normally toji prides himself on being the perfect guard dogânot that he would ever tell you that. but you never have to worry about guys coming up to you when your hulking monster of a boyfriend remains at your side, continuously glaring down his nose at everyone he sees.
this usually works pretty well.
but now, as you and him wait in line at the counter of the grocery store, he can only let out a huff of irritation as he watches the little brat in front of you both stare over his motherâs shoulderâbig wide eyes locked on you.
at first you donât really notice, too busy blabbering about something silly as you look around the store. but when you finally lock eyes with the child, you notice the way he seems to go shy, pressing his cheek deeper into his momâs shoulder. his eyes flick away from your face for just a second, before timidly looking back. as soon as he does, you break into the sweetest, most giddy smile.
(toji would move mountains for a glimpse of that smileâand yet here this kid is just getting it without a shred of work.)
you tilt your head, raising a hand to gently wave at the boy, who flushes further under your attention, but lifts his cheek a little more. chubby fingers come up to meekly wave back, and you hold back a silent coo of affection, eyes filled with honey-like sweetness. with every little giggle and silly face you make at the boy, he seems to get more and more comfortableâtoji watches you melt.
the unlucky little brat then quickly peeks at the giant man looming beside you, and toji canât resist. his face pulls into a evil smile, teeth on full display as he wiggles his fingers sinisterly. the expression has its desired effectâthe kid recoils, eyes going wide before burying his face into his motherâs neck. in a few minutes, the boy and his mom are heading out the store and you and toji start loading the groceries onto the belt.
âi saw that, you know?â
toji glances up, seeing your semi disapproving frown, and he cocks his head in faux innocence. âsaw what?â
âyouâre mean,â you shake your head, crossing your arms. âscaring little kids like that. quite literally the object of their nightmares.â
âah, heâll be alright,â toji grunts, taking the bags from the cashier in one hand and reaching for your palm with the other. âitâll build his character.â
you snort. âheâll have trauma.â
âlike i said,â he grins, a canine display. âcharacter.â
you roll your eyes as he tugs you out of the storeâyour grip on him unwilling to falter.
toji lives just like this, successful in scaring off any other person who considers giving you attention, whether thatâs an adult or a little kid. and despite your exasperated complaints to at least lay off the children (theyâre harmless), toji has known for a long time that he can be nothing but selfish when it comes to you.
so forgive him, if he quickly turns to this evil little tactic to scare away kidsâitâs all he can really do. besides, it always works.
youâre sitting under a tree at a small park, working on some dumb assignment for one of your lectures. toji lays on his back next to you, arm draped over his eyes in a momentary respite from the normal danger of his lifeâeerily content.
the peace is broken by the rustling of tiny footsteps in the grass.
toji pulls his arm away to peer at the owner of the voice. a boy stands there, hair tousled as he waits in front of you with his arm outstretchedâin between his chubby fingers is a singular dandelion.
your eyes widen, cheeks splitting into a wide smile as you coo out your affection. âaw for me?â
the boy nods mutely, cheeks flushed as he thrusts the flower further into your view. you delicately pluck it from his hands, inhaling the fragrance with a grateful smile. âwell thank you. itâs beautiful.â
he shyly kicks at a spot of grass, lips pulling up into a giddy smile under your sweet praise. âjust like you,â he mumbles under his breath and you squeal softly, giggling at how adorable this kid truly is.
toji sits up before you can say anything else, lips pulled into a displeased frown as he crosses his bulky arms across his chest. âhey.â his voice comes out low and tense, even as he stares down his nose at the boy. âwhat are you doing?â
you turn to look at your boyfriend, at the exaggerated sneer that normally works wonders in scaring kids away, and you hold back an exasperated sigh. âtojiââ
âwho are you?â the boy frowns, sass appearing out of thin air as he looks toji up and down like heâs nothing but dirt under his colorful sneakers. you gape at him, eyes darting back and forth between the two as a smile threatens to make its way into your face. tojiâs lips part in surprise, a tingle of heat crawling up his neck as he hears your hushed gasp of held back laughter.
