It Would Be Nice To Sit Somewhere Quiet With You

it would be nice to sit somewhere quiet with you

pairing: wriothesley x reader

summary: wriothesley is getting used to having you in his life (fluff)

word count: 1.9k+

a/n: i just assumed he lives in the fortress of meropide + he has a voiceline about how his handcuffs are built differently and can't be unlocked by any old master key, which prompted this ! i love him sm and i want to treat him so kindly

"What's this?"

The question leaves your lips before Wriothesley has completely let go of the small, metallic item in his fist. It's rare for him to invite you out for lunch, especially when it's an offer to meet you in the heart of Fontaine's main city. His invitation arrived at your desk in the form of a handwritten note, stating the time and place.

It's where you find yourself sitting opposite him now -- in a small cafe within a hidden corner of the city. A mostly empty area, but serving a delicious choice of tea and sweets. His words, not yours.

A beat of silence passes between the two of you.

It's broken when you gasp in surprise, cupping the key with one of your hands and dropping it onto the other hand as though expecting it to disappear between your motions. "Oh, I didn't realise this was a special occasion."

"It's so you don't always have to ask when you come down to visit me." He explains plainly, as though his actions haven't caused a complete rewiring in your brain of what you can expect from Wriothesley. He brings out his own room key to compare with yours.

A look of delight crosses your face when you see that they look completely identical. Clearing his throat, he drops his key back into his pocket, leaning his chin onto the palm of his hand. If he lets down his guard anymore, he's certain he'll blush at the adorable way you're acting right now. An odd, panicked thud hits within his chest when he realises you're not even looking at him, too busy gazing down at the key he's given you fondly. His nervousness changes to a pleasant warmth when you look up at him with a smile on your face.

"Thank you."

Wriothesley shrugs, crossing his arms in what he hopes is a nonchalant motion. "If it's for you..." The words trail off quietly as a different train of thought crosses his mind. "I'm glad you liked it." He says instead.

In the fourth months since then, you've visited him exactly six times and stayed over once. Although he's starting to think that it doesn't count, considering you left before he'd woken up. Not that he can recall the note that you left behind for him clearly in his mind. Not that he's counting your visits or memorising your excuses for coming this far his way. And he's definitely not got an eye out for you, knowing when you step into the Fortress of Meropide and the times of your exits.

So, as he stands, eyeing the dark and empty room which should hold you in some corner but doesn't seem to, he gets a little panicky. He knows you entered the Fortress of Meropide a little over an hour ago, although he hasn't kept track of your whereabouts since then. It takes a second for the panicked flutter in his heart to register as worry. But it's rendered him slightly useless. All he's doing is staring at the mattress covered in the soft sheets you'd brought with you on one of your visits in a stupid way.

There's a click from the bathroom door and he just manages to get a glimpse of your silhouette before you've barrelled into his chest. Wriothesley lets out a sigh of relief, letting his hands tangle into your hair. The bathroom, of course.

He hadn't even thought to check whether there was a light peeking out from underneath the door of the bathroom.

"Hi." You mumble, wrapping your arms around him and squeezing lightly. Screw his dislike of surprises apparently. "Did I scare you?"

The subtle teasing tone in your voice has the corners of his lips twitching.

"Obviously." He replies. "Who doesn't turn on the light when they enter the room in complete darkness? Even if they're going to the bathroom to shower first." He interrupts you as he notices you open your mouth to retort back to his question. Without waiting another moment, his hand slides from your hair to your cheeks, using a thumb to stroke your skin gently. His other hand reaches to flick on the light switch, revealing your flushed cheeks from the warm shower.

"I missed you." You say quietly.

He returns your sappiness with a roll of his eyes and a grin. "Can't even go without me for a couple of days, huh?"

"Mhm." You twirl a piece of your hair around your finger in thought. His eyes catch the motion, deciding whether to intertwine his free hand with yours. "When did you get the body wash I liked?"

