skin tight shirt
Thinking of Toji coming home to you after a rough day at work.
On a normal day he would call out to you the second he steps through the front door, but today he's not in the mood to be loud. He silently walks through the living room, into the hallway where he directs himself towards the bedroom, where he knows you are. He's dirty and sweaty and there's somebody's blood drying on the fabric of his shirt. Luckily, it's just a small area. You won't spot it on your own, and Toji won't be showing it off to you.
The door creaks open and you're there, lying on your stomach, in bed. You're distracted by your phone, too zoned into your own serene little world to notice that Toji was home. He can smell your shampoo and the lotion you used, in the air, the smell getting stronger as he makes his way towards the bed. His stealthiness is a threat, never to you, but the fact that you didn't turn around once really had him thinking about your safety.
He didn't waste another second just looming over you. Slowly, he crawled onto the bed and before you managed to shriek or say something about how he scared the crap out of you, he laid right on top of you, crushing you and revoking your ability to make any sounds but groans under his weight.
"Toji?" you call, once you get accustomed to the pressure your bear of a man added onto you. He doesn't respond, and instead buries his face into the crook of your neck, getting a deeper whiff of the scent that emanated off of you. "Toji?" You try again, turning your head slightly.
"You smell pretty, doll. Could smell you the second I walked in the room," he hums, inhaling your clean scent.
"Yeah, I just showered. Don't you wanna go get cleaned up, too? Dinner's ready."
"Of course I do. Thanks, doll. Just let me have you like this for a sec."
You had no argument for that. You laid there, flat on the bed beneath him, and allowed him all the time necessary to relax. He was quiet, and his hold on you was a little tighter than usual. That wasn't what brought you to your conclusion, but it was clear that he wasn't his usual self.
Something about being able to wrap himself around your entire body was comforting to Toji. It made him feel like he was keeping you safe, like he was the soft blanket you cover yourself with at night, rather than a man who comes home with blood stains on his clothes.
You were the one thing he was positive he would come home to, and that was enough. You were more than enough for him. He always felt there was no way to pay back for every day you spent accepting him as he is. All those nights when you let him hold you, even after he made you cry. Those mornings when you woke up with a heavy heart, alone, only to find out through a text message that he had to leave for work early.
Undeserving was a small word to Toji. It was you still finding it in yourself to give him the warmest of welcomes every day—a greeting normally dedicated to heroes, that made him obsess over finding a word that was more fitting for him.
He loves you and he's serious about it. He knows the infinite range of his love for you and regardless of how small his heart seems compared to yours, you decorate every inch of space within it, and when it reaches its maximum capacity, you go to his head. The space is littered with images of you, like posters on a wall. The space is so crowded that some of them are hanging on to the walls of his mind for dear life. There are images of your guilty smile after you knock a glass of water over and it shatters, another of the look on your face as you try not to laugh when he tries on a shirt that clearly isn't his size, and memories of the times when you would pamper him when he wasn't feeling well, insisting on still sleeping next to him, incase he needs something in the middle of the night.
It all adds up to this clingy behavior he reserves for you. When the day treats him like trash being kicked around by everyone on a sidewalk, he comes home to appreciate the one who embraces him and unconditionally loves him.
He knows his weight on your back must be unbearable and he definitely doesn't smell as good as you, either, but he can't move. Not yet.
"I could stay like this forever, doll. Would you let me?" He smiles for the first time in a bit when he sees your shoulders shaking, paired with the sweet sound of your laugh.
"Of course, baby. I'd willingly stay like this for you."
And he groans. It's like a form of cuteness aggression, but it derives from the fact that he can't believe that you're with him, and that you're so saintly, and he can't for the life of him stop thinking of you. He kisses your jaw and strongly resists the urge to bite your cheek and squeeze you until you can't breathe at all.
His breathing quickens a little when he thinks of how detrimental it would be to his life if you walked away for good, one day. Things are so good, but he can't help but think that the next time they aren't, it'll be an enormous hit to everything he has with you. Maybe you're waiting for the next argument to drop everything. Maybe you secretly can't stand him. Maybe you don't need him. Maybe-
His overthinking is cut off by a low growl, followed by a nervous giggle that is muffled by the pillow you buried your face in.
