Hugs4shizu - Memory

The Sixth Eccentric | The Five Eccentrics x Reader (Platonic)

ohohoho officially breaking into ensemble stars territory now~ Inspired Eccentric Party Night!!, the song I've been listening to on repeat for an entire day 😌

Counting down the hours until you perform - and inevitably lose - against fine in front of all of Yumenosaki Academy, you take solace in knowing you're not alone. Genre: Bittersweet, Hurt/Comfort (?), Set During the War Word Count: 2k Warning: A little canon divergent? Probably OOC? Constructive criticism is always appreciated~

On the empty stage you went through your routine yet again. Drilling every movement of the limbs down into your DNA, your muscles already moving before you could consciously think of the next move. Your voice sounded otherworldly, as if it was no longer yours as it resounded off the walls and back to you. The music of the speakers couldn’t drown out your voice, no matter how loud you turned up the volume. You needed to be loud, you needed to make sure your voice would carry. You wanted to make sure everyone heard you, even if they hated you.

Even in your last stand.

You struck your final pose in time with the ending of the music. As the bass slowly faded into silence, in its place was slow applause. Squinting through the stage lights, you could make out a figure in the darkness of the audience seats. You couldn’t tell who they were, but since they weren’t booing at you, mocking you and telling you to not waste your breath, you figured they were friend rather than foe. Walking to the front of the stage, you sat down, letting your legs dangle over the stage as you grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat off your brow.

“Are you just going to stay in the darkness?” you asked the ominous figure.

“I’ve always preferred it over the light.”

“Rei,” your lips instinctively curved up. He walked closer to you, where the lights spilled off the stage and onto his features. “Back from your travels already?”

“I’d never miss a performance of yours,” he replied. “I’m surprised to see you practising here so late, though.”

“I want to do a performance I’m proud of,” you shrugged, words muffled as you let your towel drape over your face.

“Even though you know you’re going to lose.”

You peeked at Rei through the folds of your towel.

“I prefer not to think about that.”

Rei hummed in acknowledgement. Staying in comfortable silence, it was pleasantly disturbed as the door opened, Kanata trudging towards you, snacks and a large water bottle in hand.

“I heard you were practising, I thought you might like some refreshments, puka…” Kanata drawled as he placed the items in your lap.

“Thanks, Kanata,” you chuckled. “How are you holding up?”

“Even if everyone is against me, I have you… and I have the ocean, so I’ll be okay,” Kanata smiled fondly before it slowly turned upside down as he regarded you with sorrowful eyes. “But you… will you be okay?”

Tomorrow night will be the night your unit performs against fine for all of Yumenosaki Academy to see. It was the destiny Eichi Tenshouin thrust onto you once the Student Council labelled you as an ‘Eccentric’. Your destiny to be hated and humiliated by the whole student body, to be ‘executed’ in front of them all, much to their joy. You saw it with Shu, even Rei himself. And once you’re suitably shunned by the entire academy, Wataru will be following you. Speaking of which…

“My, Rei and Kanata, you are full of surprises!” Wataru exclaimed as he strolled into the theatre. “And here I was, thinking that I’d get to our dear (Y/N) first.”

Wataru turned to you with a pout. “Did I miss your final rehearsal? Do practise again, your performances are simply amazing!”

“Wait until tomorrow with all the lights and fancy costumes,” you chuckled.

“Ah, but the performance will be sullied by the audience,” Wataru tutted. “I want to see your performance with all its raw passion and wonderful oddities.”

“Oddities, eh?” You said quietly.

“I know, being thought of as odd leaves a rather sour taste in the mouth now, doesn’t it?” Rei sighed as he took a seat beside you.

“Yeah…” you looked down at the snacks in your lap. “Has anyone heard from Shu? I tried to get him out of his room but if even Mika can’t do that…”

“Ah, it’s safe to say that Shu will be needing a hiatus from this play,” Wataru frowned. “Such a performance as disastrous as his would have surely traumatised him.”

There was a sombre silence. You were there to watch Shu’s latest performance. Every move executed with pinpoint precision, every angle of every joint calculated and purposely done. Every note sung being more beautiful than the last until no notes could be heard. Until the audio system was cut off and Shu, along with his unit mates were left in silence. Until all that was left was shame, his mirage of perfection evaporating into thin air.

The thought of performing only for your own inevitable humiliation was no longer one you could handle. As your heart dropped, pounding in the depths of your stomach, your mouth felt dry but your arms felt too heavy to move to get the bottle lying on your lap. You had been harassed by the majority of students in Yumenosaki already with your title of Eccentric. Day in, day out was a new game of hide and seek where you prayed to never be found. You thought you could handle it, you figured you might as well humour fine and the Student Council in a final performance. But could you really?

