Goodbye To A Dying Character Starters

Under His Skin Masterlist

Pairing: Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow (Nolanverse Batman) x F Reader

Dr. Jonathan Crane begins his first day at Arkham Asylum, quietly observing Chief Administrator Dr. Ares Katsaros and his routines. He meets Ares’s fiancée--a woman who unsettles him with her calm composure and lack of fear. Fascinated, Crane begins planning Ares’s downfall while trying to deciding what to do with the woman attached to him.

Dark themes are ahead...

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4

Shifting attention to Cyno for some time, imagine Alhaitham using his S/O in a deal.

If Alhaitham needs information, I don’t think he’d hesitate to sell out the people around him. He doesn’t care about Cyno. Why should he care about S/O?

When Cyno’s partner goes missing, he thinks nothing of it for the first day (because they usually are doing something that takes about that long to complete). The second day has him combing through both Sumeru and the desert to find them. On the third day, he’s threatening to unalive Alhaitham.

When, if, he finds his partner, they’re barely clinging to life.

I’ll leave it up to your imagination if they live or not.

Yo, anon, hey, hey *grabs your shoulder* Why are you like this

x : MORE :*+ﾟ

in which: rin's not happy with your decision to sleep on the couch.

warnings: cliché lol, 1.1k, hurt/comfort, gn!reader, unedited + ooc!rin towards the end, a lot of metaphors but hey one cliché leads to another.

a/n: this is practice for me to a) get back into writing and b) remind u guys that i am still writing luls, enjoy!! reblogs r vv appreciated, but this quality is actually so ass.

“are you sure you want to sleep out here tonight?” rin’s voice asks from the hallway entrance, slight concern laced in his tone as he watches your backside set up on the couch, fidgeting with the pillows and blankets.

“yeah, i’m positive,” you answer, not turning around to look at him; something rin frowns at. 

“oh…” he mutters, leaning awkwardly on the wall as he scours his brain to try and find something to say. “really?”

“yes, really.”

“won’t you be uncomfortable?”

“i’ll be fine. it’s not that bad here.”

“if you’re sure.”

silence cuts the conversation with a cold knife, leaving the two of you in the suffocating quiet, one that stops rin from instigating further conversation despite how badly he wanted to continue. because if he shuts up then that means he has to leave, but he doesn’t want to leave you alone. he wants you to come to bed so the two of you can sleep peacefully together and not (what feels like) eons apart where he can’t hold you.

“are you going to go to bed? it’s getting late,” you ask, no hint of hostility at all in your tone as you shuffle under the covers, disappearing from rin’s view completely. 

he bites the inside of his cheek, disheartened at your eagerness to see him go. “oh, right. goodnight.”

he lingers for a second longer, waiting for a ‘goodnight’ back, or even better, an ‘i love you’, but neither comes and rin feels his chest contract. 

rin didn’t mean for the argument to escalate, he didn’t mean to sharpen his words and pierce you with them, he didn’t mean to hurt you to the point that you didn’t want to sleep beside him.

as he slowly makes his way to your shared bedroom, your absence on your side of the bed hits him even harder. it’s cold. it’s empty. it’s void. rin loathes it.

you’re not faring much better, replaying the argument in your head over and over again as the small, coffee table lamp illuminates the room with a warm yellow. each replay of the memory just twists the knife further and causes a new batch of tears to wet your eyes. 

you hate this. you hate feeling weary around rin, you hate feeling like you need to walk on egg shells around him from now on, you hate feeling like he doesn’t value you the same way you do with him, you hate these new revelations coming to your brain as you reflect on your relationship-

“you’re still awake?” a voice comes from the hallway.

leaning up onto your elbows, you blink in shock at the new figure making itself known. thanks to the lamp, you can see rin from where he stands, and you can see the confusion in his eyes.

“uh… yeah,” you say.

“why are you still up?”

“i was thinking. why are you still up?”

“i…” rin hesitates for a second, “i wanted to check up on you.”

your heart flutters at his shy confession. “i’m fine, thank you.”

“you sure?”

“yeah.”