"Sorry," you lift your head to say, fighting the laughter bubbling in your throat.
"You're hungry." There's a barely there crease between his brows. It's late and your stomach is growling. He doesn't want to think about you skipping meals.
"I wanted to wait for you," you chirp, turning your head the slightest bit to give him a beaming smile.
"Baby." The second he sees the corners of your lips begin to straighten out, he stifles the scolding he was about to hit you with. "I can't even be mad at you. Have you eaten anything at all today?"
Your silence was all he needed to understand that you were running on fumes. He sighs, mentally cursing you for being so careless with yourself for his sake.
"I'm gonna shower, and you're gonna meet me in the kitchen in ten minutes. Will you survive that long? I don't know, but you have to." He kisses your temple a couple times, rolling off of you and directing himself to his clothing drawers.
Your lungs expand and you feel so much lighter without his weight on you. You flip over onto your back, stretching for a moment before you turn over to watch Toji rummage through his drawers. His sixth sense kicks in and he can feel your gaze on the back of his head.
"I love you, doll." He stands still, waiting seconds too long for your response. He turns his head to the side, facing the blank wall of the room. His ear is turned in your direction as to not miss the sound of your voice.
You sit up, prepared to say it back with every fiber of your being. You can see his fingers tapping against the top of the dresser. You don't mean to bring unease to his mind, your intention is to do the exact opposite. "I love you so, sooo much, Toji."
He lets the clothes he picked out plop onto the dresser, and he turns around to head back to you. He holds your gaze until he reaches you. It's the first good look you've gotten at him since he got home. You can't help but smile at the familiar sight of those green eyes and that pretty nose, and that scarred lip. He never failed to make you swoon, even during times when there was a lack of words.
His hands cupped your jaw before he leaned down to kiss you. The duration of his kisses weren't thought out, let alone planned. What was supposed to be ten minutes until you met him in the kitchen, turned into double the amount of time, because he wouldn't let you go. You were just as guilty for the delay, feeling so much ease and comfort with the words he imbedded into his kisses. Eventually you started telling him to go, between kisses and laughter, reminding him that you would be there when he got out. He ignored you until your stomach growled again.
"Fine," he grumbled, placing one more peck on your lips before he left you alone.
teatime
⋆ ࣪. zhongli x reader
contents Ⳋ fluff fluff fluff, mutual pining, zhongli is so smitten ohhhh
a/n : felt nice to write sum fluff for a change :3 i hope you guys like it !!! i had fun writing this lolol
word count: 869
a faint tune played in the background of a teahouse tucked away in qingce village; tea and an aroma of incense clouded your senses.
“it seems as if my invitations to you have become a habit of mine. i hope it isn’t grueling for you,” zhongli speaks, his golden orbs cast upon you. he delicately lifts his teacup to his lips. you shake your head. “nonsense,” you smile, “i’d not rather be anywhere else.” you follow suit, lifting the teacup to your lips and taking a sip. the taste of sugar and tea leaves swarm your mouth; a wonderful taste.
his eyes never ceased to fixate upon you. he was enamored — though his eyes were calm — as if he was gazing upon the moon and the vast night sky, or basking beneath the sun. “would you like another cup?” zhongli’s voice was soft, almost as if he weren’t human. his eyes were filled with a gentle gaze that made you feel warm. his lips curved into a thin upturned smile.
you nod, your eyes shining upon is. “i’d much appreciate that. thank you, zhongli.” his name flows off your tongue like butter. as if it was always meant for you to say. “of course.”
zhongli sets his empty cup, then quietly poured another cup from the kettle, steam rising to the ceiling. zhongli was incredibly focused on the task at hand, but also extremely conscious of your presence. he would glance at you from time to time. you watch his movements with precision, and you wonder how his actions always seemed to be so graceful and flawless.