The theatre doors burst open with a desperate call of your name. Your head snapped up.

“Natsume-”

“You don’t have to perform!” Natsume stated as he stormed down the theatre aisle with papers in hand. “I talked to Tsumugi. He said he could cancel your performance.”

“What?” Your eyes widened.

“Hm… the Student Council is hard to understand,” Kanata whispered.

Wataru laughed heartily. “The Student Council aren’t all monsters! And the most questionable one of them is focused on me. Do not fret, (Y/N), you are free to exit the stage.”

“Please,” Natsume insisted. "Just sign the papers."

He held the papers out to you expectantly. The golden opportunity to get out of the humiliation, to quietly leave your reputation as an Eccentric. And yet, as you looked into Natsume’s golden orbs, orbs that sparkled with determination, you couldn't bring yourself to relent. He didn't owe you anything, he went above and beyond to try and get your performance cancelled purely out of the bond you shared. And that strengthened your resolve more than anything.

With the tips of your fingers, you gently pushed the papers back to him, maintaining eye contact as his face fell.

“It’ll be alright,” your voice was quiet. “I have to do this. Not for the Student Council but for myself.”

Rei placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder as Kanata nodded in encouragement. But Natsume tensed, muscles so taut he was shaking.

“It’s not fair,” he muttered. “What did we do?”

“We were ourselves,” you stated simply.

Wataru clapped his hands to grab everyone’s attention. “Well, if that’s decided, I say you should rehearse once more, (Y/N)!”

“I’d like to see your song, puka puka,” Kanata chirped.

Rei hopped off of the stage as he and Wataru guided the others to take seats in the front row. Once everyone has settled, you let the music guide you once again. You had done the moves hundreds of times by now, yet you strived to make each performance unique. As your routine came to an end, the four students below you erupted into applause.

“Simply, amazing!” Wataru praised. His eyes were trained on you but he projected his voice. “You can come out now, Shu~”

You took a step back in surprise, the others stopped their applause and twisted in their seats to see Shu slowly walking towards you. His expression was blank, unreadable as his hands remained clasped together. He had applauded you as well.

“Any constructive criticism?” You asked. You tried to imitate his calm demeanour but you couldn't help but let a smile climb onto your face. Despite his skin losing its colour, eyebags heavy under his eyes, Shu was just as poised as ever.

“Your moves averaged forty-three milliseconds off the beat,” Shu stated. “Often times you were rushing, other times it was too slow. The performance was, frankly, chaotic.”

“I don’t even know why I asked,” you grumbled, rubbing the back of your neck.

“The performance was, also, yours,” he admitted. “It harnessed your strengths and minimised your weaknesses.”

“So you liked it?” you beamed. Shu cleared his throat with a light fist to his mouth.

“What I mean to say is, if one were to attend a performance of yours to see what made you unique… a routine like that would leave them satisfied.”

“He liked it,” Kanata cooed.

"I'm surprised to see you out of your room," you observed.

“You were there for me in my last performance,” Shu huffed as he adjusted his cravat. “I suppose it is only fair that I am there for yours.”

“Will you watch me perform tomorrow night?”

Shu hesitated for a moment before nodding.

“As much as I can’t bear to look at Tenshouin’s face, it would simply be wrong of me not to attend.”

“Thank you.”

Shu looked at you, blinking, as if he were a robot who had just malfunctioned. But he eventually sighed, smiling softly.

“I must ask,” Rei started. “How did you even manage to find people to perform with you?”

“If there’s one thing I learned from Eichi Tenshouin, it’s that money can get you anywhere,” you grimaced. “I paid a classmate to perform with me anonymously. I doubt he’s even learnt the choreo, though.”

You noticed Natsume’s balled up fists.

“I can perform with you.”

“No,” you said firmly, your gaze softening at you looked at him. “You’ve managed to get by this war relatively unscathed, I’m not letting anyone hurt you.”

“Then I’ll just wear a mask,” he retorted.

“I’m not willing to take that risk.”

“It’s not fair,” Natsume took a step away from you. Rei slowly rose from his seat, watching Natsume carefully as he regarded all of you with frantic eyes. “Where’s our happy ending? Why aren’t you fighting this cruel fate?”

“You can’t fight the tides,” Kanata said simply as he leaned to the side, resting his head on your shoulder as he yawned.