“why, are you not fine?”

no, he’s not. he wants you to come back to bed, he wants you to reassure him that the two of you will still be okay, he wants you.

“no,” lies rin. “i’m okay.”

the soccer player regrets his words instantly. 

“that’s good. i’m gonna sleep now and you should too, you have a big day tomorrow.”

but rin can’t sleep. not without you beside him because otherwise, the bed is too vacant and too chilly and reminds him of the life he used to live too much.

and he’s scared that he’ll have to go back to living like that if you’re not there beside him, petrified that you’ll leave in the middle of the night because you’ve realised that he doesn’t deserve someone as good as you. 

instead of confessing that, the dark-haired merely sighs, the words lodging themselves in his throat. “okay. i’m off.”

you reach over to turn off the lamp, engulfing the room in darkness with a single click. “goodnight, rin.”

“i love you,” rin confesses, but it’s too quiet and too breathy for you to hear, so there’s no response. he hopes you know.

so, he retreats back into the barren wasteland that is your shared bedroom. he misses you. he reaches over to your side in hopes of being to feel some remnants of comfort.

30 minutes later, rin wakes again after weaving in and out of consciousness and he’s sick of it. it’s 1:10am and he only has five hours until he needs to get up. decisively, he throws the cover off of him and makes his way to the living room, intent on this trip being his last one. 

it’s dark in the living room and rin can’t find it in him to turn on a light and disturb your slumber, so after adjusting to the dark and mindlessly patting around, he eventually threads his arms underneath you. he lifts you up so effortlessly, driven by determination and love as he walks to familiar path back to your shared bedroom.

he settles you down gently and the last thing rin remembers before drifting off is the warming feeling of content as he pulls you into his arms. 

the following morning, you rouse to the sound of a blaring alarm; the one rin always uses because otherwise gentle alarms won’t coax him successfully. your lover shuffles beside you, shutting the clock off with a groan before wrapping an arm around you again, pulling you into his warmth.

wait.

you raise yourself up onto your elbows, dazed and confused. weren’t you meant to be on the couch?

“don’t go,” rin murmurs, snaking his arm up to wrap your shoulders instead, gently guiding you down to the mattress, “sleep.”

“how did i get here?” you ask and rin stiffens before pulling you in to his chest. “rin, i’m being serious.”

“you were always here.”

“don’t lie to me.”

“i’m not lying, so let’s sleep.”

you’re sick of his shit. “itoshi rin, i swear to-”

“i carried you back here, now shut up. i only have 10 minutes before i have to get up and get ready.” 

“i think i’ll go back to the couch, actually,” you say jokingly.

“not funny.”

“i think it’s plenty funny.”

he frowns, wrapping himself around you even tighter. you don’t hug him back, but you’re here and that’s all that matters to rin. you didn’t leave like he thought you would. 

“i’m sorry,” he whispers, “for last night. i didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“it’s okay, rin, we can talk about it later.” 

“we’re okay right?” 

“of course.”

“you… you won’t leave. right?”

“i would never. why would you think i would?” 

“just being stupid, i guess.”

“better you than me.”

he huffs, letting the conversation die to silence.

you speak up again, “i love you.” 

rin feels a weight lift off his shoulders. he can breathe again.

“i love you more.” 

© EARTHTOOZ 2023, do not steal, translate, repost my fics and do not recommend my fics onto any other site.

“ AUTUMN OF VERDANT MEMORIES ”

━━ ☆ PAIRING: kazuha/reader

━━ ☆ GENRE: angst

━━ ☆ SUMMARY: the seasons change with the passing of time and it does not pick favorites. when autumn comes, memories of summer’s delights fall just as much as the yellowed leaves do.

━━ ☆ WARNINGS: death, arguments

━━ ☆ OOGA BOOGA: reblogs are much appreciated!!

“kazuha,” the man in question blinks, turning his attention to the traveler who was approaching him with a concerned frown, “you’ve been staring out at the sea for quite some time now… are you okay?”

