>>The unsavory reputation that Tsukishima Kei has built for himself as the Sendai Frogs' rudest rookie puts his upcoming contract renewal at risk
or
Tsukki really needs a girlfriend, and you really need everyone to stop calling you his pathetic, pining best friend<<
series status: [complete]
previous. || masterlist.
a/n: dont talk to me about that scene after he wakes up and gets angry in her bed okay dont fucking talk to me about it,,,,, that was the filthiest non-smut scene ive ever written
[feel free to buy me a cup of coffee!]
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Kei stays at your apartment until the end of the semester.
He goes home a couple times a week, of course – he has to do laundry, and he and Yamaguchi have a pre-set Tuesday night plan of sitting on the couch and playing video games until it’s late enough that Tadashi almost always sleeps through his first class on Wednesdays.
But… he somehow finds himself in your bed every other night of the week.
The first two weeks or so, he comes up with excuses.
‘ It’s getting cold, and your heating hasn’t kicked in yet. ’
‘ If I go home this late, it’ll wake Yamaguchi. ’
‘ We’re going out in the morning, anyway. It only makes sense. ’
He does it until, one morning, you roll over and lean your chin on his chest, looking up at him with those doe eyes he likes so much.
‘ You do realize I’ve already agreed to let you keep staying here, right? We talked about it that first morning.’
He’d remembered. He just hadn’t been sure if you’d meant it. But since you’d brought it up again, he’d stopped asking. He’d just allowed himself to get used to falling asleep and waking up next to you.
It makes sleeping on his own for two nights a week utter hell. He can’t get to sleep no matter what he tries. The only thing that works is falling asleep on a video call with you, like a stupid, lovesick teenager. He’s terrified you’ll tell Kiyoko, who would immediately tell Yamaguchi, who would never let him live it down. But it seems you’re just as shy about it, about the fact that you’ve become dependent on each other to do something as simple as sleep.
And sleep is all you do. He’s never dared to cross a line with you in bed. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t try anything, not there, and he’s stuck to it. He lets himself kiss you stupid on the couch before bed, and in your kitchen when you make him coffee before class, and against the wall of your bathroom when your outfit and makeup look a little too good on you.
But never in bed. It’s too tempting – you’re too tempting. And you have no fucking clue.
You just prance around your apartment in those stupid little shorts, with your stupid little smile and that stupid little way you say his name–
‘ Tsukki!’, your giggle excited and your eyes bright.
‘Hey, Tsukki-’, your tone distracted while you sort through mail.
‘Tsukki…’, your eyes wide and your voice whiny while you ask him for something.
It drives him crazy. It makes him want to grab your face and kiss the pout right off your mouth. It makes him want to buy and do anything you want, even when you want nothing at all. It makes him want to whisper your name and admit things that he shouldn’t.
But nothing makes him want to do any of those things more than when you say his name properly, with a little edge in your voice.
‘ Tsukishima.’ , your hands on your hips and your eyebrows arched in annoyance.
‘I swear, Tsukishima- ’, your breath sharp and shallow because you’re stopping yourself from picking a fight.
‘ Tsukishima… ’, your lips close and your eyes twinkling with amusement, because you remember the things he’d been drunk enough to admit at that party.
When the syllables of his name stack in your mouth like that, he’s overcome with thoughts that one should never have about a friend. Thoughts of pinning you up against the wall and daring you to say his name like that again. Thoughts of bending you over the side of the couch and showing you just how in charge you really are. Thoughts of kissing you in that tiny bed, and then making you cry in it, your face buried in the sheets and his name – ‘ Tsukki, please- ’ – whined so prettily.
But he doesn’t do any of that. He just watches you use his name in that scolding, reprimanding way, and he smiles. He sits there and smiles and pretends that every fiber of his very being isn’t aching to show you how to use that smart ass mouth of yours.
And yet, despite the torture, he stays. He stays, waking up next to you every morning and enduring the pain of your presence, and he has no idea why. Maybe it’s the way you hum to yourself while you make breakfast and wince when your coffee’s too hot, because it somehow always is. Maybe it’s the way you think aloud when you do chores, your grocery list rattled off while you stand in the corner folding laundry. Maybe it’s the way you gravitate toward him as if on some biological clock, every half hour marked by your fingers combing through his hair while he works or your arms wrapping around him from behind while he’s putting his shoes on to leave for practice.
Maybe it’s the way you treat him exactly the same but completely different.
You’re the girl he’s always known, rolling those pretty little eyes and telling him without hesitation when he’s being an idiot. You still judge him when he says stupid shit, and you’re still strong about your boundaries and your ability to hold a grudge. But… something’s different.
You sit closer lately, your legs draped over his knee and your side pressed against his. You let him kiss you even when you’re mad, and sometimes – sometimes — that’s all it takes to get you to forgive him. You call him on your way home from class – not because you have anything specific to say, but because you simply feel like talking his ear off while you walk.
He’s not sure which of these things is the reason he stays, but he thinks about every single one. He thinks about them, and he seeks them out. He calls you on the days that you forget to call him yourself. He takes his headphones off if he sees you go into the kitchen, because the chance of hearing you hum off-key is high. He gravitates to you when you’re too immersed in work to pay attention to him, his body draping over yours. He pulls you into the spot between his legs when you watch TV, because sometimes, having your legs hooked over his knee isn’t enough. Sometimes, he wants your back against his chest and your thighs in his hands, your head against his shoulder and your breathing synchronized with his own.
God, he thinks he’s obsessed with you.
Maybe that’s why – on Friday nights, when Yamaguchi and Kiyoko come over – his roommate always looks at him a little too long, the freckled boy staring in suspicion. Tadashi plays along with Kiyoko’s jokes about the two of you, but his eyes are always narrowed when no one’s looking, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips before he looks away. And, when Kei inevitably mumbles that he’ll be staying the night instead of going home with Yamaguchi, maybe that’s why his roommate always meets his eyes evenly, like he’d been expecting it.
Maybe that’s why, on a Saturday morning in mid-December, he finally gets tired of watching your body insecurity get in the way of everything. In the way of that stupid little smile he’s starting to fall for, in the way of the sweet way you say his name. In the way of you seeing how painfully obvious it is that he’s obsessed with you.
It’s that Saturday morning in mid-December that he finally loses his mind, in that tiny bed with you.
–
He wakes on that cold morning to you shifting beside him, wrapped up in his arms. Your back is pressed to his chest, one of his arms wrapped snugly around your middle and the other tucked under your head. You wriggle against him, and, in his half-groggy state, he genuinely wonders if you’re trying to start something with him (later, he chalks that one up to wishful thinking).
You shift again, your hips moving under his arm, and he hums.
“‘s up?” He says, sighing into your hair and pulling you tighter against him. You curve your back protectively when he does, one of your hands coming down on his wrist.
“Uhm,” You mumble. “Can you… Uhm-”
It’s the discomfort in your voice that clues him into the fact that something’s going on with you.
He peels one eye open and examines you, and, when he still doesn’t understand what’s happening, he opens his other eye and lifts his head. You’re holding your phone with one hand, the screen displaying a comment posted under a photo of the two of you.
[8:54 AM] keisgirl : is it me, or is she gaining weight?????
It’s one of the most-liked comments, with the replies underneath it varying from neutral agreement to outright hateful bullshit.
You haven’t realized that he’s seen your phone. “Could you let me go, please?” You ask, in a voice so small and vulnerable that he’s tempted to listen to you. But he doesn’t, because he knows what this is. This is you falling back in on yourself, closing your body off to him because you don’t want him to touch or look at you.
He sits up quickly, ignoring the noise of surprise you make when his arm slides out from under your head. He snatches your phone away and turns his back to you, scrolling through the comments.
“Tsukki-” You say, recovering and sitting up. You press your chest to his shoulder, reaching for your phone, but he just brushes your hand away, shamelessly pulling up the rest of your open tabs. He knows he shouldn’t, but he needs to check.
Unfortunately, he knows you a little too well.
The Trajectory of Frogs’ Tsukishima Kei’s Relationship with Plus-Sized Girlfriend: Will They Last?
Y/l/n Y/n: In Love or Gold-Digging?
How to Lose Weight in Time for the Holidays
30 Pounds in 30 Days: New Diet Takes World by Storm
Kei’s not sure he’s ever been this angry before. He stares emptily down at your phone, finally letting you pluck it out of his open palm. His hands shake just slightly, and he knows you can see them by how still you are.
“ Tsukki, ” You whisper after a moment. “I-”
“Are you out of your mind?” He says, his voice devoid of emotion.
“I just-”
He whirls on you, eyes alight. “Are you out of your mind , Y/n?” He jabs a finger at your phone. “What are you gonna do, starve yourself because of something that someone on the internet said?”
“It’s not just one person,” You argue weakly. “I’ve been gaining wei-”
“So?” He barks. “So what? I can’t tell.”
You roll your eyes, and he actually feels his eye twitch. “I think you’re a little biased, Tsukki-”
“No,” He says. Laughs, because you’re really going to make him lose it this time. “No, I’m not biased. I’m important.” He rips your phone from your hand again, dropping it on the nightstand as he turns in place and climbs over you. “After everything, you still listen to a bunch of shitheads who know nothing about you. And then you call me biased, because I have an accurate fucking opinion about how you look.”
You gasp when he puts a hand on your shoulder, shoving you down on the mattress. He grabs your thighs and pries them open, settling himself between them. “Why did you want me to let you go, Y/n?”
You swallow hard. “I… I don’t know-”
“You didn’t want me to touch you. Why?” He anchors his hands to your waist, dragging you toward him. “Did you think I was suddenly going to change my mind if I could feel your body? That I was going to feel you under my hands and realize that I was repulsed by you? That I only like you with your clothes on, that I hadn’t considered what might be under them? Is that what you were scared of?”
You don’t answer him for a moment, so he grips your hips tight, his thumbs sure to leave prints on your skin later. “Yes,” You whisper finally, shutting your eyes. “I just… don’t feel pretty-”
“Look at me,” He says, a heated sigh leaving him. You don’t, so he tugs on your thighs hard. “ Look at me, Y/n.”
You pry your eyes open, staring into his own with trepidation.
“Now listen to what I’m about to say to you,” He snaps. “Can you do that, for once ? Or are you going to keep acting stupid? Because I’m not in the habit of having stupid friends.”
Your brow furrows in irritation, and he’s glad to see it. He’s glad to see anything that isn’t that haunting insecurity. He sits back on his heels, keeping his eyes locked on yours.
“What you seem to be fundamentally misunderstanding, Y/n-” He growls. “-is the idea that the way you look and the way you’re shaped is something that is, without a doubt, unattractive. You think your body is something that no one would ever want to touch — you don’t seem to fucking comprehend that some people might like the way you feel.”
He squeezes your hips once. “ Some people might like that they can hold you like this – that the more of you that there is, the more that they can hold while they fuck you.” Your face is starting to turn red, and he feels immense pride for it. He anchors himself to you, shifting his weight and dragging you down against his hips, over and over again. “ Some people want to see what your body looks like when it bounces like this, Y/n-” You’re starting to gasp, and Kei’s unable to stop the way his eyes trail down the length of your body while he moves you.
“Some people are obsessed with the idea of making you look like this,” He says, his own breath coming short for a moment. “Because some people want to rail you, and no one could ever look as good getting railed as you would.”
“Tsukki,” You whisper, your chest rising and falling sharply with each gasp. He stops moving you – lets you breathe for just a moment – and slides his hands up your sides, his palms absorbing the heat in your skin while his fingers fan out greedily over your ribs. Your shirt rises with his movement, and he stops when the fabric is bunched up under your breasts. His fingertips skim the skin there, notably missing that lacy underwire that’s always kept him at bay.
He’d noticed that you don’t wear a bra to bed – of course you don’t, that would be unreasonable to expect, even with him here – but fuck, if he isn’t just now realizing what that means. He chews on the inside of his bottom lip, eyeing you hungrily.
The moment to breathe seems to have been enough for you, because your fingers close around his wrists. His first thought is that you’re stopping him from going further, that maybe he should back off. But you don’t push him away.
If anything, your eyes seem glazed over with desire, your breath still coming a little short.
“ Tsukki ,” You breathe, shifting your hips against his carefully — there’s no way you can’t feel how hard he is right now. Your voice is quiet, like before, but now there’s more. More, like you want him to keep talking to you.
He can do that.
“Do you believe me yet?” He says. His voice shakes with his breath, and he swallows hard to hide how you’re affecting him. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
When you don’t answer him this time, he can’t tell if it’s because you really don’t have an answer, or if it’s because you’re fucking with him. Because the way your eyes drag down his body – the way you open your thighs an inch more and press your hips against his gently, an invitation – makes him think you might be fucking with him.
“I’m just,” You mumble, your legs starting to wrap around his waist. “I dunno, Tsukki.”
You must be fucking with him.
“No?” He says, his hands sliding down to hook under your thighs and peel them off of him. Your eyes widen, his own narrowing. He extracts himself from between your legs, as much as he doesn’t want to, and tosses your legs sideways onto the bed. You gasp, alarmed, and he grips your waist, hoisting you up by force and turning you over. You scramble to catch yourself, your hands and knees hitting the mattress.
“What-”
Kei sits up behind you, finding his place on your hips again and yanking you back. Your ass presses against him, and he holds you there, no matter how hard you wriggle. Your heavy breathing is audible, and he’s thankful for it, because the way you’re moving against him is not making his own breath very quiet at all.
“Still not sure, sweetheart?” He says, flattening a hand against your back and pushing down on it. You collapse on your elbows with a yelp, and he slides his fingers up and takes a fistful of your hair. “How about this-” He snaps his hips forward, feeling his thighs slap against yours and your ass ripple from the force. You choke out a moan, and he does it again, against his better judgment.
“You think the right guy wouldn’t die to feel you like this, Y/n? You think he wouldn’t do anything for a chance to make you sound like this?”
You moan again in response, and his stomach flips with excitement – because the syllables that had just stacked in your mouth were undeniably those of his own name.
He rocks his hips into yours again as he uses his hold on your hair to yank you up. Your breath catches in your throat, and you lift up blindly, so trusting and sweet while he pulls you back against his chest.
“What was that, princess?” He says, breathless and embarrassingly eager. “What’d you say?”
Your lips purse, and he knows he was right, because you’re looking up at him with embarrassment. He releases your hair, his hand coming down to wrap around the column of your throat. He stares down into your eyes, feeling your pulse skip under his palm.
“ Again, Y/n ,” He whispers, watching goosebumps break out over your skin. Two syllables fill your mouth, the same he’d heard the first time.
“ Tsukki.”
He’s so fucked.
Releasing you, he plants a hand on your back and shoves you onto your stomach, handling you roughly as he turns you back around. He clambers between your legs, relishing the way your thighs open and wrap around his waist, so welcoming. He cages you in, hovering over you as he stares. You stare back, eyes wide and breath short.
And then he stops, because he knows he should.
He has to.
“Is this okay?” He whispers, eyes searching your face. You seem taken aback by his question, your brow furrowing.
And then you blink, and your eyes clear.
And, for all that he’s silently begging you to say yes – begging for this to be such a simple choice for you – he’s glad he asked. Because he can see the realization starting to hit you. That this will go somewhere, somewhere fast and irreversible, if you say yes.
You swallow, and then your eyes look away from his, and he takes that as his answer.
“Okay,” He sighs, hanging his head. “Okay.” He starts to lift away from you, but your hands are on his biceps.
“Wait.” You search him anxiously. “Tsukki, I- I just…”
“I know,” He says, nodding. He’s a little disappointed — mostly just a little hard and more than a little horny — but there’s no world in which he’d rather you do something you’re not sure about. “It’s okay. I know. That’s why I asked.”
You look like you want to cry. “Are you mad at me?”
He glares down at you. “Seriously?”
“I feel like I led you on-”
“Y/n, of course I’m not fucking mad at you.” He sighs, slowly extracting himself from between your thighs and sitting beside you. “I’m not that guy-”
“I know!” You sit up on your knees, hands on his shoulders. “I know, Tsukki. I just… Are we good?”
He laughs tiredly, dropping his head back against the wall. “ Yes , Y/n. We’re good. I’m not gonna make you do something you’re not ready for.”
You shake him. “But are we good, Tsukki? Us?”
He looks at you, taking you in. You look so scared. And as much as he wants to yell at you, to snap at you for being this worried that he would be upset with you over this, he knows he can’t. Not when you’re this scared.
“Will you please stop listening to other people? I really can’t keep doing this. I mean it this time,” He says. You pause, and then you nod. He lifts his brows. “You believe me? You trust me?”
You give him a shy laugh, your face radiating heat. “I think you kind of… made it clear what you think. I believe you, Tsukki.”
He tries to fight the blush that’s rising. He’d really lost his mind there. “Then, yes,” is all he says, pushing your hair behind your ear and taking your face in one hand. “We’re good. I promise.”
You sniffle, but you nod, and the doe eyes you give him make his heart skip. “Okay. Thank you. I… I’ll be ready soon, I swear-”
“You don’t have to promise me something like that, Y/n. You don’t have to be ready soon, and it doesn’t even have to be me.” He bumps his forehead against yours, the closest he can come right now to shaking you in frustration.
“It’ll be you,” You admit, glancing away nervously. Kei thinks his heart actually stops in his chest when he hears that.
“You’re… Are you sure?” He says, barely a whisper. “It doesn’t have to be.”
You just laugh, watery and sweet and perfectly capable of killing him where he sits. “Of course it’ll be you. Don’t be stupid.”
“ Me? ” He can’t help but laugh, sharp and full of disbelief. “You’re telling me not to be stupid? Are you joking?”
When he ropes you into his arms and starts berating you for being stupid, you only giggle and let him, and he thinks — not to be dramatic or anything — that he might just do anything to hear that sound for the rest of his life.
He’s so fucked.
–
He goes home later that day, to get some more clothes and because Tadashi’s going home for Christmas.
When he enters the townhouse – brushing off the paparazzi at the gate asking if he plans to move in with you since he’s spending so much time at your place – he finds his roommate rushing around the house in a flurry of open suitcases and screaming.
“Uh-” Kei ducks as a pair of boxers goes flying over his head. “Are you okay ?”
“ I overslept! ” Yamaguchi screeches from upstairs. “ I stayed on the phone with Lev too late last night, and now I’m going to miss the train! ”
Kei lifts his brows, finding a safe place in the armchair and watching the destruction unfold in their living room. “So… things are good with him, then?” Yamaguchi had been on a few dates with the aspiring model since Halloween, and Kei had heard him talking recently about officially seeing him. “Gonna introduce him to your family soon?”
“ You shut your ass! ” Tadashi yells. “ I’d say the same about you and Y/n, but your family already knows her! Didn’t she have a massive crush on Aki when we were kids?! ”
Kei flushes, scrubbing at his brow. “We’re not dating, Dashi,” He murmurs. “And, yes, she did. It was annoying.” Tadashi reenters the room at a high speed, flying down the stairs with clothes piled high in his arms.
“You sure about that?”
“About the two years she was convinced she would marry my brother? Yes, I’m sure.”
“About you dating, dumbass.”
Kei sighs. “I know. I’m sure about that, too.”
“Doesn’t look that way to me or Kiyoko.” His roommate shrugs, reconsidering one of his shirts and tossing it on the couch.
“Yeah?” Kei laughs nervously. “How’s it look?”
“Looks like you’re madly in love with her, to be really honest-” Tadashi cuts off, seeing Kei pick up the throw pillow behind him. “ Don’t give me brain damage right now, please. I’m too busy.”
“I’m not in love with her,” Kei mumbles, setting the pillow in his lap.
“Dude, you’re obsessed with her.” Tadashi sits on his pile of clothes, shoving it into his suitcase with his ass. “You’d bottle her farts and smell them throughout the day if you could.”
“You’re really romantic, you know that? Lev into that kinda thing?” Kei says, growing frustrated. He knows he’s obsessed with you. He knows . He’d all but admitted it to you in bed this morning.
“Look,” Tadashi says, running into the bathroom and throwing literal bottles out the door and across the length of the living room. Kei watches, impressed, as he racks up a high success rate of getting them in his suitcase. “You’re staying at her place all the time, you only come home to get clothes-”
“And for our Tuesday nights!”
“-you fall asleep on the phone with her if you do sleep here-”
“Who told you that!”
“-and your face turns a really weird shade of red whenever I bring this up.” Tadashi points at him now. “Kinda like that.”
It is rather warm in here.
“Just think about it,” Tadashi continues, slamming his suitcase shut and zipping it up with shockingly minimal struggle. “You have all of Christmas Break. Kiyoko’s busy with Kyoutani, and I won’t be here, so you don’t need to come home at all.” He stands the suitcase up with a huff and then stares down at it with hands on his hips, proud of his work. “Kiyoko tells me Y/n’s also having a hard time.”