“Ah, my dear Natsume,” Wataru sighed as he put his hands on the younger’s shoulders. “You are mistaken. This isn’t the end of the play, merely the end of an act! Our happy end shall come one day, but only when a suitable complication has arisen for all of the main cast; a typical hero's journey. Our (Y/N) must perform, and then I must as well. Only then may we rise from the ashes.”

Natsume looked away, uncertain.

“Do you trust me?” Wataru asked, his voice soft. Natsume kept his gaze averted from Wataru but ended up meeting yours. You offered him a reassuring smile.

“Yes.”

“Excellent.”

“Let me help you all take your mind off these melancholy matters and off of tomorrow's performance,” Rei offered. “Shall we have dinner together? On me, of course.”

“Is that alright?” Natsume asked.

“Ah! Ever the charitable one!” Wataru clapped.

“Thank you, Rei,” Kanata smiled.

“What?” Shu asked, appalled. “Public areas are absolutely filthy, unkempt and-”

You shot him a glare.

“... tolerable. The offer is greatly appreciated.”

Natsume and Shu started to walk off, bickering as Kanata trailed behind. Rei and Wataru waited for you as you packed up, Rei watching the other three fondly.

"That's the one thing, isn't it?" Rei murmured.

"What?" You asked as you turned to him, bag zipped up and ready to go.

"The one thing we always had against Eichi Tenshouin, the Student Council, fine in general," Rei mused.

You followed Rei's gaze, Natsume and Kanata now laughing at an annoyed Shu. Your voice was quiet as you responded.

"We had each other."

"A wonderful premise for a tragicomedy," Wataru laughed heartily. "May it end well."

And so, the six of you left the theatre. You didn’t know back then it would be the last time all of you would be together on such good terms. The next act of this tragicomedy determined that the Eccentrics would go their separate ways, but no matter how you would individually rise from the ashes, you will always cherish the beautiful night before your downfall.

Ensemble Stars!! Masterlist

reblog to fucking bite the person you reblog from

bc this blog will be completely nothing if i just reblog, like and turn this into a twt account... 😭 and most of my moots/oomfies are writers SO

what if i start writing ?!#(#! wonderjng what i will come up with

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓-𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐎𝐗

pairing. itoshi rin x gn!reader

summary. it's valentine's day and you're determined to tell rin about your feelings for him. however, that proves to be a little difficult after watching him reject everyone who beats you to it.

content warnings. 3.5k wc, college au, fluff, thoughts of unrequited feelings.

this is an unusual level of antsy. your leg doesn't usually bounce up and down so restlessly as you wait for your bus. you don't usually nervously nibble away at your nails. and your eyes don't usually dart over your shoulder in search of a certain someone. how silly, you think as you center your gaze ahead and tuck your hands under your thighs to resist ruining your nails any further. you're a jittery mess and all because it's valentine's day.

normally, that fact wouldn't mean much to you. in past years, you'd either let the day pass like any other or spend it with your partner if you had one at the time. but things in your life are different than they've been every other time the holiday came around—one of those things being a person. someone who isn't your boyfriend but you've started seeing as more than a friend. someone who, despite putting in no effort whatsoever, is wildly popular with everyone, especially the ladies, on your campus. someone whose name is itoshi rin.

every other day of the year, all three hundred and sixty-four of them, you're more than able to bury your feelings—ignore the crush and live life as though you aren't slowly falling for one of your closest friends. but you have a feeling doing that much will be difficult today.

after all, who would want to spend the day watching the guy they like get confessed to for hours on end?

you really have no right to be jealous—not when you still haven't found the courage to confess to him yourself. but the mere thought of idly standing by and watching these girls do something you can't has been making you feel a bit nauseous all morning. it's not as petty as it sounds, you're just not sure how confident you are in your abilities to keep your feelings hidden given the circumstances. the thought of slipping up and accidentally coming clean about your crush just to be thrown into the pile of everyone else he's rejected is a sickening one. you're just hoping that he doesn't see through you, that your mask can stay on long enough to keep him in the dark—at least until you're ready to tell him on your own terms.

your eyebrows furrow as you think about how long this day is going to be.

"hey." a voice from above you cuts through the air and pulls you out of your head. it's his voice.

