Options, Pt.2

Options, Pt.2

Arajin/f!Reader/Marito

Summary: Marito and Arajin invite you to visit Siguma headquarters for a (not) date. wc: 1.9k A/N: warning for marito being a little shit and arajin being a simp. Enjoy!

“Welcome!” Marito extends his arms wide as if awaiting an embrace. “To Siguma headquarters!”

“How…colorful.” You glance at Arajin with wide eyes; he’s standing a little behind Marito, half heartedly imitating his pose. “Thank you for having me.”

You can’t tell what the building was originally meant to be at first. It’s not until you get a good look at the dilapidated stage on the opposite side of the room and the rusted, old basketball hoops on either end of the walls that you realize it’s a gymnasium. 

“Huh.” You glance at the jungle gym lodged into the hardwood floor. “Is that from a park?”

“A daycare center!” Marito says proudly, taking you by the wrist to pull you around, pointing at the panda bear spring rider. “I thought the boys would get more use out of them than those snot nosed brats.”

“Um, would you like something to drink?” Arajin interjects meekly, holding out two bottles, one of water, another of tea. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I grabbed a few different things. We have a place with snacks too if you’re hungry.”

“Thanks.” You chirp gratefully taking the chilled bottle of jasmine tea. “This is so cool Arajin, like a secret clubhouse. I always wanted to have a clubhouse as a kid; remember the time we tried to make a fortress with those old cardboard boxes?”

“Don’t remind me.”

“Hey, what’re ya talking about?” Marito leans down to get in Arajin’s face. “I’ve never heard about this. Were you trying to become a gang leader or something?”

“No! It was just an average clubhouse.” Arajin explains. “It was until the rain came anyhow. It didn’t dawn on us that leaving out cardboard in a storm would basically destroy our secret fortress.”

“I don’t know if it was secret, seeing as how we made it in the backyard.” You add good naturedly. “But it was fun to make, wasn’t it?”

“Totally.” 

Arajin smiles as you fill Marito in the details of some of your adventures; he doesn’t even mind too much when you mention Matakara, bringing up the idea of the three of you getting together sometime to hang out. There might be a way to get out of it, but the truth is, if you really wanted it, Arajin would make up an itinerary; with you there as a buffer, it could be bearable. 

“There’s no reason to be awkward Arajin: Matakara’s still the best guy I know, I think it would be nice for us to catch up at the restaurant or something.” You propose gently. “Think it over, okay? For me?”

“ANYTHING!”

You blink. “Huh?”

“I mean, yeah, I’ll cook you anything you want; I’ll make you something really good, all your favorites!” Arajin says excitedly. “I’ll even make you roast duck.”

Marito watches silently as Arajin fusses and fawns; it’s actually pretty damn cute when he gets all riled up and eager to please. He invited you to join them fully expecting this reaction; after all, whatever he says, it’s painfully obvious Arajin’s been carrying around a torch for you for who knows how long. Again, Marito expected that: in fact he was counting in it. He wants you and Arajin to get closer again before they make any moves. Besides, the two of you look like adorable puppies in a pen, so innocently affectionate and tiptoeing around each other tentatively, always mindful of the line between friends and more. 

“Ara-teen, we need to talk.” Marito interrupts the conversation with a sunny grin, now pulling Arajin away to the entrance door. “Be right back kitten! You just make yourself comfy, don’t miss us too much!”

Once they’re outside, Marito’s easy going smile switches to a cold glare; he looms over Arajin but doesn’t say anything.

“Are you mad?” Arajin glances at the slightly open doorway, even though it’s unlikely you’d overhear them. “I didn’t mean to leave you out of the conversation. We sort of got caught up reminiscing I guess.” There’s another beat of tense silence before Arajin slowly reaches for Marito’s hand at his side. “I’m sorry.”

“Why is she so dead set on getting together with you and Matakara?” Marito’s scowl dissolves into a pout but he squeezes Arajin’s hand, albeit a bit too hard, making the other boy wince. “It sounds like she thinks pretty highly of that Minato Kai scum.”

“Oh yeah that.” Arajin sighs heavily. “I don’t know. She’s been in touch with him this whole time I was away.” A look of panic crosses his face. “Wait, you don’t think they’re…dating?!”

“You’re the one who should know. Your ol’ buddy could have been working on her the past five years.” Marito muses crossly. “I sure as hell don’t want to lose out to anyone from Minato. Arajin, what’s the vibe you get from her?”

“Vibe?”

“Has she talked to you about me?”

“Not really.” Arajin tries to wrack his brain for all the instances since the first meeting between you and Marito where you might have mentioned his boyfriend. “She asks how you are, but that’s it.”

“How so?”

“I spilled the beans; she knows you’re the head of Siguma. She was worried about me getting involved with turf wars, but I told her I don’t fight anymore-”

“A shame, really.” Marito purrs, the tips of his fingers caress Arajin’s knuckles. “You throw a hell of a punch.”

“Marito, come on, not here.” Arajin glances again at the doorway, but you’re not peeking out to see what the hold up is. “Actually, she seemed scared when I told her about you.”

“I see.”

“Not like she's afraid of you!” Arajin adds hastily. “I meant she got kinda panicky when I told her about you getting into fights and stuff; I told her you’re crazy strong, but she always asks if you’re doing okay. I think she’s worried about you getting hurt.”

“She is? Worried about little ol’ me?” Marito’s razor sharp grin betrays the mock sympathetic tone of his voice. “Ara-teen, hit me.”

“Sure-what?!”