Kei perks up, following him to the foyer and watching him put his coat on. The words ‘ it’ll be you ’ float through his head, and it’s suddenly a lot warmer in here. “What’d she say?”
Yamaguchi eyes him. “Exactly what I just told you. That you two are acting like idiots who don’t know how to speak to each other.” He rolls his suitcase to the door. “Stop dancing around each other and make this official. Not labeling things is going to end up with one or both of you heartbroken.”
So you had talked to Kiyoko about this.
Yamaguchi leans in, squeezing Kei in a tight hug and then slapping him on the back. “Go get ‘em, Tiger-er. Frog.”
And then he’s gone, leaving Kei staring at the front door with a mumbled ‘ have a safe trip ’ echoing in the empty foyer.
–
Tsukki stays with you through Christmas.
After that morning in your bed, you have an irrational worry that – when he goes home to say bye to Yamaguchi – he might never come back. You pace your apartment for an hour after he’s gone, eventually calling Kiyoko to freak out. You severely regret that decision, because she spends the better half of another hour laughing in your ear about how you’d almost fucked your best friend. She does calm down, eventually, and it’s to remind you that Tsukki’s never lied to you.
He’s never lied to you, and he’d told you he wasn’t mad at you, so you have to believe him. You have to believe him about everything , because that’s all he’s asking of you.
So you hang up the phone, wishing Kiyoko ‘ good luck and good fucking ’ before she leaves for a date with Kyoutani, and you sit on the couch with the TV on. You stare at the screen and pretend to know what’s happening, only checking your phone sixteen times over the course of another few hours. And when there’s a knock at your door, you only pounce off the couch before catching yourself, managing not to run all the way to the door.
And, God, are you glad that you did everything you could to remain calm. Because, when you open the door, Tsukki’s standing there holding dinner and looking through his duffel bag like he’s checking that he didn’t forget anything. He’s standing there, completely normal, like you hadn’t all but asked him to fuck you and then promptly rejected him only hours earlier.
He just looks at you, hair dusted with snow and nose tipped red from the cold, and asks if you’re okay. Because you’re just standing there staring at him like it’s Christmas morning, not letting him in. You do let him in, and you eat dinner together, and then you go to bed together. And you’re scared that being in that bed with him again might be awkward, but he just climbs sleepily between your legs and falls asleep with his head on your chest.
It doesn’t come up again until Christmas Day.
—
On Christmas morning, you wake to the conflicting smell of coffee and something burning. Sitting up, you look directly into the kitchen, seeing smoke and a towel waving through the air.
“What are you doing?” You gasp, rolling out of bed and rushing over to where Tsukki is coughing and waving his arms.
“My fucking best!” He sputters, fanning a hand in front of his face. “What does it look like?”
You round the bar, yanking the smoking pan off the stove and dumping its contents in the trash. You roll your eyes when he whines ‘ my beautiful breakfast’ somewhere behind you. “What were you trying to make?”
“Eggs,” He grumbles, and you can’t help but shoot him an amused grin.
“Finally, something the Great Tsukishima Kei absolutely sucks at.”
“I suck at most things that aren’t volleyball and school.”
“Well, thank God for that,” You snicker, throwing the pan back on the stove and turning to plant a kiss on his mouth. “If you’re gonna be good at something, I would hope it’d be your job .”
He grumbles briefly but just wraps his arms around your waist and follows you around the kitchen, severely interfering with your ability to cook an actual breakfast.
“Speaking of my job…” He starts, his voice muffled in your shoulder. “I think they’re supposed to let me know soon about the contract.”
You turn in his arms, setting the carton of eggs down. “Really? When?”
“Dunno. But it’s the end of the year, so…” He looks indifferent about it, but you can see that he’s worried that they haven’t said anything so close to New Year’s Eve.
“Okay. I’m sure they’re just finalizing things, that’s all.” You card your fingers through his hair and pull him in, kissing him gently. “Do you wanna go out tonight? For dinner?”
He smiles against your mouth. “You askin’ me on a Christmas date? So cliche, princess.”
There’s no amount of money in the world that could make you admit to him how fluttery those words make you. You just kiss him again, letting him back you into the counter.
“Maybe,” You mumble. “Pick a place. My treat.”
“You’re funny,” His mouth drops to your neck. “Thinking I’d ever let you pay for anything while I’m around.”
“You let me pay for coffee that one day,” You argue pointlessly, your breath short from the way he’s nibbling on your skin.
“That’s because you’re a two-faced liar who hides the important things in a relationship.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” You coo jokingly. “Can I make it up to you?”
He groans, laughing after. “You know exactly how that sounded.”
“Yep,” You say, finally pushing him off of you and returning to the eggs on the counter. “Pick somewhere nice for dinner. It’s Christmas!”
He grumbles through the morning, your giggles filling the rest of the air, and you exchange gifts after breakfast. You’d made him a photo album of all the most ridiculous pictures you’ve taken together over the last few months. He’d gotten you a necklace that he’d watched you ogle in the window every single time you’d passed by, always claiming that it was too expensive and that you didn’t need it, anyway. He helps you put it on – kissing down the curve of your neck and over your shoulders and whispering that you’re even prettier now – and you sit in his lap with the photo album open, trying your very hardest not to kiss him silly every time he laughs that bright, genuine laugh that always makes your heart beat harder.
Around dinnertime, you get ready, asking what kind of restaurant he’d picked and rolling your eyes when all he says is ‘ a nice one ’. You pull out your best dress – a floor-length, wine red little number – and then you watch as Tsukki loses all concentration, his tie dangling pathetically in his hands.
“Ready?” You say, stepping out of bathroom as you finish pinning your hair up. His eyes drag down the length of you, and then he shakes his head dumbly.
“Not even a little bit.”
You make fun of him all the way to his car, brushing your mouth over his in the elevator and watching with a smirk as he fights the urge to chase after you when you pull away.
The dinner goes perfectly – it’s an upscale spot that serves way too little food on plates that are way too big, but Tsukki holds your hand the whole time and looks at you like he’s never looked at you before. It makes you nervous, but he just smiles when you blush, mumbling that he likes that look on your face. You wonder what’s gotten into him, but you decide to let it go in favor of sharing a glass of wine with him and giggling when his face starts to flush from the alcohol.
He’s decently nice to the reporters outside the restaurant, either feeling relaxed from the drink or too busy pulling you away from Nariko, who you’re chatting up with a wine-tinted bubbliness that makes the other reporters scowl. She just squeezes your arm and tell you to have a merry Christmas, and Tsukki busies himself with leading you by the hand down to his car. You don’t see it, but you find out a few hours later on Twitter that he’d pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket and stuffed it in Nariko’s hand, telling her to go home to her family for the holidays. The pictures online had all shown Nariko’s awe-stricken face and the jealousy of much meaner reporters who’d never gotten the time of day from Tsukishima Kei.
He takes you to a pizza place down the street after leaving the restaurant, where you split a large supreme pizza and complain about how little food there was at the expensive place. You ask if they charge for air, and he jokes that they probably charge for smelling the food. You crack shitty jokes and fight over the last slice, and then you watch with thinly veiled affection as Tsukki signs the t-shirts of some young boys who’ve run over from the next booth over. He even gives them a small smile when they say he’s their favorite Frogs player, and then he gives you a large one when they turn to you and ask what it’s like to date someone famous.
‘ It’s a pretty sweet gig, ’ You tell them, leaning in conspiratorially. They lean in, too, eyes twinkling. ‘ I get to see a side of him that no one else does. Kind of like having a secret identity.’
They run off, claiming to their mother that Tsukki’s a superhero. Or a spy. They can’t decide.
Tsukki takes you home soon after, intertwining his fingers with yours and running his lips back and forth over your knuckles absentmindedly while he drives. When you get home, you change into sweats and take all your makeup off, realizing only then that Tsukki looks at you the same way even while you stand there in old, ratty clothes and mascara smeared under your eyes.
He just watches you, his eyes flicking away but always coming back, a small smile tugging at his lips.
“What’s with you, tonight, huh?” You finally say, curled up against his side. There’s some trashy movie on, but you can’t bring yourself to focus – not with him sliding his fingertips across the strip of skin that peeks out from under your shirt, over and over again until you start to shiver with each pass.
“Nothing,” He says, glancing down at you and then back at the TV. “Just… I dunno, it’s Christmas.”
You smile up at him, your eyes twinkling. “You’ve never been one for Christmas spirit , Kei.”
“Well, maybe I am now.” He rolls his eyes. “It’s nice to just spend it with you and do nothing else.”
“We spend every Christmas together,” You argue, smiling wider when he just squeezes you.
“‘s different,” He mumbles. You give up on bullying him, your heart warming and your skin prickling with happiness. It is different. Things are different. Every moment with him feels realer than the last, like you could do anything with him because you know it’ll be okay.
You look up at him, examining the way his lips start to tug up when he senses you watching him. Finally, his eyes drop to yours, honey-golden and warm, and you lean up to kiss him.
You barely manage to brush your lips to his when his phone rings in his pocket.
He leans back but keeps his eyes on your mouth while he extracts his phone, not looking at the Caller ID before lifting it to his ear.
“Hello?” He watches your mouth still, distracted.
And then he blinks, eyebrows furrowing as he looks away.
“Okay..?” He says, retracting his arm from your waist and standing slowly. Your heart starts to drop as you watch him pace the space between the couch and your bed. Who is he talking to? Is something wrong?
“Okay,” Tsukki says, blinking rapidly. “Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.” He sighs. “Yeah. That’s-Thank you.”
And then he hangs up, and you watch him stare down at his phone, eyes wide with disbelief.
“Tsukki…?” You whisper after a moment, officially worried. When he looks at you, though, you see it.
The relief in his eyes.
“They’re signing me.” He stares. You stare back. And then his mouth breaks in a smile, and he looks you over. “They’re signing me, Y/n. They’re throwing an event on New Year’s Eve.”
“What?!” You jump over the back of the couch, launching yourself at him. He hoists you up and laughs, that beautiful, bright laugh that you can’t live without now. “Tsukki!” You wrap your legs around his waist, burying your face in his neck and squealing.
“Holy shit,” He breathes, laughing in disbelief. “Holy shit, we did it.” And then, when you lift your head to smile down at him, he uses one hand to grab the back of your head and drag you in for a kiss. “ Fuck, we did it. You did that ,” He mumbles against you. “ Thank you. ”
You shake your head, dropping your legs and kissing him while he sets you down. “ You did that, Tsukki,” You say, turning and heading into the kitchen. “You’re amazing, you know that?” You search through cabinets, extracting two bottles of wine. You brandish them at him with a grin. “We have to celebrate!”
He looks between the two bottles, chewing on his bottom lip, but you see the smile peek through after a second. “Yeah… Yeah, I’d say both bottles are necessary.”
“To celebrate. Properly,” You justify.
His grin is wide now. “Properly.”
–
Celebrating properly ends up – somehow, some way – involving Tsukki’s lips on your throat and his fingers tangled in your hair. He smells like wine, and your head is swimming from him and the alcohol.
You’re laid back on the couch, hair fanning out around you and legs wrapped around him. He’s got his other hand on your waist, inching higher and higher every few seconds and taking your shirt with it.
“ Tsukki ,” You whisper, your fingers locked in his hair and your back arched until your chest presses to his. “ Please. ”
He groans against your throat. “ We can’t ,” He slurs, shaking his head. “‘r not ready-”
You whine, using your grip on his hair to pull his head back up. You kiss him heatedly, moaning when your shirt bunches up around your breasts, his fingers stalling there but sliding hesitantly under the hem.
“Doesn’t have to be-” Your breath stutters, because his hips are moving unconsciously against yours, and you can feel how hard he is. “Doesn’t have to be everything-”
He seems to like that answer, his kiss growing rushed. “Really? You sure?”
“Yeah-yes-” You nod furiously. “Please. Please. ”
He sighs roughly, pulling away from you and sitting up. You barely have time to breathe before you’re being lifted through the air and dragged into his lap. You gasp, your head spinning, as he turns you quickly in place. Your back slams against his chest, and his mouth drops to the junction of your throat.
You reach up, carding your fingers through his hair. “Tsukki,” You sigh, feeling his heart beating against your back. He slides his arms around your waist.
“You’re sure?” He asks again, his voice low and humming through your skin. You nod, eyes half-closed and staring blankly at the movie that’d you’d lost track of a long time ago. You sigh in relief and close your eyes when he pushes his lips against your throat, the scene in front of you lost as you breathe him in.
With your eyes shut, you feel him more intensely. The warmth of his lips on your skin, the way his hands start to slide across your sides, your t-shirt falling over his wrists. He stops just below your breasts, nipping his teeth on your throat to get your attention.
“ Last chance ,” He whispers.
You arch your back, grinding your ass subtly back into him. You feel his cock twitch against it, and he bites down harder on your shoulder.
“Was that your answer?” He breathes, his hands growing more certain on your skin.
“ God , Kei,” You laugh. “Do something before I do.”
You feel him smile before anything else.
He slides one hand back down around your waist, using his arm to anchor you to him. His other hand slides up, and you gasp, feeling his palm cup your breast.
“ Oh -” You arch your back again, your head falling back against his shoulder. You’d noticed how big his hands are over the months together, but you’d never really realized .
He keeps you flush to him while his fingers roam eagerly over your chest, the pads of his fingertips rough and calloused from volleyball. He kneads one breast, his palm as searing hot as the kisses he trails along your throat, and then he switches to the other. His fingers tweak and pluck at your nipples, teeth blunt on your shoulder and his other arm holding you tight as you start to wriggle and moan.
You dig your hands into his thighs, the fabric of his sweats balled up in your fists. Your head swims, face warm and skin sweaty, and you loll your head back and forth on his shoulder. “Tsukki, please,” You moan, unconsciously spreading your thighs and pushing them against his. He notices, the hand on your waist squeezing once.
“Want more, princess?”
“Please, fuck-” You want to growl when he takes his hands off of you, but the brief disappointment is replaced with a distinct thumping of your heart when he hooks both hands under your knees and pries your thighs open, hanging your legs over the sides of his knees. You feel briefly vulnerable sitting like this, but he just slides his hand back under your shirt and continues to play with you.
“Comfortable?” He asks, his other hand toying with the waistband of your pants. You nod, your breathing growing heavy when his thumb slips under the band. “You sure?”
“Tsukishima, I swear-” You gasp, feeling him tug hard on your nipple. He snickers against your shoulder, whispering ‘ so easy ’ into your skin as he pushes his other hand past the band of your sweats. He doesn’t bother stopping there, fingertips slipping past your panties and finally pausing right over where you need him.
“ Mm- ” You purse your lips hard to keep from moaning too loud. But your head fills with static and your stomach flips over itself again and again while he swipes teasing circles over your clit.
“C’mon, princess,” He breathes smugly into your ear, but you hear him swallow hard as his fingers dip lower and slide through your folds. “You’re not gonna let me hear you? After everything?”
His fingertips are hot against you, and you become suddenly aware of how much larger his fingers are than yours. You feel — horrified, truly — as you become wetter against his hand. Tsukki’s smile is wide against the shell of your ear.
“What happened, baby?” He whispers, nudging the tip of his middle finger against your entrance. “If there’s something you want, you gotta ask for it.”
You just lift your hands to your face, hiding. Tsukki lifts his own hand away from you before coming down quickly, the slap sharp against your core. You yelp, hands flying to hold onto his arms and face burning as he soothes the pain by running his fingers through your folds. There’s a soft squelch that echoes in the room and makes him chuckle low against your head.
“ I think your pretty little pussy likes me, princess ,” He whispers, the hand on your chest sliding up through the collar of your shirt and resting on the base of your throat. “ Better ask fast, before I lose interest. ”
You whine, your heart pounding against his hand. “Please, Tsukki…”
“Yeah?”
You tighten your hold on his arms, nervous. “Please finger me?”
“Aw,” He coos, laughing gently as he swipes more circles over your clit, still gentle. “That’s so sweet, baby. But you can do better.”
“What?” You whine, turning your head and burying your face in his neck. Your throat pushes further into his hand, and you feel yourself get impossibly wetter when he tightens his grip.
“You can ask better than that,” He mumbles, and you feel his cock twitch against your back when you clench, his fingers sliding patiently back and forth.
“Uhm-” You shudder, because he’s switched to flicking his fingertips against your clit. “I-”
“ Come on, Y/n, ” He whispers against your head. He starts to tap his fingers, one and then the other. “ I’ll stop if you don’t ask soon.”
Your heart wrenches in your chest, and you shake your head. “Please don’t-”
“Then ask me-”
“I did- ”
“ Ask me, Y/n- ”
“ Please , Tsukki!” You yell, squeezing your eyes shut and trying not to think about how your voice bounces on the walls. “I need you to stuff your fingers in my cunt and fuck me before I lose my fucking mind -”
He groans loudly, drowning you out, but your voice cuts short anyway, because he’s sliding his middle two fingers down and pushing them roughly into you.
“Oh, my- Tsukki- ” You gasp, his name ripped from your throat.
“ Fuck- ” He groans, sliding his fingers out and slamming them back into you. “ Y/n- ”
You purse your lips to muffle yourself, wriggling and arching your back, your throat pressing into his hand. “Tsukki, fuck.”
“God, you’re so pretty, baby,” He whispers, his breathing rough and shallow. “You feel so good-” His chest heaves against your back, and your head fills with white noise, a ringing in your ears as you feel nothing except the way his fingers stretch you out, his palm slapping against your clit over and over again until you feel like your skin is on fire. “You’re doing so- so good with my fingers-“ He cuts off, moaning and pressing his face into your hair when you clench hard around his fingers. “ Fuck , Y/n-“
“Please,” You whimper, knowing how desperate you sound. “More, Tsukki, please-”
“Baby-“ He laughs, his voice strained. “I don’t know-”
“ Please , Tsukki. Please, I need you-“
He slams his hand into you, stopping long enough to take a deep breath. “Y/n, I don’t want you to do something you’re not ready f-”
“I’m ready!” You scream pathetically. “Please, I promise I’m ready, I need you so bad, Tsukki-”
“Y/n-”
You know it’s only been a week since that morning on your bed. You know that he’s worried that you’re not thinking straight. But you also know that it’s him, that it’s always been him. That, above all else, he’s the one you need. That there will never be anyone else.
You think you might be in love with him.
And if that’s the case, then you’re really not seeing any reason to keep waiting.
“Tsukishima Kei, I swear to fucking God – if you don’t fuck me, I will actually start sobbing.” Your voice is already starting to crack, and your chest is heaving in large gulps of air. He moans quietly in your ear, and you think he says something to the effect of ‘ Okay, baby. I got you’, but you can’t be sure. The ringing in your ears is too strong, worsened when he quickly slips his fingers out of you. You whine at the emptiness, the sound lost in the shuffle of Tsukki lifting you into his arms and standing from the couch.
He carries you to bed in two strides, lying you down much more gently than you’d expected. Climbing over you, he slides his shirt off and drops it to the floor in one smooth motion. Your heart jumps, and you eagerly sit up to do the same, barely catching the way his eyes widen as he takes you in. And then you lie back, clutching the sheets in both hands to fight the urge you have to cover your chest. But it seems like he might be enjoying what he’s seeing, because he just hooks his fingers distractedly into your sweats and panties, his eyes roaming your body. He pulls them both off and sends them somewhere off the edge of the bed without looking.
“Shit,” He whispers, more to himself than anything. You shiver under his gaze, gathering the courage to let your thighs fall open. Cold air hits your skin, but you barely have time to whimper before his eyes are dropping. They go wide, and you watch all the air leave his lungs as he stares down at you. “ Shit ,” He says again, even quieter.
“Coming?” You breathe, reaching one hand along the sheet for him. His gaze flies to yours, golden eyes still stunned but recovering the moment he sees you looking up at him. Wordlessly, he drops down over you, his lips finding yours in a rush of heat and everything he’s not saying right now. You sigh against his mouth, holding his face and spreading your thighs further when you feel him reach down between you for his own pants. He pushes them down blindly and kicks them off into the distance, his mouth hot and his wine-laced tongue dancing along yours.
“Y/n,” He mumbles, and you tighten your hold on his face.
“If you ask me if I’m sure, I will finger myself in front of you and then kick you out.”
His laugh is the prettiest thing you’ve ever heard.
“Okay.” He nibbles on your lip and shifts his weight. You feel his cock brush along your thigh, precum smearing on your skin. “I hear you.”