"oh!" your shoulders jerk up in surprise as you turn to face the man. he's standing a foot away from you, hands stuffed in his pockets, strands of dark hair blown out of place by the wind. teal irises framed by thick lashes meet your gaze with an unwavering stare. you clear your throat and paint on a smile. "good morning, rin."

he hums, eyes dropping from your face to your leg that has yet to stop bouncing. "you okay?"

you frown in silent confusion at his question. he can read you perfectly and points to your leg to clarify.

you follow the path of his finger to the only physical sign of your jitters. you bite your cheek and consciously hold your foot against the sidewalk. so much for trying to hide your nerves. you spit out the first excuse that comes to mind. "i'm fine. just a little chilly, i guess."

"here." rin pulls his hand out of his pocket and holds out his arm, offering you the jacket hanging from it. it's the one he brings to class every day, one that everyone would recognize as his. that fact makes you hesitate taking it—people would get the wrong idea.

but, maybe that would deter those girls from approaching him...

you shake the selfish thought from your head. since when did you get so possessive—and over a man who isn't yours, at that? you're almost tempted to turn him down just to prove to yourself that you aren't some crazy jealous person, but you know that rin won't let you walk away without it. you stand up and take the zip up from him. "thank you."

setting your backpack in the seat you'd just abandoned, you shrug the sleeves over your shoulders. you were just trying to distract him when you said you were cold, but you'd be lying if you said being wrapped in his jacket didn't warm you up.

downplaying your feelings today is going to be easier said than done.

the nerves hit again when the two of you arrive on campus. there's a palpable aura surrounding the campus, one of hope and love and everything that embodies the holiday. if it were visible, the air around you would be tinted pink and red.

your uneasiness is only amplified when you catch sight of her—the girl approaching you, no, rin, with a box held carefully in her hands. there's a nervous skip in your heartbeat as you turn your eyes to the ground in an attempt to avoid the awkwardness. you focus on the footsteps and chatter of passersby to drown out the conversation taking place beside you, but you're still able to pick out some of the words; rin's gentle but firm rejection and the girl's disappointed and defeated goodbye.

you weren't rooting for her, but watching her walk away with her head hung makes you feel bad. that could just as easily have been you.

"forgot it was valentine's day," rin mumbles to himself. the day has never meant much to him in the past and in the interest of not leading anyone on, he's always declined the chocolates presented to him. most people don't think of him as the type to care about the feelings of others, but giving someone false hope is cruel. there's no reason this year should be any different.

he runs a hand through his windswept hair, though the strands just fall back onto his forehead. he turns to his right where you're standing, your fingers clumsily toying with the straps of your backpack, what he thinks is a pitiful smile tugging at your lips. "what?" he asks.

"i don't know." you shrug. "i guess i just feel sorry for her. no one wants to get turned down by the guy they like."

"yeah, well, there's no guarantee they'll feel the same way," rin counters, nodding his head in the direction of your class building. you're sure they aren't directed at you, but the words sting—enough to cement your feet to the ground as rin starts on the way to your first shared class. it takes you a moment to will yourself to move, to fall into step beside him. the statement is a little harsh, but he's right. you know he is because it's the exact reason you're so reluctant to tell him about your feelings.

what if he doesn't feel the same?

"hey." you turn to him with wide eyes. did he catch on? you're almost sure he's going to question you about your strange behavior when he speaks up but, thankfully, he doesn't. "if anyone asks you to play messenger, just tell them i'm not interested."

you're tempted to laugh at that. no girl is going to see you turning them away on rin's behalf as anything less than sabotage. despite your skepticism that any of those potential encounters will bode over well, you nod. "got it."

the next proclamation of love isn't as direct; when the two of you make it to your first class of the day, there's a box sitting on the table you and rin regularly sit at. the envelope stuck under the ribbon tied in a neat bow has his name written across the front. you take a seat and silently wonder what he'll do. it's not like he can turn them down like this.

you're proven wrong when rin picks up the box and walks it to the front of the room, dropping it in the trash can. the action stirs up murmurs of disbelief as rin makes his way back to your table. you keep your eyes down in hopes of not seeing the face of the girl whose heart just shattered.

you think about each unfavorable interaction as you aimlessly wander the expanse of the courtyard. the fresh air was supposed to keep you from dwelling on things but your mind isn't so keen on giving you a break. it has to be because you went into today determined to do the same. every rejection you witness makes you reconsider your decision but you know you have to tell him today. if you don't, you're not sure you'll ever tell rin how you feel.

a sigh that resembles more of a pained groan pushes past your lips as you run a hand over your hair. maybe you should have skipped class today. you'd still be a nervous mess when you finally presented rin with the dumb little heart-shaped box you bought, but at least you wouldn't be replaying the worst-case scenario in your head as you did so.

you squeeze your eyes shut and shake your head. time travel isn't possible and you can't change the past. the only thing you can do now is charge forward.

when you open your eyes, there's someone walking towards you. a girl. unsurprisingly, she's got a box in her hands. you bite the inside of your cheek. you were really hoping you wouldn't have to deal with this.

the girl stops a few steps in front of you. despite the boldness in her approach, one that told you she recognized you, she still asks, "you're friends with rin, right?"