“Come on, just one good punch!” Marito undoes the rest of the buttons on his shirt until the fabric is pooled around his waist. “Give it to me.”

When Marito and Arajin finally return, they find you lying in a hammock, swinging slightly and humming to yourself. In Marito’s hammock.

“That’s my spot.”

You open your eyes; Marito’s face hovers above yours. He’s looking down at you, blocking the dim lights overhead and you can’t quite make out his expression. Carefully, you sit up, a hand to your mouth.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think…I didn’t realize.”

“Aw, no worries. It’s just…” Marito sighs, running a hand through his hair. “My stomach’s bothering me.”

“Please, lie down!” You practically leap down and rearrange the blankets over the wide net. “Arajin has stomach problems too, I bought something for indigestion-”

“Hey, don’t go around talking about that so loudly!” Arajin looks scandalized as you forage through your purse. “It doesn’t happen that often, you don’t need to carry around medicine.”

“Good idea.” Marito gives Arajin a sneaky grin over your shoulder. “Ain’t she a peach, Ara-teen? But actually, it’s not a stomach ache; ya see…”

Marito, looking almost shy, undoes his shirt to show you the newly forming bruise on his abs.

“Oh my gosh!” You stop going through your purse to examine the fairly minor injury; still you look as upset as if Marito has an open gash across his midsection. “What happened?”

“I got into a bit of an altercation this morning and it’s still a bit tender is all.” Marito lays back on the hammock with a thoughtful expression. “I have some ointment in the cabinet over there, but I don’t think I need it.”

“Jin-san, of course you should use it!” 

Arajin watches, incredulous and a bit impressed as you march over to the cabinet, rummaging around until you find a first aid kit and the small container of ointment. Marito grins over at him smugly. “Watch and learn.” he mouths silently before you turn around with the supplies and a determined expression on your face.

“I can do it for you if it’s too painful to move; I used to help patch up Arajin and Matakara all the time when we were kids.”

“It wasn’t that often. You say it like I was getting beat up left and right.” 

“Oh hush.”

Arajin mumbles a bit defensively but he looks transfixed as you dip your fingers into the small container and begin swiping the ointment over Marito’s bruise.

“Ah!”

“Sorry, did I press too hard?”

“You’re fine,” Marito hisses sharply as you slowly trace your fingers over his stomach. “The ointment was cold; I’m a bit sensitive there.”

“I’ll be gentle.” You still look a bit upset. “I’m sorry.”

“It was just a tickle.”

“No, cause you could be resting now.” You look up at Marito and Arajin with big, sad eyes. “Is it a bad time for me to be here? I can leave.”

Arajin grabs at his chest; he feels both horribly guilty and ready to keel over and die at how adorable you look. It doesn’t help that Marito is making faint, almost keening noises as you finish applying the ointment; he’s barely able to hold back a disappointed look when you retract your hand and put the cap back over the medicine. Arajin is half expecting his boyfriend to drag you into the hammock; he’s lost count of how many times Marito has done the same to him, effortlessly pulling him into his chest, locking his long legs around his own, effectively trapping Arajin on top of his body with a smile to charm the devil himself. 

“Kitten, c’mere? Could you take a look at something?”

You stand next to Arajin, bending your head a bit to glance over Marito’s body. “What else hurts?”

“This.” Marito grabs your hand, placing the palm over his chest. “It’s aching. I think it’ll break.”

“Wha-what?”

“Don’t go yet.” Marito’s beseeching gaze flickers to Arajin’s stunned face. “We were really looking forward to you coming over. Ya can’t go now.”

“Um,” You look back at Arajin. “If it’s really no trouble…”

“Yes!” Arajin nods enthusiastically. “We even picked out special snacks and everything! Please don’t feel like you have to go!”

“Well, alright then. Thank you for having me. Jin-san?”

“Marito is fine. A friend of Ara-teen’s is a friend of mine after all.”

“Marito,” You smile softly. “Please take care of yourself properly when you get hurt: I know you’re a big tough guy and all, but that doesn’t mean I won’t worry about you as much as Arajin.”

“Yeah…sure.” Marito nods, his tone considerably less playful. “Sorry to worry you.”

“Aw, what are friends for?” You grin and poke Arajin’s cheek. “That goes for you too.”

“Yeah, yeah.” 

Arajin’s eyes lock onto Marito’s; he recognizes the look in his eyes. He’s sure it’s not so different from the longing stare he has as you walk away to the old refrigerator Arajin had dumbly pointed out when you offered to grab them water. 

“Has she always been so…?” Marito exhales slowly. “Come on man, she has to know what she’s doing.”

“Nope. Believe me,” Arajin smiles wearily. “She doesn’t have a clue.”

“Either way, if she is actually going with your buddy, you won’t have to think about competition because he’ll be dead meat.” Marito uses his free hand to reach up and pinch Arajin’s flushed cheek. “I’m all comfy and don’t wanna move; get me a kabob.”

“Okay, okay.”

“And feed me.”

“...okay.”

“Yahoo!” Marito wriggles back and forth excitedly in the hammock, apparently forgetting he’s supposed to be in pain. “I got Ara-teen and a little kitten all to myself today.”

“Just put your shirt back on.” 

There's parallels between Matakara and Shindo that I think may be foreshadowing Matakara becoming antagonistic to Arajin down the line:

They both started out weak and victims to stronger people and grew to idolize people who inspired them to become stronger (Arajin and Mitsukuni for Matakara, Kenichiro for Shindo). They both value strength but that's where the similarities start differing: Matakara pursues an ideal that being strong comes with integrity. To Shindo, it's about control. Controlling the people around him and doing whatever it takes to get what you want, morals and code of honor are for suckers. Being a "strong man" is using whatever you have your disposal to gain it and if you do that, you've proven something, it doesn't really matter "how".