You will admit that you’re nervous. As he pulls his lips from yours and glances down between you with purpose, the head of his cock bumping up against your entrance, you’re struck with anticipation and a little bit of fear that this might hurt a lot, especially considering his size. But then, as he’s using his thumb to push the tip in as slowly as possibly, his eyes flick up to meet yours.
And you remember just how sure you are.
So, even though it does hurt — the sting causing you to grip the sheet hard enough to rip it — Tsukki’s eyes are flicking back and forth between your face and your core, his brow furrowed in concentration, and you feel impossibly safe. Because he would never do anything that might hurt you.
You trust him.
“‘s this okay?” He grunts, sliding painstakingly slowly into you. You just nod, bottom lip caught between your teeth and eyes scrunched shut. He leans forward, pressing his lips to yours and forcing you to free your lip from its torture. “Y/n, if it hurts, we can stop. We don’t have to do this,” He whispers against you, but you only shake your head, whining.
“‘m okay, I promise. ‘s just new.” Your breath is shallow in your chest. “Maybe if I jus’…” You angle your hips up and spread your thighs just an inch wider, and you feel his sigh against your lips. The relief is instant for you, too, and your lungs fill with air. “Okay,” You breathe, prying your aching fingers from the sheets and stretching them. “Okay.”
“Okay,” He whispers back, his hand finding your thigh and his fingers splaying across the underside. He sighs, the sound a half-groan as he bottoms out inside of you. “Fuck.”
Your brow’s broken out in a sweat and your skin is flushed with heat, but when you open your eyes, Tsukki’s staring right back at you, gaze searching your face. You wonder what you look like, because you’re seeing awe in the way his eyes trace you.
“You okay?” His eyes track the embarrassed purse of your lips and the way you glance nervously down your body at the place where his hips meet yours.
“Are you?” You ask breathlessly, watching his arms shake as he holds himself over you.
“No,” He laughs. “This is torture.”
You beam up at him, your voice weak when you say, “You can move, Tsukki.” Your fingers find his shoulders, and he collapses onto his elbows, pressing his forehead to your chest.
“Really? I don’t want to hurt you-”
“Are you this careful with every girl? I’m starting to get a little offended-”
“ You’re not every girl ,” He says simply, muffled against your skin. Your stomach flips, and you accidentally clench around him. The sound he makes is inhuman. “ Was that necessary? ” He complains pitifully into your chest. You giggle wholeheartedly, and he shakes his head against you. “ Don’t do that either- ”
“Oh, my God, Tsukki – please just move ,” You laugh, snaking your arms around his neck and lifting his head toward you. He shifts, kissing you firmly and breathing a soft ‘ yes, ma’am ’ against your lips.
He starts slow, slow as before. His hips pull back carefully, and then he rocks forward on his knees, bumping gently up against you when he bottoms out again. The sting is still there, but he distracts you by kissing you, his lips eager on yours and his quiet moans breathless and lost in your throat. He circles your clit gently with his thumb while he does, and you start to shiver against him. Eventually, the sting subsides, and the only notice you give him is the stretch of your thighs and the shallow cant of your hips upward to meet his. His kiss falters for a moment, and the hand on your thigh tightens in surprise, but he doesn’t ask any more questions.
When he snaps his hips a little roughly, you know he’s gotten the message. You focus on breathing while he rocks his hips, pursing your lips to keep from moaning too loud. He’s breathless over you, and you’re secretly amazed to see him like this — brow furrowed and lips parted, eyes flicking between yours and then shutting briefly before finding you again. You’ve never seen his expression so unguarded before.
There’s a quiet sound that vibrates in his throat every time his hips meet yours, and you find yourself wanting to hear it properly. So you card your fingers through his hair and kiss him, whispering his name against his lips and rocking your hips up in time with his. You hear it then, clear and perfect.
“Oh- fuck- ” Tsukki groans loudly, his hand sliding urgently along the sheet in search of you. His fingers interlace with yours and latch on tight. “You feel so good-” He drops his head to your shoulder, lips hot on your throat. “God-” He laughs pathetically. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this much of a mess.”
“Tsukki,” You whisper, feeling something below your navel twist and tug. “Tsukki-I’m- mm-” You wriggle, arching your back and wrapping your legs around his waist. “Please-”
“Are you close, princess?” His voice is teasing, but you can see in the way he lifts his head, eyes searching your face frantically, that he’s eager. When you nod, his face melts into a kind of affection you’ve never seen from him before. He smiles, eyes flicking down to your mouth, and nods. “Okay, baby. Close your eyes.”
You whimper, doing as he says and immediately feeling him shift over you. His hand falls between you, fingers swiping ever so gently over your clit as his hips start to bump against yours with a little more force. You cry out, hearing the headboard slam against the wall over and over again.
“ Tsukki! ” You cant bring yourself to care anymore how loud you are, your breath coming too fast now and your reservations slipping the moment you hear him moan your name.
“You look so pretty, Y/n-so pretty like this.” He pants, his hips starting to stutter and his cock twitching inside you. The tugging in your navel worsens and peaks, and you moan his name again. He groans at the sound. “You take me so well- fuck . Feels like you were made for me.”
You gasp, feeling yourself being pulled to the edge. “Tsukki, I’m-” You shudder, fluttering around him, and he starts to breathe hard against your skin.
“Come on, baby. Let me feel you come around me.”
Your hands tighten on his hair, and you’re distantly aware of Tsukki pushing his lips to yours heatedly as you’re starting to scream. He swallows the sound, moaning as he spills into you, his hips faltering and then stopping against yours.
You stay that way for an unknown amount of time, your heart beating in your throat, ears, core, and everything else while you come down. Tsukki kisses you with languor, his teeth nipping softly on your bottom lip as he sighs against you. You swallow thickly, whispering his name after a moment.
“Hi,” He whispers back, slowly lifting his head. You scratch your nails on his scalp, and he blinks down at you sleepily. “You okay?”
You giggle. “Guess we’ll see in the morning.” His lips pull into a small smile, eyes tracing your features. You kiss him once, mumbling ‘ should we clean up? ’ against his lips.
He barks out a laugh, nodding. “Stay here.” He lifts off you slowly. “I’ll take care of you.”
You can’t find it in you to be shy about him seeing your body now, feeling all too safe and drifting quickly off to sleep, before he’s even back from the bathroom.
—
It’s still dark outside when you roll over, wincing as you stretch. You reach over for Tsukki, but your arm hits the bed instead. A noise of confusion leaves you, and you lift your head, blinking in the dark.
He’s sitting up in bed, the sheets pooled around his waist and his arms wrapped around his bent knees.
“Tsukki?” You mumble. He doesn’t seem to hear you, so you sit up, realizing with a quick glance that you’re wearing the t-shirt he’d had on before and your panties. He must have cleaned you up and dressed you. “Tsukki,” You try again, touching his arm.
He starts, turning to look back at you. “Oh. Hi.”
That’s all he says.
You pull your hand off of him, something unknown coming between you. “What’s wrong?”
He just swallows hard and shakes his head, scooting toward you. “Nothing.” He puts his hand on your shoulder and tries to guide you back down, but you brush him off.
“Tsukki.”
He stares. You stare back. He looks away and runs his fingers through his hair roughly.
“I don’t know if we should have done that,” is what he says. The words are whispered, but they echo in the silence.
You think you might throw up.
“What?”
“I just-“ He sighs, running a hand down his face. “Don’t get me wrong, okay-”
“Then don’t say something wrong, Tsukki.”
“Y/n, we were drunk-”
Oh.
You blink, scooting away from him slowly. You pull the blankets up to your chest, staring at nothing. He watches you, shaking his head.
“Y/n, just let me talk please. Don’t overdo this-”
“Don’t overdo this?” You ask, eyes wide as they land on him. “I just lost my virginity to you, and you can’t even wait two hours before trying to make your escape.”
“ No- “ He shakes his head, trying to move toward you, but you stick your foot out, stopping him. “Y/n, no. I’m just-I mean, we’re not even together-”
You flinch back at that. He sees it, and regret crosses his face. His mouth opens, but you cut him off.
“Were you dating every girl you’ve ever fucked?”
“No, but-“ He laughs. “You’re not every girl. You know that.”
“No, I thought that,” You say, finally standing from the bed and backing away toward the couch. “But you’re treating me like I’m trash that you haven’t figured out how to throw out yet!”
“No, I’m not!” He stands too, staying at the end of the bed. He seems to have realized you don’t want him near you. “I just wish we had done things right -”
“I thought they were right!” You snap. “That felt right to me, Tsukishima.”
“You know what i mean -”
“What do you want?” You throw your hands out. “What are you trying to gain from doing this? Tell me.”
“God, I’m just telling you what’s going through my head!” He tangles his fingers in his hair, tugging in frustration. “We aren’t together, and we were drunk, and I didn’t want this to be-” He shakes his head, and you get the feeling the rest of that sentence was important. But he’d stopped talking, which means he’s not willing to share it with you. So you just watch, refusing to push him for it, because you need to see what he does on his own.
“I’m just confused,” He finally mumbles. “I don’t know where to go from here. This wasn’t right.”
You stare, feeling tears prick at the back of your eyes. But you just start to laugh, even though your vision is getting blurry.
“You’re confused? ” Your laughter is shallow, pained. “You always told me to stop getting in my head about this — about us — and now you’re the one who’s confused ?!”
“We should have-”
“You told me to do whatever I feel is right-“ You snap. “-and now that I have, you’re confused ?”
“We didn’t talk about any of this!” He yells, shaking his head. “We said we wouldn’t have sex, so we never talked about what this would mean-”
“Yeah! I figured maybe that part could wait until after!” You scoff. “You know, we could have just talked about what comes next in the morning , but you decided to be confused and overthink and ruin this.”
He looks like he wants to argue, his face pinched with stress, but you just rub at your brow, breathing hard. You feel sick.
“This is why I wanted rules,” You mumble. “I knew this would happen.”
He’s quiet for a moment, and then-
“You knew what would happen? That I would fuck this up?”
You meet his eyes, angry. “That you wouldn’t be able to find a way to let me down easy. That you would let me fall for you, knowing you were just going to cut me off at the end.”
He shakes his head. “That’s not what I was doing.”
“No?” You point at the bed. “But you were so quick to think of how cut me loose.”
His brow furrows in irritation. “ Why do you always think the worst of me?”
“Because you couldn’t even wait one night!” You scream. “You couldn’t just be happy with me !”
He steps toward you, and you see in the moonlight that his walls have gone up. “I was not trying to cut you loose. And I have never lied to you . But you’ve always been so fucking resistant to the idea that I could ever be telling the truth.” He rolls his eyes and shakes his head, already turning away from you. “God forbid I tell you what’s on my mind and you actually take me seriously.” He meets your eyes evenly. “Maybe it’s you who’s looking for a way out.”
The silence in the room is suffocating.
“Get out,” You finally say.
The door slams before you have time to process that he’s gone.
The tears finally spill, and your knees hit the floor just as the wailing starts.
—
Kei throws the front door shut so hard that something falls off the wall in his foyer. He’s not sure what it is, but he’s tempted to start breaking more things. Thankfully, it’s late enough that no paparazzi were outside when he’d gotten here, or else it might have been someone’s camera on the ground again. Great way to celebrate his contract signing.
Yamaguchi wouldn’t appreciate coming home to a destroyed house, though, so he settles for stomping up the stairs hard enough that one of them creaks in a funny way when he lands on it. He slams the door to his room, too, and then he throws himself down on his bed and screams into his pillow.
He hadn’t meant to say it like that. He doesn’t know why he said it like that. He hadn’t meant to make it sound like a mistake. How could any of tonight have been a mistake with you? He just wishes he’d told you how he feels about you before things had gotten out of hand. He wishes you would have known how he feels about you while you were trusting him with your body like that.
Because then, maybe, you would have known while you were taking your shirt off that you were safe. You would have known, while you were in pain for those few minutes, that he would never hurt you. That he was trying his best, that you’re the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, that you would never have to pressure yourself to have sex because he would have been okay with stopping at any time.
He wishes he would have told you he loves you.
Maybe then you would have known.
But instead, you’d looked at him with betrayal in your eyes when he’d been stupid enough to stumble over his words. You’d taken him for all the things he’s always been, but never with you. You’d trusted him with everything, and then you’d closed yourself off in an instant, and he’d gotten frustrated because you wouldn’t hear him out.
But how could he expect you to hear him out? How could he get mad that you’d retreated into your shell and locked him out? You’d only let him in for a minute, and he’d ruined it.
He’s ruined this.
Kei doesn’t remember the last time he cried, but he makes up for it now, his pillow soaked with tears by the time he finally drifts off to sleep.
—
You spend the next day in bed, sobbing into Kiyoko’s shirt and ignoring the missed calls from Tsukki. And there are a lot of them. He calls back to back for an hour straight — Kiyoko finally has enough and answers for you, muttering ‘ the next time I see you, I’m going to curb stomp you until your teeth are gone ’ before silencing your phone and tossing it somewhere on the couch.
You fall asleep sometime before the sun sets, Kiyoko’s fingers combing through your hair soothingly. You stir a few hours later and think you hear Kyoutani’s voice, soft and deep as he mumbles ‘ he wasn’t at practice today ’ and paces your floor quietly. You fall asleep again, your traitorous heart twitching as it realizes that Tsukki might not be okay, either.
The morning of the 27th, your eyes crack open, swollen and burning, to a knock at your door. You roll over, staring emptily at it, and then you climb out of bed, thinking it’s Kiyoko, and trudge to the door.
It’s not Kiyoko.
In his defense, his eyes are as red and swollen as yours feel.
“Hi,” He croaks. You flinch at the sound of his voice.
“What do you want?” You whisper. He’s holding a plastic bag from the store, and he holds it out weakly to you now.
“I didn’t get to-” He swallows. “I should have taken care of you. After. I didn’t.”
No. You didn’t.
You take the bag, peering inside. Some snacks, a pack of muscle patches, a couple electrolyte-replenishing drinks.
A box of Plan B, sitting at the bottom.
You stare at it emptily. “Who saw you buy this?” The last thing you need is the internet witnessing your heartbreak in real time.
“Management took care of it.”
You’re not sure you’re okay with them being involved, but it’s better than Tsukishima Kei being caught buying Plan B.
You shut the bag, shoving it back at him. “Well, you can thank them for me, but I’ve actually been on birth control for years.” He blinks, taking it while staring dumbly down at you. You smile, your anger manifesting as cruelty. “So don’t worry about it, Tsukishima.” He doesn’t look so happy to hear his name used that way anymore. “I never intended to get pregnant and trap you in a loveless marriage for your fame and fortune.”
His eyebrows furrow, and his frown cuts deep. “Y/n-”
You slam the door in his face.
—
Kei doesn’t speak to you again until New Year’s Eve — until you literally have to speak to him, because he needs to text you about his contract signing.
His fingers shake while he sends it, letting you know that he’d be arriving to your place in a limo booked by the Frogs at 6pm, and then he sends you a picture of his ties, in case you want to match. You don’t respond, so he just picks the black one.
He’s terrified that you’ll decide not to go. Terrified.
But even when you send him a thumbs up (still not responding about the ties), he doesn’t feel less terrified. He just sits at the edge of his bed and stares down at his phone, his heart ripping in his chest as he scrolls through your previous messages from the last few months. All of that — all of your excited texts and flirty memes, all of his thinly veiled affection. All siphoned down to nothing in a matter of days.
He gets ready with trembling fingers, his eyes pricking with tears and then drying up as he shakes his head and blinks away every regret he’s ever had. He sits in the limo in anxious silence, watching it pull into your apartment, the lights flashing on the cameras outside.
And then he wipes his eyes and draws his shoulders back, because, while the world inside has been falling apart under his fingertips, the world outside has been going crazy over the news of Tsukishima Kei going pro.
He exits the limo and bows to a few reporters, waving politely as he waits for you. He doesn’t answer any questions, mostly because he doesn’t want anyone to get too close and see that he’s not okay. But then you come out of your apartment in a black ball gown that makes his heart wrench, and he has to fight tears again.
You smile wide at him, your eyes crinkling and your face glowing as you walk down the steps to meet him.
“You that stunned to see me?” You ask, loud enough to be heard by the paparazzi. They laugh, and you laugh with them as you step up to him. Then you lift onto your tiptoes and press your lips to his in greeting, and he has to remember to close his eyes and act like everything’s fine, even though the feeling your lips on his makes him want to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness.
You pull away and turn to the cameras, waving quickly before ducking through the door he’s holding open. He waves, too, and follows you, the camera shutters loud behind him.
The inside of the limo is dead silent.
You sit on the other side of the car, staring out the window as the driver pulls out to the street. Any evidence that you’d just smiled at him like he’s your world is gone. Kei just looks at you, every nerve in his body fighting to find something to say.
Finally, after five torturous minutes, he swallows. “Y/n.”
“Don’t.” You don’t bother meeting his eyes when you speak. “Let’s just get through this. In the morning, we can ask Management how to break up without making you look bad.”
His heart drops to the ground. “I don’t want to break up.”
You meet his eyes now. “I do.”
“No, you don’t.” He refuses to believe this.
“How would you know?”
He doesn’t. He doesn’t know. That’s why this terrifies him.
“We’re not breaking up,” He croaks finally.
You turn back to the window. “Let’s just get through this.”
The ride to the Frogs’ gym is filled with a silence that certainly feels like he’s been dumped.
—
“-ations to Tsukishima Kei for this amazing step into professional volleyball, and we welcome him with open arms to what’s certain to be a long and fruitful career.”
Kei stands from his seat in the audience, shaking his coach’s hand firmly and bowing at the waist. The Frogs have opened the doors of their in-house conference venue – which is just a large ballroom – the back half filled with round tables and the front lined with a couple rows of chairs for the reporters. The room is capped on the far end by a podium, where his coach has just finished speaking, and a long table. There’s a chair labeled with his name there, in the center of the table, and there’s a stack of papers for him to sign.
He moves there now, glancing up at the front row and finding you staring back. Your face is masked into a perfect smile, and your expression is filled with love and support as you watch him take a seat at a table filled with his coach, manager, captain, and a brand sponsor.
But then you meet his eyes, and he can see how empty they are.
He looks down at his papers, adjusting his tie nervously. The camera flashes are making him warm, and he can’t really hear what’s being said, so he follows his coach’s lead and turns pages when necessary and signs on dotted lines, again and again and again. He’s already read the terms of his employment — they’d emailed him the hundred-page document three days ago so that he could read it and negotiate benefits before the day of the signing. That’s the only reason he’s not more nervous about this moment. He just has to flip pages and sign whatever his coach points to.
The whole process only takes five minutes, cameras flashing away over his bent head. Before he knows it, he’s standing and shaking his coach’s hand again, and then he’s being hugged by his manager and captain and taking a photo with his brand sponsor.
And then he looks at you, still sitting in the front row as reporters start to stand and approach him.
It’s almost worse that your eyes are filled with genuine warmth this time.
He answers a couple questions, but his eyes keep flicking back to you distractedly, and finally a voice speaks from the back – feminine and familiar and belonging to a reporter donning the Sendai Sports lanyard.
“I think maybe Tsukishima would enjoy a moment alone with his girlfriend — We could move to the reception tables and continue our conversations there, perhaps?”
Kei grabs his manager by the sleeve as the crowd is clearing and asks if it’s possible for the Frogs to hire Nariko as his PR rep. His manager looks up at him with surprise and says he’ll speak with her.
When Kei turns again, you’re there. His heart jumps, and he slips his arm around your waist by habit, trying not to react visibly when you tense against him.
“You asked to hire Nariko?” You say, setting a careful hand on his bicep. “That would set her up for life.”
“I know,” is all he says. Your eyes flicker with appreciation, and you step close to wrap your arms around his neck. He hugs you as tight as he can without making it obvious that he hasn’t seen you in days.
“Congratulations,” You whisper in his ear. “I’m proud of you.”
A lump grows in his throat. “Thanks.” You dont respond, and he squeezes you, because he can feel you slipping away. “I’m sorry,” He breathes.
“I can’t,” You say, stepping away. “It’s too late-”
“It’s not .” He’s starting to get desperate, the thought of you closing off to him forever pure torture. “It’s not too late-”
“Stop brushing off what I said.” Your brow furrows with annoyance, and his frustration bubbles for a moment too long.
“Why? You do it all the time.” He dips his head quickly so that the cameras don’t see the tension in his face, and he’s thankful your back is to them, because you’re outright frowning now.
“Let’s just get through this.”
“Would you please stop saying that?”
You sigh quietly, stepping close and running your hands over his shoulders in a way that appears affectionate to anyone watching. “Fix your face, Kei. I don’t want to talk about this now. Let’s just enjoy the evening, because you deserve to be appreciated for everything you’ve put into this.”
He’s amazed at your ability to think of him, even now.