he hands you your cup, his fingers gently grazing against yours amidst the action. “thank you,” you say, your voice quieter. you didn’t want to distract him, he seemed focused. he notices the shift in your voice, his gaze back to remaining on your face. the way his fingers brushed against yours wasn’t accidental; he didn’t mind the contact, in fact, he was comforted by it. “you are welcome.”
the moment went on quietly, until he cleared his throat and sat back in his chair. he sipped on his tea, his gaze lingering as you set the teacup down on the silver plate that matched. you take a cube of sugar and drops it into the seething liquid, stirring it with the tip of your finger before bringing it to your lips with a hum. you pick it up carefully and take a sip, a sigh. “your tea is always amazing, zhongli.”
he smiles. he doesn’t mind being complimented so regularly, as long as it is from you. “the art of making tea is something i’ve perfected over the eons,” his voice was deep and soft — warm — and a light chuckle leaves him. “tea brings life to the table. i hope it isn’t too strong for you.”
your lips curl into a gentle smile. you love the sound of his voice; baritone and rumbling. comforting. you shake your head. “i’d never refuse tea, especially brewed from the hands of you,” you chuckle. he couldn’t help the way his heart tendered at your words. he chuckles in return, a gesture he had heard from you multiple times before.
your heart beat is ringing in your ears, unbeknownst to him. the way he never fails to extend an invitation toward you for a cup of tea always had you giddy, no less with his voice, his gentleness and his entire being. the way he looked at you had you melting every time. you couldn’t help but wonder — was there something more to this? or were you being delusional?
“how does it taste?” he inquires, his voice gentle as his eyes remained glued to yours, not daring to gaze anywhere else, just in case he would not be met with yours again. you snap from your little daze and clear your throat a bit. “it’s delightful,” you smile, your voice a bit softer as you look at him.
a beat of silence goes by.
“you are beautiful.”
oh. oh. was this happening? were you hearing things correctly?
he watched your cheeks heat up a little, and he smiles. he gazes at you as if it was the first time he’s seen you, as if he wanted to commit these moments to memory. “t—thank you,” you mutter, unknowing of how to go about this.
he smiles and begins. “since we’ve been drinking tea together in the evenings for quite a while, i’ve come to notice something about myself.” he speaks, and you hum. “what may that be?” you ask with a tilt of your head. you feel your heart in your throat. there’s no way.
he hesitates for a moment. it was as if he was trying to find the right words to say; but he decides to express his words with conviction, just as he spoke before. “i feel a deep sense of attachment to you,” he begins, his hand extending to yours and gently placing it atop your skin, “as if you’ve become… a part of me.”
you smile, your eyes sparkling with a glimmer of joy. “im glad im not the only one who feels that way, then.”
© marimisses on tumblr. all rights reserved. do not cross-post, translate, copy in any way, etc.
he wouldn’t have missed
GETO APOLOGIST
i just cried really bad
Yuuji's hand hovered over the receiver, paralysed. His universe zeroed in on the little plastic bubble around him, and the payphone, with the chatter, ringing, beeping and bustling of the Police Station behind him. The cuffs chafed on his wrist. He thought and thought, reaching for the receiver again, before freezing.
The police officer behind Yuuji tapped his foot. "Get on with it, kid." Yuuji shrunk in on himself, smaller than ever.
"Uhh...I'm really sorry. I don't think I'm ready for my first call yet. Can I have a bit longer?"
A huff from the officer. Yuuji's wrists clanked as he was grabbed by the upper arm, a heavy clang as he was pressed back into the cell, locked in. There was a drunk on the perpendicular bench. Some big guy with a kill you stare, the other side.
Yuuji tried not to cry as he hunched down towards his knees.
He had never felt so orphaned, as he did in this moment.
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Kento hummed to himself, outwardly upbeat, and happy to be so in the absence of observers. He grabbed his travel mug from the desk; his paperwork was completed. He was advised he wouldn't be needed for the rest of the day, so why don't you just head off early? We'll just call you if we need you.
Words like syrup. Kento's metaphorical sweet shop. He lapped it up. He dropped you a text; home soon. I'll make dinner.
Making himself a fresh coffee, Kento felt his pocket buzzing. His humming stopped at the Unknown Number on screen, eyebrows pinching together. He answered, stirring his coffee.