“ah, yes… thank you for your concern. i was just thinking about… things…”

the traveler didn’t miss the wistful tone he bore but he thought it’d be better not to question it. some things in this world were better off untold, if only out of respect for those who bore the weight of the tales. instead, they sat beside him on the ledge, muttering a quick thanks when kazuha scooted over to give them space.

“may i ask a question, friend?”

“a question, huh… go ahead…”

kazuha returns his gaze back to the unknown, “what’s your favorite season?”

Keep reading

linking that heizou playlist here again for you to dance to while reading <3 happy bday my sweet sweet love you deserve nothing less than the world ily ily ily

tagging: @souglias (tysm for the ending idea ily 😌) and heizou lovers!!!! @alatusxiaoo @almond-adeptus (please let me know if you dont want to be tagged hsdhask)

Inazuma City, Inazuma. (Now playing: Caramelo Duro)

The sound of heavy rain splattering against the ground greets you and Heizou when you two step out of Uyuu Restaurant, leaving the both of you stranded under the small shelter outside the restaurant. With the way you two looked at each other in surprise, hands empty and minds blank, it was clear that neither of you had expected this to happen.

If the rain were lighter, or if it looked like it was going to stop soon, perhaps it wouldn’t be that bad to run back home now. But clearly, it didn’t look like any of them, so for the next (at least) half an hour, you and Heizou would stay stranded and umbrella-less under the shelter.

You had a feeling that you were going to get kicked out soon, too. A few stray dogs and cats shared the same thoughts as you and the detective, along with a few Inazumans, leaving very limited space for you and Heizou. You could only expect the sacred space beneath this shelter to be more packed in a few minutes’ time, which meant that you and Heizou had to find new shelter to take refuge in soon.

What if there was no need for shelter? Staying healthy was overrated and the rain looked way too inviting— you only live once, anyway. Impulsively, you grab Heizou’s hand and jump out of the shelter. You hear him let out a yelp when the cold, harsh rain slaps his face and damps his hair, and you laugh.

“What the hell?” he scoffs, but the wide smile on his face is undeniable. “My Watson, we’re going to get sick, you’re going to get sick—” you, of course, don’t listen to him, and only pull him further into the open, where the winds are more unforgiving and the downpour is harsher. With how hard the water droplets hit your back, it nearly feels as though you’re being massaged.

“Chances like these are hard to come by,” With how heavy the rain is, you have to scream in order for him to hear you. “Why not walk in the rain while we’re free? It’s not like we have anywhere to rush to, anyway.”

Fortunately, the heavy rain doesn’t deter you from hearing his beautiful, lively laughter. He squeezes your hand and pulls you to him — you squeal when water droplets drip from his fringe onto your forehead — while intertwining your fingers.

“I suppose you’re right,” he giggles. He playfully stomps in the flooded walkway of Inazuma City, purposely splashing water onto your pants. You return the favour by kicking a huge wave of water onto his white shirt, and the gleam in his eyes that follows tells you that a war is about to begin.

Screaming, you run and try your best not to slip as Heizou chases after you, shouting curses and letting laughter out every now and then. His hand barely grazes the back of your blouse multiple times, but as an Anemo user, it doesn’t take long for him to finally get a hold of you. Curse his seemingly unlimited stamina.

“It seems like you’ve forgotten what I do for a living,” he laughs yet again as his wet arms tighten their hold around your waist. Drenched maroon hair sticks to your neck when he leans on your shoulder and you squirm around, jokingly telling him to get lost.

You only just notice that the rain has slightly subsided where you are (you realise that Heizou chasing after you can make you run really, really far). The puddles present are much lesser now, the rain is a lot lighter, and the sky has become lighter. The drizzle that lightly beats your face feels much more pleasant than being slapped by bullet-like raindrops.

However, running far away from Inazuma City where the rain is heavier comes with a cost; there are no shelters here, so you and Heizou have two choices— you either walk another two hundred metres to hide under a cramped shelter shared by the citizens and strays of Inazuma City, or you stay in the rain and just deal with it while walking back.

Before you can make a decision, Heizou grabs your wrist to turn you around, holding both of your hands. You look at him through wet bangs as he hums, staring at your intertwined hands, “You said that we only live once, right?”