“You put so much into this, too,” He whispers. You just smile bitterly.
“Yeah. And look where that got me.”
He watches you paint a loving smile on your face as you take his hand and lead him toward the reception table occupied by his teammates and Management. He does his best to pretend, even though he feels like he’s losing a piece of his soul.
—
You lean forward on the counter, staring at yourself in the bathroom mirror.
It’s amazing that you’ve been able to keep it together all night. You’ve clung to his arm and followed him around the room, talking to his teammates, to Management, to any reporters who had questions for you. You’ve spoken with a smile and a laugh and a twinkle in your eye, and you’ve done your best to hide how much it hurts to be close to him.
To the smell of him, clean and warm and filled with home . To the feel of him, secure and safe as he holds your waist and kisses your cheek appropriately. To the sight of him, perfect and golden and made of everything you’d fallen in love with.
It makes you sick, looking yourself in the eye and knowing you’d been lying the whole night. Especially with Kyoutani watching you like a hawk, eyes full of blatant concern. And with various members of Management quietly asking if you’re feeling okay, if there’s ‘ anything else ’ you need.
You shake it off, drying your hands and fixing your hair with a quiet sigh. Only a little more, and you can retreat to your dark cave of wallowing.
Straightening your back, you smile at yourself in the mirror and turn, leaving the bathroom and making your way down the hallway back to the reception room.
You hear him before you see him.
“ -the fuck did you say to me? ”
No. No way. He wouldnt.
There’s nervous laughter that follows, and you speed up to get to him before he says something else.
“ I’m just saying- ” You don’t know the voice well, but you think it belongs to one of the only super young reporters at the event today. “ -now that you’re officially pro, you might consider transitioning into a relationship that’s a bit more…. suited to your new lifestyle. ”
You stop short, just shy of the corner.
“Someone a bit more pleasing to the public, if you will,” The man finishes, and you stare down at nothing. You struggle to recover, too many wounds opened too soon, one after another. But you know Tsukki can’t pick a fight, not here. So you lift your head and resume your trudge to the end of the hall, only to find Nariko staring back at you.
She looks angry, and her eyes flick away from yours to stomp just out of view. Just as Tsukki’s starting to respond.
“Would the public find it pleasing if I were to beat your ass for talking about my girlfri-”
“Tsukishima,” Nariko cuts in. “It’s great to get some one-on-one time with you.” You hear the other reporter gasp and stumble, and you’re guessing Nariko’s pushed him out of the way.
Tsukki sighs at her. “Thanks for th-”
He suddenly appears in your eyeline, stumbling back a few feet, and you realize that she’s pushed him, too. You’re a bit impressed.
He looks affronted for a moment, but then your presence catches his eye, and he turns to you with wide eyes.
“Y/n-”
“As your new PR rep, Tsukishima-” Nariko says, stepping around the corner to face the both of you and create a bit of privacy. She winks at you when she calls herself by that title. “-I’d recommend not getting into a fight at a contract signing that only happened because you stopped getting into fights.”
Tsukki has the decency to look ashamed, and you nearly hug Nariko. But she just looks between you before glancing over her shoulder.
“You know… No one will notice if you’re gone for ten minutes.”
You don’t wait for any other signal, only wrapping a hand around Tsukki’s wrist and dragging him all the way down the hall to a storage closet. You throw him in and slam the door, whirling on him.
“Are you fucking insane?”
He points out the door, jaw slack in shock. “You heard what he said to me!”
“Are you lacking self-control in every way?!” You throw your hands out. “This is your day , and you come that close to ruining it?”
His jaw clenches and unclenches as he stares at you, his eyes flicking between yours. “I won’t let people talk to me like that. Not about you.”
You stare back. “I won’t let you put everything on the line for me. You can’t ruin your own life for something stupid-”
“This isn’t stupid !” He explodes. “Everything before you was stupid!” He starts to pace. “I had a shit temper, and it was easy to bait me into a fight, and I would end up in the tabloids for the dumbest shit . And you helped me! You fixed me, just like I asked you to! I’m not the same guy I was before, Y/n. But this -” He points out the door. “ You ? I can’t do it.”
You breathe hard, shaking your head. “Then let’s end this.” When his eyes only widen, you swallow. “Let’s end this now. If I’m this much of a weakness for you, let’s make them stop talking about me. We got what you needed – I fixed you, like I said I would. Your contract’s secured. You can go back to dating girls that all look the same, and we can take some time apart so I can get over you, and-” You’d started to pull the door open, but Tsukki crosses the room in two strides and slams it shut again, his hand flat on the wood.
“Y/n.” His eyes are sharp, but you can see the fear in them. “I need you to stop running from me.”
“Then stop making me run.” You reach for the door again, but he won’t budge. You stamp your foot in frustration. “Tsukki! I’m doing everything I can to preserve this friendship, but I can’t keep doing this !”
“You’re not doing everything! All you have to do is fucking listen to me -”
You back away from him into the room, shaking your head. “Why, Tsukki? So I can listen to you tell me that night was a mistake? That you ‘ never meant for it to get that far ’, that you ‘ wish things had been different ’? Well, so do I!” You yell. “I wish things had been different, too! I wish I would have known what you would do to me, so that I wouldn’t be stupid enough to go fall in love with someone who doesn’t love me back- ”
“ I do love you back!” He yells, strong and loud and full of anger. Your head snaps up, eyes finding his. His gaze is furious and hurt, and you can’t say you’ve ever seen him look at you like that before. It makes your heart ache and your chest tighten, the way his lip wobbles once before he clenches his jaw and fixes it.
“...What?” You finally say, your breath caught in your throat.
“I love you back. You stupid fucking girl.” He sounds tired. Exhausted, really.
You stare. “That was rude,” You whisper weakly. He just laughs, but it sounds like he’s near tears. He hasn’t sounded like that since high school, since that fight on your doorstep.
“Sorry, but that’s what you get with me.” He reaches for the doorknob, opening it an inch. “So now’s your time to back out.”
You stay right where you are. “Or what?”
The silence that follows seems to go on forever.
His eyes search yours, and the sliver of hope you see kills you. “What?”
“Or what, Tsukki? What do I get if I stay?”
He stares, unmoving. “You get me.”
You think you might cry.
You move to the door, watching the fight leave his eyes when he realizes you’re leaving. But you just put your hand on the door, nudging it shut. It clicks, and he stares down at you, confused.
“How long?” You ask.
His eyes flick between yours a moment as he processes your question. “I think it’s probably telling that I wanted you to be my fake girlfriend at all, Y/n.”
You blink, realization hitting you. “Did you know? This whole time?”
“No,” He laughs pathetically. “And Yamaguchi’s never going to let me live it down.”
“Why did you call that night a mistake?” You need to know, even if you’re not sure you want to hear the reason. It’s been killing you.
“I didn’t-” He sighs, rubbing at his brow. “I didn’t say it was a mistake. I said I wish I had done it right.” He meets your eyes, his own so close and golden and honest. You’d missed them. “I wanted to tell you I loved you first. Because I didn’t want you to worry that it was just a hookup.”
You hadn’t realized that his answer would drain you of all your energy. You slump, letting out an exhausted sigh. “And you couldn’t just say that?”
“Well, you couldn’t just listen .” He rolls his eyes, and you see a twinge of irritation in his brow. You laugh softly, and it worsens. “You think that’s funny, huh?” He says, staring down at you. “This could have all been avoided if you’d just heard me out, but you like to act insane.”
“And you like to say the worst things at the worst times!” You argue, half-laughing and half-angry. “Why couldn’t you wait until the morning? Why did I have to wake up and find you contemplating your whole life in the dark?”
“Because I felt guilty!” He snaps, and you’re taken aback, a little offended. He’d felt guilty for sleeping with you? “Because I was terrified I had ruined your first time by not doing it right and making this official between us beforehand. I hadn’t wanted you to be self-conscious the first time.”
You find it in you to be a little appreciative of that. That he had wanted you to know how sure he was, that you were safe with him no matter what.
And also-” He rolls his eyes. “Not for nothing, but we were drunk, and I couldn’t tell if I was too rough, and I really hadn’t wanted to hurt you -”
It seems your moment of appreciation is over.
“ Why do you keep treating me like I’m fragile?” You bite. “You kept asking, over and over again, if I was okay. If I was sure I wanted to keep going. You were so careful with me, Tsukki – Get over yourself! I’m not going to break!”
He just stares. You realize what you’ve said. You remember who you’re talking to.
“Not gonna break, huh?” He mumbles, eyes flicking down to your lips. He seems like he wants to say something else, but he holds back.
You don’t.
“Yeah. Want me to prove it?”
You watch in real time as his eyes fill with understanding.
“Are you sure you’re okay with it?” He says, eyes flicking between yours. You start to argue, because he’s doing it again , but he cuts you short. “With me? So soon?”
Oh.
He must not realize how badly you’ve missed him. How much it’s hitting you, now that you understand what had gone wrong between you. That you’d been stupid. That he’d been stupid.
Would it be wrong to rile him up? Probably.
“Why, Tsukki? You got a lot to take out on me?” His eyes flicker dangerously, and you take a single step closer, craning your neck back to look at him. “You got your work cut out for you. Apparently, I’m not good at listening.”
His resolve goes out the window, and he dips his head low, lips brushing yours. Your soul aches for him.
“ I can make you good at listening. ”
You smile. “ Well, you’re not gonna do it by being gentle. ”
He drags you out the door before you can even process that it’s been opened. He pulls you down the hall toward the back entrance of the conference venue, and you laugh, glancing back toward the main room.
“People are gonna notice that you’re gone, Tsukki-”
“I’ll make it up to them.” He hauls you outside, all but carrying you down the steps to the limo. There are no reporters out here, probably because they’re all inside, so it’s no issue for him to quite literally toss you into the back of the limo with reckless abandon. Your hands find him before he’s got the door all the way closed.
And then his mouth is on yours, and you feel all the things that had fallen out of place finally align again. His lips are warm and urgent, and your fingers are tight in his hair. He knocks blindly on the window separating the back from the driver’s side of the limo, and the car starts to move just as he’s pushing you down on the seat. You topple back, and Tsukki climbs over you, his mouth attaching to your throat.
“ Tsukki ,” You breathe, relief filling your lungs. He groans quietly, hands sliding your dress up your legs and over your thighs.
“ Fuck, I missed you ,” He mumbles into your skin. “This is real, right? Not a dream?”
You giggle, your chest pressing up into his, and you feel him smile wide against you. “You saying this isn’t a dream come true, Tsukishima? I can leave, if you want-”
“God, I can’t wait to fuck that attitude out of you,” He says, spreading your thighs and slotting himself between them. “How has your mouth not gotten you in trouble yet?”
“I’ve been waiting for you to do something about it,” You say, shrugging. “Might be too late, now. I’m getting pretty good at it.”
“Don’t complain when I break you,” He whispers before biting down hard on your shoulder. You moan loudly, slapping a hand over your mouth in embarrassment because the driver of this limo does not need to hear that. Tsukki laughs against you.
“You asked me not to be gentle. Are you regretting it?”
You shake your head furiously. Your stomach flips over and over on itself, and there’s that warm buzzing filling your skin that you’ve come to associate with him.
“No?” He whispers. “You like it?”
“ Mm- “ You wriggle under him, your dress sliding up as you push yourself against him. “Yeah-yes. Mhm .”
His hold on your hips tightens. “Lucky me,” He responds, a little breathless. He uses his grip to drag you down the leather seat a little more, forcing your thighs open so he can press his hips against you. You moan quietly in his ear, feeling him against your core, already half-hard.
“Need you, Tsukki.”
“Yeah? Am I supposed to give it to you just because of that?”
You get the feeling this night won’t be easy on your pride, but that’s okay. You think you might be desperate enough by the time you get home.
“I suppose that wouldn’t be fair,” You whisper, and he snickers against your skin.
“No, I don’t think it would. You’ve got a lot to make up to me.”
“How do you want me to make it up to you?”
“Patience, sweetheart,” He murmurs. “I don’t plan to do anything until I have you in my bed.”
You whine, but you can also feel the limo starting to make the slow turn into Tsukki’s driveway. He sits you up, watching you fix your dress and smiling when your cheeks flush at the state of yourself. Your skin is hot, and your thighs tremble a little, and your hair’s come undone. And yet, Tsukki looks perfectly put together.
You hide behind your hair as he helps you out of the limo and walks you to the door. Lights flash behind you, and you hear one of the reporters mumble ‘ I didn’t realize the event ended ’ to the person beside him. Tsukki starts laughing the moment his front door closes, and you groan loudly while trudging toward the stairs.
“They’re gonna know , Tsukki.”
“You embarrassed?”
“Yes! Of course I am-” Before you can turn to him, you’re air-lifted over his shoulder. You start to scream, flailing while he takes the stairs to his room.
“Good. Then I want them to know.” He sets you on your feet by his bed, and you huff, fixing your dress.
You look around while he closes the door. You haven’t been here in ages, all of your time with him spent at your place. You turn slowly, taking in the familiar sight of his room. It’s so different being here, after all this time.
You’re so distracted by his room that you aren’t prepared for the fingers he puts on your forearm or the way he spins you toward him.
You’re equally unprepared for the hand he plants on your shoulder before shoving you hard. You yelp, falling flat on your back and bouncing on his mattress. By the time you find his eyes, he’s standing over you, loosening his tie.
His eyes are cold. “What do you want to apologize for first?”
“What?” You say dumbly, watching the tie come loose. His jacket goes next, and then his white dress-shirt.
“Which one, Y/n? Listening to too many people on the internet? Not believing me when I’d flirt with you?” He leans over you, his hands flat on the bed on either side of you. “Or not hearing me out that night? Causing this whole mess.”
“I didn’t cause that alone,” You argue, and his eyebrows lift with humor.
“You’re still talking back?” He stands, reaching for the button on his pants. “Guess we’ll start here then.”
“Gonna put my mouth to use?” You joke, but there’s a rush of heat that, funnily enough, soaks your panties right through. You stare down at his hands, watching the zipper slide down and feeling your mouth water a little bit.
“You ever done this before?” He mumbles, eyes trailing down your body hungrily as he hooks a thumb into the waistband of his boxers. You nod quickly, but he just raises a brow and lifts his other hand, still holding the black tie. “Like this?”
You stare, your heart thumping with excitement. “No,” You breathe. “Can’t say I have.”
He smirks down at you, beckoning you to him with two fingers. “On your knees.”
You scramble to kick your heels off and get into position at the end of the mattress. He stands over you and holds one hand out, looking down at you in amusement when you put both wrists in his hand.
“You’re a bit eager.” When you nod, he just drops your wrists.
Your heart drops a little. “Wha-” You gasp, because he’s sliding the tie over your eyes and knotting it in the back, whispering ‘ So close, sweetheart ’ in your ear. You moan, your thighs sliding open on the bed.
“Pinch me if something doesn’t feel right,” He murmurs distractedly, and you hear the shuffle of his pants on his skin. “ Hard, Y/n. You hear me?”
“ Mhm . Pinch,” You say, panting slightly. When he laughs, your panties start to stick to your skin.
“God, you want this so badly, don’t you?” The tip of his cock touches your lips, and you dart your tongue out right away, swirling it around the head. Tsukki sighs heatedly over you, and then his fingers tangle in your hair. “My own personal little whore.”
You groan, trying to take him in your mouth, but he uses his grip to hold you back.
“Say please.”
Your stomach flips hard, because you know ‘ please’ wouldn’t be enough.
“Please, Tsukki,” You whisper. “Make me your whore.”
He inhales sharply, and you decide right there that you want to hear him fall apart. When he touches your lips again and tightens his grip, you know you have no control here. So you just let your mouth fall open.
The first time he slides into your mouth, his cock hits the back of your throat, and you gag.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” He chuckles. “Thought you wanted it rough.” You recover as quickly as you can, breathing deep through your nose and sucking hard when he pulls back. He groans under his breath and thrusts his hips again, humming when you take him properly. “ That’s it, Y/n. ” He pulls you off of him for a moment, and you whine quietly. “Can you keep taking it like that?”
“Stop-” You croak, breathing heavily. “- fucking asking , Tsukishima.”
There’s silence over you, and then he yanks your head back, talking right over the yelp you let out. “If you say so.”
You get no more chances to recover, your breath sputtered and coughed around him as he sets a pace that stings. You moan loudly while he fucks your throat, drool pooling at the corners of your mouth and falling to your chest. Your fingers twitch on his thighs, and, after a few moments listening to the soft groans he lets out over you, one of your hands moves down to your thigh and slides to your core. You barely get two fingers on your clit when his voice bites out.
“ Don’t -” He snaps. “- even think about it .”
You whine around him, earning a particularly hard thrust that slams against the back of your throat. You latch onto his thighs again, digging your nails in.
“Not so mouthy now, huh?” He pants. “Not so fucking annoying. No choice but to listen.” You nod shallowly, unhinging your jaw a little more, until it hurts. He moans quietly. “Maybe you’ll listen when I tell you how pretty you look like this, baby. So fucking pretty, drooling all over my cock.”
Your whine is loud this time, and he laughs breathily. “You like that? Didn’t know you were into this, sweetheart – good to know.”
And then he pulls you right off him, your gasps echoing in his room. You cough, your chest heaving, but he doesn’t give you more time than that, his hands on your shoulders again. You’re less shocked when you’re shoved onto your back, and you’re too busy catching your breath to do much more than moan when he takes your ankles and drags you to the edge of the bed.
Tsukki hooks his fingers into your panties and rips them down your thighs, laughing cruelly. “Aw, look at you. You’re a mess just from that?”
You dig your fingers into his comforter, still blindfolded. “You’re an ass- mm! ”
Tsukishima Kei’s just stuffed your own soiled panties in your mouth.
“Still talking too much,” He mutters, and you hear something hit the floor. You only realize it’s his knees when his fingers grip your thighs hard enough to bruise and his tongue flattens over your clit.
You scream, muffled, and arch your back on the mattress. Your fingers fly into his hair just as he’s dragging his tongue over your folds a second time, but he pulls away. He bites down hard on your thigh, ignoring the jolt of your body.
“I didn’t say you could touch me.” Your fingers cling to the covers again, and it takes everything in you not to grab him when he spits hard on your clit. “Better.”
He eats you out like that, his face buried between your thighs as you scream and moan and nearly make your fingers go numb from how hard you fist the blankets. You have no clue how long it’s been or when it had happened, but you realize eventually that he’s slipped two fingers into you, curling and spreading them against spots you didn’t even know existed. Your body twitches when he pushes up against your g-spot, and you grind your hips up toward his mouth unconsciously.
You pay for it immediately, his mouth and fingers leaving you. You start to complain, but it’s turned into a scream when his hand comes down hard on your overly sensitive clit.
“I really do have my work cut out for me, huh?” He pants, breathless and raspy. “You’re a lot of work, sweetheart.” Your eyes prickle with tears, and you shake your head hard. He huffs out a laugh, breath cold on your heated core. “No? You’re not a lot of work?” When you shake your head again, he coos at you condescendingly. “You promise to be good?” You nod, and he laughs again. “Okay, then. Spread your legs for me.”
You peel your aching fingers off of the blankets and hook them around your thighs, spreading your legs and pressing your knees toward your chest until it starts to hurt. You hear Tsukki’s pants hit the floor, and he groans openly down at you.
“God, you look so good like this,” He mutters under his breath. “Can I take a picture?”
Your heart jumps. You’d always thought you would never be comfortable with something like that, but the thought of Tsukki having a picture of you on his phone – a picture of you looking like this – has you clenching hard around nothing. You nod firmly, unconsciously pulling your thighs open even further.
He lets out a surprised breath, and then you hear him scrambling for his pants on the floor. “ Fuck- ” He hisses, throwing things around, and you hear the thump of his phone hitting the rug under his desk. “ Fuck, fuck- ” You start to giggle, the sound muffled but still audible. “Don’t fucking laugh at me, you fucking asshole – I wasn’t expecting you to say yes-”
Your laugh is loud now, but when you hear him stumble back over to you and feel his hand on the underside of your thigh, your stomach flips and your breath cuts short. The camera shutter goes off, and goosebumps break out over your skin, a soft moan leaving you.
“You’re into this too, sweetheart?” He asks, laughing to himself. His phone hits the bed somewhere beside you. “You like when I take pictures of you?” You nod, your face flushing hard, but he slides his cock through your folds before you have time to be embarrassed. You moan, feeling the tip bump up against your clit with each shallow thrust. “Maybe one day we can film it.”
You moan wantonly, and his own moan joins yours as he sinks into you in one slow thrust. Your breath leaves your lungs as he pulls back and slams his hips into yours. “You took me all at once, baby,” He groans, anchoring himself to your hips. “You must have missed me.”