It's interesting how Mahoro sees right away the core of Shindo's character: he's hollow. He doesn't really stand for anything, doesn't have principles and his mindset earned the disapproval of the person he admired and strove to be like at one point. That's where his motivations stem from: Shindo is petty af and behind the drive he has to prove his way is the "right" way, he doesn't have much substance. I've heard people say some of his viciousness might be from his attachment to Ichiya but 1. It's debatable how much influence a Honki person has when they merge we still don't know too much about how the connection works and 2. We don't actually know much about Ichiya's personality, we just know Senya has a rivalry with him and something went down between them

With all that being said, I'm certain Ichiya is going to attach himself to Matakara and somehow it will result in Matakara similarly becoming antagonistic to Arajin and struggling to maintain his ideals or maybe he ends up becoming too extreme with them under Ichiya (and maybe his brother's?) influence?

And serious I am so fucking curious about how Mitsukuni is going to be involved with the plot. Why did he got to juvie? How strong is he? Does he know anything about Honki people? How I he going to react to Arajin being back and becoming so strong? (I'm assuming they at least knew of each other previously since Matakara and Arajin were childhood friends) What sort of person is he? Did he change being locked up? My brain is buzzing I can't stress how excited I am for what feels like Act 2 of this awesome show.

i just started Bucchigiri and love your stuff!!! 😭 Can you do one for Matakara having a crush on a new transfer girl? She wears the boys uniform and a hoodie over her head so she doesn't get attention. He only finds out cuz she helped treat his wounds after a fight once and it's been their secret ever since

Thank you so much! Hope you like this!

Just Between Us

Matakara/afab!Reader

Summary: Matakara takes it upon himself to befriend the new introverted transfer student and develops a crush, unaware they're both keeping secrets from the other. wc: 2.2k a/n: no warnings, mostly just fluff and a few swear words. reader is afab but I personally written them as being gender fluid. I also headcanon Matakara as bi disaster. Enjoy!

You yawn, barely paying attention as your teacher goes on about something to do with…history? English? Biology? At this point you don’t bother keeping track; no one else does. Usually everyone in your homeroom is openly hooting and hollering over the lecture; on good days, most of the other students are zoned out or passing notes, not even attempting to be sneaky about it.

Speaking of, a folded up card gets flicked on your desk; you look, puzzled at it, and back to your seatmate. On your right is Matakara Asamine, smiling patiently and pointing to the paper.

You roll your eyes but smile back; he has your number, the two of you could easily have a whole conversation over text if you wished to. Still, you open the little piece of paper and read what Matakara scribbled: he’s asking if you want to see a movie after school. You stifle a chuckle and write back an affirmative, deliberately sliding your hand over the surface of his desk; after he reads your answer, Matakara pumps his fist silently in a display of excitement. Your profile is obscured with your hood up and your head turned, so you hope he doesn’t see how wide you’re grinning. 

It’s only been a few months since you transferred to Ichizu and you’re grateful to have made a few decent friends; with the district's reputation, you hadn’t expected to do much in the way of socializing. You weren't particularly street smart or experienced in self defense even: you were one of the few students who fell into the “harmless wallflower” category. There were a handful of kids at school who were like you; they just sort of walked around, didn’t speak much, and were largely ignored by the majority of the school populace as too weak and plain to bother with. 

The Minato Kai and Siguma members mostly kept to themselves, interested in their own rivalry and their own personal circles of friends and acquaintances. Normies like you were mildly entertaining to mess with, and while you did get some teasing and the occasional shove in the hallway, you had sufficiently flown under the radar.

At least, until Matakara Asamine decided he wanted to make you his friend. From the beginning you were surprised, but not especially wary. The general opinion of Matakara was that he was strong and had integrity, two traits that Minato Kai prized; his revered older brother would surely be proud, who you had also heard good things about. With all that in mind, you didn’t hesitate too much when Matakara and his friends asked you to sit with them to eat or tag along to the batting cages. Frankly, you let everyone else do most of the talking; it was fun though. You genuinely enjoyed the company and Matakara shot down any attempts to get you to pledge with their gang. 

“What are we going to see later?” You ask as you take a seat next to Zabu, handing him the manga he had lent you a week prior. “Sorry it took so long, I lost it in the pile.”

“Eh, you can keep that if you want.” Zabu scrunches his nose at the volume, sliding it back towards you. “I’m not into that sappy shit.”

“Huh?” You raise an eyebrow. “Why’d ya buy it?”

“I heard it was supposed to be good, but it was cliche as hell.” Zabu shrugs, jabbing his elbow into Sakegaki’s side; said boy had been reaching his chopsticks into Zabu’s bento to nab a piece of grilled meat. “What movie? Are we going to see a movie?”

“Um-”

“Hey guys!” 

Matakara almost startles you with how loudly his voice booms; he plops down onto the bench next to you. “Sorry, the bread line was crazy today.”

“Figures, it’s half off day. What’d you get?” Zabu asks curiously.

“Yakisoba, here,” Matakara takes one of the sealed baggies of treats and puts one on top of your plate. “I owe you for last time, your favorite is the melon bread, right?”

“Yeah, but you didn’t have to.” You add. “Thanks though.”

“No problem.”