You’re not sure if you like where this is going. “Yes?”

“Dance with me, then.”

Ah. You barely have time to react, as Heizou pulls you back with him without warning. A yelp escapes from your lips when he swiftly turns you around, before pulling you flush against his back. The hot breath you feel on your neck greatly contrasts the cold drizzle enveloping you two, making you visibly shiver.

He chuckles and you realise it’s a sound that you want to hear over and over again. This time, you are more prepared when he turns you around again to take hold of both your arms, swaying slowly and steadily.

You ignore the uncomfortable feeling of muddy water from the puddles below seeping into your shoes as you gaze into Heizou’s eyes. The look he gives you is filled with so, so much love, the kind of love that feels like a strong breeze lifting you up in the air that tickles you all over and leaves you exhilarated, so much love that it is nearly unreal. But then you are reminded yet again that Shikanoin Heizou makes the unreal happen. Yes, Heizou makes the impossible happen— like how his soft gaze alone can make your knees go weak and forget all about the rain surrounding you.

“Mm, sweetheart,” he whispers, and a part of you nearly faints at the endearing pet name. His thumb starts caressing your arm, and his forehead leans down against yours.  You can’t resist putting your hands on his chest in return. “We’re really, really gonna catch a cold now.”

You move your hands up to his shoulders and teasingly squeeze them, admiring the red that blooms on his face at the action. “Just a little longer, please?”

And, oh, you severely underestimate just how much Shikanoin Heizou loves you, because he always gives in to you. “As you wish, my dear Watson.”

You take one step forward, and he steps back with you. He spins and brings you along with him, giggling when you accidentally stomp into a puddle and the muddy water that splashes up stains your leggings. Your eyes constantly switch between gazing up at him and looking down at your feet, making sure to not step on his as you two continue bouncing and swaying along to the rain’s rhythm.

As though there is imaginary music playing in the background, Heizou pulls you into an upbeat dance routine, making you nearly forget just how much energy the detective has. His contagious smile spreads to your face and before you know it, the laughter shared between you two as you jump around in water puddles is louder than the rain around you.

Alas, the rain finally starts to clear up, and a part of you feels sad that the moment is ending. But before you can reluctantly make your way back home, Heizou’s hand moves faster, grabbing your wrist and pulling you into a kiss.

Clearly, Heizou hadn’t planned this, with how clumsily his lips move against yours and how giggles escape from his mouth every now and then. But he gains control back easily, managing to teasingly brush his lips against yours, ticklish like the feeling of a butterfly on a deer’s nose. You swear he even licked your bottom lip at one point, but you don’t get the chance to scold him for doing so.

He pulls away, licking his lips in satisfaction. “Hm. Tastes like rain.”

“No shit, Sherlock. You just kissed me in the rain.”

“And I should do it again,” He laughs and brings you into his embrace again.

calm before the storm - some pre argument scenarios

prompt list by @novelbear

ranting to a close friend/parent about what they're upset about before they make confrontation just to make sure they aren't overreacting

blowing up their phone and receiving no answers (this either being the reason behind the argument or just adding fuel to the fire)

desperately wanting to be angry, but they can't push past the hurt they're feeling with the trust being broken

on the other hand, they're fuming because this isn't the first time

immediately driving over to where they are (even if this means embarrassing them in front of friends)

"why are you looking at me like that..."

taking a few minutes to calm down so that they don't explode the moment they start talking

"why do you seem upset?" "why the hell do you think..."

"when you realize what the problem is, then you can talk to me."

"hold on, that's not fair-"

"all you ever think about is yourself!"

sending the scary "we need to talk." text

trying to pretend that some jokes/comments don't bother them until one just finally goes too far

really trying not to say anything at first, but the other can tell they're upset by their mannerisms and try to find out what it is that's wrong

mutual friends alerting the other about something they definitely deserve to know

anxiously waiting for them to come home so that they could give them a piece of their mind

noticing that their concerns are blatantly being brushed to the side so they interrupt to try to stand up for themselves

"sit down for a sec, i need you to hear this."