Without answering, he buries his head into the crook of your neck and breathes deeply. It's warm. You feel yourself squirm at the ticklish sensation, only relaxing once his hand comes up to the back of your neck and massages it. An image sprouts in your mind of a hand holding a kitten by the scruff of its neck and you laugh.

It's always been like this; feeling a little like a give-and-take, except he keeps giving and so do you. A mumbled 'what?' brushes over your shoulder. Something seems to bloom in his chest when he notices you've left things behind in his room again. You don't apologise for it anymore. He wonders exactly when that happened.

Maybe somewhere between the third and fourth time you came over just to sit on his bed with him.

"Nothing." You pull away from the hug to look him over. His hair is tousled a bit more than it usually is, as though he ran all the way here from one side of the fortress to the other. A smile threatens to spread over your face and you bite your lip to stop it from appearing.

Wriothesley raises an eyebrow. You look all warm and cozy after your shower, and he honestly just wants to bundle you up and fall asleep with you in his arms. As though you can see the thought crossing his mind, you untangle yourself from his arms immediately, flopping back onto the bed with your arms spread wide.

Your eyes are closed lazily and you let out a contented sigh. "Ahh, it's so nice that I can curl up in bed since I'm all showered and clean."

Wriothesley gives a throaty laugh at the sight of you. His hands rest on his hips now as he rakes his eyes over your form. "Fine, fine. Want to help?"

You shoot up in bed instantly, eyes wide. "Yes."

"C'mon! Let me see how many layers you're actually wearing."

"Don't dissect me like some kind of insect--"

Wriothesley isn't stopping any of your movements though. Maybe he had something a little more dirty in mind when he made the offer, but it seemed that all you wanted to do was undress him and curl back into bed. He can live with that.

The cape comes off his shoulders first, and surprisingly, it's heavy. A quiet settles over the both of you once you actually move to undress him, and you can feel his eyes scanning your every move. Every movement of your hands against his bare skin or every notice of your intense gaze at his layers of clothing sends a jolt of electricity through him.

It's difficult to tell what he's thinking when he gets like this. You fold his cape neatly in half and place it to the side. You'll start a pile, you decide. As you get to work on pulling off his tie, you realise too late that he'll probably want to hang it up.

Your eyes don't leave his exposed collarbones as you toss his tie over to the side. A guilty feeling weighs you down, and you look up at him, only to find him still watching you with a curious look on his face.

"What? You're pretty," You state, only slightly embarrassed that you've been caught. Before he can retort with anything, you give him a kiss just above his collarbone. Wriothesley takes in a visible sharp breath, and you feel like you've won something. The waistcoat slides off his arms with ease as he lets you nudge him wherever you want.

It's self-consciousness instead of guilt that creeps up onto your next as he still doesn't say a word, merely watching your movements with an intense gaze. You feel a heat burn across your cheeks. You don't even realise you're clenching your fists until one of his hands envelops yours and swipes a thumb over your knuckles.

"You wear so many layers." You're throwing the waistcoat to the side now, shaky hands unbuttoning his shirt.

"It's cold down here." He pauses, tilting his head to think. "And it looks professional."

You snort. "Mm, yes, your loose tie is very professional."

"It adds personality and it makes me look good."

"Not going to argue with that last part." You mumble as your fingers fiddle with his shirt buttons clumsily. Finally, you’re able to get everything off, leaving him shirtless. It’s easier to see his breathing this way. It’s mesmerising. You brush over the scars on his chest absentmindedly. The way his even breathing stutters as you do so brings you back to focus on what you're doing. “Ah, sorry.” 

Before you can move away, he grabs your wrist, holding your splayed, apologetic hand in place. “It’s okay.” His voice is softer when he says that, almost shy. When he’s sure you’re not going to stop touching him, he lets go of your wrist. There are scars accumulated over years of fights and whatever else he hasn’t told you yet. Using just one finger, you trace the outline of a few of them on his chest and his stomach. The whole time, he keeps his breathing even, watching the thoughtful look on your face. As you slowly drop your hand back to your side, he asks a lingering question in his mind. “Can I touch you?” 