"uh, yeah."

"could you give these to him for me?" she asks. you remember rin's words and are a second from repeating them when the girl all but shoves the box into your hands, turning on her heel and rushing back the way she came.

mouth agape and hands heavy, you watch as she leaves. her figure is out of sight when you force your gaze down to the box. you bet its contents are just like those of the ones you put in your fridge last night. what are you supposed to do? throw them away as carelessly as rin had earlier?

"hey there." a voice sounds from behind you. you look over your shoulder to see who's addressing you and you're met with a matching set of cyan hair and eyes—hiori.

"ooh, chocolates." he points to the box in your hands as he comes to stand in front of you. "confessing to someone? rin maybe?"

"what? how did you-" you stop yourself from finishing that question. there's no way he could know. you haven't spoken a word to him about your feelings for rin. he's just assuming, nothing more. "no! what makes you think that?"

he shrugs, eyebrows raised at your adamant denial. "you haven't told me about any other guys in your life. so it's either rin or... oh my god. are you planning on confessing to me?"

"real funny." you gently nudge his ribs with your elbow but you can't fight the smile making its way onto your face. hiori breathes out a laugh and lightheartedly pats the top of your head. he has no idea how much you appreciate the much-needed, albeit short distraction.

hiori's eyes look past you. "hey rin."

you turn at the mention of his name to find him standing not far behind you. you offer him a smile but he doesn't return it. instead, his gaze falls to the box in your hands before they drag up to hiori and finally turn to you.

"are you ready to go?" he asks.

"yeah," you draw out the vowel, surprised at rin's unusual coldness toward hiori. you turn to the latter to say goodbye. "see you tomorrow."

hiori sends you off with a wave. the blue-haired boy watches your retreating figures with a playful shake of his head. he clicks his tongue as he starts on his way to his next class. "idiots."

"didn't know you liked hiori," rin speaks up from beside you, his eyes never straying from their focus forward. he's not sure why it took him the entire walk to the bus stop to broach the subject. maybe the strained silence was finally getting to him.

"i don't," you tell him. is that why he was so short with hiori? he's one of the few people rin gets along with. to see him practically ignore him was strange, to say the least.

"actually, these were meant for you." you hold the box up in the space between the two of you. "she handed them to me before i could say anything."

rin takes the box from your hold and slips it through the slot of the nearby garbage can. hearing the chocolates hit the rest of the trash almost makes you flinch. you uncomfortably laugh before asking, "do you really have to throw them away? isn't that a little harsh?"

"what else am i supposed to do with them?" accepting them in any way is an acknowledgment of their feelings and regifting them is out of the question. he wants to ask why you care so much but he already has an idea. you've always been more sympathetic than him. "i told you, i can't help that i don't feel the same."

rin's right. he has as little control over his feelings as you do over yours. you can't expect him to reciprocate, not the feelings of those girls and not yours. it's a hard truth to accept but one you'll have to if you plan on going through tonight. the sooner you do, the easier it'll be.

"i get it," you breathe out and nod, more to convince yourself than anything. you're sure rin won't press the matter, but the arrival of the bus fills you with relief.

you spend the ride watching the passing scenery and steeling yourself for the evening to come.

there's a shared path you walk with rin until you branch off and go your separate ways. you usually wish him farewell there but today, rin lingers. you raise your eyebrows in a silent gesture that questions his change in routine. he answers your unspoken question with one of his own. "are you still coming over later?"

is the universe mocking you? the moment you've strengthened your resolve, it's giving you a way out. a few hours ago you would have contemplated taking it but since then, you've come to terms with the fact that this isn't a situation you can control the outcome of. it may not end the way you want it to, but you don't want to hide your feelings forever. so you smile and shoot him a thumbs up. "yeah. yeah, i'll see you in a bit."

your phone loudly buzzes against the table, a text notification lighting up the screen. it's a check-in from rin; you're late. you pick the device up and type out a quick reply letting him know that you're on your way before shoving the phone in your pocket. your eyes turn to the spot beside the space your phone had occupied, the one where your box of homemade chocolates sits atop rin's folded jacket.

you slap your hands against your cheeks, rubbing the skin up and down as you breathe out a deep breath. "you got this," you remind yourself as you gather the items against your chest and start your walk to rin's apartment.

your fist feels heavy as it knocks against his unit's door. it doesn't take long before it swings open, revealing rin on the other side. the outfit he had worn to campus is traded in for something comfier—sweatpants and a t-shirt. he steps aside to let you in and you enter, kicking your shoes off and sliding into a pair of slippers he leaves out for guests.

you follow rin to the couch and take a seat beside him, making sure to leave a good amount of space between you. his thumb presses down on the arrow keys of the remote as he navigates the streaming service's selection of films. "any requests?"