Gestures that would make me fold :

(feel free to use <3 tag me when you write any of ittt, would love to readd ;] )

their hands on your thighs. gently caressing.

when he pulls you closer by your waist (BANGINGA MY HEAD, CRYING, DVSJXBAK)

"come here, say it again"

catching them stare at you in a crowded room

"good girl " SKNXKAJZ

BACK HUGS ! THEIR HANDS AROUND YOUR WAIST !!

when they wipe the corner of your mouth with their thumb

"let me teach you."

kisses that leaves you blushing and curling toes

"Please don't shoot me for this" *proceeds to kiss her* "lift your hips for me, love" AARON FJDJSKZ WARNER.

when they can't hold eye contact

when they can hold eye contact and many other things (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

'nothing makes me fold' when they smile.

when they rest their head on your shoulder >>>

veiny hands. COUGHS NERVOUSLY. haha..

when you say "shut up" and they lean closer to you with a smirk and say, "make me"

"come sit in my lap, babe"

"behave." (OK IM SAT. FUCKSIAN SAT.?)

"use your words, love. what-- do you want?"

“he would prefer you shaved” “he prefers you not to shave” “he prefers big boobs” “he prefers snatched waists” “he prefers long hair” “he likes cute people” your favorite character is hopelessly devoted to you. he is borderline obsessive. you could be a tiny moth, and he’d always light the way for you. you could be an ant and he’d built an entire castle made of mud. if people knew the extent of his love for you, he’d be locked away. if you died in every life, he would find you in the next just so he could look upon your existence one more time. he is mature and he doesn’t have shallow preferences.

— for whatever it's worth / nagi seishiro x reader. (ain't that the worst thing you've ever heard?)

— light angst. happy ending. yukimiya kenyu as plot fodder (sorry.) friends to lovers. misunderstandings.

— part two of i dreamt you loved me. quick warning: i'm not exaggerating when i say i was braindead when i was writing this. it's bad but it's your problem now <3

you thought you were being honest with yourself when you said you’d be fine.

you understood, truly—that you would miss him more than you should, even when he's so close. you think, if you message him, he'd reply anyway; but all your messages remain unsent, kept hidden the way you think your feelings should’ve been kept.

it’s a frustrating thing, to remind yourself every day that you don’t need nagi no matter how much you miss him; to tell yourself you don’t miss the comfort of his presence, the warmth of his lips mumbling against the pulse on your neck, his calm voice keeping you earthed.

it’s not even supposed to be this way.

despite nagi approaching you that day, he doesn’t do it again. he’s across the room or running away from you the moment he notices you coming. while you keep pushing the distance, he keeps pulling.

you start wondering if you kept pushing, pushing, pushing–if you kept doing that, would you be too much of a bother already? if he was doing this much to avoid you, shouldn’t you just suck it up and walk away?

a week later, you don’t get any more time to decide. yukimiya is there, walking beside you as you enter your usual café, a charming smile on his lips.

“you go ahead and sit, i’ll order for us,” he offers, nodding towards the booth you always take.

you nod, “oh, my order, it’s—”

yukimiya arches an eyebrow, looking at you like you’re silly, “i got it, y/n.”

the feeling of your cheeks heating up is instantaneous. “well then,” you try again, taking your wallet out, “my payment.”

he keeps that expression, then he’s shaking his head. “i got it, y/n,” he stands his ground and you’re left to sigh, taking the defeat.

just as you take your seat, the door clings with the sound of someone entering. on instinct, you turn towards it only to feel your breath getting knocked out of you because nagi is there and he’s looking around the place like he’s searching for someone.

he keeps looking until meets your gaze (and maybe you still love him too much, because you could almost say for sure that his eyes brighten at the sight of you) and when he starts walking towards you, you think perhaps you’re having a fever dream.

“y/n.”