âher boyfriend,â he grunts back, eyes narrowed in a way thatâs oddly similar to the expression on the kidâs face.
âno way!â the boy huffs, pouting indignantly. his cheeks flush as he glares at tojiâunfazed.
âuh, yes way.â toji realizes how petty he sounds, but heâs adamantâunwilling to stand down in anything that involves you.
the boy crosses his arms, mirroring tojiâs pose. he rolls his eyes emphatically, lip curling as he sneers down his nose.
âisnât she too pretty for you?â he asks bluntly. you smother another disbelieving gasp, and toji suddenly feels an unfamiliar thrill rush through his veinsâthis kid had guts.
âwhat do you know, brat?â thereâs a smirk evident in tojiâs voice now, and he uncrosses his arms to lean back on his palms, eyes shining with feral mirth.
âi have eyes,â the boy snaps back, putting both hands on his hips to appear more intimidatingâit doesnât work, he just looks cuter. âi can see her.â
âwell quit it,â toji huffs in return. ânot yours to look at.â
the kid narrows his eyes. âyouâre mean!â
âyouâre cominâ over here and givinâ my girl flowers!â
âshe deserves flowers!â
âof course she does! from me, you little brat!â
âwhat did you just call me?!â
a shout from across the park disrupts the heated bickering, and you all turn to see an older woman waving the boy over. he looks down at you, a sweet smile washing over his face as he tilts his head innocently. âthatâs my mom. i have to go home now.â
âheh, sure thing. get home safe, okay?â you shoot toji an amused glance as you speak, and he sends a displeased glare back as he stubbornly crosses his arms again.
the boy nods, beaming at you. âokay! see you later!â he chirps. but just as heâs about to leave he turns back, eyes fixated on toji. âi hope your boyfriend learns how to be nice!â
you snort out another laugh, which only gets louder when you catch a glimpse of the way toji is practically sulking in the cornerâscowling at the kidâs back with narrowed eyes.
the whole thing is so unbelievably endearing, and you canât stop grinning as you pack up your things and stand up.
âletâs go home, toji.â you hold your palm out for him, and youâre rewarded with a pointed glanceâhe takes your hand anyway. even as you both exit the park, toji has an unamused pout on his face, glaring ahead.
âdonât tell me you actually feel threatened now,â you giggle, grabbing his bicep and pressing close. toji glances at you from the corner of his eyes, unamusedâwhich only seems to make you laugh harder. âoh come on! he was so cute!â
âlittle brat,â he grumbles in return. âcouldnât take a hint.â
âyouâre mad because the eight year old kid at the park didnât want to believe you were my boyfriend?â
âthe fuck do you think? of course i am. what do i look like if not your fucking boyfriend?â
you chortle, practically falling on him with the weight of your amusement. he sighs, disgruntled.
âitâs not funny, kid.â toji rolls his eyes at youâinternally, heâs trying not to grin.
âitâs so funny, toji.â you straighten up, smiling at him with stars in your eyes. âyouâre ridiculous and itâs so cute.â
he scoffs, giving you a sidelong glance before reaching up to tug at your cheek. âiâm definitely not the cute one.â he murmurs offhandedly before internally smirking at the way you seem to be caught off guard by his statement.
âwhatever,â you mumble, holding his arm as you both continue walking home in relative silence. from the corner of your eye you can see tojiâs expression as he mutely stares ahead, deep in thought. you decide not to disturb him, content on just feeling his warmth bleeding into your palmâalways at your side.
toji replays the incident in his head multiple times as you head home. the bickering, the sass, and the unfiltered adoration that little brat seemed to have for you.
as youâre pushing open the door of your apartment, you hear toji quietly chuckle from behind you, and you turn to look at him over you shoulder. âwhat?â
he shakes his head slowly, eyes shut even as an uncharacteristically soft smile tugs at his lips. âjust thinkingâŚâ
âabout what?â you ask curiously.
toji grins at you, cocking his head fondly. âwhen we have a kid, i want the little brat to be just like that.â