“I just showered.” You pout, shoulders slumping slightly at his suggestion. 

“Nothing else, I promise.” 

Wriothesley takes his time. His hand nudges at the top of your loose, bedtime shirt until he can kiss you on your shoulder. Soft pecks trail up to your jawline and his hand tilts your head slightly so he can bite you gently. A tentative hand travels up to the bare skin under your shirt and squeezes the side of your waist. When you don’t object, he pulls the shirt off of you, returning to wrap his arms around you as soon as he does and pulling you close to him. Another kiss, on your cheek this time. Again, on the corner of your lips. And the last one, a yearning press of his lips against yours as his hand strokes your jaw. 

He leans his forehead against yours and closes his eyes. “Just one more minute like this, and then I will be getting into the shower.” 

It’s warm in bed next to you. He’s curled up behind you, still placing kisses against your neck and brushing your hair aside as you squirm in his hold. With his arm slung over your waist, there’s not very much you can do. Maybe he’s addicted to kissing your skin. 

“I think I want to follow you around tomorrow.” You suggest hesitantly. There’s a small moment where you think he might actually say no to you, but he just nods and goes back to kissing your neck, brushing his lips down to your shoulder. 

“It’s pretty boring though. All paperwork and other things that I probably should be doing but I’ll ignore for a bit. Until I can't."

You’ve known him a bit too long, you realise. There’s a distinct lilt to his voice that tells you he’s smiling as he’s saying it, even though he’s got you facing the other way so that you can’t see him. 

“Don’t care.” A sigh leaves your lips as he gives you one more long kiss against your shoulder before pulling away. “I want to hang out with you.” 

You thread your fingers with the hand wrapped around your midriff, fiddling with them as you drift off to sleep. Wriothesley watches the silhouette of you breathing before deciding to leave you be and pull you closer to him instead. 

I think I’m afraid of losing you, he thinks. But maybe it’s still a bit too early to tell you that. 

gajyago

>:)

worth the wait

for jjk valentine's day 2024

summary: you're all dressed up for yuki's return from her business trip. too bad she's going to leave you wanting and needy for a little bit longer.

word count: 3.5k+

warnings: NSFW content (under the cut!), reader wears lingerie, fem! reader, teasing, eating you out, tribadism/scissoring, fingering (a little), body worship, calls you needy, sweet thing and princess

The image shows up sent, but undelivered yet again. There’s a thread of three images: a close-up shot of all the little details on your two piece lingerie, a mirror selfie, and then a shot of your hand artfully placed over your bare stomach as you lay down. 

Yuki’s flight was supposed to land three hours ago. From there it’s a 45-minute cab ride to your shared apartment. You had still been waiting patiently in bed during hour one, knowing that delays were inevitable, but by the second hour, your frustration had kicked in and you’d decided to anxiously pace instead. She’d promised to be home on time for a quiet night with you, but there’s only so much power she has over these kinds of circumstances. 

That doesn’t mean you can’t be annoyed about it. 

With a huff, you sink down onto the couch, arms crossed. At least if she saw the message you wouldn’t feel so upset. You’re just about to call it a day and pull on a big t-shirt to get comfy, maybe make dinner for one, when the front door shakes slightly. Quickly following the noise was a jingle of keys falling onto the floor. 

“Shit.” 

It’s Yuki’s voice. A brief flicker of joy churns in your chest, before you remember her lack of response and the annoyance settles back in. Even so you find yourself practically bouncing over to open the door for her, forgetting about your current state of dress. The frustrated look on your face fades into a smile as you see her. She looks weary, but she still manages to shoot you a winning smile. 