Lunch period comes and goes and you completely forget to ask what movie the four of you are going to see, but it doesn’t bug you much. You don’t really mind if it means you get to sit by Matakara again; the last time you went to the movies with him he had shared a bucket of popcorn with you, whispering into your ear every now and again to comment on something. You spend the rest of the day hoping you’ll be able to sit next to him again, maybe have one of those moments where your hands touch by accident. Zabu doesn’t know what he’s talking about in your humble opinion: if it was up to you, your school life would be one big, romantic comedy cliche, and Matakara would be the male lead.

Except, as things are now with you passing for a boy, you’re pretty sure your role as of now is the quiet friend, the awkward loner adopted by the popular kid. Not a bad deal all things considered, but it makes having a crush something of a pain in the ass. Still, you’ll take some yearning on your end if it means you can continue going through your school days mostly unnoticed and unbothered. The fact of the matter is presenting as a girl is a hassle; even the toughest girls in your class have to deal with being pursued and bugged by obnoxious wannabe casanovas who think they’re the earth’s gift to women. 

So far, you haven’t had any risky encounters: the gender neutral bathroom, dirty and falling apart like everything else in the school, helps avoid your secret getting out and you skip changing for gym because…well, pretty much everyone else does anyway and the teachers don’t care. You can’t see any reason why you shouldn’t keep passing as a boy until graduation; not to mention, the boy’s uniforms are comfier. 

“Where’s the guys?” 

It’s the late afternoon and you’re changed into baggy sweats and battered sneakers; inside your jacket are four packages of candy picked up from the convenience store you’re presently loitering outside of to sneak into the theater. Matakara is late; you’re about to text him when you hear his voice calling out to you. Down the sidewalk, Matakara is running your way, smiling wide and out of uniform; as he reaches you, your eyes widen.

“What the hell? You’re bleeding man.” You step up to him, craning your neck to get a good look at the cut over his eyebrow. “What the hell happened?”

“Ah, one of Siguma’s guys challenged me on my way here.” Matakara raises his fingers to the small gash. “Oh wow, I didn’t realize his kick landed that hard.”

“Matakara, hold on a second.”

“Where are you-?”

You rush into the store; in three minutes you’ve returned with a box of bandages, a small bag of cotton swabs, disinfecting ointment, hand sanitizer, and a bottle of water.

“What’s the water for?”

“Flush out the wound. Some of the blood’s drying.” 

You make Matakare sit down on the wooden bench on the side of the building and lay out the supplies. He watches you silently as you pour some of the clean water onto a swab and begin to carefully wipe off the dried blood, soaking up the bit that’s still oozing. Matakara is obediently still and doesn’t wince as you swipe a few dabs of ointment over the injury after sanitizing your hands properly. 

“You do this a lot?”

“Nope.” You confess, handing him the bottle of water. “Here, have some. It’s always a good idea to drink water. I’m gonna put the bandaid on; can’t believe you didn’t realize you got hit so hard.”

“I was kinda in a rush.” Matakara’s hand dwarfs the plastic bottle; he’s looking down a bit guiltily. “Sorry I was late. I thought it’d be over quicker.”

“Well, the guys are late anyway, so it works out.” You gently smooth the bandage across his eyebrow. “There, it should be fine. Are you sure you don’t feel dizzy or anything? Maybe we should skip the movie.”

“No!” Matakara says, sitting up straight. “I’m totally fine, seriously. Thanks for taking care of me.”

“I should be the one saying that.” You sit next to him with a sigh. “Don’t apologize; I’m lucky you want to hang out with me at all.”

“Of course I do! You’re fun to be around and you’re a good listener and you’re really-” 

Matakara stops talking; he suddenly looks away and takes a sip of water. You stare at him, a bit flattered and a lot confused. Matakara's been acting a little off all day come to think of it.

“Should I text the guys? You told them where we were gonna meet, right?” You check your phone while Matakara finishes the water. “Think they went straight to the theater?”

“Um, actually, Sakegaki and Zabu aren’t coming.” Matakara tells you; he scrunches up the bottle and tosses it cleanly into the recycling bin next to him. “You don’t mind, right?”

“Oh. No, it’s cool.” You’re not lying but now your curiosity has peaked. “Is everything okay with you guys?”

“Yeah, nothing wrong.” Matakara says quickly. “If you want I can call them, if you’re not comfortable with it being just us.”

“Why wouldn't I be?”

“Because…” 

Matakara’s hands are clasped and he’s still looking at the ground; he looks troubled and you feel bad for pushing the issue, whatever it is, but something is definitely wrong. 

“I don’t mean to presume.” Matakara begins slowly, measuring his tone. “It’s none of my business, but I, um, when you got close to me, I kinda felt…your chest.”

You stare at him blankly; Matakara’s cheeks flush and he finally gives you a ‘look’. 

“Oh.” You blink. “Shit. I guess you found me out.”

“So, you were born a girl?”

“Yeah.”

“Why are you…?” Matakara averts his stare. “Wait, sorry, it’s none of my business.”

“No, you’re fine. The thing is, it’s just kind of easier to pass myself off as a guy, ya know?” You pat his shoulder. “So, would you mind keeping it between us? Honestly, I don’t really care if people see me as a guy, girl, whatever, but it would make my life easier if you didn't go telling anyone else.”

“A secret?” Matakara perks up. “Between us?”

“I’d appreciate it.”

“Sure!”

You’re a bit taken aback; you know Matakara’s a nice guy and all, but you didn’t expect him to be this easy going about your charade.

“You can trust me.” Matakara puts a hand over his heart. “I can swear it in blood.”

“No, no more bleeding!” You blanch at the thought. “Dude, it’s not that deep.”