"no," you shake your head, "whatever you want is fine."

he hums and continues scrolling through the movies falling under the horror genre. your leg is bouncing again, just like this morning. you can't wait any longer.

"thanks for letting me borrow this." you set his hoodie on the cushion of the couch, the empty portion between you and him. your voice and the movement he catches out of the corner of his eye lead rin to pause his search, to turn and face you.

you feel small under his gaze but will yourself to place the box on top of the folded fabric. "and these... are for you, too."

teal irises scrutinize the box. your heartbeat is loud in your ears, the only thing you can hear in the silent room. rin's lack of a reaction has the palms of your hands sweating.

"they're from me if you're wondering why i didn't toss them out," you attempt to joke, but you don't laugh. and neither does rin.

he picks up the box and you swear your heart lurches up into your throat with the action. your mind is a mess of thoughts ricocheting off the surface of your skull. why is he so quiet? is he trying to figure out how to let you down easy? no—he's got to be thinking about how you crossed the line. there's no way the two of you can go back to normal after this. this was a bad, bad idea— "i thought you were mad because i was turning all those girls down."

you don't understand what his words mean but the simple sound of his voice draws you back to reality, pulls you out of your head and away from those thoughts. when you look at rin, his eyes are already on you.

"what?" you croak out.

"i thought you were cheering them on or hoping that i'd end up accepting one of them," rin admits. "that's why i kept saying i couldn't change how i feel."

he sees it now. those questions and your looks of pity—sure, you probably did feel bad for them but really, you were putting yourself in their shoes. "you thought i'd turn you down, too?"

"i don't know." you cross your arms to shield yourself from his possible reply to your question of, "are you going to?"

"i told you i wasn't interested in them," he repeats himself for what feels like the umpteenth time. though, the next part is new, something he has to turn his gaze down to get out. "i never said anything about not being interested in you."

his statement is vague and while you think you know what he’s trying to convey, you have to be sure. the weight won’t be lifted off of your shoulders until you know. swallowing thickly, you ask, "is that your way of saying you're interested in me?"

rin looks back up at you as if it’s obvious. "why else would i have rejected all those girls?"

"you not liking them isn’t really enough evidence for me to have made that connection, rin." you slap his shoulder for putting you through unnecessary mental gymnastics. “just say you like me.”

“aren’t you supposed to be the one saying that to me?” he asks, shaking the heart-shaped box in the air as though you had forgotten.

“hey! be careful with those, they took all night to make.” it’s a little embarrassing to admit, but you think you’re past the point of caring. “and i wouldn’t do that for someone i didn’t like.”

you scan his features for any signs of discomfort but everything about his countenance is normal—all but the flush of pink creeping up on his cheeks. you don’t think you’ve ever seen him blush before this moment. the sight makes you giddy but, more than anything, you feel like you can breathe normally for the first time today.

“well,” he looks down to avoid your gaze, carefully taking the lid off of the box, “i wouldn’t accept chocolates from someone i didn’t like either.”

the smile that graces your lips at his declaration is one of pure joy. you’d spent so much time analyzing and assessing the negatives all day that you didn’t even allow yourself to imagine how it would feel if rin felt the same. it's almost like a dream.

it's silly, you know, but you can't help but reach out and poke the flesh of his cheek with your index finger.

blue-green eyes flit up from the piece of candy held between his lithe fingers to meet yours. "what was that for?"

you grin. "just making sure this is all real."

thanks for reading! comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated!