You nod desperately, and you feel his weight drop over you on the mattress. His fingers hook gently into the blindfold, despite how roughly his hips collide with yours, and he tugs the material up to your forehead. You blink rapidly, squinting when the light hits your eyes and trying to readjust while Tsukki drives his cock into you.
When you finally do gain your bearings, the first thing you find is him. Your eyes lock with his, and your own widen drastically as you take him in. His face is flushed, a sheen of sweat glinting off his skin. His eyebrows are furrowed with concentration, and his arms are flexed as he drags you down to meet him halfway with each thrust.
Your eyes roll back into your head almost immediately, the sight too much to handle while he fucks you. Your moans come out louder now, and – although you’re still muffled – you’re infinitely glad you’re not doing this at your apartment, surrounded by thin walls and neighbors. Here, you can moan as loud as you want. Here, you don’t have to care about the way his headboard slams against the wall. Here, you can arch your back and scream his name, over and over again around your panties.
He hears it the third time it comes out, the syllables of his name garbled but clearly his. His expression changes, those furrowed brows creasing even more and his lips parting as he lets out a series of quiet moans every time he hears his own name.
“ Fuck, ” He says, letting your waist go and dropping down hard over you, his hands hitting the bed on either side of you. “ Fuck , Y/n. I love you-” Your vision gets blurry, and your eyes burn, but you only notice you’re crying when the tears stream down toward your ears. “Listen to you, screaming my name like that,” He pants, his hips stuttering for a moment. The realization that he’s close to finishing sends you hurtling toward your own orgasm. “So fucking perfect. Fucking perfect for me.”
His fingers dig into the material in your mouth, and he pries it out, tossing the panties somewhere behind him. Your jaw aches, but you forget it when he meets your eyes.
“Say it for me, sweetheart.”
“Tsukki-” You cry. “ Please, Tsukki- ” Your fingers itch to touch him. “Please, I love you – Can I-” You start to cry harder, your vision gone completely as you sob, the feeling of him slamming into you too much now.
“Yes, baby, yes-” His breath hitches when you clench around him, and he nods tightly. “You can touch me-”
Your fingers fly into his hair, and you drag him down roughly, smashing your lips to his. You both moan, and you ramble deliriously against his mouth. “ Love you, I love you, I- ”
He shudders over you, groaning as he stills with his hips pressed tight to yours. He spills into you, his body shaking against yours as he fills you. The feeling of it throws you right off the edge, and you cry against his lips while you come, your back twitching and arching toward his.
He’s collapsed onto you by the time you’re done, breathing hard in your ear. “ Fuck , Y/n,” He sighs. You wrap your legs tiredly around his waist, exhaustion taking you over.
“How did we do all that with my dress still on?” You whisper weakly, too tired to even smile when he starts to laugh.
“God, I love you. You’re so fucking stupid.”
That one does make you laugh. You feed off of each other, worsening until you’re both wheezing together.
Finally, he buries his face in your neck, sighing. “I’m sorry.”
Your heart lurches. “For?”
“Everything,” he says. “ Everything, Y/n. For saying the opposite of what I meant. For not saying the things I wanted to.”
You say nothing, just wrapping your arms tight around his neck. “I’m sorry, too. For not listening to the right person. And for thinking the worst of you just because I was scared.”
He stays quiet a moment, just breathing you in. “Does that mean you aren’t breaking up with me?”
You chew on your lip, suddenly nervous. “Does that mean we’re together?”
“I don’t think any of this was ever fake for me.”
You bring his face up to yours, kissing him deeply. “I don’t think it was for me, either,” You whisper against his lips. He smiles, pulling back to look down at you.
“Can I still ask you to be my girlfriend? My real girlfriend?”
You stare up at him a moment, and then your brow furrows. “I don’t think you ever asked me to be your girlfriend at all.”
He blanches.
“Oh, fuck.”
You remind him of it for the rest of his life.
we all joke about and objectify this man, but do we stop to think how sad his story is? he grew up friendless and brutally bullied for being a literal genius. constantly picked on by his coworkers, and he’s never in on the joke. he’s always being laughed at, never laughed with because no one understands his existentialist humor. he never has plans or places to go on the weekend after work. he goes to work then goes to his lonely home with all his books to keep him company. on occasion, he haunts the chess table at the park or meets with an old professor. when he does find love, he’s so cruelly stripped of it. spencer reid, the lonely genius who learned of love too late and loss too soon.
sorry i havent posted, i moved houses and have no wifi and i use docs on my laptop to write, i only have data on my phone and the signal is really shitty
im also such a slut for mean guys like i HAVE a complex and idk what its called but every MEAN like tsukishima kinda mean guy i meet warms up to me and i looove being the only one theyre not mean to or if they are knowing they dont actually mean it so i everytime i see a mean guy i jst😍
who is teaching him this i know it’s not me so WHO!!
I can’t fix him but I could fuck him.
It's been a while since I last posted about Omi-Omi. Happy (belated) Valentine's Day!
Warning: mild angst but reconciled and happy smut (18+)
.
Kiyoomi set his gym bag in the usual spot of his apartment. Tonight, his home felt unusually cold and empty.
Switching the lights on, he is met with two floating balloons and a bag with red and pink hearts printed all over it.
He let out a chuckle and grabbed the bag, pulling out the tissue paper that was stuffed inside. He found all sorts of chocolate inside, his favorite chocolates.
Happy Valentine’s Day, jerk.
Y/n
Kiyoomi released a deep sigh. He and Y/n had gotten into an argument two nights ago, he couldn’t even remember what it was about. But it was 48 hours of silence from Y/n, 48 hours of emptiness.
The phone line rang repeatedly until it went to her voicemail.
He’s sent her three texts and they were left unread.
“C’mon…” he whispered, pacing around his place. “Pick up, please…”
A click came from the other line and he exhaled, “Y/n, thank goodness, where – “
“Hi, this isn’t Y/n but I’m her coworker!”
Kiyoomi frowned, and growled, “where is Y/n?”
“We are at a company dinner and she’s here… a little intoxicated…”
Kiyoomi could hear mumblings in the background, “… who is it…”
“Where are you guys?” he asked, heading to the shoe rack to put his shoes on.
He heard muffling but couldn’t hear clearly.
“… don’t tell him where I am…”
“… he’s mean and I don’t – I don’t wanna see him right now…”
His heart dropped.
“Hi, hello? Are you still there? Omi? Is this Omi with a white heart emoji next to your name? The Omi that is mean?”
“Yes,” Kiyoomi answered defeatedly, “this is Omi.”
“Look,” whoever this person on the other line whispered, “she keeps saying you are mean and she doesn’t want to see you but I secretly know she does, women to women, she wants to see you… we’re… we’re at the XXXX restaurant.” She paused before whispering loudly, “come get your girl!”
.
Kiyoomi’s strides were only half their usual length, and he inserted a two-second pause between each step. Y/n, with a gloomy mood, followed four feet behind him.
Arriving at the restaurant, he discovered her sitting sadly at the end of the table, all alone. Her colleagues were accompanied by their partners, but Y/n was left by herself. Kiyoomi felt a lump of guilt in his throat; he should have been there with her.
Their most recent argument stemmed from this issue. Y/n had requested him to cut short his training if possible for one night, but he declined, emphasizing the priority of his training.
“I’m simply asking if you could leave an hour earlier, or even thirty minutes early to make it to dinner, if it’s feasible. Can you not even manage that?” Her voice was tinged with angst.
“No, you understand how important my training is. I can’t simply leave early for something like this.”
Something like this…
Now, he felt the full weight of guilt engulfing him.
He halted and glanced back, noticing that Y/n had also come to a stop, gazing into the distance. Following her gaze, he spotted a small shop with claw and capsule machines.
He is reminded of his snarky comment about her liking such stupid things.
Walking up to her, he waited until she looked at him. “Let’s go,” he said jerking his head towards the shop.
Her cheeks were still rosy from the alcohol, her eyes weren’t as lively as they should be. “No,” she grumbles, looking away with a pout. “It’s just stupid stuff,” she attempted to walk around him when he caught her wrist and began tugging her towards the store. “What are you doing?”
He ignores her question and tugs her gently along until they get to the change machine. Stuffing a few bills inside to exchange for tokens. “What would you like?”
She looked at the handful of tokens and then his eyes, and with a weary tone she asked, “why are you doing this?”
“Because you like it and it makes you happy,” his tone is gentle and careful, “and I want to see you happy.” He puts a handful of tokens in her palm. “Go, show me what makes you happy.”
Still pouty, she closed her fingers around the token and walked around him.
Kiyoomi smiled to himself, knowing deep down she was excited.
.
“Are you satisfied with your wins?” He stared at the bag full of plushies and capsule toys.
Y/n nodded, restraining a bright smile on her lips. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Seizing the opportunity, Kiyoomi extended his left hand, asking, “can you hold my hand?” He let out a quite breath when she placed her palm in his. They walked side by side in silence.
“Where are we going?” she asked quietly.
“Let’s go grab some junk food at 7/11 and... my place?” He prayed she would come over but instead, she looked at him as if he had two heads. Chuckling, he knew why she was looking at him weirdly. He was completely against eating any junk food, let alone anything from a convenience store. “A little junk food won’t kill me.”
“It might make you sick though?”
“Shh, don’t jinx me like that.”
.
Sure enough, it did make him feel sick.
All he ate was a cup of instant ramen, and within less than an hour, he started experiencing stomach churning.
“I told you,” Y/n scolded, yet concern was written all over her face. She quickly ushered him to lie down on the couch.
If it meant for Y/n to nurse him and show him affection again, the stomach ache was worth it.
He groaned, “it hurts…”
Digging through her purse, she tried to look for her pill box. “Here, take this medication. It’ll help with the tummy ache.”
He accepted the small pill and popped it into his mouth, taking it down with water. He grabbed her hand, “rub my tummy like you did that one time.”
Y/n hesitated, staring at him suspiciously before reaching to push his shirt up to reveal his abdomen. She ignored the ripples of muscles and put pressure on a certain area of his body.
Kiyoomi groaned, feeling instant relief.
She reached for his hand and placed it with hers, “when you have a tummy ache, always press this pressure point.”
She was about to stand up when he stopped her. Panicking he asked, “wait, where are you going?”
“I’m just going to make you some rice soup.”
He still pouted, watching her walk away to his kitchen.
A few minutes later, she returned with a bowl of steaming contents. “Bland, just the way you like it,” she mentioned, taking a seat on the edge of the couch. “How is your stomach feeling?”
“It’ll feel a lot better if you do it…”
Y/n scoffed and slapped his hand away, “you’re such a baby.”
“Correction, I’m your baby…”
Y/n narrowed her eyes at him, “who are you and what have you done to Kiyoomi?”
Kiyoomi’s lips turned downwards. “Omi…” he corrected quietly. When she doesn’t respond he bites his lips nervously. “I’m sorry.”
Her brow raised, and she looked at him as if she didn’t comprehend what he was saying.
“I’m sorry,” he says again, louder this time. “I have been a jerk and insensitive to you… I have not been compromising and mean to you and I’m sorry,” he bowed his head. “I don’t want you to be mad at me anymore. I’ll do better, I promise. Please don’t leave me.” His voice cracked at his last part of his sentence.
“Leave you? Who said I was leaving you?”
“But you didn’t want to see me?”
Y/n frowned, confused. “When did I say that?”
“Earlier on the phone, I heard you telling your coworker that you didn’t want to see me…” very quietly he added, “that hurt my feelings.” He felt childish but he wanted to be honest.
“I didn’t want to see you is very different from I’m leaving you,” Y/n clarified. She sighed, running a hand through her hair before reaching for the bowl of soup. She blew to cool the spoonful of soup before bringing it to his mouth. “I said that I didn’t want to see you because I knew I would give in and forgive you.”
He swallows the soup before asking, “please forgive me?”
“I saw your face so I already forgave you.”
He couldn’t ignore the cheering in his mind. “Do you really mean it? You forgive me for being a jerk?”
“Yes, you jerk.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“But you called yourself that too?” Y/n countered, shoving a spoonful of soup into his mouth. “Eat and feel better.”
Kiyoomi smiles, “… kiss me, that would really make me feel better.”
The corner of her lips tugged upward, “you sly jerk…”
He sits up, bringing his face close to hers. “Please, a kiss?”
She pecks his lips.
He pouted, “that’s not a kiss.”
“Yes it is, my lips touched yours.”
He blinked and then frowned, “that was hardly a kiss…”
Y/n raised a brow, challenging him, “then what’s a kiss to you then?”
And he showed her.
He cupped her face, tilting it before pressing his lips against hers. As soon as she gasped, he slipped his tongue in, meeting hers in a tango.
“Omi…” Y/n breathed, pushing him away to catch a breath.
His lips continued to her jaw and down her neck. “Please Y/n…” he begged, tugging at her tucked-in dress shirt. He pulls away and looks at her with dark pupils, waiting for her consent.
She launched at him, knocking him onto his back once more. Her mouth moved hungrily against his as she tugged at his clothes.
“I’m not going anywhere…” he chuckled.
“You will be if you don’t take help take our clothes off…”
Their clothes lay carelessly on the ground seconds later.
Y/n raised herself and straddled his lap. She rocked her hips, gliding her pussy along the length of his cock.
Kiyoomi hissed loudly as his hands gripped her hip tightly, nails digging into her hip bone. “Don’t –“ he choked, “don’t tease me…” He didn’t miss the smirk on her lips.
Having enough of not being inside of her already, Kiyoomi flipped them and shifted her underneath him. His hand found one of hers and threaded their fingers together, clasping tightly. He searched her eyes and she answered by lifting her hips.
“Haa, you’re going to be the death of me,” he sank his cock into her sweet pussy.
He waited a few seconds, savoring the intimate bond. Kiyoomi peers down at her before pressing his forehead against hers and without breaking eye contact, he whispers, “I love you.”
He doesn’t express those three words as frequently as he ought to, but he can observe the way her eyes illuminate when he does. “I love you, Y/n…” he repeated, rocking his hips slowly but deeply. “I know I don’t say it often enough for you but you are my everything… and I never want to be without you again…”
Y/n released a soft whimper and cupped his face, connecting their lips. “I love you too, Omi…”
It was soft lovemaking.
Each rock of his hips was gentle with care, with love.
“Let’s cum together?”
Y/n nodded, tightening her arms around his shoulders and soon their bodies trembled in release.
Kiyoomi pulls Y/n up and they sit down, still connected very intimately. He reached for the bag of chocolate, took a piece, and unwrapped it before placing it into her mouth. Then, he helped himself to a piece as well.
“Thank you for the chocolate,” he murmurs.
Pressing a kiss to his cheek, she whispered, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Omi.”
. . .
E/n: Going back to Teo now...
>>> @queenelleee @mfreedomstuff @erintaro @callmeraider @chaotic-fangirl-blog @wolffmaiden @cloud-lyy
I need to remind u all that this tweet exists (I once made a post abt it, but I can't find it now ☠️)
Matthew talking about Reid.
Woo-Hoo! Go Reid! 🤓✊🏻
Request: None
Requested By: Nobody
Prompt: “You're the hero, huh? I guess that makes me the villain."
Pairing: Tom Riddle x Gryffindor!OC/reader
Summary: The death of The Boy Who Lived requires the need of the Time Turner to change Tom Riddle for the better, saving dozens in the process. A Gryffindor has a different plan in mind, however.
Warnings: mentions of death and murder
A/N: Sorry for the wordcount. Not sorry for the Tom Riddle.
Word Count: 13K+
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He really did it.
Voldemort killed Harry Potter.
The world seemed to have screeched to a halt, everyone staring in disbelief at the dead boy.
The Dark Lord cackled. “I’ve done it! I killed The Boy Who Lived!”
Red flooded my vision. I pulled out my wand, marching forward. Just as I raised it to cast a spell, my arm was grabbed and I was dragged back into the castle. I fought against it, turning to point my wand at whoever had a hold of me.
My eyes widened and I stopped. “Professor McGonagall,” I breathed out quietly.
“Albus only wanted this used if absolutely necessary, but I believe this is the only way,” she said, letting go of me and reaching into her robe.
I blinked at her in confusion. “Professor?”
She pulled out a chain, a tiny sand-timer dangling from the bottom. Looping it around my neck, she looked me in the eyes. “This is a Time Turner, allowing you to travel back in time. You’ll need to return to the year 1945,” she told me. “There is a young man there by the name of Tom Riddle.” She looked back to where the battle had taken place, the sound increasing. “He will become Lord Voldemort.” Her gaze turned back to me, holding a shine of sternness, as well as concern. “You need to go back and change him for the better. It will save many lives.”
“Professor, I can’t-”
“You must, Miss King. There are no other options.”
“But why me, Professor?”
She regarded me for a few moments. “You will know, dear.” Her eyes dropped to the time turner. “The protection charm around that has been taken off, allowing you to go back more than five hours. Take it and turn it backwards fifty times. That should take you back to the right year.”
The noise got louder.
The Headmistress turned to me. “Hurry, dear.”
I nodded, grabbing the time turner. I began to spin it, counting up to fifty. Once done, I looked up, staring at the castle wall in front of me.
It was similar to the wall I had been in front of before, though this wall was intact and clearly newer. It possessed less scratches and burn marks.
Students walked past me and I quickly realized I stood out like a sore thumb.
Muttering a quiet “multicorfors” I waved my wand over my garments, making them look appropriate to the time period. I stuffed my wand back in my robe, looking around.
Where to start?
A group of students walked by me.
I quietly slipped into step a few paces behind them, looking around casually in an attempt to not seem like I was obviously following them.
They unknowingly led me into the Great Hall, sitting down at their tables.
I stopped in the doorway, looking around for the Gryffindor table. Spotting students wearing red ties, I strode over, trying not to seem suspicious. Sitting down, my gaze raked over the room.
The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were behind me, the Slytherin table in front.
I scanned the Slytherin table for anyone that looked suspicious or evil.
Finding nothing out of the ordinary, I frowned, about to pause my search to eat, when my eyes landed on a boy seated amongst the Slytherins.
He was sitting up straight, talking with the people around him. He had a lean figure, dark hair that fell over his forehead on one side and features that looked- at least from where I was sitting- like the perfect blend of soft and hard.
I stared at the boy for a few moments, completely sucked into his demeanor and appearance.
He was talking to the people around him, looking at one of his housemates. His expression shifted slightly and he lifted his eyes, his focus landing almost instantly on me.
“-looking at?”
I whipped my head to the side to face the girl sitting next to me, grateful for the interruption. My cheeks coloured slightly, no matter how much I tried to fight it. “Me? Nothing, I was just-” my eyes, quite without me telling them to, drifted back to the Slytherin table for only a fraction of a second.
They didn’t even have enough time to focus on anything.
“I have an idea…” one of the girls, sitting across from the other, said. She smirked as she stabbed something with her fork.
“What?” I recoiled. “I was just getting used to my surroundings,” I said.
It was technically half true.
“I thought I didn’t recognize you,” the other girl said. “Are you new to Hogwarts?”
I paused. “Yeah.”
“What year are you,” she questioned.
“Seventh year.”
“It is a bit unusual for someone to join Hogwarts so late in their schooling,” the other said.
I cleared my throat. “Well, I was transferred from a different school…..” I trailed off before quickly introducing myself.
“Nice to meet you, King. My name is Margaret,” the girl sitting diagonally from me spoke. She nodded her head to the girl sitting next to me. “This is Joan.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” Joan greeted.
I nodded. “The pleasure is mine.”
“Class will be starting soon…” Margaret informed. “Do you have your books?”
I faltered. “Uh…no, I-I don’t.”
“You can borrow ours,” Joan assured. She nodded her head at the brunette across from her. “Margaret and I always sit next to each other. You could sit with one of us, if you wish.”
My eyebrows furrowed. “How many students can sit at a desk?”
“Two.”
I turned my head to Margaret.
She went on. “You can sit with Joan. I will find another seat.”
“Oh! No- I can’t.” I lifted my hands. “I would hate to split you two up.” I shifted my gaze between them. “Is there an empty desk behind you?”
“There is.”
“Then I’ll sit there.” I shrugged. “No worries.”
They gave me confused looks.
I frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“You…” Margaret trailed off.
“You say things in a most unusual way, King,” Joan said.
I pursed my lips.
Oh yeah.
“I… apologize,” I said, though it sounded more like a question.
They smiled.
“Come. Let’s head to class.”
I followed their lead, standing with them.
A lot of other students were rising to their feet as well, presumably also heading to their classes.
My gaze drifted once again to the Slytherin table, seeing the boy already standing, scanning the crowd.
His eyes met mine again.