"Nanami Kento speaking."
Initial silence. An awkward rustle. Kento waited.
"...Nanamin. I'm sorry, I...I didn't know who else to call. I'm in trouble." Kento turned his back on his coffee, pacing in front of his desk, a prickle of fear up his spine.
"Itadori-kun. Where are you?"
"I'm...I'm downtown. I was arrested. I was only trying to help--"
"I'll be right there. Don't say anything. You're safe. I'll be straight there."
Kento put the phone down, concern clipping his movements. He looked down at his phone, thinking. He tapped out two more text messages, grabbed his travel mug, and headed out to his car in long, purposeful strides.
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By the time Kento arrived, guided into the station by a receptionist, he scowled to see Yuuji being interrogated at a desk by an officer.
"I swear, I was just checkin' the place out, just--just bein' stupid, I didn't mean--"
"--didn't think the "No Entry" signs were for you, huh? What was the plan, go in and wreck the place? Damn kids--"
"Excuse me for interrupting. I don't believe you're supposed to be interviewing minors without a chaperone."
The police officer stopped, bristling as he looked up at Kento, looming down over him. Kento silenced Yuuji with a heavy hand on the shoulder. A travel mug of hot coffee was gently pressed into Yuuji's hands.
"Don't answer him, Yuuji. We're waiting for your lawyer."
Yuuji looked so small and tired, folded over on himself, that Kento felt a prickle of cold rage frost through him at Yuuji's treatment.
Kento's eyes flicked across the desk. He noted paperwork, with Yuuji's name. He noticed the 'Next of Kin' section...empty. Kento's stomach clenched, and his grip on Yuuji's shoulder tightened almost imperceptibly. The police officer shivered under a chilly gaze.
"Nanamin...I'm sorry--"
"I'm sure you have nothing to be sorry for. This man, however--" the officer's blood ran cold when Kento's eyes swung to him again, "--should know better than to bully a child."
A rustle and a clatter sounded behind Kento and Yuuji. Yuuji heard a deep voice, apologising for knocking something off a desk, before another hand landed on his other shoulder. Yuuji gaped up.
"...Higuruma?" Hiromi glanced down, coal-soft eyes belying a little smile. The police officer sputtered into his coffee, looking frantically between the two men, now.
"Higuruma? Shit. I don't get paid enough for this."
"I assume you're charging my client with something." Hiromi sat, crossing his legs, hands clasped on his lap.
"He broke into an abandoned hospital--"
"Was it locked?"
"...ahhh..."
"Did he cause any damage?" Total silence. Hiromi cleared his throat.
"Did my client come with you willingly?" The police officer's face twisted, bitter and snide.
Hiromi blinked once, slowly. "I see. So, simple trespass really? With a minor, first offence? A caution at most, really, isn't it."
Yuuji looked over to Kento, who was busy scribbling something on Yuuji's paperwork, while Hiromi ground the police officer into the dirt on the other side of him.
"I assume you felt something inside the hospital. You weren't investigating just for fun?" A stern gaze through tinted lens.
"No, I...I think there's a Curse in there. Didn't get to it before I ran into the cops."
A hum. "Ah. I'll get Ijichi onto it." Yuuji nodded, his eyes prickling with tears. Kento's hand tightened on his shoulder, grounding him, a flood of warmth down through his body.
"How long were you here for? Before you decided to call me."
"Uh...four or five hours." A pregnant pause from Kento. A sigh, Kento's voice softening.
"You can always call me, Yuuji." Kento stood, straightening his cuffs. "You'll come home with me for dinner. You're hungry." Yuuji's belly rumbled in response. Kento's lips almost quirked at Yuuji's sunny grin, reminded of another boy he once knew.
In due time, Yuuji was released with a caution. Hiromi clapped him on the shoulder with a lopsided smile, giving Yuuji's jaw a pat, before leaving for home. Yuuji stood, glancing at his paperwork on the desk.
In the previously empty "Next of Kin" section, in neat block capitals, with a phone number and address, was listed: NANAMI KENTO.