“Hey. Look at you.” Her voice drops to a purr as her eyes slowly travel up your bare legs, to the panties that barely cover you, and landing finally on the lacey bra that’s showing a lot more than it covers. 

In just one devouring look, you’ve forgotten about your earlier annoyance of her being late. Instead a blush burns on your cheeks. Yuki doesn’t even show any sign of being surprised, even though she hadn’t seen the messages. The messages! She catches on to your facial expression as the thought crosses your mind. 

“Sorry.” She says apologetically. “My phone got absolutely destroyed in a fight, so I couldn’t text you at all.” 

A dramatic groan exits her throat. It all happens quickly – her rough kick at her carry-on bag to send it into the apartment, one hand holding onto your waist to push you stumbling backwards as she pushes the front door closed behind her and buries her face into the crook of your neck. 

“Did you get all dressed up for me? Hope you took some pretty photos of it before it gets all dirty and ruined by you.” She kisses your ear. With both hands holding onto your waist, she’s half-pushing, half-carrying you until you’re back in the bedroom where you had been waiting your evening away. 

The reminder of it makes you furrow your eyebrows together. “I was in the right mood before…” You let your sentence trail off, squirming under her scrutinising gaze. 

It doesn’t phase her in the slightest. “Want some help warming up?”

That smile of hers is very difficult to say no to. 

Yuki likes to take her time. 

Even with exhaustion written all over her features, she seems determined to tease you incessantly. It starts with wandering hands, and an intense furrow between her brows as she takes in the way your skin bends and complies to her squeezes. It’s almost as though she’s searing this–you–into her memory. She kneels between your legs, keeping them spread apart in a firm hold that makes you whimper at how easily she moves you around. 

She pulls you down to kiss you tenderly, mouth barely brushing against yours. All you can feel is the plushness of her mouth and her warm breath as she teases you.  It’s you that has to chase after her lips and she laughs as you do so, just staying out of reach. 

“Needy little thing. I thought I taught you better than this.” Yuki’s fingers tighten their hold around your spread thighs. She leaves a string of kisses across your cheek instead, giving your skin tiny licks as she does so. You’re so sure she mumbles an apology at one point, but she quickly follows it up with her hands pinching at your still-covered nipple. She’s not obviously teasing, but it’s enough to make you restless. 

Her hands move so slowly, latching onto every patch of bare skin with renewed enthusiasm. She’s not satisfied until she hears any sound come out of your mouth at her touching, and then she’ll move on to the next location. There’s no surprises. All her movements are easy to follow, one after the other: her fingers grazing over your waist until you giggle, a breath of throaty laughter in your ear as you squirm at her digging her knuckles into your shoulders, her hands splayed over the top of your thighs… and then the movement of her hands running up your whole body to do it all over again. 

Finally, she unclasps the top piece of your lingerie, letting it fall partway down your front before she envelops one of your nipples into her warm mouth. A kiss for the other one. It sends a lightning throb of pleasure through your chest. A kiss in the centre of your chest. Every breath feels shorter than the next. You haven’t even realised that your arms are tensed by your sides, holding you up so that you’re still sitting. Yuki squishes your sides and your tummy again, forcing a giggle from your throat that fades into a moan when she drags a finger up your clothed slit. 

“Aww, sweet thing.” The end of her words is accompanied by a well-timed nibble on your shoulder. “If I could, I’d just touch you like this for the next few hours. But you already look all needy.” Her fingers are back to running over your bare skin instead of where you’re starting to feel an ache for her. Your cheeks are flushed and your eyes are already blown. With the lingerie top hanging off you, you’re the very picture of debauchery. Just the way Yuki likes you. “C’mon then.” 

One piece of clothing finally comes sliding off, leaving you in just your panties. She kneels down carelessly in front of you, her hands greedily gripping onto your hips as she blows warm air towards your aching core. She kisses your covered clit with a messy and loud ‘mwah’ that has you trying to close your legs, although you’re not sure whether it’s out of embarrassment or pleasure. But she doesn’t let you. In a motion that seems effortless, she hooks your legs over her shoulders, locking you into place. 