“I know, but it’s just nice.” Matakara rubs the back of his neck; he’s beaming at you, eyes crinkling in the corners, cheeks flushed. “You know, we’re always around other people or you go off on your own; when we are together, you don’t say much…I feel like we haven’t actually gotten a chance to really know each other, so I like we have this thing that’s only for us. Does that sound weird?”

“A little, but I see what you mean.” You tug the strings of your hoodie so it closes more around your face. “If you want, we could do this more.”

“This?”

“Hanging out,” You clarify, voice softer than you mean for it to be. “Just the two of us. If you want.”

“Then, it’s okay I didn’t invite the others? You’re not uncomfortable with it?”

“I probably feel the most comfortable around you, Matakara.”

You chance peeking out and realize you’re screwed: Matakara is leaning over, right in your face, eyes glued to your face and almost shining. He radiates warmth, like he’s trying to make you gravitate closer to his side, unknowingly pulling you toward him.

"Really?"

Actually, it’s more like his hand is placed over yours and he’s moving his face close to yours; for a moment you and Matakara stare at each other mutely. His hand covers yours and you don’t feel uncomfortable but your heart might actually combust inside your ribcage from how tenderly Matakara is gazing at you. 

“Do you really mean it?” Matakara breathes, voice almost like a sigh. “Can we go to the movies now? Just you and me?”

“Uh huh.” You nod dumbly, swallowing the spit you didn’t realize was pooling from glancing at his lips. “I, um, bought candy for everyone, four of them.”

“More for us.” Matakara smiles brightly, standing up; he’s yet to let go of your hand. 

“Works for me.” You don’t try to pull your hand away, allowing Matakara to pretty much lead you down the sidewalk in the direction of the theater. You’ve never seen him act almost childishly eager and his attitude is admittedly infectious. “Let’s share a popcorn bucket, it'll be less expensive.”

“Yeah, we should split a drink too.”

Matakara looks back, and you can’t miss the mischievous glint in his eyes as your cheeks grow hot.

“…I’m gonna have to watch out for you.”

“I don’t mind. In fact,” Matakara is grinning a little too innocently for the look he’s giving you over his shoulder. “You can look at me all you want.”

So, for some reason tumblr won’t let me edit/post my Uramichi/f!reader headcanons post; I’m just gonna leave a link here so anyone who wants to read it can. 

Could you do a Mataka x reader x slight creepy Shindo. The reader is Arajins sister that just got discharged from the hospital and is cleared to go to school. (They are part of the reason their family moved back) They’ve had a childhood crush on Mataka, but they met Shindo in a book store. He thinks winning Arajin is through his sister, or threaten them.

This got my brain buzzing with ideas! Here's the first part, I'll probably break it down to 3 parts total!

A Chance Meeting and a Declaration of Protection?!

Summary: You've come back to your old hometown for a fresh start and a shot at a normal life; too bad being reunited with your childhood crush and attracting the attention of an unhinged gang leader is proving a detriment to your health in more ways than one! wc: 2.3 A/N: This takes place in an AU without honki people/magic, and tw for future chapters for Shindo being a creep/yandere coded because...I mean come on. Makatara/f!Reader/Shindo (mostly one sided though)

“Come on, just a little more…”

Standing on your tiptoes, you stretch your arm as high as you can, but the novel atop the highest shelf is still out of reach.

“Ugh, I should have asked Macchan to come and help me.”

“My, my, what do we have here?”

You feel a presence behind you before you hear their voice; at first you had assumed Arajin had returned to the bookstore to walk you home. Your mother had made him your personal escort of sorts and your brother had obeyed, walking you to and from the few places you felt well enough to explore. 

After spending so much time in a hospital bed, being outside was almost overwhelming, but you also felt restless. When you found out your favorite bookstore was still open after all these years, you could have cried. Now as you stand on somewhat wobbly legs, vision a touch fuzzy, the last thing you need is stress. Where was Arajin? And who was this strange man smirking at you like you were some amusing joke?

“You must realize the owner has a ladder for this exact reason.” 

“Huh?” 

He taps the spine of the book, easily reaching over your head. “This book, you want it, yes?”

“Oh, yes.” You nod, somewhat hesitantly; your eyes scan the aisle, but it would seem there’s no one else around.  Briefly, your eyes linger on his braided hair and light eyes; he wasn’t wearing a school uniform, just a plain, gray sweatshirt and matching pants. You were certain he was around your age though. 

“What are you staring at?”

“Oh sorry, I was thinking, um, did you want the book?” You smile apologetically, hoping your embarrassment wasn’t obvious. “I didn’t mean to be in the way.”

“No, no, I was amused by you hopping like a bunny.”

Your smile falls. “Uh, I guess I’ll just go on and ask for assistance then-”

But the stranger takes the book, holds it up over your head with a sickly sweet smile.

“I wouldn’t leave a lady struggling. Here, take it.”

“Oh, thank you.”

But before you can take the book, he holds it up even higher. You frown, confused; is he just messing with you?

“I thought you were giving me the book?”

“Isn’t it a bit rude to ask for favors from a stranger?” He asks innocently. “My name is Shindo  Akutaro; might I ask for your name?”

“Tomoshibi.” You say curtly. “May I please have that book, Shindo-san?”

“I suppose.” 

The book is unceremoniously dropped and you fail to catch it; the novel lands on the hard tiled floor and you slowly kneel to pick it up. Bending and stooping too quickly makes you light headed and your limbs feel like noodles at the least bit of sudden motion. 

“You don’t need to kneel before me for such a small favor.” 