“nagi-kun,” you almost squeak, still surprised. nagi almost wants to wince, because you’ve only ever called him that when you were still unfamiliar with each other.

he reaches a hand towards his nape, a habit he does when he’s uncertain, “can i join you?”

you gape for a moment, confused, because there he is—the one you miss the most, the best friend you crave so badly—the one who left your feelings unanswered; yet you’re not even sure if you’re meant to say yes because yukimiya is there, walking towards you, stopping right beside nagi and placing your drinks on the table.

“oh,” you hear nagi, realizing you’re not alone.

yukimiya turns to him, his smile falters for only a split second you almost miss it, “ah, nagi-kun, yes?”

nagi only nods with tension brewing in the air, you kind of want to cry only because it feels as if you’ve found yourself at a shitshow of a situation. sighing, you smile apologetically at yukimiya. “come sit, yukki,” you hesitate before speaking again, “i think i should step out and talk to nagi for a moment though, is that okay?”

he nods despite the apprehensive look on his face. you stand, gesturing nagi towards the door.

when you’re outside, nagi is the first one to speak.

“we can just talk next time,” he offers, as if this wasn’t the first time in weeks that he’s even tried to talk to you.

he watches your lips curl into a frown, and he knows he’s said the wrong thing, “i just don’t wanna intrude in your… date?” he continues, sounding uncertain.

you laugh mirthlessly, “what do you mean, date?” you ask. you feel half hurt, half confused. you’re not sure why, but it feels like a punch to the gut that he’s telling you this as if he’s completely forgotten about your confession.

“oh, i just thought–he likes you, right? i thought you had something going on…”

“are you serious, sei? or have you forgotten?”

“forgotten what?”

your responding sigh let out is harsh, drawn out, and maybe if nagi had more empathy in him, he’d even hear the hurt, “that it’s you, sei. that i love you, and you’re–” your voice wavers, your initial sob is heavy, and nagi watches the way your face crumples, trying not to cry even though it’s futile, “you’re asking me if i like someone else when you know–”

“oh,” he trails off, his finger incessantly tapping at his thigh, a nervous tic.

“yeah, oh. i hate you and fuck you for that,” you tell him, except your voice is weak and there’s no real bite in your tone, “that’s fucked up, sei.”

“sorry,” he tells you, and he means it, no matter how much it seems he’s at a loss for words. he licks his lips before his mouth parts again, “i just mean,” he pauses, fumbling for the right words to say, “we’re friends first, before anything else, right? if you like him, you should give it a shot.”

you can’t help the exasperation when you react, tears free falling down the pavement beneath you, “is it that hard for you to acknowledge my feelings, sei?”

there’s nothing but the faint sound of the cafe inside and the hiccup of your sobs yet your heartbreak is deafening. right there, you realise it would hurt if he was around as much as it did when he wasn’t.

“just tell me this, nagi,” you exhale, trying to brave it, “why can’t it just be us?”

you don’t know how to feel when he answers you without thinking, like he knew this already. “i can’t reciprocate your feelings, y/n. i can’t be the boyfriend you want,” he tells you. it’s honest, as he always is, and it's a stalemate from there.

there’s a whimper of your hurt you try to bite back with your tongue before you nod one last time, “i should go back,” you tell him.

you’re walking away before he could say anything more.

it doesn't take long for you to realize that nagi is truly gone from you this time around.

while you try to move on, you tell yukimiya about your feelings, but he’s persistent, and he thinks it’ll be fine if it meant he even had a chance.

except it feels oddly empty sometimes, even when you find yourself in the affections of yukimiya. until february and march pass and you realize you're still willing nagi back, you grieved. your love, his absence, the futile attempt you'd made at untethering the red thread keeping you woven to him—you grieved it all.

the next month without him gone and you find yourself slipping away from yukimiya. you confess that you’ll probably love nagi for a long time and until then you couldn’t let him wait around for nothing.

soon enough, though, you find yourself hanging out with isagi at the cafe to catch up—something you could only usually do together since you can't find the will to join all three of them with nagi there.

this time, though, your heart wins.

“have you guys been hanging out with nagi lately?” you regret it as soon as you ask.

“you should just message him,” he replies, looking at you expectantly. but your reaction doesn’t fail him when you recoil at his suggestion.