“Stay still, princess. And I promise I’ll give you a good reward for it, okay?” Yuki sends you a wink which has you squirming in protest. 

Before you can voice your distress, she’s touching your heat with her pretty fingers, pulling your panties to the side and teasing your hole open. And she knows just how to do it right as well; knows exactly where to press down on your inner thighs with her other hand to have you aching for just a little more pleasure. It’s so slow, the way she traces your hole with two of her fingers, occasionally flicking up towards your sensitive bud. 

“Mmh… Yuki!” To your dismay, your voice stutters through your uneven breathing as she touches you. 

“Here?” Yuki murmurs, turning her head to nibble your thigh and giving the bare patch of skin a kitten lick. “You’re all shaky. Don’t go shy on me now. You were so upset when I came back late. Aren’t you going to tell me off?”  

You don’t want to. You don’t even remember that she came back late, too busy focused on her fingers, too busy wanting her mouth– 

Yuki pauses, grinning between your legs. “Easy. Tell me off and don’t hold back about it.” This isn’t fair. 

You let out a frustrated sound, inching towards the edge of the bed to be closer to her face. She follows your movements, pulling back slightly. 

“You should have taken better care of your phone–” A gasp leaves your lips as she sucks your clit into her mouth gently. How the hell does she want you to tell her off when she’s so determined to please you? “Should’ve gotten a new– ahh– one…” 

“That’s the best you can do?” She’s speaking directly into your heat. It feels hot. Her tongue dives inside, and you lose your mind. A swath of pleasure courses through your veins and your hips jerk uncontrollably into her warm mouth. Good thing she’s got such a good grip on you. It’s so wet, and it sounds so sloppy, the way that her mouth sucks and the way her tongue curls into you. It’s not enough to hit that spot, but it’s enough for you to jerk forward, a hand twining through her hair desperately. 

A low whine leaves your lips. She continues her action, squeezing your thighs every time they clench. You’re not even sure how she’s still managing to keep your legs spread apart from how tightly you’re trying to curl them around her head, but she seems to be enjoying it. Her fingers join the mix as her mouth moves to your clit, and suck hard, just as her fingers push their way inside you. Too easy. The moan that leaves her mouth, along with a breathless mumble of your name has you mewling again. 

You should probably feel embarrassed at how quickly they slide in, but you’re too distracted by the way her fingers curve up, right onto a spot that has your mind blanking. It comes all too suddenly, the sudden onslaught of pleasure causing the tightening in your stomach to release. 

“Yuki– that feels really– mnh!” 

Her eyes look up at you, noting the way your head tilts back slightly, the red flush covering your cheeks and waits for you to look at her again. “There you are.” 

Your arms are trembling from the exertion of holding yourself up, and from the constant flexing of muscles as Yuki touches your sensitive bud and sends a pleasurable tremor through your whole body again. “Yuki.” You breathe out. Her mouth is wet from you. 

“Mmm, yes?” She must know how she looks while kneeling in between your legs like that with that innocent smile on her face. A laugh sneaks out from her throat as your mouth drops open. Yuki traces two fingers up and down your slick. “Don’t worry. You don’t have to talk too much.” 

Your hips jerk in sensitivity. A thrill of desperation runs through you when she pulls her fingers away, a sticky trail following her action. Pleasure thrums through your thighs at the thought of more. It must be messy. You must have made that mess. Your heart rate picks up again. Yuki licks her lips before she says her next words. 

“I know what you’re really after.” She pulls away from you and another whine leaves your lips at the loss of her warm mouth. “Shh, you’ve been so good to me so far, so compliant. Don’t stop now.” She eases out of her clothing easily, tossing it to the side as she clambers on top of you, moving you further back onto the bed like it’s nothing. 