Hello!! I was about to sleep but a tumblr notif popped up and i was ecstatic to see your requests open, so can i request Rei, leo, and mao picking up their s/o who studies at a different academy but when the reader sees them they scramble away from their sight because they don't want to ruin the idol's reputation with their relationship? Thx and have a nice day!

hello anon, thank you for sending in your request and it was very fun to write :D sorry if leo's part was slightly longer than the rest because i'm biased towards him- anyways, enjoy reading <3

REI SAKUMA

lmao poor man’s gonna be confused and a little hurt to see you running away from him at the speed of light. when he arrived at the main entrance of the academy you were in, he sent a quick and simple text to notify you he was waiting by the usual spot. it has been a few months since he graduated but to him, the memories of him and his fellow idol mates and peers graduating was still crystal clear in his mind. 

rei ignored the curious and awed gazes he received from the students around him. unlike kaoru, he wasn’t a flirter and he was very loyal to his significant other; you of course. his crimson orbs scanned the sea of people, managing to spot you with ease. the leader of undead pushed himself off the wall, ready to greet you and was utterly confused when you turned and fled, as if someone was chasing you. 

rei didn’t made any movement to follow you, since he doesn’t have the stamina to do (lmao he’s old now). instead, he called you and you sheepishly answered on the second beep. 

“my dear, why did you ran away? you’re hurting this old man’s heart,” he asked, amused. 

“ah... sorry about that, rei. i didn’t want to ruin your reputation since you’ve become a idol now, and i didn’t want any rumors to be spread around,” you replied, embarrassed. 

needless to say, he was touched by how sincere you sound and how selfless you were by putting him above yourself. on the other hand, rei was even more amused, since he finds that selfless personality of yours adorable. 

“don’t worry, it doesn’t matter whether what the public thinks. it doesn’t matter how it would affect my reputation too. all that matters is being with you, my dear. so would you be so kind to come out now, before i get burnt from the harsh rays of sun.” 

ISARA MAO. 

isara thought he had seen it all. he thought after dealing with his idol mates and childhood friend, he had seen it all and would never be surprised again. what he didn’t except is to see you running away the moment you spotted him waiting by the gates of your academy. his first thought was maybe you had forgotten something and simply went back to retrieve them.

when ten minutes passed and you were nowhere to be found, isara starts to get worried. he sent you a few texts, wondering where you went and asked if you had gotten lost in your ridiculously large and grand campus. the idol nearly laughed out loud when you texted back within the next few seconds.

it turns out with him being a proper idol now, you didn’t want to ruin his reputation and caused a bunch of wild rumors to spread around the industry. isara knows how greedy people could be, willing to do anything to make trickstar topple when they were considered a brand-new idol group.

he gave on texting and proceeds to call you instead. it didn’t took you long to answer and you greet him with a meek hello. isara could visualized the flustered expression in his mind and the thought made him smiled.

“you don’t have to do that, you know? who cares what they think? none of those matters because you’re more important than them.”

LEO TSUKINAGA. 

as compared to the mentioned two, leo won’t remained still and watched you running away like a maniac. he does what a normal person would do (he’s insane actually): chase after you. frankly, if anyone from knights were there and see their leader chasing after his significant other without caring how they were gaining weird stares, they would consider leaving on the spot and kick him out (they can’t do that).

“(name), why are you running from me!? i’ve returned after so long and this is how you treat me? not even sena runs at the mere sight of seeing my face!” his loud voice boomed across the campus and it was expected when he easily caught up with you.

the composer grabbed your wrist, forcibly tugging you towards him and captured you in his arms with a tight grip, not tight enough to hurt you. leo was unfazed with how much you struggled and flapped your arms like a wild chicken. he ignored how the students were steering clear of the two of you. what matters more right now was how he finally gets to see you.

“wahaha, i caught you! tell me why you ran away, or i won’t let you go and hold onto you forever!” he declared, using his ex-status as a king. although, that doesn’t work in your relationship since you weren’t a knight.

it didn’t took you long to surrender and accept your fate. you went limp in his grip and sighed, looking everywhere else expect him.

“well... with how your becoming popular after graduating, i didn’t want to ruin your reputation and caused any stupid rumors from spreading. it might impact your life and i don’t want that to happen-”

you were interrupted by a loud round of laughter. you huffed your cheeks, reaching out to pinch and stretch out his cheeks. his laughter were then replaced by cries of pain, and how you were going to pinch away his inspiration at this rate.

“what’s so funny?” you asked, stopping your action.

“i didn’t know you were the type to think about those things! but well, who cares? i don’t know why you said the thing about impacting my life, when it won’t. without you, i won’t be able to compose any songs and i don’t want a furious sena chasing me around with a knife! besides, i need you by my side or i’ll refuse to compose anymore songs!” leo exclaimed, now holding you by your shoulders and staring straight into your soul.

you rolled your eyes, acting exasperated but the smile on your face said otherwise. you give him a peck on the cheek, chuckling at how his cheeks turned pink. it was amusing to see despite how you have been together for nearly three months.