I quickly snapped my head back towards my classmates, wincing slightly at the pain my neck had received for it. Following their lead, I stubbornly kept my gaze intentional, only allowing it to drift to the halls of the school, so familiar and yet so strange.
“Our first class is Potions,” Margaret informed.
I grimaced behind her back, quickly wiping the expression away when Joan turned around to face me.
“It is taught by Professor Slughorn,” she added.
I nodded, taking in the information.
The girls pushed the door open, stepping through.
“We usually sit here,” Margaret informed, gesturing at a desk in the middle of the room. She turned to me. “Are you certain you would not prefer to sit with one of us?”
I nodded. “Positive. I’ll just sit behind you.”
“Here.” Joan reached into her bag, pulling out a book and handing it to me. “Use this. Margaret and I will share.”
I accepted the thick book, making a mental note of the fact that Potions textbooks seemed to stay about the same size, even decades apart. “Thank you.” Sitting down behind them, I placed the book on the desk before leaning forward. “What page are we on?”
“Three-hundred forty seven,” Margaret whispered back.
I thanked her, turning to the correct page, guessing that the book was probably close to seven hundred pages. Looking up, I noted that this class period was shared with the Slytherin house.
Once everyone was seated, Slughorn started speaking.
“We are picking up from where we left off last time.” His gaze raked across the classroom. “Chapter-” he paused, his eyes landing on me. A confused expression formed on his face.
I did my best to keep sitting tall, my leg bouncing anxiously.
“Do we have a new student?”
All eyes in the classroom turned to face me.
I held my head high, determined to not cower under the weight. I kept my eyes locked onto the man at the front of the class. “Yes, Professor.”
He hummed. “Curious. I was not informed we would be getting a new student.”
“A mere mistake I’m sure, Professor.”
“Most likely. What is your name, then?”
I introduced myself, eyes unintentionally shifting downwards slightly towards the dark haired boy seated at the front of the class.
He, like everyone else, was already looking at me.
I quickly raised my eyes to Professor Slughorn again.
“-sit with Miss King for her first lesson? In case she needs any help?”
The boy turned to his teacher. “Of course, Professor.”
With abject horror, I watched as the boy collected his things, walked towards the back of the classroom, and sat next to me.
I looked back to the front of the class. “Professor, this really isn’t necessary-”
“The Head Boy will willingly assist you if needed, Miss King,” Slughorn said. “If you get along well on your own, should he so choose, he may return to his own seat.”
I held in a sigh. “Yes, Professor.”
“Good.” He turned his back to the class to look at the chalkboard behind him. “As we were talking about in the last class…”
I ran a hand through my hair, reaching for my quill to start to take notes. My hand closed around nothing and I lifted my eyes to look at where my quill was supposed to be, only to get a foul reminder.
I wasn’t where- or rather when- I was supposed to be.
I had no supplies.
Deciding I would rather try to memorize what Slughorn was saying instead of asking the boy next to me for anything, I folded my right arm on the desk in front of me, staring towards the front of the class.
“You might want these, Miss King.”
I turned to the soft noise on my right.
Merlin, even his voice was lovely.
At closer proximity, I could better make out his features, greedily noting that everything- his eyebrows, lips, nose- were perfect.
His dark green eyes were staring down at me, shifting between my own.
Before I stared too long I- with some effort- pulled my gaze away from him to look at the parchment and quill he had slid towards me.
My eyes widened slightly.
“It seems, Miss King…” he trailed off and I could hear the smirk in his voice, “it was good luck that I was sent to sit next to you.”
I lifted my head to look at him.
He was, indeed, smirking. His green eyes shone with kindness and just a hint of mischief.
“Thank you,” I said, grasping the quill and beginning to write as I tried to focus on what Slughorn was saying.
Merlin, that didn’t stop my leg from bouncing, though.
~~~~~~~~~
Class ended and I stood, handing the quill back to the Head Boy.
He looked up at me, still sitting, his gaze dropping to the object.
“Thank you for allowing me to use your quill,” I said, holding my notes at my side.
The boy lifted his gaze to meet my eyes. “You may keep it,” he said as he stood, forcing me to now look up at his tall frame in order to meet his eyes. He slung his bag around his shoulder. “I have more.”
I nodded once. “Thank you.”
The corner of his mouth pulled upwards. “You are welcome, Miss King.”
“Come on, King,” Joan said, grabbing my arm. “Our next class is this way.”
I gave one last look at the Head Boy, nodding my head again to signal a ‘farewell’ and a ‘thank you’ before allowing myself to be led out of the classroom.
~~~~~~~~~~
“This is Transfiguration, taught by Professor Dumbledore.”
I faltered in my steps, stopping in the hallway.
Professor Dumbledore.
It had been so long-
“...you alright, King?”
I blinked back into reality, looking over at Margaret and Joan’s concerned faces. “Uh, sorry.” I offered them a crooked grin. “Go on; what were you saying?”
They talked, but I didn’t listen. As we strode into Transfiguration class, my eyes instantly made their way to the front of the room.
A man was sitting behind a desk. He had long white hair and a very welcome face.
“Professor Dumbledore,” I breathed out, relieved to see someone familiar.
To see the man that had been killed.
“Yes, that’s him,” Joan said.
“Here is the book for this class.” Margaret handed me a textbook, which I accepted, though not really paying attention.
“Thanks,” I managed to get out before sitting in the only open seat; next to a Ravenclaw. My eyes stayed locked onto the Professor as he began teaching.
~~~~~~~~~~
“And this is the Common Room,” Margaret said, leading me through the portrait of the Fat Lady.
I smiled slightly at the familiar face before being pulled in.
The room, though possessing some similarities to the Common Room in my own time, had notable differences.
The arrangements of the furniture were different, the furniture having a far older style than what I was used to.
“It’s very nice,” I said, observing the room.
“Our rooms are up these stairs,” Joan said, gesturing. “Do not attempt to go up the stairs to the boys’ dormitories. They are charmed.”
I nodded. “It was the same way at…” I paused, “my other school.”
Margaret turned to face me. “Where were you before you transferred?”
“Uhh…it was very similar to this, but it was a small school,” I bluffed. “You probably wouldn’t have even heard of it.”
They nodded, satisfied.
I let out a small breath of relief as they began to move around the room, introducing me to my other housemates. I greeted them all, smiling.
“Follow us,” Joan said, walking towards the stairs. “We will see if we can find your room.”
“Did Headmaster Dippet say which dormitory was yours,” Margaret asked.
I froze, eyes wide. “No…no, he didn’t.”
“Oh dear. This may be a problem.”
“I can go ask him,” I said, realizing that I had yet to officially announce my…transference, anyway.
“We will go with you.”
“No!” I shot my hand out before quickly retracting it and lowering my voice. “No, it’s okay. It’s getting late, and I don’t want you out past curfew.”
“But do you know the way,” Margaret questioned.
Assuming Dippet’s office was in the same location Dumbledore’s was, I nodded. “I’m sure I’ll find it.” I began backing up towards the door. “If I’m not back before you girls go to bed, have a goodnight!”
“You as well,” they said, waving.
I turned, exiting the Common Room.
Alright. Time to find Dippet’s office.
I began walking through the castle, making mental notes of the differences and similarities between this Hogwarts and mine. As the duration of my walk lengthened, I began to wonder why I was even doing this.
I didn’t need to sign in to Hogwarts. I didn’t need to take notes in class. And I certainly didn’t need to start forming attachments to young men.
I didn’t have time to be distracted, no matter how gorgeous that distraction happened to be.
I had one job to do.
I had to find Tom Riddle.
I had to kill him.
“Miss King.”
I jumped at the sound of the voice, whipping around. I couldn’t make out who was approaching me, since the castle was getting dark as evening came upon it. Pulling out my wand, I held it out in front of me. “Lumos.”
A light shone at the end of my wand, illuminating the boy that stopped in front of me.
My eyes widened. “Merlin,” I breathed out.
It would be him.
The Head Boy raised an eyebrow, cocking his head. “Curfew has begun, Miss King. I do not wish to take points away from you on your first day, but-”
“I’m sorry,” I interrupted.
He closed his mouth, looking over at me.
I could see a flicker of surprise, and possibly annoyance, in his eyes at being cut off. “I was just on my way to see Headmaster Dippet,” I explained.
The Head Boy’s expression shifted, becoming more curious. “Oh?”
“I realized he never told me which dorm was mine,” I said.
The boy didn’t need to know that I hadn’t actually been accepted into Hogwarts yet.
That would have been very suspicious.
“I see.”
A beat of silence passed between us.
“Then let me escort you. If any other Prefects find you alone, you likely will lose points.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
The Head Boy pulled out his wand and flicked his wrist slightly, a light appearing on the end of it.
My eyes widened. I hadn’t heard him cast ‘lumos’.
The boy gestured and began walking.
I fell into place beside him, increasing the speed of my steps to keep up with his longer strides.
We walked in silence for a few minutes before the boy broke it.
“Why have you transferred to Hogwarts so late in your wizarding career,” he questioned.
“I have a job to do,” I replied without thinking. My eyes widened as soon as the words were out of my mouth.
He turned to look down at me, regarding me curiously. “What is the nature of your job?”
I floundered for a realistic response. “My parents just thought that the school I was previously at wasn’t preparing me well enough for a career.”
“A career?” The boy was silent for a moment. “Most witches your age hope for marriage out of school. There are few who wish to work.”
“Well…” I pursed my lips. “I guess I’m one of the few.”
The boy hummed. “We’re here,” he said. He turned to look at the gargoyle. “Strawberries.”
The gargoyle spun, revealing the staircase.
I looked over at the Slytherin. “Thank you.”
“I’ll wait until you’re done.”
“That’s really not necessary-”
He smirked. “So you keep saying. But as I said, if you want to avoid losing points, I will need to accompany you.”
I looked at him for a few moments before nodding, heading up the stairs. Once at the top I looked around, noting that the office was very similar to Dumbledore’s. “Headmaster Dippet,” I called out.
A man with long white hair and a short white beard and mustache emerged from behind a pile of books. His eyebrows furrowed. “Yes?”
“My name is King, sir,” I said. “I was transferred to Hogwarts today.”
The Headmaster sat down at his desk. “It is very late in the day to be transferring, Miss King.”
I swallowed nervously. “It was a late decision, sir.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Very well.” Pulling out a quill and parchment, he asked “what are your parents’ names, dear?”
I froze, trying to remember the names of my great grandparents. “Edward and Dorothy King, sir.”
He nodded, writing the names down. “What school did you transfer from?”
I listed the first school that came to mind. “Beauxbatons, sir.”
He nodded again, writing some more. “That’s a good school. Why did you transfer?”
I fisted my robe sleeves as my leg began to bounce. “My parents thought I would be more suited here.”
He looked up at me, saying nothing.
I pursed my lips. “Professor?”
Reaching into his desk, he pulled out more papers. “I see you have already been sorted into Gryffindor…”
“Professor Dumbledore, sir,” I said. “He saw me earlier…”
The headmaster hummed. “He made no mention of it to me.”
“Probably just an oversight, sir,” I said quickly, beginning to sweat.
Merlin, who knew trying not to be caught in time travel would be so difficult?
“Probably. Very well, Miss King.” He reached over his desk, handing me a piece of paper. “This is your dormitory room.” He stepped around the desk, leading me back down the stairs. “I will show you to the Common Room-”
“There’s no need for that, Headmaster.”
We both turned to the voice, seeing the Head Boy standing right where I had left him: in the middle of the hallway.
“I already volunteered to take Miss King back.”
“Ah, Mister Riddle,” Dippet said, clearly pleased. “Excellent.”
My eyes widened and I nearly choked on my own saliva. All the blood drained from my face and my heart began to beat erratically in my chest.
Dippet placed his hand on my back and shoved me gently towards the tall boy.
I simply stared up at him, at a complete loss for words.
There was no way-
“Hurry along, Mister Riddle,” Dippet encouraged. “I’m sure Miss King would like to go to bed at a reasonable hour,” he said, smiling before turning back towards his office.
“Goodnight, Headmaster,” the boy- Riddle- said.
“Goodnight, children.”
Once the gargoyle closed, the boy looked down to meet my gaze.
I didn’t think I had moved in the last two minutes.
Let alone breathed.
“Are you ready, Miss King?”
I finally blinked. “Riddle?”
He stared at me, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. “Yes.”
I opened my mouth again, my voice wavering. “Tom Riddle?”
His eyebrows furrowed further. “Yes.” He looked at me curiously. “Why?”
“I…” I trailed off.
What was there to say?
The silence stretched on and he narrowed his eyes at me.
I blinked at him.
His eyes widened and he leaned back slightly, standing up taller than he had been before. “You’re the hero, huh? I guess that makes me the villain.” He lowered his head, stepping further into my space.
I took an instinctive step backwards. “You should already know you’re the villain,” I muttered, amazed that I was able to speak, let alone say something so bold in my current state.
“You’ve come to kill me,” he whispered. “Tell me…where…exactly…are you from?”
I took another step back.
“If you don’t tell me, I can still get the information,” he insisted darkly.
“Stay out of my head,” I warned, with more strength than I felt.
“Everything alright here?”
Tom and I turned towards the voice, seeing two Prefects standing in the hallway.
Tom turned his body mostly towards them, moving away from my space and returning to his full height. “I was escorting Miss King back to her Common Room. She just got her dormitory direction from Headmaster Dippet,” he explained casually.
My eyes widened in horror at the speed in which he effortlessly swapped personalities.
“Very well,” one of the Prefects said.
“Enjoy your trip,” the other said with a wave as they walked away to continue their routes.
When they were out of sight I broke into a full sprint down the hallway.
I had no plan. My body was moving purely on instinct.
Where could I go that would be safe?
I didn’t have time to think.
He could easily catch up.
Running through the halls, I turned a corner and was promptly whipped backwards. I fell into a chest, trying to rip my arm free of the hand that held it.
Tom’s long fingers and firm hold were making it difficult to break his grip.
“Let go of me!”
Tom lowered his head. “Be quiet.”
“No!” I went to reach for my wand, but Tom’s other hand shot forward, fingers wrapping around my wrist and keeping both of my arms in his hold. I struggled against him, but it was no use.
“Why are you here to kill me,” Tom demanded.
I continued pulling against him.
“Answer me, witch!” His eyes flashed red, his face contorting into one of anger.
I froze, chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. My wrists hurt and my body was tired from fighting against his hold. “Because you’re a monster,” I spat. “Because in my time you’ve killed countless people,” I panted, glaring up at him. “Because I have to stop you.”
Tom said nothing for several moments, studying me closely.
I defiantly met his eyes, knowing he could use Legilimency if he wished. He already knew half of it, anyway.
“Am I the most powerful wizard in your time?”
I glared. “No.”
“Who is,” he demanded, his hold on my wrists tightening.
I lifted my chin, looking at him proudly. “Dumbledore.”
Rage flashed across Tom’s face. “Impossible.”
“It isn’t.” I stared at him, unwavering, even though I felt like my heart was being squeezed. “You’re going to lose…Voldemort.”
He stared at me, his chest rising and falling harder and faster than it had been.
Then he smirked, an aura of confidence washing over him.
“If I am truly going to lose, why did you come back in time to stop me?”
“To try to reduce the number of deaths,” I half-bluffed. “Just because you get defeated in my time doesn’t mean we should let you get away with all those murders.” I glared at him. “I know I’m too late to prevent the deaths of Myrtle, some of the other students around here, and even others, but what I can try to stop, I will.”
“So you’ve come to kill me.” Tom raised an eyebrow. “Did you really think you would be able to?”
“That wasn’t my mission.” My eyes narrowed at him. “It was just the one I chose.” Reeling my leg back, I swung it forward, kicking him in the shin.
He doubled over.
I kneed him in the nose.
He let out a yell as blood began to run down to his chin, his hands loosening enough in surprise that I managed to wiggle one of mine free.
Grabbing my wand as fast as possible, I aimed it at him. “Stupefy!”
He shot backwards, back colliding with the castle wall before he hit the ground.
Walking over and rolling him onto his back, I held my wand as his throat. I looked at him, his unconscious body laying on the floor.
Kill him. Do it.
My grip on my wand tightened. Foolishly, my eyes raked across his softened features.
Even as blood trickled from his nose, I couldn’t help but think the annoying thought that he was breathtaking.
The two sides of my brain fought each other.
Now’s your chance! It would be such a pity to destroy something so beautiful. Avenge all he’s done!
I ground my teeth together, hand shaking as I pointed my wand at him.
Save the world! Save your friends!
Don’t destroy him! Do what you were told to do!
End it!
Do the right thing!
Ending him is the right thing! Stop him from causing harm to others!
Murder is never right! Change him to become a better person!
You can’t change him! He’s too far gone!
You don’t know that!
I let out a yell, jerking my arm towards the wall alongside Riddle.
A flash of light emerged from my wand and struck the stone.
Parts of it crumbled, falling alongside the unconscious boy.
I stared down at him for a few moments, heaving breaths.
I had to go.
He could wake up at any moment.
Giving him one final glance I ran towards the Common Room and didn’t look back.
Announcing the password I rushed in, sprinting up to my dorm. Opening the door as quietly as I could, I sped in, hurrying onto my bed. I sat on it, hugging my knees to my chest as I stared at the door.
I couldn’t afford to sleep.
He might come for me.
~~~~~~~~
I shakily made my way to breakfast the next morning, creeping around every corner to make sure Tom wasn’t there. I sat down at the Gryffindor table, only a few students in the Great Hall this early. Having had no sleep, I decided I would at least get something to eat and try to work through my thoughts.
Now that I hadn’t killed Riddle, what was my next plan?
Should I try again to kill him? He would definitely be watching me, now. He knew that I knew.
Should I try to convert him? Easier said than done. He’s already committed crimes, and I already attacked him.
Merlin, what did I get myself into? Why didn’t I just kill him when I had the chance?
No, I scolded myself. You did the right thing.
Even if it was for selfish, and admittedly, stupid reasons.
Alright. Tom Riddle was alive. I allowed Voldemort to live.
I could only hope I wouldn’t come to regret it.
In my time, the situation couldn’t get much worse anyway, so what the heck? Might as well see where this takes me.
I pushed the eggs on my plate around with my fork, being hungry and yet not possessing an appetite.
“Miss King.”
My head shot up, gaze locking onto a pair of green eyes.
“Riddle,” I greeted coldly, my throat tight. “How’s your nose?”
He glared as he sat down across from me. Ignoring my question, a smirk formed on his face as his gaze scanned me. “Did you sleep in your uniform, King?”
I frowned, mentally cursing myself for forgetting to cast a glamor charm. My clothes were quite wrinkled. “I didn’t sleep, actually.”
“Is that so?” A crooked grin formed on his face. “And why is that?”
I lifted my gaze to meet his eyes. “You’ve killed for less.” I left it at that, knowing he understood the subtext.
He hummed.
I raised an eyebrow. “Why are you here?”
“For information.”
I let go of my fork, letting it clatter slightly as it connected with my plate, and crossed my arms. “About what?”
“My future.” He inclined his head towards me slightly. “You.”
“There’s not much to tell.”
“Oh, I think there is.” He leaned forward, lowering his voice. “If you came to kill me, why did you not do so last night? I was unconscious…” he trailed off, sitting more upright. “You had the opportunity.”
I regarded him silently.
What was the best way to respond?
I was never very good at figuring out what to say in delicate matters like this.
It was made even worse by the fact that what I said could drastically impact the lives of countless people, myself included.
“I couldn’t,” I finally said.
Tom raised an inquisitive eyebrow and sat up even straighter.
He clearly had not been expecting that.
“And why not?”
I looked towards the doors of the Great Hall to avoid him using Legilimency on me again.
I did not want him using anything to his advantage.
“I somehow managed to convince myself that you were capable of saving.” I allowed myself to look back at him. “That you were worth saving.”
He stared at me silently, keeping his expression very guarded.
“You’re a very bright wizard, Tom,” I said. “Powerful, too. In the right place, you could do great things.”
“I will do great things,” he insisted.
“You will do impressive things,” I corrected. “But they will be evil.” I sat up straighter. “For your own selfish end.”
His eyes briefly flashed red and I saw his face twitch as he tried to control his expression. “It’s natural for me to look out for my own interest,” he said, voice slightly tense.
“At the cost of everyone else?” I rolled my eyes. “How typically Slytherin.”
His eyes narrowed. “And I suppose it’s very Gryffindor to run headfirst into something without actually planning it out.” He scoffed. “Is it also a Gryffindor trait to retreat out of their task so foolishly when their opponent was helpless before them?”
I felt my anger boiling up. “I spared your life!” I whisper-yelled, conscious enough of the few other students in the room. “The noble thing to do.”