Shindo’s smile widens until you see his canines; he looks down at you over the rim of his glasses, eyes shining with an odd sort of glee, as though you’re doing something very silly and he has to hold back laughter. You straighten up, standing up too quickly; for a second, you teeter on unsteady feet and your hand grabs the shelf for support. 

“You look very pale; are you sick? In that case, maybe you ought to be home, not hopping around.”

“I spent enough time cooped up.” You rub your forehead gently with your fingers, holding the book to your chest. “I should be able to manage shopping for a book.”

It’s more than your desire to purchase a new novel though; this book store is a place of comfort. You used to spend hours either browsing the selection or sitting in the cafe area to read the newest addition to your collection. It wasn’t like you could run around with Arajin and Matakara, as badly as you wanted to. Even now, you’ve only just begun to feel what you assume for others is something like “normal”. 

“It’s not funny.”

Shindo blinks, looking vaguely perturbed as you stare up at him defiantly; suddenly, you feel very irritated. Whether it’s due to his prior teasing or your own frustration, you’re not sure. 

“Thanks, I suppose, for getting the book.” You say quietly. “But I don’t appreciate a perfect stranger laughing at me. I never asked to be sick and I didn’t ask for your help. Excuse me, but my brother will be here soon to take me home and I need to go buy this.”

With a slight nod, you scurry away to the register on the other side of the store; as he hands you the receipt and your new book, a soft chime signals someone has entered the store. You turn around, met with the sight of a disgruntled Arajin and-

“Macchan?” You almost drop your bag and wallet. “What are you doing here?”

“I bumped into Ara-chan, so I thought I’d tag along.” Matakara waves with a sunny smile. “You’re doing okay? You haven’t had to go back to the hospital or anything?”

“I told you she was fine.” Arajin walks over to you and takes your hand. “Come on, let’s get going,”

“You’re in a hurry for someone who was late to get me.”

“Mom asked me to pick up a few things for dinner.” Arajin explains with a sigh, leading you to the sliding doors, Matakara following behind dutifully. “I figured you’d want more time anyway; you could have called.”

“You could have called if you were going to be gone later.” You grumble, slipping your hand from his grasp. “Arajin, slow down, I can’t walk that fast.”

“Do you want me to take that?” Matakara comes to your side. “Here, let me carry your bag. You look kinda pale.”

“So I’ve heard.” You sigh; of course he had to come and see you winded from the most menial task. “Thanks Macchan, but I got it.”

“Come on, we need to get home.” Arajin gives Matakara a look. “Don’t you have to get going too?”

“I can stay.” Matakara turns to you. “You don’t mind, do you? I feel like we haven’t had a chance to catch up since you moved back. It’s been too long.”

“No kidding; honestly I almost didn’t recognize you when you came to visit.” You chuckle and pat the top of Matakara’s head. “I used to be taller than you.”

“Um, yeah.”

Matakara’s face flushes a bit; it’s nice to see he hasn’t changed too much from the bashful sweetheart you remember. Now, if only you had changed as much; you both envy and admire your old friend’s strong build. 

“Don’t strain yourself too much tomorrow.” Arajin looks over his shoulder at you; he’s still looking a bit grumpy, but his eyes soften as they meet yours. “My class is basically across the hall from you and the teacher’s already know what to expect.”

“I know, I’ll be okay!”

You sound more confident than you feel; from what Arajin has said about his time attending the academy, the place sounds less like an institution of education and more a playground for delinquents. Still, you have limited options and if you have to attend a school in the area, you feel better knowing at least two people already. 

“I’m in the same class as Ara-chan; you can come to me if there’s a problem. If you want to.” Matakara says with an oddly serious expression. “I’ll be there, so you don’t have to worry about anything.”

“I’m not worried.” You lie, your smile feeling like a mask stretched over your face. “Thank you, Macchan. I don’t want to bother you though, you and Arajin have your own lives. I’m sure I’ll be totally fine. I’m so pitiful, even bullies don’t want to bug me.”

“No you’re not.” Matakara frowns. “You’re not pitiful, you're strong. I always thought so. You should too.”

You’re not sure how to respond; Arajin makes a choking sound deep from his throat and puts his hands over his ears.

“Ugh, I can not listen to this! You two walk back together, I’m going on ahead.”

“Huh?!”

“Arajin!” You gap as your brother stalks off down the sidewalk without a glance back at you. “That little shit! He’s lucky I can’t chase him down. Ugh, sorry Macchan, he’s being such a brat.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“It is not.” You huff, crossing your arms, glaring at the dot that’s now Arajin’s head. “He’s been on edge ever since we came back. I get him being angry with me, but you haven’t done anything.”

“Why would Ara-chan be angry with you?”

“Not me exactly, just,” You unfold your arms and they hang at your sides. “A big reason we came back was for my treatment. Mom’s settled in fine but Arajin…it’s not my place to speak for him, but I know being here is frustrating.”

“But it’s not your fault you’re sick.”

“Still, I think…he’d never say so, but I think he resents me. Arajin always has to deal with mom putting me first because of my poor health.”

Arajin never says it, but you can tell he gets frustrated; he never asked for a sister who constantly needed to be minded and tended to. Even now as you’ve gotten older, he’s still being pushed into the role of caretaker. You don’t want him to feel like he’s responsible for how you do when you go back to attending in person classes. 

“He brings a lot of it on himself, but I know he worries about me. Anyway, I don’t want to burden him or you.” You muster up a genuine smile. “I’m going to take it one day at a time, but I can do this. I have to at least try; I can’t let it all be for nothing.”

“You,” Matakara pauses, gazing at you with wide eyes and parted lips. “You haven’t changed at all.”

