what your boys are capable of. Hence not being allowed in my hotel,"you reply matter of factly.
He laughs softly at your blunt honesty, "Fair enough. You don't know what my guys are capable of." He raises his hands up in mock surrender, acknowledging the validity of your concerns.
"Alright, maybe having my boys enter your hotel is a no-go. But how about this then..."
Alright you'll admit it, you're a little shocked he's still negotiating. You thought for sure he'd tell you he wasn't interested in an alliance. Especially considering how much bigger his gang is compared to yours. Perhaps he's trying to play chicken with you. Whoever is the first to back down is the loser. if that's the case… it sure as hell won't be you.
You quirk an eyebrow as you listen to his proposal.
With a slight hint of mischief in his eyes, Umemiya leans a bit forward on the table and says, "What if, instead of allowing my boys in, I enter personally? I give you my word that I'll be on my best behavior and I'll ensure I don't disturb your girls... or make them uncomfortable in any way."
Hmm… it's not a bad deal. One guy over however many guys he has in this place. You scrutinize him for a while before you ask "Do you have a second in command?"
He raises an eyebrow at your question and nods, a smirk playing on his lips."Yes, I do have a second-in-command. Why do you ask?"
I clear my throat, "You can bring him and him only and you both will hold each other accountable for your actions."
He nods slowly, understanding the ground rules you're setting. He can see that you're being cautious and protective, and he doesn't blame you for it.
"That's fair. I have no problem with holding myself and my second-in-command accountable. We'll both maintain respectable behavior and ensure that your girls remain comfortable and undisturbed."
You stare at him again, debating on if you should say the rest of what you're thinking and decide you should. "Your second won't just be there to hold you accountable. You'll need someone to watch your back also. Our territory is...much more crime filled than yours."
His expression changes subtly when you mention the higher levels of crime in your territory. He looks thoughtful for a moment, considering your point.
"Ah, I see. So it's not just about respectful behavior. You're concerned about my safety in your territory, huh?" He gives you a slight smile, appreciating the added dimension to the conditions you've set. It seems he's finally taking you seriously.
Your cheeks heat but you play it off by rolling your eyes and scoffing "If something happens to you the alliance is over so yeah I'm gonna give you a heads up. I shouldn't have to considering your second should be accompanying you when you visit any new territory BUT this isn't my gang and I'm not your parent so..."
Umemiya chuckles softly, finding your eye-roll somewhat endearing. He can see you're not going to sugarcoat things, and he respects that. His response is lighthearted, though his tone remains sincere.
"Don't worry, I understand. You're right. It's standard protocol to have my second-in-command alongside me. And I appreciate the heads-up. Safety first, after all."
He studies you for a moment, then adds, "You know, it's okay to drop the hostile act with me."
He regards you with a steady gaze, his expression calm and observing. He can tell that your hostility is not some act you're putting on for show. And it only makes him want to know more about you. His eyes fall on the scar over your nose, and across your eyebrow, they linger ever so slightly on your lips before moving back up to your eyes.
"I believe you." he says with sincerity, acknowledging the authenticity in your demeanor. But his response is followed by a slight tilt of his head, a sign that he's still slightly curious about your attitude and why you keep responding so aggressively.
"Can I ask you something?"
He lets out a soft laugh at your quick, curt response. "Shoulda seen that one coming…. Come on. Just one? If we're supposed to be future allies?"
In the back of your head you can hear Ace telling you to calm the hell down and secure the stupid alliance with Bofurin so you sigh and say "Fine. One question."
He grins upon hearing your concession, seemingly pleased that you've relented. His eyes gleam with slight satisfaction, and he straightens himself up a bit.
"Why do you dislike me so much?"
Your lips part slightly at his question. You didn't expect it, which is odd for you. Or perhaps it's that you didn't expect your dislike of him to bother him enough to ask about it. Either way though you square your shoulders and tell him the truth.
"I don't dislike you. I hardly know you enough to like or dislike you. I have no opinions about you other than the fact that you are a threat to me," you explain.