“all right, i’ll listen to you. shall we get going then?”

“oh, wait! inspiration has arrived, i need to write this down!”

“huh? leo wait, you can’t write on the walls- LEO!” 

hi, coming over from twitter !!! have some blacktober bllk fanart :]

reblog to squish your mutual. until small

春のParfum　誘われ目覚める / 愛を閉じ込めた　記憶と思い出たち  …  this spring scented parfum was called to wake you up / reminiscing on these memories that were trapped inside this love.

"nii-chan... is really amazing..."

"i wanna be strong and cool... just like him..."

coloring by me!

icon set by @its-so-lukewarm

RUIN MY PLANS ! sae itoshi x manager! reader. fluff.

☆彡– really, he should have known better than to let someone in so easily– now you've ruined his plans and stained your muddy footprints all over his heart.

even in the beginning, it was always just sae and soccer.

(wrong. there was also rin– who used to idolized him as one would a celebrity, and his supportive parents– who sent him snacks and supportive notes when he was abroad.)

nevertheless, there really was no one in the small world of sae itoshi; hidden beneath the bitter guise of frigid thunder and even icier storms– until you first came in as his own brand new manager, (slightly naive) smile differing strikingly from his indifferent countenance.

you've unsolicitedly trampled all over his once-tranquil paradise over the years, sae thinks, because now he can't imagine a future without you– it makes his skin crawl and it feels sickening. how mediocre of him.

and just as sae starts to slowly accept the unfamiliar whirlwind of emotions in his life after denying his feelings for so long, his fragile world collapses again.

"i'm going to resign soon."

oh.

sae's heart sinks to his stomach. he feels like his whole world is falling apart– just like in the movies– and he's infuriated. resentment always came easily to sae, after all; but the fact that it's you makes his stomach churn.

(you, who unexpectedly won a place in his life with your lukewarm anecdotes, stupid laughter and reckless work habits. really, he should have known better than to let someone in so easily– now you've ruined his plans and stained your muddy footprints all over his heart.)

the soft music thrumming through the speakers of an expensive restaurant fuels his rage even more, and you're still sitting there nonchalantly– calm and composed, expression showing no signs of discomfort nor awkwardness.

and it really pisses him off.

he's treated you so well over the years too; trying to be on his best behaviour on his interviews with the press (read: not walking off); listening half-heartedly to your ramblings on how to increase his popularity (though he couldn't care less); and even going so far as to mind his language sometimes.

upon further reflection, maybe he really was the jerk here.

but in contrast to his internal turmoil, sae's demeanour remains tepid save for the slight furrow of his eyebrows. "huh? what's wrong with you?"

it comes out a lot harsher than intended.

you've known sae long enough to read his minuscule body language, and that the slight wince at his own words mean that he's a little apologetic– not that his ego would have ever allowed him to admit it. (if anything, it makes you realise that you've stayed in this job too long for your liking.)

–it's absolutely unhealthy to be around him for so long, you affirm to yourself. that's why you're resigning after six gruelling years.

the way you shift in your chair almost makes him worry.

"it's nothing big, i just want to start a normal life." you respond, albeit tentatively. "maybe cut off travelling around for a bit, have a less stressful job, get a partner–"

he scoffs at that. (it's not due to jealousy, definitely.) "you could do that even while being a manager; it's just a little busier than a normal life. plus, it's not too stressful, is it?"

you work more than 17 hours on busy days– even answering his spur of the moment midnight calls. as much as an eye candy as sae is, you don't think your heart can handle him much longer despite how unaffected you look.

(little did you know, he would've long cut back on the immense workload if you had so much as mentioned it– he would have gone beyond limits to keep you by his side, because you're the only constant in his world of football. and he likes that.)

"i suppose so– i guess settling back into Japan might make dating a lot easier, as well as stop my parent's nagging." you sigh. "they're constantly pestering me on when i'll get married."

sae's had his share of flings in europe before– so he has no idea why his heart races so fast at the mere thought of a reckless idea.

"so date me."

you choke. his face stays stoic, utterly contradicting to the way he swallows thickly– he really is a mess. now he's ruined every single healthy relationship he's ever had in his life.

and never in your life did you think you would get to hear sae itoshi ask you out, even if it was just for his own benefit. "it won't hinder with your work, and it'll be easy to convince your parents, won't it?"

you hate how persuasive he is.

(that night, you end up making a decision that might just cost you more than your sappy feelings.)