Her voice continues as she adjusts the both of you, wrapping one of your legs around her waist. “You don’t want something filling you up today, huh? You just want me on top.” 

“What?” You ask breathlessly. You can feel it. She’s wet too, she must be for those sorts of sounds to be heard from where she’s using her hips to grind against you. “You always have so much to s– mnh!” She presses down hard with her hips, just at where both your sensitive buds brush against each other. 

She leans down, pressing your chests against each other briefly and you can feel her heart racing as she pants. 

“Sometimes.” She whispers into your ear, pushing against you harder at an angle that has you slack-jawed. “You’re so needy. And when you want something inside…” Somehow she manages to slide her fingers in during her motions, pulling it out quickly and you can feel your walls flutter at the loss. 

“Y-Yuki–” 

“You’ll beg and whine.” She stresses the words, leaning back up again to go a little faster. She doesn’t let your leg slide off her waist, holding onto you tightly to keep her stable on top. “Just like how you are now.” 

All you can do is cling onto her waist as she moves on top of you fluidly. 

“Always so messy.” She coos, wiping a sweaty strand of hair away from your face . “You never let me take my time with you, huh?” 

It’s overwhelming, and you think you’re blabbering some nonsense about how it feels good, but it doesn’t even sound like words to you. You’re too far gone with how her hips are moving against yours; slowly, but somehow, sending so much through your body.

“But you like this.” She slows again, moving her hips in a circling motion as you try to catch your breath. “You’d prefer me to just take you, right?” 

Your voice shakes and you’re writhing under her touch, but she’s a little too accustomed to keeping you still. “It’s too much!” Gasping, you feel your mind become overtaken with pleasure. You can feel Yuki, all warm, her weight pressing down on you pleasurably into the sheets. You can feel another tightening in your belly, and it’s hot. It’s really, really hot. A breath of her name leaves your lips instead. 

“Thought of you a lot while I was gone.” She murmurs, pushing into you a little harder. “How did I know I’d come home to you dressed up as a little present for me to unwrap?” 

It’s the sound of her excited laugh that finally pushes you over the edge, a white-hot searing feeling thrumming through your body. Just seeing you lose control under her has her reaching her high too, letting out a breath of your name that you don’t hear through your pounding heart and ringing in your ears. 

You throw your arm over your eyes, trying to catch your breath. Yuki’s hands massage your shoulders, once, twice, and then she pulls back tenderly. Letting go of your leg comes first, and then she kneels between your legs again. A choked whine leaves your lips as you feel her kiss your clit. It’s too much. Thankfully, she realises it too and lets you try to relax on your own. Every slow movement sends an electric thrum through your body as you try to stretch out your body. It doesn’t hurt. It just still feels a little too good. 

“So, Valentine’s Day, huh?” Yuki’s voice breaks through your clouded head. It sounds slightly muffled. Slowly, you let your arm fall off your face, staring at the ceiling. 

“Mhm.” You voice back, throat still spent from half-heard moans and trying to speak while your body shakes with aftershocks of pleasure. 

Yuki places a kiss on your forehead, arranging you properly onto the mattress. A small grunt leaves your lips as she sits on top of you. She tilts her head, keeping you in her line of vision. “I didn’t know you were the type to want to celebrate things like that.” 

You shrug your shoulders. There’s a pause and you dare to peek at her face. Her expression is neutral, but you know better. It’s her thinking face. What could she possibly be thinking about? Was it weird? 

In all your time together, you’d never really made a big deal of celebrations. Neither had she. She was happy with whatever you wanted, whether it be a party or something with just the two of you. Tsukumo Yuki is no pushover. She argued calmly, never raising her voice. You met her friends and she met yours, and they were all such wildly different and interesting people that you’d started to realise where her confident and bold nature had arisen from. You often lost track of all the people she knew. The perks of travelling the world, you decided.

She laughs, loudly and unashamed. It should startle you, but it just makes you look in her direction instead.. “Something funny?”