He tilts his head slightly, his expression remaining unruffled. He listens to your response silently, his gaze fixed on you with a thoughtful look. After a moment of contemplation, he responds with a soft chuckle.
"You think I'm a threat?" he asks, genuinely perplexed.
"No. I know you are a threat. There's a difference," you explain with a curt but polite response.
He lifts an eyebrow, acknowledging your correction. His smirk returns, and he lets out a soft laugh, finding this little exchange to be quite entertaining.
"Ah, you know I'm a threat, then. And why's that?"His voice is still calm and even, carrying no hint of mockery or arrogance. He seems to genuinely want to understand your perspective.
You tilt your head as you speak but stay focused on him, "Because everyone is a threat."
He lets out another amused huff at your reply. He understands the sentiment, knowing well that in your world, trust and vulnerability are luxuries one can't afford. He responds quietly, his tone a mix of understanding and concern."That's a harsh way to see the world, you know."
"The world is a harsh place. I see it as it is."
He nods slowly, conceding to your point. He can't deny the truth in your words; this world is harsh and often cruel. But he still can't shake off the nagging feeling that your view is tinted by a bit of pessimism. He responds calmly, still holding that same patient and understanding expression on his face. "Maybe. But there are still some good people and good things in this world."
When you respond, the atmosphere slightly shifts. "I know that."
Umemiya stops and stares at you, but you don't break eye contact with him, hoping he can see how serious you are. His eyes drop away from yours first as he chuckles.
"Yeah, I'm sure you do. You've got your own people to look after then, huh?"
"Yeah I do, which is why I'm here….speaking to you."
He notes the subtle change in your demeanor, seeing that you're slowly calming down but still maintaining your guard. He continues to look at you with a keen, observing gaze, sensing that you have something more to say.
You shake your head, trying to rid yourself of any other distractions before reaching a hand out across the table to him."So is that enough of a proposal and apology for you or what?"
He returns your look with a small smile, noticing your measured gaze. He can sense the weight of the decision you've made. When you extend your hand for a handshake, he takes it firmly, sealing the deal. His grip is strong and confident, his voice steady as he confirms, "I'll gather my Captains ASAP to talk about it and then I'll send word to you."
He holds your hand for a few moments, maintaining eye contact, his gaze unwavering. His hand is big and warm wrapped around yours. His palms are calloused, and you can feel the remnants of scarred knuckles. Your hand feels tiny in his and once you've shook, you quickly pull your hand from his to stop comparing the sizes.
"Good," you say before standing and turning to walk toward the door.
As you turn to leave, Umemiya smirks slightly, and then remembers something. He calls out after you, "Wait! You never told me your name."
You turn back to look at him and for the first time, you give him a sly grin, "Your first lesson in gathering intel will be figuring it out then."
Umemiya snorts, clearly caught off guard by your humor. "And how am I suppose to let you know this alliance is accepted if I don't know your name?"
"That sounds exclusively like a Bofurin problem."
He chuckles again as you turn to walk away. "You know, you could at least pretend to be a little less enthusiastic about me not knowing your name. It would really boost my ego."
You put a sassy hand on your hip as you cock it to the side, "If you want someone to be an ego booster, get a wife. That isn't me."
He snorts and chokes at your sharp response. You can tell he hadn't expected such a snarky comment and it's mirrored in the way he blushes; but he clears his throat and leans against the railing, trying to maintain the playful tension of the moment.
You could almost call it flirting. Almost
"A wife? You make it sound so simple. They say it could take a lifetime to find the right one,"he replies, running his hand over his forehead to swipe the stray strands of hair back into place. He's clearly enjoying the banter now which means it's definitely time to leave now.
“Well I’m sure you’ll survive.” you say lazily, not looking over your shoulder at him.
You hear him scoff behind you as he watches you walk away.
"You're a piece of work, you know that?" He calls out after you one final time, like he wants his voice to linger in your mind long after the conversation is done.
"So I've been told...see you around."
He laughs slightly at your response, shaking his head in amused disbelief. He finds your attitude fascinating, even if it drives him a little crazy. It's official. Hajime Umemiya has never met anyone like you.
"See you around, little minx."