You can’t help snort. “Seriously? I know I said I wanted to toughen up and all, but-”

“You’ve gotten even cooler.”

Maybe it’s a good thing Arajin decided to leave the two of you in the dust; if he saw the way Matakara was staring at you, you might have had Arajin ready to drag you away. Before you can say anything, Matakara gently takes the bag from your loosened grip.

“For the record, I never thought looking after you was a burden. I want you to ask me for help. Matakara confesses shyly. “I’m stronger now.”

“I noticed.” Your eyes flicker to his arms; his muscles are basically straining against the thin cotton of his worn t-shirt. “Are you sure? I really don’t have trouble carrying something that small.”

“I want to!” Matakara insists; he almost whines and your heart skips a beat as he pouts down at you. “I could even carry you if you needed me to.”

“Okay, okay, I got it.” At this point the thought of your crush carrying you around in his absurdly strong arms is making you so lightheaded, you might end up needing to be hauled home anyway. On the bright side, you doubt you’re looking pallid; heat radiates from your face as Matakara walks with you. He walks in time with your steps; if you asked, he would probably take your hand to lead you home.

“I bet you’re really popular.” You nudge his shoulder. “Arajin told me you’re like, a class leader or something?”

“He did?”

“Uh huh. But don’t tell him I told you.” You put a finger to your lips. “If you do, I’ll tell him about how you cried after stealing one of my horror novels.”

“I didn’t know it was a scary book! I thought it was about a magic doll.”

“To be fair, it was brought to life with occult magic. I still can’t believe you threw out my baby doll.”

“...I thought it would come to life and haunt you.”

“That’s right, I was so mad!” You recall with a giggle. “Do dolls still freak you out?”

“No...”

“Aw,” You feel a bit guilty at the kicked puppy dog look on Matakara’s face. “I’m sorry for teasing you.”

Matakara remains silent for a few seconds and you feel anxious: was that too far? It had been a long time since the two of you were able to talk like this. Perhaps you were getting ahead of yourself, acting so familiar with him. 

“Matakara? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hassle you. I won’t actually tell Arajin about the doll thing.”

“It’s not that.” 

Matakara fidgets with the handle of the shopping bag; the sun is setting now. The soft golden light makes his eyes almost sparkle; as if getting enough oxygen wasn’t already a concern. Now you had to have your breath stolen by the warm gaze holding your attention captive. 

“It’s just…I don’t want you to think of me that way. I’m not that weak cry baby anymore.”

“I never thought you were.” You tell him earnestly. “I shouldn’t have teased you.”

“You really don’t get it.” Matakara’s voice lowers. “Even though you were so sick, you looked out for me. Now I want to do that for you. I want you to see me as someone strong you can depend on.”

“Macchan, you don’t have to look out for me: that’s not your responsibility.”

“Do I…look different to you?”

“What?”

Matakara inches a bit closer, as if he's afraid to startle you, before taking yours hands in his own. You can feel callouses on his warm palms are warm; his cheeks are pink and his stare is hard with determination. Abruptly, you're reminded of that tenderhearted boy who would rush to your side every time you so much as hinted at being fatigued.

"Do you trust me?"

"O-of course." You study his urgent gaze warily. "I always have."

“I could-no. I will protect you. If anyone tries to bother you tomorrow, you come straight to me. I’ll deal with them. I'll be there; as long as you can trust in that, I can only get stronger." Matakara squeezes your hands gently. "Believe in me and I'll protect you with that strength."

You’re taken aback; you’ve never heard Matakara speak this way to you or at all. Not that you don’t appreciate it; on the contrary, your tummy is doing somersaults. With that said, you can’t help wondering: just how much did your friend change these past few years? And what exactly is he expecting he’ll need to protect you from? 

Iketeru Daga in love with f! Reader headcanons (sfw and now with smut included!)

(look at this beautiful man.)

SFW:

Iketeru will probably need some time to differentiate his feelings of affection for you from platonic emotions. He knows what romantic/sexual attraction is, it’s just not something he’s too preoccupied with; people assume because he’s good looking he has a fair share of experience, but Iketeru more often than not finds himself uncomfortable with the attention his looks get him. 

It’ll start with Iketeru unknowingly singling you out; he’s a pretty genial person, but you get preferential treatment. Iketeru will unconsciously be on the lookout to see where you are, his smile will light up considerably when he catches sight of you and suddenly it’s as though no one else exists.

Iketeru still spaces out when you speak to him, he can’t help how his mind wanders, but it doesn’t happen quite as often when he talks to you and his focus only becomes keener the more his affection for you grows. He’s curious about you and his brain latches on to details and new information you share; you’re probably the first person who Iketeru actively and consistently engages with in conversation. It’s as if Iketeru is subconsciously trying to understand why he feels so excited and nervous to be near you.

You’re the first person Iketeru wants to tell good news to and he gets the oddest urges to bombard you with information: he just has to let you know what music he’s listening to, show off his cute new hat from Sayuri’s dog food website, a new recipe he tried out, something funny Mabui did the other day. Somewhat like an excited child, Iketeru will unwittingly end up monopolizing your attention and time, he can’t seem to spend enough time with you.

When his mind does drift off around you, Iketeru will probably still be thinking of you in some form whether it be fantasies where you’re the star or just your face being somewhere in the mix of onigiris, mentally preparing for the next shoot, or remembering to buy Sayuri more food on the way home. When Iketeru snaps out of it and realizes you were saying something, he’s unusually apologetic and a bit embarrassed. You must think he’s a scatterbrained ditz and he’s not sure why the thought upsets him so much.