“No.” Yuki leans down, elbows placed above your shoulders as her hand delicately runs through your hair. “Happy Valentine’s Day.” 

You curl your fingers to the side of her cheek, sliding your fingers through some of her hair. “Mmh. You’re upset because you didn’t plan anything for us, huh?” 

Her eyes close briefly as she feels your touch. She shrugs, and thankfully, there’s no sign of an apology on her face. “Next time.”  

“Oh, there’s a next time?” 

“I’m going somewhere next month.” She ignores your question, moving to sit beside you instead, stretching her legs out unabashedly, taking up space like she always did. You move to sit up beside her as well, eyes not moving off her lips mouthing off her words. 

“Oh.” Without meaning to, there’s a sinking feeling in your chest. There’s never anything wrong with her business trips. She made reasons to go places but she always came home to you. She always made sure that you knew that you never strayed from her thoughts while she was overseas. It was like this before you’d started dating. Still. Something about her bringing it up to you now felt insincere, like she was pushing herself away from you. You two were dating, sure. Did she love you? Did you love her? Did that even matter at this point in time? 

Yuki turns her head to face you properly, and you can finally see her face. It causes an odd thump in your heart. Her face is relaxed and her eyebrows aren’t lightly furrowed in thought like they usually are. There are still things you don’t know about her. 

“I want you to come with me.” She says simply, as though those words haven’t frozen you in place. 

This is new. This is unexpected. Tsukumo Yuki might as well have just proposed. 

Your fists clench on the mattress. “I don’t have the money or the time set aside right now to–” 

“My treat. I’ll pay.” She cuts you off. 

It means more than that. You can see it in her eyes, the calculating tilt of her head as though she’s wondering what you’ll say next. She never minces words and says whatever she thinks or feels out loud brashly. So why did it feel like she was dancing around something else here? 

Your response comes out as a mumble, still trying to catch up with what’s actually going on. “Okay.” 

“Just okay?!” 

You nod. She responds to your acceptance by grumbling something under her breath. It has you leaning closer, trying to figure out what she said. “What was that?” 

“I said,” she pauses in favour of swiping a thumb over your cheek, sighing. “That I don’t know what I expected.” 

You blink up her confusedly. Your mind is still a little bleary, and you’re sure you’re going to fall asleep soon. Your whole body feels the happy tiredness that comes after every session with Yuki. But you refuse to let it take over. Not before you know. Not before she tells you what’s really on her mind. 

“Look.” She sighs again, turning to face you properly and crossing her legs. “This is new to me.” 

Dazed, you feel yourself laugh at the thought. You were friends before this. You were one of the many people she met up with when she craved friendly company, and then suddenly she wasn’t. Suddenly, you were going on dates and moving in together. For some reason, the thought of this being new to her was hilarious. 

“I’m being serious!” She says back, not in an annoyed way, but rather like stating a fact. “You, me, I’ve never done this before. Taking things further has never been something I’ve thought about.” Her voice trails off. “I like this though.” 

You feel your breath hitch. There it was – unequivocal truths. 

“When I was away this time, I kept thinking about you, waiting at home. And then when I was at the airport, without my phone…” She rolls her eyes at the memory, raising an eyebrow at you when you chuckle. “I was really thinking about how awful it was that I couldn’t contact you in some way, to tell you that I was coming home.” 

There’s an odd stress on her final word. You think you get it now. “Hmm,” is all you reply with. 

“So it makes sense that I’d want you to come with me. Then I don’t have to worry about it anymore.” 

You snort. “Solving the problem as it comes your way, huh?” 

“Obviously.” She smiles at you, running a hand through your hair and nudging you closer to her bare form. She only continues once you’re comfortably leaning against her side. A loud, contented sigh leaves her lips. “So come with me.” She whispers, so that only you can hear it, even though it’s only you two in this room. 

You nod, feeling her kiss your head. “Okay.” 

“You love me, right?” 