“absolutely not, yoichi-kun,” you sigh. with a pout, you try again, “he’s free today, right? do you think he’d come here if you asked him to?”

he scratches at his cheek, “i can call him.”

it’s comical enough that he’s almost amused, the way your lips stretch to a wide grin as he slips his phone out to call nagi. but when the ringing stops and you hear nagi’s faint voice, you try not to pay attention to the phone call only because you don’t want to get your hopes up.

it’s quick, though. and isagi’s pausing to talk to you, “he’s asking if it’s fine with you, y/n?”

of course isagi tells him you’re there, but you nod anyway, because it sounds like he’s coming.

when nagi’s finally there, with bachira and reo with him, you don’t know why you’re so relieved; everything falls into place and the air is easy to breathe.

it’s late when everyone starts saying goodbye and you stay standing by the door of the cafe, wondering if everything is going to be okay from here.

“y/n,” nagi calls from beside you, “let’s walk back together.”

it’s not a question, but years of being friends with him tells you this is his way of letting you know he missed you. you chew at your lip, trying not to smile, because it feels like you have him back.

your smile wins with warmth filling your chest, “okay—yeah, i’d like that.”

he falls into step beside you, the silence is comfortable but there’s been so much left unsaid since you last saw him. you steal a quick glance, taking him in, you missed him so much that you’re not sure you should even bring it up anymore; like if it meant you’d have to eat your feelings just to keep him around, you would.

somehow, nagi senses your hesitation, taking the initiative to speak first, “it was really boring without you around.”

your heart skips a beat, treacherous, “really?” you reply, the smile evident in your voice.

he hums, “mm, didn’t have anyone to lean on when i sleep.”

“is that all i am to you?” you say lightly, laughing, but the words meant more than you intended and your laughter dies down. grimacing, you clear your throat, “sorry, i didn’t mean it like that.”

nagi only nods, his gaze intense as he looks at you. you continue, trying to ease the awkwardness, “i’m just glad we’re okay again, sei. and for what it’s worth, i probably don’t love you anymore.”

you try to save it with a lie, but your words hang between you like paperweight, and nagi's expression shifts slightly at your response.

he stops, urging you to look back at him. he takes a step towards you, so close you almost stumble back, hand reaching out to tilt your chin, just like that day when everything between you shifted. but then he speaks, his voice quiet and measured, "i do, though.”

it's a simple statement, but it carries a world of emotion with it, and you can see it etched on his face. he watches you when he says it, the gleam that appears in your eyes at his confession, "and i want you to feel the same again." his tone is confident, almost daring, something you can’t do anything about.

you can feel it, the depth of his desire, his insistence on everything he wanted; now it’s you, and you almost want to tell him you love him, still, that you never even stopped.

“but why are you telling me this?" your question is a whisper, hesitant. “you said you don’t want a relationship, sei…”

“i don’t think i mind if it’s with you.” the sincerity seeps through his voice even when he shrugs, his eyes are trained on your lips.

hope blooms within you and you think nagi can tell, because there’s a twitch of a smile on the corner of his lips.

he really wants to kiss you, but you’d probably be upset for real this time if he does, so he moves to press a kiss on your forehead instead before stepping away.

with your flustered expression though, you’d think he just kissed you and more.

it feels like home–nagi’s arms around you, the warmth of it, the comfort. it’s familiar but it feels so much more this time around.

"wanna hear something weird, sei?" you ask him softly, like you’re telling a secret.

nagi hums, his eyes closed. "what is it?" he asks, voice laced with sleep.

"when i missed you," you started, "i dreamt about you–i dreamt of you sitting in the kitchen telling me you couldn’t be bothered to eat, but that you really wanted me to cook for you.”

he opens his eyes, meeting your gaze, a small smile playing on his lips. “that’s how bad you missed me?”

you scrunch your face, not taking the bait, “no. maybe i was just hungry, sei.”

you feel nagi pull you closer, lips pressing to your shoulder blade, muttering against your skin, “i’m glad you’re here again, y/n.” and it sounds like i missed you then, too.

“me too, sei. i'm happy you're here.”