“Because you are so focused on being noble, aren’t you?”
“I don’t send giant snakes to do my killing for me, you miserable boy,” I hissed.
“They weren’t worth my time.”
I slammed my hands on the table, pushing myself to my feet in a hurry as I glared daggers down at him. “I should have done the job!”
Riddle stood as well, towering over me as he snarled back. “If you had any brains, you would have!”
The room fell completely silent.
My chest took in air at an irregular rate, and I noticed Riddle’s breathing was also unusual.
We refused to look away from each other.
“Your ‘perfect boy’ image is slipping, Riddle,” I whispered, raising my eyebrow challengingly. “Tread lightly.”
“I was about to give you the same warning.” His eyes narrowed and he leaned closer. “You do not want to make an enemy of me, King.”
I met his eyes, a determination and fury flowing through me. “You were my enemy before I got here.”
Tom’s jaw clenched.
The doors to the Great Hall opened, students beginning to flood in.
Riddle cast me one last glance before turning and making his way over to the Slytherin table.
I let out a relieved breath, plopping back down on the bench. I watched Tom as he sat down, being joined by his housemates.
They all talked animatedly around him, but Tom seemed…distracted.
“Hello, King.”
I turned, seeing Margaret and Joan. “Good morning.” The words sounded tense, bordering on rude, to my own ears.
Margaret followed my previous line of sight. “Looking at the Head Boy again?” A teasing smile formed on her face.
I crossed my arms, scowling. “I resent that.”
“Hopefully she’s studying the enemy.” Joan turned to me. “You had better be coming up with ways to win the House Cup this year,” she remarked. “Slytherin’s won the past several years because of that boy,” she said, nodding towards Tom. “Everyone loves him.”
I looked back over towards the dark haired boy. “How... lovely,” I sneered.
The girls shared a look.
“Did you manage to find your dormitory alright,” Margaret asked. “We never saw you.”
The blood began draining from my face as the memories from last night came back. “Yeah. It’s not with you two, though. By the time I got back from Headmaster Dippet’s office, everyone was already in bed, and I got up early.”
At the sound of a few claps I turned my head to the right to see the Headmaster trying to get everyone’s attention.
I thanked Merlin for the distraction.
“Good morning, students,” he greeted. “Normally I don’t want to interrupt your breakfast, but I believe some point adjustments need to be made.”
My eyebrows furrowed.
“Last night one of the Prefects found Tom Riddle with some injuries,” he began.
All of the color drained from my face and my blood ran cold.
“Our Head Boy was walking back our newest student,” he gestured at me, announcing my name.
I felt faint as all eyes turned to me.
“Riddle has brought it to my attention that when he was walking Miss King back to her Common Room, a troll attacked them, injuring Tom and breaking the wall.”
I was certain the astonishment on my face was evident. Eyes wide and eyebrows to my hairline, I stared at the Headmaster in bewilderment.
“The Head Boy is certain that Miss King chased the troll out of the school while he was indisposed, saving everyone.” Dippet smiled. “For her bravery on her first evening at Hogwarts, saving the Head Boy and the rest of the school, I award Miss King with fifty points.” He began clapping, everyone else following his lead.
I whipped my head around to look at Riddle, the only one besides myself not clapping, meeting his eyes in confusion.
“I needed to give them some reason for my state you so rudely put me in,” a voice in my head said.
The voice was proper, smooth, yet stern, and so clearly Riddle’s.
I ignored the clapping, keeping my focus on the Slytherin. Why didn’t you tell them the truth?
“If I had told them the truth, I would have had to tell them why you attacked me, wouldn’t I? I could have lied, saying you simply lost your temper or felt that I threatened you, but questions about me would arise, wondering what I would have done to warrant such a response from you.” Tom sat up straighter in his seat, arching an eyebrow as he kept his eyes locked onto mine. “You pose no threat to me. You can’t tell anyone what you know without sounding like a deranged lunatic, especially after being here for only a day.”
I struggled to think of an appropriate response.
A hand on my back and a voice right by my ear had my head turning to my left, seeing Joan and Margaret smiling at me.
The connection between Riddle was broken, a sharp twinge in my head causing me to wince slightly.
“Why did you not tell us?” Margaret asked excitedly.
“I…” I trailed off. Looking down at my plate I hesitantly lifted a forkful of eggs into my mouth to buy me some time while I thought. I forced down a gag at the unwanted food. “I didn’t think it was important information,” I offered weakly with a shrug.
“It’s most definitely important,” Margaret insisted. “You saved the Head Boy.”
I grimaced at the thought, looking back down at my plate.
“The entire school,” Joan corrected, eyeing her friend.
Margaret looked over to the dark haired girl. “Well, obviously, but the Head Boy was more immediate.”
I lifted my gaze, keeping my head down, to look at the Slytherin table.
Tom was staring in silence at his own plate. Unlike my shuffling of the food on mine, he simply looked down at his, his arms crossed and resting on the table.
What was he thinking about?
Was he thinking of killing me? Would he decide to kill Dumbledore, since I told him that he was the most powerful wizard in my time? Was he plotting a murder of someone else? Was he actually thinking of changing?
I put my elbow on the table, holding my forehead in my hand.
Merlin, this was too much.
“Are you well, King?”
I turned to the girls. “Just a headache,” I excused.
Technically, one was beginning to form at the number of questions and stress of it all.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Margaret said.
“Hopefully it goes away soon,” Joan remarked. “Potions will be starting in only a little while.”
I groaned. Here I was, supposed to save the Wizarding World, needing to attend class.
As if I needed more problems in my life right now.
Rubbing my forehead, I sat back up and ate a little more.
Did I want it? No.
Was I going to regret not eating? Yes.
Managing to get through half of my breakfast, I stood with everyone, making our way to Potions. As I took my seat, accepting Joan’s book, I made a mental note to buy some textbooks since, apparently, I would be here for a while. Flipping to the page we left on last time, I went to pull out some paper to take notes on, but paused.
I mentally added parchment to my shopping list.
The noise in the room got louder as more students filed in, taking their seats.
At the sense of someone sitting beside me, I turned, eyes widening at the figure there.
Oh, yeah.
I had been so concerned about avoiding Tom Riddle’s possibly murderous intentions I had forgotten that he sat next to me in Potions.
Though, I did recall that he didn’t have to.
“Miss King,” he greeted, passing me more parchment as he kept his eyes toward the front of the class. His gaze remained there, even as he asked “do you still have the quill I gave you?” He finally turned to look at me.
I nodded.
He turned his attention to Professor Slughorn as the man began writing on the board.
My eyebrows furrowed. I leaned towards him slightly. “What are you doing?”
He glanced at me. “Preparing for class.”
I rolled my eyes. “I meant sitting here.”
He smirked. “Only to keep up pretenses, Miss King,” he insisted quietly. “It casts a good image for the Head Boy to assist the newest student.”
I scoffed, sitting upright again and turning back to my own book. My eyes roamed the page, pretending to be interested in the words. “Everything’s all about pretenses with you,” I mumbled.
I didn’t bother looking at his reaction.
~~~~~~~~~
I made my way into Hogsmeade, treading the streets slowly.
Merlin, I really had no idea where I was.
The shops all looked so different from my time.
My heart tugged slightly and I frowned.
My time.
How long was I going to be in this cursed place?
However long it takes to do something about Voldemort, I reasoned with myself.
Letting out a huff, I kept walking, peeking my head into shops to see what they were.
“Looking for something, hero?”
I turned at the sound of the voice, seeing a blond standing on the sidewalk.
Tom Riddle stood slightly in front of him, towering above the boy.
The blond smirked at me.
My eyebrows furrowed, my questioning gaze unintentionally shifting towards Riddle.
Tom nodded his head towards the boy. “This is Avery. He’s one of my friends.”
I gave him a disbelieving look, cocking an eyebrow.
Tom lifted his head slightly, tilting his chin up a little in defiance.
I turned to look at Avery. “I’m not a hero.” I crossed my arms. “Whatever Riddle said, it’s not true.”
Avery raised an eyebrow at the accusation.
Tom’s expression remained stoic, but I could see his features harden slightly.
I sighed. “Look, could you just tell me where to purchase some parchment and textbooks?”
“You don’t know,” Avery asked incredulously.
“I’m not exactly from around here.” My eyes drifted to Tom before turning back to the blond.
Avery chuckled darkly. “You could just look around and find out for yourself. Get more acquainted, you know.”
“That’s what I was doing before you interrupted,” I retorted.
Tom nodded his head towards a store, clasping his hands behind his back. “I believe you’ll find your desired things in there, Miss King.”
“My desired things, huh?” I scoffed, beginning to walk towards the building. “I doubt it.”
~~~~~~~~~
I sat in the library, scratching my head as I stared down at my Transfiguration textbook. I wasn’t focusing on the words, though.
I was trying to figure out how to get through to Riddle.
I didn’t want to seek him out, but I had to do something. I couldn’t just wait around for things to happen on their own.
But how does one get through to a psychopathic murderer?
“You’ve been staring at that same page for ages.”
It took a few moments for me to realize that I was the one being spoken to. Looking up, I locked eyes with my guest. My stomach caught in my throat. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business, Riddle,” I muttered, looking back down at my book.
He sat down across from me. “I understand; Professor Dumbledore is such a dull teacher.”
I lifted my head to look at him, a glare crossing my features. “Professor Dumbledore is an excellent teacher. He’s an excellent mentor and an excellent man.”
Tom sneered. “I would have sooner compared him to a vulture. He’s always watching me.”
“Gee,” I deadpanned at him, “I wonder why that is.”
His eyebrow twitched upwards; in challenge or annoyance, I couldn’t tell. “There’s no evidence of anything I’ve done.”
“Maybe you just seem evil to him.” I crossed my arms. “He’s a good judge of character.”
Tom smirked at me. “Unlike yourself.”
I looked at him in silence for a few moments. “I can judge someone’s character.”
“Perhaps, but you must not be very good at it.” He pulled out a book, flipping to a random page to feign studying. “You left the Dark Lord alive, remember?”
A pang of guilt and rage rushed through me. “I told you why.”
“But I don’t believe it.” He lifted his head to look at me. “Gryffindors are noble, but they’re also headstrong. If they make up their mind to do something, it takes a lot to get them to change their mind. And what could be more noble than avenging the deaths of so many?” He leaned forward. “So. What made you change your mind?”
“You’re so smart.” I leaned forward in my own seat, narrowing my eyes at him. “Figure it out.”
Tom stared at me for a few moments before letting out an incredulous chuckle and sitting upright. “Surely you wouldn’t let something as mundane as physical attraction sway you.”
My face broke into a harsh heat and I leaned back in my seat. Having no response, I simply scoffed and averted my attention to another student searching the shelves for a book.
Tom continued to stare at me in silence.
I could feel my face getting warmer at the attention.
The awkward prolonged quiet wasn’t helping, either.
I took a deep breath, trying to fight off the sweat that had formed a thin layer over my skin. I practically willed my cheeks to lose some of their red color.
Merlin, they rivaled a Weasley’s hair.
Turning my glare towards the Slytherin sitting across from me, I crossed my arms. “You didn’t kill me, either.” I nodded my chin towards him. “I know your secret. I’m a threat to your cause. I could expose you for what you really are.”
“You can’t expose me, remember? No one would believe you.”
“Dumbledore would.”
His confident smirk was replaced by a frown, his eyebrows pulling together. His form tensed, sitting more rigid than before. He looked to the side. “Dumbledore is a fool.” He met my eyes again. “He can’t do anything to me.”
“So you keep saying. But I’m not convinced.”
Tom’s eyes narrowed at me. “Are you trying to get me to kill you?”
“No.” I shrugged one shoulder. “Just trying to figure you out. You said you were keeping me alive for information.”
“A true statement.”
I leaned forward. “Then use Legilimency. Read my mind and find out all you want to know. Then you would have no reason to keep me alive,” I challenged.
Tom’s eyes shifted between my own. “It’s too easy.”
I rolled my eyes, sitting upright again. “Sorry, I didn’t know that taking over the world was a sport to you.”
He regarded me silently.
When the silence stretched on, I looked back down at my textbook. “What are you doing here, anyway? Are you following me or something?”
“Don’t be absurd.”
I glanced up at him before returning my attention to the page in front of me. After rereading the same sentence eight times I huffed, closing the book and staring in annoyance at the cover.
Transfiguration: Third edition.
I chewed on my lip before stuffing the book in my bag and standing, marching out of the library.
~~~~~~~~~
I steeled myself, knocking on the door.
“Come in,” a voice from inside called.
Pushing open the wooden door, I stepped into the office. “Professor Dumbledore?”
“Ah, Miss King.” A small smile appeared on the man’s face.
Merlin, I almost cried at the sight of it.
“Please,” he gestured, “have a seat.”
“Thank you, Professor.” I sat down in the chair facing his desk.
“What can I do for you?”
“Professor, I was wondering…” My leg began to bounce. “I was wondering what you could tell me about… about Tom Riddle.”
Dumbledore’s eyebrows rose. “What would you like to know about Tom?”
“Anything useful.”
Dumbledore cocked an eyebrow at me.
My leg bouncing increased speed. Surely, I could tell Dumbledore what was going on? In my time he was dead anyway, so it wouldn’t have an impact later?
It was flimsy logic, but it was all I had.
I huffed. “Professor, I’m from the future. I was sent back from the year 1998.” Reaching into my robe, I pulled out the time turner to show him.
His expression remained mostly impassive as he simply looked at the object before lifting his gaze to me. “All but two time turners in the world only take the wearer back at a maximum of five hours.”
“This one was altered by the person who sent me back,” I explained, trying to be as vague as possible.
He didn’t need to know everything.
I fisted my altered uniform roughly, twisting the fabric in my hands. “Professor, I was sent here to change the past. To save everyone that Riddle kills. But I’m not a hero.” I let out a humorless chuckle. “I’m starting to wonder if I’m even a Gryffindor.”
“Why would you not belong in Gryffindor?”
I lifted my eyes to meet his. “I had the opportunity to kill Tom Riddle, before his acts got too carried away…but I didn’t. I cowered out of it.”
Dumbledore hummed. “Oftentimes, killing is the easy solution. Especially if Tom becomes as bad as you say. It is simple to end someone that would cause so much harm.” He looked at me meaningfully, with a warm smile and a kind look in his eyes. “Sometimes it takes more bravery to spare a life.”
I bit back tears and nodded. I cleared my throat. “What should I do, Professor? How do I change a killer?” I moved in my seat, sitting on the edge of the chair. “How can I get through to him?”
“I do not know everything about Mister Riddle,” Dumbledore informed. “He grew up in an orphanage. His mother died when he was very young. His father abandoned him.” Dumbledore clasped his hands, resting them on the desk. “There must be a reason that you specifically were sent here, Miss King. Use your judgment. Find your own way.”
I sighed, looking down and nodded. “Thank you, Professor.” I stood and exited the office.
My own way, huh?
~~~~~~~~~
What the frick was my way?
I briefly considered the option of holding my wand to his throat, demanding he fix his mistakes or I’d kill him, but I quickly reasoned that wouldn’t work.
No matter how much I wished it did.
I had been in 1945 for a few weeks, but it felt like I had been here for a number of months.
And I was making no progress.
My grades weren’t even very good, since I had other things on my mind. I had never been a good multitasker.
Merlin, I was seriously doubting Professor McGonagall’s choice in sending me back.
I had no idea what I was doing.
Alright, then. I’d wing it.
I stood from the chair in the Common Room, making my way to the door.
“Curfew starts soon, King,” Joan warned, looking up from her book.
“I know.” Without looking back, I pushed the portrait open and closed it behind me, making my way to the dungeon.
I never liked the dark, and this part of the castle seemed to soak it all up. Thankfully, I could still see. Reaching the door to the Slytherin Common Room I paused.
I didn’t know the password.
And with curfew starting soon, Riddle might not have even been in the Common Room.
I chewed my lip.
Thankfully, the door swung open on its own.
I froze as a figure walked out, not sure if I should be relieved or not. “Avery,” I greeted.
The blond looked up at me, his steps halting. “Hero?” He raised a judgmental eyebrow. “What are you doing at the Slytherin Common Room?”
“Looking for Riddle.”
Avery watched me for a few moments. “He’s inside. He’ll be starting to patrol soon.”
“Can you get him? I need to talk to him.”
Avery thought for a few moments before retreating into his Common Room. He emerged shortly after, Riddle in tow.
Avery walked down the hallway, doing whatever it was he was going to do before he saw me.
Tom closed the door behind him, looking down at me in a manner similar to Avery’s.
It was different, though.
Tom was studying me. Trying to figure me out.
He raised a silent, questioning eyebrow at me.
I suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable in my own skin.
I cleared my throat. “Can we talk?”
His other eyebrow rose in surprise. “I’m going to begin my rounds soon-”
“I know; Avery told me.” I looked up at him. “But I need to either sort this out or go home.”
Tom’s expression shifted ever so slightly. “You would go home? Even if your goal was unaccomplished?”
I shrugged one shoulder. “If I can’t do what I was sent to do, there’s no point in hanging around a time that isn’t mine, is there?”
Tom regarded me silently for a few moments. “No. No, I suppose not.”
I gestured at him. “Especially with you graduating soon, I’m going to lose a lot of contact with you.” I cracked a small smile. “Unless I apply for a job at the same place.” I tilted my head, my smile growing. “But I kind of doubt I’d get it, since I would only have about two months of proof of my existence, so…”
The corners of Tom’s mouth raised slightly. He nodded, looking down the hallway. His gaze drifted back to meet my eyes. “Walk with me.”
I fell into step beside him, needing to jog a little initially to catch up to his long paces. Once I settled into a rhythm that would keep me next to him, I relaxed, turning to look up at his side profile. “Do you like being the Head Boy?”
He turned his head to look at me, a confused expression overtaking his features. “What?”
“You heard me.”
He raised an eyebrow, looking forward again as he turned corners without much thought.
I figured he must have memorized his paths at this point.
“It gives me power, but also responsibility.”
“So, yes and no?”
He looked down at me. “Did you come to talk to me about something as dull as this?”
I shrugged, turning my attention forward as we rounded another corner. “I just wanted to talk to you about anything.”
He kept his expression guarded. “Trying to discover my weaknesses?”
I frowned as I thought for a moment. “Not really.” I looked up at him. “I don’t think your feelings on your Head Boy duties are particularly useful insights into the darkest parts of your mind,” I admitted.
His eyes flickered down to me very briefly before looking ahead again. “Was there anything else?”
I pursed my lips. “I didn’t really have anything in mind.” I looked back towards him. “Just…tell me about yourself.”
A skeptical look overtook Tom’s features as he continued to stare ahead, resolutely not looking at me. “You’re trying to get me to reveal something.”
I could see it behind his eyes, though.
Vulnerability.
“Tom…” I sighed, looking up at him.
He finally looked down at me.
I frowned. “You’re far too cynical. Is it so hard to believe I just want to get to know you?”
Tom raised an eyebrow. “You did try to kill me.”
“And I haven’t for almost a month now,” I reminded.
Tom’s eyes shifted to the floor for a few beats before he looked forward again. “I still don’t trust you.”
“Nor I, you.”
~~~~~~~~~
I tugged at my hair, looking down at my Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook.
“Is something wrong, King?”
I looked up, seeing Tom sit across from me. “My grades are slipping because I’ve been a little…preoccupied.” Pursing my lips, I let out a small huff. “And Defense Against the Dark Arts was never one of my strong suits,” I remarked, gaze returning to my book.
“Well, fortunately it’s my best subject.” Tom stood, moving around the table to sit next to me.
I felt heat creep up my neck at the proximity.
He placed his hands on the table, his robe sleeve brushing mine, looking over at the pages I had flipped open. “What have you been struggling with?”
Merlin, how was anyone supposed to think with Tom that close, let alone focus.
“Uhhh.”
Tom looked down at me, his green eyes peering into mine.
My breathing picked up, chest rising and falling at a faster rate. I studied his face for a few moments, gaze dropping briefly to his lips before quickly averting my eyes to stare down at the textbook.
King, what do you think you’re doing!? Pull yourself together!
I forcibly cleared my throat. “Uhhh,” I repeated, my voice even weaker than it had been. I let out a strained chuckle, holding my head in my hand. “Merlin, Tom.”
“Are you alright, King?”
I looked over at him, only to turn even redder at seeing the smirk on his face.
“Should I take you to the healer?” His eyebrows quirked upward almost mockingly. His features shifted, feigning concern. “I don’t believe that shade of red is normal. Or healthy.”
I glared, the expression holding no actual anger, and swatted him in the arm, looking back to my book. “I hate you.”