He watches your movements stop. 

Ran doesn’t do this. The eldest Haitani brother always shows up self-assured; every bone in his body reminding him that he’s right and if he’s not right, then he’ll simply make it right. And yet, he can’t help but swallow past the dryness in his throat as he asks you the question. He’s Ran Haitani. The same Ran who’s bleary eyed and still in his suit, sitting with his elbows on your shared kitchen countertop on a Tuesday night, but for some reason, he can’t seem to meet your eyes. 

This is what he’s always done – shown up late and let you care for him, breathing life back into his tired bones. It’s a cycle that never seemed to end, even now that you were both adults. He cares for you too, obviously. He’d burn the world down for you or run away with you and never look back, if you asked him to. His fingers twitch. Maybe not the second option. But you were something else to care for now, another worry added to his list that used to only consist of Rindou Haitani. 

You turn from your chopping board to face him warily. Maybe he’s asking this to tease you. Maybe he’s worried. Ran’s shaking his foot, head pointedly turned away to face the windows instead of you. 

Do you know that if you deny him or brush him aside, he’ll fall apart? Do you know that he’s absolutely ready to spend the rest of his life coming home to you? 

“Yeah, I love you.” You’ve neglected your dinner preparations now, choosing to lean over the countertop to look at him. The water simmers steadily behind you in the pot. “What’s this all about then?” 

There’s a smile in your voice, he knows it before he even meets your gaze. He turns his head and there it is: your lips curving upwards in amusement. It’s your eyes that betray a flicker of worry. Ran sighs in relief. 

“It’s nothing.” He says quickly, pushing off from his seat and wandering around your form to check on the now boiling water. To his dismay, you follow him, peeking over his shoulder as well. You’re close enough that he can feel your warmth just behind him. Maybe he should kiss you. 

“Are you jealous again?” Your question leaves him stunned, a tilt of your head lets him know you're teasing him.

“No.” A pause. “Should I be?” 

You do it first, kissing his cheek and nudging him out of the way with your hip. You’re braver than him. It’s something he realised a long time ago, but something that keeps appearing in his thoughts everyday. He wants to be brave too. But what he really does is instead is stand next to you in a frozen position, waiting for your answer. 

“Never.” There’s that smile on your face again, a cheeky one, even as you’re looking up at him to make sure he’s really listening. “I’d choose you every day.” 

“Good.” Although his heart stutters at the comment, he’s glad that his words stay calm. “There’s no one better than me.” 

Ran acts on his thoughts this time, wrapping his arms around your middle loosely. Another pause, and then he’s resting his chin on top of your head, a satisfied huff leaving him as you don’t push him away. 

This type of lifestyle has always been a pipe dream really. But it’s real now, and you’re still here after all these years so he must be doing something right. His hand reaches into his pocket, running his fingers over a small, velvet box. 

One day, much later, he’ll be brave and maybe even surprise you. But for now, he’s contented with coming home to you. 

Izana likes to hold both your hands at once. It happens when you're telling him about your day, seated on the couch and half-turned towards him. He's listening. He definitely is. But he's also all too focused on the way your mouth moves, and the expressiveness of your eyes, and most importantly, your fingers. He watches your movements more than anything. He plays with the tips of your fingers while you talk, until you're giggling and asking him what he wants.

It's attention. He always wants attention. And you're only too happy to give it to him, locking eyes with him until he looks away. But his fingers don't stop toying with yours. He waits for you to join your hands together properly, pushing your weight onto his and leaning in to press a short kiss to his cheek.

If he's in the mood, he'll give you a proper kiss, pushing you until your back is pressed up against the couch. It's here that his hands will trace up your arms to hold your cheeks. Another kiss. A softer one.

It ends innocently, most of the time. Neither of you say anything during the quiet moments when Izana is just touching you, feeling your skin under his fingers like you're the most delicate thing he's ever seen.

But really, you've never felt the need to fill the silence at all. l