#plsdontrott

: In which Noritoshi believes that no one’s actually there for him. (?)

Kamo Noritoshi x gn!reader

| A Sorcery AU Oneshot ♬: Something About You - Eyedress

wc: 1.4k

tags: post-shinjuku showdown, small fluff, reader has been pining (admiring from afar typeshit), sum insecurity, no use of y/n & gendered terms.

a/n: My sweet criminally underrated kamo boy.

You never made it obvious that you started developing feelings for a certain classmate.

You’ve suppressed your crush on him for almost four years now.

It made you crazy, but being silent kept things peaceful between the two of you. You didn’t want to make your interactions even more awkward.

You also hid the fact that it kills you every time Noritoshi looks at you with indifference.

Well, how was he supposed to know? You never told him, didn’t you?

Yet the only thing it took for him to finally recognize you was a simple note.

It wasn’t much, really. You just told him to be careful on his solo mission.

Thing is, no one has ever told him that. Everybody was used to the fact that he could handle himself just fine. He’d often come out of missions unscathed, so they automatically expected that things would go well.

He found your gesture somewhat…nice.

However, something changed.

He started to notice you more and more, your “small talks” became frequent, and so did your pre-mission post-it notes that you’d sneakily paste onto his equipment. You were getting closer with him. How dreamy.

On one sunny afternoon, you were resting on a wooden bench—exhausted from all the fighting you put yourself through. Your mind instantly drifted towards the guy you’ve been embarrassingly crushing on.

“I wonder what he’s doing right now…”

You felt something cold and wet touch your cheeks.

“Wh-”

“What are you thinking so hard about?” He pressed a refreshing canned soda to your rosy cheeks.

Shit!

“U-uhm... Nothing. Just- tired.” You replied, taking the soda and popping it open.

“Is that so? You were frowning.”

“I was?”

“Mhm.”

“Ah, well yeah ‘cause the last surge in curses kinda beat me to a pulp.”

He chuckles at that. Oh, how sweet it sounds.

“I see how it is then.”

See. That’s right, now that you’re thinking about it, you’ve barely seen his eyes. It was beautifully narrow. His iris holds the color of the clouds before a heavy rainfall. His onyx hair was so silky that it was kept in an orthodox style, now it’s cut short and free. Furthermore, he wasn’t just good-looking, it was his demeanor and personality that initially made you fall for him—how calm and reserved he is, even under pressure. Sharp and calculating. He’s the most disciplined and rational person you know. It wasn’t fair, you wanted to see more of him, but at the same time you also didn’t want to be selfish. But you had to try. Who knows if he was actually waiting for someone to open up to? Everybody needs a shoulder to lean on, don’t they?

“Thanks for the fizz by the way.”

“No worries. You look exhausted.”

“You’re right, detective. I am” You mumbled with a deep sigh.

A minute passed.

“Noritoshi… forgive me if I’m being too nosy, but uhm, I’d like to know more about you.”

“Hm? Where did that come from?” So that’s why you were lost in your thoughts earlier.

“Nowhere! Just… wondering. We’ve been classmates for years, y’know? I feel bad that I know so little about you.”

“Ah, don’t be. I refrain from talking about myself, so it’s mostly my fault too. So, what did you want to know? I’ll answer you.”

Perhaps it’s just the heat that’s making you blush. Perhaps.

“Okay, let’s see, errr… Oh! Who do you care for the most? Sorry- was that too sensitive?”

“Haha, not at all. I would say my mother.”

“Your mother? That’s really sweet.”

“But uhm, she’s not with me anymore.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that, Noritoshi.”

“No- no, not like that. She’s still alive, just- not with me anymore. The clan never really accepted her as one of their own, so she left. I wanted to go with her. I didn’t want to become a sorcerer but she insisted that I stay with the clan, saying she’d only get in the way. I tried to reunite with her when I got older but uhm, she has a new family now.”

“...I understand, Nori.”

“Did you just call me Nori?” (edible dried seaweed)

“O-oh… my bad, hehe.” Shit.

“Kidding aside, you should definitely try again. All you know is that she has a new family, you never found out if she wanted you back in her life again, and I’m sure she does.”

“I highly doubt that.”

The Kamos had horribly scarred him. Without a home to return to, Noritoshi decided to simply burn his life away for his allies.

“I- Noritoshi, you listen to me now. I know that your separation from her and your exile from the Kamo clan made you believe that you have nowhere to belong and that you weren't important to anyone, but none of that is true. You’re more than the heir that they raised you to be. You’re her son, and a true mother’s love never fails. It’s worth giving a shot. You have to try.”

“… I will. Thank you.”

In this period in time where so many lives were lost—literally and figuratively, someone was saved.

-

A few months pass. He finally reconnected with his mother, you were right all along. He just needed someone to push him.

He sees you now. Your words slowly took off the weight of his sick former clan on his shoulders. He was still the same Noritoshi—aloof and firm, but something had changed about him. He mellowed out and started adapting a more natural personality, finally being true to himself.

He meets you at your current apartment while you’re trying to set the place up, you’re starting a new life now.

He knocks at your door.

“Oh, Noritoshi! It’s you!” You let him in and lead him to your couch, where the both of you could talk properly.”

“Wait, let me get you some tea-”

“No need for that. I came here to tell you something.” He lightly holds your wrist to stop you from turning your back on him.

“Ah, how can I help you then?”

“Pff, you’ve already helped me enough. You… thanks to your words I- I’m staying with my mother now.”

“Oh my god! That’s amazing! See, I knew you could do it.”

“She took me in, I have a younger sister now. You brought us together. You believed in me when no one did, and for that, I’ll always thank you.”

“...You’re being dramatic. All I did was give you a little push. You already had it in you.”

“Precisely, but that push is what brought me back to my family.”

“I’m-… you’re welcome, Noritoshi. I’m glad I could help you. In fact, I’ll always be here for you.”

The gentle rain quietly tapped against your window.

Wait, is he… crying?

“N-Noritoshi?! You’re crying! Fuck-”

“N-no... I’m... Yes- fuck I’m crying.” He’s laughing now…

“You just said fuck! You never curse! Damn, is it really you? Don’t tell me you’re a clone now.”

He laughs even harder.

Taking a deep breath, he says something that’ll surely sit in your mind for weeks.

“I’m not quite sure how to say this but… I see a great deal in us.”

Us. Us. Us? Us?!?!?!?

“...What do you mean?”

“I wanna see more with you, if- that’s alright with you, of course.”

“Cut to the chase, w-what are you trying to say?”

“I like you. And I’m not saying this just because you helped me or- or I feel like I have to repay you in some way to return your kindness. I just realized that you were the only true one who was there for me. You believed in me when I myself couldn’t. Please, let me be selfish and have you all to myself.”

“...You’re an absolute idiot, you know that right?” God, you couldn’t believe that this was really happening.

“Yes.”

“That’s not-! What I meant to say was, Noritoshi, you’re a huge idiot for not noticing that I’ve liked you for four years now!”

“You- what?!”

“Yes! I absolutely did. Hell- I even tried giving up during 2nd year, but I guess I was too stubborn. I hid it because I was hopelessly in love with you and it was starting to get embarrassing.”

“Allow me to make up for that then.”

“You better do.”

Finally, a broken seed started to bloom into a beautiful flower from the roughest of soils.

dividers: @pxrce-lain