He let out a breathy chuckle before pulling the textbook closer to him so he could see it better. Gesturing at it, he looked back at me. “What’s confusing you?”
An affectionate smile graced my features.
I didn’t even have the thought to gasp in horror at the action.
~~~~~~~~
“No, that’s purely a defensive spell.”
I furrowed my eyebrows, scratching down a note as I took a bite of toast.
Tom sat next to me, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.
“I think some of these spells should be more versatile,” I muttered, finishing writing and sitting upright.
“Unfortunately, we cannot decide.”
I looked up at Tom. “Bummer, really.” I huffed out a sigh. “I guess we just have to focus on what we can control.”
Tom’s gaze dropped slightly.
I could practically see the gears turning in his head.
“Indeed,” he said.
I blinked at him for a few moments before pointing at a sentence in my book. “But, does-”
The sound of the doors in the Great Hall opening brought my attention to them.
I sighed as students flowed in. Looking back to Tom, I frowned. “I wish there was somewhere private we could meet. We aren’t in the same house, so we can’t even both be in the same Common Room.”
Tom hummed. “The library is only available for certain hours, as well.”
I nodded, pursing my lips. “I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” Closing my book, I looked back at Tom as I put the textbook back in my bag. “Thanks for all your help.”
Tom chuckled briefly. “It’s a wonder you made it to seventh year in your time.” He stood from the Gryffindor table, looking down at me. “I can only assume that magic has gotten even more complex in future decades.”
“The style of writing is different.” I sent him a crooked grin. “Less pompous, if you ask me.”
He scoffed. “Less professional, you mean.” He turned around, returning to the Slytherin table.
I smiled at his back for a few moments before returning to my breakfast.
“How are you, King?”
I looked up, seeing Margaret sit across from me. “I’m doing well, how about you?”
She smiled. “I’m ready for the day. Our finals are in only a few weeks, but I feel prepared.”
Groaning, I put my head in my hand. “Don’t remind me. This Defense Against the Dark Arts stuff is killing me.”
“You seem to be doing better in class,” she remarked, pouring herself a cup of pumpkin juice.
I smiled softly, the image of Tom Riddle appearing in my head. Clearing my throat, I looked up at the Gryffindor. “It’s a miracle, Margaret.”
~~~~~~~~~
“I’m ready to go to sleep,” Joan remarked, heading back to the Common Room for the evening.
“It has been a long day,” Margaret agreed, readjusting her grip on the books she held to her chest.
“I’ll probably be up for a little bit,” I admitted, running a hand through my hair with a huff. “I need to do more studying.”
“Miss King.”
The three of us turned to the voice.
I involuntarily smiled at the sight of the Slytherin. Nodding in greeting, I managed to wipe most of the smile away. “Mister Riddle.”
My housemates were looking between us suspiciously.
Tom turned to the two girls. “May I borrow her?”
They exchanged glances before nodding at the Head Boy.
Tom smiled. “Wonderful.”
I looked at the girls and waved. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
They waved back before continuing to head towards the Common Room.
I turned back to Tom, raising an eyebrow and smirking slightly. “Borrow me?”
He smirked back. “It worked, didn’t it?”
I shook my head, chuckling. “What did you need?”
“I wanted to show you something.” He gestured for me to follow him, which I swiftly did.
I didn’t even realize I no longer had trouble trying to match his pace.
“I found somewhere I think we could meet,” he said just quietly enough so that no one but me could hear. “I had read something about it and began to research.” He turned a corner, stopping in front of a wall. He stared up at it. “It’s called ‘The Room of Requirement’.”
My eyes widened.
Of course!
“Brilliant, Tom.” I turned, seeing the familiar door begin forming on the once-blank wall.
Once the door had fully appeared, I walked forward, opening the door and stepping inside.
I paused, looking around.
“Is something wrong?”
My gaze raked the room. “It’s just different from my time.” I chuckled, observing the couch and two chairs surrounding a small table.
A fireplace sat a few paces away, filling the room with warmth. A red rug covered the floor, a bookshelf in the corner of the room.
I chewed on my lip. “I suppose it’s for a different use, though.”
“What do you use the room for in your time?”
The voice was so close I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
I looked over my shoulder, seeing Tom standing behind me. My gaze raked his features. I forced my voice to remain steady. “Practicing spells.” I drew my gaze from him to look around the room again. “It’s usually much more open than this.”
Tom hummed before moving from behind me to stand by the small table. “I thought this would be a good place for us to study,” he remarked casually, running his hand along the back of a chair.
I watched the action before lifting my gaze to meet his eyes.
He met mine at the same time.
“It’s very cozy in here.” I walked towards him, sitting down on the couch. “I might do more sleeping in here than studying.”
Tom sat down next to me. “I will not let you sleep.” He looked over at me. “Not with the end of the semester so close.”
I huffed. “Right.” Sighing, I pulled my school bag off my shoulder, dropping it on the floor next to me as I pulled out my DADA book and set it on the table, turning to the right page. “Now… where were we?”
~~~~~~~~
“Correct.”
I sighed out in relief, leaning back against the familiar couch, running my hands along my face.
“You really are doing quite well,” Tom said from beside me.
I let out a short chuckle. “Only thanks to you.” I dropped my hands to my lap, looking over at the Slytherin. “There’s only one week left until exams.” I scooched forward on the couch so I could better reach the table, looking down at my textbook. “With all of this new information, my brain may explode.”
“I think that is unlikely.”
I chuckled as I turned to look at Tom, only to freeze, my breath catching in my throat.
He was looking down at me, a warm glint in his eyes. A beautiful glow was being cast on part of his face from the fire, contrasting the dim lighting of the rest of the room.
The sounds of the crackling embers filled my ears. The smell of wood flooded my nose.
A warmth overtook me as I looked between Tom’s green eyes.
My heart twinged.
I gasped slightly, looking away. My eyes wide, I held my head in my hands as I tried to calm my breathing.
This can’t be happening.
“King?”
I felt the couch shift as Tom leaned closer to me.
“Are you alright?”
I looked over at him, meeting his concerned eyes. I let out a tiny quiet, albeit strained, laugh. “I’m alright, Tom.” My gaze dropped to his lips, lingering there for far longer than I had intended, getting caught up in mentally tracing their shape.
I briefly wondered how they’d feel.
I groaned, falling sideways on the couch, my hair splayed out on the cushion. I hid my face in my hands.
What in Merlin’s name was wrong with me?
Sighing, I turned, lying on my back as I stared up at the ceiling.
He’s the Dark Lord, he’s the Dark Lord, he’s the Dark Lord, he-
I closed my eyes.
The Dark Lord would never help the woman sent back to kill him with her homework.
My eyes opened, seeing Tom looking down at me.
His face was contorted into one of confusion as his gaze raked my form before meeting my eyes again. He quirked an eyebrow.
I chuckled, sitting up again.
“Is everything okay?”
I smiled at the Slytherin. “Yeah.” My gaze drifted between his curious eyes. “It is.” Slowly, I reached my right hand up.
His gaze went to it, watching for a few moments, before his eyes returned to mine.
I carefully placed my hand on the side of his face.
He took in a sharp inhale, eyebrows pulling together and eyelids fluttering.
I gently rubbed my thumb over his cheek, reaching my left hand up and placing it on his shoulder.
He stared into my eyes with so much emotion I could barely stand it.
I leaned forward slowly, watching him intently for any indication of rejection.
He swallowed hard as I got closer.
When I was just a few inches from him, I met his eyes.
They were large, looking alarmed, but I didn’t find any dislike.
I slowly closed the gap, my eyes fluttering closed unintentionally the moment our lips met.
Merlin, his lips felt so perfect against mine.
My hand on his shoulder shifted, dragging across his back to cradle the back of his head. My fingers threaded through the hair, loving the softness.
A tug on my waist brought my attention to the weight of his hands on my hips.
I broke the kiss slowly, desperately needing air, and rested my forehead against his. I continued to play with his hair as I panted for breath, my eyes still closed, afraid that if I opened them the moment would be gone.
For the first time in a long while I could finally hear Tom’s breathing, nearly as ragged as mine.
I felt a gentle nudge against my lips and kissed back, my right hand taking place at the back of Tom’s head to replace my left hand, which had traveled down to Tom’s left shoulder. My arm laid completely across the back of his neck and shoulders, pulling him towards me with such force I fell backwards onto the couch, Tom following.
I opened my eyes as I pulled away, looking up at him.
He panted from above me, eyes drifting between my own.
Shifting my right hand, I brushed some of his fallen hair out of his eyes. “I think I love you,” I whispered.
His eyes widened and he froze, his breathing seeming to stop altogether.
But perhaps it did.
As much as my head screamed at me that this was Voldemort, the Dark Lord, the killer of dozens, it didn’t feel true.
I could never feel this way about Voldemort.
Tom Riddle was a different person. He shared the same anger issues, hurts, wishes for something better for himself, but he wasn’t so malicious.
“It’s okay,” I whispered, cradling his jaw again. “You don’t need to say it back if you don’t want to.”
Tom’s wide eyes searched my own, as if in disbelief of what he’d heard.
I chuckled, reaching both arms around his back and pulled him down, laying him on top of me.
He tried to use his forearms to support his weight, but I forced his entire body onto me, enjoying the fullness of his presence.
Letting out a content sigh, I wrapped my arms around him, rubbing his back. I turned my head, placing a kiss on his temple before we stilled, just listening to the sounds of our own breathing and the fire, feeling nothing but each other.
~~~~~~~~
Tom hadn’t spoken to me since yesterday.
While he normally would spend some time eating breakfast at my table before most of the students came in, he marched straight to the Slytherin table, an expression on his face that I had never seen on him before.
He didn’t look quite confused or angry, but he didn’t look happy or sad either.
The best guess I had was that he was trying to figure out what to do after our last…interaction.
To be fair, hearing those three dangerous words from someone not from your own time sent to kill you would probably send me for a loop.
I slowly ate supper, doing some thinking of my own.
I had caught him looking at me multiple times today, but that was hardly surprising, or even helpful in finding out what was going through his brain.
It was doing little to calm the anxiety that had seemed to settle in my stomach and reside there all day.
“King?”
I looked up, seeing Margaret and Joan looking at me expectantly. “Sorry, what?”
“What are your plans after you graduate?”
I let out a small chuckle at the irony, looking back down at the food on my plate. “I’m not sure.” My gaze lifted to find the Head Boy. “I guess that depends.”
Margaret caught it and she gasped, clasping her hands together. “Are you going to marry Tom Riddle!?”
My fork slipped out of my hand, clattering against the plate as my eyes widened. “Shhh!” I narrowed my eyes at her. “Merlin, Margaret, people can hear you.”
She grinned sheepishly. “Sorry.”
After a beat of silence, Joan looked over at me. “Well? Are you?”
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I don’t know.” My leg began to bounce and I brought my hand down, placing it on top of my knee in an effort to stop its movements. “I don’t know what we are.” I looked over at him. “I don’t know if we can.”
Can you marry someone from the past?
“We didn’t think you and Tom were that close,” Joan admitted carefully. “I know that you would often disappear, but we didn’t know why.”
“He’s helping me study for the upcoming exams,” I said, gaze dropping back to my plate.
“Is that all?”
I glanced over at Margaret. “I don’t know.” Putting my hands on the table, I stood. “I’m going for a walk. I’ll see you both later.” Stepping away from the table, I marched out of the Great Hall, not once looking back.
~~~~~~~~
I simply had to ask him.
Two days had gone by without anything from the famous Slytherin.
I sat at breakfast, trying to figure out when the best time to approach him was.
He didn’t even come into the Great Hall early like he usually did, instead coming in surrounded by his followers amongst the flood of other students.
“Attention, students,” Headmaster Dippet spoke. “Your final exams begin today and last throughout the week. To avoid cheating, only one house at a time will take their exams so that everyone can have their own desk.” His gaze raked across the tables. “Your schedules are posted on the classroom doors. Now,” he gestured, “enjoy your breakfast. And good luck.”
I ran a hand through my hair as he sat back down.
Alright. Approaching Tom before our exams was out of the question.
Maybe I could catch him in the hallway.
I then had the thought that talking to the most famous boy in school about our love life in the middle of a likely-busy hallway was not my best idea.
After class, perhaps?
He might have Head Boy duties, or something. He’d probably run off to his Common Room as soon as he could, anyway.
Merlin, this was giving me a headache.
Sighing in temporary defeat, I pulled out my textbook to begin studying for my first test.
Maybe focusing on something else would clear my head.
~~~~~~~~
By Friday I was determined to track this man down, even if it meant breaking into the Slytherin Common Room.
It had been a whole week since we had spent that evening in the Common Room.
Merlin, it just was my luck that the first person I broke down walls for, confessed my feelings to and was intimate with would be from fifty years ago, and it just would be Lord Voldemort- the man that I had been sent to kill- and of course he would avoid me at any possible cost afterwards.
You couldn’t write this stuff.
As soon as I handed in my test for grading- briefly noting that there was no way I did as well as I would have liked given my mental state- I sprinted out of the classroom as quickly as I could, making a beeline for the Slytherin Common Room.
If I had to wait there for hours, I would see Tom Riddle.
He couldn’t run forever.
And so, I waited.
Because it was Friday, the last day before graduation, there was only one exam today in order to give the teachers enough time to grade everything.
Tom wouldn’t be long.
I waited outside their door for two hours, at some point sitting down because my feet were beginning to hurt from standing on the stone floor. At the sound of voices, I looked up, rising to stand.
Tom, naturally, led the pack; taking up the front.
He looked away from one of his followers, eyes landing on their door before his gaze drifted to me.
I don’t think I had ever seen Tom Riddle look nervous before.
“King,” he addressed in a false sense of calm.
I could hear the slight waver in his voice.
Cocking an eyebrow, I resisted the urge to cross my arms. “Riddle,” I replied in a cold tone.
He let out a harsh, silent breath, glancing away briefly before meeting my eyes again. “What are you doing here?”
“Hunting for snakes.” I allowed my arms to cross. “They tend to hide when they get scared.” I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes. “You haven’t seen any, have you?”
Whispers broke out amongst the Slytherins behind Tom.
He looked over his shoulder, wordlessly silencing them with only an expression. Turning back to me, he faltered for a moment.
I had clearly caught him off guard.
He was getting sloppy.
I mentally patted myself on the back.
Surely if Tom was going to end up as Voldemort he would have kept alert, right?
At his prolonged silence I raised an expectant eyebrow.
“What’s the wait for?!” Someone from the back yelled.
I looked towards the back of the group before meeting Tom’s gaze again.
He huffed, rolling his eyes slightly. Looking back to me, he finally found his voice. “We were going to celebrate the end of the year…” he trailed off, hoping I would get the message.
If he thought I was going to succumb to his not-so-subtle hint to leave, he had another thing coming.
I scoffed. “You’re not.”
“We’re not?”
“You’re not.” I nodded my head towards the group behind the Head Boy. “They can do what they please.” I looked back to Tom. “But you owe me a conversation and some time.”
He watched me for a few moments.
I refused to back down.
Tom sighed, nodding. He gestured for the rest of his housemates to go in, quietly announcing the password.
When we were finally alone I remained silent, wanting him to crumble a little under the dread of what would come out of my mouth.
Frankly, I didn’t even know what I was going to say.
After a few moments he cleared his throat, drawing his shoulders back and holding his head high to stand to his full height. He looked at me, raising an eyebrow, but I could see the flicker of fear behind his eyes.
I waited a few beats before asking the first question. “Do you realize how horrible this week has been for me?” I scoffed. “Merlin, Tom, we graduate tomorrow- I worried I would never see you again.”
His gaze dropped to the floor.
I crossed my arms, suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious. “Look, if you regret it- if you regret me- then you should have just come out and say it.” I looked to the wall, terrified of meeting his eyes.
Silence stretched between us, feeling so suffocating I considered leaving to get some fresh air.
But I couldn’t. Not now. Not when I finally had him.
“I don’t.”
It was so quiet I barely heard him. I finally turned my head to face him, meeting his gaze. I eyed him, trying to find any indication of a lie. Finding none, I continued. “Why are you avoiding me?”
“I needed some time to think.”
I tried to swallow the lump that formed in my throat, but was unsuccessful. “And?” I managed to croak out.
He grew silent again.
If I didn’t know any better, I would say he was toying with me intentionally.
My eyebrows pulled together as I searched his eyes. “Tom?”
He took a deep breath. “I want you to stay.” He straightened his posture again. “I want you to stay with me.”
I swore my heart stopped.
Time seemed to halt around me.
I opened my mouth, trying to respond, but I found I had no idea what to say.
Did I want to stay with him? Could I stay in a time that wasn’t my own? Was he completely cured of his evil endeavors?
I blinked away my thoughts, squaring my shoulders. “And your…plans for the future?”
He went silent, though he held my gaze. “I never had anyone love me before,” he finally settled on saying. “I didn’t think I was capable of the feeling, myself.” He took in a large, shaky breath, but kept his eyes on mine. “I’m willing to give up my aspirations for you.” His eyebrows quirked up in vulnerability. “If you’ll have me.”
I was rendered completely and utterly speechless. All thoughts of an appropriate response fled my brain. I looked down, trying to think, when I caught sight of his hands at his sides. I lifted my head to meet his gaze. “And the Horcruxes?”
He grimaced. “I haven’t destroyed them, yet.” He lifted his hand to look at the ring that hugged his finger. “I’m not looking forward to it.”
“It’s going to hurt,” I confirmed, walking towards him to look at the ring. Reaching my hand out, I stroked the gem, making a mental note that he let me. I lifted my gaze to meet his eyes. “That’s what happens when you split your soul apart.”
He sighed, nodding.
I clapped my hand on his chest good-naturedly. “Be glad I caught you when you’ve only made two. I imagine it hurts worse with each split.”
Having nothing to say, he simply nodded again.
I chuckled, holding his large hand between both of mine. “So…” I grinned up at him, “you’ll get a good job because you’re so smart, I’ll get the best job I can, being in a different time and everything, and we’ll go from there.” I gently patted the top of his hand. “How does that sound?”
He smiled. “It’s a start.”
I chuckled, stepping completely into him and wrapping my arms around him.
His arms came around me, settling on my low back.
I let out a small laugh. “How on earth did I do this?”
Tom pulled away slightly to look down at me. “Do what?”
“Tame the Dark Lord.” I chuckled. “I still don’t know what Professor McGonagall was thinking. I have no idea how this worked.”
Tom thought for a moment. “By being yourself, I suppose.”
I hummed. “Sounds flimsy.”
Tom huffed a chuckle and I grinned, looking up at him.
Reaching my right hand up, I once again cradled the side of his face.
He closed his eyes, leaning into it, before he opened them to look down at me.
We both leaned forward, meeting in the middle, and our lips connected, slotting into place.
My heart danced in my chest as I ran my hand through his hair before pulling away to look up at him. “I love you.”
He smiled down at me. “I love you, too.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/n: Holy moly, this is so long. 54 pages.
This was actually really hard to write. Trying to make Tom Riddle redeemable is easier said than done. I got stuck multiple times when writing this, trying to figure out how to best progress in a way that was realistic and moved the story and their relationship forward in a believable way. He's also so nuanced that I reworked a fair number of his lines to try to sound as much like him as possible.
I went back and edited some things multiple times because I noticed that I was writing King coming at the problem from a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff way, so I had to try to adjust it to make her more firmly Gryffindor. She still has moments of traits from other houses, but that's normal, so.
There's a couple things in the story that I didn't outright say, but wanted to share anyway:
-Tom WAS following King (in Hogsmeade, the library, etc.) to keep an eye on her, because she DID defeat him and could have killed him if she wanted. While he never admitted it, he did view her as a threat.
-Dippet's password being "strawberries" I made up/guessed, because Dumbledore had started a rumor that Dippet had planted strawberries on the castle grounds, likely meaning the Headmaster was fond of them.
-Doing some research, I found that Abraxas didn't actually go to school with Tom, but Avery was one of the few Death Eaters that were confirmed to.
-Tom reacting so strongly to physical affection just made sense to me. Especially growing up in an orphanage, that boy is definitely touch-starved.
-Tom avoiding King to think also seemed fitting, since he was new to love and he had to battle between a woman and all of the plans he had been crafting for years. I think it's realistic that he would have tried to give himself space and time to weigh his options, and even not wanting to seek her out to tell her.
-Tom didn't see an issue announcing the password to the Slytherin Common Room in front of King because it was the last school day, so she couldn't use it after they graduated, anyway.
Anywho. That was a lot. Hope you enjoyed. Make sure to let me know what you thought! I'm curious if you thought I did our dear Tom Riddle justice.
18!she/her, Mexican, taking requests!!@batmanssonsgf on instagram and tiktok
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