You’re someone Iketeru feels like he can just be himself around but his feelings are confusing and messy. The more time you spend together and the stronger Iketeru’s feelings grow, the more uncertain he is about how to interact with you. There’ll be a period of sudden awkwardness and Iketeru will be second guessing how frequently he approaches you and what he says. What will you do if he lets his real feelings slip? What if you don’t want to be his friend anymore? 

When the truth comes out and Iketeru asks you for a date, he’s still anxious, but in the best possible way. He’s getting butterflies planning where you’ll go, what you’ll do, and he almost combusts imagining the two of you kissing, hugging, holding hands, etc.

To Iketeru, you’re on a bit of a pedestal. You’re his lovely, strong princess who can do no wrong. Even if you mess up or act selfishly, Iketeru will be quick to forgive and forget. You’ll need to be very encouraging to get him to open up so he understands you genuinely care about what he wants and you don’t expect to be catered to or for him to push down his own feelings. 

You either appreciate or don’t mind his immature sense of humor, but if you do decide to join in on the joke, Iketeru will be torn between finding it hilarious or becoming incredibly flustered. Obviously Iketeru knows what sex is, but making dirty jokes and relating you to sexual situations causes very different reactions in his imagination; dick jokes are silly and a bit naughty. But you, cracking one liners and making sly remarks about…intimate things? How can Iketeru be expected to not have his mind drift to what it would be like to do those things with you? 

And that takes us to the spicy stuff:

It might seem odd, but Iketeru takes a much more conservative approach to engaging in physical stuff with you, at least in the beginning stages of your relationship. He’s eager, but also very much the gentleman; he wants to go at your pace and respects your boundaries. You’re someone very precious and Iketeru can deal with waiting for you to take things further; the very idea of pressuring you into doing something makes Iketeru’s skin crawl.

That being said, Iketeru is still very eager. In bed he’ll be mouthing at your skin, wanting to be as close to your body as possible, practically begging for you to tell him what you want him to do to you. He wants so badly to touch you and make you feel good, but he’s anxious to cross a line and go too far too fast.

Most of what Iketeru knows about romance is from movies and books, so expect flowers, candles, something in that vein for the first time. Iketeru wants the first time to be you two making love as much as fucking. What turns him on the most is that you’re the one doing this to him, making his head dizzy and his cock leak with precum with little more than a few passionate kisses and lingering touches. 

Iketeru’s kinks include you being his gentle dom, being blindfolded, over stimulation, eating you out, cream pies, and praise, praise, and praise. Nothing gets him off more than listening to you tell him what a good boy he is while you tease his cock.

If you undress and reveal you went to the effort to put on lacy lingerie for him, Iketeru might stop functioning entirely for a few seconds. How is he supposed to decide between rubbing against your soft, adorable panties so he can feel how wet you are or ripping them off in desperation to be inside you? 

Iketeru doesn’t mind experimenting, but his favorite positions are ones like missionary or cowgirl, really any positions where he can watch your face and look into your eyes. You’re so beautiful and he gets off knowing he’s the one making you so wet and flushed and all your attention is on him. 

“Is this okay?” Iketeru’s lips barely detach from your nipple so he can speak clearly; he’s been alternating between sucking on your breasts and your neck for the last ten minutes. He’s got you sitting on his lap this time; he likes how you wrap your arms around him, run your fingers through his sweat-dampened hair as he suckles and rocks his hips into you. You nod, voice caught in your throat, and Iketeru can’t help smiling; he’s looking up at you, eyes glazed over with affection, love struck and maybe a bit relieved. 

“These are so cute.” Iketeru gives a long, loving lick to your swollen nipple; he’s groping your other breast, thumb swiping back and forth over the other tender bud. “You get so wet when I play with them. I want to keep teasing you, but I can’t-!” Iketeru gasps sharply as you cry out and gush over his dick; it’s wetter than usual. “Di-did you squirt?” Iketeru lets out a breathy, faint laugh. “Oh my god…can you do that again? Please princess, one more time? It felt so good around me, I want to feel it again…” 

Iketeru wishes the two of you could stay like this for hours; locked in a warm embrace, tickling and caressing, feeling each other’s skin and warmth all night. He doesn't even need to cum, as long as he can stay inside you, be as close to you as he can without actually somehow fusing his very being with yours. Iketeru knows you’re overstimulated and sleepy, but it’s hard to feel bad when it means getting to have you a clinging, whimpering mess in his arms. It's intense and overwhelming, you make him feel things he didn't even know he could.

“You feel so good,” Iketeru sighs, pressing the softest kisses to your lips, like he’s trying to soothe you; he’s grinding his cock into you, hard and slow, almost too deep, but Iketeru’s hands stroke your thighs and back, gently ushering you to relax. “It’s so soft inside," he murmurs, slowly rocking, back and forth, back and forth, as if he could go any deeper. "Soft and so wet...so hot, it almost burns. I can't get over how good it feels, so perfect, like you were made for me-”

Iketeru shudders violently when your pussy tightens and his cock throbs thinking about how much cum he’s going to have dripping down your thighs, how pretty your pussy lips will look, puffy and slick and good enough to eat. Maybe he’ll use his tongue to clean you up as an apology for being so needy. 

“Ah, bounce on me…bounce harder, please, want to cum inside you.” Iketeru rests his head between your tits with a ragged moan, shaking with the effort it’s taking him to not just slam his cock into you over and over again like a rabid animal. “Yes, yes, yes! Don’t stop, I want to feel you cum on me again, all over my lap. I’m so close, let’s do it together…?”